Following the Humble King
Sunday’s Verses:
From Philippians 2:9-11 ESV
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Palm Sunday feels like a celebration. Crowds waving branches. Shouts of “Hosanna.” A King entering the city.
But our passage from Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds us of something deeper. The exaltation of Jesus came after His humility.
Before the crown came the cross.
Before every knee bows, He chose to kneel in obedience.
Palm Sunday sits right in that tension. The people expected a conquering king. Jesus came as a suffering servant.
God gave Jesus “the name that is above every name.”
This isn’t just about a title. It’s about authority, identity, and truth. Jesus is not just a teacher or a prophet. He is Lord.
The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” would soon fall silent or turn away. But their shifting voices didn’t change who He is.
And it doesn’t change today either.
The question isn’t whether Jesus is Lord.
The question is whether we recognize Him as Lord in our own lives.
This passage points forward to a moment that hasn’t fully happened yet.
Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess.
Some will do it in joy. Others realize too late. But no one will stand outside that truth.
Palm Sunday gives us a choice:
Will we acknowledge Him now, willingly and wholeheartedly?
Or wait until we have no choice?
It’s easy to celebrate Jesus when the moment feels uplifting. It’s harder to follow Him when the path leads through sacrifice, surrender, or uncertainty.
But this is the same Jesus.
The one who entered Jerusalem on a donkey is the one who reigns in glory.
So today, take a moment and ask:
Where am I praising Jesus with my words but resisting Him in my actions?
What would it look like to truly call Him Lord in my daily life?
Am I following the humble King, or just admiring Him from a distance?
✝️ A Prayer for Today:
Almighty God, on this Palm Sunday, Your Son’s name is truly above every name and worthy of more than my words. Teach me to follow Your beloved Son in humility, even when things get hard. In Your Son’s name, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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