{"id":132436,"date":"2024-03-22T15:13:18","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T15:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/?p=132436"},"modified":"2024-03-22T15:13:18","modified_gmt":"2024-03-22T15:13:18","slug":"sunday-choice-palm-sunday-hosanna-in-the-highest-by-charles-schokman-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websitedesigns.com.au\/elankanew\/sunday-choice-palm-sunday-hosanna-in-the-highest-by-charles-schokman-2\/","title":{"rendered":"SUNDAY CHOICE – PALM SUNDAY—-HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST – By Charles Schokman"},"content":{"rendered":"

SUNDAY CHOICE – PALM SUNDAY-HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST – By Charles Schokman<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"SUNDAY<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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Today, Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus\u2019 triumphal entry into Jerusalem (which we usually call \u201cPalm Sunday,\u201d because the crowd welcomed Him by spreading palm branches in His path). Those who greeted Him were convinced He was the Messiah (or \u201canointed one\u201d), sent by God to establish His Kingdom on earth.<\/u><\/u><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Why did the crowds turn against Jesus so quickly? One week they welcomed Him, and the next week they demanded He be crucified.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Billy Graham addressed this important question numerous times in his\u00a0My Answer<\/i>\u00a0column.<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cNo events in human history were more important than Jesus\u2019 death and resurrection, and yet many people (even Christians) never take time to study them.<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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It must have been a dramatic sight as Jesus approached Jerusalem on a donkey (which was a sign of His humility). The Bible says that \u201cthe whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices \u2026 \u2018Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’\u201d (Luke 19:37-38). Even those who weren\u2019t part of that welcoming crowd listened eagerly to His teaching during the next few days.<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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But not everyone in Jerusalem welcomed Him; the very next verse says that \u201cthe whole city was stirred and asked, \u2018Who is this?’\u201d But soon many turned against Jesus and demanded His death: \u201c\u2018What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?\u2019 Pilate asked. They all answered, \u2018Crucify him!’\u201d (Matthew 27:22).<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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These weren\u2019t necessarily the same people who had welcomed Him\u2014but the reversal is still striking. Were they disappointed because He refused to establish an earthly political kingdom? Probably. But Jesus didn\u2019t come to set up a new political system. He came instead to change our hearts and save us from our sins by His death and resurrection. He declared during that last week, \u201cMy kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight. \u2026 My kingdom is from another place\u201d (John 18:36). This deeply disappointed those who hoped He would throw out the hated Roman occupiers. They may also have disliked His demand that they repent.<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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Where would you have been on that first Palm Sunday? Among the disciples who welcomed Him\u2014or among the skeptical crowds? It\u2019s easy to condemn those who condemned Jesus\u2014but would we have acted any differently? We too are sinners, and we too have rebelled against God.<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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But the central message of Easter is that God still loves us, and because of Christ we can be forgiven. He came for one reason: \u201cChrist died for sins once for all \u2026 to bring you to God\u201d (1 Peter 3:18). May you welcome Him into your life during this holy season.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
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Let us be part of the crowd that shouted —<\/span>“H<\/a>osanna<\/a>\u00a0to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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Lets Join in the singing:\u2014\u00a0“<\/span>HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n