On this Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion, we began worship with the joy of Christ’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, when the crowds welcomed him as King. But we also hear the Passion story of his betrayal, sham trial, and crucifixion less than a week later. How could things change so quickly? Because Jesus didn’t come to revel in the praise of the crowds. He came to save the crowds, to save humanity, from ourselves. He is the King we need, even though he may not be the kind of King we want. More than that, he comes to make us into the kind of people the world needs, even if it’s not always the kind of people the world wants.
To get the most out of this sermon, read the story of the Triumphal Entry (Luke 19:28-40) and the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:1-49) first.