Matthew 21:1-11 | "Hosanna in the Highest!" [Live Stream Edition]
[Independent & Special Occasion] • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 9:43
0 ratings
· 137 views"Hosanna" is a cry for help, but also a shout of praise! Jesus rode into Jerusalem to triumphal shouts of Hosanna! But by the end of the week, those shouts would be changed to cries for his death on a cross. Jesus, the king of righteousness and salvation, was coming to save but not in the way the people expected. This Palm Sunday message prepares the hearer for the events of Holy Week.
Files
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction to Theme
Introduction to Theme
This Sunday, Palm Sunday, reflects upon the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
His face has been set toward Jerusalem, and it was there in Jerusalem that Jesus, our Passover, would lay down his life and die on the cross in exchange of our life, as our Passover lamb.
If you have your Bible, will you turn with me to Matthew 21:1-11. This text tells us of this event.
Introduction to Text
Introduction to Text
1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “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.’ ”
That word “Fulfillment” is on your screen. Will you say this word out loud together with me: Fulfillment.
What is taking place with Jesus drawing near to Jerusalem, and entering into Jerusalem in the manner that he does, is for the purpose of Fulfillment.
Long before, God spoke through his prophet, Zechariah, with these words:
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.
God’s people have long awaited the coming of their king!
As Isaiah 62:11 says, when this king comes it will be the “coming of their salvation.”
There is a great anticipation! A great longing for this savior to come! And we embrace the sense of this anticipation this Palm Sunday.
And how will the people identify this one who is their king?
It will be in this unusual way —
This KING, will come mounted not on a horse, but on a donkey.
As we have learned about God, God positions people and things for his purposes. And there is a donkey positioned in a village for this very purpose.
So Jesus commands his disciples to go to get this donkey as a fulfillment of Scripture.
Remember that everything that takes place during this Holy Week fulfills Scriptures. Jesus came to do just that!
These events are not random. They are not chance. This is all part of God’s unfolding plan of redemption. You can have confidence that God is in control, God does have a plan, God does know what he is doing.
This coming KING, — king of righteousness and salvation — will come riding on a donkey, humbly.
That word is on the screen. Would you say this word out loud with me, HUMBLE. — HUMBLE.
Jesus used this word earlier in Matthew 11:29 when he said:
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Jesus is our example of humility. The Savior is approachable. The Savior identifies with our frailty and our humanity.
Jesus does not come to save with a mighty display of force. Jesus doesn’t win our salvation through outward demonstrations of physical strength.
Jesus obtains victory through humble OBEDIENCE. Jesus brings glory to the Father by submitting Himself to His Father’s will — even to death, death on a cross. (Phil,. 2).
By nature we are not humble people. By nature we want to draw attention to ourselves. But we learn from Jesus, as our example, the more we humble ourselves, the more we decrease, the more the power and might and strength of God increases and is demonstrated in the sight of all.
God enables us by His Holy Spirit and His Gospel to be a humble people.
God’s word goes on to say:
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.
By the way, that is an excellent verse to memorize and do likewise! Do whatever Jesus directs us to do! That is Obedience here displayed in this text.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 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!”
The is a scene of great rejoicing! The fulfillment of God’s promise is arriving in Jesus according to the Scriptures.
The branches they cut are palm branches, and this is why it is called Palm Sunday.
They shout this word: HOSANNA!
Hosanna is a word that means, “Help, I pray” or “Save, I pray” — it is a shout of praise or adoration (LN).
Everyone in Israel knew what this word meant! (BDAG).
It is a word found throughout Psalms 113-118, like what is used in:
25 Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.
That word “Save us” is the expression Hosanna!
But do the people understand what was required to save them?
As the events of the week unfold, it will become clear that what Jesus came to do to save is not what the the people expected. And in disbelief they change their mind about who he is.
The crowd of rejoicing and blessing will turn to a crowd of mocking and cursing as the people will soon shout instead, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
The identify of who Jesus is, is evident by the reception Jesus receives in the city:
10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”
This is the question that will be the focus of the message I’m preparing for Easter Sunday.
Who is this? Who is Jesus? Who is this prophet? Who is the king?
11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
I want to ask you this question: Who is Jesus?
How do you respond?
People of faith say Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God!
Believing by faith what that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Scriptures!
How do you respond?
Jesus, our Passover, will give his life in exchange for ours.
He who knew no sin, will become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
This week, we will experience the lowest of lows, and the highest of highs as we journey through Holy Week with Jesus.
We will walk with Jesus through grief and sorrow, and rejoice in the power of the Resurrection!
But I pray that we all will see Jesus for who He is, by faith, in light of Scripture.
I pray you will come to know Him as prophet, priest and king. As Savior and Lord.
I want to invite you now to worship through a hymn .