28 March 2021 Devotion for Palm Sunday
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for the week following the sixth Sunday of Lent, and the start of Holy Week, is taken from the Gospel of John, Chapter 3 verses 14 and 15, “The Son of Man must be lifted up on the cross, in order that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but have eternal life,” (Amplified Bible). In a private conversation during the night, the Pharisee, Nicodemus, came to the Lord, and they engaged in a deep theological discussion. Jesus told Nicodemus just as Moses had to lift up the serpent on the wooden pole in the desert, after the Israelites rebelled, so the Son of Man will have to be lifted up on the cross. As visible as this symbol, shown by Moses was for those dying in the desert, so visible will the lifting up of Christ on the Cross be. Those who look on Christ and believe that He came to take away the sin of the world will be healed and saved. Nicodemus believed Jesus, and continued to be one of his secret disciples. He was possibly not aware of the hearing that took place during the night, scripture does not tell us. However, we read that Nicodemus came with spices and helped to bury the body of Jesus in the customary manner in the garden tomb after he died his crucifixion death. Like Nicodemus, there were many other followers of Jesus, who adhered to him secretly, for fear of what could happen if they would openly follow him. After the resurrection and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit the scared followers were so empowered that they spread the gospel fearlessly throughout the world. Many died martyr deaths for their faith. The world-wide church and her people continue to point to Christ on the Cross for us, the Saviour of the World.
Palm Sunday reminds us of the vast crowd that heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast, who gathered palm branches and spread their clothes on the road, praising and singing: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jesus was riding on a young donkey fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah, “Do not fear, look! Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” The Pharisees and Scribes were worried, for they saw that all the people were rejoicing and following after Jesus. They therefore needed to carry out their sinister plans in secret, as more and more people came and wanted to see Jesus and talk to the Lord, (John 12 verse 21). Jesus, the Light of the World, was lifted for all to see, there on the Cross. The people waving their palm branches and acknowledging Jesus as the King of the World, foreshadow the glorious Hosanna’s that will resound when Christ comes again to reign in glory.
The watchword for this Sunday is taken from Psalm 3 verse 8, “Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people,” (NRSVB). For a short while it did not seem as if the deliverance belonged to the Lord, for he was dead and buried. The disciples and his followers were devastated, the coming into Jerusalem with the Hosanna’s and the festive rejoicing of the people turned within four days into a time of mourning. Christ promised his disciples, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” (John 16 verse 33). From the time of the triumphant entry into the city up to the arrest in the Garden the Lord continue to minister and teach the people as He always did, despite the mounting animosity from the temple authorities. “He went about proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and sickness,” (Matthew 9 verse 35). As we approach Holy Week, let us join with the crowd who sang their Hosannas to their Lord as we follow him to the Cross and look up to him and believe.
Jesus, you have come to save us from condemnation, reconciling us to our Father, Amen.
