Palm Sunday: The King They Didn’t Expect

Josh Harbin
April 13^th, 2025
Matthew 21:1-14

¹ “When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, ² telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.” ⁴ This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

⁵ Tell daughter Zion,
See, your King is coming to you,
gentle and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt, then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ⁹ Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:

Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!

¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” —Matthew 21:1-11