Palm Sunday

“And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” 

Matthew 21:9 (ESV)

Hosanna means “Save us now!” — a desperate cry for salvation.

It’s sobering to remember that just days after this triumphant praise, many voices in Jerusalem cried out, “Crucify Him!”

The same crowd that shouted “Save us!” quickly turned against Jesus when He didn’t meet their expectations.

This is why it’s so important to know Jesus for yourself.

You can praise Him one week and reject Him the next if your faith is built on emotion, hype, or what Jesus can do for you rather than who He truly is.

I’ve talked to many people who are “deconstructing” their faith. It makes me wonder — were they ever truly following Jesus, or were they just caught up in the crowd?

Jesus warned us: 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven… Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name…?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” 

Matthew 7:21-23

We can do many things “for Jesus” and even use His name, but if we don’t truly know Him, it won’t matter in the end.

The way is narrow (Matthew 7:14). It’s not easy. The world will often hate those who truly follow Christ — just as they hated Him.

So how do we truly know Him? 

We open His Word. We study it. We let it shape us.

Get to know Jesus for yourself — not through the crowd, not through emotions, but through daily relationship with Him in Scripture and prayer.

Don’t just ride the wave of Palm Sunday praise. 

Make sure your heart truly belongs to the King who rode toward the cross for you.