I had once been an atheist actor in the entertainment industry and my purpose in life had been defined by my resume. In 2004, Christ Jesus saved me from myself. I now preach GOD's Word and my purpose is found in dying to myself daily while living for others.
I now have a podcast in order to train dedicated disciples, soldiers for the Kingdom, and superheroes in the name of the Savior! Here’s the link: Pointless Thorns Podcast
What’s this podcast about? Watch this short 1-minute video:
The following article is Lesson 3 from my book, Superhero University: The Ultimate Superhero Training Manual:
Superheroes, having the correct understanding of what is good and right, are full of love, and they are compelled to act out from love. This is the only reason we can distinguish the hero from the villain. Spider-Man doesn’t save a falling person from splatting on the ground because he hates the person he saves, right? The superhero saves someone from danger/death because he/she has love for the person he/she is saving. In stark contrast, the villain performs acts of evil, not love. Again, evil is merely a privation of what is good; hatred is a privation or lack of love. It is written in James 2:8 that we are doing right by living a life of love toward others. But what is love?
Love is not something we can have or hold like materialists would like us to believe. Not everything in life can be boiled down to materialism. Think about it: Can you describe the physical features of love or even the thought about love? How much does love weigh? Of what is the love molecule comprised? There is no infinity stone of love we can possess that can be contained in a gauntlet. In fact, of all the infinity stones Thanos (from the Avengers) had been able to collect that provided him with seemingly unlimited power and ability, it is evident that he lacked love, and that is why he had no qualms about murdering half of the created creatures in the universe—including his own daughter! In fact, Thanos had to sacrifice love in order to be able to obtain one of the infinity stones. Ultimately, Thanos traded love for power because he could not possess both.
But what is love? And why do humans possess the capability to love? If love is not a material that can be weighed, or measured, how are humans able to possess love? How do we even know that love exists? Does love exist? We know that love exists—not because humans have defined the term—but because the Creator provided the definition of love and humans live by that defined divine design.
Think about this: Oxygen—the air we breathe—exists whether humanity believes in it or not. In fact, oxygen exists even if humans call it something else. Humanity never created or invented oxygen; we merely discovered it. Likewise, love exists whether humanity believes love exists or not. Love exists even if humans call it something else. In fact, the definition of love is so confused by many humans because they believe it to be something it is not. Many people misuse the word love when they are actually referring to something else that love is not. And this is why it is important that the word love be clearly defined.
(1 John 4:7–8, NLT)
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
(1 John 4:19, ESV)
“We love because he first loved us.”
Scripture makes sense. If GOD is love, then we would love because GOD first loved us because GOD created us. We are able to love because GOD is love and we are from GOD. If love is GOD, then we must know who GOD is so we can better understand what love is. So who is GOD? We will examine that in detail in Lesson 32, but for now suffice it to say that GOD is love and the absolute moral standard and therefore provides the definition of love (which we will soon examine and define). But we can also better understand love by examining what love is not.
Love Is Not An Emotion
Many people in the world claim that love is an emotion, but that simply isn’t true. Love affects our emotions and even causes us to produce emotions within us, but love is not an emotion in and of itself. You may claim that you can feel as if someone loves you, but love is not a feeling.
Love Is Not Sexual Intercourse
It is unwise to confuse sex for love and love for sex. Sex needs love to be relevant and meaningful; however, love does not need sex to be relevant and meaningful. A person can have sex with another person simply for the pleasure all while possessing no love for that individual. Examples of this, of course, is prostitution or rape. Such acts of sexual intercourse are meaningless because there is no love in the act of sex. That kind of sex serves a selfish purpose, but has no ultimate meaning. And of course, sex isn’t necessary for love to exist, to be relevant and be meaningful (I will expound upon this later when I define love). Now sex may be found in one of the definitions of love (Eros—I’ll get to this soon), but Eros is within the definition of love; love is ultimately selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. A distorted desire is often misconstrued, mistaken as love. It is unwise to confuse lust for love.
Even if love is not an emotion, a feeling, or even the act of sexual intercourse, does it matter if love can be clearly defined? If so, why does it matter? Consider what is written:
(1 Corin. 13:1–3, NLT)
“If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.”
The definition of love matters because GOD is love and GOD created us in His image (Gen. 1:27). For without GOD, love would not matter because life would ultimately be meaningless and purposeless. And if we are to be loving beings, it is important that we understand the definition of love.
What Is Love?
(1 Corin. 13:4–8, NLT)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!”
Love Is an Action
Though it is not specifically and solely the act of sexual intercourse, love is definitely an action; it is something we do. Read verses 4–7 again and take notice of the fourteen different active descriptions the Holy Spirit (via Paul) uses to define love (patience, kindness, etc.). It’s important to note that this is not Paul’s definition of love, but the definition of love written by Paul while he was inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Love Is a Choice
The fourteen active descriptions are actions that we choose to do or not to do. There’s a nonsensical saying that states, “You can’t help who you love.” But yes—you can! We get to decide if we love and who we will love if we decide to love. And this is because we have free will (discussed in Lesson 41).
Also, there’s a saying that states, “I fell in love.” It sounds so romantic, but this is also nonsense. Love is not a hole or trapdoor we can fall in. You don’t fall in love any more than you fall out of love. Love is a choice. You choose to love. You choose not to love. People do not fall in love; people decide to love. People do, however, fall into the trapdoor of lust. When people talk about love at first sight, what they really mean is lust at first sight. Now is it possible to possess love for someone at first sight? General love? Yes. Complete love? No. Love in the sense that you want the best for someone? Yes. Love in the sense that you desire the best for someone despite all his/her flaws and mistakes? No. It’s not possible to love someone so deeply at first sight because you wouldn’t know the flaws and mistakes associated with the person. And how is it possible to truly love someone unless you love despite the flaws and mistakes?
Love, in a nutshell, is the good you will show toward someone and/or others. It’s treating someone else with the qualities described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Take the Supreme Superhero (Jesus) as an example (after all, the Savior is the definition of love and the ultimate example of love):
(John 15:12–13, NLT)
“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
However, the Supreme Superhero goes even further by commanding us to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43–48). And then the Savior did exactly that—Jesus went out and laid down His life for us by dying on the cross as our atoning sacrifice while being mocked, spat on, beaten, lacerated, and murdered by those who hated Him for no good reason. Love is caring more for others than for self because love is selfless. Love is sacrificial. Love is unconditional.
Love Defined
Unlike the English language, which uses the one word of love ambiguously, the ancient Greek language used different words to define the one word of love so that people wouldn’t be confused as to which definition of love should be inferred. Examine the four following words and their associated definitions:
• Storge/stergo—This is a familial love such as the love of a parent toward offspring and vice versa. Devotion can be a key word associated with this type of love.
• Phileo—This love is companionable and relational. It means brotherly/sisterly love or friendship. It carries the idea of two or more people who feel compatible with each other.
• Eros—This is the word for sexual or romantic love. In fact, this is where we get the word erotic. This word implies a sexual demand. And because it is unwise to confuse lust for love, it is imperative that we not confuse lust for Eros. The passion and intimacy of Eros is to be confined within the covenant bond between husband and wife, as was designed by the Designer. Lust is only about the pelvic thrust, to seek pleasure and fulfill a selfish desire. Lust is committed only to fulfilling a distorted desire whereas love (eros) is committed to fulfilling the needs of the partner within the covenant union. Therefore, be wise: pursue love and reject thoughts produced from the lustful lair of the Liar—they are lies created in the cave of the contemptible con artist and Counterfeiter, the Salesman that is Satan. Don’t buy the lies. Even a lustful look is adultery in the heart (Matt. 5:28). Money can’t buy you love. And no—that’s actually not from the Beatles—it’s from the Song of Solomon 8:7.
• Agape—This is the highest and deepest level of love. This is the ultimate love and is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional. This is the love of GOD. This is the type of love all superheroes should possess.
(1 Pet. 4:8, NLT)
“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
Love covers a multitude of sins? Is that true? Yes! In fact, that is exactly what Jesus did for us:
(Rom. 5:6–8, NLT)
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
For love, compassion is the key and empathy is everything:
(Luke 23:34, NLT)
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Jesus is able to see us as His precious people, not a pervasive problem such as a plague. The Savior sees us as eternal beings, not mortal enemies. The Supreme Superhero sees us as family who belong in His heavenly home, not failures to be flung in the fiery furnace. Hell is where evil belongs and will ultimately be quarantined, but GOD doesn’t desire for us to go to that awful place. In fact, the Lord desires for everyone to be saved and doesn’t take any delight in the destruction of the wicked (Ezek. 18:21–23; 33:11; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).
Jesus is our awesome, ardent advocate who absorbed for us the penalty of sin. Apostle Paul assists us by providing an important reminder that helps us put people into proper perspective:
(Eph. 6:12, NLT)
“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
It is of the utmost importance that all superheroes remember this: we are to hate evil/sin, but we are to love people.
Conclusion
1. Love never fails.
(Song of Sol. 8:7, NLT)
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.”
2. Love perfects us.
(1 John 4:12–18, NLT)
“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
3. Love is supreme.
(1 Corin. 13:13, NLT)
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”
Reflection
If you want to be a superhero, you must possess love and choose to love others. A superhero can only be a superhero if the hero first and foremost possesses love for others. Do you possess love for others? If not, you resemble a villain. But wait—is that a fair statement? Consider the words of the Supreme Superhero:
(Matt. 12:30, ESV)
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
The late and great Martin Luther King Jr. once posed a powerful question to the clergymen of Alabama in his renowned letter, “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” He asked, “So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love?”
And that’s not a fallacy of false dilemma—if we’re not loving others, then…we’re not loving people. Therefore, I implore everyone to examine the motives and intentions of each and every choice/decision you make. Are you able to recognize good from bad? Right from wrong? Are you living a life of love or hate? For if you’re not living a life of love, what are you doing and what is your life? I choose to live an extreme life of love (not lust), and I urge you to do the same. Don’t scatter. Be a gatherer. Ironically, the best way to be a gatherer of people is to scatter seeds of love. How many seeds of love can you sow today?
So ask yourself, do you love others? From where did you get this desire to love? Do you feel compelled to act out from love? If so, why do you think that is? All superheroes possess love for people. If you love people, then you possess one of the qualities of a superhero and you just might be one someday!
The following article is Lesson 41 from my book, Superhero University: The Ultimate Superhero Training Manual:
Free Will:
Superheroes choose to be righteous superheroes rather than evil villains.
Do humans possess free will? Did I decide to write this? Did you decide to read this? Without free will, some people would be born superheroes and some people would be born evil villains, yet both would be who they are without choice. But is that true? What about predestination? Predestination is the biblical doctrine that GOD (in His sovereignty) chooses certain individuals to be saved. But doesn’t this contradict free will? Predestination does not contradict free will; rather, predestination simply needs to be rightly understood.
Conceptions of the nature of human choice fall within three categories: determinism, indeterminism, and self-determinism. A determinist looks to actions caused by another, an indeterminist to uncaused actions, and a self-determinist to self-caused actions. Suffice it to say that it all boils down to free will. Do humans possess free will? If GOD has all control, doesn’t GOD ultimately guide everything we do? So are we ultimately saved because we choose to seek GOD? Does GOD guide those who choose to seek Him? Or are we ultimately saved because GOD ultimately predetermined who was to be saved? But if GOD guides or chooses who is to be saved, that means that GOD also predetermined who is not to be saved. But if that’s so, why would a loving GOD decide in advance for some people to go to Hell when this same GOD desires for all people to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9)? After all, GOD does not delight in the death of the wicked; rather, the Lord desires for people to repent and live (Ezek. 18:23; 33:11). If it is true that GOD predetermines our destiny, then it would also be true that it was predetermined that Judas would betray Jesus and then kill himself and end up in Hell. How could it be that Judas had been predestined to be one of the twelve disciples and then eventually betray Jesus? Did Jesus select Judas because He knew that Judas would eventually choose (by his own free will) to betray Him? Or are we to believe that Judas was predestined by GOD to sin and commit suicide? Is GOD a dominant dictator of all deeds, sinister psychopath, methodical madman, and monstrous mastermind? Certainly not! It all boils down to free will and a logical deduction.
Free choice is not doing what one desires (with GOD giving the desires); rather, it is doing what one decides, which is not always the same thing. Either moral actions are uncaused, caused by another, or caused by oneself. No action can be uncaused— this violates the fundamental rational principle that every event has a cause. Neither can a person’s actions be caused by others, for in that case, they would not be personal actions and thus no accountability can be held nor charged. How can humans face the Judge and be held responsible for their sins if they themselves were not the cause of said sins? A complete determinist viewpoint is self-defeating. A determinist would insist that both determinists and nondeterminists are determined to believe what they believe. However, determinists believe self-determinists are wrong and ought to change their view. But “ought to change” implies freedom to change, which is contrary to determinism. If GOD is the cause of all human actions, then human beings cannot be morally responsible for their sins. But if that is so, how does GOD expect us to repent? Is that not a freedom of choice? Read and compare the following Scriptures: Matthew 13:53–58; Luke 13:3; John 3:16; 3:36; 6:60–71; 7:17; Acts 2:38; 16:31; Romans 7:18; 10:9–10; 1 Corinthians 9:17; Philemon 1:14; 1 Peter 5:2.
What is the difference between romantic sexual intercourse and rape? The difference is that romantic sexual intercourse involves mutual consent; both partners decided to willingly participate in copulation. With rape, however, one person has chosen to be involved in sexual intercourse and the other is an unwilling participant. Both acts involve sexual intercourse. What’s the difference? Free will. GOD provides us with free will to choose because GOD is love (1John 4:8, 16). Just as you cannot force someone to love you (even if you force the person to have sex with you), GOD will not force anyone to do what they do not desire to do. In fact, that is the reason for Hell—Hell is simply a quarantine for those who neither desire to be with GOD nor desire to do GOD’s will. If GOD determines in advance who is to be saved (and who will go to Hell), that would make GOD a monster to fear, not a loving Being to love and worship (1John 4:18). Why would a loving GOD determine to create any human with malicious intent to send that person to Hell? A loving relationship simply cannot be formed without free will.
Is GOD omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent? Yes (discussed in Lesson 32). Does GOD’s control contradict free will? No. GOD knows you better than you know yourself. GOD knows what you will do and ultimately decide, but that does not mean that GOD forced you to decide such. Think of two players in a chess match. The champion does not force his opponent to choose his/ her moves, yet the champion still wins. How? The champion of chess wins because he/she anticipates the opponent’s move and responds in order to overcome. In life, you choose your moves. But GOD knows you better than you know yourself and has already planned His next move in order to overcome what you’re about to do. GOD is able to do this because His thoughts and ways are much higher than our own (Isa. 55:8–9). In GOD’s love, He continues to anticipate your moves and responds in such an overcoming manner that He continuously provides chances for the sinner to repent and change. But it is up to the person as to whether or not they will accept Christ.
Just as a parent can often accurately predict what a child will decide to do when faced with a temptation to do wrong, it is the same for us and our Heavenly Father, except GOD always knows exactly what you will decide. But that doesn’t mean the Lord tempted you (James 1:13), neither does He like or find enjoyment from what you decide. In fact, the Bible is full of examples of humans making decisions that both grieve and anger GOD. Our loving GOD finds no pleasure in seeing you sin. Sadism comes from Satan; salvation comes from our Savior. And that is why Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb to atone for everyone’s sins. GOD anticipated humanity’s moves of consistent sin and GOD lovingly placed Himself on a cross for a cosmic checkmate. But because GOD is love, He allows the final move to be up to you. With every move you make, GOD has already anticipated your move and has gone before you to provide a way out and a way back to Him (1Corin. 10:13).
A sovereign GOD, in His wisdom and power, has determined that humanity should have free will, for there is no other way for a REALationship to be eternal unless it is established from love. Will you accept GOD’s love, or will you reject GOD’s love? In GOD’s sovereignty, He already knows who will choose Him and who will refuse Him. So in that sense, GOD has predestined those who will be saved, but the predestination is out of His omniscience, not His omnipotence. GOD is not a supreme spiritual rapist of souls nor is He a domineering deity or predestination puppeteer. You alone decide where you will end up. And if you decide to end up with GOD, then GOD will act in His ultimate power to see to it that the creation will once again be reunited with the Creator. But if you decide to reject Jesus, a place of quarantine called Hell has been created for you. Why? Because GOD loves you too much to force Himself upon you. Yet those who come to the knowledge of Truth and then decide to leave the grace of GOD in order to seek their own way have rejected the greatest gift. For those who abandon the gift of grace after already knowing Truth, there is no other way (Heb. 6:4–6; 10:26–29). The truth of salvation is simple: those who reject Jesus will not be forced to be with Him, and they will be quarantined in Hell; however, those who accept Christ will dwell with Him. And this is just because GOD is the absolute moral standard of good; therefore, those who reject GOD ultimately refuse to live righteously.
The Gospel (good news) carries no meaning in a contaminated and corrupt culture that focuses on sickness and circumstances rather than sin and guilt, on passing the blame on others rather than accepting responsibility and confessing wrongdoings, and on the need for treatment and recovery rather than Truth and repentance. GOD chose to love you and save you—that’s why Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself for you. But you must choose whether to accept GOD’s love or reject GOD’s desire to save you. Indeed, you are free, but what will you do with your freedom and where will you go (Gen. 4:7; Deut. 4:29; 11:26–28; 30:15–20; Prov. 14:12; 16:25; 10:9, 17; 1 Corin. 8:9; Gal. 5:13; 6:7; 1 Pet. 2:16; 2 Pet. 1:5–10)?
GOD already knows what you are going to do and where you will go, but you still must work out your salvation (Phil. 2:12). I pray, may you stay on the straight path and choose to enter by the narrow door (Prov. 4:25–27; Matt. 7:13–14; Luke 13:24–27). Are you truly saved (read Matt. 7:21–23)? Greater than hearing or knowing GOD’s Word is actually living it out (Rom. 2:13; James 1:22–25). Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:22). However, relationship is greater than religious acts (Deut. 6:5–6; Matt. 6:1; 22:36–40). Do you only know of Jesus or do you truly know Him (Matt. 16:13–17; John 8:19)? Do you only believe that Jesus exists or do you also trust in the Savior? Will you walk across the Bridge of Life? GOD gave you free will as a great gift out from His love. How will you decide to live? Your move.
Reflection
So ask yourself, how will you use your free will? All superheroes use the great gift of free will to use the ultimate superpower of speaking life and creating good while living a life of righteousness! If you believe that choosing to live a life of righteousness and sacrificial love is the best use of the great gift of free will, then you possess one of the qualities of a superhero and you just might be one someday!
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If you would rather read this message, the words are provided below:
Imagine the joy and relief that helpless, distressed, and tired citizens would feel when a superhero arrives to save them from captivity, danger, or death. The people would think and/or shout, “Our savior has arrived!” To understand the full meaning of this message, I want you to first watch the following three videos which depict a hero’s anticipated arrival:
My Hero Academia: All Might announces that everything will be all right because he is there!
Justice League: Superman arrives to defend the weak and save the day!
Avengers: Infinity War: Thor, with lightning, makes a grand entrance onto the battlefield in order to lead everyone into victory!
In all three of those videos, the heroes make a memorable and remarkable entrance. But what does that have to do with my message? Everything. I’m posting this article on April 13, 2019 — the day before Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the day we (Christians) celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19). In combining the details of all four accounts, it becomes clear that the triumphal entry was a significant event, not only to the Jews of that time, but to all Christians throughout history! In order to fully comprehend the reason for celebrating Palm Sunday, we must fully understand the significance of the triumphal entry. But one thing you will most likely immediately notice is that Jesus’ triumphal entry isn’t like the exaggerated scenes we see in comic books, movies, or myths.
Palm Sunday marked the beginning of what is often called “Passion Week,” which is the final seven days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Palm Sunday was the “beginning of the end” of Jesus’ work on Earth, which would become the beginning of the church (the book of Acts) before the end time.
Palm Sunday began with Jesus and His disciples traveling over the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two disciples ahead into the village of Bethphage to find and retrieve a colt of a donkey. They found the unbroken colt just as Jesus said they would (Luke 19:29–30). When the disciples untied the colt, the owners began to question them. They told the owners what Jesus told them to say: “The Lord needs it” (Luke 19:31–34). Some people believe that Jesus stole the donkey or that He was at least presumptuous in taking it; however, Jesus had visited this region before this moment (Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1), and it is more than likely that Jesus arranged for this moment ahead of time. In fact, it is written that later on that week Jesus arranged [ahead of time] for the upper room to be available in order to celebrate Passover with His disciples (Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13). And Jesus’ abilities to foresee the future and plan ahead explains why the owners of the colt accepted the disciples’ answer — the owners had been expecting them, but they wanted to be certain the men were in fact Jesus’ disciples and not common thieves.
But why the colt of a donkey? Shouldn’t a great leader and anticipated heroic Savior arrive with a grand entrance like all superheroes? Shouldn’t there be lightning, fireworks, an orchestra, big flags or banners? Shouldn’t a great leader ride on a fancy prancing steed while wearing royal robes? Where was the pizazz? What was so majestic about a colt of donkey? The colt was young and small; in fact, the disciples brought along its mother to ride alongside it (Matthew 21:7). If you were a Roman soldier at that time and you saw a grown man riding on a young and small donkey, would it look like a grand entrance to you? If I had been a Roman soldier at that time, I probably would have pointed at Jesus and laughed while saying, “Look at that jackass! Hey! Sir! You’re making an ass of yourself! Get it? An ass is a donkey?”
What made this seemingly ordinary event a triumphal entry? The answer is found in the Old Testament — Jesus was fulfilling prophecy (Psalm 24:7-10; Isaiah 62:10-11; Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 118:25-26; 148:1)! Jesus was openly declaring to the people that He was their long-awaited King and Messiah. And because the Jewish people realized this significance, the ones who believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah (anointed or chosen one) were celebrating (John 12:18)! The Old Testament prophecy predicted a coming Deliverer, chosen by GOD to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). The Jews called the Deliverer the Messiah — this chosen One was going to be their ‘superhero’. The only reason why the scene of Jesus riding on a colt of a donkey was a triumphal entry was because the prophets said that the Deliverer would be riding on a colt of a donkey. This event was a big deal! However, for those who had been unaware of what prophecy foretold, they just saw a grown man riding on a tiny donkey. To a Roman soldier who had been accustomed to seeing intimidating warhorses, chariots, formation of phalanxes, and lines of legions, this event seemed trivial and wouldn’t have caused them any concern — it was just a dude on a donkey. And that’s why Jesus was able to do it without the Roman army intervening. It was genius! And again, all of this was planned ahead long before the moment ever happened. And to everyone who knew the significance of this event, it most certainly was a triumphal entry. And for this reason, the people rejoiced and celebrated!
Sadly, the majority of praise from the people were not because they recognized Jesus as the Savior of their souls but only as someone who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. The people believed that the Deliverer would set up an earthly kingdom at that time, not a heavenly Kingdom in the life that is to come. And though there were many people who did not believe in Jesus as the Savior of our souls, they nevertheless hoped that perhaps He would be the one to overthrow the empire. And this is why a mixture of people hailed Jesus as King with their many hosannas, recognizing Him as the leader of the resistance revolution. The word hosanna comes from a Hebrew word meaning “save now” or “save us, we pray.” The first word of Psalm 118:25 is howosiah-na, translated “Save us!” and the crowd’s use of this word at the triumphal entry was significant—especially as they waved palm branches (Psalm 118 was associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a recurring event throughout the Bible as a way of reminding Israelites in every generation of their deliverance). By saying “hosanna” as Jesus passed through the gates of Jerusalem and referring to David and David’s kingdom, the Jews were acknowledging Jesus as their Messiah. The Jews had been waiting a long time for the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17:11–14; 2 Chronicles 6:16), and their shouts of “hosanna in the highest” indicated the hope that their Messiah had finally come to set up GOD’s Kingdom there and immediately at that time (Luke 19:11).
As Jesus rode toward Jerusalem, a big crowd gathered around Him. The people rightly understood that Jesus was the Messiah; however, they did not understand that it wasn’t yet time to set up the Kingdom. Sadly, the salvation that the people of Jerusalem wanted that day was political, not spiritual (Acts 1:6). Though Jesus had tried to tell them that He came to be the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation (Luke 19:10–12), they neglected to realize that prophecy foretold that Jesus must be a suffering servant (Isaiah 53) before He becomes King of all kings.
Nevertheless, the crowd’s use of palm branches gives us the name “Palm Sunday” (John 12:13). And as the people celebrated on that first Palm Sunday, the allusion to a Messianic psalm drew resentment from the religious leaders (Luke 19:39).
But the celebration would be short-lived because the crowd’s commitment was shallow. In only a matter of a few days, the same people who hailed Jesus as the Deliverer would deliver Him up to be nailed on a cross. The same people who proclaimed Jesus to be Christ would soon call Him a criminal (Matthew 27:15–26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:38-19:16). And because Jesus lowered Himself to such a humbling position (Philippians 2:5-8), the people did not recognize Him for who He truly is (Matthew 27:27-31,39-44). The greatest tragedy in the history of mankind is to see Jesus yet not recognize Him as the Creator, Provider, Sustainer, and Savior — the great I AM. Devotion based only on curiosity or popularity fades quickly. Jesus told us that our faith needs to have deep roots (Matthew 13:1-9,18-23).
At this very moment that I’m writing this article, Palm Sunday will be celebrated tomorrow. So, why should we celebrate on Palm Sunday? Because we’re celebrating the fact that the King of kings came to live amongst us and suffer with us (Hebrews 4:15)! But we’re also celebrating the fact that He will come again! And when the Lord comes again, it will most certainly be the triumphal entry one would expect from the King of kings. And on that Day, the entire world will see and know that the name of Jesus is above every other name (Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:27,30; Mark 13:26; Luke 2:26-27). Though we don’t know the day nor hour (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32), there is coming a time when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10–11). Unlike the first Palm Sunday when the celebration was superficial, the worship on the new Earth under the new heavens will be authentic, deep, and meaningful. There will come a Day when people will again be hailing Jesus as King while waiving palm branches (Revelation 7:9-10). Just as Jesus restored Peter after Peter denied Him (John 21:15-17), the future worship with palm branches will symbolize our restoration.
The first Palm Sunday was a celebration of GOD’s great mercy. This is what separates Christianity from all other religions: in all other religions, humans attempt to work their way to salvation, to a god or becoming a god; however, we (Christians) know that we are simply unable to save ourselves. And this is why GOD came to us! On Palm Sunday, we are celebrating that GOD loved us enough to get personally involved and mixed up in our mess so that He could absorb all our sins and redeem us. This is why we celebrate Palm Sunday! Forget about the donkey! Only a jackass fixates on a jackass. Jesus could have miraculously stood on a snail while ants pulled Him if He wanted to do so. The point here is that GOD-Almighty lowered Himself to be with us so that we can be with Him! Palm Sunday is a celebration of a triumphal entry! Jesus was born in a manger and announced Himself while riding on a little donkey, but none of that had anything to do with the real triumphal entry. The triumphal entry is Jesus existing in the world! And that’s what the people were supposed to be celebrating on that first Palm Sunday! The fact that Jesus is Immanuel — GOD with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)! None of the superheroes in the comic books have ever made a more memorable or remarkable entrance than Jesus when He was miraculously born of a virgin by the Spirit (Luke 1:26-38)! The virgin birth is the true triumphal entry! Jesus in this world is the true triumphal entry! And if you think Thor’s entrance with lightning onto the battlefield was spectacular in the movie, Avengers: Infinity War, just wait until Christ comes again and opens the sky as a scroll would roll up while the stars fall from their places (Isaiah 34:4; 51:6; Matthew 24:29-31; Revelation 6:12-17)! On that Day and at that time, it will be the greatest entrance ever witnessed! And all throughout Heaven, it will be said, “Now that’s how you make an entrance!”
Happy Palm Sunday. As you celebrate the fact that Jesus entered our pain and suffering to be our Savior, know this:
“What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
(Romans 8:31) -GW
Additional Study:
Quest For Truth 