For many years the people of Israel prayed for a savior who would draw them back towards God, and restore their nation. They studied prophecy about this coming savior so that they would be able to know when he comes, and celebrate his arrival. And yet, Jesus comes into the world without notice, leads three years of ministry, mostly without notice from the very people studying so they would not miss him.
What does it look like to be strong? There are lots of images of strength we know from our families, books, and our world. As Joshua steps into a major leadership role, God charges him to be strong, and to live with courage. The passage also names and qualifies that the kind of strength that Joshua is being invited to is not one that comes from within him, but relies on God, and grounds itself in his word.
Easter is this watershed day for Christians to remember. The day Jesus overcame the power of death, the day he changed our relationship with God, and each other. So often the good news of Easter focuses on heaven (as it should), but leaves out the fact that the news of Jesus’ death and resurrection embolden his disciples to change how they were living that very day.
Who is Jesus? Books, lectures, and more try to answer this question in so many ways. The crowds struggled with it, his disciples struggled with it, and the religious leaders of the day did too. On Palm Sunday, some of how Jesus entered Jerusalem and responded to the crowds helps us to get a picture of who Jesus was, and what his mission in this world was focused on.