From Hosanna to the Cross:
Walking with Christ Through Holy Week
Today we stand at the threshold of Holy Week, holding palm branches in our hands — symbols of both celebration and contradiction. Palm Sunday begins with a parade, a triumphant welcome of Jesus into Jerusalem. But it ends with us walking the slow road to the Cross. We move from the cheers of “Hosanna!” to the sobering silence of the tomb.
Let’s pause and take in the full weight of this moment.
1. The King on a Donkey
Jesus rides into Jerusalem not on a warhorse, but on a donkey. Not with an army, but with fishermen and sinners. He doesn't enter to claim political power, but to offer saving love. This is the kind of King we follow — humble, peaceful, and painfully misunderstood.
In the ancient world, a donkey was the ride of a king who came in peace. Not exactly the red carpet entrance the crowd expected from the "Messiah." But Jesus wasn’t coming to take sides. He was coming to take over — not Jerusalem’s throne, but the throne of our hearts.
2. The Crowd That Turned — From “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him”
The people shouted, “Hosanna!” — which means, “Save us now!” But just a few days later, the same crowd would cry, “Crucify Him!”
Why the change?
Because Jesus didn’t meet their expectations. They wanted a liberator from Rome. He came to liberate them from sin. They wanted victory without sacrifice. He offered love through suffering.
And isn’t that still our struggle today?
We follow Jesus… until He challenges our comfort.
We shout “Hosanna” when He heals us… but do we also follow Him when He carries a Cross?
3. The Call of Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday invites us not to wave branches from the sidelines, but to walk with Jesus — all the way to Calvary.
The palms we hold are not just decoration — they’re a declaration. A declaration that we believe in a King who reigns not from a golden throne, but from a wooden Cross.
A declaration that we are willing to follow Him through Holy Week — not just in celebration, but in sacrifice.
So the question is not: “Will we shout ‘Hosanna’ today?”
The real question is: “Will we stay with Him through Holy Thursday, Good Friday… and all the way to Easter?”
4. Will You Walk with Him This Week?
Jesus is inviting you this week to:
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Sit with Him in the Upper Room on Holy Thursday — where He gives His Body and Blood.
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Watch and pray with Him in Gethsemane — where He sweats blood and feels abandoned.
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Stand at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday — where He offers His life, not just for the world, but for you.
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And then, to rejoice with Him on Easter Sunday — when death is defeated, and hope is born again.
But we can’t skip from Palm Sunday to Easter.
There is no Resurrection without the Cross.
There is no Easter joy without Holy Week sorrow.
Conclusion
So today, as we wave our palms and remember the crowds, let us make a decision:
Not just to admire Jesus from afar…
But to follow Him closely — even if the road leads to the Cross.
Because beyond the Cross lies the empty tomb.
And beyond death… is life.
Palm Sunday: Jesus' Journey Towards Sacrifice and Salvation