Today is Palm Sunday and one of my favorite days of the year. Why? Well… for me, it starts in these marvelous verses:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
I finally understood the glories of this verse when I started writing stories years ago. It’s only a hobby of mine, but I learned a lot about what makes a good story… a good plot. I learned about what draws people into the story, and what makes them satisfied with the end of the story.
You see, it’s all about the hero (or heroine). The entire story — from beginning to end, from setting to other characters to whatever troubles need a hero — it’s all designed for the hero. The magnitude of the problems besetting the world sets the stage to show off the power and strength of the hero. Everything leads toward the final climax, when the hero overcomes all and saves the world. Everything. It all points to the hero, and it’s all about him.
That’s what this verse is saying about Jesus.
All of history is about Him. At the end of time, the grand finale of the story will come.
And when the people of Jerusalem spread their palm branches and shouted praises, it was a foreshadowing of that day when the entire world will see Him in all His glory. For there will come a day when there will be no one who does not see and know that He is Lord. The ultimate Hero. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus.
I love Palm Sunday because we celebrate the one time in history when humanity recognized their King for who He Is.