Triumphal Entry
Notes
Transcript
Handout
As Blake and I sat down to prepare the sermon this week, we had no clue what the events of the week would hold. While coronavirus was in the news, I would have never imaged an announcement closing all schools for the next several weeks. I have seen pictures of grocery stores with empty shelves. People panicing to get enough toilet paper, cleaning supplies, or food. The world around us seems to be gripped in chaos and panic. It seems like the world is reeling and looking for answers. Currently there seems to be as many questions as there are answers. Even with all the panic, questions, and change, God remains the same. He is still in control and He is still Lord.
In and we will look at two very important facts of who Jesus is and what He offers for those who trust in him. As we begin a walk toward the cross and prepare for Easter, we will focus on the Lordship and servanthood of Jesus Christ. Both of these truths are important for us to focus on and remember. If you have your Bible, I invite you to turn to and follow along as I read.
Preparing for Easter, our church was planning to begin a walk toward the cross
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
As Jesus enters Jerusalem, He is receiving a reception fit for a king. This is what Jesus deserves. He is the king of the universe, the author of creation. Everything good in our lives exists because of the grace of God. As Jesus enters the town, people are cheering, running after him, lifting his name in acts of worship. Throughout the Gospels, we normally see Jesus shying away from this type of attention. However, we see him participating in this celebration. Perhaps the only other time we see this sort of celebration during the life of Jesus is at His birth. At the birth of Christ, a multitude of angels are there to announce his arrival. Jesus is no ordinary baby and his birth mandates the celebration of the heavens. During these verses, we get a glimpse into the joy of the heavenly realm. There is not another time in Christ’s life until the triumphal entry do we see this over the top celebration.
These scriptures reveal something very important about Jesus Christ. He is Worthy of Worship.
Worthy of Worship
Worthy of Worship
Jesus Christ truly is worthy of our worship. Scripture outlines his qualifications as King. He is from the lineage of David, born to the right parents, at the right time. Jesus satisfies the earthly requirements. If we looked into the prophecies about the Messiah, Jesus fulfills every single one. Besides Jesus, there never has been or never will be anyone else who could have fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. Not only did He fulfill the earthly and prophetic requirements, Jesus was able to live a perfect life. He truly is worthy of worship
a. Because He is God
Some people make the mistake that Jesus is a created being. That Jesus did not exist until his birth . This view of Jesus does not mesh with Scripture. Here’s what says of Jesus.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Jesus always has been and always will be. He has no beginning or no end. Jesus is God. Colossians tells us that everything in the universe was created through Christ and for Christ. Jesus God and He is worthy of our full dedication, attention, and worship. Jesus is worthy of our worship simply because of who He is. We can talk a lot about what Jesus did while on earth. We could attempt to make arguments about why Jesus desires our worship, but the best reason is simple. We worship Christ because He is God and no one or anything else is worthy of our worship.
b. Confirmed through miracles and teaching
While Jesus is worthy simply because who He is in His deity, He provides earthly proof to help us see exactly who He is. The deity of Christ is confirmed through His miracles and teaching.
b. Confirmed through miracles and teaching
The Gospels talk about the type of teaching style Jesus used while He was on earth. Passages describe His teaching as one who as authority. The people of Israel were used to listening to Pharisees and Rabbis teach about the Old Testament. While these individuals had a lot of earthly wisdom, had passages upon passages of the Old Testament memorized, Jesus taught with a completely different authority. He challenged people to move beyond the letter of the law and embrace the heart of the law, pointing people to the true holiness and character of God. The religious leaders of the time had a lot of education, but their education had actually lead them away from the teachings of God. The law had become an idol to them. As God, Jesus comes and teaches with an authority and understand of the Old Testament that is unmatched.
Jesus did not only teach with authority but Jesus relied on the Spirit of God to guide him. This reliance on the Holy Spirit allowed Jesus to perform miracles acts. Feeding of the 5,000, casting out demons, healing the sick. In fact, John tells us that many of the people present at the Triumphal entry are there because of Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead. These miracles confirm Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah.
I want to be very clear though. The fact that Jesus taught with a previously unseen authority and that He was able to perform miracles do not make Him Messiah or God. These acts only confirm who he is.
-The Miracles and teaching do not make Jesus Messiah or God, but confirm Him as Messiah and God
Jesus is Uniquely worthy of worship.
c. Uniquely Worthy of Worship
There are many things in our lives that will ask for our attention. Finances, jobs, family, friends, possessions, entertainment, etc. All of these things are realities of our everyday life and in themselves are not innately a problem. However, all of these items can easily become a distraction for us in our Christian walk. Sometimes good things over shadow the great things of God. The difficultly for us is that these areas cannot be ignored. Earthly relationships are important, we need to take care of our family and friends. Finances are a absolutely necessary for our daily life. You can’t just ignore your bills or fail to purchase food for yourself and your loved ones. For our lives to be healthy, we must keep our eyes focused on God. He is unique. There is noone like Him in the universe. When God is in proper perspective, our lives will be guided by His Spirit.
In the current circumstances in our world, we should take great comfort that we serve the author of the universe, who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and omnipresent. His spirit is able to provide us with peace, hope, patience, and love in a time where all of these things seem to be in short supply. Let us rely on the true King to provide for us.
Yes Jesus is King, but He is a King who came to His people as a servant. describes the servant heart of Jesus.
When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
John 13:
Here is Jesus the King of the universe. He has chosen to step out of heaven into a sinful world, he is tempted to every way we are, he faces pain and suffering, and ultimately death on the cross for the sins of the world. Kings are not typically placed in these situations. In the previous verses, Jesus washes the feet of His disciples. This task is usually reserved for the youngest and lowest servant. For most Jewish men, they would have seen this task as below them. Never would they thought to serve people in this way, but we see Jesus willing to humbly serve the people around him. Through this act we see the humble servant heart of Jesus Christ.
2. Humble Servant
2. Humble Servant
As King, Jesus did not have to serve the disciples. In fact, He could have essentially ordered someone else to wash feet. Most people aren’t very excited about feet. Feet are kind of smelly and gross. Just go ask your average child if you can smell their feet and I can almost guarantee they are going to smell. Now imagine a bunch of grown men. Who don’t have regular access to baths. At least to our modern day standards. They walk all day in the dirt and the filth. There is no way that the disciples feet were very clean and you know they stank. Inside of shying away from a disgusting task, Jesus embraces the opportunity to serve.
a. The King chooses to serve
-This service does not reduce his kingly status
As I look at this type of service, I think that cleaning feet is definitely below the station of the king, yet Jesus chooses to serve. He did not have too, but choose too. This type of service does not reduce the status of Jesus as King, but elevates it. Any king can demand to be served, but a true king and servant looks to the needs of others. If anything, Jesus service does not minimize his station, but elevates it.
One things I have missed while reading this passage in the past in the presence of Jesus. In just a limited amount of time, Judas is going to betray Jesus into the hands of the pharisees. Jesus is getting ready to reveal his knowledge that both Judas and Peter are going to betray Him. He knows what is going to happen, yet he chooses to serve Judas anyway. Jesus served His enemies.
b. Serves His enemies
I can only imagine how difficult it would have been for Jesus to serve Judas. In our experience, it is difficult to forgive those who have wronged you. At best most people simply try to avoid their enemies and worse engage them to hurt them. Human nature says to hold onto grudges, an eye for an eye, get back at those who hurt you. Jesus commands the exact opposite. In Jesus gives us these instructions.
Matthew 5:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
It is one thing for Jesus to give us these instructions, but we see him carry-out His teaching to perfection. He looks to serve and love the people around Him, regardless of how they will respond. This is the type of love, grace, and compassion that is available in Jesus Christ. In this act of service, Jesus provides the ultimate example of how Christians are to serve. He is our ultimate example of Christian service.
c. An example of Christian service
As Christians, we have a savior who choose to serve. He served His disciples and served the world through his death and resurrection on the cross. Christ paid the ultimate price in service to the world and He calls us into service as well.
With the panic in the world around us, we have an opportunity to serve. Look for ways to encourage and support one another. Pray for each other, check-in on each other, look for ways to provide for people struggling around you. Many people in the world are confused and scared, we have an opportunity to respond with confidence through the Lord our God. So the question today is
3. How Will You Respond?
There are several options. God is reaching out to each of us, but He has given us the gift to choose how we will respond. The first choice is
a. Complete rejection just like the (Pharisees and Judas)
The Pharisees have been following Jesus around for His entire ministry. They have been looking for ways to trip him up and trick him. Yet Jesus always responds in wisdom and with a passion for God. When everyone around Jesus seems to be celebrating His entrance into Jerusalem the Pharisees are attacking him. They have completely rejected Jesus.
Judas on the other hand was part of the disciples. He followed Jesus everywhere, seemed to be listening to the teachings, and willing to follow. Jesus washed his feet at served in a capacity very few who have walked the earth experience. Yet despite all of that, he chooses to betray Christ. He rejects. Many in the world do the same today, they will reject the call of Christ on their life.
The second open is to be open to surrender
b. Open to surrender
Jesus is calling us to surrender our lives to him. He is not guaranteeing a simple or easy life, but His is promising a life filled with His presence. When we surrender to God, He provides us with hope, patience, love, grace, strength, peace. While life can be difficult, God will never leave us. He will be with us through any circumstances providing for us in ways that go far and beyond what we could imagine.
ii. Worship of miracles or blessing - Worship for what they desire to receive
And so today will you surrender to him and accept his calling to humble service?
c. Acceptance of humble servitude
As believers we are called to share the love of Christ to a lost and dying world. For the sake of the Gospel there should be no task that we consider beneath us. Here is what Paul says about Christians service in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
-No task should be beneath us for the sake of sharing the Gospel
1 Corinthians 9:
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
This week let us look to serve those around us. Be aware of opportunities to meet needs around us, reassure people about the power and love of Christ. Even as Christians people, it is easy to become scared. Let us trust in the King of the Universe, who is in control of all things. Let us rest easy in His spirit, let Him guide us, and share the confidence and hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Please Pray with Me.