WHO WERE YOU EXPECTING?
“Misunderstanding Christ at the Triumphal Entry.”
Mt. 21:1-17
Fr. Christopher M. Nerreau
Introduction:
• Have you ever listened to someone on the radio and then seen them in person? They are never what you expect. Or have you ever read a book and then watched the movie, it’s always different than you thought it would be.
• The triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem was a lot like this. Who Jesus was and who the people expected were two very different things.
Proposition: Our expectations of who Christ is “supposed” to be can keep us from receiving Christ as He actually is.
Interrogative sentence: What are your expectations of Christ? Who or what does He need to be in order to satisfy your expectations?
Sermon Preview: In our sermon today we will see that Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem did not meet the expectations of the Religious leaders for three specific reasons:
1. JESUS CAME IN HUMILITY (21:1-11)
2. JESUS CHALLENGED THEIR AUTHORITY (21:12-14)
3. JESUS CAUSED A CALAMITY (21:15-17)
Transitional Sentence: First we see that Jesus triumphal entry did not meet the expectations of the religious leaders because…
I. JESUS CAME IN HUMILITY (21: 1-11)
Explanation: The messianic expectation was something intrinsic to every Jewish man, woman and child. Because of the occupation of Rome, the threat of persecution among other nationalistic difficulties the messianic expectation was at a heightened state.
But there expectation was for an Earthly king (1 Samuel 16 -18) , one who would follow in the line of David. The Jewish people expected a political hero who would unite the people and deliver the nation. But Jesus came as no such man; He came humbly riding on a donkey.
THE BIBLE SAYS: 21:7 “they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.”
But why didn’t Jesus ride in on a white war horse or a prestigious stallion?
A. Humility Was Promised by the Holy Prophets– (v.4-5)
• Zechariah 9:9 (520 b.c.) – Saint Matthew is keen to point out that the Zechariah prophesized that the Christ was to be a man of great humility. (riding on a donkey)
B. Humility Was Possessed By The High Priest – (v.5)
• Jesus in His teaching on the sermon of the Mount (Mt. 5:5) said that the meek would inherit the Earth. Humility would defeat pride and arrogance.
• In Mt 11:28-29 Jesus describes Himself as - “gentle and humble in heart.”
• In Mt 20:28 Jesus describes Himself as a servant – “the Son of man came not to be served but to serve…”
Illustration: Ultimately what the people wanted was liberation from an oppressive Roman regime. It was Christian humility that conquered Rome not an army. Christ’s humble entry into Jerusalem was meekness but it was never weakness.
Application:
• By riding a donkey The Lord was teaching the disciples that the style of greatness for believers is different.
o He did not come in a dictatorial fashion, using carnal power and authority but in humble service.
• Today, Jesus seeks a triumphal entry into your heart, but what are your expectations of Him?
• Can you receive the humble savior who calls upon on you to suffer as He suffered, to put others before yourselves, to make yourselves nothing?
• Jesus was rejected by the religious elites because He was not who they expected, we must not allow that to happen to us.
Transitional Sentence: So we see the triumphal entry did not meet the religious leaders expectations because Jesus came in humility but let us also note…
II. JESUS CHALLENGED THEIR AUTHORITY (21: 12-14)
Explanation: While the religious leaders certainly expected the Messiah to come with authority, He wasn’t supposed to use His authority to correct them. Nor was He supposed to waste it on people who did not matter like the sick and lame!
The expectation was that the Messiah would use His authority to correct the Roman oppressors.
BUT THE BIBLE SAYS – (v.12,14) “Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple… And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.”
A. Confronted the Money Changers – (v.12)
• The money changers would exchange money fit for temple use in exchange for Roman coins. The exchange rate was nothing more than plain old theft.
• Jesus courageously asserts His authority against the injustice’s being practiced at the temple, using scriptures – “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you make it a den of robbers.”
B. Comforted the Sick and the Lame – (v.14)
• Secondly Jesus spends His time healing the less fortunate.(blind and lame.)
• In this act Jesus again demonstrates His authority, not simply over the temple made of stone but the temple made of flesh as well.
• The religious leaders would not have had patience with Christ’s misappropriation of authority. They would assume a true messiah would not be spending time with the least, lost and lonely but rather working with the religious elites.
Illustration: I used to work for my father and can remember one time skipping out to hang out with some friends. The next day when I returned to work, I went to talk to my father about it, knowing he would give me a pass, but he chewed me out and almost fired me. I never expected my dad to use his authority that way, but he was right!
Application: The religious leaders prayed for Jesus arrival, that He would come with authority but when He demonstrated that authority against them, they rejected Him.
• Today, Jesus seeks a triumphal entry into your heart, but what are your expectations of Him?
• He comes with authority over your life and calls you to submit to His will.
o He may turn over the tables of your life.
o He may care for people you don’t care about.
o How will you respond?
Transitional Sentence: So we see the triumphal entry did not meet the religious leader’s expectations because Jesus came in humility and with authority but lastly
III. JESUS CAUSED A CALAMITY (21: 15-17)
Explanation: Finally we see an amazing thing, because Jesus was not who the religious leaders expected Him to be they began to develop contempt in their hearts even at the “wonderful things” He was doing. However this was not true of everyone:
We then see two groups of people -
• THE BIBLE SAYS – THE BIBLE SAYS – “crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”and again “the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” But the Religious leaders were “Indignant”. This caused quite a calamity!
A. The Religious Leaders Contempt – (v.15)
• Matthew see’s the exercise of Christ’s authority as “wonderful things” (v.15) But because of the agenda of the religious leaders, they could not perceive this.
• The word indignant specifically means anger against injustice. Because Jesus did not do things the way they thought He should, they thought it the greatest injustice.
B. The Common Persons Celebration – (v.15b)
• On the other hand the common person was celebrating at the wonderful things Christ was doing. They cried out with joy “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
• They simply received Him (at least for now) and celebrated over the wonderful thing God was doing.
C. The Overall Concern – (v.16)
• Jesus focus on humility and the less fortunate disqualified Him from being the Messiah. But the people seemed to love Him.
• The issue was one of power, the religious leaders did not believe He was the Christ but the people did not agree.
Illustration: If you have ever tried to squeeze a bar of soap in the shower you will find that the tighter you squeeze it, the faster it slips out of your hands.
The religious leaders where grasping onto their agendas so tightly that what is good, holy and just was slipping out of there hands. They could not longer see beyond there own power, prestige and prominence. Even the wonderful things Christ was doing made them indignant.
Application:
• Today, Jesus seeks a triumphal entry into your heart, but what are your expectations of Him?
• Jesus continues doing “wonderful things” but what if those wonderful things are not the wonderful things you had hoped He would do? Will you reject Him?
• If you are truly experiencing Christ in your life then you should expect a Calamity. His ways are not yours! (Is 55:9)
CONCLUSION:
Restate Proposition: Our expectations of who Christ is “supposed” to be can keep us from receiving Christ as He actually is.
Restate Main Points: Today saw that Christ did not meet the expectations of the religious leaders because:
1. JESUS CAME IN HUMILITY (21:1-11)
2. JESUS CHALLENGED THEIR AUTHORITY (21:12-14)
3. JESUS CAUSED A CALAMITY (21:15-16)
Final Illustration:
• If you thought you were going to die tomorrow, it would follow that the littlest things in life would take on great meaning. The sunrise and sunset, flowers smell ect. Since you would have no means to accomplish the things that make up your agenda you would drop them and at least for a single day you would live life to its fullest.
• But because you have the expectation of life, the little things have no value to you at all. They can all be enjoyed once you have taken care of your agenda. In the end your expectations actually stop you from experiencing life to its fullest.
• Well the same is true with Christ, if you could simply receive Him as He is and stop trying to manipulate Him to be and do what you want, then you would meet Him and He could change you rather than you change Him.
Closing Thought:
• Today we have seen that the agenda’s of the religious leaders stopped them from receiving the messiah as He triumphantly entered Jerusalem.
• Today Christ seeks to triumphantly enter your heart, what agenda’s do you need to drop in order to receive Him?
Amen!
