March 25, 2026
On such a beautiful day as this I can look out the window at the sunshine, the blossom-covered trees and the rapidly greening grass and pretend that the world is a wonderful place and all is well in it. Almost. It is true that the world is a wonderful place – even after so many years under the curse – and there are a lot of places and sights I would still like to see and experience before my time here is done. But the world is not really a wonderful place. Not when compared to Heaven. The people on this planet can’t seem to get along with one another. We fuss and fight on small scales and large, and when the dust settles there are scars left behind that mar the beauty even more. There are diseases in our world that cannot be cured – even with all our modern technology and advanced sciences, and when they have run their courses, they leave behind sorrow and grief, and empty seats where loved ones used to sit. It’s a dark topic for such a beautiful day, but I can imagine that it was on a day like this when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that little donkey, surrounded by crowds of people who were shouting words like Hosanna! and phrases like Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! I have always wondered what it would be like to be the guest of honor at a victory parade like that! Especially knowing what would happen a few short days later – an unjust execution carried out by some of those same voices.
It could have been a beautiful day as Jesus walked up to Calvary, too – carrying the heavy wood of His own cross. We know that the sun was shining because when the deed was done and He was dead the Bible says that the sky went black. People were living their lives out all over the world, most of them unaware that the perfect Son of God had come to earth to give His life for them. Even many of those who lived in Judea and the surrounding areas were unaware that the Man they had been hearing about – the miracle worker who had so recently fed thousands of people at one time, healed the sick, given sight to the blind and even raised the dead – had been betrayed by a disgruntled follower, sold out to the power hungry religious leaders in Jerusalem, and then traded to the hated Roman rulers in exchange for a convicted murderer.
The Bible says that Jesus gave up His own life on our behalf. The Romans couldn’t take His life, and certainly the religious leaders wouldn’t have – they wouldn’t want to get their own hands dirty and so be found unclean. But Jesus laid it down on His own, so that He could take it up again at the proper time (see John 10:17-18). And He did that for us – broken, fallen, argumentative, ungrateful, power-hungry, drug-addicted, selfish, arrogant sinners, some of us so far gone that we refuse to admit that we need a Savior. What amazing love!
Jesus deserves all our praise, honor, admiration and worship, and that is why we gather every week here at Salem. But there is a special kind of remembrance that happens during Holy Week and compels me to worship even more fervently. I really hope each of us can experience that fervency as we begin the journey together this Sunday.
I really hope I see you there!
Careen
Worship Songs for Palm Sunday, March 29:
All Glory, Laud and Honor – First Methodist Houston – https://youtu.be/ix9PTiiRXWA?si=PHBnW4ZgoIfES4ob
Blessed Redeemer – Daniel Baptist Church – https://youtu.be/mcGaG7vPdCc?si=Fw5EYvZJj3UMDgej
Glorious Day – Casting Crowns – https://youtu.be/KqrqPGt11bA?si=MWsAe4itDfnv4hbT
Here I Am To Worship – Michael W. Smith – https://youtu.be/O1FVi0QgTq8?si=GmiVMWTZSwXMRBgD