Matthew 21:1-11

Palm Sunday IBC-Hamburg.

Into about me: Hi my name is Kristian Bak, I am a missionary in Aalborg Denmark, our family lives in a Danich Baptist Church where we are caretakers of the church, we do different kinds of outreach to internationals and Danish people, and I am the pastor in Koininia International Christian fellowship also an IBC church, I know Henry Owe from his time in Aalborg many years ago, and your paster James from IBC conferences. And I had the pleasure of meting Clauda and Dan Aunderud also. But it is my fist time here at this IBC Hamburg. We is our family Kylene, Lily and Sadie.

I try to only have on purpose in my sermons and that is to point to Jesus that we might all see him as more glorious and amazing awesome Holy, and give him praise by the Holy Spirt and the God the Father will receive glory.

Palm Sunday. What kind of King? (Messiha).

Matthew 21:1-11 (12-17) PPT.

This is a religious high-tension week, the people of Israel were going to celebrate the Passover, remembering the exodus of Egypt, how God delivered them form their oppressors, and the angle of death passed over the houses with the blood on the door posts from the lam. All this was going on as they were occupied by the romans. Many people would come to Jerusalem and the number of people would dubbed or triple (so many that and Jewish historian wrote that about 250.000 sheep was going to be offered at Passover). Political high tension as so many people came to celebrate deliverance, but was under roman rule, this roman province was known for uprisings and rioting. Some had made a pragmatic decisions to work with the romans, to get power, also soke of the priests and other religious figures, are worried that their power would be taken away by the romans.

This is the setting where Jesus in an act that seems innocent gets many people exited or very upset.

What was Jesus doing?

Well, a few things about Jesus from the text, Jesus knows the future, sends them to get the donkey. It would have been strange sometimes to be a disciple. (But for you and me it the same today, Jesus still knows).

Jesus knows the scripture (What about you and me do we? And do we live it out?) and now Jesus is going to fulfil one of the prophesies about the coming messiah, by riding on a donkey. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey Zechariah 9:9. PPT

This will as I just said give great hope to all of Jesus followers and make the religious people and the priests very upset. Why, well because Jesus with his action is calming to be the messiah, not only that he receives the praise of the people calling him Son of David, it is also a clam to be the promised messiah, by riding on the donkey. Jesus is calming to be the king they were waiting for Messiah the Crist.

How known is Jesus? Well, it is clear from that text that many don’t know who he is, most of Jesus ministry was not in Jerusalem but around the sea of Galilie, And at this time in Jerusalem there is people from all over the region, and as seen at Pentacost the roman world, well Jesus is relative unknown, expect to the people that met him. But his action causes the whole city to be stirred.

What does the followers of Jesus say about Jesus? They say in verse 11 he is the prophet form Nazarat in Galilee. But as I said before they believe him to be much more, they cry Hosanna, save us help is now, deliver us, as they site psalm 118:24-26 PPT. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

They are asking Jesus to be the Messiah that delvers them from Rome and restores the kingdom of Israel, we might know this as his disciples and John the Baptist and others are kind of disappointed in Jesus, yes, he heals people feeds the poor, but what about deliverance? The expectation of the messiah is that He would come as a mighty warrior destroy Israel’s enemies, and purify the people of Israel and rule as king forever.

And as we read on in the text it seems like Jesus will be that messiah as he cleanses the temple, confronts the priest and the scribes with the scriptures. The disciples and his followers might be: Yes! it is happening, he will defeat the romans and take the throne from Herod. But no, Jesus leaves and goes to Bethany. Jesus had said at least 3 times why he was going to Jerusalem had what would happen, but the disciples and his other followers did not understand. What Jesus was going to do. (Die).

Jesus is the messiah we all need, in Jesus first coming, he lives a mostly humble life 30 years, serving God, obeying God, showing who God is to people, healing what sin has broken. Jesus comes humble, the humblest ever, as the one trough all things was made and to all belong, Jesus interred the broken creation as a helpless baby, Jesus experienced, suffering, hurting, thirsty, hungry tried, misunderstood, betrayed. Jesus knows, Jesus came down, so we do not have to clime up. Jesus was the one that that all needed, but as the people of God was reading scripture, they were focusing on the warrior so much that they might have forgotten, the suffering servant songs Isaha 53, and the other passages in Zechariah where the Shepard is killed, to save the flock,

Jesus is the also warrior, but the first time Jesus defeated the enemy of sin, satan, shame, pain guilt and the wrath of God, that we all deserve because we all have rebelled against sinned against God, set our self-up to be God, or worshiped other Gods, and money etc. Jesus did deliver, and this time it was not only for one people (out of Egypt) but as the blessing of Abraham, his seed Jesus would bless all the nations, and as also God said in Zecharia, that the nations would become gods people even nations that was his enemies.

Jesus came the first time to be the suffering servant, making away for whoever believes in him will have cleansing of sin, redemption, everlasting life, adoption in to Gods family, and the Holy Spirt, to remind and give power to know and live all that Jesus taught.

Jesus offered his life and died on the cross, Jesus did not stay death, no he rose again… And is at the moment sitting at the right hand of the father, waiting to come back, as he does, he is praying /interceding for people that have believed in him.

But what then about Jesus as warrior, what about all the prophesizes about that, it is still to come, Jesus will return as the concurring king, in full glory and all enemies will be defeated. All knees bow… And confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God. But don’t wait.

What about you? What view of Jesus do you have?

Do you have the whole picture? (Lion and the lam) Warrior and humble suffering servant.

What are the joys of both? Why do you only like the one? If that is the case.

The call of the opposed is come Lord Jesus come, how do you pray? As Jesus is the warrior that can defeat all people and powers? Or that Jesus only can die… for my sin… And is only humble?

Jesus is both, the suffering servant, mighty warrior, the Christ, everlasting God. Do you know Jesus? All of Him. He knows you.