The Triumphal Entry
Preparing for Easter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
For three years, Jesus had ministered, taught His disciples, and shared His mission. His principal location was in Judea and Galilee. Some scholars believed he walked 3125 miles during those three years. The Bible tells us numerous times that Jesus knew what horrendous acts were to come, yet He did not abandon His mission. He was steadfast and strong. From His birth to His childhood to His adulthood, Jesus knew what was to come. Everything He taught, every miracle He performed, every life He touched, and every step He took was to bring Him to the cross. In Mark’s Gospel, we see Him helping Blind Bartimaeus become Believing Bartimaeus. Immediately following that miracle, Jesus approaches Jerusalem. Mark records it this way:
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
The Passion Week Begins (vs. 1)
The Passion Week Begins (vs. 1)
The Book of Mark has 16 chapters depicting the life of Christ. Six of them are about the Passion Week. We see in that first verse of chapter 11, what we now know as the passion week begins. It is set into motion.
Set into Motion
Set into Motion
Three years of ministry. 33 years of life. Hundreds of miracles and healings. Thousands of lives impacted. Jesus was strategically placed on the outskirts of Jerusalem. God’s plan was set into motion.
10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.
11 For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance.”
Jesus knew His time had come. The people of Israel needed to know their Redeemer. I am marveled in how this is portrayed in all four gospels.
Storied by All Four Gospels
Storied by All Four Gospels
For reference, I have included the other passages that highlight this triumphal entry.
Matthew 21:1-9
Luke 19:29-38
John 12:12-15
We will highlight a few of the differences as we go forward, but they all show a Savior succinct in His mission.
Succinct in Its Mission
Succinct in Its Mission
As they approached the eastern edge of Jerusalem, they come to the villages of Bethphage and Bethany. You may recall that Bethany was where his friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived and Jesus had called dead man Lazarus to come forth from the tomb. Many people believed that Jesus stayed in their home much of the passion week until that Maundy Thursday night when He spent the night in the Garden praying.
Jesus was compressed into this small area and knew His days were coming to an end. He said in John 12:23
23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
The plan is now presented.
The Plan is Presented (vs. 2-6)
The Plan is Presented (vs. 2-6)
Mark 11:2-6 outline the plan that Jesus needs to carry out. First, Jesus initiates this plan with His disciples.
The Importance of Two
The Importance of Two
We see that He sends out two of His disciples. We do not know which two were sent, but we do see the importance of two. It seems that Jesus often sent the disciples out in two’s. When I was in Scouts, we would attend summer camp and always have to do things in twos with what they called the “buddy system.” There was a board at the water front that would have tags with names on them. Whenever we went out in a canoe, we had to indicate through those tags we were out and together for safety.
I think Jesus used this as His “buddy system.” Christianity was never meant to be something that was done alone. The most prevalent example of this was when Jesus sent out the 72, two by two.
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
The importance of two helps me realize that solitary Christianity is not a Biblical process. We need each other and it is demonstrated by Jesus again in the last week of His life. It is important. Notice also, the instruction of one.
The Instruction of One
The Instruction of One
Jesus clearly points out word for word what these two disciples are to do. There is great detail in His instruction. The Father is always consistent with His instruction.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.
Jesus did nothing apart from His Father.
28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”
The instruction we receive from God the Father and God the Son will help us just as they specifically helped these disciples. We are more intelligent when we obey.
The Intelligence of Obedience
The Intelligence of Obedience
Sure enough, the disciples did as Jesus has instructed them. They found the colt just as He said they would where He said they would. When they were asked what they were doing, they replied as Jesus had instructed, “The Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.” How did that happen? Some scholars think it was a pre-arranged password and Jesus had made arrangements in His travels. Others think is was an example of prophetic foreknowledge. Even others think this was evidence of the omniscience of Jesus, that like the Father, He was everywhere. Nevertheless, it does show that the authority of Jesus is recognized. Most of all, I see that we can take Jesus as His word! In doing so, there is no question of obedience and there is no discussion of what if’s, just absolute trust. He had told His disciples to trust Him!
John 12:36
36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
We also see that getting this colt was the fulfillment of prophecy.
The Prophecy is Fulfilled (vs. 7-10)
The Prophecy is Fulfilled (vs. 7-10)
9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
The two disciples brought the donkey to Jesus. They created for Him a seat of royalty.
The Seat of Royalty
The Seat of Royalty
Mark 11:7 says they put their cloaks on the colt to provide a place for Jesus to sit. They created a space just like you and I need to create a space within our hearts to allow Jesus to sit and reign as our King. What kind of seat do you give Jesus? Is it one of royalty where He is Lord of all in your life, or it is an old broken chair? I love the details that Luke gives.
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
They made the decision to put Jesus on the seat of royalty. By the way, the donkey was a symbol of royalty.
The Symbol of Royalty
The Symbol of Royalty
The colt in the Old Testament is a symbol of the Messiah. We have already seen this in Zechariah 9:9 as quoted earlier. The commandeering of a colt such as this was the prerogative of one in a kingly role. Part of Jesus’ instruction was that the colt would be one that had never been ridden. The Old Testament spoke often of an unbroken colt as a sacred thing. The animal should be that only someone as royal as a king should ride it first.
2 “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke.
3 Then the elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked and has never worn a yoke
Remember from our text that Jesus said it would be tied and waiting for the disciples to untie it?
11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.
No wonder when the people saw the Messiah on this animal, they shouted a saying of royalty!
The Saying of Royalty
The Saying of Royalty
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”
This is from Psalm 118:25-26
25 O Lord, save us;
O Lord, grant us success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
This will set the stage to contend the title that was given to Jesus on the cross,
“The King of Jews.” This would also become the center of His Roman trial.
Jesus very well knew all this would take place so His purpose would be carried out.
The Purpose is Carried Out (vs. 11)
The Purpose is Carried Out (vs. 11)
1 “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.
2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,
Just as the Old Testament prophets declared, Jesus rode into Jerusalem with a royal welcome. There was no royal banquet or festivities. In fact, our text says He simply went to the temple. Wait a minute, isn’t that just what we read from Malachi?
The Declared Christ
The Declared Christ
In doing so, Jesus declared Himself to be the Christ, the Kingly Messiah! He also came with a deliberate challenge.
The Deliberate Challenge
The Deliberate Challenge
The deliberate challenge was to the religious leaders. Jesus appears to accept for Himself the title of the Messiah much to the dismay of the religious leaders. It definitely caused an uproar. Matthew says it caused the whole city to stir.
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
Luke says that the stones were ready to cry out.
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Yet, quietly in that late hour, Jesus had a discerning contemplation.
The Discerning Contemplation
The Discerning Contemplation
As He approached the city, Luke tells us He wept over the city. Luke 19:41
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
Jesus examined the temple, not as a tourist but as one about to fulfill His mission. A prophetic cleansing was about to take place.
So how do we apply this triumphal entry to our lives today?
I cannot help but think of the passage in the New Testament that Paul would write well after this event took place.
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
As Jesus comes to your temple, what will He find? What will He contemplate? What resistance will He encounter? Have you made Him the Messiah of your life? Will you receive Him as your King? Or will you be part of the crowd as we see in the days leading to Easter that reject Him and shout “Crucify Him!”