The People Are Ready

37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

luke 19.

luke 19.3

The Needy Group Awaits!

36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

PPT

Discuss the needy group! Depressed , persecuted and down ….. looking for Hope!

They were misaligned and beat up by the Romans

They were looked down upon and used by the religious order of the day.

Matthew 23:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

The entire chapter of is a caustic criticism of the religious order of the day

Jesus healed the sick and lame - they all knew about it

Jesus turned the hypocritical Pharisees on their head

The sermon on the mount was the opposite of their actions and teachings

he was no respecter of the rich or the poor

he calmed the storms

He fed the 1,000’s with a bagged lunch

He had created a stir

Now on the eve of the biggest holy week of the year Jesus come into the Holy city

The people are ready

He had a following but he also had enemies

It was now the Sunday before His crucifixion. Jesus had drawn near to the eastern slope of the Mt. of Olives en route to Jerusalem. When He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany … He sent two of His disciples into a village to get a colt for His entrance into Jerusalem[1]

Now is the time for a marked man to enter Jerusalem!

He would come down from the east side of Jerusalem riding on a colt/donkey!

This grand entrance would identify him as the messiah! No doubt this was a defining moment and a blast that would be heard everywhere!

Tensions and expectations are growing

So many are here – what a time to introduce the King of Kings

PPT

Passover was one of the three feasts that Jews were supposed to attend in Jerusalem, and consequently the population of Jerusalem swelled enormously at this time.

As this great crowd is beginning to gather from around Israel and the larger world of the diaspora, news about Jesus is spreading, and people are wondering whether he will come to the feast

Jesus responds by finding a young donkey to sit on (v. 14), thereby making a mess of the picture they were creating. He should have found a horse to ride on or made use of some other symbol of power. Instead he paints from a different palette.

His action undercuts their nationalism and points in a different direction, evoking an image from the Prophets: Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt (v. 15; from ). He is indeed king, but not the sort of king they have in mind

This group of Jews was in turmoil!

Most wanted Christ as some type of nationalistic leader to free them from bondage!

They ignore the signs – he came on a donkey not a horse.

His message was one of forgiveness not of conquering!

His healing and miracles was one to point to His diety not to free from Roman bondage!

Key - These people were desperate wanted relief and he was a voice of hope …

They heard and believed what they wanted to!

Illustration – America needs a revival not an economic revolution. We see what we want to see!

This was a needy group of desperate families, children that was looking for hope.

The messiah came in but many misunderstood who he was …

Today the needy group awaits !

I The Preparing

28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, 30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. 31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him. 32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. 33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.

Jesus had drawn near to the eastern slope of the Mt. of Olives en route to Jerusalem.

When He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany … He sent two of His disciples into a village to get a colt for His entrance into Jerusalem.

He told them exactly where they would find the animal and what the owners would say. After the disciples had explained their mission, the owners seemed quite willing to release their colt for use by Jesus. Perhaps they had been blessed previously by the ministry of the Lord and had offered to be of assistance to Him any time He needed it.

He needed. Matthew mentioned (vv. 4–5) that this act fulfilled a prophecy, namely, which spoke to the nation of the coming of her King in a gentle manner riding on … a colt, the foal (lit., son) of a donkey. This was not the normal manner in which kings arrived, for they usually came as conquerors riding on horses. A colt was a symbol of peace.[2]

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion;

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:

Behold, thy King cometh unto thee:

He is just, and having salvation;

Lowly, and riding upon an ass,

And upon a colt the foal of an ass.

The preparing – this was fulfillment of prophecy and was prepared by God!

The colt was there !

The owners would let it go!

God will do and perform what he says ….

He has prepared you and your heart to hear and receive!

Testimony – prepared to receive ….

Auburn – Haley center

People, places and jobs all prepared me to accept Christ!

When I receive Christ all things were ready !!!!

Readiness

A state of preparedness for future needs or happenings, whether predictable or uncertain.

God through Jesus Christ prepared all that was necessary for the salvation of sinners.

God’s people are exhorted to be ready for warfare (physical and spiritual), death and the second coming of Jesus Christ. All humanity should be ready for future judgment.[3]

A wedding banquet is often used to portray the blessings of salvation and the gathering of Jesus Christ with the redeemed in heaven[4]

4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Illustration all prepared and ready – preaching at a church I had never been to in NJ.

It was mother’s day – when I arrived one of the deacons said we have been waiting for you

The SS is ready

The choir is prepared

Is there anything else you need?

This group was hurting and open and tired of the status Quo!

The People were prepared!

Has God been preparing your heart?

The people were also praising!

II The Praising

35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. 37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

The disciples made a cushion or saddle for the Lord with their own clothes.

Many spread their clothes on the road before Him as He ascended from the western base of the Mt. of Olives to Jerusalem.

Then with one accord the followers of Jesus burst out in praise for all the mighty works they had seen Him do. They hailed Him as God’s King, and chanted that the effect of His coming was peace in heaven and glory in the highest[5]

Jesus responds by finding a young donkey to sit on (v. 14), thereby making a mess of the picture they were creating.

He should have found a horse to ride on or made use of some other symbol of power.

His action undercuts their nationalism and points in a different direction, evoking an image from the Prophets:

Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt (v. 15; from ). He is indeed king, but not the sort of king they have in mind

Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim to be their Messiah and King of Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

Matthew says that the King coming on the foal of a donkey was an exact fulfillment of , “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.”

Jesus rides into His capital city as a conquering King and is hailed by the people as such, in the manner of the day.

The streets of Jerusalem, the royal city, are open to Him, and like a king.

He receives the worship and praise of the people because only He deserves it.

Key - No longer does He tell His disciples to be quiet about Him (, ) but to shout His praises and worship Him openly.

The spreading of cloaks was an act of homage for royalty (see ). Jesus was openly declaring to the people that He was their King and the Messiah they had been waiting for ….

Key - Look folks this group was looking for hope and when they found what appeared to be the answer they laid their garments and palms leafs down publically to praise Jesus!

We have a world that will praise God if they find him!

Do we praise God?

Illustration – when somebody has hope they tell everyone.

American liberated from the Germans in WWII

These were excited and praising

· The people were prepared prepared!

· This people were praising!

· This people will be protested!

III The Protesting

39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

The Pharisees were indignant that Jesus should be publicly honored in this way. They suggested that He should rebuke His disciples.

“from among the multitude”

The critics are there to pounce!

But Jesus answered that such acclamation was inevitable. If the disciples wouldn’t do it, the stones would!

He thus rebuked the Pharisees for being more hard and unresponsive than the inanimate stones[6]

The Pharisees understood the meaning of what was going on, for they told Jesus to rebuke His followers, so they would stop calling him Messiah or King.

Jesus responded that there must be some proclamation that He is the Messiah. If not, even inanimate objects (stones) would be called on to testify for Him.

All history had pointed toward this single, spectacular event when the Messiah publicly presented Himself to the nation, and God desired that this fact be acknowledged.[7]

The religious leaders said rebuke those that praise you !

The status quo never likes change!

This people praising someone that offered hope and they did not like it!

The Glory of God cannot be hidden or silenced!

If they don’t praise Christ then the stones will!

Let someone get saved then watch the critics come out!

We like you like you were…

Summary

· The people were prepared!

· This people were praising!

· This people were protested!

What Am I asking you to know?

Are you ready to meet the Lord like those at Jerusalem?

Will you protest or praise?

[2] Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 67). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[3] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.

[4] Manser, M. H. (2009). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.

[5] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1443). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[6] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1443). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[7] Martin, J. A. (1985). Luke. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 253). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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