Kingdom Mindset: Matthew 21:1-22

CIT: As we look back to Jesus’s triumphal entry, we should examine how we are to live in the present as we wait for his return.

Surrender

Worship

Bear Fruit

Have Faith

Surrender

Jesus is a humble King

Signified by him riding on a colt (Matt. 21:2-5)

Jesus is a conquering King

Signified by his future coming in Revelation 19:11-16 “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Also signified by his conquering over sin and death 1 Cor. 15:55-57 ““O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Both of these realities demand surrender and worship

The crowds shouting Hosanna is a reference to their Messianic hopes being realized in Jesus, he is the Son of David the True King of Israel.

We must follow in their footsteps and fall before Jesus worshipping him for he is our true Messianic hope! He is our true King!

Worship

Wrong worship will be punished

The people likely thought that Jesus was coming into Jerusalem to begin kicking out the Romans, but imagine their surprise when Jesus takes a turn into the Temple and begins to kick people out!

This is because they were scamming people for sacrificial animals in the court of Gentiles, so the nations could not properly worship God.

Why did they do this? Because it is clear that they idolized money to the point where they were worshipping that rather than God, and it began to obstruct the worship of others.

And frankly, what is sin if not wrong worship. We worship self, possessions, and status yet dress it up to make it seem “Christian” but Jesus has shown us here that this wrong worship will be punished.

Remove your idols to rightly worship Christ

So what should our response be? Remove our idols now so that we can properly worship Christ.

Bear Fruit

Godly living is the natural product of a surrendered life

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

An absence of fruit shows an absence of faith

James 2:17 “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Have Faith

Jesus teaches us the power of believing prayer

Why would believing prayer have power? Because it’s not that we believe that our prayer will come true, like a wish, it is because we believe in the one to whom we are praying. That God has the power to accomplish all that we ask and more!

Where does this faith come from?

This faith does not come from our own working but from Jesus himself! Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

Do you see the beauty of this! Jesus is the one who gives us the faith to pray in faith! Or as D.A. Carson puts it...

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8: Matthew, Mark, Luke (c. The Fig Tree (21:18–22))

But belief in the NT is never reduced to forcing oneself to “believe” what he does not really believe. Instead it is related to genuine trust in God and obedience to and discernment of his will. Though exercised by the believer, such faith [rests] on the will of God who acts.

Where is this expression of faith directed towards?

This is where we must truly remove our idols, our prayers are not to be directed towards own self interests and self gain, that’s treating God like Santa.

Our prayers are directed to the eschatalogical reign of Christ coming here and now. Or as Jesus puts it, Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What accomplishes this?

The faithful witness of the Church

The faithful living of church members

The salvation of the lost

Pray for these things and God will make it happen!