Palm Sunday: This is Jesus

I shared with John A that preaching during Holy week has proved to be one of the most difficult realities for a pastor. Not because this isn’t a precious season. Not because this isn’t my favorite season in the church. Not because this isn’t a time to celebrate. It’s because I feel a press

This is a special season in the church. It’s when we begin Holy Week, the greatest moment in the life of the church… our lives… it’s a moment to look back at when our salvation was purchased. To remember the source of our salvation.

But what about at the first Palm Sunday… back when it was known as the first day of Sabbath Week. We know it was a time of celebration, but why was it so special back then?

Let’s go back and remember what’s happening.

We know Israel was occupied and ruled by Rome. But what does that mean? Rome let them have their religion, but only if it kept them in their place. They could live their lives, but only up to the point that they remained subservient to Rome.

Rome’s idea was to only step in when absolutely necessary to keep the people in their place.

The Jews didn’t have a king.... But there was a king for the Galilee region appointed by Rome… King Herod. And just as a point of interest here, we have been studying the book of Genesis for the last few months and we have heard a bit about Esau, Jacob’s brother, the son of Isaac who was sold his birthright to his brother… That’s the king of Galilee and in effect the king over Israel.

Esau’s great great … several generations later would be named King Herod. He was a King, but he was only in place to keep the peace and do as Rome told him. He wasn’t a Jewish king… just a puppet really.

The real leaders of the Jews were the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin along with the High Priest. I believe there were 70 members of the Sanhedrin including the High Priest. They were the legislature and judge for the Jews when it came to matters of their law, the biblical law.

But even their power was held in check by Rome.

There was a Roman official in place to represent Caesar. Pilate. He didn’t live in Jerusalem, but during Jewish festivals he would come into to town to make sure things didn’t get out of hand.

That doesn’t mean Jerusalem wasn’t firmly in the grip of Rome.

You’ve probably seen pictures of the temple in Jerusalem. You know today it is the sight of a Muslim mosque. Well back in the day of Jesus, it was still the temple, but not like it was when it was first built by Solomon.

Right next to it and actually over it was a building built by Marc Anthony, named the Antonia. It was a roman military barracks. Historians believe that it housed around 600 Roman soldiers, with direct access to the temple. More than enough power to keep the priests and the people in check.

So the military could keep a close watch on the religious practice of the Jews. In fact, the robes of the priest were kept under guard of the Romans.

Rome had control of every part of Jewish life.

When Jesus came, his people were desperate for a King… one who could set them free from the fall out caused by Rome’s occupation.

It was prophesied in Isiah:

Isaiah 62:8–12 NIV

8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled; 9 but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.” 10 Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. 11 The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’ ” 12 They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.

They couldn’t wait for the coming of this promised savior king.

For them the need was clear. Their problem was Rome and they needed a King to save them from Rome. But what they missed was the sin problem that put them under Roman rule to begin with.

But that’s pretty common right. We think the problem is one thing, when in reality it’s something else. We spend time trying to fix symptoms while denying our real problem.

The real problem wasn’t Rome… The real problem then is the same as it is today, our heart. And as long as we fail to be honest about the problem, God won’t do the work that is needed.

Bottom Line: God won’t fix what we pretend isn’t broken.

There was real anticipation though for a King to come and fix what they thought was the problem.

The Anticipation

It’s easy to relate to the excitement that rose up around Jesus.

Jesus has been healing people right and left. He has been teaching about the Kingdom of God. He certainly speaks with authority. There’s talk that Jesus has even raised Lazarus from the dead.

He comes back, not as a carpenter’s son; not as a prophet either, not even as a well respected rabbi. Jesus is different. He’s got to be the one… right?

In Mark 10, as they are on their way to Jerusalem, Jesus confronts a blind man on the side of the road who calls out:

Mark 10:47 NIV

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

You see, Jesus is coming back to Jerusalem as King.

How fast do you think that idea would spread amongst a desperate people?

Now remember Jerusalem would be filling up with people for passover. The whole countryside is becoming a festival as people are spilling out of the city in to the country to wait for Passover.

People everywhere. You remember the story of Zacheus having to climb up in a tree to see Jesus as he traveled back to Jerusalem.

You can feel the energy in the air, the anticipation.

Matthew 21:1–5 NIV

1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

Finally it was happening.

This was a moment they had all been waiting for.

This moment had been prophesied for generations. The priests had taught that it would happen on Passover… but they had no idea it would be THIS passover.

The Jews were literally dying for a king.

Finally it was all about to be over. A new King was here.

Usually a king would ride in the best chariot or on the fanciest horse.

But riding a donkey was as to say… I’ve got nothing to prove because I am the true king.

When King David’s son King Solomon came to Jerusalem he rode in on a donkey as well.

Hallelujah in deed!

Matthew 21:6–11 NIV

6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Who is this…???

This is Jesus… John the Baptist said was greater

This is Jesus… who fed thousands with a few loafs and fish.

This is Jesus… who walked on water.

This is Jesus… who raised Lazarus from the dead.

This is Jesus… who healed the blind, and the lame.

This is Jesus… who calms storms and casts our demons.

This is Jesus, he’s about to become our King, the one we have been waiting for.

FINALLY!

The Arrival

You can almost see it. Jesus rocking slowly as the donkey goes up and down the hills into town. Where’s he going? I bet he goes straight to King Herod’s palace and takes over.

OR maybe he will go to Pilate’s house… or maybe ANTONIA to confront the power of Israel’s oppression

The scriptures had taught that we can expect the unrighteous to be judged first.

But look where Jesus went.

Matthew 21:12–13 NIV

12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Jesus went straight to the heart of the Jewish faith.

Law of moses… half shekel temple tax… atonement offering… no roman money inside temple b/c of picture

Law of moses… offering of animal sacrifice… difficult to travel with them… more expensive… but easier to purchase.

Merchants and money changers used ot be outside the temple, but Caiaphas the High Priest allowed them to move inside to make it more convenient for the people.

In effort to make it easy for many, they have prevented the poor from worshipping at all.

Prevented the ones most in need of God’s presence from entering in and experiencing it.

That’s what makes Jesus’s next stop so powerful.

A passage that read alone sounds so strange that we would be apt to let it pass.

Matthew 21:18–19 NIV

18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

I call this the Hypocritical Tree.

It offered hope, but it deliver disappointment. The tree was a fraud.

The tree was like the temple worship of the Sanhedrin. It offered a connection with God but it didn’t deliver. Instead it gave

God won’t fix what we pretend isn’t broken

The Israelites wanted a king… but they needed a savior.

We want a savior… but we need to remember that he came to be our king

The Confrontation

Standing up to the Pharisee’s as they sought to arrest him. Jesus knew that this holy week was his last on earth.

His last week was spent with his disciples, teaching them the meaning of the Kingdom of God and facing up to the Pharisees who sought to kill him.

Got me to thinking what Jesus would confront if he were to show up here today.

We’d be excited for sure. We’d cheer, we’d parade.

But where would he go? Who would he confront? Who would Jesus reach out to

The people who welcomed Jesus would eventually be the ones who would lead him to the cross...

May we become the sort of brave disciples who having been confronted, would follow him to the cross.

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