Hosanna! Jesus Has Come!

Jesus and His friends were walking to Jerusalem for the great feast. When they came near a little village on the Mount of Olives, Jesus stopped and called two of His disciples.

“Go into the village,” He said. “You will find a donkey tied up there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone asks what you are doing, say, ‘The Lord needs them.’”

The two disciples went, and everything was exactly as Jesus had said. There was the donkey, and there was the little colt. They brought them to Jesus and laid their cloaks on the colt’s back, and Jesus sat on it.

Long before, God had promised through a prophet that Israel’s King would come one day, gentle, riding on a donkey. Not on a war horse, not with soldiers and swords, but humble and full of peace. And now here He was.

As Jesus rode down toward the city, the crowd grew bigger and bigger. People took off their cloaks and spread them on the road like a carpet for a king. Others cut branches from the palm trees and waved them high. Children ran alongside, laughing and cheering.

And everyone was shouting:

“Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Matthew 21:9

Hosanna means “save us now!” It was a cry of hope and a shout of praise all at once.

When Jesus came into Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up. “Who is this?” people asked.

“This is Jesus,” the crowds answered, “the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee!”

Jesus did not come to Jerusalem as a proud king who wanted to be served. He came as a gentle King who came to serve, and to save. And we can still welcome Him today, with happy hearts and loud praise, just like the children on that road.