Red Rocks Church Weekend Message – Spring 2026, Week 1 (Palm Sunday)

Date: March 28, 2026
Speaker: Conrad (Leadership Team, Red Rocks Church)
Main Theme: Realigning our expectations and understanding of Jesus as the cornerstone of peace, as exemplified on Palm Sunday, and reflecting on what it truly means to declare Him as King.

Episode Overview

This episode, the first message of Spring 2026, launches Holy Week at Red Rocks Church and centers on the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem—Palm Sunday—exploring the disconnect between people’s expectations of Jesus and the peace He actually offers. Conrad challenges listeners to consider whether their declarations about Jesus match the true posture of their hearts, urging a realignment around Christ as the cornerstone, not just as a momentary fixer. The message invites both personal reflection and outreach to others who may be searching for real, lasting peace.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage for Palm Sunday

• Elevating Expectations:
  • Conrad urges everyone, across campuses and online, to raise their expectations when seeking God, noting "our expectation can be the single most limiting factor in the encounter and experience that we have with a God who loves us." (01:57)
• Holy Week Context:
  • The message marks the start of Holy Week, emphasizing its significance as the week leading up to the resurrection, the most notable event in Christian faith (05:01–05:54).
  • Listeners are encouraged to bring someone to Easter services, with an emphasis that others need to encounter Jesus (06:08–06:53).

Palm Sunday and Its Misunderstood Significance (Luke 19, Psalm 118)

• Gathered Crowd, Misplaced Expectation:
  • People welcomed Jesus with jubilation, palm branches, and shouts of Psalm 118, anticipating political liberation rather than the deeper peace only Jesus brings (11:18–15:23).
• Jesus’ Triumphal Entry:
  • Instead of a war horse, Jesus enters humbly on a donkey, fulfilling prophecy (Zechariah 9) and demonstrating He comes in peace, not conquest (15:47).
• Palm Branches and Cloaks:
  • Symbolized liberation, victory, and the honoring of a King, but the crowd still misunderstood the nature of Jesus’ kingship.

The Cry for Relief vs. the Offer of True Peace

• The Crowd’s Urgency:
  • Their cries of "Hosanna, save us now!" are rooted in their immediate pain and frustration with Roman oppression (17:55–18:47).
  • Conrad relates this urgency to modern experiences—what makes us desperate for divine intervention? (18:28)
• Jesus Responds with Compassion:
  • Upon seeing Jerusalem, Jesus weeps, knowing the people celebrate Him but miss His deeper intention—to reconcile, not just relieve (20:46–25:35).

Peace Isn’t Found in Circumstances

• Short-Term Relief vs. Lasting Reconciliation:
  • The crowd wants political and personal relief, but Jesus grieves because they don’t recognize that real peace only comes from relationship with Him (26:47–27:37).
  • Even if all earthly desires were met, peace would still elude us if Jesus is just our “helper,” not our “Savior.” (27:50–28:21)
• Identity in Christ:
  • 1 Peter 2:9 is referenced to remind listeners of who they are: chosen, called, appointed in right standing with God (29:19).
• Circumstantial Peace Fails:
  • Worldly peace quickly dissipates with the next challenge or crisis. Therefore, Jesus must be our cornerstone (30:45–31:09).

Realignment: Making Jesus the Cornerstone

• Cornerstone Analogy:
  • Psalm 118—the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone—serves as a metaphor: if the foundation is off, everything else will be misaligned. (37:14–38:01)
• Invitation for Personal Realignment:
  • Conrad calls for listeners to put Jesus at the center of every area—business, family, finances—and to stop waiting for circumstances to be perfect before accepting His peace (40:33–41:44).
• Practical Steps for Invitation:
  • The church makes it easy for everyone to invite someone to Easter via a QR code and pre-made text message, reinforcing the outward call to share the message of peace (36:17).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Raising Expectation:
  • "I think sometimes our expectation can be the single most limiting factor in the encounter and the experience that we have with a God that loves us." – Conrad (01:34)
• On Jesus' Weeping:
  • "I'm just so grateful that we have a God that would be led to compassion for his people... that his heart would break over those that are far from him, those that are missing the point." – Conrad (25:14)
• On True Peace:
  • “If Jesus is just helper but never savior, if he’s only fixer, we never actually walk in his forgiveness.” – Conrad (27:50)
• On the Cornerstone:
  • “The cornerstone is the first and most important stone that is laid in building. If it’s off, everything is off. If it’s misaligned, everything is misaligned.” – Conrad (37:27)
• On the Human Condition:
  • “Peace cannot be found in the momentary relief from a situation.” – Conrad (32:17)
• Invitation:
  • “This is the day to put Jesus at the center of your business… family… finances… life and conversation.” – Conrad (40:33)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:04–01:59 | Opening energy, call to raise expectations, welcoming all campuses | | 05:01–05:54 | Holy Week and Palm Sunday explained | | 07:09–11:11 | Interns in London: illustration about missing the moment | | 11:18–18:47 | Palm Sunday story, crowd’s response, expectations | | 20:46–25:35 | Jesus’ compassion, the significance of His weeping | | 26:47–27:50 | Reflection: does getting what we want actually bring peace? | | 29:19–29:56 | 1 Peter 2:9—reminding believers of their true identity | | 32:17–34:20 | Peace as lasting, not circumstantial; persistent temptation to seek relief only | | 37:14–38:06 | The forgotten verse: Jesus as cornerstone—not just a fixer | | 40:33–41:46 | Practically realigning life around Jesus as central | | 42:01–44:14 | Invitation to salvation, prayer, and wholehearted worship |

Closing Reflection

Conrad concludes with a passionate altar call, inviting anyone who has not experienced lasting peace or who has become misaligned to respond and receive Jesus as King—not just as a helper or problem solver, but as the cornerstone of faith and life. The episode closes on a prayerful note, emphasizing surrender, gratitude for Christ’s heart, and readiness for deeper engagement in Holy Week.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Palm Sunday is about more than a celebration—it’s about recognizing who Jesus really is and realigning our hearts and lives around Him as the cornerstone.
• Peace can’t be sustained through changing circumstances, but only through a surrendered relationship with Jesus.
• It matters to both pursue personal alignment and invite others to experience the same peace.
• Let the urgency of your prayers meet the heart of the Savior who offers more than relief—a relationship that changes everything.

For more, visit Red Rocks Church online or join an in-person campus for Easter celebrations and continued teaching throughout Holy Week.