Jesus’s Triumphant Entry

God is wanting to speak to you…

Let God in this morning. Open your hearts before Him in a whole new way…He has the answers…

Matthew 21:1–11 “Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.””

On a Journey with Jesus.

Are you Journeying with Jesus? Or the crowd?

Jesus has done some amazing things up to the point in scripture. Showing us that He is Lord. He is king.

He has done some amazing things in our lives up to this point as well. He has moved in our church, in our hearts…

Some of these things we have witnessed from the viewpoint of the crowd, others from being in the presence of Jesus.  We have seen and experienced.

Jesus has been on a journey to do His fathers will, even unto death. The gospel accounts teach us, reveal to us that His journey does not end in His death, or resurrection but in His second coming. Amen!

Some of us have been on this walk for a while, some of us just started…

Where are you in this moment, season?

Are you in the crowd? Following because there seems to be a lot of movement in this area? Going through the motions?

Jesus wants to change your life, wants to show the right path to take.

Just before this scripture reference Jesus is transfigured on the mount, where James, John and Peter bore witness. Matthew’s 17

They heard a voice declare that they are to hear Jesus. This means to hear and understand and obey.

Let’s do our best to not only audibly hear Jesus, but to respond to Jesus this morning, to hear each day…moment by moment. There is triumph in the King’s entry into our lives, we celebrate His kingship! Or we should….

Matthew 21:1 “Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,”

Jesus is drawing near to Jerusalem…

Jesus is drawing near. He is always near, wanting to reveal God’s will to us, wanting to help us. His kingdom is drawing near! In you and I!

Jesus is announcing His authority over Jerusalem with His triumphant entry.

Jesus is Messiah! Does Jesus have authority over your life? Your kingdom? Your city? In His drawing near, are you willing to lay down yourself to let Him reign?

Not just sound waves that hit our ears, but truth that shapes our hearts.

Jerusalem is the center of Israel’s religious life. The City of the Great King. Jesus. God had chosen Israel to be His children, it was split between Judah and Jerusalem….God is keeping His word by bringing them under the Authority and protection of One King. Jesus was coming to fulfill God’s word.

Matthew 21:2–5 “saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ””

Jesus is refers to Himself as Lord.

Further establishing His role in our life. Jesus IS Lord.

when the Lord ask’s for something, we respond in obedience…

The Lord is asking for our hearts…each day that we wake up He is asking for us to fall completely into His arms, into His trust, into His plan…

This also fulfills prophecy, further establishing Himself as Lord…there are over 300 prophecies that Jesus would end up fulfilling. The Math on this alone is proof of Who He Is.

Here are 4 elements of the Messiah’s character.

He is king.

He is just.

He brings salvation.

He is humble.

Humble/Meekness: The middle standing between two extremes: getting angry without reason and not getting angry at all. It is a result of a strong man or women’s choice to control their reaction in submission to God. It is a balance born in strength of character, stemming from confident trust in God, not from weakness or fear. Courageous.

Matthew 21:5–9 ““Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!””

This is the prophecy that was fulfilled

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The prophecy mentions 2 animals. There are 2 donkeys, a mother and its colt. The mother would assure the colt in the midst of the noise of the crowd. Jesus was sitting upon the garments of a colt, a donkey that has never been rode before.

There is No one else like Jesus, Jesus is the first, and the last.

The garments are to signify that the people are submitting to Jesus as King.

what are you doing to submit to the Kingship of Jesus? How are you being sure not to just go threw the motions of life? What do you need to actively lay down again? for the first time? What do you need to surrender to Jesus? Take yourself off, and lay it down at the feet of King Jesus!

The branches, or palms, represent Jewish Nationalism and Victory.

There is victory in king Jesus!

The people show knowledge of the prophecy, they know that the Messiah will come from the line of David! They are shouting God saves!

This is true! Each person’s life is a declaration of how God saved you! Share this good news! Rejoice in this! Celebrate with songs, and with worshipful prayer and living.

Matthew 21:10–11 “And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.””

When Jesus enters in, the atmosphere changes, when the King is in the room…Jesus changes everything.

Knowledge….is not enough. Knowing about Jesus is different than knowing Him personally.

Now lets look at a different perspective…

Luke 19:41–44 “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.””

Jesus is weeping over a city that is rejoicing…why?

Jesus is weeping because the people dont get it…they missed…they knew the prophecy and fashioned a meaning that they saw fit.

Zechariah 9:9–17 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double. For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword. Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts will protect them, and they shall devour, and tread down the sling stones, and they shall drink and roar as if drunk with wine, and be full like a bowl, drenched like the corners of the altar. On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.”

The Jews were occupied by the Romans, who were oppressing them…and this prophecy of a savior that comes, and saves them! The people thought that Jesus was going to be this great military leader, who would drive the Romans far off…they wanted Jesus to fit their mold!

Thats why Jesus is weeping! Because the people are blinded by what they want…they cant see the Kingdom Jesus is establishing… Jesus fulfills Gods word, not ours!

You and I can construct a city of belief, fortified with walls of our own understanding…what we want…defending what we think is best, worshipping our version of the Savior…

You have made your city, your family is your own little kingdom…surrounded it with walls of understanding, barricades of shame…whatever it is, Jesus comes to save! You dont have to fortify, your battle plan is Jesus.…let Him in and save you! Recognize His lordship and Authority…surrender your kingdom to His.

Jesus is sent to establish Gods kingdom...He has revealed things to us, let’s be obedient with His revelations.

Up until this point you would fight with a war horse, or chariot, or bow and arrow. God is sending a new Kind of weapon, one that will secure eternal victory! Jesus brings true peace! Jesus brings us back into the Fold of God, where we don’t have to save ourselves. We don’t need to build up great cities, fortified with walls, it is finished! Lay down your arms, lay down your life and give Jesus your whole heart. Give Him everything, shame, pain, doubt, worry, fear…He can take it all and save you from it.

Dont miss on Jesus drawing near …He has a plan, and wants to help you. Wants you to be a part of it! He is victorious, He is wanting to establish the Fathers Kingdom in your heart, in your home! Surrender to His voice…open your eyes to His word…put it simply…strive to be More Like Jesus.