Who Is This? - Matthew 21: 1 - 11
Intro: A lady was driving home one night in really nasty weather. It was pouring down rain and difficult to see. She blindly followed the taillights of the car in front of her since it seemed to be going in the right direction. Suddenly the car stopped. The lights of the car went out and she was startled by the knocking on her window. There stood a man who asked her if there was a problem. The lady was bewildered and embarrassed when the man informed her they were sitting in his driveway. (“Hi-Yo” Silver by John Beehler, SermonCentral.com) --- Who was this Jesus that people were following?
I. This passage tells us three things about Jesus. First, it shows us the courage of Jesus. (Verse 10a)
A. The authorities hated Jesus and had sworn to eliminate him.
B. Jesus came deliberately to Jerusalem with great fanfare rather than slipping in under the cover of dark.
C. Put himself at center stage with a big parade drawing all kinds of attention --- large crowds --- every Jew within 20 miles required to be there because of Passover.
II. This passage shows us the claim that Jesus was making.
A. Claim to be God’s Messiah, God’s Anointed One (Verse 5 – quotes Zecharaiah 9:9)
B. Verse 9b - and people waving palms (same as waving our flag)
C. Imagery of the king entering on a donkey
III. The passage shows us the appeal of Jesus. (Verse 11)
A. Jesus claimed not the kingship of the throne; but He claimed the kingship of the heart.
B. When Jesus came upon a donkey it was a sign of coming in peace.
C. He came, not to destroy, but to love; not to condemn, but to help; not in the might of arms, but in the strength of love.
Conclu: Who is this Jesus? Knowing the truth is not the same thing as doing the truth. What one social psychologist said of university students is also true of the kingdom of God: “It is possible to make an A+ in the course on ethics and still flunk life.”
It is possible to know about Jesus but not really know Jesus. If you truly know Jesus it will be shown by the way you live your life and the things you do not by the things you say you believe.
