CHURCH
LUTHERAN
Our Savior's of Elderon
PALM SUNDAY 2016 INI MARK 11:1-10
Have you ever noticed how certain events in our lives can take on special meaning even though they happen over and over again? Take birthdays for example! When we are children birthdays rank right up there with Christmas and summer vacation. After a while, however, birthdays come and go for years and they are no big deal. But then we hit the big 4-0, 5-0, or 6-0 and suddenly a birthday is a big deal again.
The same holds true for special people in our lives. During our teenage years there may be a number of people who are special to us. Then, one day we meet that one person who becomes more than just a special friend, they become a lifelong partner.
To a certain degree Palm Sunday falls into a similar category. This certainly wasn’t the first time Jesus of Nazareth had entered Jerusalem. Yet, his entrance to Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday was not only different, it was unique. His entrance to Jerusalem that day teaches us that
JESUS IS NO ORDINARY KING
The first thing we learn is that he is a king with amazing abilities. Secondly we learn that he is a king who keeps all his promises.
He has amazing abilities (1)
To help you understand the joy that filled the hearts of the people that first Palm Sunday I’d like you to visualize how this procession came about. Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Jericho to Jerusalem. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a steep hill that climbs up over 3500 feet over a distance of about 17 miles. As you approach Jerusalem on this road the city is completely hidden by the Mount of Olives. But once you reach the crest of the Mount of Olives and go around a bend in the road you are instantly overwhelmed with the breath-taking view of the city of Jerusalem, the city of the living God. It’s not too hard to imagine a group of tired travelers bursting into a song of praise as the stand on top of the Mount of Olives and gaze at the city of the Lord.
The village of Bethany (the home of Mary, Martha & Lazarus) and Bethpage lie on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, the side away from Jerusalem. When they arrived at these villages travelers knew they were almost to the end of their journey. Knowing this helps us better understand our text. Mark writes:Mark 11:1 “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.”
How did Jesus know this? How did he know that as soon as they got to Bethpage they would find a colt tied up there? How did he know that when his disciples were questioned about their actions all they would need to say is: “the Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.”? How did Jesus know this? He knew this because he is not just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities because he is the true Son of God who is omniscient, which means he knows all things.
Stop for a moment and think of what that means for you and I. Today is Palm Sunday! Not only did Jesus know exactly what was going to take place as he rode into the city of Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he also knew what lay ahead of him during the course of the next week. Jesus knew he would anger the religious leaders of Israel when he cleansed the temple for the second time. Jesus knew that over the course of the next few days he would be openly challenged by the Chief Priests, the Elders of the people and the Teachers of the Law, by the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Sadducees.
Jesus knew that on Tuesday he would be anointed at Bethany with very expensive perfume in preparation for his burial. He also knew that this anointing would upset Judas Iscariot so much that he would go to the Chief Priests and work out a plan to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies. Jesus knew that this betrayal would take place on Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane and that all of his disciples would desert him. Jesus knew that at 9 am on Friday morning he would be nailed to the cross, forsaken by his heavenly Father, and that he would have to endure the sufferings and pains of hell itself, not because of anything he had done wrong, but rather to pay for the sins you and I commit.
So you see Palm Sunday assures us that Jesus isn’t just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities. Because he knows everything he knew exactly what lay ahead of him, what was all going to happen!
Even so Jesus was still willing to go down that road, the road that would lead him directly to the cross. Why was he so willing to do this? He was willing to do this because he is not only a king with amazing abilities but also a king who keeps all of his promises.
He keeps his promises (2).
A beautiful example of how completely Jesus keeps his promises can be seen in this account of the first Palm Sunday. The simple fact he came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilled a promise the Lord had made 500 years ago through the prophet Zechariah. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (9:9)
As the Palm Sunday procession joyously proclaimed: "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 10 "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus was fulfilling that promise he made to King David some one thousand years before that first Palm Sunday. He said to David through his servant Samuel: “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (II Sam. 7:12,13) Palm Sunday also assures us that Jesus was keeping the promise he made to Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden. It’s recorded in Gen. 3:15. We read: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Unlike ordinary kings who make promises they don’t intend to keep, unlike ordinary kings who make promises they cannot keep, Palm Sunday assures us that our King always keeps all the promises he makes to us.
There is one promise our Lord made that especially gives us great comfort. It’s the greatest of all promises our king made to us! This greatest of all promises is the one our King made as he spoke from the cross. He said; “It is finished.” The war against Satan is over, finished. Our King is victorious. We don’t have to be afraid we’ll be punished for our sins because Jesus already suffered that punishment for us. The emptiness of living a futile, meaningless life on this earth is finished. Our King fills our hearts with joy, meaning and purpose for life. Yes, our King who rode triumphantly into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday in keeping with the promises he made has kept the greatest of all promises. He has given us forgiveness of all sin and eternal life in paradise through faith in him.
However, it doesn’t end there. In Romans 8:22 the apostle Paul reminds us: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things.” Jesus is not just another king. He is a king who keeps all his promises.
That means that when he promises to graciously provide for all our needs by giving us our daily bread, we have no reason to doubt he will do this. When our King promises to make all things work together for our eternal good, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises to protect us from all spiritual enemies, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises that when we are nestled safely in his arms we will find rest for our souls and inner peace that transcends all human understanding, we have no reason to doubt him.
When our King promises to be with us always, even to the end of the world, we have no reason to doubt him. When he promises that everyone who closes their eyes in death trusting in him as Savior will find herself or himself in the eternal paradise of God, we have no reason to doubt him. Do we ever have reason to doubt him? The answer is NO! Our King is not just another king. He never makes promises he cannot keep. He never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Anyone who thinks otherwise just needs to look to the cross of Calvary.
You have celebrated Palm Sunday many times before. You may even be familiar with this text or know the events of this day by heart. Please don’t let your familiarity with this day take away any of the joy this Palm Sunday brings to you or the importance of this day for your salvation. Let Palm Sunday assure you that Jesus is not just another king. Our Jesus is a King with amazing abilities and he is a King who keeps all of his promises. To God alone be glory. Amen.
PALM SUNDAY 2016 INI MARK 11:1-10
Have you ever noticed how certain events in our lives can take on special meaning even though they happen over and over again? Take birthdays for example! When we are children birthdays rank right up there with Christmas and summer vacation. After a while, however, birthdays come and go for years and they are no big deal. But then we hit the big 4-0, 5-0, or 6-0 and suddenly a birthday is a big deal again.
The same holds true for special people in our lives. During our teenage years there may be a number of people who are special to us. Then, one day we meet that one person who becomes more than just a special friend, they become a lifelong partner.
To a certain degree Palm Sunday falls into a similar category. This certainly wasn’t the first time Jesus of Nazareth had entered Jerusalem. Yet, his entrance to Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday was not only different, it was unique. His entrance to Jerusalem that day teaches us that
JESUS IS NO ORDINARY KING
The first thing we learn is that he is a king with amazing abilities. Secondly we learn that he is a king who keeps all his promises.
He has amazing abilities (1)
To help you understand the joy that filled the hearts of the people that first Palm Sunday I’d like you to visualize how this procession came about. Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Jericho to Jerusalem. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a steep hill that climbs up over 3500 feet over a distance of about 17 miles. As you approach Jerusalem on this road the city is completely hidden by the Mount of Olives. But once you reach the crest of the Mount of Olives and go around a bend in the road you are instantly overwhelmed with the breath-taking view of the city of Jerusalem, the city of the living God. It’s not too hard to imagine a group of tired travelers bursting into a song of praise as the stand on top of the Mount of Olives and gaze at the city of the Lord.
The village of Bethany (the home of Mary, Martha & Lazarus) and Bethpage lie on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, the side away from Jerusalem. When they arrived at these villages travelers knew they were almost to the end of their journey. Knowing this helps us better understand our text. Mark writes:Mark 11:1 “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.”
How did Jesus know this? How did he know that as soon as they got to Bethpage they would find a colt tied up there? How did he know that when his disciples were questioned about their actions all they would need to say is: “the Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.”? How did Jesus know this? He knew this because he is not just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities because he is the true Son of God who is omniscient, which means he knows all things.
Stop for a moment and think of what that means for you and I. Today is Palm Sunday! Not only did Jesus know exactly what was going to take place as he rode into the city of Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he also knew what lay ahead of him during the course of the next week. Jesus knew he would anger the religious leaders of Israel when he cleansed the temple for the second time. Jesus knew that over the course of the next few days he would be openly challenged by the Chief Priests, the Elders of the people and the Teachers of the Law, by the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Sadducees.
Jesus knew that on Tuesday he would be anointed at Bethany with very expensive perfume in preparation for his burial. He also knew that this anointing would upset Judas Iscariot so much that he would go to the Chief Priests and work out a plan to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies. Jesus knew that this betrayal would take place on Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane and that all of his disciples would desert him. Jesus knew that at 9 am on Friday morning he would be nailed to the cross, forsaken by his heavenly Father, and that he would have to endure the sufferings and pains of hell itself, not because of anything he had done wrong, but rather to pay for the sins you and I commit.
So you see Palm Sunday assures us that Jesus isn’t just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities. Because he knows everything he knew exactly what lay ahead of him, what was all going to happen!
Even so Jesus was still willing to go down that road, the road that would lead him directly to the cross. Why was he so willing to do this? He was willing to do this because he is not only a king with amazing abilities but also a king who keeps all of his promises.
He keeps his promises (2).
A beautiful example of how completely Jesus keeps his promises can be seen in this account of the first Palm Sunday. The simple fact he came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilled a promise the Lord had made 500 years ago through the prophet Zechariah. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (9:9)
As the Palm Sunday procession joyously proclaimed: "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 10 "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus was fulfilling that promise he made to King David some one thousand years before that first Palm Sunday. He said to David through his servant Samuel: “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (II Sam. 7:12,13) Palm Sunday also assures us that Jesus was keeping the promise he made to Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden. It’s recorded in Gen. 3:15. We read: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Unlike ordinary kings who make promises they don’t intend to keep, unlike ordinary kings who make promises they cannot keep, Palm Sunday assures us that our King always keeps all the promises he makes to us.
There is one promise our Lord made that especially gives us great comfort. It’s the greatest of all promises our king made to us! This greatest of all promises is the one our King made as he spoke from the cross. He said; “It is finished.” The war against Satan is over, finished. Our King is victorious. We don’t have to be afraid we’ll be punished for our sins because Jesus already suffered that punishment for us. The emptiness of living a futile, meaningless life on this earth is finished. Our King fills our hearts with joy, meaning and purpose for life. Yes, our King who rode triumphantly into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday in keeping with the promises he made has kept the greatest of all promises. He has given us forgiveness of all sin and eternal life in paradise through faith in him.
However, it doesn’t end there. In Romans 8:22 the apostle Paul reminds us: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things.” Jesus is not just another king. He is a king who keeps all his promises.
That means that when he promises to graciously provide for all our needs by giving us our daily bread, we have no reason to doubt he will do this. When our King promises to make all things work together for our eternal good, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises to protect us from all spiritual enemies, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises that when we are nestled safely in his arms we will find rest for our souls and inner peace that transcends all human understanding, we have no reason to doubt him.
When our King promises to be with us always, even to the end of the world, we have no reason to doubt him. When he promises that everyone who closes their eyes in death trusting in him as Savior will find herself or himself in the eternal paradise of God, we have no reason to doubt him. Do we ever have reason to doubt him? The answer is NO! Our King is not just another king. He never makes promises he cannot keep. He never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Anyone who thinks otherwise just needs to look to the cross of Calvary.
You have celebrated Palm Sunday many times before. You may even be familiar with this text or know the events of this day by heart. Please don’t let your familiarity with this day take away any of the joy this Palm Sunday brings to you or the importance of this day for your salvation. Let Palm Sunday assure you that Jesus is not just another king. Our Jesus is a King with amazing abilities and he is a King who keeps all of his promises. To God alone be glory. Amen.
PALM SUNDAY 2016 INI MARK 11:1-10
Have you ever noticed how certain events in our lives can take on special meaning even though they happen over and over again? Take birthdays for example! When we are children birthdays rank right up there with Christmas and summer vacation. After a while, however, birthdays come and go for years and they are no big deal. But then we hit the big 4-0, 5-0, or 6-0 and suddenly a birthday is a big deal again.
The same holds true for special people in our lives. During our teenage years there may be a number of people who are special to us. Then, one day we meet that one person who becomes more than just a special friend, they become a lifelong partner.
To a certain degree Palm Sunday falls into a similar category. This certainly wasn’t the first time Jesus of Nazareth had entered Jerusalem. Yet, his entrance to Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday was not only different, it was unique. His entrance to Jerusalem that day teaches us that
JESUS IS NO ORDINARY KING
The first thing we learn is that he is a king with amazing abilities. Secondly we learn that he is a king who keeps all his promises.
He has amazing abilities (1)
To help you understand the joy that filled the hearts of the people that first Palm Sunday I’d like you to visualize how this procession came about. Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Jericho to Jerusalem. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a steep hill that climbs up over 3500 feet over a distance of about 17 miles. As you approach Jerusalem on this road the city is completely hidden by the Mount of Olives. But once you reach the crest of the Mount of Olives and go around a bend in the road you are instantly overwhelmed with the breath-taking view of the city of Jerusalem, the city of the living God. It’s not too hard to imagine a group of tired travelers bursting into a song of praise as the stand on top of the Mount of Olives and gaze at the city of the Lord.
The village of Bethany (the home of Mary, Martha & Lazarus) and Bethpage lie on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, the side away from Jerusalem. When they arrived at these villages travelers knew they were almost to the end of their journey. Knowing this helps us better understand our text. Mark writes:Mark 11:1 “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.”
How did Jesus know this? How did he know that as soon as they got to Bethpage they would find a colt tied up there? How did he know that when his disciples were questioned about their actions all they would need to say is: “the Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.”? How did Jesus know this? He knew this because he is not just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities because he is the true Son of God who is omniscient, which means he knows all things.
Stop for a moment and think of what that means for you and I. Today is Palm Sunday! Not only did Jesus know exactly what was going to take place as he rode into the city of Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he also knew what lay ahead of him during the course of the next week. Jesus knew he would anger the religious leaders of Israel when he cleansed the temple for the second time. Jesus knew that over the course of the next few days he would be openly challenged by the Chief Priests, the Elders of the people and the Teachers of the Law, by the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Sadducees.
Jesus knew that on Tuesday he would be anointed at Bethany with very expensive perfume in preparation for his burial. He also knew that this anointing would upset Judas Iscariot so much that he would go to the Chief Priests and work out a plan to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies. Jesus knew that this betrayal would take place on Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane and that all of his disciples would desert him. Jesus knew that at 9 am on Friday morning he would be nailed to the cross, forsaken by his heavenly Father, and that he would have to endure the sufferings and pains of hell itself, not because of anything he had done wrong, but rather to pay for the sins you and I commit.
So you see Palm Sunday assures us that Jesus isn’t just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities. Because he knows everything he knew exactly what lay ahead of him, what was all going to happen!
Even so Jesus was still willing to go down that road, the road that would lead him directly to the cross. Why was he so willing to do this? He was willing to do this because he is not only a king with amazing abilities but also a king who keeps all of his promises.
He keeps his promises (2).
A beautiful example of how completely Jesus keeps his promises can be seen in this account of the first Palm Sunday. The simple fact he came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilled a promise the Lord had made 500 years ago through the prophet Zechariah. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (9:9)
As the Palm Sunday procession joyously proclaimed: "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 10 "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus was fulfilling that promise he made to King David some one thousand years before that first Palm Sunday. He said to David through his servant Samuel: “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (II Sam. 7:12,13) Palm Sunday also assures us that Jesus was keeping the promise he made to Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden. It’s recorded in Gen. 3:15. We read: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Unlike ordinary kings who make promises they don’t intend to keep, unlike ordinary kings who make promises they cannot keep, Palm Sunday assures us that our King always keeps all the promises he makes to us.
There is one promise our Lord made that especially gives us great comfort. It’s the greatest of all promises our king made to us! This greatest of all promises is the one our King made as he spoke from the cross. He said; “It is finished.” The war against Satan is over, finished. Our King is victorious. We don’t have to be afraid we’ll be punished for our sins because Jesus already suffered that punishment for us. The emptiness of living a futile, meaningless life on this earth is finished. Our King fills our hearts with joy, meaning and purpose for life. Yes, our King who rode triumphantly into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday in keeping with the promises he made has kept the greatest of all promises. He has given us forgiveness of all sin and eternal life in paradise through faith in him.
However, it doesn’t end there. In Romans 8:22 the apostle Paul reminds us: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things.” Jesus is not just another king. He is a king who keeps all his promises.
That means that when he promises to graciously provide for all our needs by giving us our daily bread, we have no reason to doubt he will do this. When our King promises to make all things work together for our eternal good, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises to protect us from all spiritual enemies, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises that when we are nestled safely in his arms we will find rest for our souls and inner peace that transcends all human understanding, we have no reason to doubt him.
When our King promises to be with us always, even to the end of the world, we have no reason to doubt him. When he promises that everyone who closes their eyes in death trusting in him as Savior will find herself or himself in the eternal paradise of God, we have no reason to doubt him. Do we ever have reason to doubt him? The answer is NO! Our King is not just another king. He never makes promises he cannot keep. He never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Anyone who thinks otherwise just needs to look to the cross of Calvary.
You have celebrated Palm Sunday many times before. You may even be familiar with this text or know the events of this day by heart. Please don’t let your familiarity with this day take away any of the joy this Palm Sunday brings to you or the importance of this day for your salvation. Let Palm Sunday assure you that Jesus is not just another king. Our Jesus is a King with amazing abilities and he is a King who keeps all of his promises. To God alone be glory. Amen.
PALM SUNDAY 2016 INI MARK 11:1-10
Have you ever noticed how certain events in our lives can take on special meaning even though they happen over and over again? Take birthdays for example! When we are children birthdays rank right up there with Christmas and summer vacation. After a while, however, birthdays come and go for years and they are no big deal. But then we hit the big 4-0, 5-0, or 6-0 and suddenly a birthday is a big deal again.
The same holds true for special people in our lives. During our teenage years there may be a number of people who are special to us. Then, one day we meet that one person who becomes more than just a special friend, they become a lifelong partner.
To a certain degree Palm Sunday falls into a similar category. This certainly wasn’t the first time Jesus of Nazareth had entered Jerusalem. Yet, his entrance to Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday was not only different, it was unique. His entrance to Jerusalem that day teaches us that
JESUS IS NO ORDINARY KING
The first thing we learn is that he is a king with amazing abilities. Secondly we learn that he is a king who keeps all his promises.
He has amazing abilities (1)
To help you understand the joy that filled the hearts of the people that first Palm Sunday I’d like you to visualize how this procession came about. Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Jericho to Jerusalem. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a steep hill that climbs up over 3500 feet over a distance of about 17 miles. As you approach Jerusalem on this road the city is completely hidden by the Mount of Olives. But once you reach the crest of the Mount of Olives and go around a bend in the road you are instantly overwhelmed with the breath-taking view of the city of Jerusalem, the city of the living God. It’s not too hard to imagine a group of tired travelers bursting into a song of praise as the stand on top of the Mount of Olives and gaze at the city of the Lord.
The village of Bethany (the home of Mary, Martha & Lazarus) and Bethpage lie on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, the side away from Jerusalem. When they arrived at these villages travelers knew they were almost to the end of their journey. Knowing this helps us better understand our text. Mark writes:Mark 11:1 “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.”
How did Jesus know this? How did he know that as soon as they got to Bethpage they would find a colt tied up there? How did he know that when his disciples were questioned about their actions all they would need to say is: “the Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.”? How did Jesus know this? He knew this because he is not just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities because he is the true Son of God who is omniscient, which means he knows all things.
Stop for a moment and think of what that means for you and I. Today is Palm Sunday! Not only did Jesus know exactly what was going to take place as he rode into the city of Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he also knew what lay ahead of him during the course of the next week. Jesus knew he would anger the religious leaders of Israel when he cleansed the temple for the second time. Jesus knew that over the course of the next few days he would be openly challenged by the Chief Priests, the Elders of the people and the Teachers of the Law, by the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Sadducees.
Jesus knew that on Tuesday he would be anointed at Bethany with very expensive perfume in preparation for his burial. He also knew that this anointing would upset Judas Iscariot so much that he would go to the Chief Priests and work out a plan to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies. Jesus knew that this betrayal would take place on Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane and that all of his disciples would desert him. Jesus knew that at 9 am on Friday morning he would be nailed to the cross, forsaken by his heavenly Father, and that he would have to endure the sufferings and pains of hell itself, not because of anything he had done wrong, but rather to pay for the sins you and I commit.
So you see Palm Sunday assures us that Jesus isn’t just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities. Because he knows everything he knew exactly what lay ahead of him, what was all going to happen!
Even so Jesus was still willing to go down that road, the road that would lead him directly to the cross. Why was he so willing to do this? He was willing to do this because he is not only a king with amazing abilities but also a king who keeps all of his promises.
He keeps his promises (2).
A beautiful example of how completely Jesus keeps his promises can be seen in this account of the first Palm Sunday. The simple fact he came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilled a promise the Lord had made 500 years ago through the prophet Zechariah. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (9:9)
As the Palm Sunday procession joyously proclaimed: "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 10 "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus was fulfilling that promise he made to King David some one thousand years before that first Palm Sunday. He said to David through his servant Samuel: “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (II Sam. 7:12,13) Palm Sunday also assures us that Jesus was keeping the promise he made to Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden. It’s recorded in Gen. 3:15. We read: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Unlike ordinary kings who make promises they don’t intend to keep, unlike ordinary kings who make promises they cannot keep, Palm Sunday assures us that our King always keeps all the promises he makes to us.
There is one promise our Lord made that especially gives us great comfort. It’s the greatest of all promises our king made to us! This greatest of all promises is the one our King made as he spoke from the cross. He said; “It is finished.” The war against Satan is over, finished. Our King is victorious. We don’t have to be afraid we’ll be punished for our sins because Jesus already suffered that punishment for us. The emptiness of living a futile, meaningless life on this earth is finished. Our King fills our hearts with joy, meaning and purpose for life. Yes, our King who rode triumphantly into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday in keeping with the promises he made has kept the greatest of all promises. He has given us forgiveness of all sin and eternal life in paradise through faith in him.
However, it doesn’t end there. In Romans 8:22 the apostle Paul reminds us: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things.” Jesus is not just another king. He is a king who keeps all his promises.
That means that when he promises to graciously provide for all our needs by giving us our daily bread, we have no reason to doubt he will do this. When our King promises to make all things work together for our eternal good, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises to protect us from all spiritual enemies, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises that when we are nestled safely in his arms we will find rest for our souls and inner peace that transcends all human understanding, we have no reason to doubt him.
When our King promises to be with us always, even to the end of the world, we have no reason to doubt him. When he promises that everyone who closes their eyes in death trusting in him as Savior will find herself or himself in the eternal paradise of God, we have no reason to doubt him. Do we ever have reason to doubt him? The answer is NO! Our King is not just another king. He never makes promises he cannot keep. He never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Anyone who thinks otherwise just needs to look to the cross of Calvary.
You have celebrated Palm Sunday many times before. You may even be familiar with this text or know the events of this day by heart. Please don’t let your familiarity with this day take away any of the joy this Palm Sunday brings to you or the importance of this day for your salvation. Let Palm Sunday assure you that Jesus is not just another king. Our Jesus is a King with amazing abilities and he is a King who keeps all of his promises. To God alone be glory. Amen.
PALM SUNDAY 2016 INI MARK 11:1-10
Have you ever noticed how certain events in our lives can take on special meaning even though they happen over and over again? Take birthdays for example! When we are children birthdays rank right up there with Christmas and summer vacation. After a while, however, birthdays come and go for years and they are no big deal. But then we hit the big 4-0, 5-0, or 6-0 and suddenly a birthday is a big deal again.
The same holds true for special people in our lives. During our teenage years there may be a number of people who are special to us. Then, one day we meet that one person who becomes more than just a special friend, they become a lifelong partner.
To a certain degree Palm Sunday falls into a similar category. This certainly wasn’t the first time Jesus of Nazareth had entered Jerusalem. Yet, his entrance to Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday was not only different, it was unique. His entrance to Jerusalem that day teaches us that
JESUS IS NO ORDINARY KING
The first thing we learn is that he is a king with amazing abilities. Secondly we learn that he is a king who keeps all his promises.
He has amazing abilities (1)
To help you understand the joy that filled the hearts of the people that first Palm Sunday I’d like you to visualize how this procession came about. Jesus and his disciples were on their way from Jericho to Jerusalem. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem was a steep hill that climbs up over 3500 feet over a distance of about 17 miles. As you approach Jerusalem on this road the city is completely hidden by the Mount of Olives. But once you reach the crest of the Mount of Olives and go around a bend in the road you are instantly overwhelmed with the breath-taking view of the city of Jerusalem, the city of the living God. It’s not too hard to imagine a group of tired travelers bursting into a song of praise as the stand on top of the Mount of Olives and gaze at the city of the Lord.
The village of Bethany (the home of Mary, Martha & Lazarus) and Bethpage lie on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, the side away from Jerusalem. When they arrived at these villages travelers knew they were almost to the end of their journey. Knowing this helps us better understand our text. Mark writes:Mark 11:1 “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" 4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.”
How did Jesus know this? How did he know that as soon as they got to Bethpage they would find a colt tied up there? How did he know that when his disciples were questioned about their actions all they would need to say is: “the Lord needs it and will send it back shortly.”? How did Jesus know this? He knew this because he is not just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities because he is the true Son of God who is omniscient, which means he knows all things.
Stop for a moment and think of what that means for you and I. Today is Palm Sunday! Not only did Jesus know exactly what was going to take place as he rode into the city of Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, he also knew what lay ahead of him during the course of the next week. Jesus knew he would anger the religious leaders of Israel when he cleansed the temple for the second time. Jesus knew that over the course of the next few days he would be openly challenged by the Chief Priests, the Elders of the people and the Teachers of the Law, by the Pharisees, the Herodians and the Sadducees.
Jesus knew that on Tuesday he would be anointed at Bethany with very expensive perfume in preparation for his burial. He also knew that this anointing would upset Judas Iscariot so much that he would go to the Chief Priests and work out a plan to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies. Jesus knew that this betrayal would take place on Thursday night in the Garden of Gethsemane and that all of his disciples would desert him. Jesus knew that at 9 am on Friday morning he would be nailed to the cross, forsaken by his heavenly Father, and that he would have to endure the sufferings and pains of hell itself, not because of anything he had done wrong, but rather to pay for the sins you and I commit.
So you see Palm Sunday assures us that Jesus isn’t just another king. He is a king with amazing abilities. Because he knows everything he knew exactly what lay ahead of him, what was all going to happen!
Even so Jesus was still willing to go down that road, the road that would lead him directly to the cross. Why was he so willing to do this? He was willing to do this because he is not only a king with amazing abilities but also a king who keeps all of his promises.
He keeps his promises (2).
A beautiful example of how completely Jesus keeps his promises can be seen in this account of the first Palm Sunday. The simple fact he came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfilled a promise the Lord had made 500 years ago through the prophet Zechariah. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (9:9)
As the Palm Sunday procession joyously proclaimed: "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" 10 "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!" Jesus was fulfilling that promise he made to King David some one thousand years before that first Palm Sunday. He said to David through his servant Samuel: “When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you…I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (II Sam. 7:12,13) Palm Sunday also assures us that Jesus was keeping the promise he made to Adam and Eve way back in the Garden of Eden. It’s recorded in Gen. 3:15. We read: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Unlike ordinary kings who make promises they don’t intend to keep, unlike ordinary kings who make promises they cannot keep, Palm Sunday assures us that our King always keeps all the promises he makes to us.
There is one promise our Lord made that especially gives us great comfort. It’s the greatest of all promises our king made to us! This greatest of all promises is the one our King made as he spoke from the cross. He said; “It is finished.” The war against Satan is over, finished. Our King is victorious. We don’t have to be afraid we’ll be punished for our sins because Jesus already suffered that punishment for us. The emptiness of living a futile, meaningless life on this earth is finished. Our King fills our hearts with joy, meaning and purpose for life. Yes, our King who rode triumphantly into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday in keeping with the promises he made has kept the greatest of all promises. He has given us forgiveness of all sin and eternal life in paradise through faith in him.
However, it doesn’t end there. In Romans 8:22 the apostle Paul reminds us: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him graciously give us all things.” Jesus is not just another king. He is a king who keeps all his promises.
That means that when he promises to graciously provide for all our needs by giving us our daily bread, we have no reason to doubt he will do this. When our King promises to make all things work together for our eternal good, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises to protect us from all spiritual enemies, we have no reason to doubt him. When our King promises that when we are nestled safely in his arms we will find rest for our souls and inner peace that transcends all human understanding, we have no reason to doubt him.
When our King promises to be with us always, even to the end of the world, we have no reason to doubt him. When he promises that everyone who closes their eyes in death trusting in him as Savior will find herself or himself in the eternal paradise of God, we have no reason to doubt him. Do we ever have reason to doubt him? The answer is NO! Our King is not just another king. He never makes promises he cannot keep. He never makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep. Anyone who thinks otherwise just needs to look to the cross of Calvary.
You have celebrated Palm Sunday many times before. You may even be familiar with this text or know the events of this day by heart. Please don’t let your familiarity with this day take away any of the joy this Palm Sunday brings to you or the importance of this day for your salvation. Let Palm Sunday assure you that Jesus is not just another king. Our Jesus is a King with amazing abilities and he is a King who keeps all of his promises. To God alone be glory. Amen.
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