2025-04-13 Palm Sunday Luke 19: 28-40 The Road Jesus Took

Today we wave our palms and shout “Hosanna!”—just like the people did when Jesus entered Jerusalem long ago. We remember the joy, but also know this road leads to the cross—Palm Sunday holds both joy and sorrow together. It’s a day of praise, but also a beginning of the hard journey of Holy Week. The Gospel of Luke gives us a picture that is both familiar and strange. Jesus rides into the city—not on a mighty horse like a king, but on a young donkey. There are no soldiers, no banners, no golden crowns. Just cloaks on the road, voices shouting, and palm branches waving. And yet the people are full of hope: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” Let’s take a closer look at this moment. There are three things I want to reflect on with you today. First, the way Jesus entered the city tells us a lot about who he is. At that time, if a king or ruler came into a city, they would ride a warhorse or a chariot. That was a sign of strength and power. But Jesus chooses a donkey. A small, humble animal. Not fast. Not strong. Not impressive. This was not a mistake. Jesus did it on purpose. It was a message. He wanted to show that God’s way is not about showing off power. God’s way is humble. Gentle. Peaceful. Jesus didn’t come to crush his enemies. He came to love, not to build a kingdom of fear, but of mercy and justice. And that message still speaks to us today. In our world, people still think strength means being the loudest, the richest, or the most powerful. But Jesus says: no, real strength is found in love. In humility. In truth. Jesus came to show us a different road—a road of peace, not violence. A road of hope, not fear. A road of trust, not control. And, we are invited to walk that road too. Jesus could have entered with power and glory, but he chose humility. Have you ever tried—or struggled—to choose humility instead of pride or power? 2. Now, let’s think about the crowd. As Jesus came near the city, people shouted with joy: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!” It must have been a beautiful sound. People were full of hope. Maybe they believed that Jesus would make everything better. Maybe they thought he would become their new king and fix their problems. But just a few days later, many of those same voices would fall silent. Some would even shout “Crucify him!” Why? What changed? Maybe they realized Jesus wasn’t the person they expected. He didn’t give them what they wanted. So they turned away. And if we’re honest, sometimes we do that too. We love Jesus when he gives us comfort. When life is going well. But when things get hard, or when he asks us to forgive someone, or to speak the truth, or to give up something—we hesitate. We step back. We look for easier roads. But Jesus still invites us to follow him. Not just when it's easy, but also when it's hard. Not only in the joy of Palm Sunday, but also on the road to the cross. 3. At the end of our reading, the Pharisees tell Jesus to make the crowd be quiet. They don’t like the noise. They don’t like what the people are saying. But Jesus replies, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” I love that line. Even if every person became silent—even if the world told us not to speak—creation itself would shout out. The stones would cry out! Why? Because what Jesus is doing is that important. His love is so deep. His justice is so powerful. His hope is so real. It cannot be silenced. That gives me comfort. Sometimes, we might feel tired. Or small. Or unsure. We might feel like we don’t have the words. But God is not limited by our weakness. Even the stones can shout. Even the earth speaks. When Jesus says, “Even the stones will cry out,” I hear that as a call. If we stay silent in the face of injustice, creation itself will call us back. This is not about choosing sides in politics. It’s about asking: what does love require of me here? what does it look like to walk with Jesus in this situation? We are invited to walk with Jesus—not just to wave palms, but to follow him on the road of compassion and justice. Let’s ask ourselves: “Where in my life am I faithfully, passionately, letting Jesus be seen?” It also means walking humbly, trusting God even when the path is hard or uncertain. Let's get even more real and specific. What does that road look like today, here in Canada? It might look like: Listening deeply to Indigenous voices who are still waiting for real reconciliation. Not just apologies, but small actions. Challenging systems that leave more and more people in poverty while others grow richer. Being aware of how racism still shows up in subtle ways—even in churches. And globally, we might to say of: The ongoing suffering in Gaza and Israel— where cycles of violence continue to harm children and civilians most. The war in Ukraine, and the deep ache of displaced families. Or even rising authoritarianism in some countries where speaking the truth has become dangerous. There are many ways to live as a follower of Jesus in our everyday lives. As we move into Holy Week, I invite you to hold this question in your heart. “Where is Jesus inviting me to walk with him today—in my home, in my community, or in the world?” You might not have an answer right now. That’s okay. But keep your ears open. Even the stones are speaking. We know what’s coming next. Good Friday. But we also know that Easter is coming. That’s the hope we carry in our hearts. A hope that does not come from success or strength, but from a love that is stronger than death. So we wave our palms and shout “Hosanna”—not because life is perfect, but because Jesus rides into our broken world and hearts. He does not turn away. He walks the road. And he invites us to walk it with him.