How To Prepare For Easter

How to Prepare for Easter

Luke 19:28-19:44

How to Prepare for Easter

Scripture: Luke 19:28-44, Matthew 21:1-11

I want to share with you this morning three ways you and I can most effectively and meaningfully prepare for Easter.

The first of these three suggestions is found in the example of the disciples, and it’s this:

1. Do what Jesus says (Luke 19:29-40)

Look at the first part of the Palm Sunday story,

As Jesus approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Zechariah in 9:9.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

This was prophesized in the seventh century BC.

And we see the prophesy fulfilled.

As the choir sang, “high and lifted up” and “Crown Him King”

It was all fulfilled.

Well, Jesus sent two of his disciples on a strange little mission.

He said, “Go to this little village up the road untie the colt you’ll find, and bring it to me.”

Now, the Bible doesn’t tell us which two went.

The Bible also doesn’t tell us what they talked about on the way.

But if it had been me, I would have probably been saying, “You really think we should just untie the colt and take it?”

“You think the Master knows the owner?”

“You think this is a test of some kind?”

“You really think they’ll just let us walk off with their colt?”

You see, we tend to read the Bible, God’s Word, like a play, as if all the characters knew the script. But they didn’t.

No more than you or I do. But those disciples, whoever they were, did what Jesus said.

The Bible says:

At first his disciples did not understand all this.

Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway.

As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”

They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.

When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.

They didn’t know how it was gonna turn out, but they simply did what Jesus said to do.

And look at the result.

Their simple obedience brought glory to God.

The Bible says,

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

The people were shouting his praises, spreading his glory all over that place until--

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you, he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields

All in all, that’s a good model for you and me this week before Easter.

You could do no better than to follow the example of those two disciples who—

Though they had no way to know what the future would hold and what their actions would bring about—

they simply obeyed.

Only you and God know what obedience he would require of you today, this week, this Easter.

Is he calling you to repentance and faith in him? To make that decision to follow Jesus?

Is he telling you to forgive someone? . . .

To help someone? . . . To give something up?. . .

To take something on?. . . To say yes to something?. . .

To say no to something?. . .

I can’t tell you, but I can say to you what his mother told the servants at the wedding in Cana: whatever he says to you, do it.

And, as it did that Sunday 2,000 years ago, you’ll be amazed how your simple act of obedience will bring glory to God.

So, one way to prepare for this Easter is to do what Jesus says. The second is this: