Cry for Rescue, A Call to Surrender! | John 12:12-26
Cry for Rescue, A Call to Surrender! | John 12:12-26
INTRODUCTION
Today, a majority of the Christian church around the world celebrate Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday. This is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life.
All the four gospels mentions Jesus entering Jerusalem from their own perspectives. Today, we are going to look at it from the perspective of John’s Gospel.
John 12:12-19
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
23Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
In John 12, Jesus arrives in Bethany, just a few miles from Jerusalem. There, Jesus had a dinner in honour of him and Mary breaks an alabaster Jar and pours a pint of pure nard on Jesus’s head and feet and prepares him for his burial. The next day Jesus arrives in Jerusalem. This verse provides the setting for the final stages of Jesus’ life and ministry – The Passover Festival during which his betrayal, crucifixion and death took place.
This is the Passover time. This is the time where lakhs of pilgrims are coming into Jerusalem for the Passover. John mentions that a great crowd (John 12:12) that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They come to Jesus and join his disciples. What are they doing?
John 12:13
They took palm branches and went out to meet him….
- Palm fronts were used by pilgrims at the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication as part of worship.
- Palm branches were also used as symbols of victory and kingship.
By welcoming Jesus with palm branches, the crowd showed that they were welcoming Jesus as king. Earlier in His ministry Jesus eluded the crowds who wanted to make him king (6:15), but now Jesus accepted their gesture and its significance.
They are shouting at the top of their voices:
John 12:13
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Hosanna – Means ‘save us, save now, rescue us.’
Today, we use the ‘hosanna’ as a praise word but in the first century this word was used for their deliverance from Rome. Jerusalem has been under the Roman oppression now. They are waiting for a Saviour to rescue them. In Jesus they find someone who will liberate them from centuries of Roman oppression.
APPLICATION
In today’s world, cries for rescue echo everywhere—families struggling with job loss, nations in political unrest, and individuals battling health crises. The crowd on Palm Sunday cried “Hosanna,” longing for political deliverance from Rome. But Jesus didn’t come to rescue them politically—He came to rescue them spiritually. This doesn’t mean He doesn’t care about our daily needs. He deeply cares. Yet, His primary mission was to save us from sin. That rescue was finished at the cross and will be completed at His second coming.
Hosanna
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” This is taken from Psalm 118:25-26
Blessed is the kings of Israel.
This was the usual greeting addressed to the pilgrims coming to the temple.
John 12:14
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
According to Luke, Jesus sends two of his disciples and tells them to fetch a unridden colt, a little donkey. Jesus did not need a ride. He is used to walking long distances and he is physically fit. Jesus’ action of riding on a young donkey made a statement.
Fulfilment of OT prophesy
What we see in the life of Jesus the fulfilment of prophesy. Jesus coming to Jerusalem and going to the temple is fulfilment of OT scripture.
The Shekinah Glory Of God Is Coming To The Temple
Jesus is approaching the temple from the East gate, the main gate of the temple.
Ezekiel 10:18-19
18Then the glory of the Lord departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. (Here is a vision of the glory of the LORD departing from the temple. It is a very sad situation) 19While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
Ezekiel is pronouncing a kind of judgement on the temple. The temple was YAHWEH’s dwelling place on earth, but Ezekiel says that it has become so corrupt that the shekinah glory of the LORD which dwelt in the temple got up and left, and it left by the east gate, the main gate of the temple and hovered up above the Mount of Olives.
Ezekiel 11:23
The glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.
So he is seeing the glory of the LORD leaving the holy temple and going east. A very sad text. Has God’s glory left the temple because of its corruption?
But then a little later in Ezekiel we find this: The prophesy that one day the glory of the Lord will return and return the same way he left.
Ezekiel 43:1-3
1Then the man brought me to the gate facing east, 2and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.
God’s glory left because of corruption, but he will come back says Ezekiel. When Jesus comes to Jerusalem, it is the glory of the LORD coming back to the temple.
The King of Israel is coming to His Holy City
John 12:15
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
This is taken from Zechariah 9:9.
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
There is Zechariah predicting the definitive return of the Davidic King. Here the Lord is not portrayed in a military fashion mounted on a war-horse. During Passover, the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate who was positioned in Caesarea would come to Jerusalem to maintain peace and order. He would come on a war-horse with thousands of soldiers. Jesus came humbly. He came in peace.
How do powerful people come today? They come with an entourage, surrounded by armed forces and there is a great display of power.
How does this new Davidic king come? On a donkey, not a Mercedes. Even on a foal, like a baby, a little donkey. Surrounded by armies? No, he comes in humility and simplicity.
The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of Humility and Simplicity.
We the children of this great King Jesus must live in humility and simplicity.
Zechariah 9:10
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
In the conscious fulfilment of this prophesy Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey to show that he was king of peace sitting on a donkey.
When Jesus comes to Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey and as people shout hosanna, it is prophesy fulfilled that the true king of Israel is coming to his holy city.
For that peace to happen, Jesus is not coming as a warlord, he is coming in pace. For that peace he will have to crushed by the evil of this world to give us peace.
APPLICATION
Jesus needed a donkey to ride, an upper room to share Passover, and Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb for His burial. He still needs something today—you. What is your “donkey”? What humble part of your life will you offer Him to use?
John 12:16
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
It is only after Jesus was glorified and they received the Holy Spirit they realized that these things had been written about him.
John 12:17-18
17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.19So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
In John11:57, the Pharisees were seeking ways to arrest Jesus, they ask anyone who knows his whereabouts should make it known. However, Jesus is now moving openly in public places. Even though the Pharisees knew where Jesus was, they could not arrest him because he was held in high esteem by the crowd. The whole world has gone after him.
Greek Pilgrims Seek Jesus: Gentile Mission
John 11:20-22
20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
The Greeks come to the Passover to worship God. They were God-fearers. Now, it is not only the Jews, but the gentiles, the Greeks are worshipping Jesus.
When Jesus heard this, Jesus replied:
John 12:23
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
This is the first time Jesus says his hour has come. The trigger for this change is Passover where Jesus is going to die and the coming of the Greeks, the inclusion of gentiles to his mission.
John 11:24
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Jesus is talking about his own death. Just as a kernel of wheat would produce many seeds as it sprouts and grows up to a mature plant, so too Jesus would die, but the effects of his death would be a vast harvest of people who thorough faith in him would find eternal life.
Jesus giving his life is a pattern for the disciples:
John 11:25
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Those who love their lives or prioritize their lives over Jesus, will lose it for eternal life. Life in this world must not be given priority over following Jesus.
John 11:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Jesus gives us a command and two promises.
Command: Whoever serves me must follow me: Jesus’ life was the pattern for all who would be his followers. Follow Jesus as he denied himself for our sake, we must deny ourselves for His sake.
Two Promises for Jesus Followers:
a. Where I am my servant will also be: Those who follow Jesus in the path of self-denial in this world will have a place with him in his future glory (14:2-3; 17:24).
b. My Father the honour the one who serves me: Jesus promised honour from God to all who serve him. In this life Jesus’ disciples may face disdain from the world as he did, but on the last day they will receive honour from God himself.`
CONCLUSION
Palm Sunday calls us to contemplate the significance of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It shows the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies, revealing Jesus as the promised King of Israel. He comes to Jerusalem to die and give salvation for those who believe in him. The scripture also tells us that Jesus promised to come back again to set his rule and Kingdom in this world. We are waiting for that Triumphal Entry.
As we reflect on Palm Sunday, Jesus calls us to live out kingdom values not with pomp but with humility—integrity at work, humility in our homes, and sincerity in worship. His kingship is not defined by power but by sacrificial love that stoops to serve. Mary’s act of pouring costly perfume at Jesus’ feet in John 12 is a beautiful example of humble, wholehearted worship and sacrificial love. Likewise, the Greeks who came seeking Jesus reflect a genuine desire to know Him, while many of the Jews, though close in proximity, missed the true significance of His coming. His kingship is not defined by power but by sacrificial love that stoops to serve.
Imagine the contrast: Pilate rides in on a warhorse, showcasing dominance; Jesus rides a donkey, symbolizing peace. The crowd shouted “Hosanna” hoping for political change, but Jesus came to rescue us from sin—offering eternal freedom through the cross. Are we like the crowd seeking miracles or like the Greeks genuinely seeking Christ? Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem leads to this betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Remember this King’s journey leads to suffering, death, and glorious resurrection. Those who believe in Jesus will share in His glory.
Even today, Jesus comes into the chaos of our lives—our broken cities and weary hearts. He is not distant from our pain. Instead of riding past us, He steps into our mess with compassion. If we surrender our fears, struggles, and misplaced expectations, and welcome Him in, He brings lasting peace—a peace the world cannot offer or understand.
LIFE APPLICATION POINTS
1. Surrender Control to Christ’s Kingship.
The crowds wanted a political saviour, Jesus came to reign in their hearts. Let Jesus be the King over your decisions, family life, jobs. What areas of your life are still under your control that Christ is calling you to surrender?
2. Embrace Humility and Simplicity.
Jesus entered Jerusalem humbly, riding on a donkey. We should embrace humility and simplicity in our lives, rejecting pride and worldly ambitions. Live simple lives, work humbly, lead gently – this is kingdom greatness. Does your life reflect humility and simplicity?
3. Die to Self to Bear Fruit.
Unless a kernel of wheat falls. Dying to self brings spiritual growth. Let go pride, selfish ambition, and control to let Christ live through you. What area of my life is Christ asking me to let go so that I can grow in Him?
4. Proclaim Jesus as King to the World.
As followers of Christ, our mission is to proclaim Jesus as King to the world. Like the crowds who shouted “Hosanna,” we should boldly declare Jesus’ Lordship and share the message of salvation with others, inviting them to join in the Kingdom of God.