Palm Sunday is an uplifting day of worship that begins with our young people jubilantly parading through "big church" while proudly waving palm fronds. There are always just enough adults interspersed among the wee ones to thwart use of the frond to lightly pounce another kid atop the head. Though it is a special time harkening the beginning of Holy Week, many of these younger children haven't yet reached the age to comprehend the true significance of the day. They don't yet fully understand that Zechariah foretold of Christ's triumphant entry. "Rejoice greatly, O my people! Shout with joy! For look -- your King is coming! He is the Righteous One, the Victor! Yet he is lowly, riding on a donkey's colt!" Jesus fulfilled Zechariah's ancient prophesy. People cut palm branches. They lined the road and excitedly waved the fronds in the air as Jesus entered Jerusalem. Many spread their cloaks in the path as an act of submission because they recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah. Jesus, with his instructions to two disciples, proclaims his divinity in Luke 19: 29-31. They were to look for a donkey tied beside the road. It would be a colt, not yet broken for riding. "Untie him," Jesus said, "and bring him here. And if anyone asks you what you are doing, just say, 'The Lord needs him.'" Matthew 21:19 says that crowds surrounded Jesus, shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" However, some in Jerusalem that day regarded Jesus as a political leader who would overthrow the Romans. They, too, didn't yet fully understand what Zechariah had foretold of Christ's triumphant entry. Filmed at the 11:00 am traditional service on Sunday, April 13, 2014.
