Today is Palm Sunday. It is also Passion Sunday. Most churches focus on the Palm part of this day, waving palms and chanting, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Some churches will focus on the passion part of this day, the tears Jesus shed and how quickly the chants of hosanna turn to chants of crucify him.

In this message, we consider the question, “Which king are we celebrating and seeking?

Are we celebrating the king for which the crowd waved branches and shouted, “Blessings on the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens”? That celebration was about a political king, a nationalistic messiah who would make everything right as the people understood right – a strong economy, political power, and elimination of Israel’s enemies. Is that the king we celebrate today?

Or are we celebrating a king, a messiah who would be “Pierced because of our rebellions and crushed because of our crimes. Who bore the punishment that made us whole; whose wounds healed us because God laid up him the weight of our sins”? (Is. 53:5-8) Are we celebrating the passion of this day that would bring Jesus to tears and that would cause the stones to shout out? Is that the king we celebrate today?