20220410 Matthew 21: Behold Your King is Coming!

OPENING SLIDE

INTRODUCTION 1

Turn if you would to Psalm 24. PAUSE

Psalm 24 was written by King David. It contains both a warning and an invitation to those who would worship Yahweh. INTRODUCTION 2

Furthermore, Psalm 24 commands readiness to be made to the gates of Jerusalem as the coming King of Glory ascends to the House of Yahweh. This Psalm is one of expectation, anticipation and excitement and it primes the pump for the passage that we will be studying today.

Let’s stand and I will read the 24th Psalm

Ps 24 Of David. A Psalm.

1 The earth is Yahweh’s, as well as its fullness, The world, and those who dwell in it. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.

3 Who may ascend into the mountain of Yahweh? And who may rise in His holy place?

4 He who has innocent hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to worthlessness And has not sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall lift up a blessing from Yahweh And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face ⁠— pay heed O Jacob. Selah.

7 Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 8 Who is this King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O gates, And lift yourselves up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! 10 Who is He, this King of glory? Yahweh of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.

This is the Word of the Lord and for it we give Him thanks - YOU MAY BE SEATED

Today, we are going to be studying Matthew 21 and the triumphal entry of Christ.

Just as in Psalm 24, the Christ will ascend from Jericho and climb up to Jerusalem where He will receive the praise due to His name.

Here is the point of today’s sermon

MAIN POINT

Christ will ascend to Jerusalem as Prophet, Priest and King in fulfillment of Scripture. He is going to cleanse the Temple, He is going to condemn sin, heal the lame and receive the praise due His name.He is going to show that He is the coming King of Glory - our long awaited Savior.

Today we are going to be looking at the text of Matthew 21. A text which contains multiple references to Old Testament Scripture. We are going to look through these text as well as see refresh ourselves again with the hope of His sure and certain return in Revelation 19.

But before we go any further, let’s go to prayer BLANK SLIDE

PRAYER

Gracious Father, we are so thankful for the Christ, Your only beloved and cherished Son. Sent from You to tell us the truth, to be the fullest and most complete expression of Your character. Your Son whom You sent to pay the price, that only He could, as the perfect Passover Lamb.

We give You, Triune God, all the glory, all the fame, all the honor for what You have accomplished for us - truly You are a good God!

Empowered by Your Holy Spirit, may we worship You well today. It is in Christ’s name we pray, amen.

CONTEXT

Here is the context of our passage today, Matthew 21, and I take it from the other Gospel accounts. MAP SLIDE

The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus is traveling from Jericho - a town with an elevation of 850’ below sea level and He is climbing up toward Jerusalem which is at 2500’ above sea level a total distance of about 15 miles. VERSE SLIDE Jesus is surrounded by crowds and on His way He heals a blind man - something that only God can do. VERSE SLIDEJohn’s account tells us when He arrives in Bethany He raises His friend Lazarus from the dead. VERSE SLIDEMark’s account tells us that Jesus’ has also predicted His coming crucifixion and resurrection.

SERMON

CONTEXT2From these accounts and what we will read - we need to understand that Jesus is an unstoppable force and He is coming up to Jerusalem with ever more increasing crowds.

There is an increasingly tangible excitement growing with every step, the King of glory is coming into Jerusalem! SLIDE

We join the text in Matthew 21 where Jesus is going to send His disciples on a specific task to fulfill a specific prophecy - “find a young donkey and its mother and bring them to Me”

I. Behold your King is coming to you (v1-7)

A. You will find a donkey and a colt bring them to Me (v1-3)

Matthew 21: 1 And when they had approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

As Jesus approaches Jerusalem He is consciously aware that He is coming in fulfillment of prophecy and He comes right on time just as has been foretold. He is coming on the Passover Week on the tenth day of Nisan, the 10th day of the first lunar month of the Jewish new year, if you recall from last week in the Passover narrative, this is the day that the perfect Lamb would be brought into the home… SLIDE

Jesus is aware of this and the prophecies yet to be fulfilled.

B. What was spoken through the prophet was fulfilled(v4-5)

4 And this took place in order that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Lowly, and mounted on a donkey, And on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.’” PAUSE

VERSE SLIDE God’s prophetic word always comes true… This particular prophecy was given by the prophet Zechariah approximately 850 years prior during the reign of Joash. It says,

Zech 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a loud shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, Lowly and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a pack animal.

Interestingly, the surrounding text is very possessive, Yahweh speaks of “My House.” As Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, He has this context in mind… SLIDE King Jesus is arriving as prophesied to take what belongs to Him so he dispatches His disciples to gather the exact animal that He requires… verse 6

C. And the disciples went and did as Jesus instructed*(v6-7)

6 And the disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their garments on them; and He sat on the garments.

The disciples obediently bring both the jenny and the foal to Jesus as He had commanded and He sat down on the foal to climb the remaining 2 miles to Jerusalem.

But here is the first key takeaway and I want to focus it on the obedience of the disciples.

KEY TAKEAWAY

True obedience from the heart is always the result of faith - it is tied to belief

John 6:28-29 “Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.””

These disciples, these followers of Christ, believe that Jesus is who He claims to be - so they obey Him… PAUSE

Do we? Do we obey from the heart? Or do we try to explain away what He has commanded us, do we ignore what He has commanded us.

The Christ commanded us quite clearly to go into the world and teach others what He commanded… Do we know what He commanded? If we refuse to spend time learning what He commanded and if we refuse to obey what He has commanded can we really claim that we are His disciples… That we are Christians? I tell you no, if we believe Him than we will obey Him. PAUSE

Let’s return to our text in verse 8 PAUSE

SLIDE And the crowds call out to Him to save - Hosanna in the Highest!

II. Hosanna in the highest! (v8-9)

A. The crowd spread their garments in the road (v8)

8 And most of the crowd spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road.

Can you imagine the scene? The people laying down their cloaks onto the road, laying down palm branches in honor - appropriate for the ascendancy from, Jericho the “city of palms.”

We call this scene the "Triumphal Entry of Christ,”

A Triumph is a specific act that was done by conquering generals in Roman times and several criteria had to be met - such as killing 5,000 enemy combatants in a single battle. A triumph could only be granted by vote through the Senate and it stands in contrast to what we see here with Christ.

Instead of traveling by chariot drawn by four powerful war horses - there is a simple foal, no human government is authorizing this, there are no dead enemies but the groundswell of excitement is by no means lesser. SLIDE

They come to bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord - verse 9

B. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (v9)

9 And the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were crying out, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!”

Momentum is building, with every step more people are joining

John 12:17-19 “So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.””

The people are shouting a quote from a specific Psalm - Psalm 118. Psalm 118 is noteworthy because the context is a plea for help, a plea for rescue from the surrounding nations that are pushing the people of Israel down and repressing them.

It is really easy to see why the people in Jerusalem are quoting this, is it not? Roman domination and persecution of the Jews was incredibly oppressive - they wanted these pagan enemy oppressors gone and they thought that Jesus was going to kick them out… but that is not what Jesus came to do. SLIDE

He came in fulfillment of Scripture to bring about a bigger and more lasting change...

III. Who is this? Jesus! (v10-11)

10 And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The word for stirred here is so subdued compared with its other uses in the New Testament… The word ἐσείσθη is used in Matthew 27 to describe the violent shaking that split the rocks the moment that Jesus died, it describes the rending of the veil within the Temple… The whole city of Jerusalem is stirred up - everyone asking, “who is this?” This is Jesus - whose name means, “Salvation.”

Previously the text pointed to the Christ’s kingship in verse 5 now we see the Christ coming as a prophet in verse 11 and in verse 12-14 we see the Christ in His function as Priest - entering the temple to cleanse it from all robbery and sin. PAUSE

Turn if you would to Malachi chapter 3. The book of Malachi is the last of the Old Testament and so it is about 40 pages back from where we are in Matthew.

Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says Yahweh of hosts.

Jesus is aware of these things SLIDE and in fulfillment of Prophecy He is going to quickly come into His Temple and clean house - verse 12

IV. And Jesus Entered the Temple (v12-14)

A. And overturned the tables (v12)

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.

What is fascinating to me, is that three years ago Jesus did this exact same thing. Three years ago in John 2 Jesus made a scourge of cords and drove out all the animals and the money changers and He hasn’t changed, ZEAL FOR THE HOUSE OF YAHWEH STILL CONSUMES HIM… SLIDE verse 13

B. My house shall be called a house of prayer (v13)

13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ‘ROBBERS DEN.’”

Jesus quotes two passages. Isaiah 56 and Jeremiah 7.

Isaiah 56 might have come as a surprise to the people who were crying out Hosanna! Save us - from the occupiers, from the foreigners and Gentiles from the hated Romans...

Isaiah 56 might have been a shock because the context is about bringing foreigners near, it is about Yahweh extending lovingkindness to those who come to Him in truth, it talks about how they will be held to be acceptable if they keep the Law of the Lord - specifically the Sabbath. Jesus quotes this when He says, “My house shall be called a house of prayer” but He also quotes Jeremiah 7.

Jeremiah 7 is fascinating because it is an indictment of those who are using worship as a means of turning a profit. In Jeremiah 7 the Lord says, “Go to My place which was in Shiloh and see what I did to it because of the evil of the people of Israel,” If you recall the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh and Eli’s sons Hophni and Phineas were corrupting the ladies serving in the Tabernacle, abusing the sacrificial system and were worthless good for nothing evil men.

Jesus is saying that these money changers that were abusing true worshippers were no better than Eli’s son.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Let’s gather a final takeaway which stand’s in stark contrast to the prosperity preachers which have so wickedly abused the name of Christ.

The Lord is interested in true worship, true prayer. He is not interested in the false gospel propagated by prosperity preachers which says if you sow a seed of 1,000.00 you will reap a future windfall. If you name it you can claim it… No, no, no! The Christ, He is interested in those who humbly and obediently come into His presence not seeking to manipulate Him to do their will but seeking to do His.

Folks remember, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” Do you seek to worship Yahweh? We are to do it in Spirit and Truth SLIDE Let’s return to the text as Jesus heals the blind and lame in verse 14.

C. And the blind and the lame came to Him (v14)

14 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

Those who are aware of their weakness, their inability, their need are always welcome.

We all have a need, a need to have our most critical disability dealt with - our problem of sin can only be healed by Christ.

Do you have a need? I do… I need the Messiah to heal me and I can only be healed by the One who is able to bear my griefs, the One who was stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. I can only be healed by the One who was crushed by God for my well-being. Christ is the only way and His offer of salvation is free to all who will accept it. Come to the Lord in your weakness, in your lack, He will heal you. PAUSE

Well, all of this is just too much for the religious elite, the fulfilled prophecy, the praise of the people and the removal of a carefully crafted religious business will not be tolerated - the Chief Priests and Scribes come in verse 15 to confront Christ

verse 15 SLIDE

V. You have prepared praise for Yourself (v15-17)

A. Hosanna to the Son of David! (v15)

15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things which He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant

Imagine the outrage of the ones that held the patent on the Jewish religion! They are indignant hearing true worship, true praise of the only true God! They were the ones, that were to dictate the ceremony and tradition, they were the ones that were responsible for bringing in the sacrifices and for disseminating the Scriptures and with the whole city in an uproar and people getting healed left and right and praising God they don’t know what to do - they are self-righteous, indignant and there is no place in their theology for God so they call on Jesus to bring a halt to it all verse 16 SLIDE

B. Out of the mouth of babes (v16)

16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?”

This quote is from Psalm 8, written by David and it is all about the ownership, the Lordship of Yahweh, His majesty and the praise due to Him…

It is also about making the enemies of Yahweh cease, stop and halt their arrogance. The Chief Priests and the Scribes knew the Scriptures, they knew the Psalms and they thought their amazing intellect and ability to know chapter and verse would give them merit in God’s eyes… Jesus is telling them, “This is all about Me!”

You may be able to memorize whole books of the Bible but if you don’t know the object, the focus of Scripture it is all for nothing. PAUSE

Well, after this Jesus leaves the city SLIDE

C. And He left them and went out of the city (v17)

17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

After this Jesus, will take care of the last remaining prophecies which will culminate with Him ascending Calvary to atone for the sins of all mankind. Just as He said He will be crucified, Just as He prophecied He will be buried, and just as He promised on the third day He will rise from the grave… He will prove that He is exactly who He claimed to be by being resurrected by His Heavenly Father.

If you have placed Your hope in Christ, if You believe that Christ did these things, if you know Him and He knows you, if His Spirit indwells you then you can rest assured that we will see Him, the object of our faith, our Salvation, Our Great King, Our Holy High Priest, the true revelation of God when He comes again. PAUSE

CONCLUSION

As we close out this message, please turn with me to Revelation 19.

In Revelation 19 the Passover Lamb is shown again and all those purchased with His blood are there to worship and glorify Him. This takes place right before the Christ once again mounts another animal, this time a white horse. The second return of Christ will not be done in humility or obscurity, no one will ask, “Who is this? All, will know and recognize Him as Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Let’s join the text at verse 4 and I will read through verse 16

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you His slaves, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” 6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the witness of Jesus. Worship God! For the witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” CONCLUSION

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; having a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself, 13 and being clothed with a garment dipped in blood, His name is also called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the wrath of the rage of God, the Almighty. 16 And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

I am looking forward to this day,

I am looking forward to the day when all the world will be set right by the Master of the Universe. He will not arrive in obscurity but Heaven itself is going to open and He every eye will see Him. I am looking forward to the day when injustice will cease, when the King comes to establish righteousness for His thousand year reign. I am so looking forward to ruling and reigning with Him - seeing what true government was always meant to be. I am looking forward to that day.

I pray that you are as well.

Let’s stand and I will close in