Don’t Miss Jesus: Hypocrisy and Self-Righteousness on Palm Sunday

Introduction (5m)

There is so much in the world to distract us

Video: Woman Falls in Fountain Whilst Texting | 1:00

There but for the grace of God!

How often has you missed something

because you’ve been talking to someone, texting, watching TV, doomscrolling through social media?

Can be distracted by

money, career, relationships, politics. Not necessarily bad - it’s the good things that distract us! - but can have dire consequences if they distract us from true purpose in life.

Can even be distracted by our religion

Not our faith, but how we do faith. Types of music, where we sit, how warm the hall is, what someone else is wearing, doing, what time it is!

Explanation (5m)

Palm Sunday marks a high point of Jesus’ earthly ministry

Never before done anything to promote a public demonstration

Spent most of ministry urging people not to tell what he had done. If the crowds looked like they were about to make a public proclamation about him, he would withdrawn from them.

But now was the time for Jesus to fulfil OT prophecy

All carefully planned out. Every detail chosen. As he rides young colt into Jerusalem, J fulfils what was said about him:

Zechariah 9:9 NLT

Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.

People of Jerusalem had waited over 500 years for this prophecy to come true

Now Jesus stating unequivocally he was Messiah they were looking for.

Heading into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt identified Jesus with the kings in the royal line of David

Especially David, as in his time the donkey was seen as a royal animal. Later kings and warriors switched to horses.

But the donkey’s colt also tells us what kind of King Jesus was

Gentle, poor, dignified, humble.

We sense the atmosphere of celebration as his followers shout and sing

Luke 19:38 NLT

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

Today, is a day of celebration!

But suddenly …

Luke 19:41 NLT

But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.

Why does Luke decide to tell us this in the middle of a massive celebration?

Doesn’t seem right!

Why would a preacher choose to preach on it on Palm Sunday?

Today is a day for celebration, not anguish!

Because Luke wants to make an important point

Perhaps nothing worse we can do than to reject Jesus who came to seek and to save us.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem because her people had missed him, had missed their Saviour/Messiah

For past 3 years they had missed their opportunities

to accept him during their “day of reckoning”.

The people he wept over were spiritually ignorant, their hearts were blind to Messiah.

They should have known who he was because God had given his Word and sent his prophets ahead of him to explain.

They were guilty of going through religious activity for the sake of it.

Temple was a den of thieves. Religious leaders were out to kill him. City filled with pilgrims celebrating Passover, but their hearts were heavy with sin.

No wonder he wept over them!

They were distracted by money, power, religion, sin.

And they missed their Saviour as a result.

Application (5m)

On this Palm Sunday, let’s ensure we are not distracted, and join in the celebrations

Let’s praise God for the miracles we’ve seen, for the peace he brings beyond understanding in the middle of our difficult circumstances, for his saving work done on the cross, and his victory over sin and death.

But if we are going to celebrate this Palm Sunday, over this Easter week, and beyond, then we must be on our guard

After all, only days after J’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the crowd turned on him, distracted by the Jewish religious leaders followers.

What matters most to Jesus is our spiritual health

If we allow ourselves to be distracted by our money, career, relationships, politics he will weep for us.

If we allow our religion - whether we like the songs were singing or not, where we sit and who sits with us, how warm or cold the hall is, what someone else is wearing, doing, what time it is - to distract us, then he will weep over us.

The heart of Jesus wants us to be saved

wants us to fulfil our purposes, wants us to celebrate his grace, wants us to value our souls as much as he does.

So this Easter and beyond, we must fix our eyes on him and guard our hearts against the distractions of this world

Ephesians 5:15–16 NLT

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Next Steps

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

Video: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus | 5:00

Postcards with Ephesians 5:15-16 on them