03/20/16 The Lord Has Need of It!
Palm Sunday
Intro: What if you had only a week to live,
what would you do with that week? Maybe you would go to the finest of
restaurants and have a great meal, maybe you would go on a cruise and see some
of the spenders of the World? Maybe you would take the time to fix a few
relationships. Maybe you would give some things away. Maybe you would spend
more time with your family. In Jesus’ last week the first thing He did was to
ride into trouble. How many of you are willing to ride into trouble? I have
only a week to live I am going to avoid confrontations (This would be our
thought) but, Jesus knew He would get the praise of man in one moment (Hosanna)
and in the next moment He would hear Crucify Him, Crucify Him! That wouldn’t be
how I would spend the last few days of my life, but then again I am not God! Jesus
had need of these last few days.
The last week of our Lord's life has been
known as Holy Week from the earliest times by Christians everywhere. The
triumphal entry was the first event of the week, taking place on the first day.
It is called Palm Sunday. The Old Testament refers to this important date: "Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King
is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a
donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
Our political arena in the
year 2016 seems to already be filled with hatred, anger and a whole lot of
disappointment to many who would like something else to happen. Over 2000 years
ago there was a candidate riding into the biggest city in the providence to
proclaim His platform. The last thing the Israelites wanted to see was their
candidate riding into town on a colt!
On January 30, 1973, Patrice Tamao of
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, allowed himself to be nailed to a cross “as
a sacrifice for world peace and understanding among men.” As thousands watched
on television, six-inch stainless-steel nails were driven through his hands and
feet. Tamao had planned to remain on the cross for 48 hours, but after only 20
hours he had to cut short his voluntary crucifixion because of an infection in
his right foot. The newspaper article had as its heading, “Crucifixion-for-peace
falls short.” Maybe for Patrice Tamao his crucifixion felt short; but for Jesus
Christ His crucifixion resulted in a stoned that was rolled away from an empty
tomb and His Messiahship was documented! The Lord had need of this!
Text: Mark
11:1-11 (NKJV)
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at
the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and He said to them,
"Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you
will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3 And
if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of
it,' and immediately he will send it here." 4 So they went their way,
and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5 But
some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, loosing
the colt?" 6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So
they let them go. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their
clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their clothes on the road,
and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9
Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
"Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' 10 Blessed
is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna
in the highest!" 11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the
temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already
late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.”
Application: The Lord’s Messiahship
was evident!
There is no louder declaration of our Lord's Messiahship than the
triumphal entry. God riding a Colt into Jerusalem, there was a reason for this.
Jerusalem was the capital of Palestine, and the temple itself was there.
Jerusalem was the hub and center of Jewish life and worship. Jesus had cleansed
the temple proclaiming it to be "My Father's house" He proclaimed
that He was the Son of Man and God's only begotten Son. Jesus healed a man on
the Sabbath a man who had been sick for 38 years. Then He proclaimed that He
had the right to break the Sabbath law because He was the Son of the Father. He
was equal with God in every sense of the word. He declared that He was sent of
God, the Source of life, the Light of the World, the Messiah, the Spokesman of
God the Son of Man that God was His Father, that He had come from God, that He
was the great "I Am" the Son of God the Great Shepherd of Life…
1.
Christ Came in Peace: Vs. 1-7
“Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage
and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and
He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you
have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it
and bring it. 3 And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The
Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here." 4 So
they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street,
and they loosed it. 5 But some of those who stood there said to them,
"What are you doing, loosing the colt?" 6 And they spoke to them
just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. 7 Then they brought the
colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it.
The first
scene involved the colt, which symbolized that Christ came in peace. This
wasn’t the world’s plan that their Savior their victor would come clip clopping
into town on a mule! The Lord had need of making such detailed preparations to
enter Jerusalem. He was deliberately fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah: "Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King
is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a
donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The King is coming but don’t be confused
why He comes; what a lesson for us! We must guard against reading into
Scripture what is not there, especially in looking toward the return of our
Lord. We must not dictate how Jesus is to return; we must not add to what God
has revealed in His Word. The Messiah was coming in meekness, not as a reigning
monarch. He was coming to win men's hearts and lives spiritually and eternally,
not physically and materially. The Messiah was coming not as a conqueror riding
a white stallion, but as a King of peace riding a young colt. He was coming to
save the world peacefully, to reconcile the world to the God of love and
reconciliation, not to the God of hate and retaliation and war. He was not
going to kill men and overthrow their governments. He was coming to win men's
hearts and lives through the glorious news (gospel) that God loves and
reconciles. God wanted His Son to proclaim His Messiahship so clearly that the
people could not mistake what He was doing. God wanted the world to know that
He was bringing peace to earth through His Son Jesus Christ. “Peace I leave
with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let
not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
You can’t
help but wonder how important that scene was; Jesus had need of an animal, a
Colt out of all creatures. The first 7 verses of Mark 11 focused on that
preparation, and that the Lord would tell his disciples if anyone questions why
you are doing this, just tell them: 'The Lord has need of it!” Christ came in
peace and the world missed it!
2. Christ Came to Save: Vs. 8-10
“And many
spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the
trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then those who went before and those who
followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name
of the LORD!' 10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in
the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
The second scene was the
triumphal entry itself. This symbolized that Christ came to save now. A large
multitude was there shouting Hosanna, save us now. They were proclaiming Jesus
to be the Messiah, the Son of David who had come to deliver them from the
bondage of Roman and Gentile rule. Of course by riding the colt Jesus was proclaiming
that He had come to save now, but to save by bringing peace spiritually, not
militarily.
We are led to imagine an enormous crowd of packed thousands lining
the roadway as Christ was helped atop the colt and began His triumphal entry
into Jerusalem. Many had already heard that Jesus had already performed several
miracle one of them that brought Lazarus back from the dead, they must have
thought who knows what He might do next?
The multitudes did two things. They
received Him as King. This was shown by two acts that were always done for
kings when they entered a city. They stripped off their cloaks and cut down
tree branches, and they spread both out on the roadway before Him. They wished
to honor and pay Him the homage of a King. They wished to show Him that they
received Him as the promised King of Israel. They received Him as Messiah.
Christ came to save! and for a moment! that was the general consensus. “For the
grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to
deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and
godly way in the present age.” Titus 2:11-12 (HCSB)
3. Christ Prepared Spiritually:
Vs. 11
“And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had
looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to
Bethany with the twelve.”
This scene was the investigation of the temple and of
the situation. This symbolized that Jesus came obediently. The scene was
descriptive. “Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had
looked around at all things.” He stood there, off to the side someplace where
He had the vantage point of seeing all that was happening. Evening was
approaching and He was tired. He stood all alone. He was doing God's will. It
took great courage to stand there. The Jewish authorities were seeking some
opportunity to take His life, and they were upset more than ever now, for He
had not discouraged the homage of the people. We see in Luke 19:39 “Some of the
Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your
disciples." The Romans sensed that a popular uprising might be boiling. The
Jewish Herodians (ruling party) feared being blamed and replaced by the Romans.
The Pharisees were stirred to new depths of envy and malice. But despite all,
He had to be courageous; He had to stand there. It was God's will. He had to
investigate the situation, investigate God's house. He had to prepare all things
for the salvation of God's people. He had come obediently; He had come to obey
God. The Lord had need of it!
“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge;
and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of
the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30 The Lord has need of us to obey, no matter
the threat and opposition. We should investigate before entering into any
situation that is threatening or involves corruption.
The seclusion of Bethany
gave Jesus the time to prepare spiritual. Jesus retired for the night in the
surrounding area of Bethany. No doubt He spent a good deal of time alone in
prayer. Much lay ahead of Him in this last week of His life. He knew it, sensing
every detail and emotion He was to experience. He needed the strong hand of His
Father upholding Him. He needed to prepare spiritually. The Lord had need of
this! Often Jesus would withdraw Himself into the wilderness, and pray. “Now it
came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and
continued all night in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12
Conclusion: Christ had need of
bringing mankind peace, He came to save and He prepared spiritually. Most of us
have more than a week to live. What are you going to do with your time?
Two
artists set out to make a picture representing perfect peace. The first painted
a canvas depicting a carefree lad sitting in a boat on a little placid lake
without a ripple to disturb the surface. The other painted a raging waterfall
with winds whipping the spray about. On a limb, overhanging the swirling water,
a bird had built its nest, and sat peacefully brooding her eggs. Here she was
safe from her predatory enemies, shielded and protected by the roaring falls. Real
peace is the result of remaining CALM and COOL in the midst of trial.
“These
things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you
will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John
16:33
In : Sermon
Tags: "palm sunday"
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