This is a post I had on a previous blog of mine a few years ago. The thought was inspired by a song called “Thanks for What You Took From Me.”
(Mark 11:8-10) “And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.”
The events that took place in Mark 11 caused the day to be known as Palm Sunday. Jesus rode into town on a colt in a similar fashion that a king would ride into town. In those days, the king would send people ahead of him to “prepare the way” before him by making sure the road was smooth and even. As the king would ride into town, his presence was announced an a great scene would unfold with applause and honor given to the king. This is what we see in Mark 11.
Jesus rode into Bethany as no ordinary king – He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords; yet everything about this entrance was wrapped in humility. Jesus Christ, the Creator and King of the universe, “humbled himself” and “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” for our sakes.
As Jesus entered into the city, the people shouted praises to God. They thought that Jesus was making this journey to establish Himself on the throne and to rule as the King of Israel. They thought that He was going to throw down the government and tyranny of Rome. The last thing they thought was that He was marching in to a death sentence.
We need to take time to thank and praise God for what Jesus did for us that week. Just days after that triumphant entry, Jesus was condemned and crucified for you and me. He bore our shame and agony; He took our sins upon Himself and actually became sin for us. He took our place, not only on the cross, but in Hell as well. It is because of His loving sacrifice and His holy, sinless blood that our sins have been covered.
We spend so much time asking God for things, that we do not thank Him and praise Him as we should. When we do give Him thanks, many times we fail to thank Him for the best thing of all – for the time when He took our sins away. As a born-again believer, we no longer have the death sentence upon us because of our sin. We no longer have to live in sin and its condemnation (although many foolishly choose to sin anyway).