Day 1: The Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
Matthew 21:6-11 (NIV) 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.”
Six hundred years before the Palm Sunday event, a prophet named Zechariah stated that a king would come into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The crowds celebrated Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem. A thousand years or so before Jesus, the nation of Israel had enjoyed a golden age. But things had gone downhill ever since. The country had split in two. Assyria took the north, Babylon the south. Eventually Jerusalem and the temple were rebuilt, yet Jews never recaptured the deep sense of God’s peace and presence of the glory days. So, they longed for God to send the Messiah and defeat their enemies. One of their prophets, Zechariah, promised that one day, this would happen: God was going to send a deliverer – on a donkey.
IN A NUTSHELL
“Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion! Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding on a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9).
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, people remembered Zechariah’s prophecy – was he the promised Messiah? Was he about to free them from their Roman oppressors? But things turned out differently. However, Jesus, riding on a donkey, had come for a different kind of fight – not with the Romans, but with sin and death. He would conquer not by force, but by sacrifice and love. Jesus had not come to bring political, but spiritual freedom. He had come to wage war, not against Rome but against sin and evil. On Palm Sunday, as Jesus rode in, the people rejoiced and cried aloud, an echo of Psalm 118:25–26. This was no throwaway phrase. They were joining in with the Psalmist’s cry, ‘Lord, save us!’ This was a cry for help - a cry from the pit. But it was not without hope.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, As I reflect on this first day of our prayer and fasting week, I am reminded of Your Son, Jesus Christ, entering Jerusalem, not as a conquering king on a warhorse, but humbly on a donkey, bringing peace and salvation. Lord, open my heart to understand the depth of humility and servitude demonstrated by Jesus on that day. Help me to embrace a spirit of humility in my own life, setting aside any pride or desire for personal glory. Teach me to serve others with a gentle and lowly heart, reflecting the love and selflessness of Christ.
As I fast and pray, let me feel Your presence more deeply, knowing that just as the crowds laid down their cloaks and palm branches, I lay down my life before You. Guide my thoughts and actions this week, that I might honour You in all that I do.
Thank You for the journey to the cross that began on this day, a journey that led to our redemption. As I reflect on this profound truth, fill me with gratitude and a renewed commitment to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. In the precious and Holy name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.
APPLICATION
Being a follower of Jesus is not about having everything together. It’s about crying out to God for help with hope. It’s about remembering the promises of God even when you are in the pit. What is your cry for help today? What makes you feel desperate and helpless?
Being a follower of Christ demands a true sense of self-identity. Do you know who you are as a child of God? Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing who He was and what He had to do to meet every cry of help with real hope.
Read on to find out more about Jesus’ mission:
He came to serve, not to be served – (Mark 10:35-45).
He will rule in the end – (2 Thessalonians 1 and 2).