Sovereign Humble Peace
Easter 2020 • Sermon • Submitted
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Sovereign, Humble, Peaceful
Sovereign, Humble, Peaceful
Hopewell Baptist Church
Hopewell Baptist Church
April 5, 2020 – Palm Sunday
April 5, 2020 – Palm Sunday
We live in a time when there is great uncertainty, fear, and seeming tribulation. Many of our lives have been turned upside down by this Coronavirus with schools closing, businesses closing, and many cities, states, and even nations closing around the world. No one but God knows what’s going on exactly, and how long this is all going to go on for. But, one thing that I am sure of, is that we have peace, a peace that comes from the very One God who knows everything. And, as we come into the most celebrated time of Christianity, the Easter season, today, we look at Jesus’ Triumphal Entry. An entry made by our Lord to bring exactly what it is we long for in times such as this: peace.
Pray
I. Jesus, Our Sovereign King –
a. v.28 – And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
i. Jesus began the trip on foot, he didn’t start on the donkey
ii. Jerusalem’s literal translation is “Foundation of Peace”
iii. This verse is the transition from Jesus the teacher to His role as King
b. v.29 – When he drew near to Bethpage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,
i. This is approximately 2 miles from Jerusalem. Bethany is where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus live ( – the death and resurrection of Lazarus).
ii. The word “sent” is the word for apostle, (sent one)
c. v.30-31 – saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a cold tied, on which no one has ever yet say. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”
i. Jesus gives the two disciples very specific instructions, even down to what to say
1. The word “shall” indicates that Jesus wants them to say exactly that (“you shall say this:”)
2. God requires obedience from us
ii. Jesus refers to Himself as “Lord” here (kyrios)
d. v.32-25a – So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus,
i. These verses are a description of the two disciples’ obedience to Christ
ii. They found the colt tied up just as Jesus said they would, and they responded just as Jesus told them to when asked why they were untying the colt
iii. The disciples responded to Jesus, their Lord, in obedience, eventually bringing the cold to Jesus.
iv. This is the point at which Jesus finally is on the colt. Before this, He was making the journey to Jerusalem on foot.
e. Jesus is the Sovereign King over everything. He knew exactly how the situation would be and exactly what would happen and exactly how the disciples should react.
i. Honestly, at this point, I don’t think that the disciples were surprised by this, given all that they had seen and heard over the past three years with Jesus.
II. Jesus, Our Humble King –
a. v.35b-36 – and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.
i. This is the appropriate greeting for an arriving royal figure
ii. This is fulfillment of
iii. Davidic kings generally rode to their coronations on a donkey.
1. The donkey was considered by many to be the royal ride of the ancient kings of Israel.
iv. The throwing of their cloaks on the colt for Jesus to sit on, as well as on the road, is symbolic of the people lifting Him up on their shoulders.
1. Shows a certain level of devotion and submission
b. v.37 – As he was drawing near – already on the way down the Mount of Olives – the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,
i. To some degree, whether saving or not, this “crowd” believed in Jesus. This crowd was probably mostly a crowd of people already there for the Passover Feast.
1. Remember, a “disciple” is a student who follows a teacher to learn and eventually espouse that teachers’ teachings.
ii. Did they all truly believe? Probably not.
c. v.38 – saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
i.
1. Originally used in the pre-exilic annual “Re-enthronement” ceremony of the kings of Israel.
2. At this point in time, however, it was a song regularly sang during the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles).
ii. The use here of refers to the original, pre-exilic use of the song of praise, regarding the re-enthronement of kings.
1. Here, Jesus, who is already king over everything, and He is now going to purchase His people with His blood, and retake His spot in the throne room of heaven. ().
d. v.39 – And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
i. The Pharisees that were there exemplify the fact that obedience to God brings near immediate opposition from the enemy.
1. We see this first stark contrast occur immediately following the Baptism of Jesus leading to the temping of Jesus (; ; , ).
2. We see this here again, as Jesus’s obedience to God’s salvific plans brings out the opposition, “some of the Pharisees”
ii. The Pharisees were wicked and selfish:
1. They were afraid – losing their stature and power, upsetting the Romans with this ruckus happening in the evening?
2. They did not believe – they were unbelievers, denything that Jesus is the Christ despite being teachers of the Law and having seen and heard so much as to what Jesus has done.
e. v.40 – He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stone would cry out.”
i. All of creation was made to worship God and point to the creator. Despite the broken relationship between God the Creator and all of creation, creation cries out that there is a God (), to the point that mankind is held accountable.
ii. If mankind, the pinnacle of God’s creation, were to be silenced in that moment, creation would cry out in praise!
f. Jesus comes in riding on a donkey, quietly, but with great fanfare brought on by the people. Jesus is coming in in a humble manner, just him and his 12, being met by the throngs of others. – , “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth, a stranger, and not your own lips.”
III. Jesus, Our King of Peace –
a. v.41 – And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,
i. He was between a quarter-mile and half-mile from Jerusalem, coming down from the Mt. of Olives to go through Kidron Valley into Jerusalem.
ii. He wept over the city, a weeping of distress (in this case, caused by sin and unbelief).
1. Different kind of weeping than in , where it was a mournful sadness and pain, caused by the death of His friend.
b. v.42 – saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
i. Jesus was willingly entering Jerusalem to die to make peace between man and God, but He also knew that He would ultimately be rejected.
1. He was nailed to the cross! He was innocent, having never sinned, yet the people hated Him for it, and He was crucified!
ii. Jesus’ indictment here against Jerusaelm boils down to the fact that it has failed to see and recognized God’s purposeful, perfect, salvific activity on its behalf.
1. – they completely missed this
2. Remember, Jerusalem means, “Foundation of Peace”, and Jesus was entering that foundation of peace to bring peace, yet that city rejected Him.
c. v.43-44 – For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.
i. This “time of your visitation” was the coming of the Messiah, God the Son’s coming to bring salvation, that “salvific activity, and they missed it.
ii. Here, Jesus is pointing towards AD 70, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans. God’s judgment upon the people for the overarching rejection of His Messiah, His Son, Jesus Christ.
d. Ultimately, Jesus came to Jerusalem not as a triumphant king, returning from a victorious battle, but as a humble servant king, returning to bring peace. Jesus’ triumphal entry was not one of boasting victory, but for humble peace between God and man. Between the Creator and His creation. (Big Idea)
IV. Application -
a. We must recognize the sovereignty of God over all things. We see this all throughout Scripture. We see it here as Jesus gives explicit instructions on getting the colt.
i. We see it in as God ordered the Plagues
ii. We see it in when He explains the curses for disobedience
iii. We see it in in how He uses all things for the good of those who love him, who are called according to His purpose.
b. We must be humble, just as Jesus was humble
i. We live in a time when people are AFRAID. Right now, there are so many people who are downright terrified of what is going on. Honestly, you’d be foolish not to be afraid.
ii. So, we must humble love and serve those around us. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves (), and the only way we can do that is through humility!
iii. We must find ways therefore to love our neighbors and serve them. Get creative. Pick up groceries, do yard work, whatever you can for them if they are unable. Find out a need and serve, humbly and in love.
c. We must live our lives in peace. Don’t be those Christians who just have to be right and are jerks about it. Share the gospel. Love our neighbors, and do so peacefully. It’s okay to agree to disagree (even if people don’t think it is!).
i. Jesus entered Jerusalem and died there to bring peace and reconciliation between God and His people.
ii. Now is a time to make peace with those around us. Be humble and seek/give forgiveness. Make things right.
d. We must rest in God’s sovereignty, and serve with humility and love, all to the glory of God.
V. Invitation
a. Repent and Believe in the Gospel of God –
b. Be Baptized
c. Surrender to the call of ministry
If you have any questions, want to talk about the Gospel, Baptism, service, or need prayer, I urge you to contact me, and I would love to speak with you and pray with you. You can comment on the video, message me on facebook, email me, call, or text. I would love the opportunity to talk with you and tell you more about Jesus.
Thank you and God bless.