Lent 6 - Palm Sunday – Who Is This Jesus?

Who Is This Jesus?

A short reflection based on Matthew 21:1-11 & Philippians 2:5-11

When Jesus enters Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, the city is stirred, and the crowd asks, “Who is this?” It’s more than curiosity – it’s the question that echoes through history. Jesus doesn’t arrive with grandeur or might. He comes humbly, yet his entrance challenges everything about power, politics, and religion.

In Matthew’s gospel, this parade is both protest and proclamation. It’s a bold, nonviolent act that contrasts sharply with Pilate’s military procession on the other side of town. Jesus rides in with peasants, not soldiers. He carries hope, not weapons. It’s a dangerous hope – one that exposes injustice and resists empire.

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, gives us the deeper meaning behind the moment. Jesus, though divine, “emptied himself,” taking the form of a servant. True power, we learn, is not about grasping or control. It’s about letting go. It’s about love that doesn’t seek status but serves.

We live in a world still shaped by systems of domination. But the path of Jesus invites us to a different way – a way of humility, courage, and compassion.

Real power looks like humility. Jesus redefines strength by choosing love and surrender over dominance.

Faith means walking the hard road. Lent invites us to wrestle with deep questions and live the answers with courage.

Ngā mihi
Philip

p.s. Worship leaders: You can buy a complete Order of Service and Sermon based on these readings here:  https://philipgarsidebooks.com/products/worship-at-hand-lent-6-29-march-2026