Palm Sunday Celebration
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We waved palm fronds and sang “Hosanna in the Highest” and the hymn “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” as a part of our Palm Sunday service. However, Pastor Kelvin’s message looked toward Good Friday as we dug into the verse,
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor. 1:18
First century Jewish people who had been accustomed to expecting a victorious Messiah found it difficult to even consider one who died on a cross beside criminals as a possible candidate. Greeks preferred talking about ideas and a dying Christ did not attract them either. Things are not too different today as many have a tough time fitting the cross into their idea of a great religious leader.
Pastor Kelvin helped us to see why Paul could say that the cross of Jesus was actually a demonstration of the wisdom of God. First, it was the completion of the miracle of incarnation. The Bible makes it clear that Jesus’ incarnation was so complete that he was tempted in every way like us yet without sin. This could not have been said without the cross where he suffered an abusive and unjust death as so many people still do. Second, only the cross could expose the true depravity of humanity. Only a depraved race could crucify the Son of God who went about doing good. Only those in love with themselves, only those who easily believe a lie, only those unwittingly under the influence of the enemy of our souls could possibly do such a thing. No wonder the Bible says,
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
Isa. 53:6
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
The wisdom of God is also demonstrated because the dying Lamb of God is the ultimate demonstration of the love of God for a fallen race. We wear crosses and hang them in churches because Jesus made an implement of death into a reminder of the love of God for each of us.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
What is more, the book of Hebrews teaches that only by the shedding of blood could atonement be made.
If Jesus had only been a good moral teacher, it would not have been enough. If Jesus had simply been a strong beneficent political leader, it would not have been enough. Even if he had been just a miracle working healer, it would have been inadequate to bring us salvation. But in dying for us as Jesus did, it was enough!
Only the wisdom of God could have designed a plan that was at once the ultimate in incarnation, the ultimate demonstration of God’s love, and the sufficient atonement for human sin.
Pastor Kelvin also helped us to see how Paul could say that the message of the cross is the power of God to salvation. Through Jesus’ work on the cross we can be set free from the penalty and power of sin. Just as the Israelites were released from Egypt at the first Passover, so Jesus who died at Passover time, has freed us from the dominion of Satan and brought us into the freedom of the children of God. Jesus triumphed over Satan and death itself. What appeared to be ultimate defeat, Jesus turned into ultimate triumph!