Palms for Kings

Today is the last Sunday in Lent and commonly referred to as Palm Sunday, celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Following the service this morning we have palms for the kids to take home with them in celebration of this glorious feast. And of course we have spent a good bit of the last number of months talking about the church calendar and marking our days and seasons according to Christ. But it’s important to say again and again, that we are not under these days; we are not enslaved to these days. Paul says that we may not live as though we are still under regulations like that. We are not under the days; the days are under us. We have been raised with Christ, and we are called to seek those things which are with Christ, to seek the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We are not under days; the days are under us. In Christ, we have all been made Lords of the Sabbath. We are priests and kings with Jesus, and we have been granted dominion of time. So why do we celebrate days then? Why do we celebrate Lent? Why do we celebrate Good Friday and Easter? Because we get to. It can look or sound holy to make up lots of rules about not touching or eating certain things, and Paul says it can have an appearance of wisdom. But it really has no value against the indulgence of the flesh. The answer to fighting sin is living like kings, living like you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Because it is. The answer is taking up your sword and slaying your members on the earth which still serve the lusts of the flesh. And so we celebrate days not because we are under them, but because they are now under us. It is a sign of our kingship, a sign of our rule, a sign of the victory of Christ over all time and space. It’s proof that Christ has disarmed all the principalities and triumphed over them. And our days and seasons are opportunities keep working on our victory dance. This is our warfare, our joy, our victory over sin and the flesh and the devil. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and you are called to follow Jesus to the cross, remembering that the joy that was set before him is the same joy that is now set before us. So wave the palms proudly after church, kids. Jesus has made us kings.