When the Cheers Turned Sour
Matthew 27:15-26
In fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy (Zech. 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”), Christ rode into Jerusalem as the crowds gathered and cheered. But the sweet sounds of cheers turned sour and faded over the next few days as they gave way to shouts of “Crucify Him!” To understand this we must first understand why the crowds followed Christ.
I. Why the Crowds and the Cheering?
A. Christ’s fame had spread throughout all of Judah.
B. The miracles He performed were not going unnoticed.
C. It seemed as though when Christ told those healed not to talk about the miracles He performed, the louder and faster they spread the story of His power.
D. Mark 7:36-37 “And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.”
E. Many followed Him, therefore, out of curiosity having heard of these unbelievable events hoping to see Jesus perform some great feat or do something for them.
F. Mark 3:8b-10 “a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.”
G. Others followed Him for what they hoped would be personal gain. They wanted Christ to feed them, that is to meet their physical appetites
H. We are given an insight to this as we read of the behavior of those that had been fed by the five barley loaves and the two fish. The Scriptures tell us that Christ perceiving that they would seek make Him king by force withdraws from them. (John 6:15) But the crowds still sought Him out.
I. John 6:22-25 “On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”
J. Others followed Christ because they believed that He would be the one to free them from the Roman occupation and would bring peace and prosperity to Israel.
K. Crowds haven’t changed much in 2000 years. They still want their stomachs full; their physical needs met, and peace and prosperity. The sad part is that they are willing to follow anyone as Henri Spaak, former Secretary General of NATO, said “Send us such a man, and be he god or devil, we will receive him.”
II. Why did the sweetness of the Cheering turn sour?
A. They became disappointed that Christ’s kingdom was not an earthly kingdom and it did not appear that He would overthrow the Roman government.
1. “With their words and with their actions, Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was (for this part of the crowd) a political rally. The palm tree had been the symbol of the nation of Israel, just like the bald eagle is the symbol of America. The palm branches were their flags! These people were expecting Jesus to be their King, to be their national liberator against the Romans! That’s what they expected from Jesus. Liberation. Political liberty. Freedom from the chains of this world!” – copied
2. John 12:12-13 “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
3. It suddenly became very apparent to those who were looking for a political leader who would conquer by force; Christ was not what they were looking for; He was not their conquering hero..
4. John 18:36 “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”
5. He refused to be the kind of king they wanted. Their hopes were dashed and the tide had shifted against Christ.
B. They were influenced by the religious leaders who had no use for Christ or His message.
1. Matthew 21:15 “But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant.”
2. The chief priests, the scribes and the Pharisees saw Christ as a threat to their self-proclaimed authority and power. Christ interfered with their tradition and their method of establishing self-righteousness.
3. Matthew 27:20 “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.”
4. In order to secure the condemnation of Jesus, the religious leaders urged on the people to demand Barabbas. The people were greatly under the influence of the priests. Galileans among the citizens of Jerusalem were held in contempt. The priests turned the pretensions of Jesus into ridicule. In a popular tumult, among a flexible and changing multitude, they easily excited those who, but a little before, had cried Hosanna, to cry, crucify him. - copied
C. A Mob mentality began to rule.
1. Many were caught up in a mob scene. The same thing happens today. People get worked up and excited and the next thing you know they are a mob. They’re beating someone or breaking glass in a store and carrying off loads of merchandise. Human nature hasn't changed and as someone has said “back in Jesus' day there were people who yelled louder than others and were heard.”
2. Matthew 27: 22-25 “Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
3. Their heart’s revealed their true nature. Man tends to turn their heroes into zeroes when they don’t see what they to see, get what they want to have, or hear what they want said.
4. In stark contrast these superficial followers were now Christ’s condemners.
III. Before we criticize too sharply are we any different today?
A. The cheers of some today are just as hollow as the crowds waving the palms
1. Some follow because everybody’s doing it. Being religious is the in thing. They want to be with the in crowd where it’s popular.
2. Some are looking for and expecting Jesus to answer their prayers for healing or for some material blessing, either for themselves, or for someone they love.
3. Some are looking to be set free. They are expecting Jesus to give them victory over whomever, or whatever, is oppressing them. They want freedom but want freedom to do what they want, freedom from problems, constraints, addictions, difficulties.
4. Some are looking for what they can get out of Christ and the church.
5. Some are looking for Utopia on earth expecting
B. Just like those whose cheers soured superficial followers are easily turned
1. Some turn from Christ when peers put pressure or mock.
a. Mark 15:15 - And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
b. Like Pilate they go along.
c. Proverbs 29:25 - The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso puts his trust in the LORD shall be safe
2. Some turn against Christ when it appears that God hasn’t answered their prayers the way they wanted
a. James 4:3 - Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
b. 1 John 5:14 - And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us
3. Some turn back from following when they realize that freedom carries with it commitment and responsibility.
a. Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another”
4. Some turn in anger because they hear something they don’t like.
a. Luke 17:1 ““It is impossible that no offenses should come…”
b. John 6:60, 66-69 “When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God
