Can you picture the scene? Can you see the crowds gathered around anxiously waiting?

It was a Sunday afternoon, the air was crisp and the sun smiled down giving its approval.

There must have been at least two hundred people there. They were all very excited to be there, for it was such a happy day.

For some in the crowd, they had been waiting for this a long, long time.

The people in the crowds were hoping that this day would arrive and they couldn’t believe it was finally here.

Some of the people had been preparing their whole lives for this moment.

His mother knew that this day would come since the day he was born and she had been preparing herself for this moment, but she was a little emotional.

The crowd was very diverse.

There was an old man in the crowd who had experienced scenes similar to this, and behind him was a little girl. She was excited and nervous at the same time. She knew that this was a huge event, but she really didn’t understand why.

A rich businessman was there in the rear of the crowd along with a family who didn’t have a dime waiting near the front.

They had come from all parts of the town, from the inner city to the farm land and some came from out of town, way out of town to see this event.

But they were all there for the same reason, for one reason.

As they were waiting, others were working hastily, trying to make sure that every thing would be perfect. This was only going to happen one time and they didn’t want anything to go wrong.

When the time was near the whole crowd began to look back. The doors opened and a procession of fourteen people began. There was music in the air and love in the hearts of all that were there.

And at the moment that they had all been waiting for, they stood up to get the very best view they could. Some had never before seen the person that was walking before them, others were at their side every day.

They all watched as their feet walked over the leaves and petals that were laid down in front. The walk was slow, enjoying every step, remembering every second, cherishing every detail of this day, for it was the greatest day in their life.

At the end of that long walk, the bride stopped and locked arms with the man who would be her husband in a few minutes.

Today was their wedding day. Everyone was there to join in the celebration and rejoicing. There was nothing but happiness on the hearts and minds of everyone who was there.

There was a party afterward, with food and punch for everyone, and their was a large table at the back of the room that was stacked high with gifts for the new bride and groom, to help them in their new life.

A new life that began when they were joined in a union that would never be broken.

A new life that would never grow old, or get tired, or die.

A new life that would give life to others who came in contact with them. One that would rejuvenate hope in other people who were convinced that they would always be alone.

Through thick in thin (when their mid sections would be thick and the hairlines would be thin, they would stick together), in good times and bad, they would be there for each other and never forsake one another.

I watched a dear friend of mine get married last weekend. In fact if you remember my first Sunday here back in September I talked about a guy named Mike who was very influential in my life, well last Saturday, Mike married a beautiful girl named Faith.

Mike had been preparing for his wedding for a long time. But he had some help in all the preparation though, because his mother-in-law had been making plans for Mike and Faith since their first date!

Leading up to the big day Mike had to answer a lot of questions in his life. For 31 years he asked himself who was he going to marry, what kind of life would they have, and recently; who could live the life of a minister’s wife?

He also had to answer questions from others; why aren’t you married yet, what are your plans, how much money do you make, and others?

Questions that we are all asked at one point or another; questions that we all have to answer.

So when Faith made her way down the aisle walking over the rose petals that were laid out by a beautiful little flower girl, he wasn’t bothered with questions from people, but he and Faith were affirmed by loving words of Congratulations and she’s the perfect girl and he’s the perfect man, and YOU ARE HUSBAND AND WIFE!

It was a triumphant day for Mike and Faith. A day that will live in the hearts of them and their families and friends forever.

Mike and Faith and you and me have all had to answer questions, but we have never been greeted with question marks nearly as much as Jesus did.

If you think back over his life he was almost always must with a question.

When he first began his ministry in Nazareth he was met with the words of "Isn’t this Joseph’s son" before they threw him out of the synagogue.

After casting out demons, the people asked "What is this teaching, with authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!"

The Pharisees asked him after he healed a paralytic "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

He was asked other questions too; "why do you eat with sinners", "why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath", "are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?", "who is this?", "who gave you this authority?", "are you the Son of God?", "what is truth?".

Can you imagine having face such questions daily? From day one Jesus has always had to deal with such questions and those questions are still asked today!

Although 2000 years have passed, we still ask those questions. Who is Jesus? Is he the Son of God? Is he the one to come or is there someone else? What is truth?

Is he really the Way? So many question marks are associated with Christ. For two years he dealt with questions and for twenty centuries we have asked them!

Eve Curie expressed it sadly when she said about Jesus;

"you told us to be kind and forgiving, but, for twenty solid centuries, wretched, incorrigible men have gone on being merciless, full of violence and of hatred. Religious men and atheists alike have lived and ruled in a non-Christian way- and look at us now: we’ve never been in a worse mess"

Christ is still met with a question mark, just as he was when he walked the shores of Galilee.

So what makes the triumphant entry into Jerusalem so triumphant? What makes Palm Sunday something to celebrate?

Because at those beautiful gates, Christ was no longer met with question marks. He was no longer a mystery, he was no longer doubted.

Instead of meeting an inquisition in Jerusalem, he was met with exclamation marks!

He had made the long journey from a question mark in the eyes of the people to an exclamation mark! He had traveled the distance from "are you?" to "you ARE!". From "is it" to "it IS!" from "are you the Son of God?" to "Hosanna!".

He had moved from doubt to assurance, from despair to hope, from defeat to triumph!

For two long years he had endured question marks, but has he rode into Jerusalem he rode in on exclamation marks!

And those exclamation marks came from the wedding party! A wedding party that included an old man and a young girl who didn’t know what all the fuss was about, but waived her branch at the man who rode by. A wealthy merchant who watched from the rear of the crowd and a poor family who waited at the front.

A diverse group who had been waiting their entire lives and preparing for a long, long time for this moment.

The moment when the Messiah would come restore life and hope. The moment when the Son of God would come in his glory!

The wedding ceremony between Mike and Faith lasting only thirty minutes but the wedding ceremony between Christ and his church lasted a week.

Faith walked down the aisle in that church walking over rose petals dropped by a six year old girl, but Christ walked into the city of Jerusalem walking over branches and cloaks laid down by the exclamation marks, by the wedding party as they shouted "hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

It was a triumphant entry that began a triumphant week that joined a triumphant union.

A triumph that would give life, eternal life to the masses who were walking around without a hope of life.

A triumph that overcame sin, a triumph that overcame evil, hate, and greed.

A triumph over all defeat.

A triumph over the questions and doubts.

Do we share in that triumph? Are we part of the wedding party? Are we holding and waving branches and laying down our cloaks for Christ?

Are we exclamation marks or question marks to Christ?

Is Christ an exclamation mark or a question mark to us?

Do we live as a question mark to Christ and his church? Are people left in wonder by our actions, how we treat other people?

Or do we live as an exclamation point to Christ and his church? Do people see God through our actions? Do people see Christ through our love, and our sacrifice, and how we give to everyone?

Mike embraced Faith as they were joined together.

Mike embraced Faith and Faith embraced Mike when they answered the question with an exclamation; ‘do you’, ‘ I DO’.

We embrace Christ when we answer the question with an exclamation; an exclamation of actions, not just words, an exclamation of living, not just talking.

When we answer the question of ‘do you’ as ‘I DO’.

Mike and Faith have a new life in their union.

We are given a new life in the union of Christ and his church.

That is the triumph. That is why we shout hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Because Christ said ‘I WILL’ to the questions of who will love us, who will show us mercy, who will guide us and show us the way, who will comfort us, who will save us.

Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna!

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.