Come and journey with the Saviour

On Palm Sunday five-year-old Jason had a very sore throat and had to stay home from church with a sitter. When his family returned they carried several palm fronds. Jason asked them what they were for. "People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by," his father told him. "Wouldn't you know it," Jason fumed, "the one Sunday I don't go and He shows up!"

This week is one of my favourite to walk as a Christian and as a liturgist. We are going to move from the anticipated glory of the parade and the palms into the unexpected glory of the resurrection. The path that guides us there goes through the city and out the gates and up a small hill and then to new tomb. There will be many who are shouting, “Hosanna, hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

On Thursday night we will recount how Jesus gathered his friends for the “Last Supper”, taught them to serve each other through washing each other’s feet and command them to love each other so that everyone around them would see that God lives with and in them.

On Friday we will watch in almost virtual silence as Christ takes the punishment and suffer the death we should have received. We will here him speak to those closest to him, caring for his mother and for those who did the things they do to him with such words as “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

On Sunday – We know for certain who Jesus did this for: you. “My body, given for you.” He did it for you. He did it for me. Why did he do it? Because God through Christ loves us with an everlasting love. He would rather die than live in splendid, glorious isolation for eternity without you. He dies for you that you would go and live for him. he did it to brings us into the kingdom so that we could participate in the everlasting kingdom and in life and relationship with God and with each other.

So turn aside and come with me on this journey from the palms to the empty tomb. Learn where to put your trust for the days ahead and be prepared to travel with the Saviour beyond the grave to where we will have everlasting life.

Don’t miss the parade! Don’t let Jesus pass you by!

Jason+