Walking with Jesus: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord A

For Sunday, March 29, 2026

Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 26:14-27:6


Passion Week begins. We have just heard the passion according to Matthew — a long, detailed account of God’s love for us and Jesus’ proof of that love. We have seen His suffering, leading to forgiveness of all our sins ... even as we keep mishandling our lives ... and we know we are loved, all the time. Matthew reminds us that the words of the prophets are being fulfilled. Why? Well, Matthew wants his Jewish audience to know the significance of Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection in terms of their religious significance. In their tradition, whenever God’s people are in trouble, God — who promises that He is always with them — will send someone to help them out. For the last few centuries preceding Jesus, the scholars and scribes sought to discern God's will in their lives by studying the prophets to find God’s hidden purposes in history and understand His plan. So Matthew wants Israel and us to understand God’s purpose in creation and in each of our lives. To them the Cross is a scandal; God would never allow this. They feel that kicking out the Romans would be much more productive. This was never God's plan — God sent Jesus as our Savior. This week we can reflect more deeply to learn what kind of Savior He is. He takes the form of a slave, emptying Himself of His divinity and becoming one of us to show us how to live in love and that we need to show this love to others — not in revenge, hatred or violence, or by killing or mistreatment, but by treating all as God’s children created in love.

Today Isaiah presents “Second Isaiah” which is one of the four servant songs about an agent — envoy if you will — of God who suffers rejection and persecution in bringing about God’s plan.

At Jesus’ time, the scholars were tasked with interpreting God’s messianic plans. In New Testament times the passion, death and resurrection were interpreted as Jesus being God’s messenger even though He was rejected, persecuted, suffered and died. But they felt God would never actually do it that way. After all, God’s ways are not our ways; it is much easier to get even and reject those who are “different” — especially the poor and hurting. Why help them? They deserve their plight. Good things come from God — rewards, accomplishments, money, property. Having these things shows they are highly favored by God.

Paul describes this so beautifully to the Philippians, explaining in the first part what happened to Jesus and in the second part how God exalted Him. Jesus did not cling to His importance and the dignity that was His being God. He was equal to God but did not cling to this; rather, He explained and lived God’s love because God is love and loves each of His creatures. Jesus’ life showed what love is, and what is needed to love — so that we can be love to others just as God is to all. In a sense Jesus’ death was inevitable — totally emptying Himself and taking on human form, taking the form of a slave, and dying in a punishment common for slaves. Jesus’ self-emptying was complete and God’s exaltation was complete. He taught us. Now, am I listening? Am I reflecting, or am I just saying how much He suffered — not understanding that His reason was to prove that God’s love is total? He loves you and me that much, even in our sinfulness. Thank you Lord! Stay with that, make it personal, and continue to let God love you and me — now!

Today we come to church and receive palms to remember that the people waved palms at Jesus as He journeyed into Jerusalem to begin His passion and death. They were acknowledging Him as their savior, but they didn’t realize what a savior was. They wanted things their way — we want things our way. Jesus’s death and resurrection was God’s way. Why? Again, to show how deep and all-inclusive His love is.

It’s so interesting that Matthew’s reading ends at the sealed tomb. And the chief priests and Pharisees, the leaders and scholars were afraid. Of what? That Jesus might be right: They might lose their influence ... their importance and their salaries … their comfortable lives. Even Pilate felt that everything had ended. They had no intention to admit that we now had a Savior who offered Himself for you and me, and continues to offer Himself as an example to follow each day. As He was willing to empty Himself for us, am I willing to offer myself for others who are in need or hurting, or not understanding what love is and how to achieve it? “When I give of my possessions I give very little; when I give of myself I give all that I have and all that I am.” (Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, 1923)

So I reflect on:

• I look at myself today. How can I call — influence — help — people in my life to renew their relationship with God?
• Do I really have the courage to be prophetic? To acknowledge God’s love for me and for those I might feel are unworthy?

Sacred Space 2026 states:

“We are now moving into Holy Week. The mood changes and a solemnness descends. What thoughts and feelings arise as you read details of the passion? You might find similarities to the suffering in your own life. Maybe you were wrongly accused, perhaps people were unsupportive when you needed to be backed up, or you went along with the crowd and now feel guilty because you didn’t speak out. You might talk to God about the thoughts that arise in you. You may wish to pray for the healing of hurts or feel called to remain silent and stay with what is in your heart.”