INTRODUCTION

Every year since the Jews followed Moses in exodus of Egypt, they have called the week during that time of the year - Passover. Each day of Passover Week starting with Sunday, the Jewish people make precise preparations for the Passover meal and The Feast of the Unleavened Bread, to commemorate God delivering them from Pharaoh's bondage, and to remember their mutual covenant with God. For hundreds of years, it was mandatory for all male Jews to go to Jerusalem for the feasts of Pentecost, Tabernacles, and Passover, but Passover was the priority. Passover was the celebration of freedom and deliverance for the Jews, and in the political and religious turmoil during the time of Jesus, there were desperate expectations that God (as He had promised) would again raise up another great leader (like Moses or David) to once again free their land and the Jewish people from the cruel oppression imposed by the Roman occupation.

For centuries Palm Sunday has signaled the beginning of the Christian Holy Week for believers around the world - naturally this week coincides with the Jewish Passover. For Christians, Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the first day of the Passover, and leads us through the circumstances, events, and movements of Jesus’ week.

Christian gatherings are focused around His suffering, death, and resurrection. This should be one of the most illuminating and gratifying times in the life of a Jesus follower. During the week we have an opportunity to worship, observe, and celebrate the triumph, the sorrow, the suffering, the silence, and finally the power of the risen Christ! As followers of Jesus, we know that our worship was never meant to be confined to just this one week - but Christians everywhere, in any language, can experience the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ the Son of God as gatherings of communion, singing, praying, meditation, mourning and celebration take place during this entire week. Join us...

PALM SUNDAY - Praying for Mercy

Father... Thank you for the amazing gift of Your Only Son, Jesus Christ. You sent Him to us without blemish or flaw, the complete definition of beauty and perfection. We shouted His name in the streets, and we cried out Hosanna; we sang His praises, and made Him famous... and then realized we did not truly know Him, or why He came. Lord, forgive us that we did not understand that His mission was not for just a few, but for all. In Your Mercy You included us. Dear Father, reveal Your Son... reveal Your Son that we may know the truth and not the lie. Let us follow our King in Spirit and in truth as faithful followers and not merely as part of the unknowing crowd!

Meditations

Everyone and everything has a beginning. What is most curious is how the outcome can oftentimes be so different from how the whole thing started! On what we call Palm Sunday the Jews celebrated the triumphant presentation of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Matthew’s biography of Jesus describes this event as the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy of Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9). For the Jews, this the first day of Passover, was called the “day of presentation” as each family presented the lamb they had chosen for the Feast of the Passover (a lamb without blemish or flaw). The population of the city had increased from 50,000 to 150,000 people at Passover time. Huge caravans of faithful Jews and extended families had come, despite the high tolls (paid to Rome) on the main access roads and city entrances.

As Jesus the Lamb of God, (without blemish or flaw) rides into the city, His reputation precedes Him, and the news of His healing the sick, compassion for the poor, and the claims of being the “Son of God” had spread rapidly throughout the entire region. Like a storm, the stories of His commanding and charismatic teaching, His calm and discerning wisdom, and His gentle and deep compassion, swept the highly populated shores of the Sea of Galilee. But it was in the temple courts where all Jesus had said and done had been critically and cynically documented by those who felt most threatened by Him... the Pharisees and Sadducees.

By mid-morning, the frenzied streets were filled with shouts and praises for the arrival of Jesus from those who gathered. They actually began to cry out the words “Hosanna” (Hebrew – meaning; save us now), and “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” As they shouted, they laid down their cloaks and waved palm branches, symbolizing that an enemy of the Jews had been defeated. Ironically, on the first day of the Passover Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey being proclaimed a Savior and celebrity – before the next Sabbath He would be led out of the city to his death through the same streets - being proclaimed a criminal and imposter. With the public entry of Jesus into the city, Passover week would become something different than it ever had before - nothing would ever again be the same.

Let’s begin our Holy Week journey with believers of all ages, from all times and places, by announcing His triumphant entrance, and proclaiming Him Jesus the Messiah – The Christ! “King of kings and Lord of lords... Hosanna! Hosanna in the Highest!

The Parable of the Ten Minas

11As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

28And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”