Crowd cheers; Jesus weeps
Luke 19:28-44
Introduction-
As we continue in our mini-series “journey to the cross”, I would like for us to prepare ourselves for Easter celebration.
Sometimes scriptural passages lose their appeal because we are so familiar with them.
I would hate to see that happen as we look at this text.
Jesus entry into Jerusalem is recorded in all four gospels.
Each one compliments each other and each one shares a detail to put this event in order for us the reader to see the last days of Jesus Christ before the ultimate plan of God is complete.
Luke 19:28-44
I want to look at this passage and see the attitude change of the people.
People welcoming Jesus into their town and into their life… and days later, yelling crucify Him, and choosing a criminal be released instead of Him.
What changed? Did anything change?
Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem.
Passes through the Mt. of Olives, which days later, he will be crying out to God the Father, to take his burden from Him.
To fulfill prophecy, He sends 2 of his disciples (which we do not know which ones) to get a donkey and an un-ridden colt.
Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the praising and blessings of people who wanted Him to be King!
Oh, the Pharisees didn’t like him, and they knew Scriptures, they knew the prophecy was being fulfilled and told Jesus to shut His disciples up.
He rebukes them back and says that if they kept quiet, that even the rocks would cry out and praise God- Because of what was about to happen!
What was happening! Why the attitude change days later
Listen,
A lot of people know about the cross, and they heard of Jesus Christ, but few have experienced what the cross of Jesus Christ mean to them. (repeat)
To them, the last week of Jesus is a story to them, and Easter is about food, candy, and a family gathering.
To a believer who has a relationship with Jesus Christ, Palm Sunday begins a journey of our savior for the redemption of each person who puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Why did the attitude of the people of Israel changed in one week is the same reason today that people follow Jesus for awhile and then stop following Him.
He tells people what they do not want to hear.
Jesus through righteous love demands people to change.
They wanted Jesus to do what they wanted Him to do.
They wanted a king to change their situation and not mess with their hearts.
They wanted military muscle- and Jesus came to save them.
They wanted a king-----------------------------------------------------------------Jesus wanted to be savior.
They wanted to change Rome-----------------------------------------He wanted to change their hearts.
They wanted power given back to them----------------------------------------------Jesus wanted peace.
They saw Romans as the problem-------------------------------------Jesus said they were the problem.
Coming to Christ is a radical change- from what you were to what Christ wants to do in you.
It is a continuous process of following
It is walking in the same direction.
It is a path of commitment, obedience.
What went wrong?
For them- They looked for what Jesus could do for them instead of seeing what He was about
to do.
For us- It’s creating a Jesus to our liking instead of seeing what He has done (past tense) and
What that means to us.
Jesus knows everything about us
We cannot fake it.
We cannot be something that we are not.
They saw Jesus do miracles and they wanted their own miracle without a relationship.
They wanted to be saved from troubles, but not saved from their sins.
Somehow they thought Jesus could lead them out of trouble and continue to bail them out.
As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowd waved their palm branches, threw their cloaks on the ground (hence Palm Sunday). They shouted “Blessed be the king who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Whoa Jesus
Cheers, blessings, all praises, hi fiving each other, giving honor to God.
It’s all good when everything is going well and you have no problems.
It’s all good when God is answering your prayers the way you want Him too.
I’ll serve you God as long as you come running guns a blazing when I need you.
But when He didn’t do that- things changed!
Jesus rode in on a donkey! Come on! How are you going to defeat the Romans riding on a donkey.
Illustration-
I picture the scene like rush hour traffic. Everyone rubber necking to see Jesus and the farther back you are, the more you are wondering what the delay is. Oh, its Jesus, He is going to save us from the Romans. He is our redeemer! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Then they get a glimpse of Him riding in on a donkey.
Yea, my redeemer riding in on a donkey!
In time, the cheers may have stopped, but the plan of God never changed. They changed.
The cheering stopped. Praising stopped.
He didn’t create a riot. That is what they wanted.
He did not gather an army to fight Rome. That is what they wanted.
He didn’t do what they expected- then they jumped ship.
Jesus knew their hearts. He knew their desires.
The cheering stops when we drift away from God and expect Him to be something that He is not.
The cheers stop when we do not recognize His purpose.
The cheering stops when we refuse Him and fail to accept His terms.
The people of Jerusalem desired peace, but wanted it to come through conflict.
Jesus was offering them peace in conflict.
People today are not willing to accept the terms- His Terms.
We touched on that last week.
To follow Jesus is 3 folded
Deny yourself
Take up your cross daily
Follow Him
Hear the word of the Lord
Religion without relationship is worthless.
Reform your ways
People wanted to see a change of power- Jesus wants to see a change of attitude.
Fun fact-
The largest cross in the USA is in Effingham, Illinois. It is said to be 198 feet tall. The largest cross is the world is in Macedonia at 216 feet tall and weighs 180 tons, able to stand winds of 145 mile per hour. You know what that cross can do for you without Jesus- nothing! It is a pile of steel.
Let me bring this home,
Jerusalem was the end of the journey for Jesus.
The plan of the Father was coming to completion.
Jesus was going to that cross. He was going to die for each one of us.
Those that accepted Him on His terms – He would become their savior.
For those that reject what He has done, will one day die in their sins.
I know busy, this week is full of services and events, schedules to keep, but don’t miss the resurrection and resist the savior.
Don’t forget what He has done!
Illustration-
A person tells the story of what he thinks of his pastor.
He will take you up to the mountain and down to the valleys.
He will bring you laughter and to tears.
He will have you jumping for joy and then falling on your knees.
But by the time he is finished, he will always bring you to the foot of the cross.
Nice thing to say about his pastor. I am praying that Jesus bring you to the foot of the cross.
Hebrews 11:6-
“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because he who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”
I know that he is real because I have a relationship with Him.
My spirit bears witness to His Spirit.
As we close,
(41) “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it, and said if you, even you, had known on this day what would bring you peace- but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against 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.”
No more roller coasters- settle things with God this morning!
Get yourself at the foot of the cross and get your eyes on Jesus.
They did not recognize the time of God’s coming!
This morning you have to do something with Jesus- no response is rejection.
1st triumphant entry of Jesus- Jerusalem before He went to the cross.
2nd triumphant entry of Jesus- on the other side of the cross to come get His church and His people.
“Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!”
Why don’t you do that this morning while He is calling you?
Call for response as the Lord leads
