The Unexpected Path to Triumph
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Turn with me this morning to Matthew 21: 1-11
1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”
The Triumphant Entry is the beginning of Holy Week. Holy Week is that last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. It begins with rejoicing but ends with weeping.
It began with this scene of Jesus entering into Jerusalem in a very symbolic and prophetic way. Matthew picks up on that by saying this was done in fulfillment of prophecy.
On Monday Jesus incites the religious authorities by cleansing the temple. He did this at the beginning and end of His ministry.
On Tuesday Jesus was questioned by authorities as they were trying to build their case and catch Him in his words.
Wednesday Jesus was anointed with by expensive oil, He taught extensively about the kingdom, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the resurrection. Wednesday is the day most believe Judas decided to betray Him for 32 pieces of silver.
On Thursday Jesus washed His disciples feet, celebrated Passover and instituted the Lord’s Supper. Predicted Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s denial, and at some time that night was arrested by the Temple guards in the garden of Gethsemane.
Friday, we know as Good Friday when Jesus was scourged, crowned, humiliated, crucified and died as our passover lamb drinking the cup of God’s wrath for our sin.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of all of this and it appears that most people did not grasp the significance of what was taking place. In fact, isn’t it true that we all view things from a different perspective? I have always heard that there are three sides to every story: Your side, my side, and then the truth. Today we will look at the Triumphant Entry from the crowd’s perspective, heaven’s perspective, and our perspective.
The Event from the Crowd’s Perspective
The Event from the Crowd’s Perspective
I want to be fair in my assessment, so I say that the crowd on that day got one thing right. That was praise.
It seems that Jesus was pleased with their praise. They waved palm leaves and shouted Hosanna.
They laid their coats and cloaks down before Him. They showered Him with praise, as we should.
But, they misunderstood on several fronts exactly what was going on.
They perceived that Jesus was initiating His earthly reign as King.
They believed that He would use the power that He had demonstrated to destroy the Roman oppressors.
They believed that He would through power and war bring a season of peace to the nation of Israel.
Their perspective was more nationalistic than eternal.
They failed to see that:
The real oppressor was not Rome but Satan.
The real threat was not circumstances but sin.
That peace is not external but internal and eternal.
That Jesus wasn’t just the King of Israel, but the Universal King of Kings that would reign for eternity.
They failed to see that He came to confound the wise and demonstrate His power on a level beyond human comprehension.
In summary, they wanted something from Jesus rather than wanting Jesus Himself. They poured out their praise, but their praise was not backed by a hunger for God.
The Event from Heaven’s Perspective
The Event from Heaven’s Perspective
From Heaven’s perspective this was a long awaited fulfillment of the Word of God. Zechariah 9:9-10
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. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.’
The King was coming.
He is just and He is bringing with Him salvation, deliverance, peace, and dominion.
The people would rejoice and shout with joy.
Not only did heaven view this event as a fulfillment of a long awaited prophecy, but heaven viewed it as a missed opportunity for the people. Notice in Luke 19:39-44
39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
The pious Pharisees missed what was going on. They wanted the praise to stop. Jesus rebuked them with Habakkuk 2:10-11. If the people took their shameful counsel the rocks would cry out in witness against them.
10 You give shameful counsel to your house, Cutting off many peoples, And sin against your soul. 11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, And the beam from the timbers will answer it.
The city of Jerusalem did not know the way of peace they were seeking a temporary fix to an eternal problem. By rejecting their Messiah they would bring destruction upon their city and not exist as a nation for 1878 years. Rome would sweep in and squash their rebellion in AD 70 and level Jerusalem to the ground. Luke 19:42-44
42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
Heaven viewed this event as a fulfillment of prophecy, an opportunity for peace, and a time of visitation.
Oh how they missed the significances of this day and this gift. God had stepped into human history. John 1:10-12
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
God was right there standing among them, offering Himself to them, desiring to help them, but they missed it.
I never will forget standing in the Manila airport and all the crew with me were waving and pointing at me, but I could not comprehend what they wanted. When I made my way over to them they said did you not see Cindy Lauper standing right beside you?
Can you imagine God the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the world standing in our midst and we not only miss Him but misjudge Him?
The Event from Our Perspective
The Event from Our Perspective
It is easy to look back and see how everyone else got it wrong. But, when we think about this day how do we view it? We can easily misunderstand it.
We may see it similar to the crowd that day. If Jesus is God, He made a weak demonstration of of His power.
We may view today as an unnecessary remembrance of an event that took place 2000 years ago, or a unnecessary religious exercise.
But, do you know how we should see it?
We should see it as a revelation of God Himself (Philippians 2:5-11)
We should see it as God reconciling man to Himself Colossians 1:19-20
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
We should see it as peace, inward peace, eternal peace, and most of all peace with our creator. Romans 5:1-2
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
We should see it as an opportunity. Oh don’t miss the day of God’s visitation. Hebrews 3:7-8
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,
