107 Coldren Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania 15904, United States
Upcoming Sermons & Devotional Message
April Sermons 2026
4-2- Maundy Thursday Service - “ The Body and The Blood” Matthew 26:26-29
4-3- Good Friday Service - “It Is Finished” John 19:8-42
4-5 - Easter Sunday Service - “The First Day”
John 20:1-10 John 20:11-16
4-12 - The Other Road”
Luke 24:1-14 Luke 24:27-35
4-19 - “Jesus and the Doubter”
John 20:24-29 John 20:30-31
4-26- “ Redemption”
John 21:1-14 John 21:15-19
Devotional Message : These will change 1-2 times a week. Stop by often to read the new message.
HOLY WEEK: Palm Sunday—Behold Your King
Today, we begin our journey through Holy Week with Palm Sunday. It’s the day we remember and celebrate when Jesus entered Jerusalem as Savior and King. As Jesus rode a donkey down the Mount of Olives and into Jerusalem, a large crowd gathered and laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road—giving Jesus "royal treatment." They shouted:
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9)
As Holy Week begins, let us remember the significance of Palm Sunday and its value for our lives today. On that day, Jesus began His final steps toward the cross. At the start of the week, Jesus is welcomed as a coming and triumphant king—but by Friday, the crowd's shouts of “Hosanna!” change in tone and tenor to “Crucify!” By the time we get to next Sunday, the risen and living Jesus will show us just what kind of King He really is—but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s try not to rush ahead to Easter!
Let me remind you of five things about Palm Sunday that remind us Jesus is King:
1. PALM BRANCHES—the onlookers that first Palm Sunday cut palm branches and waved them in the air, and laid them out on the ground before Jesus as He rode into the city. The palm branch represented goodness and victory and was symbolic of the final victory Jesus would soon fulfill over death.
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)
2. A DONKEY—Jesus chose to ride in on a donkey, which directly fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. In biblical times, kings or other important individuals would commonly arrive by procession—riding on a donkey. The donkey symbolized peace, so those who chose to ride them showed they were arriving with peaceful intentions. Jesus even then reminded us He is the Prince of Peace.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)
3. HOSANNA—when the people shouted "Hosanna!"—they were hailing Christ as King. “Hosanna” means "save now"—and though in their own minds they waited for an earthly king, God had a different way in mind of bringing true salvation to all who would trust in Him.
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” (Psalm 118:26)
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
4. JESUS WEPT—the Bible says upon His arrival Jesus wept for Jerusalem. Amid the praise of the moment, He knew in His heart it wouldn't be long before these same people would turn their backs on Him, betray Him, and crucify Him. His heart broke with the reality of how much they needed a Savior.“ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes.’” (Luke 19:41, 42)
5. A DIFFERENT KING—Palm Sunday reminds us that the reign of Christ is far greater than anything our human mind can imagine or plan. The crowd looked for someone to fight their battles in the present-day world. Yet God had the ultimate plan of sending His Son to fight the final battle over death—from which He would rise as a risen and victorious King. The greatness of why we celebrate this week lies in Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, which sets us free from death.
“Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; those who believe in me though they die, yet shall they live, and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die.’” (John 11:25)
We have so much to be grateful for this week. The enemy of our souls knows that—and you can bet (although good Methodists don’t place wagers!), he's going to do everything he can to distract us from the true meaning of what this Holy Week means. Don't let him win. This week, may God direct our thoughts and focus our attention on what matters most—Jesus Christ, our King.
Behold your King. Focus on worshiping King Jesus. Thank Him for the gift of His sacrifice. Celebrate the power of the Resurrection. Rejoice in the new life found in Him alone. Behold your King!
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).