Triumphal Entry
[Palm Sunday]
Matthew 21: 1 – 11
v 1 (a) Drew near Jerusalem
1st Salem 2nd Jerhu
Salem + Jerhu = Jerusalem [City of Peace]
(b) Mount of Olives
Physical location of Christ’s Ascension & His 2nd Coming.
© Sent 2 disciples - John 20: 21
Application: When God sends us on an assignment, do we faithfully carry it out?
Illustration: Jonah was asked to fulfill a purpose. He backslided and God put him back on track.
v 2 Donkey + Colt Why both? [Fulfills Zechariah’s prophecy in 9: 9]
The donkey cannot leave the colt behind alone. It will stay disturbed and create havoc. The colt will always follow the donkey because it is not an adult and knows it depends on its mother for everything. Both cannot live with each other.
Purpose:
• Bring both
• The disciples fulfilled their assignment
God gives us assignment. How and when do we fulfill them is important to God. Do we keep it in the freezer and accomplish them only of our choosing or at times even forget about them? What is our attitude?
v 3 If anyone ……..
Say the Lord needs ……
He will send ……...
The owner was supposedly a secret disciple or was well known to Jesus. Thus he was aware of His need and was willing to part with them.
Application:
Do we know what God needs / requires from us?
Are we willing to part with what is dear to us when the Lord is in need of it (them)?
Let it even be our-
• Possessions
• Vehicles
• Jobs, money etc.
• Houses etc.
When He needs them for His purpose, are we willfully willing to give?
v 3b “The Lord has need of them and immediately he will send them.”
v 4 & 5 Lowly – meekness is not a weakness, but power under perfect control.
In Zechariah 9 we see how God’s ways differ from mans.
Men look for a conquering king, high and exalted to come and deliver Jerusalem with an army of mighty men.
What they saw was a lowly Rabbi (teacher) riding upon a donkey’s colt and attended by a crowd of rejoicing peasants. He didn’t look like a conqueror. Yet one week later, He had risen from the dead, having conquered death and hell.
Comparison:
(i) Jesus (as Savior) – riding a colt – in lowliness
(ii) Jesus (as King & Judge) – riding a white horse – in kingship, power & judgment.
v 6 The disciples did just as Jesus had commanded them.
Do we constantly obey / disobey the Lord’s Commandments?
Obedience is prime:
The disciples were always obedient to the Lord. The heeded and carried out his commandments.
v 7 Brought the donkey & colt – enacted according to God’s command in obedience to Him.
• Laid their clothes – complete surrender
• Set Him on – honored His word and glorified Christ
Jerusalem had two entry points:-
(i) Gate for business and the general public (also called the eye of the needle)
(ii) Gate for the sacrificial animals
Deliberately and symbolically, Jesus entered Jerusalem through the latter gate, which clearly implied that He would be sacrificed for humanity in the days to follow.
v 8 great ……. Clothes
All the people followed Him and show signs of complete surrender. (hypocrisy) The same people shout kill / crucify Him just because He did not do things to their expectations i.e. delivering the Jews from the clutches of the Romans.
Cut down branches …… Leviticus 23: 40 – rejoice and give glory to God.
“They thought He would deliver them from the Roman Empire.”
In fact Christ came to deliver them from sin and give them salvation. They didn’t want that, so they rose against Him.
They didn’t want spiritual deliverance or restoration but they desired physical deliverance.
v 9 Hosanna ………. Highest
Save us! [Psalm 118: 25 & 26]
People were publicly [unknowingly] acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah [in physical terms not spiritually].
• The messianic prophecy came true [fulfillment]
They said Jesus is the Lord who can save – He is God.
Men’s plan differs so much from the plan of God.
Men’s thoughts (mind) differs so much from God’s thought.
v 10 The city was moved
Commotion and confusion enveloped the city of Jerusalem because everyone followed Jesus and no one gave heed or concern to the Pharisees. Thus the Pharisees had envy and held a grudge against Jesus, which had been festering since long and had solidified further after He resurrected Lazarus of Bethany. Kind of they had lost their face in public! The public had left them to follow Christ and they desperately wanted to get even. [Jealousy John 12: 19] They could not digest His success and popularity and their own failure.
• Therefore to move the people in a subtle way
Who is this?
Are we still like those unaware and novice folk who continue to doubt and say who is this Jesus?
Don’t we know who He is?
Are we still talking like those stubborn Pharisees – wanting more importance than our Lord?
Don’t we know who the most important figure in our lives is?
v 11 This is Jesus - Deuteronomy 18: 15
“The prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.” This above prophecy was fulfilled.
Conclusion: God had provided a way for our escape i.e. through His Son – Jesus Christ. Have we accepted Him as our Lord, Savior and King?
