A great story is held together by a great plot
One overarching theme, which binds every scene together
Compelling lead character – a dangerous dilemma involving
loss of certain order, the lead characters attempt to solve the problem and restore order, a villain, a companion or companions, interesting side characters, plot twists, a climax, and finally resolution of the problem, or order regained
Most great stories include them. From Shakespeare, to Tolkien, to Jane Austin even to Hollywood -- these great narrative elements can be found
Every great story is a collection of many great scenes woven together into one great overarching plot. One great scene in and of itself cannot convey the entirety of the story, but one great story is made up of many great scenes.
The story of the Bible is the greatest of all stories. It is the story of Christ and His entering into the struggle of humanity in order to rescue his fallen creation. The great story of Christ permeates all of Scripture including every individual scene. This morning we are selecting the scene of Christ’s Triumphal Entry.
The Triumphal Entry is one great scene in the great story involving many great story elements. Not only do great stories involve great plots and great scenes, but also great detailed elements. Great story details can be surprising, which only adds to sweetness of the story. As we consider the Triumphal Entry this morning, let’s do so by considering three sweet details of the scene. And we want to pay particular attention to how these important details point us to the larger and greater story into which they fit.
I. Jesus enters Jerusalem (v.1)
Since 16:21 movement of story has been towards Jerusalem
Jesus is aware how his life will end – but he knows the story does not end with his death. He foretold that he would even rise from the grave
So what was his mission?
Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
2 Corinthians 5:18
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Restoring our relationship to God and to each other
Jesus knew his mission and was keen to see it through
Do we know our mission?
Our mission is the mission of our father in heaven
Same mission as Jesus – hopefully our mission will not lead us to the cross
Vision – Mission – Values – Purpose
II. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey (vv.2-7)
Strange
disciples – borrow a donkey (?) from a disciple
Matthew 21:2-3
“Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
A borrowed donkey for the great story?
We know that God can and does use donkeys at times for His purposes. Numbers 22: the Lord opened the mouth of Balaam’s donkey after he had struck it three times and through the donkey the prophet was rebuked.
Abraham took Isaac to be sacrificed on a donkey
Moses took his family back into Egypt on a donkey
God has used donkeys in His story before
but no donkey had a purpose like this donkey
Matthew – Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey is a fulfilment of Old Testament Messianic prophecy
The prophet Zechariah wrote a full five hundred years before it happened that the Christ would mount a donkey and come into Jerusalem.
Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Why is this donkey so important?
ILLUSTRATION: Corrie Ten Boon
Was a famous Christian whose testimony of suffering in Nazi concentration camps and God’s grace through it all touched millions of lives. A few years ago, in a press conference following a ceremony in which Corrie Ten Boom was given an honorary degree, one of the reporters asked her if it was difficult remaining humble while hearing so much acclaim. She replied immediately, “Young man, when Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments in the road and singing praises, do you think that for one moment it ever entered the head of that donkey that any of that was for him?” She continued, “If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in his glory, I give him all the praise and all the honour.”
The donkey’s great role was to lift up Christ and carry Him to His most glorious work. This is the same purpose, which makes the story of our lives worth telling. We become a part of God’s great purpose in human history; our lives are stitched into the mosaic of God’s purpose to elevate Christ to the supreme position in the universe.
Can you embrace as happily as this borrowed donkey the role of magnifying Christ? If you will, then how can you do that in your home, at work, in this church and in our community? Your story will discover its meaning.
III. Jesus enters Jerusalem surrounded by a crowd waving Palm Branches (vv.8-11)
A few days prior to his death, Christ rode into Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives on a donkey, while crowds of people were waving palm branches as they went before Him into His Holy City. Of course, over the course of the next few days the picture would change. By week’s end, Christ would not be celebrated as a King, but crucified as a common criminal. Like a mysterious twist in the story Christ moved from celebration to crucifixion. How does this fit in with larger story of redemption? What can we learn from the crowds, the donkey, and the palm branches?
The Bible makes it clear that there will someday be another Triumphal Entry. Someday again crowds will gather around this same man, this same Christ, and crowds will once again go before Christ as He enters into Jerusalem. When that next Triumphal Entry occurs, Christ will be entering Jerusalem as King forever.
And when the crowds gather around Christ to escort him into His Holy City once more they will once again wave Palm Branches in their hands. The Apostle John provides us with a picture of this coming Triumphal Entry in Revelation 7:9-10 which says,
Revelation 7:9-10
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Can you envision with me an innumerable multitude of people gathering to celebrate Christ as Lord of all?
Holding Palm Branches – objects of worship – in their hands!
Everything we do in life is to be done for the glory of God in Christ. Down to the smallest details like what you hold in your hands. With the pen in your hand you may write for his glory. With the computer mouse you navigate to website from which learn or contribute for the glory of Christ. With the phone in your hand you speak words of grace to those who hear.
For believers all of life is to be committed to the one all consuming passion of the glory of God in Christ. This is the way it will be when we take up Palm Branches for Christ and this is the way it can increasingly be today as we grow in intentionally living for Christ’s glory.
CONCLUSION:
Christ and His gospel is the great cosmic story of God’s work to save His people. The Triumphal Entry is one important scene is the overarching story of God’s work of redemption. It is a picture of Christ the King entering into his holy city in order to accomplish His purpose of giving His life as an atoning sacrifice for sins. The importance and beauty of the scene of the Triumphal Entry can only be understood when it is viewed from the perspective of its connection with the overarching story.
This day is coming! Christ will come again and when He comes His people will meet Him with Palm Branches escorting Him to His royal throne to reign forever. What a day that will be! So, on this day as we look back to that day of entry, we also look forward to that new day of entry with even greater crowds welcoming, celebrating, and escorting Christ with Palm Branches in their hands and that leaves us with a question.
What is your story? Where have you come from? Where are you going? Is Christ supreme in your life? Has Christ profoundly impacted where you’ve come from? Do you understand yourself to be going to Christ? Is your story bound up in His? He entered Jerusalem on a donkey to conquer sin and to rise again to reign supreme as Lord and God forever. Has Christ ridden into your heart? Has Christ conquered sin in you? Has Christ risen in your heart? Does Christ reign in your heart as Lord and God forever?
