Introduction:
Today is “Palm Sunday”, the Sunday before Jesus’ resurrection. It is also the first day of Passion Week. On this day, Jesus obeyed the Father’s will as he rode the colt to Jerusalem. The crowd took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13). This is Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. When He saw the holy city, He cried for what was about to happen. That night, Jesus returned to Bethany and stayed with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
Key Events:
| Events/Facts | Location | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
| 1 Jesus rode the colt to Jerusalem | Bethany to Jerusalem | 21:1‐11 | 11:1‐10 | 19:29‐40 | 12:12‐19 |
| 2 Jesus cried for Jerusalem | Jerusalem | 19:41‐44 | |||
| 3 Jesus stayed in Bethany | Bethany | 21:17 | 11:11 |
Key verses:
Matthew 21:1-11 Behold, Your King Is Coming to You
1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Meditation:
Every time I read this verse, it reminds me of how sad Jesus must have been. He knew this crowd, including His disciples, did not know His true identity. From the start, Jesus knew even though the crowd was shouting “Hosanna!”, a few days later they would shout “Crucify Him!”. Even his disciples would betray Him, abandon Him or disown him.
Thank the Lord for the blood He shed. Although we are not worthy, Jesus loves us entirely and He will save us entirely! “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”
Hymn：Hosanna (Hillsong)
3/25 受難週第一天 (EY)
簡介：
今天是“棕櫚主日”（Palm Sunday），是復活節前的主日，也是“受難週”開始的第一天。在這一天我們看見主耶穌順服父 神的旨意，面如堅石地騎著驢駒子去耶路撒冷，群眾手拿著棕樹枝出去熱情迎接祂，並且口裡喊著說：「和散那！奉主名來的以色列王是應當稱頌的！」（約翰福音 12:13）這是主耶穌最後一次進入耶路撒冷，當祂看見聖城就不禁為它將來要遭遇的景況大聲哀哭。晚上，祂回到伯大尼到祂所愛的馬大、馬利亞、拉撒路的家中住宿。
主要事件：
| 事件/史實 | 地點 | 馬太 | 馬可 | 路加 | 約翰 |
| 1 耶穌騎驢進聖城 | 伯大尼至耶路撒冷 | 21:1‐11 | 11:1‐10 | 19:29‐40 | 12:12‐19 |
| 2 耶穌為聖城哀哭 | 耶路撒冷 | 19:41‐44 | |||
| 3 耶穌夜宿伯大尼 | 伯大尼 | 21:17 | 11:11 |
鑰節：
太21:1-11
1耶穌和門徒將近耶路撒冷，到了伯法其，在橄欖山那裡， 2 耶穌就打發兩個門徒，對他們說：「你們往對面村子裡去，必看見一匹驢拴在那裡，還有驢駒同在一處。你們解開，牽到我這裡來。 3 若有人對你們說什麼，你們就說：『主要用牠。』那人必立時讓你們牽來。」 4 這事成就，是要應驗先知的話說： 5 「要對錫安的居民說：『看哪，你的王來到你這裡，是溫柔的，又騎著驢，就是騎著驢駒子。』」 6 門徒就照耶穌所吩咐的去行， 7 牽了驢和驢駒來，把自己的衣服搭在上面，耶穌就騎上。 8 眾人多半把衣服鋪在路上，還有人砍下樹枝來鋪在路上。 9 前行後隨的眾人喊著說：「和散那歸於大衛的子孫！奉主名來的是應當稱頌的！高高在上和散那！」 10 耶穌既進了耶路撒冷，合城都驚動了，說：「這是誰？」 11 眾人說：「這是加利利拿撒勒的先知耶穌。」
默想：
每次讀到這段經文時，想到主耶穌是何等的傷心啊！因為祂這個時候早就知道這群熱情歡迎祂的群眾，包括門徒在內，並不真正了解祂的身份。這群人現在高聲歡呼“和散那”，幾天後他們便極力地喊著說：「把祂釘十字架！」，連祂親愛的門徒也要出賣祂、離棄祂、否認祂。真是感謝主流血捨命的大愛，我們雖然刻變時反，這麼不配不堪，但是主耶穌卻定意要愛我們就愛到底，救我們就救到底！「和散那歸於大衛的子孫！奉主名來的是應當稱頌的！高高在上和散那！」
詩歌：SH278 和散那
