Palm Sunday: King Jesus & The Table that satisfies. It's that time of year again! We just celebrated Palm Sunday, that powerful day in the Christian calendar where we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, but also the sobering reality of what was to come only a few days later. This Sunday at Trinity Church Owen Sound, we were reminded that following Jesus isn't about maintaining our own definition of "normal." Often, we approach Christianity with the expectation that God wants us to have a "perfect," "successful," or "triumphant" life by the world's standards. But, as Jeremy pointed out in this week’s message, the Christian life is not normal. Jesus says: "Those who seek to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake and the sake of the gospel will save it." That’s a powerful and counter-cultural statement! It challenges our desire for power, control, and a life built on our own terms. Think about the crowd on Palm Sunday. They were waving palm branches and shouting "Hosanna," excited for a king who they thought would satisfy their political and immediate needs. But just a few days later, some of those same people joined the crowd shouting, "Crucify him." Why? Perhaps because Jesus’ definition of "king" and "kingdom" was so different from what they expected. This week’s message posed a challenging question to us all: If you claim Jesus as king, are you truly willing to follow where he leads? Do we want to surrender our own wisdom, our own comfort, and our own desires for control, and accept that God's ways are higher than ours? It’s a call to move beyond our own understanding and to truly kneel before him. In our world, we’re often invited to a "table" of power, prestige, and success, but it's a table we have to fight for, and the satisfaction it offers is fleeting. But Jesus invites us to a different kind of table. Through his sacrifice, he offers a place that is already secure, a seat we haven't earned but are freely given. This table—which we celebrated through communion—isn't about our efforts to be "better," "holier," or "smarter." It's an invitation to stop trying to be "enough" on our own and to simply receive the love that transforms. As we go through this Holy Week, let's take a moment to reflect on what it means to truly make Jesus King of our lives. Let's remember that the journey won't always make sense by the world's standards, but it is a path that leads to a love that never fails. Lord Jesus, we want to hail you as king. Forgive us for often trying to build our own version of your kingdom. Teach us what it means to surrender our control and sit at the table you’ve prepared. Help us to experience your transforming love and to live out our faith in vibrant community. Amen. If you weren't able to join us, you can listen to the full podcast episode here. You won't want to miss it! Remember, Trinity Church Owen Sound exists to love God and others, share the good news, expand His kingdom, and make disciples who grow more like Jesus in vibrant community. Join us on this journey! We'd love to see you soon Is "Normal" really the goal?The Invitation to SurrenderA Table that satisfies.A Prayer for our journey together.Missed the service? Listen now.
