Palm Sunday
April 9, 2017
Matthew 21:1-11
Destination: Calvary
Stop #6— Jerusalem
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (NIV1984)
Dear fellow Lenten worshipers,
When my family and I lived in Miami, Florida we often spent our vacations driving up to the Midwest to visit our families. At a minimum this was a 26 hour drive— at a minimum! By the time we got to the halfway point the drive started to drag out. By the time we had driven three-quarters of the way the drive was no longer any fun. But when we finally saw the sign that said, “Welcome to Michigan!” or “Welcome to Minnesota” you could feel the excitement in the air! And when we pulled into Grandma and Grandpa’s driveway I think the van doors were all open even before the engine was turned off. Finally reaching one’s destination is almost always an exciting event— especially when the journey has been a long one.
In some ways we can say the very same thing as the train we have been calling Destination Calvary pulls into its final stop this morning— the beloved city of Jerusalem. The excitement that we feel on Palm Sunday truly does fill the air. The hymns that we sing, the music that we hear and the Scriptures that we read all make us feel joyous and happy and excited! This is truly a glorious day! At the same time, however, today is also a very sobering day, isn’t it? Today marks the beginning of Holy Week. We know that the reason our Savior came to Jerusalem is right there— the cross on Calvary’s hill. Therefore, in an effort to both experience the excitement of Palm Sunday as well as to recognize the seriousness of the final stop of our train I would like us to focus on the word “final” this morning. First let’s see how Palm Sunday reveals to us the final— as in ultimate— fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. Then let’s see how Palm Sunday encourages us to bring our final— as in ultimate— praise to our Messiah.
The outward events of Palm Sunday are so very well know that many of you could probably recount and explain these events very well without any help from me. So instead of simply repeating what you already know I would like to take that word “final” and apply it to two specific portions of our text. The first portion we will look at is verse four, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet.” Approximately 500 years before the events of Palm Sunday took place the Lord God of Israel had revealed to His servant Zechariah that the promised Messiah-King would indeed ride triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem— on the back of a humble beast of burden, a donkey. The majesty and the humility, the power and the poverty, the Kingship and the servitude of the Promised Messiah are clearly emphasized in the book of the prophet Zechariah and are clearly highlighted on this glorious joyous day we call Palm Sunday. But what we especially want to note this morning is how all of this was a part of God’s plan — God’s plan for your salvation.
Thousands of years before the events of Palm Sunday unfolded the Lord graciously revealed to Adam and Eve a glimpse of His amazing grace. Adam and Eve had rebelled against their loving Creator. Adam and Eve had brought sin crashing down upon themselves, upon their descendants, upon the entire world. And there was nothing— absolutely nothing— that Adam and Eve could do to “fix” what they had destroyed. Therefore, the Lord in His grace and mercy said, “I will fix it for you.” God promised to send a Savior into this world— a Savior who would be a true descendant of Adam and Eve, a Savior who would have the power to crush the head of our enemy Satan, a Savior whose blood would be precious enough to pay the ransom price of the entire human race.
Over the course of the centuries God then revealed more and more of the “details” concerning His Plan of Salvation for this world. Through His servants the prophets, through men such as Zechariah, the good Lord revealed over 300 details that we now call “Old Testament Messianic prophecies.” Every single one of those details, every single one of those Messianic prophecies was fulfilled in just one Person— Jesus of Nazareth. That’s why throughout the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry you and I find passages such as verse four of our text for today, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet.”
The meticulous care and personal concern which our God put into our salvation is something that we would do well to note as we gather together here in the Lord’s house on this joyous and glorious Palm Sunday. For you see, my friends, the place of Palm Sunday in the timeline of God’s Plan of Salvation reminds us that just as Jesus knew exactly what His two disciples would find when He sent them into Bethphage, just as Jesus knew exactly what His disciples were to say when people asked them, “Hey, what are you doing untying that donkey and her colt?” so also Jesus knew exactly what was waiting for Him in Jerusalem. As Jesus sat down on that colt He knew that in just five short days He would be stretched out and nailed to a cross. As Jesus listened to the crowds proclaiming, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” He knew that in just five short days some of those very same people would be crying, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” But still He went, didn’t He. Why? Because Jesus knew that this was all part of His heavenly Father’s plan! Yes, my friends, the majesty and the humility, the power and the poverty, the Kingship and the servitude of Jesus the Messiah are clearly a focal point of Palm Sunday— the day which marks the beginning of the ultimate final fulfillment of God’s Plan of Salvation for you and for me.
It is in that very same light, my friends, that Palm Sunday both encourages us and enables us to bring our final as in ultimate praise to Jesus. In honor, respect and praise the crowd of people on that first Palm Sunday spread their cloaks on the road, cut palm branches from the trees, spread them on the road and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Many of these people— especially those from Galilee— had seen Jesus perform mighty miracles and listened to Jesus teach the Scriptures with authority. Some of these same people may have even been present at Bethany a week earlier as Jesus stopped at the grave of His friend Lazarus and raised him from the dead. With that whole picture of honor, respect and praise in the background I would like to once again direct your attention to verses ten and eleven of our text. Matthew tells us, “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds answered, ‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’”
Palm Sunday gives us a beautiful opportunity to stop and reflect on who our Jesus is. Palm Sunday gives us a beautiful opportunity to stop and recall what our Jesus was both willing and able to do in order to save us from our sins. And, Palm Sunday gives us a beautiful opportunity to stop and remember that we know people who still need an answer to the question, “Who is this?” By the grace and power of God you know the only correct answer to that question. Don’t keep that glorious news to yourself!
This coming week is one of the two best times of the year to invite people to come to church with you. Go through your list of friends, relatives, acquaintances and neighbors. Select the names of people you already know who do not know that Jesus is the Son of David, this world’s only Savior from sin, select the names of people you already know whose connection to Christ is not very strong and invite them to come celebrate the true meaning of Easter with you. The final ultimate praise that you can bring to your dear Jesus is indeed to share Him with others. So make that your mission this week, my friends. Point someone to the cross and tell them, “This is what Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth, has done for you.” Invite them to stand with you by His empty tomb so that they might hear that glorious, life-changing, eternity-altering Good News— “He is not here! He has risen— just as he said!”
Now that the train called Destination Calvary has pulled into its final stop at Jerusalem the rest of our Lenten journey will take place on foot. Over the course of this next week we will walk with Jesus into Jerusalem, up to the Upper Room, out to the Garden of Gethsemane, back into Jerusalem, out to the hill called Golgotha and finally to Joseph’s tomb in the garden. My encouragement to you is that before you begin that walk with your Lord that you spend some time personally reflecting on this Palm Sunday text and what it means for you. Reflect on the care and the concern that your God put into planning and carrying out your salvation. Reflect on the opportunities that you have been given to share God’s glorious grace with others. Reflect first, my friends, and then no matter what day of the year it might be you will always be able to rejoice with the Palm Sunday faithful by saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
To God be the glory!
Amen