The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him. They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessings on the king of Israel!”

John 12:12-13

How blessed and privileged are we? Baptisms two weeks in a row! Last week the absolutely perfect covenant baptism celebration of baby Owen. This week both covenant and believer’s baptism rolled into one; our friend Lindy Creech asked to be baptized and the congregation could not have been happier or more proud.

What a powerful witness. For an adult, one who has been a leader and a mentor to so many over the years, to kneel humbly in front of the body and to affirm – and confirm – her commitment to follow Jesus and live as a faithful, intentional disciple.

Now let’s throw in the fact that this was Palm Sunday. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate The Triumphal Entry than recognizing the entry of faith into the hearts and lives of all those who accept his invitation home – talk about something triumphal!

Our sanctuary was full with life and enthusiasm and commitment and celebration! Kids waving palm branches; adults waving palm branches. So many people, and this sense of spiritual vitality so real it was palpable.

I love church, and I have always felt that Sunday mornings together were food for my soul even if there are only a few of us there. But when the sanctuary is literally pulsating with life, the buzz of conversation and love a most fitting prelude, attendance way above what the church has been used to, the beauty of it takes root and I am full to overflowing.

Watch a short segment of Lindy’s baptism here:

This is life! This is celebration and fullness and joy! This is what Jesus was talking about when he said – essentially – the following. “If you want people to understand what it means to follow me, then do this one thing: Love one another.”

If you took a survey of everyone in attendance Sunday morning, you would likely find more than 100 differing opinions on everything from theology to doctrine to politics to social issues. But that’s not important stuff. What matters is the invitation to love God and to follow Jesus and to allow the Spirit to guide us day by day.

Day by day, dear Lord,
of you three things I pray;
to see you more clearly,
to love you more dearly,
to follow you more nearly,
day by day.