Deeper Understanding of Palm Sunday

The first time I went to church on Palm Sunday, I was 12 years old. I remember it clear as day, the pastor was preaching about Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people waving palm branches high in the air, shouting, “Hosanna! Hosanna!”

By shouting Hosanna, they were crying out for salvation, begging Jesus to set them free from Roman oppression. It was a joyful, spirited Sunday morning. The energy in the church that day was electric, as we celebrated who Jesus is and what He represents.

The donkey? That was no random detail. It symbolized humility and fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah, where it spoke of the Messiah coming not with war horses, but with peace and meekness. Jesus didn’t ride in like a conqueror, He came gently, just like Scripture said He would.

But then came Good Friday. I’ll never forget it. The same pastor stood before us and said, “The same people who shouted Hosanna on Sunday were shouting Crucify Him by Friday.” I couldn’t wrap my head around it. How could they switch up so fast?

As the pastor explained, the crowd was looking for a political savior. They wanted someone to overthrow the Romans, to fix their problems on earth. But Jesus didn’t come to start a rebellion, He came to change hearts. When He didn’t meet their expectations, when He didn’t act the way they hoped, disappointment turned into betrayal. Their cheers became jeers. Their praise turned to condemnation.

But Jesus… He knew they’d turn on Him. That they didn’t fully understand, but He still chose the cross. He went willingly, out of pure, unconditional love, knowing that His sacrifice was the only way to make salvation possible for us. Jesus didn’t die because He had to. He died because we needed Him to.

Now, as I reflect on Palm Sunday with grown eyes and a deeper understanding, this is what stands out to me most:

The people turning on Jesus reveals just how fickle the human heart can be. Mankind is quick to change sides when things don’t go our way. If we can betray the One who loved us most, what does that say about our own nature? If we could turn on Jesus in a moment, what’s to stop us from turning on each other?

It’s humbling. Because the truth is, we all have the capacity to fail, to fall short, to walk away when things get tough. But the beauty in all of this, the powerful, redemptive lesson, is that Jesus chose to love us anyway.

Even in our mess, even with our flaws, even knowing we’d betray Him, He still went to the cross. And that’s the kind of love that changes everything.

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Thank you so much for reading. If this post gave you something to reflect on, take a moment and sit with it. God has a way of using even the quiet moments to speak to our hearts.

Craving more faith-based encouragement?

Explore other posts on the blog to find stories, scriptures, and everyday lessons meant to strengthen your walk with Christ.

Start here: How to Believe in Yourself and Follow That Dream

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Learn why I started this blog and how faith shaped this journey → Find Out What It Means To Have “Amateur Faith”

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Until we meet again…

Stay rooted in grace. Keep growing in faith. And remember, God never wastes a single part of your story.