Final Approach

Intro: Watch this clip that goes back to the beginning to the announcement of Jesus’ birth and carries some crucial themes in Luke that continue to be important as we draw near to the passion of Christ. [video connecting Jesus’ birth in Luke to his purpose for coming]

***

Now we come the the very last leg of Jesus’ approach to Jerusalem to accomplish the mission for which he was sent. Jesus departs from Jericho (some 17 miles away) and heads up to Jerusalem (an increase in elevation of 3,300 feet).

Luke 19:28–44 ESV

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. 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.’ ” 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, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 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 that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 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. 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.”

This final approach to Jerusalem bears the similar trademark of all four Gospel accounts at this point: Jesus here accepts public confession that he is the promised messianic king. But for Luke’s particular emphasis to his audience, it is thick with irony and controversy, with a mixture of joy and tragedy.

First we observe Jesus’ clear control and prophetic fulfillment over the events that will play out, and then he accepts the crowd’s praise. But the underlying tone of rejection remains, as the Pharisees call on him to rebuke his followers, but he refuses. And so the joyous regal approach ends with a note of deep sadness for Jesus and of God’s judgment on the nation.

Jesus controls and fulfills. (vv. 29-35)

As he draws nearer to the east side of the Mount of Olives (Jerusalem being on the west side, across the Kidron Valley), Jesus and his followers will soon reach Bethphage & Bethany. - We’re pretty certain of the location of Bethany, an important location in the ministry of Jesus and even during the first days of the events of his final week. Nearby Bethphage is less certain as to its precise location, but it may have been slightly to the north or northwest of Bethany.

Jesus gives two of his disciples instruction to go on ahead and to find a specific colt that has never been ridden (It will be obvious when they get there) and to untie it and bring it back. - Matt and Mark inform us that this was a donkey’s colt, and Matt adds that the mare (its mother) was brought along as well.

Not only does Jesus know that they will readily find this donkey foal, but he also knows that the owners will respond well when they are told that the Lord has need of it. - We are not meant to get the impression that Jesus only knows what will happen, but that he is directing what will happen.

Christ’s control is one of those things that we might easily gloss over with regular exposure to the Gospels, but we really ought to take care to soak it in and to cause us to worship him. What examples can you think of divine design and Jesus control over events? - I’ll list a couple and then you can shout out others.

Luke 5:4–6 ESV

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.

John records that this happened again after the resurrection in John 21.

In Luke 8 Jesus calmed a crazy storm on Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee), when the disciples thought they would perish. Afterwards, Luke 8:25

Luke 8:25 ESV

He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Now you shout out some more examples in the gospels of clear divine design and of Jesus control over events. ***

This is all further evidence for Luke that Jesus has full control over the events connected to his death. He is not a victim; he is directing. - Again, something we must take care not to take for granted, but to let it sink in.

The second important thing this section demonstrates is that…

Jesus fulfills the prophecy of royal entrance from Zech 9:9.

Zechariah 9:9 ESV

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

This clearly is a regal ascent to Jerusalem, but it also carries the marks of what makes Jesus unique. He does not come riding in on a war horse, as would have been the case in a Roman triumphal procession. Instead, Jesus comes as a humble and peaceful King, not to attempt some military and political coup, but to usher in a kingdom that offers salvation to restore a sinful, distant humanity to their loving Creator.

The Gospel writers want to leave no doubt that Jesus was indeed the Messiah who fulfilled prophecy. And he proved to be a better Messianic Savior than what the people wanted, instead being the Savior we needed!

What happens next is also directly connected these themes: to his regal fulfillment as the Messiah-King, and to divine design and his direction over events and timing.

Jesus accepts praise. (vv. 36-38)

Up until now, because the time had not yet come for his task at Jerusalem, Jesus had avoided allowing the conflict with the religious leaders to escalate to the point of irreversible confrontation. But now time for a decision has come, and their choice must be clear.

That is why Jesus now accepts public acknowledgment that he is the promised king. He knows, and therefore directs, the stir this will cause. - How do we know this ?

Spreading cloaks on the road was an act of paying homage to Jesus and displaying submission to him as their king. - Luke doesn’t include mention of palm branches, probably due to the jewishness of of the symbol (and his audience being primarily Gentile): Palm branches (Matt 21, Mk 11) were symbolic of Jewish nationalism and were used in joyful celebrations of victory.

Similarly, Luke leaves out the word Hosanna from his description, which was a Greek transliteration of a couple of words in Hebrew, which carried the liturgical meaning directed toward God of “Save now, we pray.”

But Luke does make clear from the multitude’s quotation of Psalm 118:26 that they are indeed hailing Jesus as Messiah. - Luke alone reports that the crowd also shouted, “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest,” because Luke wanted to note the connection to the declaration by the angels in Luke 2:14

Luke 2:14 ESV

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Luke includes that it was Jesus’ disciples, those claiming to be his followers, who initiated such high praise. At this point there is an entire multitude of them, “for all the mighty works that they had seen.” (We are told in John’s Gospel more specifically that many anticipated Jesus coming back through the region because he had recently raised Lazarus from the dead in Bethany. Not only that, but word of this miraculous healer and teacher has spread throughout the whole country and into neighboring nations. So as people are journeying to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, there is sure to be great anticipation regarding this Jesus.)

Sadly, not all of these present followers would prove to be true disciples. In fact, many would end up following the blind guidance of the religious leaders, represented in our text by the response of the Pharisees to what is presently taking place.

The Pharisees want Jesus to rebuke the chanting crowd, but…

Jesus contradicts the Pharisees. (vv. 39-40)

Instead of making an attempt to silence the praise of his disciples, Jesus responds with what amounts to a rebuke of the Pharisees.

They are the ones who refuse to accept Jesus as God’s messenger… much less to receive him as their Messiah. - Jesus responds that if the people were to be silent, then “the very stones would cry out.”

The reference to rocks crying out has two levels: 1. Creation declares the glory of God (Jesus is hinting if not outright declaring to them his deity). 2. Jesus describes inanimate objects as more perceptive than the religious leaders.

In connection to this rejection by the Jewish leaders (who will lead most to side with them), is Luke’s final note as Jesus approach to Jerusalem draws to an end, setting the stage for what must take place next.

Jesus weeps and predicts judgment. (vv. 41-44)

[review verses again]

Both of these elements concern Israel as a nation.

Jesus’ weeping for Jerusalem reflects his genuine sadness over national rejection of their messiah. He experiences very real, human, personal pain because of Israel’s failure to respond in faith to God through his Messiah.

The city’s destruction would demonstrate divine judgment on the nation. This prophecy from Jesus was fulfilled approximately 40 years later, when the “Romans besieged and destroyed Jerusalem in the war of a.d. 66–70 [….]” Jesus either uses hyperbole to express total destruction (“not leave one stone upon another”), or he telescopes what takes place in AD 70 with a further leveling of the city that squelched another revolt in AD 135. - Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 19:43.

Why the judgment? Missed opportunity to respond to God’s visitation on them in Jesus. - Responsibility at this point is largely on the religious leadership, but as we will see in the passion narrative, many of the people play a part in rejecting Jesus as well, even calling for his crucifixion.

The reason God’s relationship and response to Israel is complex (or appears complex at first) is that God judges them as a nation for their rejection (bc they were the bearers of his covenant promise), but Luke portrays clearly in Luke-Acts that Israelite citizenship does not equal citizenship in God’s kingdom without the response of faith in relationship to God’s revelation.

Consider just these examples from the beginning of Luke’s Gospel:

-Luke shows Mary responding in faith - Luke 1:38.

Luke 1:38 ESV

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

-Similarly, Elizabeth responded in faith ***, and Zechariah in faith (after he was disciplined), and John responded with faith and a life of obedience. Anna responded in faith and Simeon responded in faith at the presentation of Jesus at the temple: Luke 2:29-32

Luke 2:29–32 ESV

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Not only was right relationship to God always by faith, even for the Jews, but the Christian church was founded by believing Jews who did in fact respond rightly to Jesus. These same Apostles and fellow disciples obeyed Jesus to take the Gospel offer to restore men to God to the Gentiles as well, even though it took a little time and clarification (but Peter and Philip are examples of this in Acts). God also raised up another Apostle (himself a Jew) particularly to be the tip of the spear in this purpose of evangelizing Gentiles: Paul. [And Luke was a companion of Paul.]

---------

Conclusion & Application:

[Conclusion and Application, not only for this passage but for this section in Luke, the Jerusalem Journey.]

-When you talk with family, friends, and acquaintances this Christmas season, bring up in conversation the uniqueness of Jesus, and God’s plan and purpose for his coming, and how God desires that we should respond to him!

God cared so much about our eternal fate that Jesus willingly took the punishment for sin upon himself so that we might be righteously restored to God by faith in him. We do well to care about those around us as God cares for them, and to not be silent.

-Wrestle with the sovereign control of God. If you will grapple with the sovereignty of God according to the way he really presents himself in his word (eg., on his terms), you will end up honoring him, submitting to him, and loving him.

-The way of Jesus is the way of humility. It is the humble who see their need for salvation and restoration to God, and in humility draw near to God to experience his grace on his terms. In this way it is the humble who repent of their self-righteousness and self-reliance, and receive forgiveness.

It is the humble who live out that repentance and bear fruit in humble submission to God. From a posture of humility we depend on God to grow us in Christlikeness, and from a posture of humility we walk in faithfulness. Even so the central Christian ethic—to love God by loving one another—flows from humility.

When we are humble, humble like our Lord, and trust God’s sovereignty because we know he is good, then he promises to give us the strength and endurance to follow our Savior in the path of suffering that precedes glory.