Save Us, We Pray!
Matthew 21:1 – 11; Luke 19:39 – 44
Introduction – The spring of 33 AD was a time of great contrasts for Jesus and His followers. On one hand His ministry had never been more successful. Jesus has had the opportunity to share deep spiritual truths with not only the disciples, but with the much larger crowd of people that followed Him wherever He went. He is reaching people that no one thought could be reached for the Kingdom of God. Zacchaeus, a Roman tax collector gave his life to Jesus and was changed forever. A change has come over the longtime followers of Jesus as well. Now, for some reason, they were able to call people they had once despised Brother—deep down inside their very being they felt differently, they loved people they used to hate. It was a remarkable thing to see.
Yet, on the other hand, there were those who hated Jesus to the very ground that He walked on. The Pharisees, the ones who had always gone out of their way to show off their religion and so many others who thought they were in the know, couldn’t stand Jesus, and wanted to see Him dead. And now in the face of this huge contrast we’ve come to a crossroads.
Jesus has been talking about going to Jerusalem, but those closest to Him have been advising against it, thinking that nothing good could come of it. Yet in spite of their admonitions Jesus seems determined to go. Now, it was time for the Passover celebration, and if Jesus was going to go, now was going to be the time. As a matter of fact His coming or not was a hot topic of conversation in the temple courts. Read John 11:55 – 57.
It was decision time for a lot of people, not just Jesus. The disciples, and those who had been so closely associated with His ministry had to decide where they would be if Jesus did go on to Jerusalem. Would they go with Him, risking their own lives to show their allegiance to Him? Or would they lay back a bit to see how things panned out before declaring themselves for Him? But then how could they really call themselves committed to Jesus if they only followed Him when things were safe?
The decision was made to cast their lot with Jesus, come what may. He meant more to them than life itself, and they couldn’t leave Him now. This was a time to celebrate not to shrink. They knew something others hadn’t figured out—The King was coming.
Song: “The King is Coming”
I. The Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1 – 11)
Talk about casting your lot with Jesus! Being a part of something is one thing, but having a parade
to announce it is something completely different. Without shame or reservation they offered praise and honor to the one who came in the name and power of the Lord.
This entrance into the city wasn’t what they were used to—it was different. It was common. When kings or governors traveled it was always with fanfare
and majesty. There were heralds that announced their coming. There were beautifully adored chariots that displayed all the trappings of royalty. There was always a royal guard to keep onlookers at a
distance. It was something to behold.
I remember a few years ago, while vacationing in Florida, that then President Clinton flew into Orlando to see the devastation of tornado’s that had struck the area. It just so happened that his airplane flew, at a very low altitude, right over the home we were renting. Everyone in the neighborhood was outside watching as this huge airplane with the words United States of America emblazoned on the side. Two smaller fighter jets escorted it, and you knew immediately that somebody important was on that plane.
When Jesus came to Jerusalem there was no such
preparation made for His coming. Their was no royal chariot, just a borrowed donkey to ride on.
A donkey is a beast of burden – their gait, although
steady make them uncomfortable to ride. Only the poor and common would choose such an animal.
There was no uniformed heralds prepared trumpet His
entrance into the city. Their were no soldiers prepared to go along with Him. But there is a beauty, a glory, which far surpasses anything that man can generate that is seen and heard in the praises of these people.
Praise is what was offered to Jesus as He came to Jerusalem. They took their outer garments laid them as a royal robe on the donkey Jesus rode. They laid them, along with palm branches as carpet of honor for Jesus enter the city on. Some went in front of Him, and still other behind shouting praises to His name.
By a lot people’s standards this was just a rabble making commotion, but I think that when the angels of heaven saw this they saw much more than that it was much more than commotion and their voices burst out with a hallelujah chorus that filled the cosmos. And to be honest with you it makes my heart race just to talk about it.
II. Listen to the Cry of the People
If you listen to your heart you can almost hear the cry’s of the people. Hosanna, to the son of David (vs. 9) Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. (vs. 9) Hosanna in the highest (vs. 9)
In the Hebrew language the word Hosanna is literally a prayer that means “save us.” These people, from every walk of life, were together experiencing something that most of them never expected. On that day, God opened some eyes and turned some heads, and some of these people came to know for the first time that Jesus was the anointed one of God.This was a spiritual encounter of the highest kind.
I’m not saying that all of these people where saved but every one of them experienced something that can only happen when one is in the presence of God.
I wish I could say that the praise Jerusalem heard was so contagious that everyone joined in—but I think we know that whenever there are human beings involved in something some are going to be for God and some are going to be against Him.
Read Luke 19:39 – 40
Stop the praise! We’ve heard enough! That was what the religious said must be done. Sadly, that same thing still goes on. Someone will get fired up for Jesus and sure enough there will be those who want to silence them because they didn’t have a part in it, or because they don’t agree with it. We won’t worry about that, the critics will always be there, but so will the praise—either we’ll do it or the stones will,
but the name of Jesus will be praised.
III. Opportunity Lost
From here Jesus moves to the saddest part of this whole day, because as He comes to Jerusalem He weeps over it because of lost opportunity.
If they had only known what could have been theirs. This day of praise didn’t have to be just once. Their lives didn’t have to be tossed by popular opinion. God could have meant as much to them as they meant to
Him. If only they had recognized God in their midst—rather than rejecting Him.
Have you ever thought about the “if only’s” we face in our lives? If only we would receive Jesus rather than reject Him—how our lives could be so different…If only we live in obedience to Him rather than trying to live
for the world…If only we could find forgiveness for the sin in our lives, so that we could start again afresh and anew…
Our lives don’t have to be about opportunity lost. In the sacrifice of Jesus we have all of the grace we will ever need to live a life of Christlikenss.
If only we will cry “Hosanna” save us — to the King of Kings
Conclusion – Today is a special day, today is a day of both celebration and remembrance. We celebrate the salvation that Jesus offers, and we remember the high cost it requires. It seems clear to me what we need to do today is to come with integrity before God, every one of us. For some that means that we to stop trusting ourselves and trust Jesus to be Savior and Lord of our lives. For others that means that we must find the strength to let go of the sin in our lives and come to Christ for His forgiveness. For yet others it means that must surrender our lives to Jesus to follow Him in whatever, He has called us to.
Now is the time to get past the “if only’s” and experience God’s power in your life. I believe that if we will do that this place, much like Jerusalem 2,000 years ago will be filled with praise for the greatness of our Savior.
