Have You Not Read? (Palm Sunday 2025)
Matthew 21:1-17
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons! We are so glad you have chosen to be here today!
- If you’ve been to church for any time, prob heard about Jesus’ triumphant entry
-- The significance of this moment written in history and fulfillment of prophecy
-- But what about the rest of that day; What else happened that we can learn from?
- Want us to see what sets the stage for this (holy) week’s events …
-- Perhaps we can take some time to reflect on how this event triggers the week
-- It is a faith affirming kind of day for the Church – one of the most exciting IMO
? RE: HOLY WEEK DEVOTIONALS TO POST
PRAY / TR: Two themes clearly depicted here … first is …
Point 1 – The importance of Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
Read Matthew 21:1-11
- The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in all 4 Gospels!!
-- (handout) Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19
- Putting the four Gospels together, it becomes very clear that:
• The triumphal entry was a significant turning point
• Not only to the people of Jesus’ day (as evidenced here)
• But to Christians who would/should know this story throughout time
- Jesus’ purpose of riding into Jerusalem was to make public one thing:
-- It’s a definitive claim to be their Messiah & King (fulfillment of OT prophecy)
- Matthew tells that the King riding on the foal of a donkey is predicted: (v5)
-- Zechariah 9:9, (BIG) “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.”
- SEE: Jesus rides into the capital city (God’s city) as a conquering King:
• He is hailed by the people as such; streets of Jerusalem are open to Him
• Like a king He ascends to His palace; rightful place of authority
• But know: He does not ascend to a physical palace, but to a spiritual one
• This is what the crowd could not grasp at this moment (yet we can!!)
- The spreading of cloaks was an act of homage to royalty:
-- OT Ref: 2 Kings 9:13, “They quickly took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps. Then they blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
-- APP: Jesus was openly declaring to the people that He was their King
- APP: He receives their worship and praise because only He deserves it!
-- He does not tell His disciples to be quiet about Him (seen in Matt 12:16, 16:20)
-- Instead, even they join in to shout His praises and worship Him publicly
- REALIZE: Unfortunately, the praise the people lavished on Jesus was not because they recognized Him as their Savior from their (our) sin …
-- They welcomed Him out of their desire for a conqueror or deliverer of a gov’t
- IMP: He entered the Holy City in a gesture of humility; of humbleness
-- Even greeted him with palm branches - which signifies victory and triumph
- They wanted someone who would lead them in a revolt against Rome
-- Many did not believe in Him as Savior; nevertheless hoped He could rescue
-- These are the ones who hailed Him as King with their shouts of, “Hosannah!”
- Some recognized Him as the Son of David who came in the name of the Lord
-- RE: Ch 11:1 – “out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot …”
-- But, once He failed in their expectations, the crowds quickly turn on Him
-- Within just a few days, their hosannas would change to cries of “Crucify Him!”
- TR: Now, many stop the study here … but there is SO much more!
-- Have you ever wondered what the rest of the day looked like?
-- Picture this … Jesus woke up that morning knowing today He would …
Point 2 – Cleanse God’s Most Holy Place of its Unrighteousness
Read Matthew 21:12-17
- PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION: This is the SAME DAY!
-- Many often mistake this as being at another time … Greek tells us otherwise
- When Jesus enters Jerusalem, He goes to where His Father would be (v12)
-- To where the indwelling of the presence of God is found (inner sanctuary)
-- RE: This is the same spot He was found when He went missing as a child
--- REF: Luke 2:49, “… Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
- It’s here He discovers the church has become a worldly symbol of retail
Greek: “kai eisel - then le - sous eis to hier - on”
TR: “and entered Jesus into the temple”
- He then drives out merchants from the house of God …
Greek: “kai exe - balen pantas tous poloun - tas”
TR: “and cast out all those selling”
- He declares they have made the Church out to be a “den of robbers”! (v13)
Greek: spelaion leston; a den of robbers (dwelling place, safety)
-- You’ve allowed the Church, God’s house, to be your own marketplace!
- The rebuke is direct: What have you made God’s Holy Place out to be?
• (GET) How dare you vandalize the temple of My Father with YOUR sin?
• Crookedness, self-idolization, sinful transactions, and shame dwell freely
- TALK: There are probably some churches who need to have this done today!
-- How can I say this? ASK: What is the primary mission of the church?
-- EXAMINE: Is this what it’s doing? Or is it all about money/programs/stuff?
- Don’t miss: He even goes to heal the blind and the lame in the Temple (v14)
-- The religious leaders are outraged by Jesus’s actions – they are truly offended!
-- Think: How dare this man come in here and tell us what is right/wrong here?
- Setup: Their complaint is disguised as one worried about the “children of God”
-- As if what Jesus ius doing, in the Temple, would ruin their idea of faith in God!
-- Worse: They act as if God would somehow approve of what they have made it!
- Response: Pay close attention to Jesus’ response: Have you ever read? (v16)
-- Greek: anaginóskó; to read, to recognize, to know
- SEE: Jesus doesn’t respond to the silliness; their condemnation; or their rebuke
-- He takes them to the one place they cannot refute anything … The Word of God
-- APP: But why is this so critical? John 1:1, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
-- His ask: Aren’t you charged with teaching it? Don’t you know it’s meaning?!
- BIG: This is an affirming declaration of where all authority comes from
-- Even when tempted, Jesus took the devil to the Word of God (all authority)
-- Your religion, your spirituality, your good deeds are NOT the focus God wants
- Yes, they ought to be products of what He has done within you …
-- But the real proof is what has the Word of God done to affect how you live?
-- Said another way (APP): How is the Word being lived out in your life?
- “Have you ever read” is INDICTMENT of the religious!! Don’t you know?!?
-- It ought to be our only response that we use when we are challenged
-- Unsure how to respond as a follower? Go to the Word! It is THE anchor!
-- APP: It is what rightly divides the “noise” from the truth – it is unchanging!
- It must be our focus when God’s Word is challenging your life to change
-- How can it be? How much time do you spend on it? Is it part of your life?
- It was not leading these … which is why they missed the 2 critical applications:
• Prophecy is fulfilled in who Jesus is: they are indifferent to His arrival (v10)
• These are charged with teaching God’s word: they don’t know it (v16)
Holy Week Challenge:
1. How do we react to God’s truth fulfilled before our eyes?
2. What are we doing with God’s Word in our life to be like Him?
3. Does the Word of God excite us when we read it, study it, or share it?
- Today marks the beginning of the most fundamental week for the Christian
-- Lots of focus on Christmas (arrival) … but remember what this week brings
-- This week brings us a direct revelation of who Jesus is – Messiah, Savior, King!!
- It is the week that leads to our salvation; to being made whole/right with God!
-- I say it is MORE vital to see its importance -- and lean into the excitement of it
-- Pray
