April 13, 2025 - John‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬-‭15

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”” John 12:12-15 ESV

Jesus, I used to think of this moment as such a joyous moment of celebration, and it was, but the more I get to know you and your love, my perspective has changed. I think this moment was bittersweet for you. Seeing the people celebrate you as their Lord was beautiful and joyful, but you also knew that some who were singing your praises were not fully convinced. Some of them would likely be shouting for your death in a matter of days. You carried deep love for every soul you encountered. You ached for them to understand. You ached because of the pain and confusion your followers who did truly love and believe in you would experience over the next week.

You knew entering Jerusalem was the beginning of the end. The weight of what you were walking towards must have been so enormously heavy. You came to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice. Your whole life was leading to this moment. As God, your perfect love drove you forward, but as a human you dreaded the agony that stood before you. You understood the magnitude of paying the penalty for the sin of every human who has and ever would live. We can’t even fathom the immenseness of what you were walking towards and what its cost was. Yet, your great love for us drove you forward. We praise you for your love. We join the choirs of heaven and declare, “Hosanna, Hosanna. You are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, our blessed Savior and Messiah!”

In Jesus name, amen.