A Messiah's Ride
Text: Matt. 21:1-11
Introduction
1. Illustration: A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business."
2. Jesus walked everywhere he went, except for a few boat rides and this one donkey ride.
3. He was on a journey, in fact I entitled this series on Matthew "The Journey of a Messiah, and now this journey was coming to its ultimate conclusion.
4. On this donkey ride we see...
a. The Preparation
b. The Prediction
c. The Praise
5. Read Matt. 21:1-11
Proposition: Jesus made final preparation to fulfill His mission and so we should do likewise.
Transition: First of all we see...
I. The Preparation (1-3).
A. As Jesus...Approached Jerusalem
1. Today is Palm Sunday, and on this day we celebrate the final phase of Jesus' journey to the Cross-and our salvation.
2. Matthew tells us, "As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives..."
a. Jesus finally approached the ultimate destination of his trip from Galilee, the city were he predicted he would be crucified.
b. Getting to Jerusalem from Jericho involved an difficult uphill hike of about 15 miles in distance and about 2500 feet in altitude.
c. The Mount of Olives is a ridge, about two and a half miles long, lying just east of Jerusalem and running roughly north and south.
d. But before He and the Twelve entered Jerusalem they stopped at the little hamlet of Bethphage.
e. Except for its being closely associated with the Mount of Olives and Bethany, nothing else is known of the town, there being no other biblical, historical, or archaeological evidence of its existence (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
f. Bethpage is mentioned only here and in the Gospel's of Mark and Luke, and was located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (Turner, 265).
3. As they made their preparations to enter the city, "...Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 'Go into the village over there,' he said. 'As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me.'"
a. From this text and many others it is clear that Jesus was always in control of the events that affected His life.
b. He initiated His own coronation when He sent two disciples to procure the mount on which He would ride into Jerusalem.
c. In doing so he set into motion a series of climactic events that culminated in the voluntary gracious sacrifice of Himself on the cross that had been divinely planned.
d. Although the village was nearby the two animals obviously were out of sight, or Jesus would simply have pointed to them.
e. The mother donkey was brought along no doubt in order to induce her offspring to cooperate.
f. The young colt would not easily have left its mother and would have been even more difficult to handle than donkeys normally are (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
g. Jesus knowing by the Spirit what his disciples would encounter in the city, gave specific instructions about getting a donkey (Horton, 437).
4. He told them, "If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”
a. It is not a surprise that the owner would object to their taking the animals, but it is also not a surprise that he allowed them to be taken when he discovered who they were for.
b. Only animals that had never been ridden upon could be used for sacred purposes (Horton, 439).
c. Whether or not the owner is a disciple, he has heard of Jesus, and Jesus foreknows his response; this testifies first of all to the man's respect for Jesus.
d. More important, the passage testifies to Jesus' foreknowledge.
e. Thus Matthew is making a statement not so much about possessions here as about Christ: as the rightful King he has the right to anything in creation, certainly among his people (Keener).
f. God would use people (even those who thought they were in control), and even the weather to bring about our salvation by Jesus death on the cross.
B. Preparing Ourselves
1. Illustration: In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren quotes C.S Lewis, who said, "There are two kinds of people: those who say to God ’Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then have it your way.’ Tragically, many people will have to endure eternity without God because they chose to live without him here on earth." Warren adds "When you fully comprehend that there is more to life than just here and now, and you realize that life is just preparation for eternity, you will begin to live differently. You will start living in light of eternity, and that will color how you handle every relationship, task and circumstance’" (Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, 37).
2. We must make preparations for life.
a. John 10:10 (NLT)
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
b. We choose the good life when we choose to follow Jesus.
c. The devil came to take life; Jesus came to give it.
d. The devil came to steal; Jesus came to give.
e. The devil gives you a limited life; Jesus gives you limitless life.
f. If you want to live life to the fullest, give your life to Jesus!
g. "Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but he who loses his life will save it."
3. We must make preparations for ministry.
a. Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
b. God put you here for the purpose of serving Him.
c. He didn't put you here to take up space.
d. He put you here to do ministry.
e. If you want to fulfill your purpose then you must prepare yourself to do ministry.
f. Don’t just come to church; get involved in church!
4. We must make preparations to meet Jesus.
a. Romans 14:12 (ESV)
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
b. There will be two levels of judgment.
c. The first one will have to do with where you will spend eternity. The second will be to answer for what you did with what God gave you.
d. If you have given your life to Christ you don't need to be concerned with the first judgment, because you will be declared right with God because of the blood of Jesus.
e. However, you will have to be concerned with the second.
f. He will want to know what you did with the gifts, talents, and knowledge that He has given you.
g. It will determine the quality of your reward in heaven.
h. What will your answer be?
Transition: Next we see...
II. The Prediction (4-7).
A. This Took Place
1. The amazing thing about Jesus' life on earth was that much of it had been predicted many years before he was born.
2. Matthew reminds us of this by saying, "This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said..."
a. Matthew explains. Jesus' entire life and ministry were marked by two overriding purposes, to do His heavenly Father's will and to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah's first coming (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
b. Everything that Jesus did, especially is his role as the humble Messiah, was in accordance with the words of the prophet Zechariah and the other prophets.
c. Jesus knew the prophecy and realized that he was fulfilling it. In fact, it was a deliberate fulfillment.
d. Until now he had avoided any public declaration of his messiahship. He had purposely removed himself from people who wanted to make him king.
e. However, now he was making his true identity clear. He was ready for the cross (Horton, 439).
3. Matthew quotes the words of Zechariah 9:9, “Tell the people of Israel, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.’”
a. It seems out of place and totally inappropriate that any king, much less the King of kings, should make His triumphal entry mounted on a donkey rather than a beautiful white stallion or in a regal chariot.
b. But that is what God's prophet predicted and that is what God's Son did, because that was the divine plan.
c. He was not at that time intended to come in earthly splendor or to reign in earthly power.
d. He did not come in wealth but in poverty; He did not come in grandeur but in meekness; and He did not come to slay Israel's enemies but to save all mankind.
e. The incarnation was the time of His humiliation, not the time of His glorification (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
f. No king had ridden on a donkey since the time of Solomon. Jesus was showing that he was not a political king of power, but a humble king of salvation.
g. The messiah that was foretold by the prophets was a direct contradiction to the one that people expected (Horton, 439).
4. So "the two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it."
a. The disciples did exactly what Jesus instructed them do without question, even though they didn't fully understand what was happening.
b. They trusted him and acknowledged him as their Master (Horton, 439).
c. In contrast to earthly kings who used horses, chariots and other symbols of war to demonstrate their power, Jesus distinguishes himself by riding on a simple beast of the common person, often used for transportation and carrying loads during times of peace.
d. Jesus was not coming to make war, but on the contrary he came to make peace between God and people (Horton, 441).
e. Jesus had a destiny, a destiny that had been predicted by the Old Testament prophets, and that destiny was the cross.
B. Destiny
1. Illustration: Jesse "The Body" Ventura, Minnesota’s former governor, a man who once called Christians "weak," said on December 2002- God has a plan and a destiny for each one of us. I wasn’t always a believer, but through my wife and a couple of close friends, in the last couple of years, I have come to believe in God and that He has a plan and a destiny for my life. I challenge you to find your destiny. It’s the most important thing for each of you to find.
2. Jesus had a destiny.
a. Luke 2:34-35 (NLT)
34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.
35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
b. His destiny was the cross.
c. His destiny was to make a way for sinners to be right with God again.
d. His destiny was that some people would choose to go their own way and refuse the free gift of salvation offered to them.
e. His destiny was that those who did receive him would be filled with the joy of salvation.
3. All people have a destiny.
a. Hebrews 9:27-28 (NLT)
27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,
28 so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
b. There will be no re-incarnation. We are born, live, die, and then we must face God.
c. What happens when we face God depends on what we do with Jesus now.
d. If we accept him and live for him we will receive eternal life.
e. If we reject him and serve ourselves we will receive eternal damnation.
f. He has given all of us a choice, and what we do with that choice will determine our destiny.
4. His people have a destiny.
a. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
b. God does have a plan for your life.
c. That plan is a good, rich, and satisfying life.
d. That plan is to give you joy.
e. That plan is to give you hope.
f. That plan is to give you blessing.
Transition: Then we see...
III. The Praise (8-11).
A. Praise God
1. As Jesus rides into Jerusalem he creates quite a stir.
2. Matthew says, "Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road."
a. The Lord was now completely surrounded by a mass of humanity perhaps several hundred thousand people.
b. It was an ancient custom for citizens to spread their garments on the road for their monarch to ride over, symbolizing their respect for him and their submission to his authority.
c. It was as if to say "We place ourselves at your feet, even to walk over if necessary." From John 12:13 we learn that the branches were from palm trees, symbolic of salvation and joy (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
3. As Matthew unfolds this dramatic scene for us he says, "Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Praise God in highest heaven!”
a. The phrase in the NLT "Praise God," is actually the Hebrew word Hosanna.
b. The Hebrew word hosanna is a prayer for help meaning "save now"
c. It was a word that was prominent in Psalms 113-118, which were often sung during the Passover.
d. In fact, Jesus and his disciples probably sang it at the Last Supper. Because of its acquired position at major feasts, it shifted from being a call for help to a cry of rejoicing.
e. "Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord" comes directly from Ps. 118:26, where it refers to all pilgrims traveling to a major feast.
f. While the phrase, "Praise God in highest heaven," calls for even the angels to lift their voices in praise (Horton, 441).
g. But the crowd on that day was not interested in Jesus' saving their souls but only in His saving their nation.
h. Like the Twelve, they had long wondered why if Jesus were truly the Messiah, He had not used His supernatural powers against the Romans.
i. Now at last, they thought, He will manifest Himself as Conqueror.
j. They were about to celebrate Passover, which commemorated the Lord's miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
k. What better occasion could there be for the Lord's Anointed, the Messiah, to make the ultimate and final deliverance of His people from tyranny?
l. But Jesus did not come to conquer Rome but to conquer sin and death. He did not come to make war with Rome but to make peace with God for men.
m. Although the shouts of the multitude were entirely appropriate and were, in fact, fulfillment of prophecy, the people had no idea of the true significance of what they were doing, much less of what Jesus would soon do on the cross in their behalf (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
4. This can be seen in what happens next. Matthew tells us, "The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. 'Who is this?' they asked. And the crowds replied, 'It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.'"
a. Only Matthew reports the crowd’s enthusiasm for Jesus' entry into the city. The word that is translated "uproar" is a word that is used elsewhere for earthquakes (Horton, 443).
b. Obviously, however, most of them had paid little attention to what they had been shouting so boisterously.
c. They had barely finished proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David, who came in the name of the Lord.
d. But they did not comprehend what they said, and when the mass emotions subsided, they were hard pressed to say who Jesus really was, other than a prophet who came from Nazareth in Galilee.
e. They no longer called Him the Son of David or praised Him as the great Deliverer. He was now no more than a prophet (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Matthew 16-23).
B. Worship
1. Illustration: Song writer and worship leader Graham Kendrick said, "Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our richest and most wholesome experience in life" (Boschman, A Heart For Worship, 58).
2. Worship is about God.
a. Revelation 5:12 (NLT)
And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
b. He is worthy to be praise because of His power.
c. He is worthy to be praise because of His glory.
d. He is worthy to be praised because of His mercy.
e. He is worthy to be praised because of His compassion.
f. Praise is about God because He is worthy!
3. Worship is for everyone.
a. Psalm 150:6 (NLT)
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!
b. Worship is for the young and the old; the great and the small.
c. Worship is for the rich and the poor.
d. Worship is for the strong and weak.
e. Worship is for people, mammals, birds, and fish.
f. Worship is for mountains, water, and trees.
g. Worship is for all of God's creation.
4. Worship is God's throne.
a. Psalm 22:3 (NLT)
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
b. God's presence is here in a special way when we praise him.
c. God's glory is here in a special way when we praise him.
d. God's anointing is here in a special way when we praise him.
e. God's power is here in a special way when we praise him.
f. Let God be praised!
Conclusion
1. On this donkey ride we see...
a. The Preparation
b. The Prediction
c. The Praise
2. Are you making preparations for the Messiah?
3. Are you fulfilling your destiny?
4. Are you worshipping him with all your might?
