Palm Sunday Message
Last week, we looked at a moment of extravagant love—Mary took a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages and poured it out on Jesus’ head and feet. It was worship. It was devotion. It was surrender.
And right after that moment, we saw a stark contrast. Judas—one of Jesus’ own disciples—went out and betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver. It’s a heartbreaking juxtaposition: devotion and betrayal, side by side.
And now we arrive at the very next day.
John 12 says, “The next day…”
The crowd had gathered for the Passover festival. Word was spreading that Jesus—the one who raised Lazarus from the dead—was on His way to Jerusalem. The city was buzzing with excitement. People cut palm branches, waving them in the air, and they shouted:
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!”
This was a scene of celebration. Jesus was trending—if there had been social media, this would have been viral. #Hosanna #KingOfIsrael #KickOutTheRomans
People were ready for a revolution. This was the moment they believed Jesus would ascend to a throne. The King had come. Freedom was at hand.
But Jesus didn’t ride in on a warhorse.
He came on a donkey.
And that’s our first image today:
1. The Donkey – The Way of Humility
Jesus enters not as a warrior, but as a servant. Not with a sword, but with peace. Not in pride, but in humility.
The donkey was a symbol of peace. A beast of burden. And Jesus was making a statement—the Kingdom of God comes low, not high. It doesn’t come through power grabs or loud declarations. It comes through humility.
Humility is the soil where grace grows.
Scripture says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
And I don’t know about you, but I want to live under God’s grace.
Sometimes we’re so tempted to walk into work, school, or relationships trying to prove ourselves—like we’re riding in on a stallion. But Jesus calls us to ride in like a donkey: lowly, humble, surrendered.
Let’s not forget the example of Mother Teresa. She left everything and walked into the slums of Kolkata. She fed the poor, washed the wounds of the dying. A reporter once told her, “I wouldn’t do what you do for a million dollars.”
She replied, “Neither would I. But I gladly do it for Christ.”
Jesus rides in humbly. And then He washes feet. And then He tells His disciples, “Do what I have done for you.”
2. The Blood – The Covenant That Covers
In Zechariah 9, right after the prophecy about the king riding on a donkey, we find this:
“As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.”
Did you catch that?
Because of the blood of the covenant, prisoners are set free.
Fast forward to Jesus in the Upper Room. He lifts a cup and says, “This is my blood of the covenant… poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28)
It’s His blood that saves.
Not your good works. Not your church attendance. Not your performance.
His blood makes you holy.
His blood forgives every sin.
His blood speaks a better word than condemnation.
First John says, “The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
You may have walked in today feeling dirty, ashamed, defeated. But the blood of Jesus says, “You are clean. You are forgiven. You are mine.”
Theologian Karl Barth said,
“In the blood of Jesus Christ, God has said Yes to humanity—a Yes that overcomes our No.”
Even when we say “No” to God with our pride, our stubbornness, our sin… Jesus still says “Yes” with His blood.
3. The Pit – Where Jesus Meets You
Zechariah says:
“I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.”
What is the pit?
It’s the place of despair.
It’s loneliness, anxiety, fear, depression, addiction.
It’s feeling like you’re stuck and no one sees you.
Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers. Many of us feel the same—betrayed, abandoned, forgotten. But Jesus says, “Because of my covenant with you, I will free you.”
Let’s be real. We live in a medicated, anxious, lonely culture.
40% of high school students struggle with deep sadness and loneliness.
20% of adults face anxiety every day.
We’re exhausted. We’re overwhelmed.
And yet Jesus meets us in the pit. He doesn’t run from it—He runs into it.
Isaiah 53 says:
“He was pierced for our rebellion… crushed for our sins… beaten so we could be whole… whipped so we could be healed.”
He knows your pain.
He knows your despair.
And He’s not afraid of your pit.
In fact, He came to pull you out of it.
Psalm 40 says,
“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground.”
Let me close with this:
In WWII, a man named Desmond Doss—medic, believer, pacifist—saved 75 men in one night at Hacksaw Ridge. Under fire, with no weapon, he kept going back for more wounded men. His prayer each time?
“Lord, help me get one more.”
Jesus does the same for us. He enters into enemy territory. Into the chaos. Into the pit. And He says, “Help me get one more.” That’s how much He loves you.
So today—on this Palm Sunday—
The Donkey reminds us:
The Kingdom comes in humility.
The Blood reminds us:
We are forgiven, not by merit, but by mercy.
The Pit reminds us:
Jesus meets us where we are… and brings us out.
Let’s bow our heads.
Some of you today are ready to be pulled from the pit.
You’re ready to receive that forgiveness.
You’re ready to say, “Yes” to the One who has always said “Yes” to you.
Would you raise your hand if that’s you?
Let’s pray together:
“Jesus, forgive me. I believe You died for me. Your blood washes me clean. I receive Your mercy. I choose to follow You all the days of my life. Thank You for rescuing me from the pit.”
Amen.
Group Questions:
Icebreakers:
- What’s your favorite memory from Easter or Palm Sunday growing up? (Could be church-related or totally random!)
- If you were entering a city and everyone was cheering for you, what theme song would be playing?
- If Jesus were to ride into your town today, what kind of vehicle do you think He’d choose—and why?
Discussion Questions:
1. The Donkey – The Way of Humility
- Why do you think Jesus chose a donkey instead of a warhorse for His entrance?
- Read Philippians 2:5–8. What stands out to you about Jesus’ humility? How can we practically follow His example in our daily lives—at work, at home, or with friends?
- What does it look like to “ride in like a donkey” instead of a stallion in our relationships or ambitions?
Follow-up prompt: What’s one area in your life where you sense God calling you to choose humility over pride?
2. The Blood – The Covenant That Covers
- Read Matthew 26:28 and 1 John 1:7. What do these verses say about the power of Jesus’ blood?
- Karl Barth said, “In the blood of Jesus Christ, God has said Yes to humanity—a Yes that overcomes our No, reconciles us, and sends us into the world to live for Him.”
What does that quote mean to you personally? - Why do we sometimes struggle to accept that we are fully forgiven? What lies try to keep us in shame?
Follow-up prompt: Have you experienced a moment where you truly felt God’s forgiveness? What changed afterward?
3. The Pit – Where Jesus Meets You
- Zechariah talks about prisoners being freed from a “waterless pit.” What might that “pit” look like today in someone’s life?
- Read Psalm 40:1–3. How has God lifted you out of a pit in your past—or where do you need Him to meet you now?
- How does Jesus entering into our pain—not running from it—change how we view suffering and isolation?
Follow-up prompt: Who in your life might be in a pit right now—and how can you show them the love of Jesus this week?
Closing Reflection:
- Which part of the message impacted you most: the donkey, the blood, or the pit?
- What’s one step you can take this week to walk humbly, receive grace, or reach someone in a pit?
Invite someone to pray and close the group with thanksgiving and a renewed heart for humility, forgiveness, and compassion.