Youth Pastor Jethro Sobejko takes a look at the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, explaining the significance of how Jesus was received by the crowds on His arrival. The question for us remains "How will we receive the King?"
Palm Sunday
23_3_2010
John 12:12-16
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem
"Hosanna![a]"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"[b]
"Blessed is the King ofIsrael
15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter ofZion
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."[c]
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
"Hosanna![a]"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"[b]
"Blessed is the King of
15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."[c]
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
Today is what some churches call Palm Sunday. Certainly not all churches remember this day. As a kid growing up in a couple of different denominations, all these days leading up to Easter like Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday didn’t hold much significance.
But Palm Sunday as it is now called does hold some significance that we can grasp.
The events on that Sunday are described in all four gospels.
Palm Sunday is on the Sunday before Good Friday. It’s the Sunday of the final week of Jesus’ life before being crucified.
Palms were used by the crowd to signify his entry. Like a red carpet reception today.
The crowds thought he was a hero, their Saviour – and He was…but not quite what they had in mind.
So let’s look at the whole passage
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem
The event Jews celebrate to remember their escape from Egypt
A lot of people (maybe 2.5 million) were in Jerusalem
8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Who would you put a cloak on a road for?
So the crowd was yelling “Hosanna!” Which is a prayer that can only be said to God meaning “Save us! Please!” – Note they are saying this to a person, Jesus – very significant.
Blessed is He - Psalm 118:25, 26
Some of these verses are used in the Passover Celebration
Psalm 118:25-26 (New International Version)
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. [a]
Get this, they were recognizing Jesus as the king of
Now some scholars say that Roman occupation was a problem and so people were looking to Jesus to restore the Jewish nation and get rid of the Romans. But if you think about it, the Romans didn’t really play a part until the trial and execution.
The crowds saw a fulfillment of prophecy in front of their very eyes. Psalm 118, which they recite every year at Passover was not happening in the synagogue or homes…it was happening right there…
Check out what some verses in Psalm 118 says, written hundreds of years before…
17 I will not die but live,
and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
And to add to this prophecy happening before them, he is on a donkey!
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."[c]
A prophecy in Zechariah 9
9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of
Shout, Daughter of
See, your king [b] comes to you,
righteous and having salvation,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I love how John just says he “found a donkey.” We get more info from the other gospels
Luke 19
29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30"Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.' "
32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34They replied, "The Lord needs it."
No worries, we know who it’s for, go ahead…When all this was happening, the disciples were probably just enjoying the ride. They didn’t quite understand…but after everything happened, they were like “WOW!” Prophecy was fulfilled, Jesus was the real deal.
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.
We are fortunate to live when we do, to see how Jesus fulfilled prophecy…we can see a bigger picture than they can.
The people received Jesus at that time as a King…later they rejected him but it still begs a question for us
How do we receive Him?
Thanks?
As a
Blasé?
Reverence?
We all need to be constantly reminded of who He is.
Our Saviour, our king, The son of God given for us.
We fall short of God’s standards yet God cared and loved us so much that He sent His Son to die – to die in our place so that if we believe that Jesus did it…we are accepted to be with GOD forever.
If you receive Jesus, you receive God’s forgiveness. Your sins no longer count against you. You can stand in front of God without fault…an amazing concept.
Here’s the big q – Have you received Jesus? If you have, continue to strive to get to know Him better, becoming more and more like Him, radical in your love for God and for others, renewing your sense of wonder at God’s love.
If you haven’t then today’s the day to check it out. Ask questions. There’s an opportunity to come to the front and chat or be prayed for or whatever by myself and the other pastors.
