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march 30

Matthew 21:1-16 records Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.1. Palm Sunday was a day of discipleship. Verses 1-6 record instructions Jesus gave two of His disciples.They just did (VS 6) as He instructed them to do. What a picture of discipleship. Obedience without question. Trusting what Jesus said even though they may not
have understood completely why they were going to borrow animals from people they didn’t know in order to bring them to Jesus.

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Following Jesus doesn’t just mean believing in Him for salvation. It includes doing what He asks us to do.

How do you think those two disciples felt just a few minutes later when they were watching Jesus be lauded as King by a huge crowd of people? They had played a part in the fulfillment of Scripture. They had done what Jesus asked of them, and they stood there to watch history that had been foretold unfold before their very eyes!

2. Palm Sunday was also a day of worship. Verses 7-11 paint a picture of high praise.

What was taking place as people threw their cloaks on the ground to create a path for Jesus to ride on was a huge worship celebration. They threw branches on the ground almost like we would roll out the red carpet today for someone famous. They were welcoming Jesus as King and were shouting praises unto His name. Even the children, according to verse 15, were shouting praises to the Lord Jesus.

3. Palm Sunday was also a day of cleansing. In verses 12-13 Jesus rid the temple of people and practices that had defiled the temple and distorted its purposes.

The cleansing of the temple is a picture of what Jesus wants to do in the life of every Christ follower. Perhaps there is a lot going on in our temples that isn’t supposed to be going on in our temples. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

I wonder . . . If Jesus was here present in human form today, how would He feel about our temples? How many tables would He want to overturn in our temples? What cleansing needs to happen in our earthly temples?

4. Palm Sunday was also a day of healing. Verse 14 tells us the blind and the lame in the temple were healed by Jesus.

With the temple cleansed, the healing ministry of Jesus flowed in that space. What Jesus was performing in the natural realm by healing blind eyes and lame feet, was supposed to be happening in the spiritual realm in that space. People who were sick spiritually were supposed to be given sight to see God and see themselves the way they really were. They were supposed to be given strength to walk and live in Jesus’ name.

Palm Sunday was a day just like today in that each of us needs to encounter God in at least one if not all of these ways today. Discipleship. Worship. Cleansing. Healing. Today, will you let Jesus ride into your life to accomplish His will in all four areas of your life?

Walking toward the Resurrection with you,

Pastor Melissa

James 5:14-16 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint
John 8:1-11 1Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the
Jesus prayed a lot. Prayer was routine for Jesus. Luke 5:16 says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”