Palm Sunday

#ThinkAheadThursday is here!

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. This is one of my favorite Sundays of the year, as it ushers in the most significant week of the Christian calendar: Holy Week. Palm Sunday remembers Jesus entering Jerusalem triumphantly the week of his death. Later in the week, we recognize the last supper on Maundy Thursday and the crucifixion on Good Friday. Then there’s Holy Saturday, the day between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

This Sunday, I want us to think about the story from two vantage points: that of a disciple and that of an average bystander. We’ll use a bit of imaginitve prayer to sense what it would have been like for each of these people.

For example, what would it be like to hear this command from Jesus if you placed yourself in the shoes of a disciple: “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” (Mark 11:2-3)

Likewise, if you saw this happen as a normal bystander, perhaps a resident of Jerusalem or a visitor who is celebrating Passover in the holy city, how would you respond? What time cause you to respond as some did? “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (Mark 11:8-10)

Placing ourselves as witnesses or participants in a scripture narrative is one way to experience the story worshipfully and curiously. Our worship causes us to be moved by the story while our curiosity causes us to engage with the story by asking questions and exploring.

As we consider the story of Palm Sunday – a story we hear annually – I pray that you would find some new insight that would lead you to be worshipful and curious.