The Palm Sunday Passage is where the central section of Jesus’s long journey to Jerusalem in Luke’s Gospel is about to conclude. As Jesus approaches the city, the atmosphere is charged with high expectation. Many expect that the Kingdom of God will appear immediately.

Jesus uses this moment as an opportunity to correct his followers’ timing, and to redefine His kingship. He moves from the private instruction of His servants, to a public, royal entry into Jerusalem; the city that will ultimately reject Him.

All of which we which we will see in today’s message, the third in our Easter series, and titled “Palm Sunday: The Visitation of the King,” and looking at Luke 19.

In our passage for today, Jesus leads his disciples in the Passover meal (which they would have expected Him to do). But he did so in an unusual way. He drew the meaning of the whole meal onto Himself. He offered a new commandment, a new covenant, one which we as followers of Christ have been brought into.

And for we who are familiar with the Easter story, we may take all of this for granted. But it may well have come as a great shock to the disciples, which we will see in today’s message, the second in our Easter series, and titled “From Bethany to Gethsemane,” and looking at Matthew 26.

God knows what we need better than we do. I heard the saying recently: “I’m grateful for all the prayer requests God didn’t say yes to.” Sometimes we think we know what’s best for us, and when. But God knows better than we do. Sometimes the things we think would be good for us, would actually be bad for us. And other times the things we think will be bad for us, are actually God’s way of bringing us something newer and better.

And on that note, oftentimes, the timing is as important than the result itself. And we’ll see all of this in our message today, the first in our Easter series, and titled “Jesus at Bethany.”