Sunday, April 10, 2022
Pastor Troy Brewer, OpenDoor Church, Burleson, Texas
It’s in all four gospels with some different details.
Matthew was actually one of the disciples of Jesus. He was there when this happened.
Matthew 21:1-9 – Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
Palm Sunday is the Christian holiday that occurs on the Sunday before Easter. This celebration commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, mentioned in each of the four Gospels. Jesus entered the city knowing He would be tried and crucified, and welcomed His fate to rise from the grave and save us from sin! Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week–the remembrance of Jesus’ last days to the cross.
Bethphage and the village opposite is called Bethany.
Matthew just called it the “other” village but Mark called the other village Bethany.
Bethphage means “house of sweet figs”
Bethany means “house of sorrow”
In the same streets where they are singing their praises and shouting Hosanna, Jesus will hear the horrible cries of “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” in the same exact week.
The prophecies and promises of God are always fulfilled in the tension of the sweet things of life and the sorrows of life.
Can you praise Him in the time when you are seeing the best and the worst at the same time?
The Old Testament prophesied of Palm Sunday in Zechariah
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The fulfillment of prophecy:
Jesus fulfilled over 400 Old Testament prophecies. This one prophecy was written by Zechariah over 550 years before this event happened.
A donkey or a colt?
Colt not a filly.
In the ancient Biblical world, a leader rode on a horse if he was coming in war and a donkey to signify peace.
When Jesus comes back, He will not be on a donkey but on a white horse!
Jerusalem donkeys have crosses on their backs.
In Israel, there is a term called “The Messiah’s Donkey.” It’s really a political modifier for how God employees common, everyday and secular things to come riding in to show us Glory.
How many times has Jesus come riding into your life on a donkey?
He showed up in your divorce. He shows up in the place where you can’t pay your bills. Basically, he shows up in the common places that just don’t look cool.
“The Lord has need of them.”
“Tell them, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
The One who owns everything, (The Lord) needs this lowly created thing to show that He keeps His promises. And to show that He is the King.
Jesus isn’t very needy.
John 4– I need a drink (He didn’t get it)
John 19–I thirst (They ignored Him)
Why does Jesus need a donkey?
The Father needed Jesus to show them who He is.
The Holy prophesy needed to be fulfilled.
Jesus needed to be received as The King in order to show up at all.
What if you are the Donkey that Jesus needs?
Neighbor, the Lord needs you!
2 Samuel 6:14-22 – Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. 17 So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. 19 Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. 22 And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.”
John 12:12-13 – The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
Hosanna is the combination of two different words and it literally means “SAVE NOW”
Psalms 118:25-26 – Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!