Celebrating Palm Sunday

I just started reading Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross, a collection of sermons by twenty-five theologians and pastors, some contemporary and some over 500 years old. In the introduction, editor Nancy Guthrie writes the following:

"I've often found myself in churches that made more of Mother's Day than Palm Sunday, with little focus given to entering into the passion of Jesus in an intentional and meaningful way as Easter approached. Too many years I've found that I have rushed from Palm Sunday into Easter morning, from palm branches to the empty tomb, without giving my mind and my heart over to thoughtful contemplation of the cross."

I can totally relate to what she writes. I'm not sure why, but Palm Sunday is sadly overlooked in some churches. We're doing our part to try to correct this. At Servant's Heart Fellowship we worship with very large palm branches on Palm Sunday. We hand them out to everyone (yes, even to children!) and wave them around during our singing. It's quite a sight. Some even hold a branch in each hand and end up looking like they are directing traffic at an airport. Why do we do this? The answer is really simple: We always want to make much of Jesus Christ and Palm Sunday gives us yet another opportunity to draw our attention toward our Crucified, Risen, and Glorious Savior!