Just a few weeks ago, we never would have imagined that things would turn out the way they have today. As a pastor, I never would have expected to suddenly cancel church services for two weeks as the result of a virus. I certainly did not expect to have to make the heartbreaking decision to cancel church for the entire month of April—for Holy Week and Easter too! These are certainly strange times that the new corona virus has brought upon us. No one alive today can remember times like these. Strange times, indeed!

This week I have been reflecting on the fact that the first Sunday in April is Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. If we were in church on Sunday, we would read John 12:12–19 together, and we would hear about the crowds who went out to meet Jesus waving palm branches and shouting out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” It’s a fitting text for these strange times.

The word the people cry out is, “Hosanna!” We sing this word every communion Sunday when we sing the Sanctus right before the Lord’s Supper. Since we hear and sing this word so frequently, it’s easy for us to forget that “Hosanna” is actually a Hebrew word with a very specific meaning. The word “Hosanna” means, “Save us, now!” in Hebrew. It’s the perfect word for today!

At a time where stability has been replaced with uncertainty, we can certainly resonate with the people of Jerusalem as they shouted out to Jesus, “Save us, now!” When we’re going stir-crazy at home, when we’re having a hard time finding enough groceries to feed our families, when we here reports of more and more people afflicted with a virus, we can all cry out, “Save us, now!”

But in a time like this, we can also remember the words of the prophet quoted in John 12:15: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” Those are words of comfort for us today. “Fear not.” Even in times of trouble, we know that the Lord is in control of all things. We know that God’s wisdom is greater than our wisdom, and that nothing can snatch us out of His hand. Fear not.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, in an unexpected way. He didn’t ride a magnificent horse or a chariot, but a donkey. We may find in the near future that the Lord continues to come to us in ways that we don’t expected. Instead of hearing God’s word at Church on Sunday, it may be on the radio or TV. Or it may be on the internet through Facebook or something else. Maybe it will arrive in the mail, like this newsletter! But even if God comes to us in strange ways in this strange time, fear not! For he is the king of Israel, He is the king of the Church, and He will work out all things to His Glory.

We know that God will do this for us because He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ into Jerusalem where he was handed over and suffered and died for our sins. And we know that God will lead us through this uncertain time because He raised Jesus from the dead, and that resurrection is our resurrection!

So, as sad as it is, we will not see each other in church on Easter Sunday this year. But fear not! We will still have our Easter celebration! For every day we remember Christ’s resurrection. And we will celebrate that resurrection all the more when we are able to worship together and see each other face-to-face once again. And at all times, we sing “Hosanna!” “Save us, now!” as we wait for Jesus to do just that, to come and restore this fallen creation and put an end to all sickness, and virus, and suffering. On that day he will draw us to himself and we will see Him face-to-face!

I am confident that the Lord who has called each of you to faith will preserve you in that faith, and that he will bring you with himself and all the saints on that great and glorious day, no matter what happens between now and then. Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!