3-18-2018 Pre-Palm Sunday Luke 19:37–44
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Introduction:
Who here is following March Madness? Michigan Wolverines barely lost to Huston yesterday
What is so amazing to me about this season and every other major sports events is the way that different people respond differently to the exact same situation. There are always 3 distinct groups of people present at the end of these games:
There are those who are happy because their team won.
There are those who are sad because their team lost.
Last, there are those who really didn’t care about who won or lost (usually I fit here). They were just there as observers not placing any significance in either winning or losing.
Transition:
Next week is Palm Sunday, that is traditionally the day set aside to remember Jesus’ glorious entry into Jerusalem just a week prior to His crucifixion. This morning, I am going to attempt to connect something about this glorious occasion with a human phenomenon of March Madness. You can find this “Triumphal Entry”as it is commonly referred to, in any of the Gospel accounts, but I want to focus on Luke’s telling in chapter 19 of his gospel, starting in verse 37:
Scripture Reading:
37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 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. 43 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 44 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.”
A week before His murder, Jesus enters Jerusalem to cries of praise & worship from a huge crowd. Jews would come to Jerusalem from all over the Roman world during this week-long celebration to remember the great Exodus from Egypt. It was at this exact moment that Jesus was at the height of His public ministry and so a celebration was in order.
Transition:
Just like at an end to a sporting event, there were three distinct groups of people that were surrounding Jesus that day 2000 years ago. There were those who saw triumph and gave adoration, there were those who saw tragedy and rejected Him, and then there were those who simply missed the significance of what was really happening. They were clueless to the magnitude of the events of that day. And it is by these reactions that I base my outline this morning.
I. The Adorers (vv. 37-38)
I. The Adorers (vv. 37-38)
These are the ones who received Jesus (the winning team)
37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
It was the first true ‘Palm Sunday’ He was recognized as being the Messiah.
But there was something a tiny bit odd about this situation. It is not as if Jesus was riding on a mighty steed in a show of force and strength to free them in an epic battle between the Jews and the Roman Empire. Instead, an untrained donkey. Our Lord, however, was not riding a donkey because this was choice transportation. Instead it was to be a sign of peace and to fulfil prophecy:
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.
Well, this one detail could be overlooked by the mob mentality who recognized this King over Roman territory which would end Roman oppression and control. Why would this one detail matter to a crowd that found its Savior?
In Matthew’s account, he records the crowds saying " Hosanna to the Son of David!". In Mark it says: “Hosanna - Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David”. In John it says "Blessed is the King of Israel!". The word Hosanna means “Save us now!” and was an expression of praise. The crowds recognized who Jesus was and at least knew of Him“for all the miracles/the mighty works they had seen."
The one detail would not be overlooked for long because many who praised Jesus had an agenda for Him to fulfill. And that is evident in just a few days. Despite the motives of many of them praising, Jesus still loved them and came to them. You see, Jesus had an agenda of His own.
A boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon, when a bumblebee flew in the car window. The little boy, who was allergic to bee stings, was petrified. The father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and then released it. The boy grew frantic as it buzzed by him. Once again the father reached out his hand, but this time he pointed to his palm. There stuck in his skin was the stinger of the bee. "Do you see this?" he asked. "You don’t need to be afraid anymore. I’ve taken the sting for you." We do not need to fear death anymore. Christ has died and risen again. He has taken the sting from death. We need no longer fear the grave.
Transition:
So there were more people in the crowd that one day. Not everyone was shouting praises
II. The Anguished (vv. 39-40)
II. The Anguished (vv. 39-40)
These are the ones who rejected Jesus (the losing team). At this grand triumphal entry, the Pharisees clearly understood the implications of what the crowds were saying. They knew that the crowds were calling Jesus their Savior, their Messiah--and this angered the Pharisees because they couldn’t accept this reality and so labeled this a blasphemy against YHWH.
39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Much like with previous encounters, Jesus responds to their complaints by indicating He was greater than any of the prophets-- He was God incarnate. How does He say that here? Well, the only reason a rock would praise Jesus is if Jesus really was the Maker of that rock. The Pharisees had made up their mind to refuse to believe Jesus so they had to kill Him.
This striking rock imagery could likely be a recalling of the prophecy in Habakkuk:
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
This reference in Habakkuk is in the midst of cursings to a prominent enemy of Israel: the Chaldeans—they were Babylonians. If indeed this is truly what Jesus had in mind, then it adds some color to this first Palm Sunday— Jesus would have then be using this peculiar response as a warning to the enemies of YHWH. This exact moment is the lowest point publically for Jesus’ enemies.
His reply to the Pharisees then would also accept the people’s praises as appropriate, implying that He truly is Israel’s king who comes in the name of YHWH.
We live in a world that does not recognize Jesus for who He is. Just like the Pharisees here, the world refuses to accept the implications of what we proclaim and know to be true. They have rejected the idea of Jesus as a Lord and a Savior. The world is too afraid of considering the truth and so is quick to pass Jesus off as just a prophet or a good moral teacher just as Buddha or Confucius were- and in doing so they ignore reality. They see our praise as blasphemy of the worst possible kind to the god of “tolerance” also know as “acceptance”. So They seek to quiet us - but even if we were to stop, more of His creation would still worship. The Kingdom of God is still advancing and nothing can stop it. God’s plan for the world will become accomplished history.
Transition:
And even with these two groups present in this dramatic scene, there were a quieter bunch, yet no less dangerous
III. The Apathetic (vv. 41-44)
III. The Apathetic (vv. 41-44)
Those who missed the significance of what was happening (didn’t commit to either side). Perhaps the largest group were the bystanders that day who saw what was happening but did not understand what it meant, nor want to give it too much thought.
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 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. 43 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 44 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.”
Only Luke recorded this lament by Jesus. Perhaps the oddest part in this whole scene is when in stark contrast to the great happiness of the crowd, the praised Man on the donkey began to cry at the sight of the city.
If the people had only cared to know what was truly happening and had recognized it for what it was, they might have been spared wrath. But the Jewish leaders had rejected their Messiah (19:39, 47); they had refused God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ when they were visited by God himself. Now the truth would be hidden, and soon their nation would suffer. They carried on until their deaths—eternally separated from their King—the only One that came to free them.
The “you” Jesus is referring to are these "spectators” -- undecided in what to make of Him and would rather just carry on. When Jesus looked up at Jerusalem as He approached, He knew what was in their hearts and because of it, what will happen. He sees the coming day in AD 70 when it will be all burned and destroyed. He sees the imminent destruction. He sees that the enemy will triumph over them. Jerusalem would be destroyed as a direct result of not recognizing the times-- God’s coming in the flesh.
About forty years after Jesus said these words, they came true. In A.D. 66, the Jews began a revolt against Roman control. Three years later, Titus, son of Emperor Vespasian, was sent to crush the rebellion. Six hundred thousand Jews were killed during Titus’s invasion. This is judgment fulfilled because even though a few people believed (such as the disciples and other faithful followers), most had rejected the opportunity at a relationship with God—which he freely offered them. But God did not turn completely away from the Jewish people who obeyed him.
So What?
So What?
We have spent a few moments following Jesus through this historic momentous day of His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We are to be celebratory because we are on the winning team! But Jesus’ entry was an entry which was not understood by the nations, then nor now and so hate and opposition rise even by our world’s leaders today whom mock truth. However, we have also seen a deep, moving concern on Jesus’ part for the people who were in the process of rejecting Him. He is our grand example; we need to show an unwavering deep concern for the lost, and a sound defense of the truths of our YHWH. The consequences for remaining on the losing team are too tragic.
This ought to move us then to use our occasion for celebration to launch us into passionate witnesses of our Great God and Savior Jesus!
The Scriptures we have looked at this morning have displayed some of the wonders of prophecy and the absolute accuracy of the Word of God. We have much to stand in awe of; we have much for which to praise our God. And we have much to tell the unbeliever about! Praise Jesus that He continues to offer salvation to both Jews and Gentiles today.
Conclusion:
Let’s go tell people about my King!