This Sunday is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter where we remember Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem before his death. We join the crowds on that day in celebrating that the king has come, but we also weep with Jesus knowing his death is coming soon.
The icon above (Entry Into Jerusalem), never seems to stop inspiring me and challenging me. In many regards, it is utterly comical. Yet, it is entirely subversive, mysterious and beautiful at the same time. I think that is a wonderful way to describe Jesus on Palm Sunday. Subversive, mysterious, and beautiful. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter. During Holy Week we remember what Jesus was doing before his crucifixion, and it begins on Palm Sunday.

The Triumphal Entry of Jesus on Palm Sunday is a prophetic gesture and the fulfillment of a prophecy. An ancient prophecy from the prophet, Zechariah. Zechariah's prophecy and Palm Sunday is also a stark contrast between two Kingdoms. In divine humor - A Game of Thrones.

Since the expulsion from the Garden, human civilization has always been deceived into how the world should and would be governed. The great lie is - an earthly 'Game of Thrones' like lifestyle. Babylon, Persia, Assyria, Rome, Germany and even the United States. No nation is exempt from this deception. Who is the toughest? Who can conquer who? Who can dominate who? Who is number one? It's a vicious cycle. It's brutal.


The God of Israel; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - was the true King of Israel. Despite the surrounding pagan nations with their false empires and kingdoms, the Israelite's were rescued from the empire of Egypt and delivered into the freedom of the promised land. This was their Passover. But it wasn't long before they, too, desired an earthly King. The greatest earthly King that Israel knew was King David. After his reign and rule, the dominant theme of the people of God (the Israelite's) was persecution and bottom-of-the-pecking-order social status. Yes, they had times of victory and freedom - but the the dominant theme of their history was that they were always being "lorded over" by some other pagan empire. They longed for a Messiah. Fast forward 1st century Palestine...

On Palm Sunday, the followers and disciples of Jesus were convinced that Jesus would be crowned King! This was their hope. This was the arrival of the true King and his Kingdom. The true King of Israel. Blessed by the one true God. As the Galilean followers and disciples of Jesus are traveling towards Jerusalem, they make a quick stop in Bethany. Bethany - a tiny town on the edge of the Mount of Olives. It is in Bethany that Jesus asks two disciples to go and retrieve a little colt - a baby donkey - and bring it to him. And they did.

Jesus sat on that tiny donkey riding down from the Mount of Olives, his feet probably dragging in the dirt, with a panoramic view of Jerusalem on the horizon. Then his followers grab Palm branches and start shouting:

Can you see the irony? Who would have believed this was God's divine plan? This is the most famous entrance of a King in the history of human civilization. Do you remember how Julius Caesar entered his coronation? How about Alexander the Great? Probably not. But the world remembers this story.

King Jesus Christ came with humility - riding a peace donkey; not a warhorse. This was the beginning of the coronation of King Jesus.