Our theme for today’s sermon is ‘the suffering of the Innocent’. Throughout the ages many people have asked the question ‘why do the innocent suffer?’ This question can only be adequately answered in the case of the Messiah because of the many revelations about His birth, life, death, and resurrection. He was born supernaturally without a sin nature, lived a sinless life and was crucified on a cross to pay the penalty for the sin of the whole world. The final week of the Messiah’s life recounts the suffering He went through. It began on a day over 2000 years ago that we are enacting today with our processions that is now referred to as Palm Sunday. On that day, at God’s appointed time, He publicly revealed His only Son, the Messiah to the world. On this special occasion, Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to fulfil the prophecy made about Him by the prophet Zechariah. The people welcomed Him with shouts of Hosanna meaning Lord, save us now. (Psalm 118) and responded to His presence by waving palm branches and laying their garments in His path. The people were expecting the Messiah to liberate them from Roman rule. The Messiah, however, had come to liberate them from something far greater and far more important. He had come to liberate them from Satan, sin, and death.
The Jews had been looking forward to and preparing for such a time by the observance of the Passover meal since their deliverance from Egyptian captivity. Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as the Passover Lamb. He entered Jerusalem at a time preparations were being made to celebrate the Passover. The Passover prophetically portrayed the deliverance from slavery and bondage to sin by the Messiah. Jesus Christ fully fulfilled the requirements of the Passover lamb. He entered Jerusalem presenting Himself to the people at the same time that the sacrificial lambs were being inspected by the shepherds before being brought to the priests for examination. The lambs were then set aside for four days, Monday to Thursday, to make sure they were without blemish before being sacrificed on Friday before the onset of the Sabbath. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, in the prime of life, also came before the people and leaders for close examination for four days. During this time the Herodians, Sadducees, lawyers, Pharisees and the civil authorities examined him and could not accuse Him of any wrongdoing. Pilate also pronounces that Jesus qualified to be the Passover Lamb by finding no fault at all in Him. He was found to be without blemish before shedding His blood on Calvary, the perfect Lamb of God.
At the first Passover in Egypt, the people had to apply the blood of the Passover lamb to their doorposts to avoid the judgement of God and the death of their first born. In a similar manner the blood of the Passover Lamb of God, Jesus Christ has to be applied to our hearts to avoid the judgment and wrath of God and the death penalty on sin. Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sin to qualify believers to become partakers of the New Covenant of grace that gives them eternal life and access to the presence of God.
As partakers of the New Covenant of grace, we become a new creation and can call God, Abba, Father, and live the life of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We will then not only wave palm branches on Palm Sunday, sing, and recount our Lord’s last procession into Jerusalem, but also live the Christian life, a life of love, humility and service. Let us always remember that when Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem he was knowingly and willingly riding to His death to pay the penalty for our sin because He loved us. Let us remember that He willingly took our place and was made sin with our sinfulness that we might be made righteous with His righteousness. Let us remember that Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place to give us eternal life.
The cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified was meant for the crucifixion of another person, a man named Barabbas, found guilty of insurrection and rebellion against the Roman government and sentenced to death. When Jesus Christ took his place, Barabbas was declared not guilty and set free. Barabbas represents each one of us. We have all sinned and are guilty of rebellion against God and deserve to die. But Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God took our place on the cross, that we might be freed from the sentence of death and set free. Christ died as our substitute. He died instead of us, so that we might not have to die for our sins. But He also died as our representative, so that when He died, we died with Him and when He was buried, we were buried with Him. And when He rose from the dead, we rose with Him.
Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled every prophecy made concerning Him in such a way that we cannot fail to recognize Him as the Messiah. No person apart from Jesus Christ Himself could fulfil all those prophecies. He is the only One who can free us from slavery to Satan, sin, and death. It is, however, not enough just to know about Christ. We must know Him through a personal relationship and accept Him as our Saviour and Lord. It is possible to know about Christ without having a relationship with Him and follow Him for the wrong reasons and miss the provisions His sacrifice has made available to all people. The religious leaders knew about the Messiah but did not know Him personally. They were more concerned about their own power and authority than about God’s eternal Kingdom; more concerned about safeguarding their own privileges than obeying Christ. Unfortunately, the same thing is happening in the lives of many people today.
The celebration of Palm Sunday today is to tell the world that Jesus Christ is still passing by and can be welcomed into our lives as Saviour and Lord. He is the only One who can give hope to the hopeless and light to those in darkness. Are we turning our backs on Him as the Pharisees did? Are we following Him for the wrong reasons? Or will we deny Him as those who cried for His crucifixion?
Jesus’ suffering and death paid the penalty for the sin of the whole world. His sacrifice was greater than the judgement of God on sin and by that one sacrifice, He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Christ has saved us from hell, from death, from misery, from guilt and from punishment. It is, however, not enough that He shed His blood. We must individually receive God’s provision by accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. Let us celebrate Palm Sunday today by welcoming Jesus into our lives to the praise and glory of Almighty God, the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
