Snapshots of the Last Days pt 1

There are moments in every story where you can feel the tension building. The set up for the pay off. Every good story has those moments. Whether it’s a book or a movie, you can almost feel yourself leaning forward in anticipation in those moments.

The story of Jesus is the same way. There are moments where you can see the tension building around Jesus. And the Passion week narrative, is filled with them. Some are public. Some are private. But all of them are building up to a moment that would literally split human history in 2- one side of the cross or the other.

For the next four weeks, we are going to look at some of those moments. And see what is building as God’s plan to redeem the world comes into being.

We are going to start with one that’s familiar, and look at it from 2 sides. Not stop where we normally stop, but look at the reaction this moment elicits in the people who are not fans of Jesus.

Turn with me to Matthew 21:1-10.

We start here because for some of us this is where Easter season always started. We remember Palm Sunday and little kids getting palm branches to wave around. And the pictures of Jesus on a donkey and all the people yelling.

That’s the snapshot.

So much going on.

First, this the culmination of Jesus’ ministry.He has told the disciples over and over He is going to Jerusalem to die. So imagine their surprise when He is greeted this way.

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

This Messiah comes in humility, gentleness, and peace. The crowds recognize the messianic implications but seem not to grasp the full significance of the donkey

Verses 8-9 add to it. People are rolling out the red carpet for Jesus and they are calling out for Him in words that are waaaaay over the top for a simple rabbi

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

The whole picture conveys celebration and honor, reminiscent of the victory parades with which triumphant kings and generals in Old Testament and intertestamental times were welcomed (cf.

Son of David

He who comes in the name of the Lord

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

The crowds acclaim Jesus as Messiah with regal, Davidic terminology. “Son of David” also echoes the blind men’s cry in 20:30. “Hosanna” originally meant God save us but by the first century was probably just a cry of praise to Yahweh. The “He who comes in the name of the Lord,” like the “coming one” of whom John the Baptist spoke (recall under 3:11), refers to the Messiah

These are terms for Messiah. These are indications that they, for a moment, realize who Jesus is.

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

Jesus is consciously making preparations to enter Jerusalem after the fashion of

There is also a prophecy attached to this moment. Zechariah 9:9 as well as a tangential passage in Isaiah 62:11 both foretold this moment. This is just one more instance and indicator of how God has literally planned for this moment from before creation.

I want to pause here at this indication ad ask you something. If God can plan and orchestrate such a complicated and specific series of events over centuries, why do we worry so much about trusting Him with our day to day?

If God is the Author of our lives, and He says He is, then why do we think He is surprised by our circumstances? As we will see with Jesus Himself, when confronted with what was about to happen, we have the ability to take our concerns and fears and doubts to Him, and be strengthened and comforted.

As Jesus enters the city, there are more people, and some of them have questions- Who is this? and the crowds with Jesus call Him “the prophet.”

Now what is wild about that is it is not consistent with what they were saying before He entered the city. Now he’s a prophet, not as much Messiah. Their excitement is still high, but there is a sense here that Jesus is not as welcome in the city as He is with the crowds.

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

“Who is this?” does not imply that the people have never seen Jesus before or do not know his name, though many in town from outside of Israel may not have encountered him previously. But Matthew is more interested in raising the Christological question again. The predominantly Galilean crowd replies truthfully but inadequately. On Jesus as a “prophet,” cf. 13:57 and 16:14; as from obscure Nazareth, cf. 2:23. The crowd betrays no knowledge of Jesus’ kingly birthplace in Bethlehem (2:5–6). Nevertheless, their fervor temporarily deters the authorities, who would otherwise have arrested him at once

And we are about to see why.

Go with me to Matthew 21:12-17.

Jesus enters the Temple, and He goes to work setting things right.

There are multiple issues in the Temple:

theft in the name of God

distraction from the ability to worship

marginalizing some believers

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

As it stands, what was intended to be a “house of prayer” (

Jesus is not satisfied with the current state of affairs. He is going to make a scene. There is no barrier He will not tear down to get to the people He is called to save.

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

Jesus begins to wreak havoc with the tables and chairs set up for changing various regional currencies into the proper shekels needed to pay the temple tax or purchase animals for sacrifice. These stalls were probably set up at least three weeks before Passover to prepare for the throngs

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

The poor who couldn’t afford to buy sheep to sacrifice could substitute doves in their place (

And He does not stop there. He starts healing people. And as He is doing so apparently the kids in the Temple take up the calls of the crowd from outside the city walls.

This is TOO much for the people in charge.

Church when Jesus enters the scene, He upsets the status quo. He is not going to settle for what is, He sees what could be. And He knows how to get there.

Matthew 1. True Discipleship versus Harsher Condemnation for the Jewish Leaders (19:1–22:46)

like many of the Old Testament prophets, Jesus provides a good paradigm for speaking out publicly about God’s indignation against the flagrant defiance of his standards in the world. Once again it is the “clergy” and the “Bible teachers,” not the disreputable people of society, who are Jesus’ target for attack. Corruption among the leadership of God’s people arouses Jesus’ wrath more quickly than anything else. But Christ does more than denounce injustice—he takes action against it. That the temple merchants quickly resumed business as usual is often speculated, but we are not told one way or the other. The point is that Jesus did what was right, irrespective of the duration of its effect.

And that is upsetting to people.

We have people like the religious leaders in our world today. They have different objections to the message of Jesus, but the same problem- what Jesus does and says contradicts how they want to live their lives, maintain their power, and build their kingdoms.

And let me tell you this morning, Jesus is unconcerned with their opinions about Him. He is DEEPLY concerned for their souls.

And that includes yours. Jesus is kicking things down in the Temple so you can hear about Him away from all the noise. He is stripping away falsehoods, so you can know truth. He bringing false leaders low so their deceptions are found out and the people they have lied to can know truth.

And He is cleaning up His church.

And He has set His sights on you as well. He wants you to experience the freedom He has to offer- the forgiveness, the grace, the breaking of strongholds, and the deliverance from sin.

In short, He wants to give you a new life- just like the people experiencing physical healing in this passage for set free, Jesus is still in the freedom business.

And there are people who do not want you to experience that- and they are always going to be “indignant” and they are always going to try and manipulate Jesus for their benefit. And when they can’t, they are going to walk away from Him.

Jesus comment and reaction in verse 16-17 are a perfect end to this snapshot.

In verse 16, he tells them this is what they should expect- for the simple and ignored to see Him for who He is while they miss it.

And then He just leaves. He goes to rest outside the city and let’s these accusers sit in their indignation.

Church, a word of warning, if you want God to leave you alone He will. He will let you stew in your own juices. He will let you see what you can figure out for a season.

But He will keep coming back.

He will keep confronting you with truth.

He will keep loving you.

He won’t quit on you.

We should be the same.

We don’t give up on people. We trust that God is working and revealing. And we keep showing up to see Him work.