Palm Sunday Meaning

Have you heard a friend or relative mention Palm Sunday and wondered what is it? Here are seven mind-blowing things you should know about Palm Sunday.

1. What is Palm Sunday and its Significance?

Preceding Palm Sunday, there is something called Lent. It’s a period of forty days that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. The forty days represents the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness, resisting the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry on earth. Lent is a time of repentance and preparation for Easter. Lent is a time of self-examination and reflection. It prepares our hearts so that when Palm Sunday come, we are truly joyful to welcome Jesus.

In order to understand Palm Sunday, we first have to put it in

Life was hard under Roman rule. Many suffered extreme poverty, abuse and illness. Through Jesus’ ministry, he demonstrated his love for the sick, poor and sinful. He didn’t come to judge. He came to embrace them and to provide a way to break the bondage of sin. He came not as a king to be served but to serve others. He showed that in the kingdom of God, our human standards are completely upside down — the oppressed are elevated and the rich, powerful and greedy are brought down. Even in Jesus’ selection of his twelve disciples, he didn’t recruit from the wealthy, educated or political elites. He called the fishermen, carpenters and everyday people.

3. Why Palm Leaves and Branches?

Palm leaves and branches were a sign of special honor or respect shown publicly to typically kings and royalty. It also symbolized victory and goodness.

4. What Does the Bible Say About Palm Sunday?

John 12:12-15

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem

7. What Does Palm Sunday Mean for You?

It’s easy to interpret Lent, Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter Sunday as religious rituals but then we would be missing the big point. The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ’s victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in him. If he had not risen from the dead, he would have been considered just a great prophet or Rabbi. However, his resurrection changed all that and gave final and irrefutable proof that he is the Son of God and that he had conquered death once and for all. Those who believe in him can have assurance of salvation.

To accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, simply ask him to come into your heart with a prayer of salvation:

I acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God; that He came to earth as a man in order to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve. I confess my past life of sin — living for myself and not obeying God. I admit I want to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. I ask Jesus to come into my heart, take up residence there, and begin living through