St. Matthew 21:1-10
Topic: Who is this?
That was the question that was asked when Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem as a humble king riding upon a donkey and a colt. There was a large crowd of people who were following Jesus as he was making his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The people that followed Him had spread out their garments in their streets along with little tree branches to honor Jesus as a King as He was making His triumphant entry into the holy city, Jerusalem.
As Jesus was making his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the large crowd of people that followed Him shouted out with a loud voice praising Jesus by saying, “Hossana, to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hossana in the highest.”
Now, the reason why the people was praising Jesus and lifting Him up as a King was because they had heard Jesus teach and preach with much authority, and saw Him performed many miracles. They praised and honored Jesus as a King entering into the city of Jerusalem. In matter of fact, Jesus Christ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and a colt was a fulfilled Old Testament prophecy that was foretold in the Old Testament in Zechariah 9:9 where it says, “Rejoice, greatly O daughter of Zion; Shout O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation; lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass.”
And while the people was praising Jesus as He made triumphant entry into Jerusalem, there were some people in Jerusalem that wanted to know why there was such a large crowd in their city singing and shouting praises to God. They wanted to know who was that man riding upon the donkey, to whom the crowd was singing praises . So they asked this particular question: Who is this?
Now Jesus was a popular man. He was a popular man because He taught many things about the kingdom of God. He performed many miracles such as giving sight to the blind, healing the sick, giving hearing to the deaf, casting out demons, turning water into wine, bringing back the dead back to life again, feeding 5,000 with only two fishes and five loaves of bread. Yes, Jesus was a popular man. But yet in the midst of his popularity, a question was raised about him: Who is this?
Even today times, there are some people when they hear the name Jesus mentioned, a curiosity strikes them and they asked this question: Who is this?
Who is this, who is said to have been born in a virgin birth in a smelly manger in Bethlehem?
Who is this, who is said to have all power to heal all sickness and diseases, power to give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf,, and cast out demons?
Who is this, who said to have power to turn water into wine, power to calm a sea storm, and bring back the dead to life again?
Who is this, who is said to walk like a man, but speaks like God?
Who is this, who is said to have died, but arose from the dead in three days?
Who is this, who is said to be the Savior of the World?
Yes, this is the question that some people are asking when they hear the name of Jesus mentioned.
So, when the people of Jerusalem saw Jesus making His Jerusalem, they asked this question: Who is this?
And when the crowd that was following Jesus as He was making his triumphant entry into the city, when they heard the question, “Who is this” asked, they responded by saying, “This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee.
Yes, Jesus is the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. But Jesus is more than a prophet. And to prove our point that Jesus is more than a prophet, let’s go around and ask different people that know Jesus. Let’s ask Peter, who walked with Jesus for 3 years, and was on of the most outspoken disciple of Jesus Christ. “Hi, Peter! You know, we have notice that you have walked with Jesus for 3 years. And we have noticed that you have heard and seen Jesus perform many great miracles. In matter of fact, it has been reported that Jesus even healed your mother-in-law. But since you have been with Jesus during those three years, we have a question to ask you if you don’t mind; “Who is this man called Jesus? “Who do you say that He is?”
Now if Peter was alive standing before us he would have told us exactly what he said about Jesus in Matthew 16:16, for Peter says that Jesus is the “Christ, the Son of the living God.” You see, being the Christ, Jesus is the Annointed One, the Messiah. And being the Son, Jesus is the Son of the living God, the only begotten Son of the Father God. He is also the second person of the Triune Godhead for in the Truine Godhead, you have God the Father, God the Son , and God the Holy Ghost. These three are one in God, and Jesus is God the Son, the second person of the triune Godhead.
Now let’s ask another person. Let’s ask John the Baptist. “Hey John, how are you doing today? We have gotten word that you and Jesus are cousins because we found out that your mom Elizabeth was an aunt to Jesus mother Mary. Plus it had been told to us that you had baptized Jesus yourself in the Jordan River and that you saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove abiding upon Jesus during his baptism. So the question we want to ask you, beside the fact hat he is your cousin, but tell us, who is this man called Jesus?
Now if John the Baptist was here to today, he would have told us what he said in St. John 1:29, where John the Baptist says that Jesus is the “Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world.”
You see, in the Old Testament, every year the Jewish priest would get a lamb without spot or blemish to take it to the temple to kill the lamb and sprinkle the lamb’s blood on the altar so that the sins of Israel would be covered and forgiven for one year.
But in the New Testament, Jesus was sacrificed as a lamb for us. He was curified on the cross so that our sins would be washed away, and forgiven forever.
You see, it is only by the blood that you can have your sins washed away and forgiven. I John 1:7 says that “the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” The blood of Jesus can make you white as snow because only the blood of Jesus can cleanse you from your sins.
Now since we have asked two men about Jesus, let’s us a woman. Let’s ask Martha, who had a sister name Mary, and a brother named Lazurus. Now these individual were very good friends with Jesus. But let’s ask Martha. “Hi, Martha! We have noticed tat whenever Jesus was in Bethany, he would stop by your house to eat, and stay overnight. And through your contact with Jesus, what do you have to say about Jesus? What is your opinion about Jesus?
And if Martha was alive today, she would have told us what she said in John 11:27 where she says that Jesus is the “Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”
And we praise God that Jesus has come into the world for this one purpose; and that is to save us from our sins.
I Timothy 1:15 says that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
St. Luke 19:10 says “For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost.”
Yes, Jesus came into the world to save us sinners from our sins.
Now, let’s ask another person. Let’s ask God himself. “Oh, Heavenly Father, we know that you sent your Son Jesus into the world to save us from our sins for we have read in your Word in John 3:16 where it says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but shall have everlasting life.” And we also have been told that you and Jesus are one in God. So tell us who do you say that Jesus really is?
And if God was to answer that question he would have told us to go to St. Matthew 3:16, where God the Father says this about Jesus, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
But now, we have another person who wants to tell us who Jesus is. It is John, the beloved disciple. He tells us if we were to read the gospel according to St. John, we would find out that Jesus is the Word of God, the Lamb of God, the only begotten Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Great Physician, the Bread of Life, the Water of Life, the Light of the World, Our Great Redeemer, The Door, the Great Shepherd, the Ressurection and the life, the Lord, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the giver of the Holy Spirit, the True Vine.
Last but not least, let me tell you Jesus Christ is:
He is my friend who sticks closer than a brother
He is my doctor in the sick room
He is my lawyer in the court room
He is my bread when I am hungry
He is my water when I am thirsty
He is my wonderful counselor when I am confused
He is my peace in the midst of the storm
He is joy when I am sad
He is my Savior
He is my Lord who died upon the cross for our sins and He rose from the dead with all power in His hands. And if we put our trust in Him, He will give us eternal life.
