It's Not About the Donkey; Luke 19:28-40

Confession time: In my first year of preaching, I had no clue what Palm Sunday was. I didn't grow up in the church, and while I knew about Easter (even beyond the bunny and eggs), I had no idea there even was a Palm Sunday. I had never shouted "Hosanna!" and had never even seen a palm tree, let alone waved a branch! It's worse than that, though. I remember doing the research, reading the Gospels backward, counting from the Sunday Jesus was resurrected, backtracking his path through Jerusalem day by day, and uncovering that one week earlier, he entered Jerusalem. I was pretty sure I was the only one who had made this discovery. I probably even started working on a paper to document my findings. It's still available for peer review if anyone's interested. Somehow, though, Palm Sunday has gone from complete obscurity to one of the most significant memorials in my year. Palm Sunday stops me in my path and puts me on Jesus' path, walking with him through the week to the upper room, the cross, and the empty tomb. Indeed, the Lord's Supper on Thursday night will draw me into Christ's presence, and the darkness of Good Friday will place me at the foot of His cross, but Palm Sunday starts me on that journey. Today's "Hosannas" prepare me for next Sunday's "He Lives!"