March 26, 2018
Today we remember & celebrate what is known as Palm Sunday…
picture with me for a moment…
the crowds gathered together to celebrate the Passover…
A great multitude was swarming together for this feast…
It is said that over 2 million people were involved in this time of jubilation… a carnival-like atmosphere prevailed over the crowd as they poured through Jerusalem…
There was energy, expectation, and a hope that soon Jesus would take over and be their King for good!! No longer would they be under the Roman empire.
But there was a greater purpose on this day. An opportunity God was giving to RECOGNIZE and CELEBRATE the true purpose for Christ coming… Not to building a kingdom on this earth but a kingdom that would be placed within our hearts…
It is important to note, As you may or may not know, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he avoided recognition/“publicity.” But now he came near because it was His Father’s will… he proceeded out of duty… not to seek recognition or to be celebrated…
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was the obedient thing for him to do… He knew what was in store for him in the city, but he went anyway…
An arrest warrant had already been issued for Jesus… Historicly there was an indictment against one, “heshua hannosri.” Many scholars believe this was the hebrew name for jesus of nazareth…
It read…
“wanted: heshua hannosri. He shall be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favor, let him come forward and plead on his behalf… Anyone who knows where he is, let him declare it to the great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.”
Have you ever felt like obeying God is difficult because of the potential consequences? Ya, me too, but I do appreciate Jesus modeling the way for us.
Obedience is ALWAYS worth it!!!!
Look with me at John 12 –
John 12:12 (nkjv) the next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to jerusalem,
John 12:13 (nkjv) 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!”
“palm branches”… this was a royal carpet that they made for him, out of palm branches… they were a symbol of victory and triumph… it a common context they were waved triumphantly as a king rode through the streets… palm Sunday was a day of welcoming Jesus as a great conqueror and almighty deliverer… But not from their sins… they wanted him to deliver and save them from Rome…
“hosanna”… means to deliver or save us now… it is used as a cry of acclamation and adoration… they wanted to be freed from the ruling hand of rome, their difficult circumstances and be the #1 people of the earth all over again…
John 12:14 (nkjv) then Jesus, when he had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
John 12:15 (nkjv) “fear not, daughter of zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
Zech. 9.9 (NKJV) “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.
“colt/donkey”… the true concept of Christ was symbolized by the riding of the young colt (donkey)… In ancient days the colt was a noble animal… note: it was used as a beast of service to carry the burdens of men, but more significantly it was used by kings. When they entered a city in peace, they rode a colt to symbolize their peaceful intentions…
***this differed dramatically from a conquering king. When a king entered a city, as a conqueror, he rode a stallion.