Palm Sunday

HBI - Palm Sunday shows us that Jesus came in peace offering Salvation for all those who believe in Him and will one day come back as a conquering King.

Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–30 (CSB)

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt, on which no one has ever sat. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.” This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Tell Daughter Zion, “See, your King is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go. They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven! When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify. This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. He went into Jerusalem and into the temple.

Intro

My plan was to write a sermon on Daniel 5 and continue on with our Series on Daniel. I was here practicing for the music night and after hearing again that it was Palm Sunday today I got home and couldn't stop thinking about it. It is not very often I do this but we are going to look into Palm Sunday and what it means. It is not just about the triumphal entry into Jerusalem but looking forward when King Jesus is going to come again.

Mob Mentality is an interesting thing to study. Some crazy things happen when a mob forms. People do things that they generally may not have done just because everybody else is doing it. We have the mob when Jesus entered Jerusalem. Sure some people where really following Jesus and where worshiping Him as the son of God. But there where even more people that where just all caught up in the hype. Just look at what happened during the trucker convoy. I am not taking sides at all at the moment but we had a group of people who decided to peacefully protest the government, which is their right. And then you have people that get caught up in the moment, see a group of people forming and mob mentality takes over. Some people are not even sure of the cause, they get caught up in it all and bad things will even start to happen sometimes, like they did with the convoy and all the property damage.

We see Jesus on the day of the Triumphal entry being followed by the disciples and likely other followers. It was a time when the people where expecting the messiah to come but no one was really expecting it to happen this way. On Palm Sunday we celebrate the day King Jesus came riding into Jerusalem being worshiped as the messiah but what we are also going to learn is that this points to a time in the future when King Jesus is going to come again. It is a time we are promised that we can look forward with hope, knowing the one true king will one day come and reign. It leaves us with a couple of questions that we are going to look into today. King Jesus first came on Palm Sunday to offer peace and salvation, do you know Him? if you do know Him to you worship Him with your life? Or are you waiting till the last minute to turn to Jesus?

What is Palm Sunday?

Why do we celebrate Palm Sunday anyways? We decorate the church up before Easter but do we know what exactly the significance behind what Jesus did that day. The Scripture reading I read today was a conglomeration of the 4 different accounts of the triumphal entry. First a little bit about the setting. We start out on the Mt of Olives to the East of Jeruselam. Matt 21:1 The Hill stands at 2660 feet above sea level and Jerusalem is about a 3km walk from the top of the hill.

Matthew 21:1 (CSB)

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples,

It is a beautiful view from the Mt of Olives overlooking the temple mount. The City of Jerusalem lies just 200 feet below the Hill. It would be quite a beautiful view. This was Holy week, one week before the celebration of the Passover. The celebration that came into effect when the angel of death passed over the Israelite's in Egypt by them painting blood on the doorposts of their houses. The theme of Blood needed to atone for sin has been there since the beginning and since then till the time of Jesus Blood was shed through the sacrificial system to atone for their since. All the while waiting for the time when the messiah would come and save them.

During Holy week, or what was later called Passion Week by the church in the 1300’s, there probably would have been around 2 Million people in the city of Jerusalem. The regular population of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus people estimate to be around 80 thousand. People would pilgrimage to the site of the Temple where it was rebuilt when the Israelite came back from captivity from the Babylonians and then the Medo-Persian empire. You see The temple mount in Jerusalem was a special place for the people. They wept at first because it was not quite as beautiful as Solomon’s temple but it was a special place none the less. Hundreds of years later (600 AD) The temple would be destroyed again and on its place a Islamic Shrine was built). This was the setting as Jesus and His followers where making their way into Jerusalem that week before He was going to die.

Lazarus had just been raised from the dead and blind men healed. So likely aside from the disciples there would have been other people following Jesus as well, people who saw Him as more then just a travelling prophet (this is important for later). As they where Going Jesus told His disciples to go ahead and find a donkey and her colt and bring them to Him to use. The owners would let them use it. This was the fulfillment of the messianic prophecy we read in Zech 9:9

Zechariah 9:9 (CSB)

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem! Look, your King is coming to you; he is righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

and also Gen 49:10-11

Genesis 49:10–11 (CSB)

The scepter will not depart from Judah or the staff from between his feet until he whose right it is comes and the obedience of the peoples belongs to him. He ties his donkey to a vine, and the colt of his donkey to the choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine and his robes in the blood of grapes.

A couple of things to take note of here. Why a donkey? Donkeys are known to be stubborn animals. But once they trust a person they make great pets and will guard you with their life. But until you get their trust watch out. So sitting on a colt with a new mother near by, one that didn't know you was a miracle in itself. But the reason behind the donkey is not just because it was the closest animal to ride. Not just because of the prophecy but the symbolism behind it as well. The people where expecting the messiah and had been for generations, and the Passover made sense for the messiah to appear but they where expecting a conquering King, which is one of the many prophecies of the messiah. But God had other plans at first.

Instead of a conquering King they got a symbol of righteousness, one who offers salvation and peace. Instead of high and mighty they got lowly and just and so many people missed the importance of this. The donkey symbolized this. From times of old, the king when coming in Peace and humility, would come in riding on a donkey. During a time of peace when David finally untied the Kingdom and it was time to pass on the throne to His son Solomon, He gave him the royal donkey to ride in on the coronation.

1 Kings 1:33 (CSB)

The king said to them, “Take my servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.

There is many more examples but we do not have the time. King Jesus came riding in and claimed the title gave to Him from the beginning, he came to offer peace and salvation. if you read the account of Solomon taking the throne in 1 kings 1 it is a foreshadow of the future child of David, the one true King Jesus, who would come into Jerusalem the same way so many years later. We need to know this, because at the time many people would have seen the significance of this. If not right then when Jesus rose from the dead later it finally clicked with a lot of people what this truly meant. Jesus was proclaiming to all who saw that day who He really was.

It was the Disciples and the followers of Jesus who started the praising that we see next, Again in fulfillment of prophecy. Matt 21:9

Matthew 21:9 CSB

Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

This was taken from the book of Psalms, as it was prophesied that that the people would shout. Psalm 118:25-26

Psalm 118:25–26 CSB

Lord, save us! Lord, please grant us success! He who comes in the name of the Lord is blessed. From the house of the Lord we bless you.

Hosanna means literally Lord save us! it is a cry for help and salvation from ones enemies. linking this Psalm with the words son of David is calling Him the messiah. It says it more times in the Psalms then just here, but the chant caught on. People where starting to cry out to this man riding a donkey “Hosanna” “Lord Save us, Messiah, son of David Save Us!” It was to the point that some Pharisees who where near by started to rebuke Jesus and told Him to shut up His disciples, and he told them that if they where silent, even the rocks would cry out. They didn't like what was going on to much. Mob mentality kicked in though and the crows started to grow. It would only be one week later that they would go from shouting “Hosanna to the son of David” to “Crucify Him!” and sacrifice Him as the sacrificial Passover lamb.

King Jesus

Before we get into how this should change our lives we must look forward again to what the triumphal entry looked forward to. We go to Rev 19:11-15

Revelation 19:11–15 CSB

Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty.

King Jesus is one day going to come again, this time we see the symbolism of a great white horse. This is a symbol of a conquering King. He is coming to bring Justice against those who have refused to turn to Him and against Satan who for so long has been leading people astray. His weapon is the word of God seen as a sharp sword coming from His mouth. It is the lethal word of Judgement which is final and true. He is seen bearing a rod of Iron. The defender of the sheep. It is an unyielding weapon of retaliation against those that have attacked the sheep. He will have absolute power over the rebellious nations.

So What?

What we celebrate Palm Sunday shows is that Jesus came in peace offering Salvation for all those who believe in Him but also will some day come back as a conquering King. This Sunday we remember and shout Hosanna with the crowds, we celebrate Jesus and Him riding into Jerusalem as a King of peace. There are a few things we need to remember from all of this.

Jesus is the righteous one who offers peace and salvation, Do you Know Him?

Jesus offers salvation to all who call on His name. That is why He came the first time. Blood needed to be shed in order to cover sin, and Jesus paid the price. He came in peace to offer salvation and freedom to all. This is what we celebrate today and I ask do you know Him? It is not enough to just pray a certain prayer, or come to church, or do good things. We need to give our lives for the one

Jesus is the righteous one who offers peace and salvation, Do you worship Him with your life?

It is not enough to just go through the motions but this wonderful message of salvation is for all people. And when we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior we need to live our lives for Him. We had what many call a worship service on Saturday. Many people in the past see worship as something they do when they sing praised to God. Worship is something that we do with all of our lives. we need to worship Jesus with our lives. After all that He has done for us we are the ones that need to stand there shouting Hosanna to the King of Kings.

A life given to Jesus means that we will live our lives for Him. His forgiveness in our lives need to shown in the way we live our lives. If we say we are followers of Jesus and yet there is no evidence of it in the way that we live our lives we need to come to the Lord in prayer and seek Him. Not that salvation is dependent on works, we are saved by faith alone. But the thing is the evidence of faith is seen in the way that we live our lives. Are you worshiping God with your life?

Jesus is coming again to Judge and rule, do not wait.

some people have decided that they are going to wait to come to Jesus till the end. Live a fun life now and right before the end turn you life to Jesus. Do not wait to long. The Triumphal entry looks forward to when Jesus is coming again but this time He is going to come to conquer and set up His eternal kingdom. He is coming to Judge the living and the dead, all those who have never turned their lives to Him.

The Lord is being patient now, to give all of us a chance to turn to Him. You may think this is not fair, but the fact is that all of us deserve death for our sin and the fact that anyone of us can be turned from sin to Salvation is a miracle that none of us deserve. But we can look forward with hope. Jesus is coming again and it can be a time of great Hope and Joy, or it can be a time of fear, what Kind of time is it going to be for you?