What's the Big Deal with Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday is Sunday April 5 this year and good many of us have been around church, especially at Easter, and observed Palm Sunday. But you may not really understand it's significance. Was this about people having their palms read to see the future? or maybe it was the first Arbor day and they were planting trees?

Actually, it should be called donkey colt-branch-coat parade or something more catchy than that. What do I mean. Well about a week before Jesus' crucifixion, He rode Jerusalem on a baby donkey on a road lined with peoples coats and branches. This wasn't because the town was dirty and the street sweepers haven't been out yet. It was out of honor and respect for the one the prophecies were about. Check out these verses to get the story:

• Matthew 21: 1-11


• Mark 11: 1-11


• Luke 19: 28-44

Why a baby donkey? Donkey's were associated with leaders and by riding a young donkey would have shown humility and gentleness. This also fulfilled what Zechariah had seen. Putting coats and branches on the road was customary way of welcoming a triumphant king returning from a victory. So they were treating Jesus like a king who has one a major battle...

• Zechariah 9:9-10 (NIV)
  The Coming of Zion's King 9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king [a] comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
  (This was written around 900 years before it happened)

The problem is that the people saw Christ as a political leader that had come to deliver them from Roman rule. Christ did come as the King of Kings and to deliver us from the enemy, but that enemy is the sin in our lives. Within one week this admiration and respect will change drastically.

Check back next week for the rest of the story.