April 2, 2023 - Palm Sunday, How Do I See Christ?

Introduction:

At a meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bobby Richardson, former New York Yankee second baseman, offered a prayer that is a classic in brevity and poignancy: “Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen.” - Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1368.

Link: Paul Tan wasn’t the first one to say, “Your Will.” Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane also said this: Matthew 26.39 “39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.””

Illustration:

This morning we will be looking a bit to the week before Jesus sacrificial death. Starting today, we will look at how Jesus was treated the few days before His death and of course His resurrection. Jesus was treated on:

Palm Sunday as a King.

Good Wednesday as a Blasphemer & Crook.

Resurrection Sunday as King Jesus who conquered not only death but proved He is God and that He had paid sins price.

TURN YOUR BIBLE’s TO:

Mark 11:1-10 “1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” 4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5 But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” 6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.

Why did Jesus want the colt? Why did the man allow the disciples to take the colt with just the words, b/c The Lord needs it?

It was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus perhaps pre arranged with the man for the use of His colt. (B/C the man said OK to the disciples, makes this seem plausible.)

Jesus is God and He could do this b/c of who he is.

The colts owner knew Jesus and was a believer in HIM.

7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8 And many (Jon Courson & Warren Wiersbe believe upward of 2 Million, there were so many b/c they were pilgrims there celebrating the Passover) spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in…”

It was common for a ruler to parade through the town like this, so for Jesus to do this was His saying, I am King.

Many, spread their garments and palm branches. This was an ancient custom for citizens to throw their garments in the road for their monarch to ride over, symbolizing their respect for him and their submission to his authority. it was as if to say, “We place ourselves at your feet, even to walk over if necessary.” - John McArthur

Branches (in John 12:13 “took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!””) were from palm trees, symbolic of salvation and joy.

A normal ruler would ride on a horse, however Jesus rode on a colt, (literally a young male donkey) riding on a donkey was a symbol of peace. Jesus came saying, i am here in PEACE and to give you PEACE.

Next time Jesus comes it wont be to give peace but to rule with a rod of IRON.

As Jesus rode into the City, it fulfilled the Passover symbolism of the unblemished lamb being brought into the house for a few days of inspection before being killed as their sacrifice.

Because the word “Hosanna” means “Save us now,” the crowd was essentially saying, “Overthrow the Roman yoke politically. Help us economically. Lead us militarily. Save Now!” No wonder that, as the week went on and they realized none of that was His intent, they turned against Jesus. - Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 155.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 21)

I see the same thing happen today, for there can be a tendency within the heart of each of us to cash it in when things don’t work out. If you are expecting Jesus to be a “good luck charm” for you, if you expect Him to help you financially or physically, socially or vocationally, you will be disappointed when things don’t go the way you thought they would.We need to realize that Jesus Christ came to die for our sin and pay the price for our iniquity. If He never does anything else in this life presently, that is more than enough to merit our loyalty, our affection, and our devotion eternally. If He never does another thing for me, if He never gives another blessing to me, I owe Him my life because of what He did on Calvary.

Matthew, vols. 1-4 (The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) (The Epitome of Praise)

The people wanted Jesus on their own terms, and they would not bow to a King who was not of their liking, even though He were the Son of God.

Application 1: What about you? Why do you want Jesus in your life? So he can be your good luck charm? Some folks think if they are a Christian then God will give to them all that they want. Regardless of this, we should not look to God as something to give us everything we want. We should love Him and desire to serve Him regardless of what He does or gives to us. If you look at God as a good luck charm or just someone to give you what you want and need then were no better then the chief priests and scribes - LINK

This is so sad:

Matthew 21:15 “But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did (just overturned the tables in the Temple), and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they (the chief priests & scribes) were indignant”

Pais here in the original Greek is Pah-ee-see. It means: a boy, a girl, a child, a son, a young man. A slave or servant, a maid. (basically one without much power or influence)

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Chapter 21)

The old fuddy-duddies in our text were “sore displeased,” but the kids were crying, “Hosanna.” You see, when the kids cried “Hosanna” it wasn’t for political reasons; it wasn’t for economic reasons; it wasn’t for vocational reasons. They cried “Hosanna” simply because they were excited about Jesus.

Indignant here in the original Greek is Ag-An-Ak-teh-O. It means Much-GRIEF or Displeased. They were displeased and grieving, not b/c Jesus was coming to pay for their sins, but b/c He wasn't there to take down the Roman government.

Challenge/Application 2: Why do you say you follow God? Is it so you can have a good luck charm? Is it so you will have someone to run to only when you have gotten yourself in trouble? God wants to be the Lord of your life all the time. Have you come to this point of recognizing Him for who He is, your Savior? Perhaps your prayer should be that of Bobby Richardson, “Dear God, Your will, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Amen.”

Unsaved: If you have never come to Jesus on His terms, for the reason you actually need Him, to be forgiven for your sins, will you come to Him today?

A, B, C. Romans 10:13 “For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.””

Saved: If you have come to Jesus on His terms, you have called on His name to save you, not just to be your good luck charm… What are you doing for Him? Are you rejoicing in your Salvation? Sure there must have been folks in the crowd that day on what we refer to as “PALM SUNDAY” that truly loved and followed Jesus. I hope you are one like those, who truly calls and has believed on Jesus, crying out Hosanna. Hosanna, SAVE NOW!

If you know Jesus, will you follow Him w/ all your heart, soul & mind? Will you cry out to Him in praise and praise His name for who He is and what He has done for you in your life?

Closing Song: All Hail The Power Of Jesus Name - 97 Brown Hymnal