INTRODUCTION

There is a danger in:

Doing the right things for the wrong reasons.
Right action. Wrong motive.

And nowhere is that more clear than Palm Sunday.

The crowd gets the moment right…
but their motive wrong.

CONTEXT

Jerusalem is filled with pilgrims for Passover.
Expectation is high. Anticipation is building.

Jesus enters the city—not randomly, but deliberately.

He is coming as the Passover Lamb
to accomplish what humanity doesn’t even realize it needs.

TRANSITION

So the question becomes:

Are they praising Jesus for who He is…
or for what they want Him to do?

1. The King Arrives on Purpose

(Mark 11:1–7)

“The Lord has need of it…”

Everything about this moment is intentional.

• The colt
• The instructions
• The timing
• The fulfillment of prophecy

Jesus is not caught up in the moment—
He is orchestrating the moment.

What His entry reveals:

• PROPHECY fulfilled → God keeps His promises
• HUMILITY displayed → Not a war horse, but a donkey
• PEACE offered → Not conquest, but salvation

Big Idea:
Jesus is not the King people expected—
but He is exactly the King they needed.

2. The Crowd Responds with Passion

(Mark 11:8–11)

“Hosanna! Blessed is He…”

The scene is electric:

• Cloaks in the road
• Branches waving
• Voices shouting

They are quoting Psalm 118:

“Save us now!”

Their worship is real.
Their excitement is genuine.

But their understanding is incomplete.

3. The Crowd Misses What Matters Most

They shout the right words…
but for the wrong reason.

Roll these out:

• The crowd wants the Kingdom, NOT the King
• The cry is for deliverance, NOT a Deliverer
• The hope is for salvation, NOT a Savior

They want:

• Freedom from Rome
• Relief from oppression
• A better version of life

But Jesus came for something deeper:

• Freedom from sin
• Victory over death
• Eternal salvation

Big Idea:
They wanted a Savior on their terms.
Jesus came as King on God’s terms.

4. The Same Problem Still Exists Today

2,000 years later, the crowd hasn’t changed.

We still cry:

“Hosanna… save us…”

But often we mean:

• Fix my situation
• Improve my circumstances
• Make my life easier

We want:

“Walmart Jesus”
Convenient. Accessible. On-demand.

But what we need is:

King Jesus
Who calls us to surrender, repentance, and transformation.

5. The Gospel Clarifies What We Truly Need

Humanity’s greatest problem is not:

• Circumstances
• Relationships
• Finances

Our greatest problem is:

Sin

And Jesus came to:

• Be the Passover Lamb
• Shed His blood once for all
• Secure eternal redemption

He didn’t come to meet preferences—
He came to save souls.

CONCLUSION

So here’s the question:

Which Jesus are you crying “Hosanna” to?

• The Jesus you want?
• Or the Jesus you need?

FINAL CHALLENGE

Let’s not be guilty of:

Right action… wrong motive.

Let’s not just praise Jesus for what He can give us—

Let’s surrender to Him for who He truly is.

King Jesus. Savior. Lord.