Session 3

Jesus is the king people weren’t expecting Him to be

From What Happened During Holy Week: An 8-Day Devotional

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, it was the equivalent of walking the red carpet at the Oscars. He was at movie star status. Except, in this case, the red carpet was made of palm fronds spread out for Him to walk on. 

Palm fronds were a sign of respect and adoration, but also insurrection. The Jewish people had been waiting for the Messiah, their promised deliverer who would save them from oppression (Isaiah 9:6-7). They looked to Jesus to be their liberator and future king. 

But in a few short days, all of those hopes would be dashed. Fair weather fans of Jesus would scatter. Jesus came to die for the sins of the world, to liberate us in ways God’s people were not expecting. 

We read about Palm Sunday with the benefit of hindsight. We know the kingdom Jesus established was an eternal one, not an earthly one. Yet, we still find ourselves in the same place as those who were confused when Jesus didn’t live up to their expectations.

We, too, can walk through life with expectations for God. And while God does wonderful things for us, His plans don’t necessarily follow our expectations. In these times, we must decide whether we are faithful followers or fair-weather fans.

Are we willing to trust God and His plans for our lives — even when things don’t look like we thought they would? 

Reflect:

• Do you have expectations of God? If so, what are they? Be honest. 
• Do you let your expectations and outcomes affect your love and pursuit of God? If so, how?
• Think back. When is the last time God moved in a way you didn’t expect? What did you learn from that experience?