Sermon Summary:

On Palm Sunday, we explored the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem from John 12:12-19. This pivotal event, recorded in all four gospels, reveals profound truths about our hope and expectations. As Jesus entered Jerusalem during Passover, the city was bursting with Jews who had traveled there to celebrate. The crowds welcomed him with palm branches (symbols of national victory) and shouts of "Hosanna!" (meaning "save us now"), revealing their hope for a nationalist Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule.

However, Jesus intentionally chose to ride a young donkey, fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy about a humble king who would bring peace to all nations. This deliberate choice contradicted the crowd's nationalistic expectations. While they wanted a warrior-king like David, Jesus was demonstrating that his kingdom transcended national boundaries.

We highlighted two key lessons from this passage. First, nationalism doesn't belong in the church. When we confuse patriotism with our faith or believe our hope comes from human leaders rather than Christ, we risk missing God's work among us. Our Savior doesn't reside in government buildings but is often found among the marginalized.

Second, we must be vigilant not to miss God's presence right before us. The religious leaders of Jesus' day knew Scripture intimately yet failed to recognize God incarnate walking among them. In Luke's account, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because they "did not recognize the time of God's coming."

As we approach Easter, we should examine where we're placing our hope—in finances, family, nation, or the living God? We're challenged to tangibly meet a neighbor's needs this week, following Jesus' example of service and remaining attentive to how God is moving in our midst today.