Palm Sunday "Getting It Right"
PALM SUNDAY 
Scripture Passage John 12:12-16
Verse John 12:13
A great multitude took branches of palm and cried out: "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord The King of Israel."
"Getting It Right"
It is said that everyone loves a parade. Children at a Santa Clause parade where their eyes light up and sparkle like Christmas tree bulbs, all aglow with hope and expectation. Adults love a parade! The thousands upon thousands who turned out for the Toronto Raptors and their victory celebration as the NBA champions. Many were disappointed at the cancellation of the St. Patrick's Day parade as a casualty of COVID-19.
Palm Sunday smacks on the heels of a parade.
Jesus is making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. As Jesus arrives the crowd spread their cloaks and branches from the trees (Palm trees) both on the donkey and on the path. This is a parade in the making! As in most parades, noise is part of the festivities as the crowd walks in front and behind the donkey shouting "HOSANNA! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the King of Israel."
This Palm Sunday, we nor the children will be waving Palm branches in the sanctuary. This will certainly touch a nerve in us as Palm Sunday ushers in Holy Week. Let us allow the waving of Palm branches in the corridor of our hearts of past Palm Sundays and be a people united in spirit as we welcome the King who comes in the name of the Lord God.
As John 12:16 suggests the Palm Sunday crowd didn't get what was happening quite right. They thought the King they were welcoming was of a political nature; He would overthrow the Romans and set up a nation(empire) of which He would be King.
Not until some time later after His Resurrection and Ascension when Jesus was glorified by the Father did his followers realize He was a King - the King of Earth, Heaven and the Universe; indeed the King of love and mercy to all who would give their hearts and lives to Him.
As you wave your Palm branches in the recesses of your hearts, do you acknowledge Jesus as the King of Kings of your life now and forever? Yes, right now in the midst of COVID-19 with all its limitations, frustrations and anxieties, He as King rules and His will is being done just as it is done in all of the created order and disorder of life!
I close with the following poem that challenges us as to the place of Jesus' Kingship and His rule in our lives.
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HE - THEY - WE
They hailed Him King as He passed by,
They strewed their garments in the road,
But they were set in earthly things,
And He on God.
> They sang His praise for that He did,
But gave His message little thought;
They could not see that their souls' good
Was all He sought.
> They could not understand why He,
With powers so vast at His command,
Should hesitate to claim their rights
And free the land.
>Their own concerns and this world's hopes
Shut out the wonder of His news;
And we, with larger knowledge, still
His Way refuse.
> He walks among us still, unseen,
And still points out the only way,
But we still follow other gods
And Him betray.
- John Oxenham
Be safe, Be well, Keep the Faith,
Rev. Wayne