PALM SUNDAY
March 16, 2008
My youngest brother was born today and because he was born on 3-16, my father called him Jon for John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall have eternal life."
Ten years ago, today, my grand daughter was born on my brother's birthday. My daughter and son-in-law named her Faith.
For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday, often referred to as "Passion Sunday," marks the beginning of Holy Week, which concludes on Easter Sunday. This year, the Holy Week begins on 3-16.
Most of Jesus' ministry had been outside Jerusalem. On Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, Israel's capitol city, the crowds gathered to meet Jesus and His entourage by covering His path with palm branches and flowers and waving palm branches, shouting, "Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." They greeted Him as the long-awaited Messiah, shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!"
The Jewish leaders of the day had tolerated Jesus' ministry, some even saying that He was a "good man", but here Jesus was in their capitol city being proclaimed the Messiah by the Jewish people! Today, it would be like a man entering Washington D.C. and being greeted like a rock star with the crowds proclaiming Him King of The United States! The leaders today would probably react very similar to the way the leaders did then. They were not going to allow this son of a carpenter to have the power of a King!
Palm Sunday was the high point of Jesus ministry, but immediately following this great time of celebration in the ministry of Jesus, He began His journey to the cross.
You can read more about Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, the first communion, Judas' betrayal, Jesus arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus political and religious trial and crucifixion in the Bible. The biblical account of Palm Sunday can be found in Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19.
For me, this year is even more personal than it usually is. My brother's birthday, my grand daughter's birthday, the significance of John 3:16 and Faith's own name ... but this will be the only time in their lifetime when their birthdays will fall on Palm Sunday. The last time was 1913 and the next time will be in 2228.
Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20).
This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people use to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.
Based on this, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare.
Only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!).
And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!
Here are the facts:
* The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now).
* The last time it was this early was 1913
* The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now).
* The last time it was on March 22 was 1818.
So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!
"Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest."
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!"
1 comment:
VERY SWEET STORY ABOUT YOUR BROTHERS AND NIECES NAMES. MY NIECE WAS NAMED jOY BECUASE HER MOTHERS FAVORITE VERSE WAS WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT BUT jOY COMETH IN THE MORNING.
AT FIRST I WANTED HER TO BE NAMED JUNE AFTER ME AND TRIED TO TALK MY SISTER OUT OF IT. LOL BUT SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO MAKE THAT SCRIPTURE MY OWN . i CRIED MANY A NIGHT AND HOPED FOR THE JOY IN THE MORNING.! JUN
Post a Comment