Guest Notes
03-29-2026 🎙️Sermon Title: “Palm Sunday The Danger of Knowing the Story but Missing the King”
Text: Matthew 21:1–11
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a]
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Introduction
Most people in this room already know this story. You have celebrated Palm Sunday Services for 50 years or more,
You’ve heard about:
The donkey…The palm branches ..The shouting crowd
You can preach it yourself.
But here’s the danger:
👉 Familiarity can blind you to revelation.
You can know the story… and still miss the Savior.
The people in Jerusalem had Scripture
They had expectation
They even had praise
But they still missed who Jesus Christ really was.
​
1. They Had the Right Moment—but the Wrong
They shouted:
👉 “Hosanna!”
They quoted prophecy. They recognized the moment.
But they misread the mission.
They thought:
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“This is political”
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“This is immediate deliverance”
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“This is about us winning now”
But Jesus was doing something deeper:
👉 He was setting up a sacrifice—not a takeover
Fresh Insight:
You can be spiritually mature…
and still misinterpret what God is doing in your life.
-
You see movement—but not meaning
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You recognize timing—but not purpose
👉 Discernment is deeper than recognition
​
2. The Donkey Was Not Just Humility—It Was a Statement
You’ve heard:
👉 “Jesus came humbly”
But here’s what’s deeper:
In ancient times:
-
Kings rode horses in war
-
Kings rode donkeys in peace
Jesus wasn’t just being humble…
​
👉 He was declaring:
“I am not here to fight your external battles—I came to deal with your internal condition.” YOUR HEART CONDITION”
Fresh Insight:
Many believers still want Jesus to:
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Fix situations
-
Change people
-
Remove pressure
But Jesus is focused on:
👉 Transforming YOU
​
3. The Palms Were a National Symbol—Not Just Worship
Palm branches were not random.
They symbolized:
👉 Victory 👉 National pride👉 Liberation
This wasn’t just worship…
👉 It was expectation of political power.
Fresh Insight:
Sometimes what looks like worship…
👉 is actually self-interest in disguise
-
“Bless me”
-
“Fix this”
-
“Do it now”
That’s not always worship—that’s negotiation.
👉 True worship says: “Even if You don’t do it my way—I still praise You.” Daniel 3:18, "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up."
4. The Same Crowd Didn’t Change—Their Disappointment Did
We often say:
👉 “The crowd turned on Jesus”
But here’s the deeper truth:
👉 The crowd didn’t change—
their expectations were exposed.
When Jesus didn’t:
-
Overthrow Rome ….. Meet their timeline
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Match their vision
They rejected Him.
Fresh Insight: (REALY THINK ABOUT THIS AND PAUSE)
Disappointment reveals the version of God you were serving.
-
If your faith collapses when God says “wait”
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If your praise fades when life gets hard
👉 You may have been following your idea of Jesus, not the real one.
​
5. IN OUR WORLD TODAY…Palm Sunday Is a Mirror—Not Just a Moment
This isn’t just history.
👉 It’s a reflection of us.
We still:
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Praise on Sunday
-
Question by Wednesday
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Struggle by Friday and START OVER ON SUNDAY
Fresh Insight:
Palm Sunday asks a hard question:
👉 Do you want a Savior… or a solution?
Because:
-
A solution fixes your situation
-
A Savior transforms your soul
​
6. The Real Tragedy: They Were Close—but Not Committed
The People at that time in History ..They were: …
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In the crowd (Church)
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In the moment
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In the noise
But not in true surrender.
Fresh Insight:
👉 Proximity to Jesus is not the same as submission to Jesus. (THEY WERE WITH HIM)
You can:
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Sit in church
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Serve in ministry
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Know Scripture
…and still not be fully surrendered.
ARE YOU FULLY SURRENDED TO GOD!
BUT HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS… Jesus said
John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
​
Closing Illustration
Imagine being at a parade…
You cheer.
You celebrate.
You wave your hands.
But after it’s over…
👉 You go back to your life unchanged.
That’s Palm Sunday for many believers.
A moment of excitement…
without a life of transformation.
Closing Challenge (For Mature Believers)
Let’s go deeper:
ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS…..
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Have I become too familiar with Jesus?
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Am I still being stretched—or just entertained?
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Do I follow Him when He contradicts my expectations?
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Am I committed beyond the moment?
Because: REMEMBER "But even if He does not,
👉 It’s possible to celebrate Him publicly…
and still resist Him privately.
Altar Call (Deeper Level)
This is not for beginners.
This is for those who say:
👉 “Lord, I’ve known You… but I want to know You deeper.”
Prayer:
“Lord, strip away my assumptions.
Break my expectations.
Reveal Yourself beyond my comfort.
I don’t just want to celebrate You—I want to surrender to You.
Be King—not just in my praise, but in my life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Final Takeaway
Palm Sunday is not about palms…
It’s about perception.
👉 And the greatest danger is this:
You can know the story…
and still miss the King.
​
ALL OF THIS STARTS WITH BECOMING A CHRISTIAN
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I realize that everyone is comfortable with a public profession of faith in Jesus. If you want the opportunity for salvation is a small intimate environment
Reach out to us by calling of texting 336-338-8037 or southplainfieldfriends.org/ click on contact us and we will guide you through the next steps.
If you’re ready to surrender your life to Christ and to be a part of a loving community of people (THAT AREN’T PERFECT) But will Love you
Say this prayer with me
Jesus,
I know that I need You.
I believe You died for my sins
and rose again to give me new life.
Today, I turn from my old ways
and give my life fully to You.
Please forgive me of my sins,
change me,………and lead me ……from this day forward.
I trust You as my Savior,
Thank You for loving me
and saving me.
Amen.
If you said this prayer and truly believe it in your heart, we believe that you are a Christian.
Luke 15:10
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Reach out to us 336-338-8037 southplainfieldfriends.org/ click on contact us and we will guide you through the next steps.
Invite someone to come with you here.
Benediction
This blessing comes from Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV/NKJV), where the LORD instructs Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the Israelites with these words: "The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace".