"Entrance Hymn" Palm Sunday Sermon

Overview

Two Entrance Hymns: From Bethlehem to Jerusalem

The entrance hymn is one of the most stirring moments of worship—the congregation rises, the organ swells, the choir processes, and the cross is lifted high. With praise placed on our lips by the Holy Spirit, we proclaim Christ crucified and risen. That joyous, reverent procession reminds us that we stand on holy ground and have gathered for the singular purpose of giving glory to God. Scripture itself records two great entrance hymns that frame the work of Christ, and Holy Week is the perfect moment to set them side by side.

The first hymn was sung by angels on the night of Christ's birth. As the heavenly host announced the Savior's arrival, they burst into praise: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors" Luke 2:14. The second member of the Trinity had taken on flesh—the Word became flesh and dwelt among us John 1:1-14, emptying himself and taking the form of a servant Philippians 2:6-7. The Prince of Peace foretold by Isaiah Isaiah 9:6 had come, and the entrance hymn announced peace on earth.

The second hymn, sung roughly thirty-three years later, accompanied Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Riding humbly on a colt in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, Jesus displayed his omniscience by knowing exactly where the colt would be tied Luke 19:30. The crowd spread their cloaks—an act of submission to his kingship—and waved palm branches, the ancient symbol of joy and victory John 12:13. They cried "Hosanna," meaning save us Matthew 21:9, and sang, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!" Luke 19:37-38. This too fulfilled Jesus' own words Luke 13:35.

What is different between these two hymns? At Bethlehem, the angels proclaimed peace on earth. At Jerusalem, the crowd proclaimed peace in heaven. The hymns are bookends, and the cross is what unites them. The weight of any wooden cross is nothing compared to the weight of the world's sin laid upon Christ—sin that should have separated us from God for eternity, now placed upon him. As Paul writes, "Through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross" Colossians 1:20. Peace on earth was announced at his coming; peace in heaven was secured at Calvary. As you enter worship this Holy Week, rise and sing with reverence—you are joining a song that began with angels, swelled through the streets of Jerusalem, and finds its fulfillment at the cross where heaven and earth are made one in Christ.

Transcript

Would you open your Bibles, please, with me, 0s

to the 19th chapter of the Book of Luke? 2s

We're going to pause our study and Acts 6s

as we enter into this holy week. 8s

As we follow the texts, this great week, together. 11s

The 19th chapter of the Book of Acts. 16s

The entrance, him, the entrance, him. 22s

That is one of my most favorite parts 27s

of the worship service. 30s

The congregation rises. 33s

The organ swells oftentimes. 35s

The choir is processing in. 38s

And we follow the cross in. 41s

In. 44s

And we follow the cross out. 46s

Each and every week. 49s

The entrance, him, is that joyous, him. 52s

That entrance, him, is that expression 55s

of the people of God, rising to their feet, 58s

with praise that has been placed upon their lips 61s

by the operation of the Holy Spirit, 64s

proclaiming Christ crucified and risen. 67s

The procession, him. 71s

ReveVrent, honoring of God. 75s

And as we gather as the people, we understand. 81s

That we stand on holy ground in this place. 83s

That this place is different. 92s

And so we dress differently. 98s

We act differently because the number one aim is to give reverence 102s

to God. 111s

And the processional, him. 113s

It just, it sets the tone. 117s

Doesn't it? 122s

When to study with you this morning, 125s

two biblical, processional hymns. 127s

One from Christmas and the other 133s

from the entrance of Jesus, into Jerusalem, 136s

that which we remember on this palm passion Sunday, 141s

two entrance hymns. 145s

And what I would ask you to consider this morning is this. 147s

What's different about them? 153s

What's different about them? 156s

Just a few months ago, it wasn't it, 162s

that we gathered for Christmas Eve. 163s

There was an air of expectation on Christmas Eve. 166s

It is just so wonderful. 170s

It's not just the youngest among us that have that excitement. 171s

It is also the oldest among us from all of the age ranges. 175s

There's just something special about that gathering. 180s

As we come into the sanctuary and prior to the processional him, 183s

we have the candle in hand. 187s

And we know full well what's coming. 189s

We know how the services put together and why. 192s

And then the processional him for Christmas Eve starts. 198s

Why this last year, it was joy to the world. 203s

The Lord has come, let earth receive her king. 207s

The congregation rose to her feet and the procession. 213s

It started. 220s

That was Christmas just a few months ago, but some 2000 years ago, 225s

there was the processional him that was given the entrance of Jesus 231s

into the world as the second member of the Trinity takes on flesh. 237s

And there was the processional him, wasn't there. 242s

I think of Luke, the second chapter. 246s

There on the second chapter, we read this. 250s

But the angels said to them, 252s

do not be afraid for see I am bringing you good news of great joy 254s

for all the people. 259s

To you is born this day in the city of David as Savior, 260s

who is the Messiah, the Lord. 265s

And then the angelic host with their praise, 268s

bursting into the him, glory to God in the highest heaven 274s

and on earth peace among those whom he favors. 281s

Why that very him, the angels forms one of the hymns of praise 288s

and our liturgie, doesn't it? 292s

Hasn't the liturgie our worship service? 295s

We speak back to God the very words that he has given us. 298s

In the angels in that entrance him, they sing, 303s

glory to God in the highest heaven. 307s

It is this expression of praise to indeed the Father 310s

who has now sent the Son to redeem the world. 314s

Jesus Christ, peace in Carnot, the very peace 320s

for the world, the Prince of peace. 328s

The Prince of peace that will reconcile humanity with God 333s

and the entrance him on the very first Christmas mourn. 341s

Glory to God and the highest heaven and on earth peace 348s

among those whom he favors. 353s

Fast forward, palms Sunday today, the entrance him. 361s

Oh, glory, Lord and honor to you redeemer King. 371s

And we rise to the feet the Spirit has brought us together. 376s

We rise in reverence to God Almighty. 380s

And we sing indeed, glory to God. 383s

Oh, glory, all Lord and all honor the processional him today. 387s

But go back some two thousand years. 399s

Go back to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. 405s

And there was the processional him. 410s

It wasn't sung by the angels this time, 415s

but as he entered into Jerusalem, there was the entrance him. 417s

There was the processional him. 421s

And it was sung by those that gathered. 424s

Look with me, please, at verse 30 of chapter 19 of Luke. 427s

Jesus said, go into the village ahead of you. 434s

And as you enter it, you'll find tied there a cult 436s

that has never been written on Tiet and bring it to me. 439s

This shows the omniscience, the all knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. 444s

Jesus is putting his divinity on display here. 451s

He knows, for well, every detail of that which will occur. 454s

This is also the fulfillment of the prophecy from Zechariah 9th chapter 459s

that when Jesus would ride into Jerusalem, 465s

he would ride in neatly, he would ride in humbly, 467s

he would ride in not to reign, he would ride into die. 471s

Go down to verse 36, please. 479s

As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 482s

What people would do in ancient day, if they took their cloak and they threw it 488s

at the feet of someone. 492s

It was an expression that they were placing themselves under that person's authority. 494s

It was an act of submission. 500s

So that is they took their cloaks and they spread them in front of Jesus. 504s

That is the communication. 511s

You are the king and under you feet we submit. 512s

You are the one in authority. 518s

Scripture tells us in the 12th chapter of John. 523s

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. 527s

Palm trees was an ancient symbol of joy and victory. 534s

And so when they would wave the palms, 537s

it would indeed be that literal physical expression of their joy. 541s

Lifting up victory. 546s

It was happiness. 549s

It was delight. 551s

It was celebration. 553s

Scripture tells us in Matthew 21, 555s

the people said, 558s

Hosanna to the Son of David. 559s

But the lesson is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 562s

That word, Hosanna literally means, 566s

Save us. 568s

Here is the second member then of the Trinity, 570s

writing into Jerusalem. 573s

And as part of the entrance, 575s

Him that He receives is save us. 578s

Save us. 583s

Look with me, please, at verse 37 of our text. 585s

As He was now approaching the path, 591s

down from the mount of olives, 594s

the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully, 595s

with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen. 600s

He goes on. 608s

They go on. 610s

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. 611s

This is exactly what Jesus had prophesied and looked the 13th chapter. 617s

When Jesus said, 621s

You will not see me until the time comes when you say, 623s

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 627s

The processional, Him goes on. 632s

Peace and heaven and glory in the highest heaven. 635s

What a glorious entrance, Him, for Jesus. 640s

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. 644s

Peace and heaven and glory in the highest heaven. 648s

It is reminiscent, is it not, 652s

of the entrance, Him, when Jesus was born at Bethlehem. 655s

It is reminiscent of the song that the angels sing. 659s

What's different? 668s

What's different? 673s

As we gather a few months ago on Christmas Eve with candle in hand, 679s

the entrance, Him, to Christmas Eve and the closing, Him, 684s

they're really quite different bookends, aren't they? 688s

Joy to the world but there's explosion of joy in the brass, 693s

and then the quiet of silent night that reminder that, 698s

indeed, the one who had come to affect peace had come to the earth. 707s

This is the one that John the first chapter. 716s

It reveals in the beginning was the word and the word was with God, 720s

and the word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 724s

All things came into being through Him and without Him. 729s

Not one thing came into being, 732s

and the word became flesh and lived among us. 735s

This is the one that Paul writes in Philippians 2. 741s

Though he was in the form of God, 744s

did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 747s

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, 752s

being born in human likeness. 756s

This is the one that Isaiah prophesies about, 760s

when he says, 764s

for a child has been born for us, a son given to us, 765s

authority rests upon his shoulders, 770s

and he has named wonderful counselor, 773s

mighty God everlasting father, 775s

Prince of peace, peace incarnate, 779s

peace on earth in Jesus Christ, 784s

the one who would affect peace, 789s

and so the entrance to Him of the angels, 794s

glory to God in the highest heaven, 798s

and on earth peace among those whom He favors. 800s

And then the entrance into Jerusalem, 809s

and the crowd sings, 815s

blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, 819s

peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven. 823s

They both give glory to the actions, 830s

of the Father, 834s

but what's different? 843s

What's different? 848s

It's probably junior high, 854s

might have been my first year of high school. 857s

Youth group, I was part of, at the church. 860s

We decided to build a huge cross. 864s

It was humongous and it weighed a lot. 868s

And into the cross, we carved our favorite Bible verses. 872s

We then took the cross, 879s

and we carried it up, 881s

a rather steep hill. 885s

The cross was heavy to begin with. 888s

It was really large, 890s

because what we wanted is we wanted the people 892s

as they would be coming to worship 895s

and coming out of the parking lot 898s

to look up on that hill by the church 900s

and see the cross. 904s

And so we made it large enough, 906s

so they couldn't miss it. 909s

But getting that cross up that hill, 912s

that was hard work. 915s

There were times where we just stopped, 917s

and we rested. 919s

And we carried it up, 922s

and we dug the whole deep enough 923s

that was support the size of the cross, 925s

and the weight of it. 928s

We dug it deep enough, 930s

and put that cross in the ground, 931s

so it was secure. 934s

Then as the people came on Easter morning, 936s

they saw the cross on the hill. 942s

Draped with this white banner across. 946s

The weight of the cross was nothing compared 955s

to the weight of sin that Jesus Christ took upon himself 958s

when he went to the cross. 963s

All of our sin laid upon him on the cross. 967s

All of the sin that should separate us from God 972s

for all of eternity. 975s

All of the sin that should condemn us 976s

to hell itself for all of eternity. 979s

All of the sin was placed upon Jesus. 982s

Can you imagine the weight of the sin of the world? 987s

And Jesus makes atonement. 996s

He takes our sin and gives us of his righteous life. 999s

He reconciles the world unto himself through the cross. 1004s

Paul puts it this way in collocions the first chapter. 1015s

He says through him Jesus, 1019s

God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, 1022s

whether on earth or in heaven, 1028s

by making peace through the blood of his cross. 1031s

Let me read that again. 1036s

Through him, God was pleased to reconcile to himself 1038s

all things, whether on earth or in heaven, 1043s

by making peace through the blood of his cross. 1047s

The entrance, him of the angels, 1054s

on that first Christmas mourn, 1057s

and on earth peace, 1061s

and the entrance, him by the crowd, 1069s

as Jesus rode into Jerusalem to die. 1076s

The lesson is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, 1086s

peace in heaven, 1093s

and glory in the highest heaven. 1096s

The entrance, him, 1103s

for Christmas, and Paul's Sunday, 1107s

their bookends, 1113s

peace on earth, 1117s

and peace in heaven. 1123s

Because you see, the peace was not effected on earth 1127s

until he took our sins on the cross. 1135s

The prince of peace had come, 1140s

God incarnate, 1143s

to reconcile the world peace on earth, 1147s

but peace in heaven, 1155s

that occurred at the cross. 1160s

And at the cross, 1162s

there comes the union of peace on earth and heaven. 1166s

Peace. 1181s

The words of the entrance, him, 1184s

of Christmas, 1188s

the words of the entrance, him, 1189s

of Paul's Sunday. 1194s

The words sing, 1198s

and the melody, 1202s

embraces you. 1208s

The words of the entrance, 1222s

and the melody, 1223s

the melody, 1223s

the melody, 1226s

the melody, 1229s

the melody, 1230s