Palm Sunday: God's Plan, Phase 1

Palm Sunday – April 2, 2023 – God’s Plan Pt. 1

Slide 1 - Welcome

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Last week we wrapped up our series on Next Steps where we saw the vision, the mission, and a method for making disciples. We established a working definition of a disciple as someone who is following Jesus, someone who is being changed by Jesus, and someone who is on mission with Jesus. And we examined the wheel of spiritual maturity guiding us from spiritually dead - to spiritual infant - spiritual child, young adult and finally a spiritual parent.

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This week we are entering a time of the year which we call Holy Week; the week leading up to the cross and culminating in the resurrection. It is one of my favorite weeks in the Christian year because while we should be constantly aware and grateful for Christ and what was accomplished on the cross - we’re people - and sometimes the fog of life distracts us from the beauty of God’s hand and God’s plan - but Easter week I find helps us see God a bit better at times - so this week we’re going to start a three part look Slide 2 at God’s plan. So before we get started I just wanted to make sure you were all aware of everything going on this week. Friday night we’ll have a good Friday service I’m calling ‘Three Views from the Cross’ looking at the Crucifixion from Jesus perspective as well as each of the criminals hanging beside him, we won’t have children’s programming - but this is an opportunity to worship together as a family parents and kids. Saturday we then have our Easter Egg hunt - which I’ve heard a lot of excitement for - and we still need volunteers so if you’re in town we’d love to see you this is a great way for us to love our community and show them we’re just a bunch of normal (pause) normalish… people who love Jesus and love them. Then Sunday we have Easter morning - and we’re going to see how the resurrection changes EVERYTHING.

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So - announcements done - let me pray for us one more time before we begin to look at God’s plan. Slide 3

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Pray

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Imagine you were given the task to write a biography about someone - someone famous - where would you begin? Well, unless you personally knew them you probably would do A TON of research. You would ask a bunch of people as close to the source to tell you whatever they could. You would then double check your facts, you would cross reference the stories, making sure everything lined up. And eventually you would look at this pile of data and think… uh-oh… how am I going to fit this person’s entire life into a book?

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If it was someone you knew you would likely reflect on your time with them, what they told you what you saw them do, but you’d still also probably talk to some other people and learn what they were like before you met them and then when you weren’t around - and again you would probably look at this pile of data and think… uh-oh… how am I going to fit this person’s entire life into a book?

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Now imagine you are one of the disciples… and you feel called to write about the life of Jesus. Now unlike us, if we were to write a biography, the disciples had an advantage - yes they spent a lot of time with Jesus, or in Luke’s case talked to a bunch of people who did - but they were empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, as Paul wrote in his second letter SLIDE 4 to Timothy:

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16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

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All scripture is inspired by God, I first memorized that verse in a translation that said it was ‘God breathed.’ Now, I don’t know how that inspiration worked. I don’t know if God was dictating in their mind what to write, or if He simply brought the memories back that He wanted recorded and let them use their own personal voice to explain it - but I know that all scripture is inspired by God. That does not make the task any less impressive, rather it shifts the question from how did the authors of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John decide what to include to how did God determine what they should and shouldn’t include?

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What should these biographies, these four gospels, focus on? Should they focus on the young life of Jesus - showing us how Jesus grew up? Or perhaps young adult Jesus, how did his late teens and twenties differ from the others he grew up with? Jesus began his public ministry around the age of thirty and was crucified around 33, perhaps they should focus on those three years… which is kind of the case… but we see in the end of John’s account, the very last verse SLIDE 5 in fact it reads;

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25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

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So what parts of Christ’s life were highlighted, what did God inspire these men to document? Between Mathew, Mark, Luke and John we have 89 chapters - of those 89 chapters; 28 are about the final week of Jesus’ life, that’s almost one third - a third of the Gospel accounts - focus on Jesus final week! That must be important for God to have led these writers to dedicate so much time to this portion of Christ’s life! In fact the book of John, were that last verse comes from - 9 of the 21 chapters take place over this one week; with the final chapter detailing the 40 days following the cross until Christ returned to the Father - that’s almost half of the book of John deals with this one week and the resurrection.

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We’ve referenced Matthew 28:18-20 SLIDE 6 almost every week this last month… and I’ll do it one more time...

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18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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Jesus tells us to make disciples by, “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.” so we’d think Matthew recording this command, would have been intentional in spending a lot of time writing down all that Jesus commanded right… but 7 of the 28 chapters of Matthew take place in the last week of Jesus life, and another 1 again taking place after Jesus resurrection - that’s 8 of the 28 chapters of Matthew take place as Jesus approaches the cross, is on the cross, and returns to life! Again, nearly a third of Matthew is dedicated to this one week! (pause) Clearly this period of Christ’s ministry is important!

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So lets go a bit further back in Matthew to chapter 21 where this last week before the cross begins. As you’re turning there let me set the scene. Since the Exodus, a time when God freed the Israelite people from Egyptian slavery, the Jews were to celebrate an event called the Passover, remembering the time God saved the firstborn of all the Jews while the firstborn of all the Egyptians died; the final plague before Pharoah let the Israelites leave. Every year passover was celebrated with a nine day festival. All Jewish men who lived within 20 miles of Jerusalem were expected to make the trip to the temple for the festival to partake in the feasts and sacrifices and most would bring their wives and children with them. Scholars thus believe well over 2.5 million people were in and around Jerusalem when these events we’re about to read take place. So with that in mind, SLIDE 7 lets read Matthew 21:1-11

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1 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”

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I’m actually going to pause here for a second. Imagine you’re one of the twelve disciples. You’re walking towards Jerusalem with Jesus, and likely a few other close friends and acquaintances and Jesus is like - hey, we’re gonna wait here at the outskirts - you two run in and grab me a donkey and her baby, and bring them here - and IF anyone asks… like Jesus isn’t saying go to the store and buy a donkey, he’s like go in to town and find one and grab it, like are we about to commit grand theft Animal – the first century version of grand theft auto… and IF anyone asks tell them the Lord needs them and the owner will be fine with it, he’ll send you on with his donkey and his blessing… like… I dunno about you I’d have some questions! But apparently they did what Jesus said, as we’ll see in a bit. But the disciples were probably thinking as they went - a donkey? Why a donkey? why not a horse? why not a chariot? A donkey?! And

Matthew I think is well aware we will be thinking this same thing 2000 years later, a donkey? Why a donkey? SLIDE 8 So verse four continues.

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4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

‌5 Tell Daughter Zion,

“See, your King is coming to you,

gentle, and mounted on a donkey,

and on a colt,

the foal of a donkey.”

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Matthew is referencing here Zechariah 9, a prophesy made 600 years before Jesus ministry. A prophesy that went on to say this king will cut off the chariots from Ephrain, the horses from Jerusalem, the bow of war will be removed - this king will proclaim peace among the nations - a prophesy the Jews who just returned from years of captivity, just freed from the Babylonians were excited to hear, but one that 600 years later the Jews in Jesus day were less excited about - they wanted a conquering king - someone to overthrow the Romans and lead them to becoming a free country once again, not a peace maker, and that warrior king is what many of them were hoping and expecting of Jesus, perhaps that why the story will unfold as it does later this week. Matthew goes on, and we get back to the disciples SLIDE 9in verse 6.

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6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest.

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Now remember what I mentioned earlier, all Jewish men who lived within 20 miles of Jerusalem were expected to come into town and celebrate these feats, and make their annual sacrifices, over 2.5 million people gathering around Jerusalem, completely unaware that the true FINAL sacrifice was a week away. Many of this crowd probably had heard of Jesus and few had possibly even seen him during his traveling ministry - and as this massive crowd is marching into the city they start to hear whispers, murmurs, they feel a parting in the crowd. Is that Jesus? The guy who healed the blind man in Bethsaida? I think it is! Hey is that Jesus, the guy who healed those lepers? I think you’re right? Hey is that Jesus, they guy who raised Lazarus from the dead? I think you’re thinking of the guy who raised the widows son from the dead. someone else elbowing in - Jesus did both of those things; he raised Lazerus and the widows son from the dead - and yeah I’m sure that’s him! the whispers eventually turn into shouts - HOSANNA to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! HOSANNA! the crowd parting as Jesus approaches, riding on a donkey, the disciples trailing beside and behind him. People throwing their cloaks in the road to create a red carpet of sorts - others cutting down palm branches from nearby trees and tossing those down as well… so I guess it was a green carpet not a red one....

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Jesus is getting a kings welcome - the crowd’s excitement is contagious - there are probably people in the back cheering who don’t know why they are cheering - they just are - I’ve been that person before, caught up in the moment - and eventually news gets to them - Jesus, the guy whose been going around doing miracles, teaching things that are making the Romans and Jews upset - he’s here! And he’s riding in - like a victorious king - they go from excited observer to ecstatic participant! As the crowd approaches and passes through the gates more and more people are wanting to know what is happening. SLIDE 10 Lets keep reading.

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10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

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I can only imagine this was the prime source of conversation around dinner tables all over Jerusalem that night. Jesus is in town! Oh man - the pharisees are going to get wrecked have you heard how he talks to them! Did you hear what he did in the temple? He tossed out everyone who was selling animals, he flipped over the tables of the money changers! It’s going to be crazy! others saying - did you hear Jesus is here, some are calling him king of the Jews, son of David - its about time, we’re finally going to over through the Romans! I doubt anyone was saying, did you hear Jesus is in town? I bet he’s going to get arrested in a few days - rushed through a four hour trial, then flogged and crucified (pause) I don’t think anyone saw that coming. (pause)

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What this scene teaches us, and what we will see fleshed out more Friday and next week; God’s plan and human expectation are often two different things. So let’s look into this moment in time and ask what does Jesus riding into Jerusalem onto a donkey tell us about God’s plan?

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First we see that God’s plan is intentional.... SLIDE 11 I’m guessing that isn’t the first word you thought you’d hear… it was’t the first I thought I’d say - but as I prayed over this passage, as I did some research, as I listened to other pastors discussing this passage, as I read commentaries, and Biblical encyclopedia articles… I kept hearing reference to a former detective and Assistant Commissioner from Scotland Yard named Sir Robert Anderson SLIDE 12. Sir Anderson published a book in 1894 which I’m told is a very dry read, but he analyzed a prophesy in

Daniel 9 called the seven sevens. I won’t read the full prophesy now, but the summary was that a time would come when Israel is decreed to rebuild Jerusalem. When that time comes there will be two eras one lasting 7 sevens and one lasting 62 sevens. Now the word sevens, Shabua, can mean week or year - but Anderson assumed year and he did the math; 7x7 + 62x7 = 483 years. Anderson then needed to learn, when was Jerusalem ordered to be rebuilt - and that wasn’t too hard, the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes Longimanus made the decree in the Hebrew month of Nisan in the year 445 BC. This is recorded in the book of Nehemiah. So Anderson calculated 483 years from the day and found… nothing special happened… then he remembered - The Jews didn’t use our modern calendar - how could they it didn’t exist until 1582! They used a 360 day in a year calendar. So when adjusting for 360 day years; he learned the prophesy would have led to 32AD, in the month of Nisan, when the Passover was held… The month Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a Donkey.... God’s plan is intentional God gave Daniel this prophesy so His people could know what to look for, and they missed it! You know what, I’ll read one part of the prophesy SLIDE 13 this is Daniel 9:27

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27 He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering. And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator.

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I hope I didn’t loose too many of you with all that math - you can wake up now - you can come back! In the middle of the week this messiah will put a stop to sacrifice and offering - the Jews didn’t know what to make of that - prophesies are weird… they rarely make since until after the event they were fortelling happen then it is obvious.... if you disagree read the book of Revelation and then get back to me there are a lot of confusing prophecies that probably won’t make since until after the fact....

“he will put a stop to sacrifice and offering.” This week Jesus is going to get arrested, tried, and killed - and his death will put an end to the traditional Jewish sacrifices and offerings - because Jesus will become the final, perfect sacrifice! God’s plan is intentional!

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Secondly SLIDE 14 God’s plan is unexpected. OK pastor Brian - you just pointed out how the Jews had almost 500 years to analyze the seven sevens prophesy and deduce the time the Messiah would come and… and… and yet they missed it. Even if some looked to Jesus and said wait - I learned about this in Sunday school… I guess it would have been Saturday school for the first century Jews.... but even if someone was like wait - the prophesy! They weren’t expecting the Messiah to be the sacrifice. They didn’t understand God’s grand plan - they saw the world through worldly eyes. Now before we look down on this crowd let us remind ourselves - we make the same mistake. We often don’t understand God’s plans either. SLIDE 15

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Isaiah 55 says

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“8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

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God does not operate the same way we do. Part of it is that he’s not limited in time - he can see all of eternity playing out; he knows how various events can interact with one another - but also he isn’t limited by ability - God can do what he wills and wishes. God’s way and thoughts are beyond our ability to reason - we attempt, we try, we wrestle… but what we need to do is trust, believe, and obey. We don’t need to fully understand God; we just need to trust Him. Just as when I tell my 16 month old son ‘Clive don’t… Clive stop...’ he doesn’t have to understand why I don’t want him to pull on our dogs tail - at 16 months he can’t fully understand why - he simply needs to know to stop. God’s plan is unexpected. When Jesus arrived he was cheered on as a conquering king - people had expectations, wants, and wishes - they didn’t know then that some of that same crowd would be cheering ‘crucify him’ in a few days time. Jesus didn’t play the role they had expected and wanted - he played the role God had planned. When Jesus didn’t fit the mold they made for him - they gave up on following Him, and had him turned over to the cross.

I’m putting words in the mouths of a first century mob – but if I was there – I think if I believed what they did, if I saw the world like they did – I think I may understand them. This Jesus isn’t ligning up to my, to our, expectations. And clearly we can’t all be wrong – clearly we are all right and he is wrong – he can’t be who he claims to be as he isn’t doing what we want… I see some smirks… remember we do the EXACT same thing sometimes… really Jesus, love my neighbor… have you seen how Brian keeps his lawn… Really Jesus… I have to go share the Gospel with Frank, have you heard how he talks… Realy Jesus, get up early on a Sunday to go sing, you know I can’t carry a tune, to sit for thirty to forty minutes and hear a guy read the Bible an talk about it – have you heard how boring Brian is Jesus, how he puts words in our mouths, thoughts in our heads, Jesus he is doing that right now! Come on, can’t I sleep in… God’s plan is unexpected, it isn’t what we would choose – His thoughts, his ways are higher than ours.

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Finally - God’s plan is redemptive - it is focused on redeeming - saving - restoring us! And that is what Good Friday and Easter will be about! So I’m not going to go into it now. SLIDE 17 So if you have time, Friday I’d love to see you again Friday as we look at the cross, put it on your calendar now! 6:00 here – this Friday. If you don’t have time… you have plans… cancel them, I’d love to see you here again Friday. We’re going to be looking at the cross and how three men loked out and physically saw the same thing the same reality – but how they viewed it three very different ways. We’re going to look at that final sacrifice and ask - how does this show us the redemptive nature of God’s plan?

Usually I end my sermons with a very practical take away.. or two.. or three… but today I’m giving you one – dwell this week on what happened nearly 2000 years ago. Dwell on the days leading up to the cross as we approach Good Friday.Spend time this week watching your life – keep an eye out for sin in your life – confess it quickly and take time to thank God for the final sacrifice on the cross. And come ready next week as we celebrate the resurrection and see how THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!

Pray.