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Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will take away the chariots from Ephraim and the warhorses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow will be broken. He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9-10

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Have you ever watched a parade when an important person comes to town? Maybe people cheer, wave, and clap. Something like that happened when Jesus came to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday!

Palm Sunday can feel a little confusing. During Lent we remember that Jesus suffered and died for our sins. That makes us feel sorry for our sins. But on Palm Sunday people were cheering and celebrating Jesus. They sang joyful songs and waved palm branches. Why would people celebrate if Jesus was going to die only a few days later?

When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the crowd spread their coats on the road like a red carpet. They waved palm branches and shouted with joy. Those were things people did for a king! But many people thought Jesus came to be a powerful king who would beat their enemies and make their country strong again. They wanted help with their problems right away. They didn’t understand that Jesus came for something even more important.

God had already told people what to do on that day. Through the prophet Zechariah he said, “Rejoice!” God wanted people to celebrate because his Son had come. That was wonderful news! Jesus is a righteous King. That means he is perfectly good and holy. We are not perfect—we sin. But that’s exactly why Jesus came. He came to save us from our sins.

Now notice something surprising: Jesus did not ride a big war horse like a powerful king. He rode a donkey! That showed that Jesus came gently and humbly. He came to bring peace, not to fight a battle.

There’s another interesting detail. Many donkeys have a dark stripe down their back and another across their shoulders, making the shape of a cross. It’s a quiet reminder of why Jesus came. Right in the middle of the Palm Sunday celebration, God reminds us that Jesus was on his way to the cross.

Jesus went to the cross willingly. No one forced him. He did it because he loves you. He came to forgive your sins and give you eternal life. That’s why Palm Sunday is such a happy day. Our King came to save us!

Let’s say the Palm Sunday words together: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Dear Jesus, thank you for willingly going to the cross for me. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

Questions for Elementary Age Children

Questions for Middle School and Above

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