Everybody Loves a Parade!

Everybody Loves a Parade!

Psalm 118: 19 - 29

Matthew 21: 1 - 11

March 29, 2026

There are moments in history when expectations are everything.

Birth, our first kiss, weddings, life and death all of these moments are filled with hopes and dreams, expectations and desired hopes. We build these expectations carefully, quietly, sometimes unconsciously over years. Expectations about how life should unfold. About what success looks like. About what victory means. Expectations about who God is supposed to be.

And then….. God shows up, just not always in the way we expected.

Palm Sunday is one of those moments. It is a collision between expectation and reality. A moment where the crowd shouts “Hosanna!” - “Save us now!” but doesn’t yet understand what kind of salvation is actually coming.

Imagine the scene with me. Jerusalem is full. Pilgrims have come from all over for Passover. The city is buzzing with anticipation - political tension, religious devotion, hope for deliverance and into that charged atmosphere comes Jesus.

People begin spreading cloaks on the road. Palm branches are cut and waved. A procession forms. It’s a parade, but not just any parade. This is a royal parade. They shout: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” They believe something significant is happening.

And they’re right. But they misunderstand what kind of king Jesus is. Their expectations have led them elsewhere. 

They wanted a king like David. A political leader. A liberator. Someone who would overthrow Roman oppression and occupation. Someone who would restore national glory. Someone who would make things right….. on their terms.

Friends, if we’re honest….. we often want the same thing, don’t we? We may not say it out loud, but deep down we want a God who fixes our problems quickly, who protects our comfort. We want a God who validates our plans and who secures the future that we have determined. We want a Savior who fits into our vision of success.

Even in places like Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Dana Point and Mission Viejo - where life often appears so stable, structured, and well-planned – we carry these expectations. All too often we want faith that enhances life, not disrupts it. We want a God who blesses our path, not redirects it.

But Jesus does something unexpected. Instead of riding in on a war horse….. he rides in on a donkey. That detail matters. In the ancient world, kings rode great war horses when they came to wage war. They rode donkeys when they came in peace.

Jesus is making a statement. Not with words, but with posture. Jesus is saying:

“I am a king….. but not the kind you think.”

“I have come….. but not for the reason you expect.”

“I will bring victory….. but not through power as you understand it.”

This is where Palm Sunday becomes deeply personal. Because the question is not just, “Who is Jesus?” The question is, “Do we recognize him when he doesn’t meet our expectations?” 

The crowd welcomed him….. but only temporarily. By the end of the week, many of the same voices shouting “Hosanna” will cry “Crucify him.”

Why? How could the voices of joy and expectation become voices of death? It really is so sadly simple. Jesus didn’t do what they wanted. He didn’t overthrow Rome. He didn’t seize political power. He didn’t meet their expectations of success. So they rejected him.

This is where Palm Sunday speaks directly into our lives today. Especially for people who are thoughtful, accomplished, and deeply invested in making a difference - like so many in our congregation and community.

We are planners. Builders. Investors - not just financially, but relationally and spiritually.

We care about impact. We want our lives to matter. That’s a beautiful thing. But Palm Sunday gently asks us, “What happens when Jesus doesn’t fit into your plan?”

What happens when the outcome you prayed for doesn’t happen; the timeline you expected gets delayed; the path forward becomes unclear; when the control you thought you had slips away? What then? Do we still recognize Jesus as King, or do we quietly begin to pull back?

Following Jesus means embracing a different definition of success. Not the world’s version, but the King’s. Not even our own carefully constructed version, but his. And his version looks like:

Humility instead of dominance,

Sacrifice instead of control, 

Faithfulness instead of visibility,

Love instead of power.

This is not always comfortable. But it is - always - deeply faithful.

One of the beautiful truths about this church is your heart for generosity, graciousness, and service. Time and again, you have stepped forward in faith - trusting that God will provide, trusting that ministry matters, trusting that lives can be changed. Even when it required sacrifice. Even when it stretched comfort, you have stepped forward in faith.

Dear Ones, that is Palm Sunday faith. Palm Sunday faith says:

“I will follow Jesus… even when I don’t fully understand where he is leading.”

“I will trust Jesus… even when the outcome is uncertain.”

“I will honor Jesus as King… even when his way looks different than mine.”

Hmmm, maybe especially when his way is different from mine.

Back to our story.

Here’s what the crowd didn’t realize. The road into Jerusalem was not leading….. to a throne.

It was leading to a cross. And that changes everything. Because the cross reveals the true nature of Jesus’ kingship. Not domination. Not force. But love….. costly, sacrificial, world-changing love.

There is a moment in this story that is easy to overlook. In the Gospel of Luke’s telling of this day, as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he stops….. and he weeps. Jesus sees the city. The Christ sees the people. The Messiah sees their expectations, their confusion, their longing….. and he weeps. Not because they rejected him, but because they didn’t understand what would bring them peace.

That is the heart of our King, a King who doesn’t just rule, but who feels, who sees, who cares deeply.

Palm Sunday invites us into an honest question. Do we want a King who serves our expectations, or do we want a King who transforms our lives? Friends, we cannot have both.

If Jesus is truly King, then he defines the path; he sets the priorities; Jesus leads the way and our role is not to direct him….. but to follow.

So what does this look like for us this week?

It looks like surrendering our created expectations - letting go of the need to control outcomes and trusting that God’s way is better - even when it’s different.

It looks like choosing faithfulness over visibility - recognizing that quiet acts of obedience matter deeply in God’s kingdom.

Embracing the Jesus of Palm Sunday means leaning into sacrificial love – a love that is willing to follow Jesus all the way - not just on Palm Sunday when the crowds are cheering, but also through the emotional roller coaster that is Holy Week.

Palm Sunday is not just a celebration. Palm Sunday is an invitation, an invitation to welcome Jesus, not as we imagine him, but as he truly is. A King of peace. A King of humility. A King of sacrificial love. A King who doesn’t just change circumstances, but who changes hearts and transforms souls.

As the crowd laid down palm branches, they were offering what they had. It wasn’t much,

but it was enough to honor the King. Today, we are invited to do the same. To lay down our expectations; our need for control; our carefully constructed plans and instead choose to say, “Jesus, you are King.” Not just when it’s easy. Not just when it makes sense, but always. Because in the end, the King we didn’t expect, the King of Palm Sunday, is exactly the King we need. Amen.