The King Is Coming Again
Text: Luke 19:28-40
Introduction
1. Illustration: A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch.
The little boy was curious and asked, "Why do you have that palm branch, dad?"
"You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so we got Palm Branches today."
The little boy replied, " Aw Shucks! The one Sunday I miss is the Sunday that Jesus shows up!"
2. If we were expecting a visit from a Royal head of state there a certain things we would want to do.
a. Make Preparations
b. Plan a Parade
c. Praise His Accomplishments
3. Read Luke 19:28-40
Proposition: We need to get ready for the coming of King Jesus.
Transition: First, we must...
I. Preparation for the King (28-34)
A. The Lord Needs It
1. Up until this point in Jesus ministry, any time that someone tried to force Him into seeking glory, Jesus told them "My time has not yet come."
2. However, He now realizes that His time has come.
a. He is headed toward Jerusalem, and knows what is waiting for Him there.
b. He knows that He will eventually be arrested, beaten, and condemned to death on the cross.
c. He also knows that there are things that must be accomplished before that happens.
3. Therefore, "As they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead."
a. Jesus and the disciples approached Bethphage and Bethany, two towns about one mile apart, situated on the Mount of Olives to the east of Jerusalem.
b. Bethany was the home of his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus whom Jesus had visited before.
c. It is significant that these two town are on the Mount of Olives because it is a prophetic place of the Messiah’s appearance.
d. Zech. 14:4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south (NIV).
4. He told these two disciples to go into the village, and “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
a. You might be saying to yourself, "why a donkey? Shouldn’t a king be riding on a horse?"
b. Not necessarily. A thousand years earlier Solomon rode on a donkey at his coronation (Arrington, Full Life Bible Commentary, 501).
c. We think of the donkey as a lowly animal, but to the Jew it was a beast fit for a king —(Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament).
d. Donkeys and colts were valuable; what the disciples did amounted to coming along and taking someone’s car.
e. Furthermore, it was one that had never been ridden before, and therefore it was suited for spiritual purpose.
f. Again this fulfilled prophecy concerning the Messiah.
g. Zech. 9:9 Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey.
5. Therefore, the two disciples did as they were told, and everything was just as Jesus had said they would be.
a. The Spirit anointed Jesus uses divine knowledge to instruct his disciples about finding the donkey (Arrington, 501).
b. They found the animal just as He said.
c. The owner questions them and they answer "The Lord needs it," and the owner lets them have it just as He said.
d. All the preparations have been made, just as He said.
B. Watching and Waiting
1. Illustration: A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump.
"Reverend," said the young man, "sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip."
The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business."
2. When Jesus came the first time he road on a donkey, but when He comes a second time He will ride on a white horse.
a. Rev. 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
b. Not a lowly and humble animal, but one that is majestic, strong and mighty.
c. Not as a sacrificing Messiah, but as a conquering King.
3. When Jesus came the first time He came to bring salvation and healing, but when He comes a second time He will bring judgment.
a. It will be too late to turn.
b. It will be too late to repent.
c. It will be too late to change.
4. When Jesus came, the first time preparations were made. Will you be prepared when He comes?
• Will He find you with your house in order?
• Will He find you watching and waiting?
• Will He hear you saying "Come Lord Jesus," or "wait and give me another chance?"
Transition: Are your lamps trimmed and burning? Next is the...
II. Parade for the King (35-37)
A. Spread Out Their Garments
1. After securing the animal from it’s owner, the two disciples "brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on."
a. The laying of garments on the animals is part of a traditional Jewish reception for royalty.—(Bible Exposition Commentary - New Testament)
b. They were preparing to make a grand entrance into Jerusalem in the same way we would have a ticker tape parade for dignitary today.
c. Jesus was entering the city as a humble, peaceful king.
2. As they entered the city, "the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him."
a. As he proceeds, people spread their cloaks in front of him as well, much as a red carpet functions today (Bock, NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Luke, 492).
b. Being something and being perceived by others can be two different things. However, here Jesus is coming as a king and the people receive Him as one.
c. Jesus was the center of attention! All eyes were focused on him. All homage was given to him.
d. Not only did the exuberant followers place their clothing on the donkey as a saddle — they flung their garments to the ground as a gesture of reverence and indicating their willingness for him to take everything they had.—(Preaching the Word)
3. The reason for their willingness to give Him everything can be seen in what they did next "all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen."
a. People lined the roads, and Jesus already had a crowd of followers who, when they saw what he was doing, began to shout and sing as they walked along.
b. According to the other Gospels, many others joined the celebration of praise.
c. The Gospel of John (12:13) also describes the people cutting down branches from the trees, probably from olive or fig trees, to wave in welcome.
4. They praised God for the miracles they had seen Jesus perform.
a. Many of them had not only witnessed the miracles, but they themselves had been the recipients of these miracles.
b. They had been touched on their eyes and received sight.
c. They had their ears opened and heard for the first time in their lives.
d. They had been lame, but now they could walk.
e. They had been set free from deteriorating diseases like leprosy.
f. They had been released from bondage to demons.
B. Red Carpet Treatment
1. Illustration: To offer thanks is to confess dependence, to acknowledgment that others have the power to benefit you, to admit that your life is better because of their efforts. That frame of mind is indispensable to civilized society (SOURCE: "The Power of Giving Thanks," By Jeff Jacoby, Boston Globe Staff, 11/23/2000).
2. When Jesus comes a second time, He will once again receive praise.
a. Rev. 19:6 Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:“Praise the LORD! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
b. People will praise Him for His salvation.
c. They will praise Him for His deliverance.
d. They will praise Him for His healing.
3. When Jesus comes again, He will once again receive honor.
a. Rev. 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.
b. They will honor Him because He is the guest of honor at the greatest feast of all time - the wedding feast of the Lamb.
c. They will honor Him because He has overcome death, sin, and the grave.
d. They will honor Him because of who He is - the Alpha and the Omega.
4. The question is what are we doing today?
a. Do we praise Him for His mighty works?
b. Do we honor Him for His great power?
c. Do we thank Him for His deliverance and provision?
Transition: If Jesus came today, what would you be doing? Then there is...
III. Praise for the King (38-40)
A. Blessed Is the King
1. On this day, there were two kinds of people: those that praise Him and those who didn’t.
2. The first group said, “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”
a. The expression "Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord" may have been recited as part of the Passover tradition--as a blessing given by the people in Jerusalem to the visiting pilgrims.
b. The people lined the road, praising God, waving branches, and throwing their cloaks in front of the colt as it passed before them.
c. "Long live the King" was the meaning behind their joyful shouts because they knew that Jesus was intentionally fulfilling prophecy.
3. The second group is very different. This group known as the Pharisees said “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
a. The Pharisees come and ask Jesus to reject the claim and rebuke his disciples. The regal claims are offensive to them (Bock, 494).
b. Here it is difficult to discern the Pharisees’ motive.
c. Perhaps they were afraid the Romans would hear about the parade and squelch it with force, or perhaps they thought the adulation for Jesus was misplaced.—(Preaching the Word)
4. Jesus response to them is firm and decisive, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
a. Jesus’ reply makes clear how appropriate the remarks are: If the disciples do not speak, creation will.
b. It also contains an inherent rebuke, in that inanimate creation knows more about what is taking place than they do ( Bock, 494).
c. These spiritual leaders, these teachers of the law didn’t have the sense that of a common peice of rock.
B. Life of Praise
1. Illustration: William Temple gives a masterful definition of worship: “For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose—and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.”
2. Jesus statement to the Pharisees is just as applicable to us today. If we do not praise Him the rocks and stones will.
a. If we, His people, who know Him and claim to serve Him, will not praise Him, others will.
b. The animals will.
c. The flowers will.
d. The trees will.
e. The rocks will.
f. Would you like to be outdone by a brick?
3. Our praise should not be dependent upon:
a. The worship leader
b. The worship songs
c. Our feelings
3. It should be dependent upon:
a. Our love for Him
b. Our thankfulness to Him
c. Our devotion to Him
4. Are you living a life of praise?
a. Does what you say exhibit praise?
b. Does what you do exhibit praise?
c. Does who you are exhibit praise?
Transition: Does a brick love Jesus more than you?
Conclusion
1. Jesus is coming soon. Are you prepared for His coming?
2. Jesus is coming soon. When He comes, will your honor Him as King?
3. Jesus is coming soon. When He comes, will He find you living a life of praise?
4. Are you saying "Come, Lord Jesus!"
