Many of you have heard the saying “Jesus said it, I believe it, that settles it!” Not a bad statement!
But as we will discover in our passage today, we are to simply say, and live with this statement: Jesus said it, that settles it!
My prayer, as we learn more about Jesus today, is that when someone asks us why we do what we do, we should simply tell them, “We do it because Jesus said so!”
Open your Bibles to Luke 19…. Read along with me v28-44……..
We read in v28 that Jesus said something before proceeding to the Holy City of Jerusalem. What did He say? Remember the message from last week?
In v11-27, Jesus taught that He is indeed King but He has to leave earth for a while and allow His servants to work before He sets up God’s complete Kingdom!
But yet we note that Jesus went to Jerusalem and allowed Himself to be worshiped as King! Why would Jesus do this? Let’s take a closer look at what happened.
First of all, in v29-31: Jesus gave specific instructions to His disciples.
And what did the disciples do? We read in v32-34: the disciples obeyed just as they were told without questions!
It seems like they simply followed Jesus’ instructions, but the disciples could have had all sorts of questions: Are you sure Jesus that we’ll find a colt? How do you know if a colt you’ve never seen has ever been ridden or not? Have you been to that village before? We have no money to pay? Wouldn’t it be stealing if we just untie the colt and bring it you? We’re fishermen, we don’t know how to handle a colt! Do you really think that if we just say the Lord needs it, they will give us what we take?
You see the point here; there can always be all sorts of questions; but the disciples just obeyed! We are to ask questions, but many times Jesus just want us to listen, trust, and obey. How often do we see ourselves questioning what Jesus said?
But did the disciples actually just obeyed? I think we need to also note something else the disciples did as they were following Jesus’ instructions; what was it??
The disciples observed as they were obeying!
Now picture how the 2 disciples went ahead. They likely said to each other, “Is this the village Jesus was talking about? Look! There’s the colt just as Jesus said! Okay quick, let’s untie it and hopefully no one will see us! Oh man, here comes some people, do you think they are the owners and will ask us what we are doing?
We don’t read a long speech of explanation from the 2 disciples when they were caught untying the colt; I bet they said to each other, “this is just what Jesus said would happen!” And so, they simply stated what Jesus told them to say; “the Lord needs it.”
The owners could have refused but they didn’t; another sign for the disciples that they were doing God’s will!
Now, why was Jesus able to give specific instructions??
Jesus knows past, present, and future. Jesus knows everything! He can be trusted! Are we listening and trusting Jesus on a daily basis?
Now, what do we read in v35-36? The disciples presented their cloaks (their coats) to Jesus Christ! We can note from the other Gospels that the people also cut palm branches to present to Jesus. Why did the people do that?
The symbolism of presenting cloaks to someone, especially to be sat on or stepped on, was that of submission. The disciples and the people believed that Jesus was King, ready to reclaim Judea for them as He enters the main city of Jerusalem. During that time, palm branches also had many meanings, mainly in celebrations, especially for a victory over an enemy. The people were claiming Jesus Christ as the victorious King who would free them from bondage.
The disciples and the people were so sure that Jesus was going to get rid of the Romans and set up a Kingdom on earth like King David.
And what happened in v37-38…….
Now, what was the reason for their praising and shouting??
The people praised Jesus for what Jesus did, not necessarily what He said.
The people praised Jesus mainly for physical blessings.
As we read in v38, the people were shouting …………….
The people were citing passages from the Old Testament about the Messiah!
And so, we hear Bible Scholars in v39……
The Pharisees called him teacher BUT they thought it was blasphemous to call Jesus King Messiah!
But interestingly, Jesus said in v40…
What does this mean, the stones will cry out??
You see, what the people were saying about Jesus Christ as Messiah is true; but Jesus has been saying that there is man’s plans and timing and there is God’s plan and timing! Jesus was saying, “it is true I am the Messiah, but I must suffer first for man’s sins! Believe in God’s plan and timing, not man’s!
And of course, God provided all these truths in the Old Testament! The parallel passages in the Gospels of Matthew and John states, “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet.”
Let us finish by noting briefly what we can glean from v41-44.
v41-42: God Jesus Christ wept for people!
And from v43-44, Jesus tells the truth about the future!
Let us summarize the biblical principles from this passage and note the applications for our lives today. What can we say about Jesus Christ from this passage?
First of all, Jesus said He had to leave earth for a while but will come back.
Jesus Christ:
- is God from heaven who walked the earth for a purpose.
- gives specific instructions.
- knows past, present, and future (omniscient).
- provides both physical and spiritual blessing.
- knows God’s plans.
- is compassionate for people.
- is truth!
Do you personally know and believe all of this about Jesus Christ?
How will we respond to this Jesus?
Like the 2 Disciples and the Donkey owners; We must listen, observe, trust, and obey Jesus Christ! (Simply remember, L-O-T-O to Jesus!)
Like the crowd who gave their cloaks and palm branches, we are to submit and worship Jesus Christ!
And if people asks us why we do what we do, what should we say??
We do what we do because Jesus says so!!!
