Palm Sunday Matthew 20: 17-28; 21:1-11 (p 909, 910)

Palm Sunday  Takes us back to an event 2,000 years ago  A huge crowd was cheering and waving branches  We are remembering this day  What relevance does this have for us?

P-Purpose A- L- M-

P – Purpose  Jesus predicted what would happen –  He intended to give his life “as a ransom for many”  God is a rescuing, saving God  John 3:17 “... To save the world though him”  The people hoped he would usher in a new age.

P – Purpose...  Jesus had spoken of God’s love  He acted to heal and bless  He treated people according to how open they were to God.  He offered light in the darkness, comfort in the drudgery.

P-Purpose A-Appeal & Acclamation L- M-

A – Appeal & Acclamation  “Hosanna” – an Aramaic word meaning “Please Save”  Salvation belonged to God (e.g. Isaiah 25:9; Jeremiah 17:14)  Jesus: radical teaching about the Love of God  Had compassion on the outcasts of society  Amazed everyone with his miracles

A – Appeal & Acclamation...  What does this mean?  John 10:10 “I came that they might have life,... to the full”

P-Purpose A-Appeal & Acclamation L-Life M-

L – Life  Expectation – God was moving in the world.  Life would be better  The new king from the line of David  There would be a new wonderful world (Isaiah 65:17-25)  Participation required turning to God (Isaiah 65:11-12)

L – Life...  Life would be better, God would be closer  They hungered for this better world.

P-Purpose A-Appeal & Acclamation L-Life M-Meaning

M – Meaning  Jesus came to usher in a new life in a new world  This would happen in 2 stages:  Jesus offers fullness of life and gave his life as a ransom  Jesus came to establish a new heaven and a new earth  A delay so that people can turn to God (2 Peter 3:9)

M – Meaning...  Jesus presents a radical new way of relating to God  Not based on rituals or a religious elite  Based simply on Faith.