Mark 11  v 1/11

 On Sunday we remember the first Palm Sunday, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to proclaim Himself as the Messiah and was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm branches, the same crowds who a few days later would be crying ‘crucify Him’.  This is the beginning of Holy Week as we celebrate the events of 2,000 years ago and follow our Lord’s last days before His crucifixion, the heart of the Christian faith. All four gospel writers tell the story of that first momentous week

 The Chapter opens where Jesus is about to make the final stage of His life’s journey which will end at the Cross, and He has planned it with great detail. Jesus had been in Jericho and was now ready to go to Jerusalem on the last stage of His life’s journey.  He was going to walk the way many pilgrims had walked.

 On reaching Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples ahead to the next village, telling them they would find a colt tied by the side of the road and they were to untie it and take it to Him.  If anyone should challenge them they were to say the Lord needs it.  We are not told how Jesus knew this, He may have had a prior arrangement with the owner or it could have been through means of His supernatural knowledge.

 So began the fateful journey down the Mount of Olives where He was joined by waiting crowds who greeted Him wildly, laying their cloaks on the road in front of Him and waving palm branches, and singing from Psalm 118 which was a psalm pilgrims sang as a hymn of praise to God.  Palm branches were used to signify joy and celebration

 Jesus would normally have slipped quietly into the city as He usually like to avoid attention, but on this occasion, although He knew a price was on His head, chose to ride in triumphantly.  All this was to fulfil the prophecy of Zechariah in the Old Testament made nearly 600 years earlier.  When the crowds hailed Him as the Son of David, the Messiah, He did not stop them.

 Jesus knew a demonstration would happen and further enrage the Jewish leaders, and in fact the Pharisees were annoyed, so making them more eager to plot against Him.  Jesus knew that God had a plan for Him, which made the Jews change their intentions. Jesus knew well what He was doing.    

 Jesus made it clear to the crowds that He was not the kind of Messiah of their dreams; He came in peace not as a conquering warrior.  They did not understand His intention and were following for the wrong motives.  These same adoring crowds would a few days later turn equally wildly against Him as He faced the Cross.

His works had become well known and the crowds greeted Him with shouts of Hosanna, which means ‘save us’, seeing Him as the one who would lead them to glory in world conquest.   When they realised this was not His mission, the same crowds would later in the week shout’ ‘crucify Him’. 

 As He entered the city Jesus paused on the hill overlooking it and we are told He wept because He knew that within a few years the city would be destroyed by the Romans.

 This was more than a journey into Jerusalem, it was a journey to the Cross, a journey Jesus could have avoided and left the world to perish, but He readily went on to a very brutal and cruel death to take our place on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins, a penalty we are unable to pay for ourselves.

 As with every Bible passage there is a meaning and a message for us to-day. We should consider how we react to this Palm Sunday story.  We may reject God’s Son as many did in Jerusalem.  We may treat with an amount of indifference seeing it as just another bible story.   As we study this story of our Lord’s journey to the Cross we see our forgiveness cost Jesus public mockery and the most cruel of deaths.   Jesus wanted the people to accept Him as God’s chosen Messiah, but their cheering was false and ultimately it would all lead to destruction.

 It is important for us to understand the lesson we can learn from this event. That action of our Lord demands a response, if we are to claim forgiveness. We all need to ask ourselves if I stood before God today and He asked me why I should be allowed into heaven, what would I say.

When we get to the last days Jesus is not going to say ‘Did you have nice thoughts about me?’  The question is, have we accepted He is the Son of God and Saviour of sinners, and trusted in Him alone for our salvation.

 The Bible is all about commitment. We are reminded of the superficiality of commitment in our own time. Less than 10% of people think God worthy of one hour per week to visit a Church. Yet if you were to ask people their religion, the vast majority would reply C of E and seriously consider themselves to be Christians. They would be mortally offended if you suggested otherwise. Yet very few people seem bothered by Jesus

Just as the Jews then rejected Jesus, so do so many people now.  But God allows us free will to make a decision to be with Jesus or not.  Even those who claim to be Christians can be lukewarm, and allow their commitment to grow cold. It is not enough to pay the odd visit to nod to the Almighty at Christmas, Easter or to a baptism service.  There is a little ditty,

‘each time I pass may parish Church I pay a little visit, so when at last I’m carried in,the Lord won’t say who is it’. 

 Muslims are Muslims in the full sense of the word, and they find difficulty in understanding how people who live in Christian lands reject their faith so completely. Why, on the Lord’s birthday so many get drunk and engage in orgies. They will fight and defend their faith, and the men will not feel embarrassed or ashamed to be seen going to worship. Put many Englishmen in a Church and they feel lost and disorientated.

 Everyone has to take responsibility for the way they respond to the Lord. As Christians we should ask ourselves are we following Him for the right reasons; do we realise the sacrifice He made for us personally?

.I read a story of a Minister counselling a couple with married difficulties.  At one point the husband said in anger to his wife, ‘I have given you a new home, new car , …and so the list went on.’  The wife answered, ‘yes that is true, you have given me everything but yourself.’  The greatest gift you can give for another is yourself, and that is what Jesus did, gave Himself. .

There is an American story about a young man who painted a portrait of his friend shortly before the friend died.  The young man took the portrait to his friend’s father, a rich man, who offered him a huge sum of money, which the young man refused.  Some time later the father died and all his priceless possessions were auctioned.  The first item up for auction was the portrait, which no one showed any interest in except the father’s old black servant.  He offered a few dollars, all he had, and got the painting.  The auctioneer to everyone's surprise closed the auction.  The father’s will said ‘he who accepts the son has everything’.  We can reject the Son as they did at Jerusalem all those years ago, or have everything God has for us. 

 The action of our Lord demands a response, and we all need to ask ourselves, if we stood before the Lord today and we were asked why we should be allowed into heaven, what would we say.  It is easy to say I am a Christian, 95% of the population believe as long as you are honest, kind and helpful to others you have a passport to heaven. 

 It can be very hard to be a Christian when so many organisations, government and public busybodies try to suppress your faith under pain of some sanction.  Any open expression of our faith is likely to lead to suspension or dismissal from work. The Bible is seen as old fashioned and its stories foolish. Children are denied the glory of being told of the stories of Jesus as no one is prepared to tell them.

 The government has sold out to the liberal lobby and has taken legal powers to prevent Christians from opting out of that which contravenes their beliefs. How Jesus would weep over Britain today as He did over Jerusalem, as He sees the obstacles put in our way.

There comes a time in life when you have to make a decision, one which can affect you for ever; such a time may be now for you.  Many people like to put awkward questions away, but this one is one you cannot.

 The Palm story is an outstanding event in world history. This triumphal entry was made into Jerusalem by a man branded an outlaw, but was ready to put himself in front of those who were out to arrest him.

 Jesus was fulfilling an Old Testament prophecy made by Zechariah 600 years earlier, which should indicate to all fair minded people how accurate the Bible is, and how much we can have faith in what the Bible states.

  Do you follow Christ, or reject Him like the Jews did all those years ago, with all the consequences for eternity, no one can wait forever. There comes a time when a decision must be made. Why not on this Palm Sunday morning, whether at Church or following a relayed service, hail him as your Lord.  And may God bless you.