Tomorrow, Christians around the world will celebrate what is usually called “Palm Sunday.” On that day, a large crowd of people greeted Jesus as He entered Jerusalem for Passover week, waving palm branches and shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38).

And yes, Jesus probably could have incited them into action and thus avoided His arrest and death. But He didn’t—and the reason is because He knew He had come into the world to die for our sins. Shortly before going to Jerusalem, He warned His disciples that “He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him” (Luke 18:32). Later He told the Roman governor, Pilate, “For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world” (John 18:37).

Why did Jesus not try to escape? The reason is because there was only one solution to the problem of our sins—and that was His death for us. We deserve to die for our sins—but God sent His Son into the world to die in our place. God loves you that much! The Bible says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16).

This Easter season, face your own need of Christ, and commit your life to Him. By a simple prayer of faith confess your sins to Him, and then open your heart to His life-changing presence.