It’s Palm Sunday Again!

by Darryl Manning 3-24-02 

On Palm Sunday, the first day of what we call Passion Week, Sunday, a great celebration took place as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. Jesus rode into the city on the back of a young donkey. Many people of the city especially children celebrated Jesus entry waving palm branches and shouting, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.”

The religious leaders complained about the celebration and it is here that Jesus made his famous statement, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Preachers and worship leaders often us this quote to try to get people to voice their worship. Songs are written about not letting stones take our place in praising Jesus. These are all valid to some extent but this statement is given for this special day. This was the day determined in the counsel of God to announce Jesus’ as Messiah and King. Truly that day the stones would have announced Him if there were no humans willing to do so.

Later that afternoon, on Palm Sunday, Mark records that Jesus went to the temple and then returned to Bethany for the night. There is no record of what Jesus did in the temple that afternoon. Perhaps he was just viewing everything and preparing for what he would do on the next day.

It appears that it was the next morning as Jesus and the disciples were approaching Jerusalem that Jesus cursed the fig tree. The tree was leafed out indicating it had fruit when in fact there was no fruit on the tree. Jesus cursed it and the next day when they came by it again it was dried up and dead.

Most Bible scholars believe Jesus was giving a picture of the fruitlessness of the Jewish religious leaders and their man made traditions. Upon Jesus’ death the veil in the temple was torn in two and the Jewish religion was over as far as God was concerned.

Jesus made his way from the fig tree into Jerusalem and went to the temple. Here he drove out the money-changers and the profiteers.

Many people do not realize that Jesus cleansed the temple on two occasions. The first cleansing took place at the beginning of His ministry. It is almost like Jesus came back to the temple to see if there had been changes since his first cleansing. Upon finding the same corruption, Jesus cleansed the temple again.

Upon the cleansing of the temple, Matthew records that the lame and blind came to him in the temple and Jesus healed them there. 

At House of Joy, I have been preaching for over a year that Jesus is returning to his church. Those who refuse to receive him will be driven out. Those who receive him will all be healed and delivered from all sickness and disease. You see, no sickness or disease ever stood in the face of Jesus while he was upon the earth. When the presence of Jesus really fills our places of worship, no sickness or disease will be able to stand again.

Most Christians believe that Jesus will return to rapture his church some day. This is true, but when that day arrives the scripture records his church will be “without spot or wrinkle.”  (Ephesians 5)   So Jesus must come in his church and clean it up before he comes for his church.

In a prophetic sense we are at Palm Sunday. Jesus is approaching his church. Those of us who understand this are already raising our voices and beginning to celebrate his coming. We are praising and celebrating prophetically. By faith we are celebrating what will become reality soon.

Others are standing by objecting to the celebration. They want to stay in their comfortable religious forms. They do not see a need for this great celebration. They have a form of Godliness but there is no power there. There are few if any miracles. There is sickness and disease everywhere. They desperately need Jesus to come and heal them but they have no faith to believe He will really do so. They are just biding their time till death will come and liberate them from their suffering.

When Jesus does come, he will look at his church to see if it is a house of prayer. He will drive out the profiteers and those who are desecrating his reputation with evil and injustice. He will look for fruitfulness and curse those churches that are fruitless.

When the church is cleansed, then the blind and lame and all who need healing will have a place to be touched by Jesus once again. His presence will fill his church with overwhelming power and glory.

Folks. I believe its Palm Sunday again. It is time to prophetically celebrate Jesus coming again. It is time to get rid of our unbelief and get ready for healing and deliverance. It is time to purify our hearts and join the Holy Spirit in saying, “Come Lord Jesus, Come.”

 Friend, where do you find yourself today? All who are in the church fit in one of the three groups that saw Jesus enter Jerusalem that day long ago. Are you a member of the celebration team? Are you longing for Jesus to come into his church and heal the sick and deliver us from evil? Do you see him coming by faith and by faith celebrate his return to his church?

Perhaps you are a member of those who have gotten comfortable with their religion. You have gotten used to tolerating sickness and disease. You cannot even understand why anyone would want to dance and shout in celebration. You may even be one to scoff and rebuke those who are in celebration. If you are in this group, you need to pray that God will open your eyes. You must see Jesus coming with the “eye of faith” before you will ever see him in reality.

Perhaps you are one who is caught in the middle. During Passion Week, it is recorded that some of the religious leaders believed that Jesus was the Messiah but said nothing because they feared retribution from their more powerful brethren. The scripture says they were afraid of loosing their place in the Synagogue. (see John 12:42)  If that is you, you need to find a place where you can celebrate Jesus. Do not let the fear of man control you or you will die with them in their unbelief.

FOLKS, IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE JESUS. HE IS COMING INTO HIS CHURCH AGAIN TO CLEANSE AND PURIFY IT AND TO HEAL ALL WHO ARE SICK AND OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL!

CELEBRATE WITH ALL YOUR HEART – SOUL – MIND – AND STRENGTH.