Day 40 - Lent 2026

EMBRACING THE WAY OF THE CROSS

“THE DISCIPLES WENT AND DID AS JESUS HAD INSTRUCTED THEM.

THEY BROUGHT THE DONKEY AND THE COLT AND PLACED THEIR CLOAKS ON THEM FOR JESUS TO SIT ON.  A VERY LARGE CROWD SPREAD THEIR CLOAKS ON THE ROAD, WHILE OTHERS CUT BRANCHES FROM THE TREES AND SPREAD THEM ON THE ROAD.  THE CROWDS THAT WENT AHEAD OF HIM AND THOSE THAT FOLLOWED SHOUTED,

‘ HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID!’

‘ BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’

‘ HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN!’

WHEN JESUS ENTERED JERUSALEM, THE WHOLE CITY WAS STIRRED AND ASKED,” WHO IS THIS?  THE CROWDS ANSWERED, ‘THIS IS JESUS, THE PROPHET FROM NAZARETH IN GALILEE.”

MATTHEW 21:6–11, NIV

THE HEBREW TRANSLATION OF HOSANNA IS “SAVE, PLEASE,” OR “SAVE US, WE PRAY.” ON JESUS’ ORIGINAL ENTRANCE TO JERUSALEM, THE ISRAELITES CALLED HIM, “SON OF DAVID,” AND  “THE PROPHET FROM NAZARETH.”   THERE WERE OTHERS WHO DID NOT KNOW WHO HE WAS.  NEVERTHELESS, MOST  BELIEVED HE  WAS SOMEONE SPECIAL.  TODAY WE CHRISTIANS KNOW HIM AS “OUR MESSIAH,” “THE SON OF GOD, THE FATHER.”

THIS SCRIPTURE PICTURES JESUS’ TRIP TO JERUSALEM AS A TRIUMPHANT PARADE. THE CROWDS ON THE ROAD SHOWED ADORATION AND PRAISE FOR HIM. IT APPEARED THAT THE CROWDS HAD EMBRACED THE CROSS OR WERE WILLING TO EMBRACE THE CROSS.  LATER HOWEVER, WE KNOW THAT THEY REJECTED HIM.  MOST OF HIS DISCIPLES ABANDONED HIM. THEY WERE WILLING TO GO ONLY AS FAR AS THEIR FEAR WOULD ALLOW THEM.WE ARE THANKFUL FOR JESUS.  CHRIST TOOK THIS JOURNEY WILLINGLY AND OBEDIENTLY, KNOWING WHAT THE CULMINATION OF HIS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY WOULD BRING.

AS WE TRAVEL THROUGH THIS LIFE, WE REMEMBER HOW JESUS LIVED HIS LIFE ON EARTH. HE WAS COMPASSIONATE, LOVING, MERCIFUL, AND FORGIVING.  IN LUKE 22:42, JESUS PRAYED, “ FATHER, IF YOU ARE WILLING, TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME; YET NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE.”  SO JESUS WAS OBEDIENT TO THE FATHER, AND SELFLESS TO THE POINT OF SUFFERING AND DEATH.  JESUS IS OUR EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD LIVE OUR LIVES.  AND BECAUSE JESUS LIVES, WE TOO, WILL LIVE WITH HIM.

ON PALM SUNDAY, CHRISTIANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD SYMBOLICALLY REPLICATE CHRIST’S ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.  WE WAVE PALMS IN THE AIR AND SING HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.  LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR FAITH AND FOLLOW CHRIST’S EXAMPLE.  AS LONG AS WE REMEMBER WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE, OUR  HEARTS WILL ALWAYS SHOUT “HOSANNA.”   WE WILL REJOICE WHEN CHRIST RETURNS TO CLAIM HIS OWN.

LET US PRAY:

DEAR LORD, PLEASE KEEP OUR MINDS AND OUR HEARTS FIRMLY ON YOU AND YOUR SALVATION. STRENGTHEN OUR RESOLVE TO PRESS ON THROUGH THIS WORLD OF SNARES AND TEMPTATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SCATTERED EVERYWHERE. GIVE US THE DESIRE TO SPEAK TO YOU DAILY AND REST IN YOUR PEACE. WE ASK THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.

SUBMITTED BY DEACON EDWARD AND ELDER LINDA MCFADDEN