On Palm Sunday, Nick Pickrell, Curator of The Open Table, spoke about the hidden expectations many in the parading crowds had of Jesus during his entry into Jerusalem. Jesus didn’t meet those expectations so many ended up abandoning Jesus and joining in the chorus of voices shouting to crucify him.

We have these same hidden expectations in our own lives, and it limits the kind of welcome we offer. Instead of welcoming people by meeting them where they are at, we withdraw our welcome unless people assimilate to our own culture and expectations. Listen to the conversation we had on Sunday about this crucial topic during Holy Week.

Also, if you’d like to take a deeper dive into an alternative take on the meaning of Jesus’ triumphal entry, read this article by theologian, Ched Myers.