Palm Sunday 2026 The Weight of a Branch – Mark 11, John 12

This week for Palm Sunday we look at a story that is timely and vital to understand today – Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey in Mark 11 and John 12. At a time when frustrations were boiling over with their Roman oppressors, the people of Israel were prepared to put all the weight of their expectations into one man. So, they threw down their palm branches. They threw down their cloaks. They cried out Hosanna!

And they, like so many people in human history since that day – put their hope in the human way of doing things. An earthly king, a ruler, a fighter, to give them relief and earthly peace. All of their expectations were placed into these palm branches, thrown down before the Messiah. He came to save – but not in the way any of them expected, through a means more grim, to provide a hope greater than they could have asked for. Join us this Sunday to remember what we know to be true about power and expectations.

-Pastor Nate Roschen