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What does Palm Sunday mean?Apr 13, 2019 |
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| From the writings of the Rev. Billy GrahamQ: What does Palm Sunday mean? — P.E.
A: A great crowd of people gathered in the city of Jerusalem and welcomed Jesus, proclaiming, “Hosanna!” They spread palm branches before Him and praised His name, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:37-38). In less than a week’s time, many of these same people were shouting, “Crucify Him!” They were disappointed that Jesus had not done what they thought He would do — establish His kingdom on earth, overthrowing Rome and its power over the people. When Rome was at the height of her glory and power, there appeared a disturbing sect called Christians. After Jesus had been crucified and resurrected, He commanded His disciples to go into the world and proclaim the Good News of the kingdom to come. Until that time, Christians would be persecuted. The Roman high tribunal initiated a drive to stamp out Christianity as a disturber of pagan unity. The Romans had a false notion that a person’s conscience could be controlled by law, so they made it illegal to be different. All must bow to Caesar. All must conform to pagan custom. All must behave like true Romans. Times have changed, but human nature hasn’t. The world is still trying to put its stamp of conformity on every follower of Jesus Christ. Every possible pressure is being brought to bear upon Christians to make them conform to the standards of the present world. In spite of pressures to conform to the world, may we be people who will hold God’s standard high. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Let us conform to His standard and reflect His image without compromise. ======== (This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.) (c)2019 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. |
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Another Past Post from years ago from Billy Graham:
As we prepare for Palm Sunday, which is this Sunday, Passover begins Monday at sunset, Good Friday is next Friday and then comes Resurrection Sunday on April 20th, we have this from Billy Graham: When in Eastern Europe years ago,
I discovered that Christians there
often greeted each other with the phrase,
“Christ is risen!” Invariably the response
came back, “He is risen indeed!” I was
struck with their understanding of the
reality and excitement of the resurrection,
for “if Christ has not been raised …
we are of all people most to be pitied”
(1 Corinthians 15:17, 19).
When I picture Jesus Christ dying on
the cross, I see the free gift of God’s
grace in Christ reconciling to Himself all
those who believe and repent. Grace occurs
when something we don’t deserve is given
to us freely. It is the free gift of God to needy
men and women. Paul said, “God made him
[Christ] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in
him we might become the righteousness of God”
(2 Corinthians 5:21). When Christ bore our
sin on the cross, He created a value of grace
and righteousness that changes the lives of
men and women, and it still works today!
The truth “that Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3), and that
truth alone, has relevance to mankind today.
That is because there is saving power in Christ’s
cross to transform any life and to
change the world.
How has the gift of
God’s grace changed
your life? Will you
share your story this
week so that someone
you know can be made alive in Christ?
By Billy Graham
