Podcasts about Hosanna

This week on Stay True Podcast, Madi sits down with Hosanna Wong for a powerful conversation about identity, self-worth, and the freedom that comes from seeing yourself the way God sees you. In a world that constantly tells us to prove ourselves, perform for approval, and compare our lives to everyone else's, Madi and Hosanna dive deep into the battle for our identity, exposing the lies that keep us stuck in insecurity, striving, and comparison. They share practical ways to overcome a performance-based mindset, walk confidently in who God created you to be, and live from God's acceptance rather than for it. Whether you're struggling with self-doubt, constantly comparing yourself to others, or simply wanting to better understand your identity in Christ, this conversation will encourage you to stand firm in truth and embrace the person God uniquely designed you to be. Stay you and stay true!   Topics we dive into: -How to overcome a performance-based mindset -What happens when our view of God becomes distorted? -Why your view of God impacts your view of yourself -Embracing the personality God uniquely gave you -The lies we believe about ourselves and God's truth that sets us free AND SO MUCH MORE   Helpful Resources: Uncomplicate It: Permission to Enjoy God in Your Unique Way by Hosanna Wong: https://a.co/d/094mVEFc What God Says About You by Hosanna Wong: https://a.co/d/0hjRhdPc Dare To Be True by Madison Prewett Troutt: https://a.co/d/gdfpHX5 Stay True Website: https://www.staytruepodcast.com Stay True Merch: https://www.staytruepodcast.com/merch Upside: Download the FREE Upside App and use promo code STAYTRUE to get an extra $0.25 back for every gallon on your first tank of gas.  BetterHelp: This show is brought to you by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/STAYTRUE GCU: Visit gcu.edu to learn more. Laundry Sauce: Make laundry day the best day of the week! Get 20% off your entire order @LaundrySauce with code STAYTRUE at https://laundrysauce.com/STAYTRUE  #laundrysaucepod Liberty Healthshare: Learn more at libertyhealthshare.org.    Connect with Stay True!

If you were writing a story about the Son of God, Mark chapter 15 is probably not the story you would write. Jesus is arrested, mocked, beaten, humiliated, and executed — and through almost all of it, He is completely silent. No protest. No retaliation. No escape. And He had every power to do all of those things. So why did Jesus choose surrender? That's the question we're sitting with today, and I think the answer changes everything about how we understand not just Easter, but every hard and unresolved season in our own lives. We walk through the full weight of what's happening in this chapter — the crowd that was shouting Hosanna just days earlier is now demanding Barabbas. Pilate, conflicted and cowardly, bends to the pressure. Jesus is crucified between two criminals, mocked by the very people He came to save. And darkness covers the land for three full hours. I want us to really sit with what the cross meant in Roman culture — this was the symbol of highest shame, of total defeat, of public humiliation. The word excruciating literally comes from the Latin word for crucifixion. And in the middle of all of that, at the very moment when Jesus cries out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" — that is the moment theologians point to as when He took the sin of the entire world onto His shoulders and experienced, for the first and only time, separation from His Father. That cry? That is the most painful moment of all of it — not the nails, not the mockery, but the weight of sin creating distance from God. And then He says it is finished. And the temple curtain tears in two. Here's why that matters so much: that curtain separated the people from the presence of God. Only one priest, once a year, after elaborate ritual, could enter that space. When it tears — it tears because the barrier between us and God is gone. Forever. Through the breaking of Jesus's body, we now have full access to the presence of God. No more separation. No more curtain. This is not just a personal salvation transaction. This is a cosmic shift in how the world works. And it happened in what looked like the darkest, most defeated moment in history. So whatever unresolved, silent, confusing season you're in right now — I want you to know that Jesus has been there. He has gone before us in the silence, in the suffering, in the feeling of God's absence. And because He did, we never have to experience real separation from God again. What Does It Mean for Me? Can I trust God when circumstances feel unresolved? Can I trust God with the unknowns in my own story? What does surrender look like for me today? What does it look like to actually surrender at the foot of the cross, knowing that Jesus has taken my sin upon his shoulders? If I knew I was right with God — today, tomorrow, and the rest of my life — how would I feel? How would I act? What would I do? If I can't get there yet, what would that freedom even feel like — and what would it look like to move toward it? Want More? Read along: Mark 15 Old Testament prophecy fulfilled here: Isaiah 53:7 — written 600 years before Jesus's birth Psalm connection: Psalm 13:1 — "How long, Lord, will you forget me forever?" — an honest lament for hard seasons One-sentence prayer for the week: "God, help me trust that your silence is not the same thing as your absence." Book mentioned: Not What I Signed Up For by Nicole Unice — for anyone in an unexpected, disorienting, or suffering season. Includes a free video Bible study series. Find it at NicoleUnice.com Stay connected and access resources at NicoleUnice.com/realtalk Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Part 1 in a teaching series called "Think Again" You can watch this service on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xlVquFcMi2A If you had questions during the message, text them to 567-246-0807 and we will contact you to discuss your thoughts. *Closing Song is: "Open The Eyes Of My Heart" - Paul Baloche - Lyrics: Paul Baloche - © 1997 Integrity's Hosanna! Music; Leadworship Songs *Song used in this service are performed by the WCC band with permission under CCS License #4935

Why palm branches? In this Palm Sunday episode, we dig into the powerful symbolism behind what the crowd did when Jesus rode into Jerusalem — and what it means for us today. Palm branches represented victory, peace, and deliverance, and "Hosanna" was a cry for a King who saves. Jesus came as that King and as the Cornerstone of the Church. Just like everyone within reach could grab a branch that day, we all have something we can lay down to honor Him.

You had a plan. Maybe it was for the summer, maybe it was for your whole life -- and then reality showed up and none of it looked the way you thought. In this episode, Dot and Cara have an honest, tender conversation about what it means to surrender your expectations to a God who actually knows what He's doing. Cara shares from a raw and hard season she's walking through right now, and Dot reminds us that the same God who led you there will lead you through. Pull up a chair, grab your Bible, and lean in with us.Got a question about today's episode or something else you'd like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! Episode RecapIntro (00:00)Write this down: Proverbs 19:21, "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." (00:07)Cara shares that her whole world got turned upside down two days before recording, this episode is the verse she's living right now (04:57)The idea of detaching from outcomes, what it really means to surrender your plans without letting your mind race to the what-if (05:36)Dot walks through Palm Sunday and Good Friday: the crowd went from "Hosanna" to "Crucify him," but Jesus was still King either way (11:17)When you're following God and everything still falls apart, Cara gets honest about how painful it is to do everything right and still end up in the deepest hurt of your life (16:03)Dot: "The only person God ever forsook was Jesus, so that we never would be," a word for anyone who feels like they're on the cross right now (15:21)The same God who led you there will lead you through, just like He led the Israelites out of Egypt (19:25)Living with "what is" instead of "what if," why the what-if always comes packaged with anxiety, and how staying in today is the way through (22:00)Dot closes with a challenge: go before God, give Him your tears and your expectations, and let God be God (35:08)Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at hello@dotbowen.com.Watch Write this Down! on YouTubeFind Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook This Episode's Scripture VerseProverbs 19:21 (ESV) – "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."

In this profound exploration of Matthew 21:40-46, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb unpack the Parable of the Wicked Tenants and its devastating indictment of Israel's religious leadership. The hosts navigate the complex theological terrain of kingdom transfer, covenant faithfulness, and the identity of God's people across redemptive history. With careful attention to the text's original context and its implications for the church today, they examine how Christ presents himself as the rejected cornerstone—the one upon whom people either fall in repentance or are crushed in judgment. This episode offers rich insights into supersessionism, the remnant theology of Romans 11, and the practical call for Christians to examine whether they're submitting to Christ as the true cornerstone or attempting to usurp his rightful place. Key Takeaways The Self-Condemning Verdict: The chief priests and Pharisees unknowingly pronounce judgment upon themselves when they declare the wicked tenants deserve destruction, demonstrating how the natural conscience can discern God's justice even when blind to personal complicity. Kingdom Transfer as Covenant Transition: The "taking away" of the kingdom represents not the abandonment of God's elect remnant but the historical-redemptive transition from the typological Old Covenant administration to the New Covenant church gathered from all nations. The Cornerstone's Double Judgment: Christ as the cornerstone presents two modes of encounter—those who fall upon him in repentance are broken but healed; those upon whom he falls in final judgment are ground to powder with no remedy. Visible vs. Invisible Church Distinction: The visible identification of God's people shifted from the geopolitical nation of Israel to the universal church, while the invisible elect have always been saved by grace through faith in the coming Messiah. Fear of Man vs. Fear of God: The Pharisees' restraint from seizing Jesus due to fear of the crowds (rather than fear of God) exemplifies how the wicked are dominated by human opinion rather than divine accountability. Infant Baptism and Covenant Community: The joyful inclusion of children in the visible covenant community through baptism reflects God's gracious promise sealed to those who contribute nothing to their own covenant status. Fruit-Bearing as Evidence: The "new tenants" are characterized not by works-righteousness but by evidential fruit—the genuine works that flow from "true and lively faith" worked by the Holy Spirit. Key Concepts The Irony of Self-Condemnation The theological and pastoral power of this parable reaches its climax when the religious leaders, failing to perceive themselves as the wicked tenants in Jesus's story, pronounce harsh judgment upon the hypothetical villains: "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end." This moment mirrors Nathan's confrontation of David after the Bathsheba affair, yet with a tragic difference—these leaders never experience David's repentance. Calvin observes that the natural conscience, even when blind to personal guilt, retains an "hidden impulse to identify with justice." The Pharisees demonstrate total depravity in high definition: they possess enough moral clarity to recognize egregious covenant-breaking in the abstract, yet remain entirely blind to their own embodiment of that very wickedness. This irony serves as both judgment and warning—we all possess an uncanny ability to see sin clearly everywhere except in the mirror. Kingdom Transfer: Covenant Continuity and Discontinuity The phrase "the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit" requires careful theological handling to avoid both replacement theology (in its pejorative sense) and dispensational fragmentation. The Reformed understanding maintains covenant continuity: there has always been one people of God, defined not ethnically but by faith in the Messiah. What changes is the visible administration of the covenant. Under the Old Covenant, the visible church was largely coterminous with ethnic Israel—a geopolitical reality with boundaries, a zip code, and national identity. Under the New Covenant, the visible church explodes these ethnic and geographic boundaries, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham that "in your seed all nations will be blessed." This is not Plan B; it's the eschatological unveiling of what was always intended. The "breaking off of natural branches" (Romans 11) refers to covenant unfaithfulness resulting in exclusion from visible covenant privileges, while the faithful Jewish remnant—the apostles, early believers, and the ongoing elect from Israel—remain fully incorporated into the church. The vineyard hasn't been abandoned; it's been opened to "other tenants" who will render the proper fruit: Gentiles grafted in alongside believing Jews into the one olive tree of God's redemptive purposes. The Cornerstone: Salvation or Destruction Christ's invocation of Psalm 118:22—"the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone"—followed by his dual judgment ("whoever falls on this stone will be broken...on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust") presents two exhaustive options for relating to Jesus. The cornerstone in ancient construction was the foundational stone by which all other stones found their proper alignment and orientation. To fall upon this stone willingly—in repentance, faith, and self-abandonment—is painful. It shatters pride, self-righteousness, and autonomy. But this breaking leads to healing, to being properly "squared" and aligned with reality as God has constructed it. The alternative is catastrophic: to have the cornerstone fall upon you in final eschatological judgment is to experience irreversible, total destruction—being "ground to powder" with no possibility of remedy. The practical application is urgent: we must examine ourselves continually to ensure we're not attempting to be our own cornerstone, measuring righteousness by our own standards, aligning the universe to ourselves rather than submitting to Christ as the measure of all things. Memorable Quotes "There's never a time where that righteousness is removed or unapplied, but we are constantly faced with a choice as to whether we want to be the kind of people who render our fruit unto the Lord, as the faithful tenants when the unfaithful tenants are replaced. Or do we wanna be the people that reap wicked fruit and keep for ourselves?" — Tony Arsenal "The vineyard of God is still let out, the fruit is still demanded, the cornerstone is still laid. Blessed are they who receive him—and also get those babies into church." — Jesse Schwamb "This is not a wall you're gonna run through. Like you're gonna smash into this wall and it's gonna crush you. And if you are not properly assigning the cornerstone its place... the whole thing is gonna crush you." — Tony Arsenal Full Episode Transcript [00:01:05] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 492 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse.  [00:01:14] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother.  [00:01:18] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother.  [00:01:19] Parable Recap [00:01:19] Jesse Schwamb: Well, the time has finally come for us to close out our discussion in Matthew 21. This is the Parable of the Vine growers, and everybody should just go back and list everything we said so far, but I think here's how we could sum it up. Jesus's authority gets challenged and he sets a trap so beautiful that we should put it into a museum. He tells basically the religious bigwigs, this whole story where tenants speed up servants, they kill the air. They generally behave like it's an HOA literally run by the devil. And then he asks them this question, so what should the owner of the vineyard do And the chief priest. Chest puffed up. Basically shout out the answers to their own indictment. Smoke 'em. Give the vineyard to somebody who isn't garbage. Listen fellas, you just preached your own funeral. So in this we get to see this total depravity in 4K. Sovereign grace skips the credential gatekeepers and it lands on the tax collectors and the gentiles. They elect the vineyard, the self-righteous, get the rock. And we're gonna close out what all of that means, including probably not a small amount of talk about the kingdom being transferred, whatever that means, and maybe a little engrafting. Aah, Romans 11 style. It's all there for us. And that is what is coming up. [00:02:34] Affirmations Setup [00:02:34] Jesse Schwamb: Of course before we can do any of that, we can't even get there. Tony, before we do affirmations, denials, you and I both know it's our contractual obligation. It's what the people want all over the world. If we skip this, there will be some kind of riot revolt. So we gotta start there. Let's not get too excited yet. So I'm curious as always, are you affirming with something or you not against something for this episode?  [00:02:58] Tony Arsenal: I am, I'm affirming, uh, this is gonna be like people are gonna grow and roll their eyes a little bit.  [00:03:04] Infant Baptism Joy [00:03:04] Tony Arsenal: I'm affirming infant baptism today. We had a lovely infant baptism at church, um, and a couple recently had a child. Um, there's been, this was a kind of a particularly, um, poignant baptism. Um, the, the mother was in the hospital for several weeks before the baby was born, um, with some medical challenges, so was in. In the hospital. In the hospital for like, I want to say probably four weeks, which is a long time. Um, they have several other children, which makes it even harder. Um, and then, uh, then the baby was in the hospital for quite some time. He came a little early and then had some other issues. Um, and so this family was out of church for quite some time dealing with these health issues, and we, we all miss them very much. So it was a very sweet moment. Um, and it's just a, a good reminder, right? And, and the way our church does it is, you know, the pastor, the family comes up, they do vows, they do the baptism, but he calls all the children forward and the children come and sit, uh, right in the front row and they watch this all happen. Um. Which is, is very sweet. And you know, I, I went up there with Augie, and Augie was sitting on my lap and he was very, he was like super locked into this, this whole thing, which is, uh, which was nice to see. So I'm affirming infant baptism. It's a beautiful, beautiful picture of the gospel. Um, it's, it's God's promise being sealed to someone who contributes nothing to, um, to that promise contributes nothing to, uh, their own, um, position in the church or status in the church. They contribute nothing. Um, in most cases they're not even aware of what's going on. So I know not all of our listeners are, uh, are covenant infant Baptists, uh, type people. Um, so yes, I get it. You disagree, but there is something just sweet and beautiful, uh, even I think even for people who aren't quite sold on infant baptism. Um, and I think even sometimes for people who are kind of opposed to infant baptism, I think we've commented in the PA past that there's kind of this impulse that I think all Christian parents have that their children should be. Treated in a certain way that's different than how a non-Christian family treats their children. Right. Um, so there is kind of this instinct that the, there's, whether it's a formal status or just sort of a, a way of thinking about things, there is this impulse that the children of believers are somehow set apart in different, and of course, the, the Presbyterian Covenant Baptist, um, position would, would formalize that through the rite of baptism, uh, at least in part. So I'm affirming infant baptism, both theologically, but also just experimentally today. Like it was just, it was just a balm to my soul to see this, um. And like I said, the congregation has been praying for a long time for the health, uh, and the, the welfare of this family, um, and been, you know, doing meal trains and all the stuff that churches do. But it was, it was a very sweet moment, um, to see the pastor scoop this little baby up in his arms and be able to sort of introduce him to the church as the newest covenant member of the congregation. Uh, it was just a very nice moment. [00:05:59] Baptism Dedication Common Ground [00:05:59] Jesse Schwamb: I think you're right. We can all agree that there's something really beautiful about God growing his church, at least the visible church, through just the multiplicative effect of. People having children, there's something beautiful about that, and then welcoming them in an official way into your congregation, into your midst. Interestingly, in my church, there was a baby dedication today and I was also equally moved though like I would say the promises that were invoked during that time, the equipment's made are very different than what you might hear during kind of pedo infant baptism. You're right in that the spirit of this that is like a representation kind of bringing forward of the child to say he or she is part of us and we're making a commitment to raise them in admonition of the Lord is a really lovely thing. It's like a public recognition that God is providing a manifest blessing in our midst, and that he is growing and working out his church and he's doing it by just bringing new people into it who are being, who are the subjects of procreation. Creation itself, but procreation and how can you not be like, just excited about that. And, and also a little bit like it's also, and I'm not trying to denigrate any practice here, but also just on the face also super adorable. Like when you, when you see a pastor scoop up, like you said, a little child, whether that's to pray with them and dedication or to baptize them. Either way, it's super just like lovely and just pulls in your heartstrings. Yeah. In like this very spiritual way, not just in kind of an emotional kind of way.  [00:07:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, I don't, I think, um, when I think back, you know, Augie's, obviously you know this, but Augie was dedicated, um, Addie was not. Um, but when I think back to the vows we took, when we dedicated Augie, there are some differences, but there's also a lot that's not different like the sure close to like, raise up your child in the church and to like, pray for them and set a good example. And then, and then the sort of reciprocal vows that the congregation typically takes, that the congregation will do what they can to support the family as they, they raise this child and the Lord. Um, you know, even in, even in a lot of contexts, like in the Presbyterian church, I'm in like prayers that this, this child would come to know Jesus and would, would come to confess the faith for themselves and become a full, you know, full communicate member of the church. Like, those things are all present. So as much as I think, um. As much as I wanna acknowledge that infant baptism or, or covenant, I, I say covenant baptism versus, um, sort of like baptist theology writ, large credo Baptist theology, which is covenantal, but differently covenantal in most cases. Right. Um, even though that is a dividing line, and I think like it's a real dividing line. There's a real division that exists and that there's good theological historical reasons why those divisions exist. There still is so much that is the same. Um, in terms of how Baptists and, and Presbyterians or however formed, you know, PR Christians, um, re reflect on and think about their children. There's some differences, but in terms of like. We all want our children to come to know Jesus. We all want their first memory to be worshiping in the church and loving the Lord. We, we don't want them to ever remember a time where the name of Christ was not on their lips as their savior. Um, all those things are the same and even the, the way we promise before God and, and primarily before God, but before others, even the way we promise to nourish them in, in right doctrine and nourish them in good teaching and bring them into the church and, and set a faithful example. All of those things are the same. So I I I, I never want to diminish the fact that there are differences 'cause there are real differences and there are important differences. But I also think we often sort of like. I think because we've talked about this before, like Reformed Baptists and Presbyterians are so close that we have to bicker over the things that are different. It's like you're, it's like when you fight with your brother on whose side of the room it's on. Like you're so close that you have to find the little things to really bicker about and then you really, really bicker about them. And I think that kind of like describes the, the Presbyterian Baptist divide in a lot of ways. I know there's a lot of people that would say like, Lutherans are closer to Presbyterians and those people are just, I dunno, they're just wrong. Um, on, on, maybe on baptism, they're, they're not wrong. But in terms of general theological principles, like, you know, Westminster Confession, London Baptists, confession, like, it, it's 95% the same content. Sure. Um, and 95% like the same confession, not just the same like words, but the same meaning of the words. And, um, so yeah. Anyway, that's my affirmation. Infant baptism. It was a joy. I was happy to see it. Um, uh, we have a ton of little, little babies in the, the church. It's funny 'cause another, another, um. A couple announced today that they were expecting, and we've, we've had basically pregnant women in the church for, you know, obviously like at least nine months if someone is still pregnant. But like we've had, we've had this like rotation of, of women delivering babies for like, at least, probably, at least 16, 18 months of, of constantly having people who are, are expecting, which is really a great joy to see. So I, I love it. I love the church. I love the Presbyterian church. Um, and this was just another great example of, of the beauty of, uh, a robust confessionalism and a robust presbyterianism. [00:11:08] Jesse Schwamb: The way in which you said that made it sound like you're about to make like a grand historical statement. Like, we've had pregnant people in the church since the first century.  [00:11:18] Tony Arsenal: Well, I mean that's probably true, but  [00:11:19] Jesse Schwamb: yeah, it definitely  [00:11:20] Tony Arsenal: true. Not, not our church. Our church has only been around, our particular church has only been around for like 10 years, so I'm sure there have been times during that period where there were not pregnant people  [00:11:29] Jesse Schwamb: pregnant. It just sounded like we were going all the way back as if like to, again emphasize and maybe this isn't, this is as fair statement, like how faithful God has been like from the beginning. There's always been. Pregnant lady Church. Look, look at how faithful God is.  [00:11:42] Mic Grabbing Babies [00:11:42] Jesse Schwamb: And, and this is true, I like to play this game when there is a baby dedication. I'm not sure what the sound system is like in your church, but often our, our pastors wear like the tiny little like Backstreet Boys style. It's probably outdated reference, but microphone that comes over the ear and to the mouth and it's very discreet. But the game I like to play is like once, once he takes the child for a time of dedication or specifically prayer, the, the goal is to see like how long before that baby goes for the mic. Because as soon as like a baby sees a mic right there, it's like, oh yeah, this is the best thing that's happened to me in my tiny little life.  [00:12:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, it's like an angler fish is really what it is. Yes. It's like that glowing bulb that just sits in front of its face and it's, the baby's just gotta grab it. [00:12:27] Jesse Schwamb: It's just too tempting. It's just too tempting. And I, and I love, you can tell like our pastors are really adept at being able to keep the prayer going and like discreetly maneuver the child, keep the child happy. It's, it's really an amazing thing. So altogether, I'm totally with you on so many levels. It's so good to see that happen in the church. And I'm with you on that. We gotta take joy in that For sure.  [00:12:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse, what do you got for us tonight?  [00:12:50] Book Breath Pick [00:12:50] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, something that's entirely unlike everything you just said. Certainly. Well, maybe, I guess there is a large spiritual component to this, but it's, I would say, for me, totally unexpected book recommendation and I came across this 'cause it was recommended to me and a while back, the keen or the listener who's been with us for a really long time, or a member that we talked about the book or why we sleep, this book became for me, like the equivalent of that in a totally different kind of topic or genre. It's called breath. The New Signs of a Lost Art by James Nestor and it explores how the way that humans breathe profoundly affects our health, our performance, our longevity. It's a book that is filled with both science and pseudoscience, which the author is really good at distinguishing and calling you to think about those things. But it's really totally changed how I understand like this little pattern in Habits of breathing. And it's a really interesting book of course. Like he draws from a lot of like religious influences, including of course the Judeo-Christian one. And I think that it even drew me back to understanding how God created us. And he did in a very specific way that text's giving some great description to the breadth that he gives us and how he gives us that breath. So if you're looking, I guess, for a little bit of a read, so that might surprise you about something that you might thought was automatic and simple in life and also that might. Be able to bring you some recommendations on how to better your health. Again, we're not doctors, but we are routinely considered among the top 50 healthcare podcasts. Then I would say this would be an interesting book for you to check out.  [00:14:19] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I haven't read it, but it's been recommended to me and one of the, one of the takeaways, actually, I think it might have been my doctor, my my PCP who mentioned this to me is like, if you wanna improve your health drastically, like just make it a practice of breathing through your nose. Yes. Like something that simple and straightforward has pretty significant health impacts of like. Like the way that your brain processes breath when it comes through your nose, the way that like, there's more filtering that happens with breath, so the air that gets to your lungs is cleaner. There's just a lot of, um, I haven't read it. I've, I think I actually have it somewhere, but I have not read it yet. Um, I, I should, I should take a look at it. I, I've heard good things about it.  [00:15:01] Jesse Schwamb: At the very least, if you're a Christian, it'll cause you to marvel again. That's how beautifully complex God has made the human body and how it seems entirely impossible that anyone could even logically reasonably conclude that somehow we are just time plus matter, plus chance, and that all these things got worked out. I don't wanna spoil some of the punchline. A part of the book is about this. Breathe through your nose, which you might think was just kind of an innocuous decision. Breathe through your nose, breathe your mouth. How, how different could it be? They actually do an experiment where they plug their noses, the author and somebody else for, uh, several, like 10 days straight. And do all these these things under medical supervision to see what the impact is. And I'll leave you to read it so you can hear that. There's also something fascinating, absolutely fascinating about carbon dioxide and a study that's done where they actually have people inhale a little bit of carbon dioxide and what it does to the body. In other words, like the system that God has put into play to ensure that the body gets the kind of right amount of oxygen that it needs and how it functions when it's given the warning side of carbon dioxide, even when. Your lung capacity and your oxygen, your blood doesn't change. There's a fascinating section on that. So I didn't expect to be this interested in the book and generally I take a little time before I recommend a book. I finished this a couple weeks ago and I'm still thinking about it. So, and I'm trying to put some things into practice, including I try to do some running and for the longest time I just thought, well, when you run, like even at any like moderate speed, like you have to breathe through your mouth, this book challenges some of that. So lo and behold, I went out and started to try just a little bit to see if I could just breathe through my nose. It turns out it's totally possible, like all this time I just thought that was impossible, like God didn't make us that way, and it's actually improving how I feel when I run and the running that I'm able to do. So I am surprised, I, I'm shocked by all this, and it's just as simple as understanding breath. Who would've guessed.  [00:16:56] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. I mean, I've heard it's a great book. I, I, I. It never ceases to amaze that the, the more we look at the human body, the more we look at God's creation, the more we see the fingerprints of our creators. So not, not  [00:17:07] Jesse Schwamb: right.  [00:17:07] Tony Arsenal: Sounds like a great book. I can't recommend it from personal experience, uh, although I've heard very good things.  [00:17:12] Reading Matthew 21 [00:17:12] Tony Arsenal: So, Jesse, I think we should probably just get into it because this is now week three of, uh, one week episode and, uh, we want to wanna dig in and we wanna wrap it up so we can move on to the next best thing out there, which is of course, the parables of Christ. [00:17:26] Jesse Schwamb: Let's get some. So I'm gonna read for us starting in verse 40 because if you've been tracking then you've already been with us through the first part of this parable, and it's notoriously or variously called parable the vine growers, or I kinda like the husband men, just because that's fun to say, and you don't get to drop husband men like very often. But vine dressers, vine growers, vine workers, it's all the same. But here's starting in verse 40. This is after Jesus has already explained the parable. He set it up for them and he's gonna bring for the indictment. So Jesus says, and therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vine growers? They said to him, he will bring those wretches to a wretched end and he will rent out the vineyard to other vine growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons. Jesus said to them, did you never read in the scriptures the stone, which the builders rejected? This has become the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord in his, marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust. And when the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they understood that he was speaking about them. And although they were seeking to seize him, they feared the crowds because they were guarding him to be a prophet.  [00:18:48] Irony Blind Leaders [00:18:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, that, that last little section here is just such, it's like dripping with such irony,  [00:18:53] Jesse Schwamb: so good  [00:18:54] Tony Arsenal: that like they, they are so blinded by their own, um, I dunno, ambition isn't, maybe isn't even the right word, but something in that, that neighborhood, they're so blinded by their desire to. Maintain their own status quo, their own uh, their own status. That they fear the crowds because the crowds hold them to be a prophet,  [00:19:15] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:19:16] Tony Arsenal: When in reality, like there is a prophet in their midst and much more than a prophet, uh, and they can't see it because of their own blindness. So I'm stoked to get into it. This is such, like we said, this is such a, like on the nose, paril, it's crazy. This is so much like, you know, Nathan's, you are the man kind of parable. Like yes, that's right, except there never is a, you are the man moment for them. They never get it, which is. Stunning. Like I, I, it just sort of is like, I don't even know what to make of that. [00:19:41] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. There is like a wild blindness. I've been thinking about that a lot in our past conversations, but it culminates here. These chief priests and elders, I would say strangely, but I think that this is probably true of all of us, and maybe especially me, perhaps not yet, like perceiving themselves to be the vine growers here in view, they render this verdict of severe justice. It seems like you, you wanna say to them? Like, guys, guys, pull up, hold up a second. Yeah. Take a step back before you overreact here, because you're about to condemn yourselves and in the Greek here, this expression like, miserably destroy these wicked men. Or it gets like this double wretched in our translations. Mostly he will bring those wretches to a wretched end. It's this rhetorical intensification. It's incredible. And I, I think there's at least like two truths here. That come to my mind. One is, we've talked about before, but is in line with what you're saying, that the natural conscience, when not even aware of its own complicity, can still discern the justice of God's judgments. So here are these men who are so prone almost, I think what Calvin says elsewhere, like that we have this hidden impulse to identify with justice. Even when we can't see that we are the ones perpetrating something of injustice, still we can't help but cry out. We can't even help but identify it. And here they. Accurately identify it. And even though they're putting themselves exactly in the cross here, they cannot help but basically cry out that how egregious this behavior is of these vine growers that Jesus has basically, you know, created in this hypothetical environment, even still there, they're filled with rage and the rage gets turned on them. So the Pharisees here, of course, function as this unwitting witness to the righteousness of God's wrath against covenant breakers, even though they, they don't see it.  [00:21:29] Kingdom Transfer Talk [00:21:29] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, the second thing I think that comes to my mind, and maybe this is like more to the point, is that. The verse foreshadows this transfer of the kingdom from the Jewish nation to a new people that would bring forth its fruits, which I realize if I bring that up right now, that we've just committed to like six episodes just on that topic probably. But yeah, but like, we're gonna have to come to it because there's so much here. And the phrase of this, like, let out his vineyard unto other vine growers or husbandman, it does to me like anticipate this calling of the Gentiles and the formation of the Christian Church and in, in this way. It's not to me. The abandonment of the elect, remnant of Israel, but it is like the breaking off of the natural branches and then this engrafting of the wild olive shoots that come through like Allah, Romans 11. So it's, it's not like from one nation to another simply, but from like the carnal seed to a spiritual seed gathered out of all the nations, that that's wild. Right? I, I think that's all in view here. And it's like a kind of a crazy thing to say. It's certainly like a wild thing to say, no pun intended. And I imagine like, unexpected thing to say.  [00:22:38] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:22:40] Supersessionism Clarified [00:22:40] Tony Arsenal: Let's think about that a little bit because I think too, there's, there's almost an element of, um. Man, I'm gonna get a lot of flack for saying this. You're, there's almost like a legitimate replacement theology here, right? Like replacement theology. I got covenant theology, you know, reformed, um, reformed theology often gets slandered as, you know, supersessionism or replacement theology, uh, with this idea that like, it's, it's interest. Uh, you have to have dispensational presuppositions for that phrase to even make sense because like the reformed paradigm is that there is one people of God full stop. And yes, like the identity of the one people of God seems to sort of like morph from the Jewish national people to now like Jews and Gentiles and actually predominantly Gentiles in the scope of like the whole history of the church. But what I mean by this is like, there's a visible church in the Old Testament, in the old, under the old Covenant, and the visible church under the old covenant is the national people of, of Israel. Right. By and large. Right. Um, and there are, there are sort of like Gentile, um, Clingons, not like the Star Trek people, but like gentile, like attachments to that throughout the history of, of Old Testament, um, theology. Um. That visible, that visible identification of this is the people of God being the Jewish people. Uh, these are the people that are the vineyard, the, they're the, the owner or the tenants of the vineyard or the, the visible Jewish people of the geopolitical nation of Israel under the old covenant that does sort of like get superseded by the church in the church age, in the new covenant,  right?  [00:24:24] Tony Arsenal: But where, where Supersessionism or the accusation of Supersessionism goes wrong is that there is this distinction between the visible and invisible church. And that distinction is what prevents us from being like, sort of like true replacement theologians in the way that the, the dispensationalist wanna paint us. So I, I think you're right that there is a lot to say here about the fact that, um, and, and this is where it gets, um. We have to be careful systematically. Right. God, God doesn't have to pivot. He doesn't have like a plan B. It's not like the Gentiles are the plan B, but there is a sense in almost in which the way that this is presented, the way that it appears in the scriptures is actually, yeah, there is almost like this plan B, like there is the geopolitical ethnic people of, of Israel, the Jewish people under the old covenant. And, and they don't do what they're supposed to do. They don't follow the terms of their covenant. They don't accept the kingdom that is bequeathed to them under the terms of the old covenant. And they, they reject that kingdom because of a disobedience. And, and I think what Christ here is narrowing in on is it's not just disobedience, right? It's not sort of like, um, accidental ancillary disobedience. It's not generalized disobedience. It is this sort of like usurpation of God's rightful status as the ruler and king of the nation. That's right. The the people, the, the Pharisees. And the chief priests and the scribes and the Sadducees, they want to be the rulers of the nation. They want to, they, they seem to wanna take the place of God, at least as far as Christ is presenting it. In this, they wanna usurp the kingdom. They want to take the heirs, uh, rightful inheritance, and they want to claim it for themselves. That is not a generalized disobedience, it's a special t type of covenant unfaithfulness that causes God to causes and kind of air quotes that causes God to hand over the kingdom to another people. Right. Partially, I think, uh, we don't need to get into Romans, the Romans 11 stuff, but partially I think because that's actually the way that he's going to ultimately save the Jewish people, right, is by sort of making, making them jealous of the Gentiles. Like there's a, there's a real element of that, that the salvation of the Gentiles is actually for, in some sense is for or unto the salvation of the Jewish people or the, the faithful Jewish remnant that's all here. And, and you can't really get past that in this parable. Um, this is why I think a, a lot of dispensationalist, um, uh, some of the classic dispensational sources would actually see like this, this is not for the Jewish church. This, this is for the Gentiles. This is actually part of the parentheses, um. You know, and, and again, dispensationalist divide all that stuff up differently, but this is a really interesting section for us to talk about that we can't, we can't just gloss over that. [00:27:11] Jesse Schwamb: I certainly don't mean to imply that it's wild because it's unexpected. I think it's wild because interestingly, the Pharisees, the teachers here, they challenge Jesus authority and his response to that is to challenge their covenant faithfulness.  [00:27:24] Tony Arsenal: Right?  [00:27:25] Jesse Schwamb: So it's not just if he turns it around, he uses this opportunity to explain what's going to happen to them as those who are, like you said, were supposed to be representative. And I think critically like the qualifying phrase. That that's using the text here, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. That's like really important because these new vine growers are characterized by their fruitfulness. So this is not like a doctrine of works righteousness, but it's evidential fruit. And that's why, and I had to look this up and the Westminster Confession confession, chapter 16, good works are quote the fruits and evidences of true and lively faith, which I love. I was trying to find that language true and lively faith. So the visible church under that new administration is identified by the fruits of repentance, faith, and obedience worked out by the Holy Spirit. Again, I think that's all that is in view here, that that's a lot to say. But you know, famously, like you've kind of intimated, when we go back to the Old Testament, even we find when the Israelites leave triumphantly from Egypt, that they're accompanied by those outside of Israel. We find that other characters like Grh who continually want to identify with a Yahweh whom God is saving and drawing onto himself and here is kind. Him, Jesus, at least representing as the son of God. That kind of cli climactic view. Speaking from the prophet register again saying, this is what I was saying to Abraham. I said, like from your seed, all these nations in this spiritual sense will be gathered out. So there'll be a single nation as it were in Christ. And even now, I'm telling you, I'm breaking down those boundaries. But I think to your point, importantly Tony, in part because you have failed in the covenant promises and you who were to represent and to heed and to lead, have fallen down. And so now you're gonna trip over this stone and it's going to crush you. And as a result of that, the vine, the vine growers will be, or the vineyard itself will be turned over to those who bear this true and lively fruit.  [00:29:22] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:29:23] Israel Failure Remnant [00:29:23] Tony Arsenal: There's an interesting, um. There's an interesting dynamic here that actually strikes me as kind of similar. It's a little bit more opaque, but similar to, uh, like Joseph in, uh, in Egypt, right when his brothers come and he says, you meant this for evil, but God meant it for good. Mm-hmm. There's a, there's an element of here, we've talked about the parables. That's sort of like systematic theology in story form. Um, there's a reality here that it's both true, that God always intended for the kingdom to be expansive and, and to expand beyond the nation of Israel. To be this universal, global lowercase c Catholic, universal church universal in the sense that it's not bound by any particular nation, by any particular geopolitical reality. Um. That's true, but it's also true that the reason, uh, on a sort of like horizontal level that that's true is that Israel failed. Right? It so God always intended for Israel to fail, yet Israel is responsible for the fact that they failed. Yes, that's right. Um, and, and, and again, we, we, we sort of commented on this before, like there are some in our broader reformed circles that turn this into a sort of antisemitism, like a sort of hatred for the Jewish people. And I don't think, I don't think that there's any warrant in scripture for that. In fact, I think scripture speaks strongly against that. Is that, um. Not necessarily because there's any particular unique special affection that God has for Israel, like, like the modern Jewish people, but, but that, like racism in general is prohibited by the Bible. But I think where we do need to be clear though, is that there is a real failure. It's a true, genuine failure on the part of the first century Jewish. Leaders and people, um, with a faithful remnant. Right? There was, um, we're, we're getting, you know, we're in the springtime and we've already had, uh, we've already had discussions about this. We've already done Easter, but like there is always conversations around Palm Sunday of like, are the crowds that are following Jesus into, into town screaming, you know, yelling, Hosanna? Is that the same crowds that are yelling crucify him a couple days later? Um, I tend to think like, no, like actually, like the people who are saying crucified, crucify Christ are probably like the Jews who live in Jerusalem or like the, primarily the religious leaders. There's a whole host of Jewish believers and kind of the hoy pallo, the, the people out in the country that absolutely follow Jesus. Like they follow him as the Messiah. They, they confess him in many cases. They convince him to be, um, they confess him to be God, to to be the savior, to be the, the figure from Daniel seven, the son of man. Um. There's a reality in which the Jewish remnant absolutely recognize Christ and they persist in the church, right? The earliest Christians were all Jews, and you know, there was a few Gentiles along the way, you know, and maybe not even Gentiles like Samaritans. I don't even know if you would call them gentiles. They're kind of this midway point, but in Jewish gentil. But there are people throughout Christ's ministry, right? Cornelius or not Cornelius, the Centurion recognizes that this is the son of God. Like there are people, the s Phoenician woman, there are people who are not part of Israel proper, who even in the, in the midst of Christ's ministry are recognizing him as God and as Messiah and as the savior of the world. But, but by and large, the earliest Christian movement was Jewish people. It was the faithful remnant of, of Israel who recognized that their Messiah had come. That is true. And at the same time. The, probably the majority, and especially the rulers and the leaders of the Israel, you know, the Jewish faith in the first century absolutely rejected him. And this is what I, this is what I think is wild, is I think sometimes we think that, um, the prophecies and the understanding of Christ and what the messiah, who the Messiah was to be and what to expect, we think of those as like super obscured and super hidden until Christ comes and then all of a sudden they're really obvious. Christ doesn't seem to treat them that way. Right? Right. He tells this parable and they rightly identify that, and this is a, this is such a thinly veiled parable. Like this is like, you killed the prophets. You're going to kill me. And there's going to be consequences. Like he practically says that outright. Um. He treats that as like they should obviously know this, right? The, have you never read in the scriptures, the stone, the builder rejected has become the cornerstone, right? This was the lord's doing. It is, and it is marvelous in their eyes that have you never read?  [00:34:06] Decree in Rejection [00:34:06] Tony Arsenal: That is a, that's a rhetorical question with the implied answer of, of course, you've read exactly like he's not, he's not teaching them something that he anticipated is new to them. He maybe is teaching them something that he anticipated they maybe you didn't recognize. But actually I think probably like, uh, there probably were many among them that were like, oh yeah, we are doing this. But then almost like we're powerless to stop themselves from moving forward in that.  [00:34:32] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:34:32] Tony Arsenal: Sort of like wicked plan. [00:34:34] Jesse Schwamb: Right. Yeah. And I think we could extend that as well to say that this rejection of Christ by this Jewish leadership, which of course was a incredible failure, like you're saying, it wasn't an accident, it wasn't an unforeseen tragedy. So just like interestingly in Acts four in his sermon where Peter quotes from the same Old Testament passage about Christ being the cornerstone, you know, it was prophesied long before. And so the doctrine of God's eternal decree, I think finds v vivid illustration even here. This is all the Lord's doing. Yeah. And even the wicked rejection of the Messiah is serving this purpose, this sovereign purpose of God's great exaltation. And so it's fascinating, and we should marvel at the fact that, again, like God means what he says when he says like He uses what is weak to overcome that which is strong, or to embarrass the strong, he uses that which seems foolish. To make the wise themselves, the ones who are actually foolish in the same way.  [00:35:29] Cornerstone Unites Church [00:35:29] Jesse Schwamb: This very stone, which men in their malice cast aside on that day. God is in his wisdom setting as this chief cornerstone. And I love like that idea of this phrase, this head of the corner denoting that amazing preeminence of Christ, that Christ is not merely included in the building of the new Covenant church. He is its chief and constituent stone that joining together both like the Jew and the Gentile, finally into one structure. And that's really, I think to your point, that's the great mystery of the hidden ages from the past. That that's the thing which Christ is bringing to like this grand display, like out on the stage in the open, in front of everybody. He's drawing it up, he's calling it to account. And so in that way, the same Jesus that was rejected by men is in God's account of inestimable value. And that should be like, I think, familiar to most of us because like there a form tradition has always insisted that. The true theology always issues in doxology and the cross and exaltation of Christ are not merely these facts, which we give these intellectual ascent, but we, we confess them as mysteries which provoke us to adoration of who God is. It's the excellency of Christ expounding at length, like the wondrous conjunction of Christ's humiliation and his exaltation, which finds its pattern here, rejected by men, glorified by God.  [00:36:50] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:36:52] Works Covenant Failures [00:36:52] Tony Arsenal: And, and this is, um, we, we commented in our first, uh, episode on this par ball. This is not isolated to just the rulers of Israel at the time of Christ, right? This is in reality, kind of like a reflection of every failure of the covenant of works. In some sense, every failure to hold the covenant of works boils down to an attempt to make oneself, God. Right. This was Adam's failure in the garden. Um, Eve, Eve was the first person to eat the fruit, but Adam, Adam was responsible for that and he, he also ate the fruit and they, they did so in part because they thought it was useful to make them like God and, and in an illegitimate fashion. And they knew it was an illegitimate fashion. It's not as though Adam and Eve suddenly were like, maybe we can eat the fruit. Maybe like we actually are fine to do it. Like they knew it was still forbidden. Right. They did it anyways. And the Pharisees here, um, are in a real attempt. Um, they are trying to take the role of Messiah for the people. They're trying to be the savior of the people in sort of shepherding and guiding them into this like. Ultra legalistic Puritan, like puritanical in the worst sense, um, kind of approach to the law. Um, this is the, the story of Old Testament Israel, right? What is the first thing that the Israelites do? Um, at Mount Sinai? The first thing they do is try to fashion gods so that they have a tame God that they can control and that they can actually be God's over. So I think this is really key and, and this is where it becomes practical for us, is that. I think we always are faced with a choice, right? There's, there's obviously those who are Christ, who the son is set free. He's set free indeed, and they will never not be his people. Like you never become not justified. If you were justified, you always forever more are justified. Justified is a final. It's, it's the future judgment of God's people dragged and dropped into the present and applied. It's the righteousness of Christ applied. So there, there's never a time where that righteousness is like removed or unapplied, but we are constantly faced with a choice as to whether we want to be the kind of people who render our fruit unto the Lord, uh, as the faithful, the sort of the implied faithful tenants that are going to be brought forward when the, the unfaithful tenants are replaced. Or do we wanna be the people that reap wicked fruit and keep for ourselves? And I think that's, that's really the thing. Like we're either gonna rep. Fruit of wickedness, or we're gonna reap fruit of righteousness. And the only thing to do with fruit of righteousness is surrender it to the Lord. But we often are faced with that choice, like, are we gonna reap our own wicked fruit and keep it all to ourselves right, uh, to our own detriment? Or are we gonna go ahead and be the faithful tenants that give the Lord what he deserves?  [00:39:46] Kingdom Transfer Explained [00:39:46] Jesse Schwamb: We're seeing so much of the simplicity of God here that like you and I have said so many times before that his loving kindness, his long suffering ness is his righteousness, is his justice, is his wrath. And so I think it's helpful, again, to remind ourselves that we're, we are talking, or he specifically is speaking of the kingdom of God here. And again referring to this visible administration of the covenant of grace, not to the inward and invisible kingdom of saving grace, which as you just said, can never be lost from those who possess it, which by the way is a really important distinctive of reform theology. There are many that would disagree with that statement, and I think really much to their harm in, in disagreement with the scriptures themselves, this one in particular, but it is this external administration, the privileges, the ordinances, the oracles of God. That is being transferred from the Jewish nation as a corporate body to a new and broader people of God. And because I know that sounds very extreme, I did look up Calvin and his commentary on this and let me read what he says because this is interesting. I think even this could possibly mis be misunderstood. But here's Calvin who can say it better than I. He says, quote by these words, he means that God would deprive the Jews of the honor and the privilege of being his peculiar people and would call the Gentiles that out of them he might form a church end quote. And going back to what you said earlier, I'm with you. I, I. I mean, this is not, I think as some have wrongly concluded, like replacement theology in like a wooden sense. I, I see this still as like this historical redemptive transition from the typological administration of the old covenant to the eschatological fulfillment of the new. And the elect remnant of Israel is not cast off, but the national like typological privileges are being transferred to the Catholic church, gathered from all nations. And in that, I really do see this wonderful confluence of God's loving kindness, his, his fidelity to the promises that he's made and his wrath being manifested all at once. And somehow Jesus, of course, in complete perfection, can bring that all to bear in this tiny little story.  [00:41:51] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And and isn't it just like the master teacher to like, put all of this baked into this? I mean, that's right. We think of this as like a long parable, like I think,  [00:42:02] Jesse Schwamb: right?  [00:42:02] Tony Arsenal: I think like it's, it's amazing how we think of parables as, you know, like this is a short one. A short one is a couple sentences, a long one is like a half a dozen sentences. Like, and of course like Christ is teaching broader than this. He's teaching more than this. Just, this is what's recorded by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is what Matthews preserved for us.  [00:42:22] Stone Breaks or Crushes [00:42:22] Tony Arsenal: But you're right, there's so much baked into this little parable and I think, um, there's something to be said about this idea of like. Not only do those who smash against the, the rock, the, the cornerstone, those who smash against the rock, like those who who fall on the rock are broken to pieces, but also the rock falls on others and smashes them to pieces. Right? And, and there's something to be said about the fact that, and I'm not exactly sure how I wanna articulate this, but it's only those who like recognize the proper place of the rock and don't either let it fall on them or don't smash themselves against it. You know, we always joke about like running through a wall. Like this is not a wall you're gonna run through. Like you're gonna smash into this wall and it's gonna crush you. And if you are, if you're not properly assigning the cornerstone it's placed, right? The cornerstone is, is the stone that's placed in the foundation of a building that all the other stones find their orientation and their proper alignment based on. [00:43:26] Jesse Schwamb: Right.  [00:43:26] Tony Arsenal: You might think of this sometimes. I've heard this articulated as like the, the arch stone. I think it's a little bit different than that. Um, but it, the, the idea is the same, right? Like there's a stone in an arch. If you think of like a classic Roman arch, you have these piles of stones until you put the final arch stone in. That, in that stone is what makes the arch stable. Until that point, either side can fall, but if you don't properly set that arch stone where it's supposed to be, then the whole thing is gonna crush you. It's gonna fall down on top of you at some point. I think this is a little different. This is the cornerstone of a, this is more like the cornerstone of a building. This is the stone that the rest of the building, building is oriented against and is aligned with. If you get that wrong, then you have a, you have like a crooked wall, a wall that's not set, that's not straight. It's not stable. What this is saying and what this, this prophecy right from, from Psalm one 10, I think I should probably look it up, but I haven't yet. But this prophecy that Christ is referring to this, this prophetic statement in the Psalms that he's assuming the audience is familiar with, right? I think that's a really important point. Like he's not only assuming that they're familiar with it, there's rhetorical force of kind of like, of course you understand this principle that there is a cornerstone coming. There is something or someone who is coming that all other things will be measured against. And if you're either in alignment with this, with this person who is coming or you're out of alignment with reality, this thing is understood by them. It just is so critical and I think like the, the, a lot of the parables don't have explanations built into them. Some of them do. We've talked about some of them. A lot of them don't, this one does, but it's kind of like a really surprising way to explain it. And there's so much, um, the more that I look at this, the more we talk about it, this really is so similar to David and Nathan, right? Right. When with the, the affair with Bathsheba, he is saying to the Pharisees, look, you're the man. Like, you're the one here. You're the guy. You guys are the wicked tenants that are gonna, you've killed the prophets. Right? Um, I'm losing my, my timeline a little bit, but John the Baptist either had been executed or would be executed shortly at this point, right? So like the, the most recent prophet either was already killed or, or Christ knew of course he was going to be killed. Um, he's saying, look, you guys are the ones that are doing this and you're going to kill me. Right. And this is obviously what the prophecy is, that you think you're going to come against the cornerstone, but in reality you're going to shatter yourself upon me. You think you're gonna come against me, I'm going to crush you. And rather than say, you know, as ba, you know, as David does, where he repents, he, he fasts and he, he refuses to eat. He's, he's in mourning over both the loss of his infant, but, but more so over his own sin, I think is the picture the text gives us. Um, he's mourning trying to uh, sort of like reverse God's decision, but there's a genuine repentance to it, right? That's where we get Psalm 51, like creating, clean me a clean heart, oh God, renew a right spirit in me. There's none of that for the Pharisees, there's none of that for the sadist of the chief priests. They just continue to smash themselves against this rock, not recognizing that it's actually the rock that is crushing them. [00:47:05] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's, it's a bit like, I'm gonna speak like a little maybe beyond my depth here, but there's a little bit of like that Nathan, like Strategem, and then this is where I'm outside my own experience. And then a little bit like maybe like WWE the rock in terms of like. If you want some come and get some, right? It's a little of both. And of course the passage ends very tragically, well ends humorously by them, you know, saying that at some point they were like, they understood in these parables, again, this is one of three of the same kind of topic of variety, but that Jesus was referring to them, which is funny. You wanna be like, yeah, it took a, took a long enough, I guess, guys, but you finally got it. But then that last sentence of like, they still sought to kill him. So to your point, even after all of this, there wasn't repentance. And we do get these, I think, two very distinct judgements that are depicted here, which you've already kinda led us into this first, like, whoever shall fall on the stone shall be broken. You know, to me, I think that's invoking this idea that in this life, there we are, we can be brought to brokenness through the gospel and to fall upon Christ. And repentance. And faith is to be broken in self, in pride and self-righteous. It's a breaking that does lead to healing. But this second judgment, you know the one, but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder, grind him to dust, I mean. Man, think about what a vivid image that is. I mean, that's like the more terrible of the two. That that's like the, yeah. Final Es logical judgment of those who persist in unbelief and it, it admits there's like no remedy. So there are only two ways to relate to Christ. You either fall upon him willingly in faith and repentance, which is painful, but it is saving, you know, to have him fall upon us in judgment is final in damning, and so that's what Christ presents here. [00:48:48] Psalm 118 in Context [00:48:48] Jesse Schwamb: It's, it's both of these things and you're right, it is brilliant that he goes to Psalm one 18 even that as a setup, because as you've kind of already said, I love to think, of course that's, can you manner the tone in which this was said to these scribes and Pharisees? Because of course the, the secondary indictment here is like, listen, you guys who like your great pride is that, you know, the scriptures really well. Have you read this part is familiar to you. Yeah. Can you tell me where that is? So like, we, we should go there just, just quickly. This is Psalm one 18 because I think that here again is, as I'm hearing it in context. There are some verses surrounding this that I think we might be surprised that they come right on the heels of this idea of the stone. So just a couple verses. In Psalm one 18 being in verse 22, the stone, which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone. This is from Yahweh. It is marvelous in our eyes. Here's the verses that we might not recognize. Come right after it. This is the day which Yahweh has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Oh, Yahweh, save. Oh, Yahweh, succeed. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh. We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh. Yahweh is God, and he has given us light by the festival sacrifice with corns to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I give thanks to you. You are my God, and I exalt you. Give thanks to Yahweh for his good, for his loving kindness endures forever. And so this idea that there's rejoicing in which day, I mean, usually we kinda say that it's like, well, it's a beautiful day out. It's the Lord's day. This is the day that Yahweh is like that. That's true. But also here in particular, it is this blessed day of Yahweh giving the stone, which the builders reject and which has become the chief cornerstone. And that stone is some will run headlong into and shipwreck their lives and others will be crushed underneath it. And guess what? This is the day which Yahweh has made and we're gonna rejoice and be glad in that.  [00:50:41] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah.  [00:50:43] Mark's Angle on Fear [00:50:43] Tony Arsenal: The other thing I think, you know, we. Should, um, maybe not spend any time on, 'cause we're at like, out, like minute 50 of a 60 minute podcast. But just going to, to Mark's version of this parable real quick. Um, starting in verse, uh, this is chapter 12, verse 12. It says, and they were seeking to arrest him, but feared the people for, they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away. And the, the main difference here, the reason I'm reading this is Mark chooses a d. Concerning them. The verb is, or the preposition is Perry. So it's kind of like this idea that he was, he was sort of speaking around them. He was talking about them. Mark uses the, the preposition, proce, which is not, um, not against, in like the same, uh, direct sense. We might use the word against. That would be something like Kada. Um, but he's, he's speaking this parable towards them or to them, um, against them. He's, he's directing the parable at them. And this is, this is, we, we commented on this a little bit in the, the first episode here. Um, he is speaking to the crowds. But he's telling the parable about or against or concerning the Pharisees and the scribes, and they perceive this, right. The, the gospels here don't say that the crowds perceive this. Right. And I think that's key. Like the Pharisees basically look at this and say, uh, we better get this under control because he's talking about us. Right, right. Like, I'm just picturing Paul Washer's. I'm not trying to say Paul Washer is a Pharisee, although some people would probably make that connection. But like I'm, I'm just hearing Paul Washer's voice saying like, I don't know why you're clapping. I'm talking about you. He's speaking to the Pharisees here. And it's interesting because Matthew associates the, the, uh, Pharisees. Cowardice in acting against Christ, uh, because they fear the crowds and because the crowds believe Christ is a parable or is a prophet Mark associates. And again, both of these things are true, right? This is holy scripture. This is inspired, these are not contradictory accounts. This is facets of the same diamond. Mark associates this with, they fear the crowds. Um, because they had taken him. They, they understood that the parable was being spoken against them, right? So there's this element that the Pharisees are not only understanding that the, the parable is about them, they feared them because the crowds believe that Christ is a prophet and that prophet is speaking this parable against them, right? So like they're, they're recognizing full on that it's only a matter of time before the, the general population, the general people that are listening to Christ recognize that he's overturning. Not only the Pharisees, the entire geopolitical nation of Israel, he's overturning the ethnic based reality, the geopolitical based reality, that God's people have a zip code and that zip code is Jerusalem. That zip code is this little si, this little tract of land the size of like Vermont and New Hampshire in the Mediterranean, like off the Mediterranean Sea. He's overturning that. And the, the Pharisees, the educated people, the, the Sadducees, the chief priests, the rulers, they recognize it's only a matter of time before the people understand what Christ is doing. They, they follow him as a prophet and this is what he's prophesying. And

Join the  Uplift Community App TODAY!  Have you ever quietly wondered if the way you hear from God or connect with him is somehow wrong? Maybe it feels too loud, too unconventional, or too far outside the quiet time Bible journal template you think real Christians are supposed to follow. Hosanna Wong surveyed more than 1,000 people around the world and asked them two simple questions about their relationship with God. What she discovered will genuinely surprise you, and it might finally give you permission to stop chasing a spiritual standard that God never asked you to meet. Hosanna is a bestselling author, international speaker, and spoken word artist. Her newest book, Uncomplicated, is one of the most freeing and clarifying books on faith I have read in years. She is back on the show because so many of you asked for her, and I will be honest, I took notes. There is a story about a woman in Florida and a bird that I will never forget. You will know it when you get there.   What You Will Learn in This Episode The six roadblocks almost all of us face in our relationship with God (busyness, distraction, shame, grief, silence, and expectations) and why expectations may be the umbrella over all of them Why the standard you have been trying to reach in your prayer life and spiritual growth likely did not come from God The seven worship personalities, or as Hosanna calls them, praise‑onalities, and how to identify yours so you can stop forcing yourself into someone else's spiritual rhythm Why it is not only okay but actually biblical to worship God through movement, beauty, outward expression, tradition, solitude, intellectual curiosity, or community What my confession about loud worship services and roller coasters reveals about how God meets us exactly where we are wired One of the most beautiful stories about a woman, a bird, and her grandfather that will change the way you think about how God pursues each of us   Timestamps: (00:25) – What Hosanna's 1,000+ interviews were really trying to discover (01:21) – The two questions she asked every single person (01:30) – The 6 roadblocks almost all of us share (and why that's actually comforting) (03:27) – Why expectations may be the umbrella over every other roadblock (04:53) – The lie the enemy uses against the people who want to please God most (05:49) – Why so many women said "I know this is weird" about the way they connect with God (09:12) – The second question: what unique way have you found to encounter God? (09:30) – Introducing the 7 worship personalities: the "praise-onalities" (10:54) – Praise-onality #1: The Recreationalist (11:08) – Praise-onality #2: The Beholder of Beauty (11:16) – Praise-onality #3: The Soul Fire (12:18) – Praise-onality #4: The Sacred Space Seeker (13:09) – Praise-onality #5: The Interior Expert (13:38) – Praise-onality #6: The Thoughtsmith (14:07) – Praise-onality #7: The Artist of People (26:23) – The bird story. You need to hear the bird story. (31:26) – Why God made us all so wonderfully and uniquely, and what that means for how he pursues us (38:41) – The product Hosanna texted all her friends about (40:43) – Where to find Hosanna and why you need Uncomplicated   About Hosanna Wong Hosanna Wong is an international speaker, bestselling author, and spoken-word artist helping everyday people experience God for real. Widely known for her spoken word piece, “I Have a New Name,” Hosanna shares in churches, conferences, prisons, and other events around the world, reaching across various denominations, backgrounds, and cultures. Born and raised in an urban ministry on the streets of San Francisco, Hosanna later packed her life into suitcases and traveled to churches and other ministries throughout the United States to share about Jesus through spoken-word poetry. During those years without a permanent home, she began speaking and creating resources to serve the local and global church. Hosanna currently travels and speaks year-round and serves on teaching teams at churches throughout the United States. She and her husband, Guy, serve together in various ministries equipping people to experience and share God's love in their real lives. Hosanna is the bestselling author of How (Not) to Save the World, You Are More Than You've Been Told, and What God Says About You.   Links to great things we discussed:  Uncomplicate It Free 6-video Bible study Follow Hosanna on Instagram Hosanna's Song Recommendation: Space Jam Theme Song Hosanna's TV & Movie Recommendations: The Office & Titanic Hosanna's Product Recommendation: Invisalign  Function Health Uplift App Wise Woman Era Alli on YouTube   If your home could use a little more beauty and a gentle reminder of God's steady love, this tea towel is such a lovely place to start. The O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go hymn tea towel from Little Things Studio brings truth and comfort right into the heart of your kitchen. It feels like a quiet breath of peace in the middle of the everyday. Little Things Studio has a way of turning beloved hymns into art you actually use, and this one is especially meaningful.   I'm grateful to co-own Little Things Studio, a joyful, woman‑owned small business in Nashville, TN. Every piece is designed with intention and crafted with care. We hope you feel the heart behind it. Whether you visit our shop or browse from home, you'll find American-made goods created with love to bring beauty into daily life. Come visit us or shop online today to bring a piece of joy home!   I hope you loved this episode!

Chapter 14 of Heroes in the Bible: Jesus with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by the Gospels. The Beginning of the End - The Triumphal Entry and driving out of the temple. An entry fit for a king. Crowds cheering and calling for him to take the throne, yet there is a darkness lurking behind the scenes. Today's opening prayer is inspired by Matthew 21:9, And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app. Sign up for Heroes in the Bible devotionals at https://www.heroesinthebible.com/  Learn more about Dr. Tony Evans at https://tonyevans.org/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us Fan Mailtook branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!”john 12:13Support the show

Join Pastor Derek Walker of the Oxford Bible Church in this enlightening sermon as he explores the profound significance of receiving Jesus as the King of Glory. Delve into scriptures such as Psalm 24 and Zechariah 9:9 to understand the importance of opening the gates of our hearts to welcome the Divine Presence. We must open the gates of our heart to welcome the King of Glory. Discover how the humble triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem symbolises our choice to accept Him as Lord and Saviour, resulting in the transformation of our lives with His glory and salvation. The Triumphal Entry shows how Jesus comes to us, offering Himself as our Lord and Saviour, and how we should respond. Embrace the message of salvation and divine rule through praise, worship, and submission. Derek also explains the prophetic meaning of Jesus riding on both a Donkey and a Colt.

Join Pastor Derek Walker of the Oxford Bible Church in this enlightening sermon as he explores the profound significance of receiving Jesus as the King of Glory. Delve into scriptures such as Psalm 24 and Zechariah 9:9 to understand the importance of opening the gates of our hearts to welcome the Divine Presence. We must open the gates of our heart to welcome the King of Glory. Discover how the humble triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem symbolises our choice to accept Him as Lord and Saviour, resulting in the transformation of our lives with His glory and salvation. The Triumphal Entry shows how Jesus comes to us, offering Himself as our Lord and Saviour, and how we should respond. Embrace the message of salvation and divine rule through praise, worship, and submission. Derek also explains the prophetic meaning of Jesus riding on both a Donkey and a Colt.

This powerful exploration of Palm Sunday by Assistant Pastor Dillon Meadway on Sunday, May 3rd 2026 challenges us to examine why we truly seek God. Drawing from Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12, we're confronted with a sobering reality: the crowds who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with palm branches and shouts of 'Hosanna' were looking for the wrong kind of salvation. They saw the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9-10 being fulfilled before their eyes—a king riding humbly on a donkey, bringing peace—yet they missed the eternal significance because they were fixated on temporal relief from Roman oppression. The tragedy wasn't their blindness, but their misplaced desire. They wanted miracles, entertainment, national restoration, and physical comfort rather than knowing God intimately. This message cuts to the heart of our own faith journey: Are we following Jesus for what He can do for us, or for who He is? The symbolism runs deep—as the Jewish people cleaned leaven from their homes during Passover week (representing pride, sin, and distraction), Jesus entered to cleanse the temple and ultimately offer Himself as the spotless Lamb. When we become so obsessed with God's hand that we miss His face, we risk the same spiritual blindness that caused Jesus to weep over Jerusalem. The call is clear: shift from seeking signs and wonders to seeking the One who performs them, because knowing Emmanuel—God with us—is the true relief our souls desperately need.

May 2, 2026Today's Reading: Introit for Easter 5 - Psalm 98:1b, 3-4; antiphon: Psalm 98:1a, 2bDaily Lectionary: Leviticus 19:9-18, 26-37; Luke 11:14-36“Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.” (Psalm 98:1-2)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.The book of Psalms is sometimes known as the hymnal of the Scriptures. And for good reason. There are one hundred and fifty psalms, or songs, given by our Lord, the Maestro of mercy, for us to pray, sing, study, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest. Psalm 98, which will be sung tomorrow in the Lord's house, is a beautiful example of how the Holy Scriptures sing the story of salvation. But it's not just in the Psalms. You'll find the story of salvation sung throughout the Scriptures. God's word rings out in harmony and blends its many voices to the tune of his steadfast love. From Genesis to Revelation, God's word echoes with the joyous songs of Yahweh's salvation. Everywhere you find God saving his people, you'll find them singing the songs of salvation.When Israel walked through the Red Sea, and Pharaoh's armies were buried in a liquid grave, they sang. “I will sing unto the Lord for he has triumphed gloriously, his horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.”When Isaiah foretold the coming Servant of Yahweh who would suffer in our place, he sang the Servant Songs that fill his prophetic book with a foretaste of the cross to come. “For by his wounds we are healed.”When Elizabeth and Mary met, and John leapt in the womb for joy that Jesus had come at last in the flesh, Mary sang the Magnificat. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the donkey brayed, and the crowds sang, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”And when John lets us peek into the angelic choir loft of heaven, guess what the saints, angels, and archangels are doing? That's right. Singing a new song, which is also an ancient song. “Worthy are you…for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people for God.”So when you go to Divine Service tomorrow morning and sing the psalms, hymns, and liturgy, there might be ten people in church, or two hundred. But no matter how many people are gathered, you never sing alone. Whether it's a new song or an old song, join the throng and sing along to the God of our salvation, for he has done marvelous things!In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.Creator, humbly I implore You To listen to my earthly song Until that day when I adore You, Together with the angel throng And learn with choirs of heav'n to sing Eternal anthems to my King. (LSB 811:5)Rev. Samuel Schuldheisz

Welcome to Day 2849 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2849 – “Beholds He Comes!”  based on Zechariah 9:9 Putnam Church Message – 03/29/2026 Luke's Account of the Good News – “Behold He Comes!”   Last week, we continued our study of the ministry of Jesus Christ with a message titled “There is Always Hope!”  We learned that the heart of discipleship is: Where Jesus is, hopelessness is never final. Today, we are switching from our study of Luke for two weeks to focus on Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday. Today's message is: “Behold He Comes!” covers the entire Passion Week, and our launching point today is Zechariah 9:9:   Zion's Coming King 9 Rejoice, O people of Zion![a] Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious,[b] yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey's colt.   Opening Prayer Lord Jesus, as we gather around Your Word, quiet our hearts and open our eyes. Help us to see more than a parade, more than a cross, more than an empty tomb. Help us to see You as You truly are: the promised King, the suffering Savior, and the risen Lord. Take the familiar story and make it fresh again. Speak to the weary, awaken the distracted, convict the proud, comfort the grieving, and call all of us to follow You more fully. In Your holy name we pray. Amen. Introduction Over the next two weeks, we step away briefly from Luke for a special journey—from Palm Sunday to Easter/Resurrection Sunday, from the shouts of “Hosanna!” to the cry of “It is finished,” and then to the glorious announcement, “He is not here; He is risen!” The title of this message is “Behold He Comes!” That is really the heartbeat of Passion Week. Behold, He comes into Jerusalem. Behold, He comes to the temple. Behold, He comes to the table with His disciples. Behold, He comes into Gethsemane. Behold, He comes before Pilate. Behold, He comes to the cross. Behold, He comes out of the grave. The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—tell this story in harmony, though each gives us a different camera angle. Matthew highlights prophecy fulfilled. Mark emphasizes the movement and urgency of the King's mission. Luke gives us the tears of Jesus and the tragedy of a city that did not recognize its moment of visitation. John reminds us that many in the crowd were stirred because Jesus had raised Lazarus, and now excitement was running through Jerusalem like wildfire. But Palm Sunday is not just a happy parade. It is the beginning of holy collision. Hope and misunderstanding meet on the same street. Praise and rejection are only days apart. The palms wave on Sunday, but the cross stands on Friday. And yet through it all, one truth remains: Jesus is not swept along by events. He comes deliberately. He comes knowingly. He comes lovingly. He comes for us. Main Point 1: He Comes as the Promised King When Jesus approached Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives near Bethphage and Bethany, He sent disciples to bring a donkey and its colt. This was not accidental. This was not random transportation. This was revelation. Matthew 21 points us directly to Zechariah 9:9 “Look, your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey.” Now, in the ancient world, kings often arrived in one of two ways. If they came on a war horse, they came in conquest. If they came on a donkey, they came in peace. Jesus is King, yes—but not the kind of king the crowds fully expected. The Jews wanted a throne. -> Jesus came with humility. The Jews wanted Rome overthrown. -> Jesus came to overthrow sin and death. The Jews wanted political rescue. -> Jesus came for eternal redemption. Can you picture the scene? The road is dusty. Cloaks are spread down like a makeshift royal carpet. Branches are cut and waved. Psalm 118 is rising from the crowd: “Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” And John tells us specifically that these were palm branches—symbols of joy, victory, and national hope. Similar to us waving an American flag during a parade. Expanded Narrative For first-century Jews, Jerusalem was not merely a city. It was the city of promise, the city of David, the city of the temple. And when Jesus comes riding down the slope of the Mount of Olives, every prophetic nerve in Israel starts to tremble. The prophets had spoken. The covenant had promised. The generations had waited. -> And now Behold He Comes! But notice the manner of His coming. There is no sword in His hand. No army behind Him. No chariot rumbling over stone. Only a borrowed animal, willing disciples, and a crowd that understands just enough to cheer—but not enough yet to surrender. That still happens today, doesn't it? People are often happy to celebrate Jesus when they think He will fit their expectations. We welcome Him when He seems useful to our plans. We praise Him when the blessings are flowing. But when He comes humbly, when He confronts us, when He does not serve our agenda, we do not always know what to do with Him. Illustration It is a little like someone expecting the President to arrive in a black limousine with security and flashing lights—but instead he shows up alone, in plain clothes, and sits down at the table to listen. Some would miss the significance because they expected power to look louder. Jesus comes with authority, but it is wrapped in humility. Object Lesson Hold up a gold-looking crown in one hand and a simple rope halter or small wooden yoke in the other. Say: “Which one looks more like a king? Most of us would choose the crown. But Palm Sunday tells us that God's King often comes in a form we do not expect. The crown is real—but the path to it runs through humility.” Related Scriptures Genesis 49:10–11 hints at kingship tied to the colt. Psalm 118:25–26 gives us the language of “Hosanna” and blessing. Zechariah 9:9 declares the humble King. Philippians 2:6–8 tells us Christ humbled Himself. Summary of Main Point 1 Palm Sunday announces that Jesus is not merely a teacher entering a city. He is the long-awaited King entering His rightful place. But He comes with humility, peace, and purpose. He does not come to match human expectations; He comes to fulfill divine promises. The question for us is not, “Will we admire this King?” but “Will we receive Him on His terms?” Main Point 2: He Comes and Sees What Others Cannot See Luke gives us one of the most moving moments in the triumphal entry. While the crowd rejoices, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Luke 19:41 says, “But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.” Think about that. The crowd is shouting. The disciples are praising God for the miracles they have seen. The Pharisees are telling Jesus to quiet the people. And in the middle of all that noise—Jesus is crying. Why? Because He sees what they do not see. They see a parade. -> He sees a city on the brink of judgment. They see excitement. -> He sees hardened hearts. They see what they want Him to do. -> He sees what He must do. John tells us that many in the crowd were stirred because of the raising of Lazarus. That miracle had electrified public imagination. “If He can call a dead man out of the grave after four days, surely, He can take Jerusalem! Surely, He can establish the kingdom now!” But Jesus knows that many voices shouting “Hosanna” do not yet understand holiness, repentance, surrender, or the cost of redemption.   Expanded Narrative Jerusalem had a history. It was the city of priests, sacrifice, pilgrimage, Scripture, memory, and hope. To an ancient Israelite, it was the place where heaven and earth seemed to meet. Yet it had also become a place where religious familiarity could hide spiritual...

Before Jesus can use you, He has to disrupt you — and that's actually good news. We all love the version of Jesus who comforts us, encourages us, and comes alongside us. But what do we do with the Jesus who confronts us? Because that's exactly who we meet in Mark chapter 11. This story is situated in Holy Week, and as Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time, everything is about to shift. The crowds are cheering, palm branches are flying, and people are crying out Hosanna — God, save us! It's a high moment. And then Jesus walks into the temple... and turns it upside down. Here's what I want you to see today, because this is the passage that gets misused more than almost any other: you are not Jesus in this story. You are the temple. Before Jesus can use any of us for anything, He has to come in and disrupt the systems inside of us that keep us from real worship — the appearances, the transactions, the religion-without-transformation that can look perfectly healthy on the outside while bearing zero fruit. We also dig into the curious moment when Jesus curses a fig tree — and why that's not about Jesus needing breakfast. It's a prophetic symbol, pointing to the same problem in the temple: the appearance of life without the substance of it. Looking good on the outside, but not actually connected to God at all. And we sit with something I find both hard and beautiful: as the story enters Passion Week, Jesus doesn't just overturn tables — He goes on to suffer. He allows things to happen to Him because He knows what it's accomplishing. And because He went ahead of us in that suffering, we are never alone in ours. We can't have a life that's Jesus plus anything. It's Jesus plus nothing — and that actually ends up being everything. Want More?

What if your relationship with God was never meant to be complicated?In Part 1, we sit down with Hosanna Wong to unpack the heart behind her book Uncomplicate It. From her powerful upbringing on the streets of San Francisco to discovering her voice through spoken word, Hosanna shares how the Gospel was always meant to be simple, real, and accessible.We dive into:How her story shaped her faith and callingWhy we've overcomplicated our relationship with GodThe difference between being busy and being calledWhat it really means to live out your faith in everyday lifeThis episode will challenge you to strip away the noise and rediscover a faith that fits your real, right-now life.Learn more about HosannaLearn more about FRLS271

Hosanna by First Community Church

In this sermon on Matthew 21:1–11, Todd Fletcher walks through Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and shows how this moment reveals Him as the promised King, the humble King, and the worthy King. As the crowds cried, “Hosanna,” they welcomed Jesus with great expectation—but many still misunderstood the kind of King He came to be.This message highlights the glory of Christ's kingship, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the response He deserves from every heart. Jesus did not come merely to impress the crowds or meet earthly expectations. He came as the Messiah, bringing salvation and demanding wholehearted allegiance.Whether you are studying Matthew's Gospel, preparing for Palm Sunday, or simply wanting to grow in your understanding of Christ, this sermon will help you see the beauty, authority, and mission of King Jesus more clearly.

April 5, 2026 | Easter Sunday http://theanchor.church https://www.instagram.com/theanchorchurch/ https://www.facebook.com/TheAnchorChurch

Easter holds the tension of people flipping from “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him,” while Jesus steps in to take the weight of our sin and defeat death—proving who God really is. And even with doubts still in the room, He calls imperfect people like us to trust Him and follow anyway.Support the show

Palm Sunday is more than a celebration—it's a setup. The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” would soon cry “Crucify Him.” Why? Because Jesus didn't meet their expectations. But what they didn't understand then… Revelation makes clear. In this message, we connect: ➡️ Palm Sunday (Matthew 21) ➡️ The New Jerusalem (Revelation 21–22) What we see is a powerful truth: What was celebrated for a moment… God is preparing for eternity.

7th Sunday of the Great Fast ~ Liturgy Sermon @ Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church - Melbourne, FL ~ April 5, 2026 | Paremhotep 27, 1742

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260404dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of [Jesus] and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:8-9 A Hero’s Welcome When Jesus entered Jerusalem, a large crowd was waiting to welcome him. They spread their cloaks and branches on the road. They shouted joyful praise. They gave him a hero’s welcome. Yet, the question needs to be asked: Did they really understand why Jesus came? It is a question worth asking ourselves. Do I see Jesus as a conquering hero? Do I see him as a long-desired king? Or do I see him as something more? Yes, Jesus did come as a conquering hero. The victory he came to secure was not over an earthly enemy, however. His battle was against the devil, who sought complete dominion over us. His battle was against death and the grave, which desired to hold us in its gloomy darkness. Jesus came as a hero to rescue us. He fought all the enemies that wanted to bring eternal destruction. And even though it meant giving up his own life, he secured the victory. Through Jesus’ precious work, we are free from the devil’s control and the fear of death. We are free from the power of the grave. Jesus deserves a hero’s welcome for what he accomplished. He deserves even more for what he continues to do richly and daily. He also deserves honor, love, and praise as our Lord and King. By faith, we acknowledge and live under his loving reign and honor and praise him for his victory. By faith, we can give him the hero’s welcome he deserves. Prayer: O blessed Jesus, I thank you for coming to rescue me. Fill me with love to trust you. Fill me with strength to follow you. Fill me with joy to praise you. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040326.cfmThe shift from the shouts of "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday to the cries of "Crucify him" just days later reveals the fickle nature of the human heart and our desperate need for God's mercy. As Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, explains, we have now entered the Easter Triduum, the most holy days of the liturgical year. While Lent technically ended with the Mass of the Lord''s Supper last night, the Triduum is a unique liturgical season that spans three days but is celebrated as one single, unfolding mystery of Christ's Paschal victory.Today is Good Friday, a day of strict fasting and abstinence. You may notice something striking: There is no Mass today. No consecration takes place. Why? Because on every other day of the year, the Mass is a re-presentation of the sacrifice on Calvary. But today, we do not need a re-presentation; we are present at the reality. The sacrifice happened historically on this day. The hosts we receive at Communion today were consecrated last night in the Upper Room. We are not reenacting the event; we are standing at the foot of the Cross, venerating the instrument of our salvation.Father Chris reminds us that Good Friday is a continuation of Holy Thursday. Last night, the Church entered the Upper Room; today, we walk the path to Calvary. When Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", He did not mean that the Trinity was broken. Rather, in His humanity, He experienced the profound sense of abandonment that so many of us feel in our deepest suffering. He entered into our darkness so that we would never be truly alone.This day invites us to reflect deeply before venerating the Cross. Do not rush through the ritual. Stop and acknowledge that this wooden beam is the instrument that brought you salvation. It is a public demonstration of your willingness to take up your own cross and follow Him. As we fast while the Bridegroom has been taken away, we prepare our hearts for the Resurrection. ★ Support this podcast ★

Palm Sunday began with “Hosanna”… and ended with “Crucify Him.”Why? Because Jesus didn't meet their expectations.In this episode, we wrestle with a hard truth: sometimes Jesus won't fix the thing you're asking Him to fix—because He's going after something deeper.The question is… if He doesn't show up the way you hoped, will you still trust Him as King?

In this episode, Shelley Giglio sits down with international speaker, best-selling author, and spoken-word artist Hosanna Wong for an honest conversation about faith that doesn't feel like a spiritual show. Hosanna shares stories from her upbringing in San Francisco, her dad's faithful street ministry, and the surprising ways God produces fruit across generations. Together, they explore why so many of us feel stuck — confusing our “God life” with a perfect quiet-time ideal while our real life is full of deadlines, laundry, and responsibility. Together they explore a powerful picture of flourishing through the lens of vineyard growers, and how to nurture your life with God in whatever season you're in. We pray that this conversation will help you release comparison, repent of pace and pressures God never asked you to carry, and take one simple step toward a real relationship with Him — today. The Grove is an extension of all God is doing at Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more, follow us on Instagram @pcc_thegrove or visit thegroveonline.com to get connected. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just as the crowds in the Gospels worshipped Jesus one day and the next day turned on Him to crucify Him, we can receive His salvation and mock His grace. When we continue to live a life of sin, we proclaim Jesus to be our Savior but not the Lord of our lives. His forgiveness is always there, but we must not be so fickle to praise Him one day and crucify Him the next.

Experience Holy Week in a deeper, more imaginative way.

Palm Sunday shows Jesus entering Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna”—a prayer meant for God alone—and instead of correcting them, He accepts their worship, revealing that God didn't just send help, He came Himself in humility. The moment pushes us to drop our labels, see Him for who He truly is, and respond not just to what He's done, but to who He is.Support the show

She’s a burst of light and truth, Hosanna Wong stopped by the studio and brought the kind of energy you don’t forget. In her new book, Uncomplicate It, she shares her powerful story, growing up with a father who battled addiction, found God, and built a church under a bridge where everyone was welcome, no matter their struggles. Hosanna opens up about her own journey through faith, how it became confusing, heavy, and overcomplicated, and why she felt called to strip it all back to what matters most: a real, direct, love-filled relationship with God. Known for her viral spoken word piece I Have a New Name, she’s here to break barriers, bring clarity, and remind us that faith was never meant to be complicated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palm Sunday started with praise… but ended with pressure.In this message, we look at the moment Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the crowd shouted “Hosanna,” only to reject Him days later. The same voices that praised Him also carried expectations. Jesus faced the pressure of approval, yet chose obedience to God over pleasing people.Many of us live the same way today — chasing likes, approval, and validation. But when we live for people, we become trapped by their opinions. True peace comes when we stop living for the praise of people and start living for the praise of God.This message will help you break free from comparison, social pressure, and fear of what others think — and learn to walk confidently in God's purpose for your life.Key Scriptures:
Luke 19:39–44, 
John 12:17–18
, Galatians 1:10 GIVING To support this ministry and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://authenticchurch.com/give GET CONNECTED Ready to check out Authentic Church in person? We can't wait to meet you in person. Simply fill out the form below and we'll make sure to give you the VIP treatment upon your first visit. https://authenticchurch.com/plan-a-visit ABOUT AUTHENTIC CHURCH Authentic Church exists so that people will have an authentic encounter with God, be set free, and grow in Christ. Our mission is to help each person at Authentic believe in Jesus, belong to family, inspire true worship, walk in God's Spirit, and build the kingdom of God.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260330dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:9 Shout Out to Your King! When do you shout? It might be when you are frustrated—like when the neighbor’s dog is digging in your yard—again! It might be when you prefer to shout, “Time to eat!” rather than actually tracking down every hungry person. It might be when your favorite player just won a victory for your favorite team. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, there was shouting. These were not shouts of anger, but ones of praise. “Hosanna” and “Blessed is he” were the spontaneous choruses that erupted from those who saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem that day. When is the last time you shouted out to Jesus? Was it your weekly worship? Your daily prayers? Or have you been less than excited even when you do worship and pray? Or has it been a very long time since you have felt the need to say much to Jesus at all? Perhaps you feel there are good reasons for that. It’s hard to be excited about praising Jesus when things in life are not feeling so praise-worthy. You may feel a whole lot more like shouting in frustration at God than bringing praise to God. But remember this: Jesus shouts for you. When your conscience crushes you with the weight of your sin, Jesus shouts out, “My blood has atoned for each and every sin!” When the devil leads you to the brink of despair, Jesus assures: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you! In a few days, the shouts of Palm Sunday would be replaced by the more sinister cry of “Crucify him!” But that was the price your loving Savior was willing to pay. That is worthy of our thanks, our praise, and even a shout of “Thank you, Jesus!” Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are truly worthy of all praise. Please accept my praise and comfort me when I struggle to find joy to shout about. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

In this week's episode, Behold the King, Dr. Willy Rice takes us to Matthew 21:1–11, where Jesus enters Jerusalem in what we now call the Triumphal Entry. As the crowds cry out “Hosanna” and lay down palm branches, one question rises above the celebration: Who is this?This message invites us to look closely at Jesus—considering His claim as King, His courage in fulfilling His mission, and ultimately His cross. It leads us to the same moment of decision faced by the crowd that day: not just recognizing who Jesus is, but choosing what that means for us personally.In the end, the question isn't only Is Jesus the King?—it's Is He my King?Support the showFind us at! Calvary.us

This week, we will be studying Mark 11:1-11 under the theme “Unexpected Messiah.” The annual message of Palm Sunday is a reminder that our life, redeemed by a Savior who loves us enough to endure the cross, is ruled by a Humble King who operates in unexpected, powerful, beautiful ways.Series Summary: Fast-paced, urgent, and relentlessly focused on Jesus, the Gospel of Mark shows us not just what Jesus said, but what he did. Written for a Roman world hungry for power, Mark introduces a surprising King - one who comes to serve, to suffer, and to give his life for many. Over the coming weeks, we'll walk this road with Jesus, from the wilderness to the cross, discovering how the Servant-King's actions reveal the true good news - and what it means to follow him as disciples who take up our own cross and trust him with our lives.Add St. Marcus as your church on the Church Center App!Fill out our online connection cardHow can we pray for you? If you'd like to leave an offering or monetary donation to our ministry please click here.

On Palm Sunday, the crowds shouted “Hosanna,” expecting a Savior who would conquer their enemies—but what Jesus came to do was far greater. As He rode humbly into Jerusalem, He wasn't heading for a throne, but a cross…on purpose. This message invites you to wrestle with the question: what if Jesus is not who we expected, but exactly who we need? Discover the depth of His love and the joy that carried Him all the way to the cross—for you.

Palm Sunday is here. The crowds surround Jesus shouting Hosanna which solidifies that HE is the Promised Messiah. The people of the time would know what this means as they reflect on their childhood knowledge of the Old Testament promises and passages. And though they did not know it then, we know it now, that it is not the last time we will hear palm branches mentioned in the Bible. Keep listening for more of what this means. ▶SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/SouthernHillsLV ▶Do you know Jesus as your Savior? https://www.southernhillslv.com/the-gospel ▶ DONATE: https://pushpay.com/g/southernhills?src=hpp&r=monthly ▶ Visit Southern Hills: https://www.southernhillslv.com/ ▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernhillslv ▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernhillslv/

Hosanna! | The Gospel Of John - Abide | Pastor Bob Marvel by Cornwall Church

Palm Sunday is one of my favorite days in the Christian calendar — and it marks the beginning of something bigger than the crowds even realized. In this first episode of our Holy Week series, I walk through the triumphal entry of Jesus, the history of Palm Sunday in the church, and why the crowd's cry of "Hosanna" carried more weight than they knew.Download the free Holy Week devotional Follow along daily, Palm Sunday through Easter.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO to this reflectionCLICK HERE FOR VIDEO to the Holy Week Reflective Meditation (with Umberto)Jn 12:12-16When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out:    “Hosanna!    “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,        the king of Israel.”Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:    Fear no more, O daughter Zion;    see, your king comes, seated upon an ass's colt.His disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus had been glorified they remembered that these things were written about him and that they had done this for him.

In this episode of Into the Desert, Fr. Ken Geraci and John Heinen confront the tension at the heart of Palm Sunday: the same voices that cry “Hosanna” can quickly turn to “Crucify Him.” What looks like devotion can collapse under pressure, revealing how easily men drift with the crowd, seek approval, and abandon the path of Christ when it becomes costly. They press into the question: “Will I remain with Him when the path leads through suffering, rejection, and contradiction?” This is not about chasing hardship or proving strength. It is about surrendering preference and choosing the will of God over comfort, efficiency, and control. Because the Christian life is not built on the easy road or the hard road, but on obedience. And Holy Week reveals it clearly: every man must decide which voice he will follow, and whether his “Hosanna” will last when the Cross appears.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260329dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to Daughter Zion ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Matthew 21:4-9 The Heavenly King Took Our Place It is a sad reality that you and I sin against our God every day. Because we sin, we don’t deserve to be in heaven in the presence of God for all eternity. And the alternative is not pretty. But God loves us, his creation, and took action to change what we deserved because of our disobedience. God, the ruler of all things, sent his Son, Jesus, into the world to be among us for a purpose. Instead of being an earthly king, Jesus lived a humble life and kept all of God’s laws for us. Then, even though innocent, he suffered and died for us. After three days, Jesus rose from the grave to show his power over death and the devil for us. Now you and I, by faith, can look forward to spending eternity in heaven because of our perfect substitute, Jesus. Because of what our King Jesus has done for us, we can shout with the crowd on the first Palm Sunday, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” In our excitement, we exclaim, “Blessed is he who came in the name of the Lord!” Prayer: Jesus, may your Spirit work in me the joyfulness to praise you for being my substitute and assuring me of heaven with you forever. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Sunday morning message with Pastor Brad Wilkinson. Visit christianlifeustin.com, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Instagram @christianlifeaustin to stay up to date with the exciting things happening here at Christian Life Austin.

The crowds shouted “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered Jerusalem… but they had no idea what kind of King He truly was. Join us this Palm Sunday as we remember the day Jesus turned everyone’s expectations upside down. You won’t want to miss this powerful start to Easter week.

Friends of the Rosary,Today, March 29, is Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, the beginning of Holy Week. This feast commemorates Christ's entry into Jerusalem. Following the Jews' example, we proclaim Christ as a Victor over death and sin, taking us with Him into the kingdom of His Father in heaven.We say Hosanna to the Messiah, the Son of God, Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.But He is the sign of contradiction, as He is acclaimed by some and reviled by others.Sent into this world to unchain us from sin and the power of Satan, He underwent His Passion, a punishment for our sins, completing the Paschal Mystery.In the Procession with the Palms, in the Gospel, we see a very large crowd spreading their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. People were crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David.”When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." (Matt 21:7-11)In the Liturgy for Palm Sunday, the priests and deacons wear red vestments. There is a special procession at the beginning of Mass, and we witness the blessing of the palms and the gospel reading of the entrance into Jerusalem (Matt 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; John 12:12-16; Luke 19:28-40). The priest explains the meaning of Holy Week, the last days of Christ on earth, and the celebration of our Lord's paschal mystery, after the five weeks of Lent.It's a solemn celebration in union with the whole Church: We remember and dramatize Christ's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey, to complete his work as our Messiah: to suffer, to die, and to rise again.United with him in his suffering on the cross, we share his resurrection and new life.The palms are blessed with the following prayer:Almighty God, we pray that you bless these branches and make them holy. Today we joyfully acclaim Jesus our Messiah and King. May we one day reach the happiness of the new and everlasting Jerusalem by faithfully following him who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.Today's Mass recognizes that Jesus' triumph and kingship, which will be revealed when he is lifted up on the cross.Jesus' experience of being loved and hated, of being welcomed and then rejected, provides us with the strength to endure the hardships and injustices of our own lives.United to Jesus, our suffering leads to glory.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠March 29, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Read OnlineAnd when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:10–11The commemoration of our Lord's Passion has begun. Today, Mass begins with the reading of Matthew's account of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Riding on a donkey, Jesus is greeted by a very large crowd who “spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road” (Matthew 21:8). The people welcomed Him with shouts of: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).The word “Hosanna” in Hebrew means, “Save us, we pray!” Though it was originally a plea for deliverance, it became an expression of praise and joy, especially as it came to be associated with the Messiah's arrival. The phrase “Hosanna in the highest” calls for God, enthroned in Heaven, to bring His saving power to earth. The crowds' acclamation reveals both a hope for salvation and a recognition of Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.During Passover week, Jerusalem's population increased several times over with pilgrims from across Israel. The atmosphere was vibrant with religious fervor and communal celebration. Merchants sold sacrificial animals, food, and provisions to the crowds. Central to the festivities was the Temple where sacrifices were offered and the Passover lambs were prepared for the sacred meal. Roman authorities increased security, wary of potential unrest, as the commemoration of Israel's liberation from Egypt stirred hopes of national deliverance. The Jewish authorities were also on high alert, concerned that any disturbance might provoke harsh reprisals from the Romans.Imagine the excitement, concern, and surprise that many of the religious and Roman leaders felt as large crowds professed their belief in Jesus as the Messiah. Was Israel's deliverance at hand? This public acclaim highlighted why some saw Jesus as a threat. The Pharisees, in particular, feared that His messianic identity might undermine the religious authority to which they clung. Most of them dismissed the possibility that Jesus was the Messiah they awaited.Jesus, however, had a very different understanding of the Passover that year. He knew it was the time for His hour of suffering and death, leading to His glorification. He had no interest in political maneuvering. His sole desire was to fulfill His mission as the Messiah by becoming the one perfect Lamb of Sacrifice whose blood would atone for the sins of many. Jesus was determined and confident as He rode into Jerusalem. Though He knew the suffering that awaited Him, His gaze was fixed on His mission of saving souls. In His sacred humanity, He overcame every temptation to fear or anxiety, allowing peace, strength, and joy to fill His heart.Not only is Jesus our Savior and the one Mediator between God and us, His human life perfectly models how we are to live. Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem especially models for us how we are to face every difficult situation that tempts us to fear and anxiety. His courage must become our courage, and His determination our determination.Reflect today on Jesus' interior disposition during His triumphal entry. He invites us to share in His sacrificial love, laying down our lives selflessly for others. This is only possible if we allow His virtues to take root in us every time we are called to imitate His love. As we embrace our own mission, we must not allow fear or anxiety to hinder us. Pray that the courage, peace, and steadfast love that Jesus embodied during that first Holy Week may flourish in your heart. Let go of fear, worry, and selfishness, and allow Jesus' love and strength to fill you, so that His mission may continue through you and, with our Lord, you may lay down your life for others.Sacrificial Lamb of God, You entered Jerusalem as the new and perfect Lamb of Sacrifice, whose blood would be shed for the salvation of all who turn to You. Please open my heart, dear Lord, to receive all You wish to bestow upon me. Fill me with the virtues You possessed, so that my life will be united to Yours and Your Sacrifice will become alive in me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Jesus on Palm Sunday Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

In today's episode of the Tiny Theologians Easter series, we begin the story of Easter with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the meaning behind the palm branches. Join TJ and Tory as they imagine the excitement of the crowd welcoming Jesus into the city—waving branches, laying down their cloaks, and shouting “Hosanna!” Along the way, they discover that Jesus is not the kind of king people expected, but the true King God promised. Today's symbol is the palm branches, which remind us that Jesus is our Savior King—the One who came to save His people through His life, death, and resurrection. Scripture Passage: Matthew 21:8–9 (NIV) For more discipleship resources visit tinytheologians.shop! Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

San Marcos 10, 46-52; 11, 1-11) En aquel tiempo, al salir Jesús de Jericó con sus discípulos y bastante gente, un mendigo ciego, Bartimeo (el hijo de Timeo), estaba sentado al borde del camino pidiendo limosna. Al oír que era Jesús Nazareno, empezó a gritar: «Hijo de David, Jesús, ten compasión de mí». Muchos lo increpaban para que se callara. Pero él gritaba más: «Hijo de David, ten compasión de mí». Jesús se detuvo y dijo: «Llamadlo». Llamaron al ciego, diciéndole: «Ánimo, levántate, que te llama». Soltó el manto, dio un salto y se acercó a Jesús. Jesús le dijo: «¿Qué quieres que te haga?». El ciego le contestó: «"Rabbuní", que recobre la vista». Jesús le dijo: «Anda, tu fe te ha salvado». Y al momento recobró la vista y lo seguía por el camino. Cuando se acercaban a Jerusalén, por Betfagé y Betania, junto al monte de los Olivos, mandó a dos de sus discípulos, diciéndoles: «Id a la aldea de enfrente y, en cuanto entréis, encontraréis un pollino atado, que nadie ha montado todavía. Desatadlo y traedlo. Y si alguien os pregunta por qué lo hacéis, contestadle: "El Señor lo necesita, y lo devolverá pronto"». Fueron y encontraron el pollino en la calle atado a una puerta; y lo soltaron. Algunos de los presentes les preguntaron: «¿Qué hacéis desatando el pollino?». Ellos les contestaron como había dicho Jesús; y se lo permitieron. Llevaron el pollino, le echaron encima los mantos, y Jesús se montó. Muchos alfombraron el camino con sus mantos, otros con ramas cortadas en el campo. Los que iban delante y detrás, gritaban: «¡Hosanna! ¡Bendito el que viene en nombre del Señor! ¡Bendito el reino que llega, el de nuestro padre David! ¡Hosanna en las alturas!». Entró Jesús en Jerusalén, en el templo, lo estuvo observando todo y, como era ya tarde, salió hacia Betania con los Doce.

Read OnlineMany of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” John 11:45–48Tomorrow we begin Holy Week with Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Today's Gospel recounts events shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, which took place in Bethany, near Jerusalem—just days before He would ride into the city on a donkey, greeted with shouts of “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13).During the final months of His life, Jesus often stayed out of the public eye to avoid those plotting His death. However, He briefly emerged to perform His final recorded miracle: raising Lazarus from the dead. This miracle became the decisive moment that prompted the Pharisees to actively plot against Him. Some witnesses reported it to the authorities, and the Sanhedrin feared Jesus' growing popularity would provoke a Roman persecution upon the Jews. At the high priest Caiaphas' suggestion, they decided it was better for Jesus to die than for the nation to suffer.As high priest, Caiaphas spoke prophetically—even unknowingly—about Jesus' death, saying, “It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish” (John 11:49–50). Commenting on this, Saint Augustine teaches: “This passage shows that the Spirit of prophecy can even work through wicked people to reveal future events” (Tractate 49 on the Gospel of John).Knowing that God's omnipotent power can use even evil actions to accomplish His divine plan should console us when we encounter injustice or malice in our own lives. Jesus was never a victim of circumstance; He remained in full control of His mission. At His arrest, He reminded His disciples: “Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father, and He will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53).Jesus could have commanded the angels to overthrow the Sanhedrin and the Roman authorities, taking His place as an earthly king by force. But instead, He chose to submit to the Father's will, allowing the malice of Caiaphas to set His Passion in motion. Though Caiaphas acted with selfish intent, God, in His providence, used this evil act to advance His plan of salvation for all who would turn to Him in faith.This insight is essential as we enter the “Holy Weeks” of our lives—those times of trial, suffering, or injustice that we do not always fully understand. When we encounter crosses, it is easy to see them as obstacles to joy and peace. But Romans 8:28 reminds us: “All things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” Every cross, injustice, or hardship is within God's providential care, just as Holy Week was. When we trust Him, even the evil we experience can be transformed into a path toward God's glory and for our good.Reflect today on the perfect wisdom of God's plan, which used even the sins of wicked people to bring about salvation. Consider any crosses, sufferings, or injustices you currently face. Instead of giving in to anger or despair, have faith that God can use them for good. If you remain in God's grace, trust that whatever He permits in your life is an expression of His almighty power and love, working all things for His glory and your good. Just as Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem, knowing that great suffering awaited Him, so too must we turn our eyes to our own “Jerusalem”—to the challenges and difficulties we encounter—and trust that God will work all things for good. All-powerful Lord, nothing deterred You from fulfilling Your Father's will. Your mission was to save many souls and to do so through the instrumentality of both the good and the wicked. Evil was conquered because You, in Your goodness, drew even greater good from it. Please help me to imitate You and to participate in Your glorious victory over sin and death by uniting every injustice and suffering I endure with Your Passion so as to achieve Your glory and victory in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: The Judgment of the Sanhedrin: He is Guilty! by  Nikolai GeSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.