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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
March 28, 2010
The Triumphal Entry
Matthew 21:1-11
Introduction
It is good to be back with you. While I enjoyed what I was able to experience and do the three weeks I was away – the conference, being able to help Diane’s dad by fixing things around his house, seeing friends and relatives and spending time with the family – a preacher always gets a little antsy when he does not have a place to preach. I am glad to be back and once again have the privilege of opening up the word of God to you.
I praise the Lord for Randy Ryan, Andy Csillag and Jim Zieger for their preaching ministry while I was away. It is a joy and comfort to know that the Lord has blessed our fellowship with so many men that love the Scriptures and will faithfully proclaim, explain, exhort and encourage you with them when I am away. My personal thanks to each of them for their diligent work in preparing their messages.
This morning I was going to launch into a series of messages that will be a follow up to 2 Peter. (See: 2 Peter Sermon Series)You will recall that the apostle gave very strong warnings against the false teachers and mockers that exist in our own time. Each of us must be diligent to follow the truth of God’s word while being on guard against their deceptions lest we be led astray by them from our steadfastness in following the Lord Jesus Christ. In the weeks to come after Resurrection Sunday next week, I will present a series of sermons designed to expose the foundational errors of false philosophies and religions so that you will be better able to defend yourself and those around you against them. This morning,however, I want us to focus on the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem prior to His crucifixion and resurrection.
I want to do this for a couple of reasons. First, the Sunday before Resurrection Sunday is commonly known as Palm Sunday in recognition of the Triumphal Entry, and so this is a good way to start focusing our attention on the most important events in human history that we will be marking and celebrating this week.
Second, as I caught up some this week with what has been happening the last few weeks in our state, nation and the world, I was painfully reminded how much evil fills our world. It made me want to head back into the woods and take long hikes where the news of the day cannot reach me. I find it easy to fall into the discouragement Asaph felt in Psalm 73 when he noticed the prosperity of those who were evil and the oppression of those who strove to live righteously. Perhaps we as Americans are more prone to such discouragement because we have tended to think that good will triumph even in temporal life. It is hard on us to see our elected leaders flagrantly demonstrate their own lack of integrity and their moral bankruptcy when they cheer on as good what God calls evil. I suppose if our history were different or we lived under some form of dictatorship we would just resign ourselves to governmental and bureaucratic oppression as normal life. I find the story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem a good antidote for all of that because it is a strong reminder of God’s sovereign hand and who is King.
Turn to Matthew 21 as we begin our study this morning.
Background
Matthew 21 begins the final week of the life of Jesus Christ. Throughout the previous 20 chapters Matthew has demonstrated over and over again that Jesus is the promised Messiah. He has pointed out the many prophecies that Jesus has fulfilled including His genealogy tracing back to David, being born of a virgin,being born in Bethlehem, going to Egypt and then to Nazareth. Matthew also recounts Jesus’ confirmation by the Father and the Holy Spirit at His baptism and again later at His transfiguration. Jesus had the correct message and proved His deity many times over by demonstrating complete power over all disease,sickness and other physical afflictions including death. Jesus had absolute authority over both the natural and supernatural. Jesus even had authority to forgive sins. Jesus fulfilled all of the Mosaic Law and taught with authority the meaning of that Law. As Jesus enters into Jerusalem on this particular day He once again fulfills prophecy and demonstrates that He is indeed the promised Messiah.
The King’s Approach (Matthew 21:1)
Jesus has had his face set toward Jerusalem since His healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman while in the district of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21-28). Jesus knows that when He does arrive in Jerusalem that He will suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priest and scribes who will finally condemn Him to death. He will then be turned over to the Romans who will afflict Him, humiliate Him, and then crucify Him. But this did not deter Him for Jesus also knew that on the third day He would be raised from the dead.
From the district of Tyre and Sidon Jesus steadily traveled south toward Jerusalem. At the Sea of Galilee He healed the multitudes and fed the four thousand men plus women and children with just seven loaves of bread and a few small fish (Matthew 15:29-38). He healed the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26). Just after Peter had said that he knew that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16), Jesus began to tell the disciples what would happen to Him after they arrived in Jerusalem, but they did not understand it. Jesus took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain where He was transfigured before them and they saw Him in His glory and heard the voice of God proclaim, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:1-5). When they came down from the mountain, Jesus cast the demon out from a boy. Jesus continued to teach His disciples many lessons along the way including John the Baptist’s fulfilment of the prophecy concerning Elijah (Matthew 17:10-13), God’s provision (Matthew 17:24-27), the necessity of servanthood in the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:1-5), warning about being a stumbling block (Matthew 18:6-14) and how to treat a brother that sins and the need for forgiveness (Matthew 18:15-33). There were also many conflicts with the Pharisees along the way too as they sought for some way to discredit Jesus (Matthew 19).
As Jesus went through Jericho on His way up to Jerusalem He healed blind Bartimaeus and his friend (Matthew 20:29-34). Luke adds that Jesus spent a day there with Zaccheus, the chief tax-collector. Though he was small in height, he captured Jesus’ attention resulting in his repentance and salvation. Jesus left Jericho the next day and John 12:1 tells us that Jesus spent the Sabbath (Saturday) with His friends Martha, Mary & Lazarus in the village of Bethany, just east of Jerusalem. That evening Jesus and the disciples ate at the home of Simon the leper. This was the same evening that Mary anointed Jesus’ head and feet with costly perfume which was another reminder of His impending death and burial (John 12:2-11).
The next day, which would be Sunday, we find that a great multitude of Jews had found out that Jesus was in Bethany and had come to see not just Him, but also that they might see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead not all that long before. The Chief priests and Pharisees had previously given orders that if anyone saw Jesus they should report it to them because they wanted to seize Jesus. Now with all the interest in Lazarus they begin to plot on how to put him to death as well (John 11:57; 12:10).
According to John’s account (John 12:12), Jesus enters Jerusalem on the next day, or the second day after Sabbath which is our Monday. We will see some more evidence for this being Monday later in our study today,but this is where we pick up Matthew’s account. “And when they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you . . .”
The road from Bethany approaches Jerusalem from the east. They had now come to a place called “Bethphage” which means “House of unripe figs.” This hamlet does not exist today, nor is there any evidence for where it existed except incidental accounts in stories where it is mentioned. From what we can deduce from the gospel accounts, it was located between Bethany and Jerusalem on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives. As Jesus comes to this little village He knows that Jerusalem will be the next point He would reach, He now must make sure that His entrance into Jerusalem is done properly. As part of His preparation to enter Jerusalem, Jesus sends two of His disciples into that village to do an important errand for Him.
The King’s Preparation (Matthew 21: 2-7)
First, Jesus instructs His disciples on what they are to do, verses 2-4. “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them, and bring them to Me. And if anyone says something to you, you shall say, “The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”
Now it is possible that Jesus had made arrangements to get the donkey and its foal previously, possibly with one of the people that had come to see Him in Bethany the day before. It is also just as possible that this is Jesus’omniscience being displayed once again. In either case, the emphasis is not on Him getting the two animals, but on why He did so. Jesus would not enter Jerusalem as just a pilgrim or just a rabbi as He had done in past. Jesus would enter into Jerusalem this time in a manner that would declare to all who He was. Notice that in the instructions to the disciples that Jesus refers to Himself in a different manner than He has before. Many people referred to Jesus as Lord. Some did so out of simple respect and some out of some sense of understanding that He might be the Messiah, God in human flesh. But Jesus had not referred to Himself in quite this manner before. If Jesus’ instructions to the disciples would have followed the way He normally made reference to Himself, He would have told the disciples something like this, “If anyone says something to you, you tell them that I have need of them.” We still speak the same way today generally referring to ourselves as “I.” But here Jesus tells them to specifically say, “The Lord has need of them.” Jesus wanted to make sure that they used His proper title. The Lord, the one who is ruler over all, the master, has need of these two animals. Their response was not to be a request in optimistic expectation that the owners of the animals would grant it. This was a statement of fact to which the owners of the animals needed to submit.
We should keep this truth in mind in our own lives. Jesus does not need to request of us, plead with us or beg us to obey Him. All Jesus needs to do is state what He wants from us and it is our obligation to obey. We are under compulsion to submit to all that He says simply because of His position. He is Lord and we are creatures He has made (Colossians 1:16),and if you are a Christian you are also His slave purchased by the price of His blood (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18-19). I should also point out that we do not gain merit by agreeing to abide by His commands. It is simply what is expected and right.
Verse 6 tells us, “And the disciples went and did just as Jesus had directed them.” The account in Luke tells us that the owners did indeed stop them and ask them what they were doing. The disciples responded just as Jesus told them and the owners immediately consented.
Verses 4 & 5 tell us exactly why the donkey was needed. “Now this took place that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your king is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'”
This prophecy occurs in Zechariah 9:9. The “daughter of Zion” is a reference to Jerusalem. It is often called Zion because that is the name of the city’s highest and most important hill – Mount Zion. There were many prophecies concerning the Messiah, and this one noted the manner that He would come as king. Jesus would ride into Jerusalem in the humble manner of riding on the colt of a donkey. This was not quite the manner that most of the people expected the coming of Messiah. They were looking for a conquering king, so they were expecting the Messiah to come riding on a war stead or at least a carefully groomed white stallion. Revelation 19 tells us that Messiah, the one called “Faithful and True” will return in that manner after the marriage supper of the Lamb. He will come then as King of kings and Lord of lords riding on a white horse at the head of the armies of heaven. But for this entrance into Jerusalem,Jesus did not come as the leader of a victorious army. He came as a humble servant who was yet the king just as prophesied by Zechariah.
I like what one of my commentaries said about this. “He who makes his entry unarmed with unarmed followers on a peaceful animal must either be already acknowledged as ruler, or he must aim at dominion in such a manner as excludes all force and political power.” That certainly fits Jesus. He was already ruler, though not acknowledged as such, and the manner by which He would gain dominion would not be by force of arms or by political power. Jesus came not in wealth, but poverty. He came not in grandeur, but modesty. He came not as judge,but as savior. He came as the Passover lamb.
This is another reason that I believe that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem occurred on that Monday instead of that Sunday. Jesus was to be the perfect “Passover” sacrifice. The Mosaic Law required that the sacrificial lamb for Passover be selected on the tenth day of the first month (Nisan) and then sacrificed on the 14th of that month. In the year that Jesus was crucified the 14th of the month was on a Friday. The 10th of the month would have been that Monday. If Jesus has come into Jerusalem on that Monday, then He would have been fulfilling the symbolism of Passover to the smallest detail,being received by the Jewish nation on the 10th of Nisan the same way each Jewish family was receiving into their home the sacrificial lamb. Jesus was coming into Jerusalem in fulfillment of what John the Baptist had said of Him. Jesus is “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). He was to be the perfect Passover sacrifice.
But there is another reason for believing this occurred on Monday, the 10th of Nisan. Matthew does not mention this prophecy here, but Daniel had foretold when Messiah the Prince would be declared. Turn to Daniel 9:25-26 which states,“So you are to know and discern [that] from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince [there will be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.” The weeks referred to here are weeks of years or a total of 7 + 62 = 69 weeks of years, or 69 X 7 = 483 years. So 483 years after the beginning of this prophecy would be the arrival of the Messiah. This can be worked out to the number of days. We have 365 days/year in our calendar, but the calendar Daniel used only had 360 days/year. 483 years X 360 days/year = 173,880 days.
There are several decrees by Persian kings that allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem, but only in one of them was the decree specific about rebuilding the city. Nehemiah 2:1-8 records that on Nisan 1 of King Artaxerxes 20th year (March 5, 444 B.C.) he decreed that Nehemiah could return to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This is the beginning point of Daniel’s prophecy. It would then be fulfilled 173,880 days later which works out to be Nisan 10 (March 30) A.D. 33 which is the Monday that Jesus entered Jerusalem on the donkey. The prophecy was fulfilled to the very day.
The disciples obeyed Jesus and did what He asked. The owners of the donkey and its colt submitted to Jesus’ authority. Verse 7 then tells us that the disciples brought “the donkey and the colt, and laid on them their garments,on which He sat.” In doing all this the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and of Daniel 9:25 would be fulfilled. None of this was by chance. It was orchestrated precisely by our sovereign God.
I might add a quick footnote here about the differences in the account between Matthew, Mark and Luke. Mark and Luke only mention the colt where Matthew mentions both the colt and its mother. Critics like to point out differences such as this and then claim they prove the Bible to be wrong. In this case critics charge Matthew with being wrong and therefore untrustworthy. It always amazes me that they attack Matthew, who was present, instead of Mark or Luke who were not present, but I think that just reveals a little more of their foolish way of thinking. Matthew knew how many animals were there, and Mark and Luke do not exclude their being two animals by only mentioning the particular one that Jesus rode. It only makes sense that the colt’s mother would be present and for them to take it along to keep the colt calm, for as Mark and Luke both mention, this animal had never been ridden before.
The disciples have returned from their errand with the two animals. They then take their coats off and lay them on the colt and Jesus mounts it. They then continue on their way to Jerusalem.
The King’s Reception (Matthew 21: 8,9)
Jesus’ reception as king is immediate. The crowds already gathered saw the disciples lay their coats on the donkey, and they begin to respond in like manner. “And most of the multitude spread their garments in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees, and spreading them in the road. And the multitudes going before Him and those who followed after were crying out,saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes it the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.”
Remember that large crowds would gather in Jerusalem for Passover. Estimates based on the number of sacrifices recorded project that there could easily have been two million people in the area on Passover. While there are not that many yet, there are a lot. John’s account indicates at least three sources for the large crowd that had gathered around Jesus. First, there was a multitude of people that had come to Jerusalem for the feast, many of them from Galilee, that went out to meet Jesus when they heard that He was coming (John 12:12). Another crowd was made up of people from Bethany and friends of Lazarus and his family. These were people who had been present when Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead (John 12:17). And third large gathering of people were coming out from Jerusalem to meet Jesus because they had heard about him raising Lazarus from the dead (John 12:18).
Imagine for just a moment the commotion all of this would have caused. Jerusalem is in quite a state of excitement already just because of the preparations being made for Passover, then you hear and then see this huge crowd of people coming over the Mt. of Olives and down the road through the Kidron Valley to enter Jerusalem through the East Gate. The people are cutting down the palm branches and putting their coats down in front of Jesus as a sign of honor. At the same time everyone is shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes it the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” What a sight! What a wonderful time that would have been to have been present!
What the people were shouting was fitting to the occasion and in fact fulfillment of another prophecy as well. Most of what they were saying was taken from Psalm 118 which is part of the Hallel which is Psalms 113-118. These are psalms of praise for the Lord’s deliverance and were often sung at Passover. In addition, “Hosanna” is an exclamatory word meaning, “save now,” or “give thy salvation!” The phrase “Son of David” is a direct reference to Jesus being the Messiah. What they were shouting out was exactly what was being done for them. Salvation was coming from the Messiah, the Son of David. Jesus was coming as Lord. The one who was from the highest heaven was bringing salvation to them.
Luke 19 adds some additional insight to what was occurring. First, he adds that the crowd was also shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). They are proclaiming that they recognize that Jesus is the King who is coming in the name of the Lord. It is another testament to Jesus being the promised Messiah. Their expectation was that this would bring about all the rest of the prophecies so there would be peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
The Pharisees of course did not like this and would have considered it to be blasphemous so some of them said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” (Luke 19:39). Jesus of course did not stop them for He is the Messiah and what the people were doing was appropriate and fulfilling the prophecies of old. Jesus instead rebuked the Pharisees saying, “I tell you,if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”
This was not hyperbole but a reference to statements in the Psalms and Isaiah. Psalm 98 is praise to the Lord for His righteousness and also speaks of His future coming. “Let the sea roar and all it contains, The world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the mountains sing together for joy Before the Lord; for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with equity” (Psalm 98:7-9). Isaiah 55 is a call for people to come to the Lord for mercy and salvation and concludes speaking about the future in verses 12 & 13 when “For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap [their] hands. 13 “Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up; And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up; And it will be a memorial to the Lord, For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.”
Did the people understand all that they were saying? Sadly, many if not most probably did not as will be seen in verse 11. They were still looking for a king who would save them from Roman oppression, not salvation from sin’s oppression. What they were shouting was true, but they neither understood it or believed it.
In the midst of this huge crowd of people all shouting Luke 19 records that when Jesus saw Jerusalem He wept over it saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank before you, and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and will level you to the ground and your children with you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
The truth of these words became apparent after Jesus entered the city.
Who Is the King? (Matthew 21:10,11)
And when He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” And the multitudes were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
The city was stirred by the procession that accompanied Jesus into Jerusalem but they did not know what it was all about or the identity of Jesus. This was a great opportunity for those that had been shouting Hosanna to proclaim Jesus the Messiah to them. Instead they only said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” Jesus was a prophet, but so much more than that, and they failed to recognize it. The king was there. The prophecies were fulfilled. Messiah had come and they had even shouted that out themselves, yet they still failed to discern who He was.
It is not much different today. People say all sorts of things about Jesus,even true things, yet they do not really believe it. Some call Jesus a great teacher or philosopher, yet they do not study what He taught nor follow His teachings or philosophy. Some say He was a great example, but they do not follow it. Many people claim Jesus as their savior, yet they are still busy striving to save themselves through whatever means by which they think they can earn it. Piety and good works are great, but they cannot save you from sin and its penalty. Only God can by His mercy and grace received by faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:1-10). Still other people claim to love Jesus, yet they refuse to give up their sin and follow Him. In truth they are liars because Jesus Himself said,“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word . . . “He who does not love Me does not keep My word” (John 14:23-24).
There are others that may even really believe Jesus is who He claims to be,but out of fear, they will not tell others. I am sure there were those in the crowd that did think Jesus was the Messiah, but were afraid to say so for fear of the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees. Do not let that fear control you. If you do, it says a lot about what your really do believe and that is that Jesus is not worthy of your being possibly ridiculed and persecuted . A stern warning for you comes from Matthew 10:33 where Jesus says, “whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before my which is in heaven.”
Don’t be like the fickle crowd that surrounded Jesus that day. They proclaimed one thing in the crowd but then later would not act in accordance with what they said. If you know Jesus, then boldly proclaim Him to everyone. If you do not know Him, recognize that and find out who He really is. A major reason this church exists is to proclaim Him, so ask me or any of our church leaders and we would love to help you understand the truth of God’s Word.
Final Thoughts
The world we live in is filled with evil and those in positions of authority may lack integrity and be immoral, but there is only one King and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Though we were born here, at present we live as alien and strangers on earth (1 Peter 2:11). God has given us a commission as His ambassadors here to make disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20). Though we will still be bothered by the nonsense that goes on around us and we should speak out against it in righteousness, the greater our focus is on fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives the more content and truly successful we will be. Remember that the true reward we desire is that which will be given to us in heaven by our Lord and not by anyone or anything here. Pity those whose hope is only on this earth while warning them of what the future will bring. To paraphrase 2 Peter 3:10-11, since it is all going to burn,what sort of people should you be in holy conduct and godliness? What is it that you treasure?
Sermon Notes – 3/28/2010
The Triumphal Entry – Matthew 21:1-11
Introduction
Studying the Triumphal Entry is a good way to focus attention on the events leading to the __________
The Triumphal Entry is a strong reminder of _______ sovereign hand and who is King.
Background
The book of Matthew presents Jesus as the promised ________- documenting many fulfilled prophecies
Jesus fulfills another ____________ when He enters Jerusalem.
The King’s Approach (Matthew 21:1)
Jesus knows He will suffer and die in ____________, but He also knew He would be resurrected
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus continued to heal and _________.
In Jericho Jesus healed ________ Bartimaeus and his friend and then called Zaccheus to salvation
Jesus spent the Sabbath at Simon the leper’s home with Lazarus, and Mary anointed Him with _______
The next day multitudes gather in Bethany to see Jesus and ________whom He had raised from the dead
Jesus started toward Jerusalem the next day (Monday) and sent disciples into the village of __________
The King’s Preparation (Matthew 21: 2-7)
Jesus instructs two disciples to get a donkey and her _________ and bring them to Him
Jesus would enter ______________ in a manner that would declare His identity.
Jesus instructs the disciples to use His title of “__________” if they are questioned.
Because Jesus is Lord and we are His creatures it is to be expected that we will _________ Him.
The colt of the donkey was needed so that ________________ could be fulfilled
Jesus will come as a ______________ king on a white horse in the future (Rev. 19)
Jesus came the first time in modesty as the Savior who would be the _________________ (John 1:29)
The sacrificial lamb was to be selected on the ________________- which would have been that Monday
Daniel 9:25-26 _______________ the day the Messiah the Prince would come.
67 + 2 = 69 weeks of years = _______________ X 360 days/year = 173,880 days
Nehemiah 2:1-8 records the decree of __________________ which occurred on March 5, 444 BC.
173,880 days later is Nisan 10, AD 33 (___________________ AD 33).
The disciples laid their garment on the _______ and Jesus rode it into Jerusalem fulfilling the prophecies
Mark & Luke mention only the colt. Matthew mentions both animals – a _________, not a contradiction
The King’s Reception (Matthew 21: 8,9)
The multitude came from those who had come to the ___________and those who had come to see Jesus,
The people cut down _________ branches to lay before Jesus and shout “Hosanna to the Son of David”
Most of what the people shouted came from the ___________ (Psalms 113-118).
Hosanna = “_____________,” or “give thy salvation!” Son of David is a Messianic term.
The Pharisees wanted _____________ to stop the people from praising Him.
Jesus ___________ them alluding to Psalm 98:7-9 and Isaiah 5:12-13
In the midst of this crowd Jesus ________ over Jerusalem for its unbelief and future judgment (Luke 19)
Who Is the King? (Matthew 21:10,11)
The city was stirred by the procession and the people were asking “_______________?”
Those who should have known only said it was “the __________ Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
People _____to believe all sorts of things about Jesus,but only those that obey Him know and love Him
Final Thoughts
The world may be full of evil with immoral people in authority, but only ________ is the true King
Christians are aliens and strangers here commissioned to make ________of Jesus – keep that your focus
This world will be __________by fire in the future – what manner of life should you be living? 2 Peter 3
KIDS CORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – 1) Write down all the verses mentioned. 2) Count how many times Jerusalem mentioned. 3) Talk with your parents about the importance of living for Jesus in the present time.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. What is your assessment of the current state of New York? The U.S.? The world? How do you feel when you see the wicked prospering and the righteous oppressed? What is the focus of the Gospel of Matthew concerning Jesus? In what ways does Matthew document that Jesus is the promised Messiah? Jesus knew that He would suffer and die in Jerusalem – why didn’t that knowledge deter Him from going there? What are some of the miracles Jesus did on His way to Jerusalem? (Matthew 15-20). What were some of the major lessons He taught His disciples during this time? Why did Mary anoint Jesus with perfume (John 12)? Why did Jesus send two of His disciples into Bethphage? What was remarkable about this? Jesus identifies Himself as the Lord. What does this mean and what should our own response to it be? Why was it important for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey? In what manner will Jesus return to Jerusalem at His second coming? On what day was the Passover lamb supposed to be selected? How did Jesus fulfill the role of being the sacrificial lamb? What is the significance of the prophecy of Daniel 9:25-26 to the dating of Jesus’ triumphal entry? Where did the multitudes come from that came out to meet Jesus? Why did they put palm branches down in front of Him? How does Matthew’s account vary from that of Luke and Mark and how can they be reconciled? What was the response of the crowd? What is the significance of what they were saying? What was the source of their statements? Why did the Pharisees want Jesus to stop the praise of the people? What is the significance of Jesus’ rebuke to them? Why did Jesus weep when He saw Jerusalem (Luke 19)? The people in Jerusalem were asking “Who is this?” – what did the response of the people demonstrate about their own beliefs? How are people the same today? What will demonstrate that a person actually does know and love Jesus? What is the commission that Jesus has given to His disciples? How will this help you persevere in the midst of a world full of evil? What should your attitude be who do not have hope in Jesus? What will happen to the earth in the future? How should you live in light of that truth? What do you need to change?HTML clipboard
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