A Jacked Up Holy Week - Day 1 – Palm Sunday: When Applause Isn’t Enough
An eight-day devotional to take you up to Easter!
📖 John 12:12–13 (NET)
“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. They began to shout, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
🎧 Life Is Loud When You’re Winning
There’s something intoxicating about applause. When people cheer you on, post heart emojis on your highlight reel, or give you the spiritual nod of approval, it’s easy to believe you’re doing something right. After all, crowds don’t gather for losers. Praise feels like validation. Palm branches feel like progress. It’s easy to confuse attention for affirmation and momentum for meaning.
But what happens when the applause dies down?
That’s what makes Palm Sunday such a jacked-up moment in the Holy Week story. Jesus enters Jerusalem like a rock star—cheered, celebrated, worshiped. He rides in on a donkey to fulfill ancient prophecy, but also to flip expectations. People wanted a king who would conquer their enemies. Jesus was about to conquer something deeper. And that’s when things get complicated.
Because by Friday, the cheers turn to jeers. The crowd that yelled “Hosanna” now yells “Crucify Him.” That’s not just a shocking reversal—it’s a brutal reminder that public opinion is paper-thin. The crowd didn’t really want a Savior; they wanted a spectacle. The moment Jesus didn’t meet their expectations, they moved on.
And we’re not much different.
🪞 When Performance Becomes Identity
We live in a culture that treats worth like it’s up for vote. Followers, likes, compliments, performance reviews, even praise at church—they become the barometers we use to measure our identity. We hustle to keep up the image, to make sure the crowd stays cheering. But what happens when the crowd goes quiet? When you don’t get the promotion? When your “good Christian” mask slips?
If your foundation is applause, silence will crush you. And if your identity is built on performance, failure will wreck you.
Jesus didn’t ride into Jerusalem for the applause. He rode in knowing it would cost Him everything. That’s the tension of Palm Sunday: the collision between popularity and purpose.
He didn’t need their praise to prove His worth—because His identity was rooted in something deeper than noise. And that’s the invitation for us, too. If you’ve been performing for approval, trying to outpace your shame, or addicted to validation to mask your fear—you’re not alone. But you’re also not free.
✝️ Following a King Who Doesn’t Always Win
Palm Sunday isn’t just about a parade—it’s a preview of what happens when we follow a King who doesn’t behave like we expect. Jesus doesn’t always win in the ways we want Him to. He doesn’t fix everything overnight. He doesn’t always silence the haters. And He absolutely refuses to be used as a tool for our agenda.
That’s frustrating. But it’s also freeing.
Because if we only follow Jesus when things are going our way, we’re not following Him—we’re following applause. And sooner or later, that crowd will turn. That’s why Holy Week starts with a question: Will you still follow Jesus when the cheering stops?
If your life feels jacked up right now—confusing, out of control, lacking momentum—you might be closer to Jesus than you think. Because the place where the crowd leaves is often where grace begins.
🛠️ The Foundation Check
Palm Sunday invites a foundation check. It asks: What have you built your sense of identity on? It exposes the cracks we cover up with applause and performance. It calls us back to the only foundation that can withstand the weight of real life—grace.
Jesus doesn’t need your performance. He wants your surrender.
And He’s not scared of your mess.
🙏 Reflection Questions:
Where in your life are you relying on approval from others to feel okay?
What would change if you believed your value was settled before you ever performed?
Are there moments when you felt betrayed by people who once cheered you on?
👉 Hit reply or share in the comments: When have you felt the shift from praise to silence—and what did it teach you about God’s grace?
Jesus is king and I’m forever grateful