esus arrived in Jerusalem riding on the back of an untrained donkey foal. His followers as well as a great multitude spread palm tree branches on the roadway, crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

The Triumphal Entry is recorded in all four Gospels. We celebrate it as Palm Sunday. It was the start of a week that would include denials by Peter, betrayal by Judas,
false trials, beatings, a crown of thorns and finally crucifixion and burial. Doesn’t sound very triumphal does it?

Many in the crowd that welcomed him on Sunday turned against him and cried out, “Crucify him!” He spent three days teaching the truth, but the leaders did not want his teaching. 

He celebrated the Passover with his disciples and then went to the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives to pray. While he prayed, his disciples took a nap. His closest friends!

Then Judas betrayed him. For a little money he turned his back on his Savior and turned him over to the Roman soldiers.

When Jesus was on trial, Peter stood at a fire and warmed himself. Three times he was accused of being a follower of Jesus and three times he denied he even knew him.

How often have I been temped to not speak of my Savior in an unfriendly crowd?

On the following Sunday morning after Jesus’ crucifixion, Mary arrived at the tomb and discovered the stone was rolled away and it was empty! He was risen!

We call that Easter and celebrate it by coloring Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts and giving baby chicks and baby rabbits to children. Of course we go to church before we hunt the eggs.

Jesus appeared many times after his Resurrection. Forty days later, he was on the Mount of Olives with his disciples and, as recorded in Acts 1:10-11, he was taken up into heaven as the disciples received the great promise that he is coming back.

Betrayal, denial, beatings, crucifixion. A lot of bad things happened during that week that started with Palm Sunday, but the most impressive to me is this: the humility of Jesus. Riding on a donkey when he could have had a great white horse, washing the disciple’s feet, going to the cross.

Micah 6:8 asks this question: “… And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”