Palm Sunday - Beginnings and Endings

Today we mark both a beginning and an end.

The beginning of Holy Week and the end of Christ’s time on earth.

The beginning of the end of Christ’s incarnation.

This week will end with Christ’s death on the cross,

And next week will start with His resurrection.

Triumphal Entry

Today is often called “Palm Sunday” because of:

Matthew 21:8 NKJV

And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

And I guess “Clothes and Palms Sunday” doesn’t sound as good.

Let’s back up a little bit.

Matthew 21:1–3 NKJV

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 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. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

Some 33 years previously, Jesus was born.

He came into the world for the express purpose of this week.

It starts with this request to find the colt of a donkey.

That may seem odd, but this is the fulfillment of yet another prophecy:

Matthew 21:4–5 NKJV

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “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.’ ”

Jesus came into this world in a humble fashion,

Born in a stable in Bethlehem.

He will enter Jerusalem for his death in greater manner,

Riding on a donkey.

Just as His birth was celebrated with honor and glory from the wise men, so will His journey into death be honored.

Matthew 21:6–9 NKJV

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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!”

The people spread their clothes and branches to cover the road.

This is an act done for a king.

They cry out “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

Hosanna means:

Benevolent, favorably disposed.

Auspicious, a good omen.

Advantageous, tending to favor.

But not just hosanna, but also that He is the Son of David,

The son of the king.

Just as His birth was announced by angels,

His entry into Jerusalem is announced by these people.

It would be announced by creation itself.

Luke 19:39–40 NKJV

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

The people cheered,

Even the stones were prepared to cry out

Yet still, to many He is unknown, a mystery.

Matthew 21:12–13 NKJV

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

After entering Jerusalem, Jesus starts by cleaning out the temple.

Cleaning his Father’s house.

Returning it to a place of honor, not a market place.

And the cheers and praises continued.

Matthew 21:15 NKJV

But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant

Those who have dedicated their lives, supposedly to the service of the Lord, do not recognize His Son when he appears.

Indignant that He was getting the praise that He so richly deserved.

Or indignant because they were jealous that the praise wasn’t for them?

He had come to His Father’s house, only to be rejected by those who claimed to keep it.

And His response was just as perfect.

Matthew 21:16 NKJV

and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”

All of the baggage we place upon religion is trash,

When compared to the perfected praise of babes.

Not just children, but those with child-like faith in Him.

Questioning Jesus’ Authority

The next day, Jesus shows up at the temple to do some teaching.

Matthew 21:23 NKJV

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

Don’t look at what Jesus has done, look for His diploma.

Where did you go to school?

Who did you study under?

Where do you get the authority, the permission, to teach?

Have you ever had your authority to teach questioned?

I have, because I didn’t go to seminary.

Because I didn’t study at a Bible School,

Some have questioned my authority to teach.

I will leave the question of my teaching abilities up to you.

But once again, Jesus turns the tables on the “experts”.

Matthew 21:24 NKJV

But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:

Before you go looking for the speck in Jesus’ eye,

You should look for the giant beam in your own.

Because you may just get a question like this.

By what authority do YOU teach?

Matthew 21:25 NKJV

The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

You want to know where I get my authority, where did John the Baptist get his authority?

Was his baptism from heaven or men?

Often, the context of the questioner is as important as the question itself.

Jesus preached several parables this week.

Including about his death and resurrection.

Conclusion

So here we are, at the end of one beginning and the beginning of an end.

The last week of Jesus first incarnation on earth,

Which will end with the beginning of eternal life for all believers.

This week is the culmination of Jesus 33 years on earth.

And the plan God put in place back in the garden,

That the Son of Man would crush satan’s head.

This week begins with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem,

Leads to false charges and a horrible execution.

But will end with a glorious resurrection.

This week, we also remember the turning point of all history.

The Cross at Calvary.

Amazing Grace—366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions 8. At Calvary

William R. Newell was a noted evangelist, Bible teacher, and later assistant superintendent at the Moody Bible Institute. One day on his way to teach a class, he was meditating about Christ’s suffering at Calvary and all that it meant to him as a lost sinner. These thoughts so impressed themselves on his mind that he stepped into an empty classroom and quickly scribbled down the lines of this hymn on the back of an envelope. A few minutes later he met his friend and colleague, Daniel B. Towner, music director at the institute, and showed him the text he had just written, suggesting that Towner try composing music for it. An hour later as Newell returned from class, Dr. Towner presented him with the melody and they sang their completed hymn together.

Following its publication in 1895, Christians everywhere have used this hymn enthusiastically to rejoice in the “riches of God’s grace” made available “At Calvary.”