Not lost on this Palm Sunday is the fact it is March 25. March 25 makes this year’s Palm Sunday 3 months after Christmas and 9 months until the next Christmas celebration. 9 months from now, we celebrate the birth of our Savior. 3 months ago, we welcomed the newborn King. Today we sang, “Hosanna” to the King riding into Jerusalem. Today, we celebrate the Savior's trek into Holy Week. All that Christmas stuff was aimed at this week- and here it comes....including a blanket of white for many to our south just to put things into greater perspective. His blood will make our hearts as white as new fallen snow. Too cool.
And so this week, Holy Week, we would do well to have our thoughts on Christmas. The greatest Gift of all is finishing His work this week. He came in humbly because he humbly took up the task to save us. While Messiah sounds like an inspiring name, it simply announces Jesus for what he is- Savior.He’s going to demonstrate that humility again this week when He acts as a servant washing His disciples feet. But then He is going to serve us again, doing some last minute preparations with his disciples. He’ll pray for them and for us, that we remain strong in faith. And to make sure it’s possible for frail sinners to stay strong, He’ll give us himself through His Supper to do more than just remember Him but to have Him live with us and in us.He’s going to take our sin to the cross with him this week. We’re going to see the full wrath of our God toward sin, and we’re going to see God take it out on His Son... for us. It’s going to be ugly, because sin is ugly. It’s going to be an abandoned Savior on that cross, because sin separates. But he’s going to let us know it’s finished, His lifework of redeeming us. It will be finished.Then comes Easter. This Savior of ours is going to let us know that all is good and right. Our guilt and shame is left in the grave. He has announced his power over all that wants us separated from Him- sin, death, the devil. He is our conquering King, our King Eternal. And so our “Hosannas” will change to loud “Hallelujahs.”This week, our schools will spend a lot of time sharing the Holy Week messages. Continue the sharing at home. And assure your time in church this week. Christ’s gifts are there; He is there. A blessed Holy Week to you.
