The Palm Sunday story is important to remember. Not just because it’s fun to have our kids enter the sanctuary singing and waving palm branches. There is a critical message in this story we need to hear, but often miss.
It’s a story that goes right down to the core of what it means for us to
live as Christ’s followers. So, I encourage you to listen closely and think deeply today. Hear the Palm Sunday message with fresh ears.
Matthew 21:6-11
6 The
disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They
brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to
sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their
cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread
them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of
him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna[b] to
the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna[d] in
the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and
asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from
Nazareth in Galilee.”
There are several important symbols in this story that reveal what’s really going on. The first clue is the word the people shouted. What did they shout?
They shouted “Hosanna!” The word sounds like a praise, but it has a specific meaning. It’s a quote of Psalm 118:25, “Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success.” Hosanna means: Lord Save us!
Now, when
the Israelites shouted Hosanna to Jesus, they had a specific salvation in
mind. They were NOT demanding He save them from their sins so they could go to heaven. No. They meant, “Save us from these Romans who rule over us and oppress us!” The Israelites wanted to be rid of the Romans. They wanted Israel to be an independent Kingdom again. They wanted prosperity. They wanted Israel to be great again like it was back in its glory days.
The second symbol that reveals what the Palm Sunday story is really about is the palm branches.
Palm branches were the national symbol of Israel. They became the national symbol of Israel in 167 BC when the Maccabees, a family of Jewish priest, led a successful military revolt against the Seleucid Empire and gained Jewish independence. The Israelites celebrates their victory by waving palm branches. Afterwards, Israel was independent for about 80 years before the Romans took over Israel.
So as Jesus
entered Jerusalem on Palms Sunday, the Jews waved palm branches the same way Americans
might wave American flags at a fourth of July parade. They waved their palm branches, remembering
how the Maccabees revolted and gained Jewish independence, and they shouted to
Jesus, “Hosanna! Lord, please save us from these Romans!”
A third symbol is how they addressed Jesus. The called Him: the son of David. The Jews in Jerusalem wanted to go back to what they considered the glory days of Israel. In their minds, David’s kingdom was the greatest time in Israelite history. He conquered all their enemies. He untied Israel as one nation. He established peace and prosperity. And Israel was respected by all the nation around them. (Of course, they conveniently forgot that David levied tremendously high taxes. God said there was so much blood on his hands he couldn’t build God a temple. David is also known for an adulterous affair with Bathsheba and for murdering her husband, Uriah, to cover it up. And David’s son, Absolom, led a rebellion and tried to steal David’s Kingdom.) But the Jews of Jesus’ day wanted Israel to be great again, like it was back when David was king. And so they waved their Palm branches, shouted: “Hosanna! Lord, save us now (like the Macabbees)! And make us great again (like we were when David was king)!”
There’s one more symbol—the donkey. Jesus rode in on a donkey. Actually, it was a donkey’s colt (a baby donkey). This was the fulfilment of prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. But it was also sent a powerful message that did NOT align with the hopes of the crowds cheering for Jesus. They wanted a military king who would bring a sword and ride in on a warhorse to defeat the Romans. But Jesus came in on a humble little baby donkey talking about peace and forgiveness, and telling everyone they needed to “love their enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This was not the image or words of a conquering king. They were not the words most Jewish people in Israel expected or wanted to hear.
Pilate and
his Roman military also came to Jerusalem that day. (It is well documented that Roman governors
like Pilate rode into Jerusalem to maintain order on major Jewish festivals
like Passover, which drew large crowds and carried the potential for unrest. And when the Romans arrived, they rode in on
Warhorse with banners flying and swords and armor flashing. They wanted to make sure everyone in
Jerusalem could see their military power so as to deter any thought of rebellion.
So we have
this contrast—Jesus on a humble donkey and Pilate and the Romans on warhorses. It’s clear what the people wanted. They
wanted Jesus to be their military king who would save them by kicking out the
Romans and make Israel great again like it was when David was king. It’s clear they were excited, but it’s also sad that they missed the whole
point of why Jesus came. And we can see this sadness bring Jesus to tears in Luke’s version of the Palm
Sunday story. In Luke, Jesus weeps over
Jerusalem, because He knows hey won’t listen to Him.
Nevertheless,
Jesus spent a week preaching and teaching in Jerusalem. He taught them about the Kingdom of God and invited them to receive it. But Jesus wasn’t offering the kind of Kingdom they wanted. Instead of peace, they wanted war. Instead of forgiveness, they wanted revenge.
Instead of love, they wanted to hate the Romans. Instead of serving, they wanted power. And instead of the King of Heaven, they wanted Barabbas.
Jesus was
betrayed by Judas and arrested on Thursday night. He was tried and sentenced to death. On Friday, Pilate sought to have him
released.
Luke 23:18-20
18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice
they shouted, “Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!” 19 (Barabbas was in prison for taking part
in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) 20 Pilate argued with them, because he
wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!”
People haven’t changed much in 2,000 years. We still struggle to pick Jesus over Barrabas.
“What?!” You say, “I would never choose Barrabas over Jesus!” Is that so?
Whenever we choose the ways of the world over the ways of Jesus, we’re choosing Barabbas.
When we demand immediate results instead of trusting God’s timing, we’re choosing Barrabas.
When we prioritize safety and comfort over obedience and sacrifice, we’re choosing Barrabas.
When we follow the crowd instead of standing for truth, we’re choosing Barrabas.
When we elevate charisma or influence over character, we’re choosing Barrabas.
When we choose temporary gain over eternal reward, we’re choosing Barrabas.
When we define success by winning instead of by faithfulness, we’re choosing Barrabas.
When we choose the kingdoms of this world over God’s Kingdom, we are choosing Barrabas.
Who Will You Choose?
So here we are—just
like the crowd in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago.
Jesus enters humbly, offering peace, forgiveness, and the way of the cross.
Barabbas stands as the symbol of worldly strength, quick fixes, and the kind of
power that dominates. The people had a
choice then. You have a choice now.
Every day, with every decision—how you treat your neighbor, how you lead
your family, how you handle conflict, how you vote, how you speak, how you
spend, how you love—you are choosing: Jesus…
or Barabbas.
Will you submit to Jesus—even when it means patience, humility, and
sacrifice?
Or will you go with the crowd, shouting "Save us!" but only on your
terms?
Will you lay down your life and follow the servant King on the donkey?
Or will you cling to the world's ways, hoping for glory, comfort, prosperity,
and control?
So today, I challenge you to look honestly at your life.
Not just what you say you believe—but your choices.
Actions speak louder than words.
And ask yourself:
Whose Kingdom am I really choosing?
