Lent with the Psalms: Finding Jesus in Ancient Prayers

4/16/2025

Sunday we celebrated Palm Sunday – a day signifying Jesus coming to Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, fulfilling a prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9

The Coming King of Zion
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The crowd cheered and praised Jesus as he made his way into the city. The crowd waved palm branches and laid coats and garments before Him to signify His royalty while many shouted “Hosanna in the highest.” This story is called the Triumphant Entry. Jesus returns to Jerusalem as a king. The people around Him celebrated a man and what they believed He would do for their nation. Some even had thoughts about how He should take over the nation of Israel and how He should lead.

God has His own plans – and they don’t always align with our own.

Just a few days later the momentum changed from praising Jesus as a king to declaring their desire to have Him crucified. The crowd turned on Jesus and Jesus began His journey from the triumphant entry to being arrested and crucified, and then raising from the grave and ascending back to heaven – where He remains until His second coming.

We aren’t always ready for the momentum in our lives to shift, to go from celebration to grief in an instant. We may be sitting on a mountain top enjoying the view and trying to put our struggles aside, but be unaware that crumbling rocks below us are about ready to plunge us to the bottom.

Nothing surprises God though. There isn’t a change in momentum that God doesn’t see coming. There isn’t a change in momentum that God doesn’t want to use to bring you closer to Him. That part is up to us.

As was asked in the sermon last Sunday, “Why are you waving the palm branch?” What is your motive for praising and worshipping Jesus?

Do you trust God in every way? Will you follow Him despite where He leads? Or do you see Jesus and someone to follow only as long as you want to go where He is going? Otherwise – you will look for something else to follow that better leads you where you want to go.

As we move through this Holy Week – let us be reminded that Jesus went willingly to that cross – for us. He didn’t feel pressured to go – and God didn't force His hand. Jesus chose.

Who / What will you chose to worship and follow today and tomorrow? The choice is up to you. Let God search your heart and reveal what He will to you. As you sit in the presence of God, His joy and peace will satisfy your longing soul.

Blessings,
Pastor Kyle

Events Calendar