Dakota Community Church
April 1, 2012
Palm Sunday
King of Mercy
Today is Palm Sunday the day on the church calendar when we traditionally mark Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem beginning the final week of His life and leading up to the crucifixion on Good Friday followed by the glorious resurrection Easter Sunday morning.
This year we will use the gospel of Luke as our text:
Luke 19:28-44
After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
The day is marked by some incredible contrasts
1. Amazing insight vs great misunderstanding.
The amazing insight is that this Jesus really was the “king who comes in the Name of the LORD!”
Jesus is the “Son of David”
He is the branch that bears fruit from the stump of Jesse
Isaiah 11:1-3
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD— and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.
Jesus is the long awaited Ruler of Israel, the Messiah who would come and establish David’s throne fulfilling all of God’s promises!
The misunderstanding came in that:
They were looking for a kingdom of this world - a piece of land with physical borders.
John 18:36-38
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
They were looking for a king who would overpower their enemy - the Roman Empire
Jesus was about to crush the head of the serpent - our real enemy!
They were welcoming the Lion of Judah
Jesus was heading to the alter - the spotless sacrificial lamb.
As a result of this misunderstanding many of these same worshippers would be shouting “Crucify” in just a few days.
This presents an important point for us - We need to be certain our faith is hanging on Christ and not on some expected outcome of following Him.
HE IS THE POINT! HE IS THE WAY! - not us or our personal gain in Him.
What happens if we misunderstand and place our hope in financial prosperity or healing?
What happens if we think that we have done certain things - so now God is obligated to do certain things in return?
Is my hope in Christ or in some plan for good and not evil involving hope and a bright future?
Luke 24:13-21
Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.
2. Worshipful acceptance vs murderous rejection.
Luke 19:37-38
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Luke 19:39-40
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
This hangs on who Jesus is.
The pharisees call him “teacher” and insist that he refuse worship.
If Jesus is God:
Psalm 113:2-3
Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
If Jesus is a human teacher:
Romans 1:18-25
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
So who is Jesus? Who do you say that He is.
IT”S ALL ABOUT HIM
3. Absolute authority vs tearful mercy
Luke 19:41-44
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
He is the king, he is the messiah, if they don’t worship him the stones will.
Jesus knows what is about to happen - he has come to lay down his life knowing that no man can take it from him. He knows the Pharisees will gain the upper hand, he knows the disciples will flee, he knows one of his own will betray him. Jesus even knows the ultimate end of this city 40 years in the future.
What is the response of this all powerful king in the face of this terrible knowledge?
Tears. Tears. He is moved to tears over them. Jesus deeply feels the sorrow of this horrible situation. He knows ultimate end - but feels compassion.
May we be so moved as we consider our city. Not only tears though:
Luke 18:31-33
Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again.”
Not only tears - tears that lead to sacrificial surrender - tears that lead to loving action.
I pray that we as a congregation would see and savor the Palm Sunday Tears of our King of mercy.
I pray also that as we fix our eyes on Him, we would be changed by what we see, changed into a people tenderly-moved (as He is),
self-denying (as He is),
meeting the needs of people (as He is).
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
Follow Dan on twitter: @DanCormie
