Have you ever been in a crowd where something big was happening? No one was quite sure what it meant or what was going on but there was a definite energy in the air. People are excited. Curious. Maybe even a little on edge. You can feel it, even if you can’t fully explain it. That’s the scene as Jesus enters Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday.
Matthew tells us in Matthew 21:10 that the whole city was “stirred.” Not just the crowd lining the street as Jesus passes by, but the entire city. And that word “stirred” carries the sense of being shaken, unsettled… almost like something beneath the surface is shifting.
What’s interesting is that at the very beginning of Matthew’s Gospel, when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:3), we’re told that all of Jerusalem was “disturbed.” Different moment, same city, but a similar reaction. Not just a few people but the city was reacting, responding to a moment in time. It seems that when Jesus shows up, things don’t stay calm for long.
On that first Palm Sunday, the people were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” It’s a beautiful, powerful, and some would even say a rather intense moment. You can almost hear the voices and see the palm branches waving. But underneath the celebration, there’s also uncertainty.
What kind of king is this?
What kind of salvation is he bringing?
What will this mean for us?
Because here’s the thing, Jesus doesn’t enter the city the way people expect. He doesn’t come with power, force, or bravado. He comes in humility, compassion, riding on a donkey, moving steadily toward…not the palace…but the cross. And that kind of arrival doesn’t just inspire praise, it stirs people up. It did then on that first Palm Sunday and it still does yet today.
It’s not hard for us to join in with the crowd and say “Hosanna.” We sing the songs. We watch the children walk in together as parents take a picture or two of them. We remember the story. We wave the palm branches clutched in our hands. It is a beautiful moment! But the truth is Palm Sunday invites us, even encourages us to go a step further…to go a little deeper.
What happens when Jesus doesn’t just pass by but actually enters into our lives? What happens when His presence begins to unsettle us a bit…nudging at our assumptions, our priorities, even our sense of control? Suddenly this isn’t just a fun story…it becomes more personal…even a bit edgy and uncomfortable.
You see, part of the Palm Sunday or Holy Week story is that the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” would, just days later, shout something very different… “Crucify Him!” Not because they stopped wanting salvation, but because Jesus didn’t bring it in the way they expected. This raises the question…does Jesus bring to our world the salvation people/we want or expect?
This Sunday, as we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, maybe the invitation is this: Don’t just celebrate His passing by, pay attention to what He’s stirring within. Where is He inviting you to trust Him more deeply? Where might He be challenging what you expected Him to do? Where is Jesus “messing” with your assumptions about the King you are seeking?
Jesus still comes to us, full of grace, full of purpose, and yes, sometimes stirring things up more than we anticipate. This is the message of Palm Sunday! So, join us for worship this Sunday, in person or tuning us in through technology. Watch the children…sing the songs… hear the story…wave the palm branch…speak the words “Hosanna! Lord, save us.”
And maybe this time let’s also say, “Lord… stir us too.”
Pastor Keith