Palm Sunday -- April 1, 2012
Mark 11:9 "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the acclamations of the crowd. They shouted the blessing of Psalm 118:25, 26: "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" To come with the name of another is to come as that one's emissary. To come in the name of the Lord is to come as the ambassador of God . . . and an ambassador or emissary comes with the full authority of the one he or she represents. For instance, the ambassador of the United States to Japan represents the President of the United States of America to the government and people of Japan. He or she acts with the voice and authority of the President and government of the United States. The ambassador comes in the name of the United States government and President. Yes, Jesus came in the name of the Lord. You may, also. As I may. Think about "blessing" for a moment. The "blessing" to the one w...