164. Palm Sunday. I.
Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice;
let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them;
let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
Gospel Lesson, Matthew 21, 1-9. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest!
❦
The kings of the nations are distinguished by their glory and splendor; Christ, on the other hand, by his lowliness and humility. The princes of this earth purchase victories with the blood of their subjects; Christ did it with his own blood. Other rulers have climbed into high places in order to gain power and dominion for themselves; Christ has descended to the lowest depths, that he might win glory and salvation for us. How? is he, then, not grand and great? Does he not possess dominion and glory? He upholds all things by the word of his power, and all the hosts of heaven do homage to him. It was not by reason of weakness that he became the least of all, but by reason of his omnipotence and infinite love. Still, his lowliness is by no means a pretense, or a mere assumption of humility; he has in very truth made himself of no reputation, — descending to the depths in order to slay our enemy and snatch us out of the jaws of death. His kingdom is not of this world, the blessings which he bestows on us are not of earth, but of heaven; not for the body, but for the soul. Humility, meekness, patience, love, mercy, peace, and eternal salvation are his gifts to his people.
He makes this entry into Jerusalem as a king at the very time when he goes there to suffer and die. This was the necessary order of things. It is by his death on the cross that he is to destroy the power of the devil and found his own kingdom. He now comes to Jerusalem, that he may be lifted up and draw all men unto himself. (John 3, 14; 8, 28; 12, 32). It is done. He was crucified, and he ascended to the right hand of the Father. He sits on the throne of God, and has all power in heaven and on earth; and yet, gentle and meek, he stands in our midst. All that believe in him are saved from the power of darkness, and dwell within the ramparts of that kingdom in which lovingkindness and meekness hold sway, where “mercy and truth are met together, and righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” In faith we now enjoy this grace. A blessed thing for us is his entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, when he came and was made a sin offering for us. A blessed thing for us is the power of his grace to conquer sin and all evil in our poor hearts. The time is coming when we shall see him; he shall come once more; and this coming shall be the occasion of such joy to the faithful that their shouts of gladness shall continue throughout ages everlasting. — And now, we thank thee for thy royal pageant on Palm Sunday, we do thee homage as the king of our hearts; we worship thee as our God; and we humbly ask of thee this great favor, that we may lay ourselves, with all that we are and all that we have, at thy feet. Take all that we have, Lord Jesus, and make use of it for the extension of thy kingdom. Lead us along the way of the cross; and in all things make use of us for the victory of thy truth and grace on earth. Amen.
Paschal Lamb, by God appointed,
All our sins on thee were laid;
By almighty love anointed,
Thou hast full atonement made.
All thy people are forgiven
Through the virtue of thy blood:
Opened is the gate of heaven,
Peace is made ’twixt man and God.
165. Palm Sunday. II.
Lord Jesus, teach us to know thee in thy
humiliation and in thine exaltation. Amen.
Epistle Lesson, Philippians 2, 5-11. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
❦
Jesus descends to the lowest depths of humility; for he is to accomplish all that of which the name Jesus is earnest. It is his wish to save us from the devil, and free our hearts from sin; deliver us from endless agony, and make us forever blest; lift us up out of the deepest degradation, and give us eternal glory and honor in heaven. Therefore he renounces the use of his divine glory, and becomes the least and most humble of servants. When the Son of God became man it would naturally be expected that he must, as a matter of course, be a man of godlike grandeur; that his whole human nature must shine with the luster lent to it by its union with the divine. But this likeness unto God he put away, and of this glory he stripped himself, and lived on earth in the likeness of sinful flesh. Himself without sin or blemish, he bore our whole burden of sin with all its consequences, poverty, hunger, pain, and death. But when he had suffered all this, and had made full payment of our debt, and had bought us with his own life and blood, he was translated to glory; and now “the Son of Man” is highly exalted, and has dominion over all things in heaven and earth; and he shall come again on the last day to judge the quick and the dead. It was a condescension greater than words can express on the part of the Son of God when he took upon him the form of a servant. On the other hand, man is exalted beyond measure by the personal union with the Son of God. Not only does he deliver us from evil, but he endows us with all honor and glory. It cost him dear to prove his title to the name Jesus; but he knew this from everlasting, and was willing to pay the price. To us this name is more precious than tongue can tell. It does not seem possible that I could refrain from doing it reverence; neither shall any deny me this privilege. The hosts of heaven shall worship him in all eternity, and all principalities and powers above and below shall bow down before him. God is our Savior; the name of the Son of God is Jesus; therefore we have great joy. This name, which fills the heavens with rejoicing, is the name of our Savior. Him shall we worship in glory without end, and his beauty shall forever satisfy our soul’s desire. We had deserved to be scullions in the devil’s kitchen, and our Savior appoints us to places of honor among the angels around his heavenly throne. Should we not, then, be willing, nay even glad, to endure humiliation and suffering for a little while, and thus become like unto our meek and loving Savior? “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” These are the opening words of our epistle lesson; and with these words we close, saying to one another: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
O Lord Jesus, grant us the gift of thy Holy Spirit, that we may believe in thee; that we may be like thee, and that we may worship thee and confess thy precious name, here on earth in tribulations and in lowliness, and thereafter in the eternal glory and bliss of heaven. Amen.
Worship, honor, power, and blessing,
Thou art worthy to receive;
Loudest praises, without ceasing,
Meet it is for us to give.
Help, ye bright angelic spirits,
Bring your sweetest, noblest lays,
Help to sing our Savior’s merits.
Help to chant Immanuel’s praise.