Palm Sunday Sermon expectations?
In Luke’s gospel as in all the Biblical gospels we are given a depiction of what is often referred to as the “Triumphal Entry”, we have this depiction of Jesus mysteriously instructing a couple of his disciples to head off into town and untie a colt of what is described in the other gospels as a donkey, or in some a donkey and its colt and bring it for Jesus to ride. If anyone was to ask why the lads were untying it they were to say “the Lord needs it.” All very unusual really, as it happened this is what happens, the disciples when they are challenged why they are untying the colt reply as Jesus instructed them to.
I’m sure that Jesus had somehow made arrangements to lease the colt.
The disciples now brought the colt to Jesus they then threw their cloaks on the colt and “as he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.” Matthews gospel records that this occurred also and “others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road” (Matt 21:8b) Matthew records that this was a “very large crowd”. Mark records that “Many people spread their cloaks on the road; while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.” (Mark 11:8).
For those of us who live in the two thousand and fifteen we could look at this and say well it’s no big deal really this is no All Black welcome home, this is no home coming parade for the Black Caps after we've beaten Australia in the World Cup Cricket, this is some bloke riding a young donkey into a city somewhere in the middle east with branches and cloaks really what’s the big deal? There are no fire engines, no marching band, dancing girls and no blokes in clown costumes riding unicycles and juggling.
But and this is really big.
Jesus entry as it was into Jerusalem, the riding of this colt, the way he went about it was massive. Lights should have been going off in the minds of all present, explosions of understanding should have had the cerebral neurons in their brains firing with great rapidity and hearts of every learned Hebrew religious scholar or priest racing. These scholars and priests should have been leaping out of their skin in anticipation as to what was occurring.
Why? Try this from the prophet Zechariah written 480 BC (Zechariah 9:9-11).
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
and the warhorses from Jerusalem,
and the battle bow will be broken.
He will proclaim peace to the nations.
His rule will extend from sea to sea
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
If you want to get your head into a bit of interesting reading about the coming of the Christ, Zechariah is a great way to while away a few hours.
But somehow we find that the learned blokes just didn't click. Or was there a more sinister reason that they didn't get it? I think we find that this is the case. John records prior to his account of the triumphal entry that there was already a plan afoot to kill Jesus and the Chief Priests and the Pharisees were the ones who instigated it. John chapter 11:49 reads “Then one of them named Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that year spoke up, ‘You know nothing at all ! You do not realise it is better for you that one man die than the whole nation perish.” Interestingly John in the following couple of verses states “He (Caiaphas) prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation and not only that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” How awesome is it that these words are also words about us, us who are brought together sinful men and women, saved by grace through faith and now the church, the body of Christ on earth. Meaty stuff this.
The religious bods, these priests and Pharisees didn't get it because their eyes were closed to who Jesus was, they didn't get it because they had rationalised away the reality, they didn't get it because they had their own agenda, an agenda to kill the Jesus who they failed to see as the messiah. Why? Because they feared outcomes that might possibly never be realised. There’s quite a good little saying, “of all the horrors great and small the worst are those that don’t happen at all”. The religious leaders were living in fear, the Jewish people in Jerusalem were politically vulnerable and in part they believed that if they killed this Rabbi Jesus the Roman authorities would be happy. An act of evil for the greater good, very much politics, Jesus death was in part a political killing.
Jesus came in peace, riding a beast of burden rather than an expected stallion, a man of peace, a king humble and lowly riding on the colt of a donkey.
The crowd cried out “Hosanna”, which means save now, please save! (John 12:13)
They shouted “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13)
Here’s a few declarations, “Blessed is the King of Israel.” (John 12:13)
“Hosanna to the son of David.” (Matt 2:9)
“Hosanna in the highest” (Matt 2:9)
Jesus was crowned with praise, the crowd recognised this Jesus as king. But how do the learned people respond to all of this declaration of Jesus being declared king, being the one who comes in the name of the Lord? The response of the Pharisees comes with these words “Teacher rebuke your disciples” in other words ‘Jesus, tell your disciples to be silent, to shut up!’
His reply was interesting, “I tell you if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” I remember a friend of mine telling me about how he has stood in that place this happened on the very stones that would have cried out.
The people of the time, the crowd of disciples and there were many disciples of Jesus who were not part of the close twelve, Jesus had many followers. These people realised who Jesus was. The religious leaders didn’t. But what happened to the crowd in the following week? Their expectations didn’t or at least didn’t appear to meet reality. When this happens the outcome is often conflict.
Baptist Minister Denis Davidson says this “Obviously with the treatment of Jesus that occurs later in the week most of this crowd’s real hope was to cash in on this prophet who feed the multitudes and performed miracles of healing. The same thing happens today, for there can be a tendency within the heart of each of us to cash in on Jesus’ blessings. If you are expecting Jesus to be a 'good luck charm' for you, if you expect Him to help you financially, physically, socially or vocationally, you will be disappointed when things don't go the way you thought they would.
We need to realize that Jesus Christ came to die for our sin and pay the price for our iniquity. If He never does anything else in this present life, His forgiveness is more than enough to merit our loyalty, our affection, and our eternal devotion. If He never does another thing for me, if He never gives another blessing to me, I owe Him my life because of what He did on Calvary.”
(http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-triumphal-entry-dennis-davidson-sermon-on-triumphal-entry-184558.asp?Page=4; sighted 25/03/2015
How often are we in conflict with God because our expectations don’t meet reality, how often do we blame him for human actions or natural consequences, someone takes what we believe is our car park we blame God, we miss out on the job of our dreams it’s God’s fault, we get sick yip it must be God’s fault. We build a city on a fault line and there’s an earthquake, must be God’s to blame again.
If Jesus had rode into town on a white stallion, the disciples been trained warriors and the masses gathered for battle the outcome could have been something completely different, for the Hebrew people have an expectation that the Messiah will free them from all oppressors and oppression. This from a web site Judaism 101; “He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15).” (http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm, sighted 27/03/2015).
Jesus paid the price for our immorality and died for our sins, for the sin of all people. Acts 4:12 tells us “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
So how should a king of kings make an entry? The prophetic Revelation of John depicts the triumphal entry of Jesus this way:
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider was called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but himself. He is dressed in a robe that is dipped in blood, and his name is the word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike the nations. ‘He will rule with an iron scepter’ He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he had this name written; KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19:11-16).
The comparison of the Revelation entry and the original triumphant entry is vast, an earthly entry in a city not understanding who the rider of the colt was. An entry that went onto result in Jesus crucifixion and death, to fear and cowering in fear by Jesus followers. How can this entry be compared with the heavenly entrance on the battlefield where the beast and the false prophet will be defeated?
My desire for us today is to understand that Jesus is triumphant, that in his life, in his death and resurrection he was triumphant and in glory he now is triumphant. That Jesus has defeated sin and death…he has defeated sin and death and he will continue to defeat sin and death.
Will we view him as one who has conquered or like the Pharisees do we take a different view because we have our own agenda? Do we like the Pharisees decide on Jesus final outcome in our lives, possibly putting him to death as we reject his teaching and desire for relationship with us, when he actually holds all power and I mean all power and by asking him to ascend onto the throne in our lives of our hearts we can be clean, we can live in freedom, unburdened by sin, with no fear of death.
We can live without internal conflict, we can live in the knowledge of peace in our hearts for out of God’s goodness and mercy Jesus came so that we can know unwarranted favour and freedom from sin. He has defeated sin and death…to deny that is to remain in a place of death and sin.
Blessed is he who came in the name of the Lord, Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. He continues to come by his Spirit empowering by those who allow him. His love and mercy continue to act in and through those who acknowledge his sovereignty in their lives.
