But for this purpose...Jn 12:27

Good morning. My wife and I thank you for the invitation to share the Word with you on this Palm Sunday

Note to self: determine if standing amongst them is better, informal, to relax and be part of the congregation

Note to self: make it relaxed and warm discussion, not a lecture, share the story

[What] Palm Sunday

There are different accounts of what we call “the triumphal entry” in all of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

It is a significant day in the lives of all Christians, because it is the start of an amazing week, that ends with what we all know to be true — Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is the complete fulfilment of God’s redemptive plan for all of us

The accounts are not all the same, each of them has a detail not found in the other. for this morning we will focus on John’s account

But first, please let me add some context to the account

we pick up the story at John 11:53 after the resurrection of Lazarus

John 11:53–57 (NASB95)

So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

Already, there are those that want to kill Jesus. Note that his actions recognize that He is aware of it.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves.

So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?”

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.

This is the scene setter. Large crowds moving to Jerusalem, based on different accounts the exact number of people is uncertain. That the majority were Jewish is more certain because it was their feast...

Not certain about the timing, but we find Jesus in Bethany 12:1

Bethany was about 2 miles/3 KM from Jerusalem, about a 45 minute walk

Skipping over the discussion with Judas Iscariot about the use of money and starting in Jn 12:9

John 12:9 (NASB95)

The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.

Comment: the crowd was already there for the Passover Feast. John indicates that they were not only there to see Jesus, but also Lazarus because he had been raised from the dead

John 12:10–11 (NASB95)

But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also;

because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.

Not only were they trying to catch and kill Jesus, they also had a contract out on Lazarus ...

John 12:12–15 (NASB95)

On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.”

Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written,

“Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

For that time and place, the custom of waving palm branches was a sign of honour for a victorious person.

As Jesus approached, the crowd began to shout (ekraugazon, GK 3189, is ingressive imperfect), “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” While the origin and meaning of “Hosanna” are uncertain, most scholars understand the term as a transliteration of the Hebrew expression that appears in Psalm 118:25 as a cry to the Lord for salvation—“Save, we pray!” or “Save now!” It would appear that the original significance was lost through liturgical usage and that by NT times it had become primarily a shout of joy or welcome (cf. ISBE 2:761). In the NT it is found six times, always in connection with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On the lips of the pilgrims (and the children in the temple, Mt 21:15), it is understood as announcing that all the Jewish messianic expectations are being fulfilled in Jesus.

The greeting is followed by a declaration of blessedness on the one who comes in the name of the Lord. That the people understood “Hosanna” in a messianic sense follows from their adding to the psalm itself the words “blessed is the King of Israel.” This one who comes in the name of the Lord—i.e., with the authority of Yahweh—is Israel’s king, the long-awaited Messiah.

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) Commentary

14–15 The messiah whom the crowd was acclaiming was not, however, the kind of messiah who was entering the city. Instead of riding triumphantly on a horse, the symbol of warfare (cf. Ps 33:17; Pr 21:31), King-Messiah came in on a young donkey, a lowly animal associated with missions of peace. Zechariah 9:9 (cited in part in v. 15) described the coming of Zion’s king in terms that would never have satisfied the messianic enthusiasm of this crowd that went to meet Jesus. The OT prophet depicted Zion’s king as righteous, gentle, bringing salvation, proclaiming peace, and riding on a donkey. Jesus’ triumphal entry was an acted parable in which he declared himself Messiah—not the kind of national savior they were looking for, but one who fulfilled the prophetic expectations of Zechariah 9:9–13. That the crowd came to understand that Jesus had no intention of satisfying their nationalistic expectations is supported by the fact that within a week many of the same group were calling out in a blind rage for his crucifixion (19:15).

Mounce, R. H. (2007). John. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 532). Zondervan.

The fact that it was written in about 520 BC is amazing how accurately it prophesied the event

But what is more amazing is the Jesus was very specific in the directions given to the two disciples…imagine what they might have been thinking?

how we know which one is the right one?

they would be tied there in the next village

what if someone asks?

tell them the Lord has need of them

John 12:16 (NASB95)

These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.

there are 3 cross references that amplify this verse

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (Chapter 9)

Mark 9:32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (Chapter 2)

John 2:22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (Chapter 14)

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

How amazing is it that the men who were with him 24/7 for almost 3 years, still struggled to understand who He was and what He was doing?

NOTE: we are going to skip to verses 23-27, where John records a question by some Gentiles that Jesus doesn’t answer. Instead, I believe He offers insight into what really matters.....

John 12:23 (NASB95)

And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Son of Man is a name He gave Himself

glorified: the make renowned, to become manifest and acknowledged

it was now time

[So What]

John 12:24 (NASB95)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

the phrase “truly, truly” is rendered “I tell you the truth” in NIV — a solemn affirmation by Jesus

I am not a farmer, but I understand this to be fundamental principle that life comes through death.

Jesus uses the an example of what must happen to seed if it is to multiply and grow

this principle applies to the next verse

John 12:25 (NASB95)

“He who loves his life (soul) loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life (soul) eternal.

Jim Eliot’s quote exemplifies this idea: He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose

The words used by John set up a stark contrast

Loves his life: treat affectionately or kindly

Hates: to pursue with hatred, detest

World: the whole circle of earthly goods, the Kosmos, is where our pleasures and desires seduce us from God

Life eternal: absolute fulness of life, real and genuine, active and vigorous devote to God without end, never to cease

John 12:26 (NASB95)

“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

this verse may be the “how to” for the previous verse

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me

serve: to minister to

follow: be His disciple

Where I am, there my servant will be also

you are not alone, and notice He is leading

If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him

Psalm 91:15 (NASB95)

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and honor him.

but let’s be careful and not think it is about our performance. It is more about following Jesus lead and serving Him

John 12:27 (NASB95)

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

the translators use the word “soul” here, and it is the same word as “life” used in verse 25

Jesus knows what the days ahead are for Him

the question He asks is asked and answered in the Garden of Gethsemane later on in the week

But for this purpose I came to this hour

this I believe is the reason for Palm Sunday, it wasn’t the flash bang parade

it was to fulfill the purpose of His life and to glorify God

[Now What] Lessons

Know why and what you are celebrating

the people that waved Palm branches may have had a different agenda than Jesus

we should be intentional about what we celebrate and know why

Remember (unlike the disciples in V16)

get your nose in the Book to help remember, our advantage is that we know how the story ends

at least 4 times a week to make a difference

The Center of Bible Engagement compiled extensive research findings by Arnold Cole, Ed.D. & Pamela Caudill Ovwigho, Ph.D. into a document titled “Understanding the Bible Engagement Challenge: Scientific Evidence for the Power of 4.”

In the study, they polled 40,000 people ages 8 to 80. They wanted to see how people were engaging in Scripture.  As they compiled the results, they made a profound discovery they were not even looking for when they originally planned the survey.

The study indicated that when people engaged in the Scripture one time a week, which could include a pastor instructing the congregation to “open your Bibles…”, there was negligible effect on some key areas of their life. The same result was true if people engaged in the Scriptures two times a week. The result equaled little to no effect.

Three times a week saw a small indication of life. There was a slight pulse, a faint heartbeat. Something moved in the behavior of the person engaging in Scripture.

The eye opener happened when Bible engagement reached at least four times a week.

A steady climb of impact would have been expected, but that was not the case. The level was basically stagnant over days one and two, with a small bump on day three. But when day four was reached, the effects spiked in an astounding way. The stunning findings included the following:

Feeling lonely drops 30%

Anger issues drop 32%

Bitterness in relationships drops 40%

Alcoholism drops 57%Sex outside of marriage drops 68%

Feeling spiritually stagnant drops 60%

Viewing pornography drops 61%

Sharing your faith jumps 200%

Discipling others jumps 230%

The research literally leaps off the charts. The findings hammer home the truth that there are profound differences between people who engage the Scripture at least four times a week and those who engage with the Scripture less often. This data is extremely revealing. There is a full-blown effort to keep the followers of Christ from consistently reading the Bible on a daily basis.

3. Possible application of verse 26 by asking these questions of yourself (not a judgement of others)

Am I serving Him?

Am I following Him?

Am I where He is?

4. Be grateful! Celebrate Jesus!

thank Him for fulfilling His purpose

Hosannah! shout it with me: Hosannah!

Let’s pray!