Palm Branches & Blind Spots | How Expectations Can Cause Us to Miss Jesus

Today on the Shepnaz Podcast, Pastor Zack walks us into Holy Week by unpacking Part 1 of Pastor Nick’s Palm Sunday message, **“Palm Branches & Blind Spots.”**Palm Sunday is often filled with celebration—hosannas, palm branches, and joyful anticipation. But this moment also invites honest reflection. Are our expectations shaping how we see Jesus? And could those expectations be creating blind spots that cause us to miss who He truly is?In this episode, Pastor Nick explores Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, looking closely at the different lenses through which the crowd, the disciples, and the religious leaders viewed Him—and how Jesus reveals a very different kind of kingdom marked by humility, peace, and surrender.As you listen, reflect on this question:**How am I seeing Jesus right now—and is anything getting in the way of seeing Him clearly?**📖 Scripture Focus: John 12:12–19 🎙 Speaker: Pastor Nick – Johnstown Campus Pastor ⛪ Host: Pastor Zack🔔 Subscribe for daily weekday episodes of the Shepnaz Podcast.💬 Comment and share what stood out to you.📧 Email us your thoughts at [e-mail].🌐 Learn more about Shepherd Church: [shepnaz.org](https://shepnaz.org) 🎧 Explore past episodes: [shepnaz.org/podcast](https://shepnaz.org/podcast) 🎥 Watch more messages: [shepnaz.org/media](https://shepnaz.org/media)Chapters:00:00 – Welcome & Holy Week Introduction 00:45 – Palm Sunday: Celebration and Reflection 01:32 – The Lens Metaphor: How We See Matters 04:00 – Palm Sunday as a Warning 05:00 – Reading John 12: The Triumphal Entry 07:30 – The Crowd’s Lens and Expectations 10:00 – Palm Branches, Hosanna, and National Hopes 12:00 – Why Jesus Chose the Donkey 13:30 – Prophecy from Zechariah 9 14:50 – A Kingdom of God, Not Human Agendas 15:50 – The Lens of the Pharisees 16:55 – Setting Up Part 2 & Good Friday Invitation