Palm Sunday Sermon

Big Idea:

Intro: The entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem to the shouts and accolades of the crowd is known as the triumphal entry. The journey to Jerusalem began in Luke 9:51 “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

Luke 19 gives us two statements that we need to acknowledge so that we can better understand the significance of what was taking place. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”” and Luke 19:11 “As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.” help us frame the text correctly. Jesus understood that his message of the gospel of the Kingdom elicited a lot of thoughts and opinions.

Jesus came preaching the gospel of God, saying that we should repent and believe in the gospel because the Kingdom is at hand. This message would resonate with the first century Jewish people living under a foreign occupier, Rome. Longing to return to the golden days of King David and King Solomon, this message of the Kingdom of God drew crowds and critics alike.

We see glimpses in the lives of the disciples, a man named Joseph of Arimithea, and the crowd in Jericho and Jerusalem - a presupposition that the Messiah would usher in a new time of peace and prosperity for the nation that would rid them of Rome, elevate their wealth and status, and restore the glory of old.

What is meant by the phrase ‘Kingdom of God?’ - It has been suggested that one of the unifying themes of the Bible is the Kingship of God.

a.) Internal rule of God in the hearts of his people. Spiritual only.

b.) Social Justice in the world at large, making all social ills go away.

c.) Responsibility of what we are called to do for Christ in relationship to him.

d.) A future kingship that will come at the end of the age.

Yet, if we read scripture as a whole, we can take a look at this phrase properly, so that we can best understand what is happening in the text.

“The kingdom of God is fundamentally God’s sovereign rule expressed and realized through the different stages o redemptive history. This biblical doctrine derives from the truth that God, as the one true, living, and eternal Ruler, always existed and therefore reigns over his creation. “The kingdom of God, already present but not fully realized, is the exercise of God’s sovereignty in the world toward the eventual redemption of all creation.” Stephen Um

In every stage of history, God is working for His glory and our good. In every stage of redemptive history, he bringing all things to his fulfillment.

“The kingdom refers not to a realm but to a reign, not to a territory but to an administration, a pattern, an order of life. Above all, it means the presence of the King himself, who reigns and reorders disordered hearts, relationships, and communities. To enter the kingdom, to witness and be a sign of the kingdom, or to spread the influence of the kingdom is to see Christ’s healing, kingly power permeate lives. The kingdom of God, then, is the renewal of all creation through the reentry of God’s ruling power brought about by Christ’s death and resurrection.” Timothy Keller

Jesus prayed for ‘Thy Kingdom come…” in Luke 11:2 “And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.”

3 Stories from Luke’s gospel to frame Palm Sunday:

1.) Luke 18:35-43 and the story of Blind Bartimaeus.

2.) Luke 19:1-10 and the story of Zacchaeus, which precedes a parable demonstrating the reign of God as one of authority and relationship.

3.) Luke 19:28-40 and the Triumphal Entry.

As we consider these stories, we should consider the implications for our own lives. Why do we need to consider the Kingship of Jesus, reflect on what it means to live in His Kingdom, and what that looks like for our present and future.

These stories remind us that despite our circumstances, we often live with an awareness that all is not as it should be. For blind Bartimaeus, it was an easy dot to connect - he was blind and poor. For Zacchaeus, he had wealth and power - but he was a scumbag. For the crowd in Jerusalem, it was a longing for national identity and security.

Though different circumstances, they are connected by the dual concept of longing and expectation. These are often two sides of the same coin, and they help us see more clearly why we experience doubts and disappointments, rather than delight that lasts beyond a moment.

1.) Consider what these passages tell us about longing.

2.) Consider that these passages teach us about expectations.

3.) Consider what these passages show us about reality.