Sermon by Donald R. Hart – Antioch Christian Church, Pittsburg, Missouri – April 1, 2007
(All Scripture passages are from the NIV unless otherwise noted)
PALM SUNDAY MESSAGE
NOW I SEE
Text: John 12:12-16
INTRODUCTION
One of the eye clinics in the area that specializes in cataract surgery advertises on TV and ends their ad with this catchy little phrase – “I will tell everyone I see”. We understand that this is a play on words, but the idea of having better vision is clearly conveyed by their ad.
We well understand there are times when we see something, but really do not see it. It happens all the time in traffic situations – a person looks both ways, but somehow just didn’t see the approaching car.
This same thing happens to us mentally as well. We read something and do not really get it, but sometime later we re-read it and the “light goes on”.
Jesus knew this happened in spiritual things as well. He told many parables – great stories from life built around the experiences of his hearers, but they did not always catch the spiritual significance they contained. Even his disciples at times missed the point. Jesus told the story of the sower and the seed to which his disciples asked for a fuller explanation. He then addressed the fact that the people had missed the point as well. He then quotes a passage from Isaiah which speaks about people seeing, but not perceiving and hearing but not understanding.
Notice Matthew 13:14-15
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
"’You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’
On another occasion Jesus was aware of the disciples missing a point and we read in Mark 8:17-18a -
17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?
18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?
We need to remember that when we read about the events in the Bible we are looking with 20/20 hindsight – they were only living it one moment at a time and thus did not know “the rest of the story”. That is the case in our text with the story of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the subsequent events that followed. We are told in verse 16, “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.”
PROPOSITION
What was really going on that first Palm Sunday and on into the week that followed? What was it they didn’t understand until later – “after Jesus was glorified”? Today in this message I would like to consider some thoughts about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and about the week that followed.
I. THE PRECEPTIONS
We may go to certain events and we begin to form a perception about what is going on, only later to see that we were wrong. However, sometimes we do catch the drift of things, but that was not the case on this first Palm Sunday event.
A. THE DISCIPLES
We can only imagine what the Twelve Disciples were thinking about during all of this? I would suspect the key word would be “power”. For three and one-half years they had heard the Master speak of a coming kingdom and even they had gone through various villages preaching the same. And now here it is! Triumphantly he is riding into Jerusalem – the crowd that surrounds him is shouting “Hosanna” which means “save now!”
From time to time they had argued as to what positions they would hold in the coming kingdom, to which Jesus would rebuke them, but somehow what he told them just didn’t compute with them. In the excitement of the moment they completely forgot about the teaching of becoming like a little child and he who would be first must be servant of all. The only thing they could see was that Jesus is now coming to power – and they were going to be a part of it.
I don’t know if they were giving each other “high fives” or not, but inside they were in a heightened sense of anticipation and they just knew that Jesus was coming to power. I wonder if after the crucifixion and after the church was started on the Day of Pentecost, they ever shared with one another as to how far off they were with their perceptions of Jesus coming to power?
B. THE PEOPLE
Like the disciples, the crowd who were waving the palm branches had to be thinking thoughts of “overthrow”. To them it was a coup in the making.
For years they had suffered at the hands of the Romans, but now here is one who can do miracles and he is riding triumphantly into Jerusalem.
Could there be any other reason for this public display except that Jesus is ready to make his move? He will get rid of those hated Romans once and for all. Others before him had tried and failed, but this Jesus is not like the others for he has special powers. They just knew that this time it was going to work. When Jesus said, “My kingdom of not of this world,” they did not understand a “kingdom not of this world”. But they sure enough could see the spontaneous outpouring of praise and the procession as it works it way toward the temple courts.
I must remind you again that “Hosanna” means “save now.” The crowd was not thinking of the eternal destiny of the soul, but rather of their present oppressive situation. Let me make this observation, the same is true today in our political arena – men are not looking at spiritual values that may be involved, but only of those things which might effect their pocketbook and personal creature comfort.. The crowd will always have things all wrong in the things that really matter in life.
C. THE CHRIST
What do you suppose was going through the mind of Jesus as he calmly rode amidst the noise and din of the hour? In spite of the perceptions of the disciples and of the crowd, he knew what was ahead. Furthermore, he was not riding on a great white horse of a conqueror, but on a donkey of a peacemaker.
The disciples and the crowd seemed not to notice. How could they – their eyes had been blinded by the things of this world – but he could see the unseen. His mission was to release all who were in spiritual bondage. Years before John the Baptist had declared, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
He knew that he could not release men from the temporary oppression of man and the spiritual oppression by Satan at the same time. His ride that day was as of the “Prince of peace”. He and the donkey were the only ones who were calm and resolute on that journey into Jerusalem.
II. THE PROCESSION
The Gospel writers only give us a brief glimpse into what must have been quite a spectacle. This parade was not like ones we usually see where floats, bands and marching groups pass by in singular order. This had to be a noisy, raucous group of people who were waving and shouting as they moved into the city of Jerusalem. And in the midst of all this noise, rode the center of attention. He was doing nothing to stir up the crowd – actually he was the most calm and composed of all – sitting peacefully on that small donkey - hardly the picture of some conquering hero ready to storm the gates.
In looking back at this “parade of praise” of some 2000 years ago, we should consider the primary players involved in this event.
A. THE DONKEY
I know that the donkey doesn’t get much “press copy” in this story, but we must remember it is a primary player of the event. This unridden animal was pulled away from its tether and thrust into immediate service - from calmly grazing by the side of the road to the carrying of a man through a crowd of shouting people who were waving palm branches in its face. A lesser animal would have bolted and run away, but on that day this animal was privileged to give a ride to its very creator. Allow me to make this observation. When we are doing those little and maybe unnoticed tasks for the Lord, we need to remember the faithfulness of a donkey in a parade. What we do, we do it for the creator of the universe and he will take notice.
B. THE MOB
You may have noticed that I have changed their name from “the crowd” to “the mob”. I did it on purpose, for this group is now caught up in a frenzy of frivolity. It was always a festive crowd going up to Jerusalem during the feast days, but on this day there was an added dimension – Jesus riding into the city on that donkey. Yes, we must observe that their praise was based on Scripture, but from what depth of soul was it motivated? I would hazard a guess that it was the cry of the moment and not a shout from the spirit.
Usually a mob like this will be engaged in some form of a shallow “party time” mentality, but then how could they know how dark the week ahead of them would turn? They had no idea that before the week was over they would be worked up into another frenzy during which they would cry out “crucify him” rather than “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
C. THE LEADERS
The leaders of the people had long been plotting as to how to get rid of this Jesus and now here he comes, riding into town like a conquering hero. If ever there was a threat to their power it is at this moment. Plans for his demise must be accelerated, but it must be done in such a way so as to not arouse the crowd the wrong way. The last thing they want to happen is to have the people turn on them. They must be the “godly ones”. Even in the darkness of their dastardly deed, they must appear as “lights of holiness” and “upholders of the law”. At no time must they be seen for what they really were. And so they pull their holy robes about them and move forward with their dirty little scheme. They must remove this threat as soon as possible. The timing is bad, but waiting for a better time is out of the question.
D. THE CHRIST
Again we turn to the role of Jesus in this procession. Numerous times he had told people to “tell no one”, but now he is a public spectacle riding into Jerusalem – seen by all. Why now? I think that he wanted all to see because now the course of his life was nearing its intended purpose – the becoming the savior for all mankind.
I believe it is fitting to observe that Jesus knew what was ahead, but was determined to go through with the plan of God. Scientists tell us that self-preservation is a very basic instinct and that whenever we encounter danger, we automatically seek to protect ourselves.
The mockers at the cross reasoned that if he was the Son of God he could save himself. They said, “He saved others, but himself he cannot save.”
We must observe that Jesus could have saved himself by not going to Jerusalem. He could have stayed in Galilee, after all he had quite a following there. He could have saved himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. He heard the arresting mob coming and could have slipped out through the trees, behind the rocks and to the other side of the hill. He had friends who lived nearby who would have gladly sequestered him.
Jesus could have saved himself when he was in Pilate’s judgment hall. Pilate was not threatened by the words of Jesus when he spoke about his kingdom not being of this world. Several times Pilate said, “I find no fault in this man” and would have jumped at the opportunity to let Jesus go.
Jesus could have saved himself as he stood before the crowd. He had stood before other crowds and wooed them over with his words. Or there had been times when he just slipped through unseen – he could have done that, but he didn’t.
Even on the cross he could have saved himself. It has been rightly observed that it was not the nails that held him on the cross, but the need for our sins to be removed that kept him there. He who had calmed storms and raised the dead could have called for, and received, legions of angels to remove him from those hours of agony. He could have saved himself, but he didn’t.
He was the one who had taught, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He could have saved himself, but he didn’t.
III. THE PASSION
In this last point I want to quickly observe those in the overall picture of the passion of Christ.
A. THE DEVIL
He is the one who believes he is engineering all of these events. He is the one who is trying to destroy the Son of God. He is the one who will “bruise his heel”, but wants to do much more. He is the one who has entered into the hearts of the Jewish leaders and has instilled cruelty into the soldiers of Rome. Furthermore, I believe he and his imps are moving among the crowd, whispering the command to “crucify him.” The Devil thought he was winning, but God was in control all the time. And as has been said before, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!”
B. THE OFFICERS
To the Roman Guard this Jesus was just another criminal who was to be flogged and put to death – nothing more, nothing less. And so it was that they went about their cruel duty, men who had hardened themselves to the task of execution.
These were hard men who had gruesome work to do and I think that in order to cover any spark of compassion that might be within them they had become the cruel men they were. Laughing and making fun is often a cover up for insecurity and fearfulness.
On this day they were going to be on overtime – three criminals to execute. It was a festival week in Jerusalem and they wanted to party, but they had the duty to keep the peace and the lid on these volatile Jewish people. If it meant the work of crucifixion, then they must do it.
However, lurking down deep, some of them knew something was not right – the darkness and the earthquake only added to the eeriness of the day. And it was at the end that we read in Matthew 27:54 – When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
C. THE CROWD
Once again we must observe the crowd. What were they seeing? To them Jesus has now become just another failure in a long line of insurrectionists. They had seen him paraded into Jerusalem at the beginning of the week only to be put to death before the week was over – just another failure. They are still under the throes of Roman rule, when would it all end? Jesus had tried to warn them, but they didn’t understand that it would not be in victory, but in utter destruction. And it was all over several years later in 70 AD.
D. THE CHRIST
And again we turn to The Christ. In all of this he knew that in the crucifixion and the later resurrection, he would become the focal point of all of history on earth.
Little did all the other players know what was really going on – only Jesus knew the full impact of the day he died on the cross?
This moment had been predicted as soon as man had sinned in the Garden of Eden. God had prepared the world for the coming of the Christ for centuries and all mankind would look back to it for centuries to come. It was only Jesus, the Christ who knew what it was all about. He drank “the cup” and man was redeemed. Praise God for his marvelous love! Jesus paid it all.
CONCLUSION
As we draw to a close I would make these comments. You remember that as Jesus rode by on the donkey, people threw down their garments and palm branches as the procession moved along the way to Jerusalem. Let me ask you, if you were standing in that crowd, what would you have laid down before the Master?
It may be that you are here and have never given your life to the Master, will you give yourself to him. Believe on him, commit your life to him, confess his name and be baptized for the remission of your sins.
Christian, what is there in your life today that you need to lay down before him? There may be some sin or some attitude that you need to surrender to him.
Our song of invitation is Jesus Paid It All – all to him I owe.
