Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that memorable Palm Sunday as a liberator. As He approached the city, He wept over it (Luke 19:41). He was crying because He knew the fickle nature of people. He cried because they had missed the point. He had not come to them to be a rescuer or a miracle worker. He had come to be their Savior. They totally misunderstood the reason for His visitation (Luke 19:44).

Though many of those He loved did not understand why He had come, Jesus’ role was set in stone centuries before in Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor ... to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (verse 1). He read from the Old Testament scroll in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19) and concluded, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).

Jesus’ words are so relevant on Palm Sunday — “If you ... had only known ... what would bring you peace” (Luke 19:42). Will the people in your pews understand the urgency of the message He proclaimed and the great compassion He has for them? During Holy Week, I urge you to preach liberation from sin, addiction, fear, pain, loneliness — you name it. Jesus is the greatest liberator the world has ever known, and He is available to your people. I assure you, they will be open to the message of freedom, receptive to the possibility of deliverance. Sin and evil have been overcome by the mercy of a loving Lord. Preach freedom, my colleague! That is the Easter message!

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38).