The King is Coming

John 12:12–19 NLT

The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.” His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him. Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”

Introduction:

One day a few years ago, I was straightening the chairs in the sanctuary of the church where I was on staff. I started to grumble a little bit because I wasn’t getting any help at the time from others who were there. I was also upset that the chairs were continually needing straightening and the cards in the backs of them were messed up. I wanted people to take care of these things so my job would be easier. I had seen it as a task that needed to be accomplished and not necessarily as a priveledge.

It was then that the Holy Spirit began to convict me of my attitude. I saw that what I was doing was taking care of God’s house so that others could come and recieve the Word of the Lord. I began to take pride in making sure that everything was just right. I reminded myslef that we would have very important people coming on Sunday and that the sanctuary needed to look great! The Holy Spirit quickened me once again and reminded me that we would indeed be having someone important there on Sunday, for the King was coming! Oh how I rejoiced in this revelation and continue to rejoice even now.

As I look around at the people I come in contact with and see what is going on in people’s lives, I realize how desparately people need hope and purpose. I believe that there are people who are genuinely interested in knowing how they can overcome the battles in their lives and face the tragedies that this world will throw at us.

It is in the realization that God desires a relationship with each of us and He has provided a way for that to happen that we can have that hope and we can find purpose in our existence. We can have the power to overcome the problems of this world. Though we may face them, we don’t do it alone.

Today’s message reminds us that what we are looking for isn’t always packaged the way that we think it should be. Lets unfold the story of Jesus’ Triumphant Entry together:

The News

John 12:12–13 “The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!””

Word had gotten out that Jesus was coming.

It was a week before the Passover, a hugely important time for the Community of God’s people.

Jesus had stayed away because the religious leaders had been trying to find ways to kill Him and his followers. They attempted to stone him and even arrest him but he got away. (See John 10:39).

Jesus had went to Bethany, the home of his friends and everyone saw Him tell Lazarus, a man who was Four-Days-Dead, to come out of the grave.

Everyone around heard of this miraculous sign and a sense of hope filled the hearts of all who had been waiting on the Messiah.

The people started to gather in advance of Jesus’ arrival.

People will come from all over to see something. I remember lines of people gathered to buy tickets to new movies or black friday deals.

We were blessed to be a part of America’s Second Harvest Food Distrubution. We would start handing food out at 9 and people would be flooding the parking lot at 4 in the morning.

Can you just imagine the crowd that would have gathered as Jesus, the Prophet who raised someone from the grave, came to town.

Jerusalem was already bustling, but now they seemed to rally together to praise the “One who comes in the name of the Lord.”

The Palm Branches

The people not only gathered but they took palm branches with them.

Some of you might have a footnote in your Bible referring you to Leviticus 23:40 “On the first day gather branches from magnificent trees—palm fronds, boughs from leafy trees, and willows that grow by the streams. Then celebrate with joy before the Lord your God for seven days.”

This reference is about the Festival of Shelters/Feast of Booths or Tabernacles.

The Jewish people call it Sukkot (Soo-KOTE)

This would normally take place somewhere between September to October and would be fresh on the minds of the people.

The people would take the palm branches and make shelters out of them and live in them for a week. They would do this to remember how their ancestors had lived under God’s care in the wilderness when He set them free from Egpyt.

Here it is that Jesus was coming into the city where He was hunted down, almost killed, and had to escape or He would have been arrested.

He is here and the people are bringing a symbol of their freedom with them.

They would have looked at those palm branches and remembered that God took care of them and certainly their King was coming to save them.

This wasn’t the first time branches were laid out however.

The Forerunner

There was another time in history that the people gathered together to sing praises and bring the palm branches and lay them out.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great of Greece conquered the kingdom of Persia and expanded his kingdom brining the spread of the Greek culture, language and religion all over the world.

After his death, his four generals took power and had four major divisions. There were the Ptolemies in Egypt, The Seleucids in Syria, The Antigonids in Macedonia and the Attalids in Pergamum.

For over 150 years the Jews were under the control of either the Ptolemies or the Seleucids.

In 167 BC, the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to force the Jews to adandon their law and adopt Greek culture. He desecrated the Temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar to his Greek god, Zeus.

A hero by the Name of Judas (Judah) Maccabeus rose up as a rebel against the Seleucids and won a major victory.

The Maccabean revolt was a reason for great joy and the temple was cleansed and rededicated.

The story goes that the people brought out these palm branches and praised Judas Maccabeus for his great work in freeing Israel from the oppressive government of the Seleucid rulers.

Hanukkah is celebrated each year to remember this great victory.

The people who were laying out the palm branches for Jesus would have known of this historical event as well as their celebration of wilderness travels.

Now they are here to worship Jesus because he was the one who the Scriptures and the prophets talked about.

The Donkey

John 12:14–15 “Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.””

Horses are a major instrument in war. Horses are talked about all through the Bible and would have been the preferred choice of kings.

It is not by mistake that Jesus told his disciples to go fetch him a donkey.

There were two reasons that Jesus purposefully chose a donkey

1. Jesus came to fulfill prophecy.

As we have discussed during the Christmas season and throughout our teaching here, Jesus came to fulfill prophecy.

He has done this on so many accounts. All of the Old Testament points to Jesus and here is just one more example.

Zechariah 9:9 is the specific prophetic message that was coming to pass here. Zechariah predicted that the king would come and He would ride in on a donkey. He is righteous and victorius yet humble.

The king that they were expecting would be victorious, but victorious over what?

Another prophecy that was being fulfilled was Psalm 118:25–26 “Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.”

As Jesus entered into the city that day, they shouted, “Hosanna” which means “save now” or “save us.”

The king that they were expecteing would be someone who would save them. But save them from what?

2. Jesus came to turn it upside down

The religious elite had been teaching about keeping the laws. They had the power and control of God’s Word and His ways.

Though they were under Roman control, they saw themselves as righteous and morally excellent.

They kept the law as best they could and knew that one day they would see God.

God showed up and they rejected him because they didn’t see Him.

They were looking for someone to come and re-ignite a Jewish Nationalism.

They were looking for someone to release them from the bondage of Roman occupation.

They were looking for a Messiah, but not the one that God had told them about.

They were looking for a Messiah, but not the one that they really needed.

They were looking through a man-made set of lenses.

God was up to something so much better.

The Application

People recieved the news that Jesus was coming. Some came and praised Him while others rejected Him and had Him arrested.

What will you do with the news? Will you praise Him or will you reject Him?

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of old. He is the one that the Scriptures talked about. Many have created their own version of a savior or consider themselves as their savior.

Jesus is the real deal, the one the Bible talks about, not a made up idea. Will you put your trust in Him or will you trust yourself?

Jesus came not as a conquering king, but a Savior for our souls. He came on a donkey, humble, offering salvation.

He turned the world upside down and expects His followers to be like Him, humble in spirit, choosing to serve rather than be served. Where are you today?

On the Triumphant Entry, Jesus rode in on a donkey, He was later rejected and crucified. But He infact did triumph over death and the grave. And He is coming back on a White Horse to bring justice to the world.

We have the benefit of knowing the end of the story. Lets look at what John wrote later in his life:

Revelation 19:11–16 “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.”

He first came as a humble servant, but He is coming back as a Righteous Judge. Today is the day of salvation, don’t put it off. Will you hear His plea, come to me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest?

Will you stand with me this morning?

Prayer

Altar Call:

You may be here or watching this morning and you haven’t accepted Jesus’ offer of salvation. I encourage you not to delay any longer. Ask Jesus to be Lord of your life, He is faithful to forgive you. There’s no place too far that He won’t go to save you.

You may just need to get things right with Him this morning. Or You may just want to thank God for His goodness.

The altars are open and we’d love to pray with you.

Don’t rush off. After we pray I want to come back and pray a blessing over you.