April 10, 2022
Greetings and blessings to all of you. This is Palm Sunday. As believers in Christ, we are assured of our salvation. We need not fear eternity, because we know we will dwell with the heavenly Father forever in paradise. We have blessed assurance. Why? Because God our Father sent His only Son to die for you and me (John 3:16). God planned it from the beginning in Gen 3:14-19 “and I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” On this special day Jesus had a ‘Triumphal entry into Jerusalem’ meaning He knew that his arrival in Jerusalem was His last week of His earthly life. It was bitter sweet for our Savior that day. His arrival was during the annual Passover celebration. He had completed His assignment here on earth doing His ministry work of preaching about the Kingdom of God and healing the sick. Now the time had come to claim His title as the Messiah…the Savior that God had promised to the Jewish people. Even though the people waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord” ...most of the people did not understand what kind of king Jesus would be. The people expected (their) Messiah to be a great political and military leader who would free them from the tyranny of the Roman Empire. But we know the Kingdom of God is not of this world. The Kingdom He is bringing in will bring peace to all the nations and spread from sea to sea. This whole scene in Matthew 21:6-1 is prophetic. In Rev. 7:9 “I looked and behold a great multitude which no man could number from every nation from all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And crying out with a loud voice Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb!” During the procession Jesus wept. Why? Jesus knew that most of the people were fickle. It would not be long that these same people who were celebrating Him would turn their backs on Him, betray Him and crucify Him but the plan had to continue. In order for us to be clothed in white there had to be the Cross. Eternal Life means we will live forever. That is the Gift that keeps on Giving.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC