Behold, Your King Is Coming To You

"Behold, Your King Is Coming To You"

Zechariah 9:9-10 Palm Sunday * April 9, 2006

(Key ideas from David Dykes)

Chester FBC, Chester, IL Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A More than a 100 years ago, two sportsmen were sailing along the coasts of Scotland.

1 They anchored their boat at Inverness and went ashore to explore the countryside.

a At the end of the day they were lost and decided to try & find lodging before night fall.

b They knocked on the door of a humble cottage and requested a meal, bed, and offered to pay, of course.

c The farmer looked at the two men with suspicion and sent them away and they went next door.

2 This time the owner welcomed them and gave them a warm meal and bed for the night.

a Only in the morning did the host discover that one of his guests was Edward, Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward V.

b Imagine the shame/regret of the first farmer who refused to recognize and open the door to his future king.

B Today’s message, "Behold, Your King Is Coming To You" will tell of two occasions of Jesus’ entering into Jerusalem, one past and one to come."

1 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. Zech 9:9-10 (NASB)

a Zechariah prophesied about a coming King who would bring peace. (ETS)

b Believers are anticipating with expectancy for the next parade fit for a king. (ESS)

2 I hope you’ll have a better idea of what to look for as Christ’s second coming draws closer. (Objective)

a What are you doing to get ready for the next parade? (Probing Question)

b Lets look at two parts of Zechariah’s prophesies that can help us prepare for the next coming of King Jesus. (Transitional Sentence)

I The King has arrived. (Zech. 9:9)

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zech 9:9 (NASB)

A Zechariah’s prophesies about an event, the triumphal entry, that the final week of Christ’s life was hinged upon.

1 John 12: 12-15

a Jesus came on a donkey (an animal of peace), an animal a king would ride into a town on that signaled his peaceful intentions.

b A conquering king would enter a city, post-war, on a stallion or something even more impressive.

aa History tells how Julius Caesar returned to Rome riding a golden chariot being pulled by 40 elephants as part of a 3 day parade.

bb To the Roman citizen, Jesus triumphal entry was something like comparing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to the Popeye Parade.

2 The arrival in Jerusalem was a marked departure from his ministry prior to that day.

a He had been very low-key, slipping in and out of the cities in the shadows, performed miracles and told the healed to be hush hush, and Jesus was very unobtrusive.

b Not this day!! Jesus enters very publically and is demanding their attention.

c For a brief moment, the nation must consider Him their messiah/king.

d He requires a decision from them at that parade.

aa They shout, "Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

bb This was not these people’s first parade.

B In 163 BC, Judas Maccabees "The Hammer" rallied an army of Jewish men to fight against the Syrians who occupied Jerusalem.

1 They went to the temple, cleaned it out, burned incense, offered sacrifices, and light a huge menorah that burned for 8days!!

a Our Jewish friends still celebrate the 8 days of the festival of lights/Hanukkah.

b Any idea how Judas Maccabees entered Jerusalem?

aa A stallion (WAR! He’s a revolutionary)

bb The people threw down palm leaves, coats and shouted, "Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

c Not long after the parade, Judas was killed in a battle, buried, and that was the end of the hammer.

2 When Jesus entered Jerusalem 200 years later, Rome was the new Syria.

a The people were hoping Jesus was the Messiah to lead them into battle to overthrow the Romans.