Intro: In today’s text we will look at the Triumphal entry of Jesus.
I. A Parade of Destiny - vs. 12-19
A. The Amazed Masses - vs. 12-13, 18
Amazed at what Jesus had done.
B. The Humble Messiah - vs. 14
The Creator rode an unbroken colt - most would have been thrown! But the colt knew who was on its back.
1. The donkey is a picture of the first coming of Christ - A king humbled!
2. The donkey was also a picture of His Compassion - He came to bring Peace - A king on a donkey was coming in Peace.
Zech 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." The Prince of Peace came in Peace.
The judgment of God is inevitable, Jesus faced judgment for all that will be saved
II. A Personal Desire - vs. 20-26 Charles Alexander was the song leader for great men as Billy Sunday, Wilbur Chapman, and R. A. Torrey. He was involved in thrilling crusades all around the World. One day when in Britain, he sang at a school for blind children. His songs charmed the audience. He asked if any child had a special request. A small boy lifted his hand and said, “Sir, will you sing, ‘Never lose sight of Jesus’?” And he did, He sang the words - O pilgrim bound for the heavenly land, Never lose sight of Jesus. He’ll lead you gently with loving hand , Never lose sight of Jesus. As he looked at the face of the little blind boy listening to his favorite hymn, he could not help but cry. The little boy could not see the singer, or anyone else on this earth. BUT he loved the words of that song, for even as a child he had his soul’s eyes on Jesus.
A. These were Strangers - vs. 20 Greeks, not Grecians (Hellenistic Jews)
1. They Probably participated in the Triumphal entrance of Jesus.
2. They had heard of the Miracles.
3. They had heard of Lazarus.
I was once a stranger, but not anymore. I heard about Jesus!
B. They were Sincere - Greeks had many Gods, (Acts 17:23 - Greeks had an altar to the Unknown God) but they had turned away from them to the true God - and now they wanted to know Jesus. No one will enter heaven unless they have turned form everything else and trusted Christ with a sincere heart. Ro 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
C. They were Satisfied! - vs, 23 “Jesus answered THEM!”
1. He was Ready for His Time - The hour is come!
Before Jesus had said - My time has not yet come, but not now - It was time for Him to begin the Journey during the next week to the cross.
He had already explained to them that the world would not take His life.
John 10:17 "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
2. He Revealed His Truth - He would be glorified.
Daniel 7:14 "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
- Rejected by a Few - He had come first to Israel - and while seated with them that rejected Him, he was being sought by the Gentiles from outside. The entire World would benefit from His submission to the cross! Jesus died for ALL.
- Redeemer of Many - Psalm 22, prophetic Psalm of the crucifixion, has an interesting verse: 6 "But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." The Word “worm” is the same word used as Scarlet that was a dye used in making part of the Priests garments!
This Worm, when it was ready give birth to its young, would attach its body to the trunk of a tree, fixing itself so firmly and permanently that it would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and began their own lives. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes were extracted.
What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding his precious blood. Hebrews 2:10 "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings."
He died for us, that we might live through him!
C. He Resounded His Triumph - Jesus knew victory was coming! He had not died, yet the time had come for his glorification to begin. His Resurrection, Ascension, and being seated at the Right hand of the Father as the Savior of the World would begin with His crucifixion!
1. He is the Crucified Lord.
2. He is the Conqueror of Death.
3. He is the Compassionate Redeemer.
4. He is the Coming Savior.
5. He is the Crowned King of Kings!
III. A Plan of Deliverance - vs. 27-50
Luke 19:41 "And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,"
A. The Pain - vs. 27 At this point He was torn between heaven and hell! Between Deity and humanity - had He not submitted, He would not have died.
B. The Purpose - vs. 28 - to bring Glory to God!
Jesus glorified the Father, and the Father glorified Him.
C. The Provision - vs. 29-34
1. A Confirmation - vs. 29-30 voice from heaven (many still did not believe).
2. A Covenant - vs. 31 (of = for) The judgment of all would be placed upon Christ, and Satan would be defeated.
3. A Crucifixion - He would be lifted up!
D. The Problem - vs. 35-41
1. They were blinded, and hard hearted by their sin.
- They were blinded by their own rejection (back at verse 19)
- They were blinded by their desire for power - vs. 43
In no way does this imply that God blinded them so they could not be saved, and what we see is a final call - BUT THEY WOULD NOT HEAR!
Just like Pharaoh - God told Moses that trouble would come, and that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart - but before God ever hardened the heart of Pharaoh, Pharaoh said - Ex 5:2 "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go." God hardened his heart the first time in Exodus 7:13. God knew they would not hear! And He used it in His plan to pay for the sins of the world.
Jesus had declared - Mt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"
You can push God away so long, that at some point, you will not! It will be too late.
2. They were belligerent toward the Saviour - Luke 19:39 "And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
E. The Proposal - vs. 44-50 Whosoever (vs. 46) If you will come to Him, He will in no wise cast you out!
Concl. This time Jesus came riding on a donkey - but not again! He will take His church to be with Him, maybe today! And then He will return, not in humility, but in eternal honor! Rev 19:11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."
Will you see Jesus when He comes for His church? He is coming soon.
We shall see Jesus, just as they saw Him. There is no greater promise than this. When He returns in Power and glory, We shall see Jesus, just as He is! Jude 1:14 "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints," Will you be in that number?
In Jerusalem, the King came on a Donkey to provide Himself a Lamb!
He is coming again - Are you ready? He has paid the price for you to be ready. Have you trusted Him? If so, are you ready to face Him?
Disclaimer: A man once told me that if it is true, it is not new. If it is new, it is not true. We all know there is nothing new under the sun. With that said, I glean ideas for my sermons from God’s Word, my own thoughts and work, and many other sources. Any similarity to my sermons and others, where credit is not given, is either coincidental, or an unintentional mistake on my part. As none of us have a corner on the wisdom and teaching of God’s Word, it is my desire that any of my outlines be an encouragement, a help, and hopefully a motivation for others to preach God’s Word clearly. Please feel free to use any portion of my sermons if they can be of help to you and your ministry. It is all for His Glory.
