3-Minute Church: Seeing the Real King

Scroll to read a recap of Pastor Caleb Culver’s sermon from April 13, 2025

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN…

Palm Sunday isn’t just a page in the Gospels—it’s a mirror held up to our hearts. As we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem, we’re not merely celebrating a moment in history. We’re being asked a question: Who is Jesus to you—really?

When He rides into your life, does He feel like a threat to your control? Just a helper for your plans? Or is He truly the Savior of your soul?

To understand why this matters, picture the scene: Jerusalem was a pressure cooker. God’s people had been living under Roman rule for nearly a hundred years. Their freedom was gone. Their faith had been commercialized. Their worship compromised. Yet the hope of a Messiah still burned inside them.

And into that tension, Jesus comes riding—not on a warhorse like a military hero, but on a donkey. That one detail changes everything. Because Jesus wasn’t just making a dramatic entrance—He was making a declaration: I am a King. But not the kind you were expecting.

He chose humility over hype.
Peace over power.

His path to the throne went through suffering and a cross—not applause and political gain.

But let’s not keep this at arm’s length. Because Jesus is still riding in today, and He’s still not interested in half-hearted followers.

He’s not looking for fans who shout “Hosanna” on Sunday but live like He’s irrelevant by Friday.

He’s after the throne in your heart.

And here’s the hard truth: Jesus will either be King, or He will not stay. He doesn’t settle for the sidelines of your life. He doesn’t share the throne with your comfort, your ego, your sin. You either surrender, or you resist. There’s no neutral.

When Jesus entered the temple, He didn’t pat people on the back—He flipped tables. He exposed what had crept into the place of worship. He cleaned house. And He’s still doing that in His Church. He’s exposing the idols we’ve made, the compromises we’ve justified, and the ways we’ve turned faith into something comfortable and self-serving.

We love the idea of Jesus as healer, friend, teacher—but what about Jesus as King? What about the Jesus who asks us to lay down our pride, our independence, our self-made identity?

The real Jesus doesn’t come to tweak your life. He comes to take over.

That’s the invitation this Palm Sunday: not to admire Jesus from a distance, but to answer His call.

He came not to save us from Rome, but from ourselves—from the fear, shame, sin, and selfishness we cannot overcome on our own. Jesus doesn’t demand that we have it all together. He simply asks for our whole heart. He meets us in our mess. He saves us from the inside out.

But make no mistake—He does not come to play games. He comes to reign.

Are you following Jesus, or just using him?

Do you worship him for who He is—or only for what He can do for you?

Have you let Him take the throne, or are you still trying to run the show?

The crowd praised him one day and rejected him the next. We do the same when we sing “Hosanna” but resist his authority.

Let that convict you. Let it draw you to repentance, not shame. Because even now, Jesus is riding toward you—not to condemn, but to save.

And if you let Him in—really let Him in—He will change everything. He will clean house. He will heal wounds. He will rule with grace and truth. But it starts with surrender.

Cry out, “Hosanna!” But don’t stop there.

Crown him King.

Tap to watch Pastor Caleb Culver’s full sermon on Youtube.

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on this sermon:

Day 1: The King’s Humble Entry

Reading: Matthew 21:1–11

Devotional: As we reflect on Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we are struck by the paradox of his kingship. The Creator of the universe chooses to ride on a humble donkey, fulfilling ancient prophecy and demonstrating his servant heart. How often do we, like the crowds, expect God to meet our ideas of power and glory? Today, consider where you might be missing Jesus’s presence in the ordinary and humble aspects of your life. Ask God to open your eyes to his kingship in unexpected places, and to give you a heart that welcomes him in whatever form he chooses to appear.

Day 2: Recognizing the True Savior

Reading: Luke 19:28–44

Devotional: Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people did not recognize the time of God’s coming to them. How often do we miss God’s visitation in our own lives? The crowds welcomed Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna!” (meaning “save us”), but many misunderstood the nature of his salvation. Reflect on your own expectations of Jesus. Are you seeking him primarily for external blessings, or for the deep, internal transformation he offers? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas where you may be resisting Jesus’s true kingship in your life, and pray for the courage to surrender those areas to him today.

Day 3: The Cleansing of the Temple

Reading: Mark 11:15–19

Devotional: Jesus’s bold action in the temple reveals his passion for pure worship and his authority as the Son of God. Just as he cleansed the physical temple, Jesus desires to cleanse the temple of our hearts. What tables might need overturning in your life? Are there areas of compromise, hidden sin, or misplaced priorities that hinder your worship? Invite Jesus to inspect your heart today. Ask him to cleanse you from anything that does not belong and to renew your passion for authentic worship and service.

Day 4: The King Who Suffers

Reading: Isaiah 53:1–12

Devotional: The prophet Isaiah vividly describes the suffering servant-king centuries before Jesus’s crucifixion. This portrayal stands in stark contrast to worldly ideas of power and kingship. Meditate on the depth of God’s love demonstrated through Christ’s willingness to suffer on our behalf. How does this sacrificial love challenge your approach to difficulties and relationships? Ask God to give you a heart willing to embrace suffering for the sake of others, following in the footsteps of our Savior.

Day 5: Crown Him or Kill Him

Reading: Philippians 2:5–11

Devotional: Paul’s beautiful hymn about Christ’s humility and exaltation echoes the themes of Palm Sunday. Jesus, though fully God, humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. Yet this path of humility led to his ultimate exaltation. The challenge remains for us today: will we crown Jesus as Lord of our lives, or do we resist his rule? Examine your heart. Are there areas where you are still trying to maintain control rather than fully surrendering to Christ’s lordship? Pray for the grace to bow your knee to Jesus in every aspect of your life, acknowledging him as your true King and Savior.