The Purpose, The Promise, The Praise

We enter into a/ pivotal and crucial period of Jesus’s ministry. His final entrance into Jerusalem. For 2-3 years he has taught, walked, and performed miracles all throughout the land. He’s gathered a large following of believers and established his intimate school of students (the disciples). And now we are here at the “Triumphant Entry”.

Here in the text we see him coming into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and being received with praise by a multitude of people. He his surrounded by his followers, he is followed by those who he has healed or who have witnessed him heal or listened to his teachings. He is also met by a crowd who only heard that he was coming and of all that he had done until this moment. Of every chapter, section and verse that is recorded across Matthew/Mark/Luke/John there are certain events, that every author is known to record, this being included in the number. While there is nothing that can be diminished by Jesus life and ministry it stands to be understood that something that all 4 books contain, requires the reader to understand the sheer importance and relevance to the repeated event is.

So, why is the triumphant entry so special.

The Purpose

To Continue to Fulfill Prophecy

Isaiah said he would be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14) (The Virgin Mary)

Micah said he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) (He was)

Malachi said his forerunner would come in the spirit of Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6) (John The Baptist)

Psalms said he would teach in parables and preach righteousness (Psalms 40;78) (He did)

Zechariah said he would come justly and having salvation and riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)

From birth until now in scripture, Jesus has done almost everything that the prophets said he would do. It’s important to know these things because he has to fulfill all of the word concerning his life in order for him to be the Savior that we need him to be rather than the one we want him to be.

To Finally be known by all once and for all

Jesus ministry became increasingly public as he went forth.

He went from healing in secret to preaching and healing publicly

Do you know your Saviour? It is not a matter of knowing of him rather than knowing him, personally or intimately. Jesus was having a conversation with his disciples as he had done many times, but this particular conversation was different. This wasn’t an intricate teaching, nor a explanation to a miracle. It wasn’t a parable for understanding nor a reflection of proper christ like behavior. It was a conversation that was brought about by a simple question. “Who do you say that I am?”. So that question is asked this morning, who do you say that he is.

It is important to note that what you label someone is reflective of your relationship with them. It is why we teach our children that they cannot call everyone their “friend”. So because of this, and because of all the prophecies his birth and ministry had fulfilled, it stands to be known that this particular event was simply a continuation of what Jesus had done from birth. Fulfill God’s word and will on his life.

This day in history like many of the other days in the life of Christ was a lesson to us all, fulfill the word and the will of God in our lives. In other words, his purpose for being there then was similar to yours now.

“Carry-on”

The Promise

In Jesus being present, and understanding his over arching purpose of being , we must know that he was arriving to fulfill a promise.

Isaiah 42:6-9 “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, And will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, And give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, To bring out the prisoners from the prison, And them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I am the Lord: that is my name: And my glory will I not give to another, Neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, And new things do I declare: Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

The Praise

So once you understand the Purpose and the Promise, you can and should be able to give a Triumphant praise.

An triumphant praise is a type of praise that is befitting for this blessing. It is not a generic praise that counts you in the number but it is a praise excludes you from crowd blending.

Everyone can give a generic praise. We give generic praise, when

The basketball player makes a basket

When the football player scores a touchdown

When the baseball player hits a home run

When the gymnast makes a difficult move

When the superstar finishes a show

However an triumphant praise can see what the crowd can’t see. An triumphant praise, is because you don’t just

see a man on a donkey

see a famous person that everyone is talking about

see a preacher hooping and a man shouting

But you see what God would have you to see

Your saviour

Romans 10:13-14 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Getting saved is easy because we simply have to

Hear

And Believe

The reliever of your problems

Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

He relieves you of your

burdens

stresses

worries

anxieties

The messenger of your redemption

Ephesians 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Because of Jesus I have been redeemed

From sin

From hell

from the plot of the enemy

Worldly influence

the punishment of this life (death and the grave)

So with these palm branches, which are a sign of victory, we lay them at his feet, because we know that he is the way to victory. His entry is triumphant because he wasn’t just coming to fight. He didn’t just show up to see what he could do. He showed up to win and because he was sent, and because he had fulfilled the purpose of God’s will in his life and because he was the proof of the promise the people praised not in wish of a victory, not in desire of a victory but in expectation of a victory!

Put your issues on the palm branches and lay them under the feet of Jesus, the triumphant Savior in our Lives!