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

Observation
Jesus sends two disciples to collect a donkey from the village. Jesus then sits on the donkey and rides into Jerusalem where he is greeted by crowds waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!”

Application
Jesus rides on a donkey, traditionally the symbol of a king coming in peace and humility.

The people are calling nationalistic slogans of liberation. “Hosanna” originally meant simply “Save us!”, had become an exclamation of joy but was also appropriated by various liberation groups to rally people to rise against the Roman occupiers.

While Jesus is bringing a message of peace, the crowd is looking for something different. Jesus is offering eternal salvation while the people are calling for a political salvation.

Nothing much has changed. Politicians still use Jesus to push their own agendas. We still want Him to fix our material desires rather than submitting to His programme of equipping us for the kingdom.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, you endured unimaginable suffering to secure eternal salvation for all who trust in you. Please help me to see your priorities in everything that comes my way today. Amen.