Intro: Jesus is coming into Jerusalem 6 days before the most important celebration for the Jews. The city is flooded with pilgrims making their way to celebrate the Passover. In the Passover they remember their pain and bitterness in captivity in Egypt and God’s deliverance promises.
At this time in Israel the deep oppression of Rome fed the anticipation and desire of the people for an anointed king that would deliver them from Rome and its governors and soldiers. Jesus comes into Jerusalem and declares that He is the anointed king. What the people that see him and cheer him including his disciples don’t understand at this time that His kingdom is not of this world.
Jesus Kingdom message is one that is centered on the cross. The message of the kingdom brought drastic changes in the hearts and lives of the people that received it. Zaccheus, Paul, Peter, The woman caught in adultery, Mary Magdalene.
I. Jesus’ entrance
A) The King of peace rejected (Matthew 21:1-10)
Zechariah 9:9 Riding in on a donkey that was never ridden. Jesus entered Jerusalem at the end of Daniels 65 weeks at the exact time the Messiah was to come (Daniel 9:25) Jesus was not the type of king or Messiah that the Jews or many modern day Christians Expect.
Jesus made it clear in His fulfillment of the Zechariah and other prophecies that He was and is Israel’s rightful king. His coming into the city was celebrated but His rule was rejected.
His gentleness and meekness was part of revealing His mission. He did not come to Jerusalem to start a revolt. Jesus didn’t come to make social, economic or political reform. Jesus came to ends man’s revolt of God’s rule. The only way that could be accomplished was for Jesus to die in the sinners place.
B) The prophet of God revealing judgment (Luke 19:41-44)
Jesus is not merely crying. This word wept means his chest was heaving and he was sobbing. He was in agony over the word of judgment that His people had invited to be spoken over them. He weeps over those today that according to John 3:17 already stand condemned.
C) The priest of God cleansing
Jesus came directly to the temple. The temple was the center of the life in Jerusalem. The temple had become corrupted. It was supposed to be a place to meet and commune with God. The religious people of the day had turned it into a place that looked clean but was utterly and completely filthy.
Jesus went to the money tables and turned them over. Church Jesus stands as the priest king ready to turn the tables on our lives.
He wants to change our priorities and passions. We were created to have a passion for Jesus and a priority for His kingdom.
We must remember that the temple in Jesus’ day represents our hearts of today.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 “Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are.”
1 Corinthians 6:19 “Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.”
Jesus wants to change our priorities from temporal to eternal priorities. Temporal from the Sermon on the mount, money, clothes, place to stay, job. Eternal lost people, abused, abandoned, widows etc. Jewish nationalism and superstition.
II. The crowd’s response
A) Impulsive (21:6-10)
A very large crowd driven by the emotional expectation of a political, economic and social reformer cheered and celebrated by yelling and shouting, Hosanna. Hosanna meaning save us now!!
They had a superficial response to Jesus. This is the heart that is the stony soil that is spoken of in the parable of the soils. There is great enthusiasm to follow Jesus until the difficult time comes. They were moved to tears and cheers but not moved to bow their knee before Jesus. We know that this was an emotional impulsive response because if we travel to Matthew 27, Luke 23, John 19, Mark 15. They were responding to the type of savior they wanted Him to be rather than the one he really was and is. We know this because they cried crucify Him!
If our response to Jesus is simply emotional then when our emotions change our response to Jesus changes.
B) Religious (Matthew 21:14-17, Luke 19:38)
The priests were indignant. There were much displeased or angry with Jesus. Why are you letting these people say these things? At the heart of their anger was an understanding that Jesus claims to be Messiah were a challenge to everything about their lives and lifestyles.
If we could hear them talk among themselves they would probably sound like this. “How dare He?!” How dare he come and upset our way of life, how dare he come and upset our traditions, how dare he come in and upset our authority over the people.
That is usually the attitude we have when Jesus begins to challenge our life and lifestyle. We get angry instead of receive the truth about who we are and what we need to abandon so that we can receive what He wants to replace in our life.
C) Explosive
The entire city was moved. Everyone had some type of response to Jesus and His entry. The word used in verse 10 of Matthew 21 is where we get our work seismic. The city was shaken at its core.
Why the shake up? Why did Jesus make such a statement? Even when we have pressure and problems in our lives we like things to stay comfortable and familiar.
Real abundant life that Jesus promised to bring us is based on our response to Him. It is not found in an emotional response, a religious response or even an explosive response.
The priests and people were trying to find ways to keep things the way they had always been. Comfortable and controllable. Jesus shakes things up in people’s lives when he enters.
Conclusion: What is your response to Jesus entrance?
