Palm Sunday - The Donkey or the Palms - Origin Sermon - 2 April 2023

I'm going to invite you to open your Bibles to Matthew chapter

Matthew 20 · chapter mention

20. This is Palm Sunday.

Some of you may remember as kids in your own church, running

around with Palms on Palm Sunday.

I don't know if that was part of your experience of just

registering the day, we celebrate that Jesus comes to

Jerusalem on the way in Journey To The Cross and there's some

things happening behind the scenes.

Yes. And then there's also a

backstory to the day. Jesus went into Jerusalem.

That's maybe really important for us in this season of our own

lives in, as Christians, for us to consider the unique ways.

Jesus. Made choices on that day to show

us what his kingdom is, all about, the kingdom of his

heavenly father and to show us what he is all about.

And the Triumph of the Palms in some ways, may not tell the full

story. For us.

In fact, this was the symbol the people chose.

But Jesus chose a different symbol.

For his entry into Jerusalem. So, let's pick up in Matthew

Matthew 20 · chapter mention

Chapter 20. The text will be here above me

if you need it, and we're going to start in verse 17.

Now, Jesus was going up to Jerusalem.

In fact, it wasn't just Jesus going up to Jerusalem.

Thousands of people were on their way to Jerusalem

thousands. It's been estimated on the

high-end 300,000 people made their way to Jerusalem for

Passover. How many of you love crowds?

It's just a few of you. I know you're all introverts

like me, you know. Like I don't want to crowd you

would have you would have said yet go to the Passover without

me, you know, like you're you're not going to night market with

the extroverts, but Jesus is headed to Jerusalem and on the

way he took the twelve aside and he said to them, we are going up

to Jerusalem and the son of man will be live delivered over to

the chief priests and the teachers.

Is of the law. They will condemn him to death

and we'll hand him over to the Gentiles to be, mocked and

flogged and crucified on the third day, he will be raised to

life. It's really important for us to

note at the beginning of passion week on the Sunday, the first

day of the week that Jesus has told his disciples.

This was the second time he reminded them, I'm going to

Jerusalem and I'm going to die there, but I will be raised to

life. They couldn't grasp it or

comprehend it. It was one of the strangest

things Jesus was telling them but Jesus is telling them ahead

of time. What is going to happen to him?

It was at this time, it says in verse 20, that the mother of

zebedee's sons came to Jesus, with her son's and kneeling down

asked a favor of him. I love that line.

Jesus going to ask you a favor. Have you ever asked someone a

favor? Would you do me a favor?

Did you kneel down and ask? Maybe you knelt down and ask

what you do me a favor? Like, would you marry me?

You know it's a solemn moment right?

This is this is a moment and the mother has come and knelt down

in front of Jesus asking would you do a favor for me and my two

boys? She's got her two boys with or

James and John the sons of thunder.

Now I'm thinking they probably had really mixed emotions about

it at that moment but she's pulling them along.

Come on Sons. I'm telling you Jesus is going

to get his kingdom and to we'd better get there with them and

you need to have your place and so sheepishly perhaps they came

with her. And she kneels.

An ass. He says, what do you want?

She said, grant that one of these two sons of mine, may sit

at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.

You don't know what you're asking.

Jesus said to them. Can you drink the cup?

I am going to drink. we can, they answered, Jesus said to

them, you will indeed drink from my cup but to sit at my right or

left is not for me to Grant these places belong to those for

whom they have been prepared by my father, This should have set

off alarm bells for them. What Jesus has been talking from

the beginning, about seeking first, the kingdom, of God, the

kingdom of his heavenly father and his righteousness his way.

And so, here they are kneeling down in front of Jesus, asking,

we are seeking your kingdom. We want a seat in your kingdom.

In fact, we want to sit at your left and right.

Jesus, we love you. We are so loyal to you.

That we will be right there with you in it.

And Jesus goes right away to suffering.

Can you drink this cup? Will you suffer with me?

And they boldly say yes, we will.

In their enthusiasm. Yes, we will.

We're with. You will drink the cup.

I've been Jesus agrees with him. Yeah, you're going to drink that

cup. But I can't give you those

seats. Because those seats in My

Kingdom have been prepared by my heavenly father.

Oh, That should have been a little Sigh.

No. Maybe Jesus has got a different

Kingdom in mind. In fact, in Jesus Calls, the

other disciples together, because word got out about what

the mother had done. Verse 24.

When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two

brothers, Jesus called them together and said, you know, You

know, that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them and

their High officials exercise authority over them.

Not so with you instead, whoever wants to become great, among you

must be your servant and whoever wants to be first, must be your

slave. Just as the son of man did not

come to be served but to serve and to Give his life as a ransom

for many. When they heard the word son of

man they should have been paying attention again.

This was one of Jesus references for himself that was actually a

claim to Divinity, son of man, a claim to Divinity, reaching back

into the scripture where the son of man had appeared in his glory

and had been promised a throne. And Jesus says, the son of man

is come, and is here to give his life as a ransom for many

people. Just before the last time right

after actually, Jesus had announced to his disciples that

he was going to Jerusalem and that he would be killed there.

Crucified, but raised from the dead, he had spoken of that as

that the son of man is coming and many of you here will see

him coming in his glory and immediately Jesus, took three of

Disciples up on a mountain to pray and while they were praying

Jesus was transfigured before them the son of man in his

glory. But what's this?

The son of man coming in his kingdom, I think they were yet

to see it. The son of man coming in his

kingdom. Is Good Friday.

It's the cross. Jesus, making that move between

Heaven and Earth between life and death.

In order to accomplish the work of his Kingdom Gathering up a

people ransoming a people right from the gates of hell.

So that they might be the people and children of God.

Jesus coming into his kingdom. Was it about to be the parade

and procession that they were to see it was going to be the agony

of the cross. A cup of suffering.

And yet the disciples couldn't grasp it.

It was so hard to get getting. This actually takes 20/20

vision. We believe this and we believe

Jesus because Jesus died on the cross was buried and raised

again from the dead. It's his resurrection that has

caused the church to come and see again, what is going on?

In the fact we are having trouble seeing the Kingdom of

God. And it's almost as if both Jesus

and Matthew wanted in that chronology for us to know how

desperately blind we are. Because look at what happens

next. Verse 29.

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho a large crowd,

followed him, two blind men were sitting by the roadside and when

they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, Lord, son of

David have mercy on us. Lord son of David have mercy on

us and I kept going and going and going so that the crowd

verse 31 rebuked them. Told them shut up.

Wow. For that's a generous crowd of

disciples, right? Be quiet.

But they shouted, louder, Lord son of David have mercy on us.

So, Jesus stopped and called them.

What do you want me to do for you?

He asked Lord. We want our sight.

And Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes and

immediately they were healed. Wow, what a moment.

It should remind you of the very moment when Jesus spoke of the

Kingdom of Heaven, in The Sermon, on the Mount, in The

Sermon, on the Mount. Jesus, spoke of the kingdom of

heaven and he said seek first, his kingdom and his

righteousness, and all these things will be given to you, as

well. But what else had Jesus?

Spoken of? He had spoken of the greater

treasure, but he had also spoken faulty eyes, that could.

See, the treasure couldn't see the kingdom of God.

And he says all how dark it is in your life, if your eyes are

bad. If you cannot rightly focus and

see the kingdom of heaven. How awful it is for you.

Look, Jesus could heal these blind, man.

He can heal us to rightly see the kingdom of God as it is, not

as we would have it. Jesus could rightly heal his

disciples so that they could see the Kingdom of Heaven as it is,

not as they would want it. He had already taught them to

pray. Your kingdom, come your will be

done on Earth as it is in, but how can I know while it is in

heaven? I haven't seen Heaven yet.

It's like Jesus is saying, watch me, watch me, watch me.

Watch what he does next. As they approached Jerusalem

21:1. And came to bethphage on the

Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two disciples saying

to them, go to the Village ahead of you at once.

You will find a donkey tied there with her cult by her untie

them, and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you

say that the Lord needs them and he will send them right away.

Jesus is aware. He's going with the throngs in A

procession into Jerusalem. It is the first day of

preparation for the Passover, the 10th day of ninan.

That's a calendar, we are unfamiliar with but on this

first day of the Passover, the throngs of disciples were headed

into Jerusalem. But on the other side of

Jerusalem, there was also another procession.

It's the Unseen but historical procession that happened every

Passover during the reign of pilot.

Pilot made his way either a couple days before the 10th of

ninan or on that. Very day, pilot, who was in

charge of Jerusalem, who was in charge of that region, but

didn't like Jerusalem, had to make his way all the way from

the coast into Jerusalem. Why?

Because the Passover was a flash point.

Of nationalistic identity for Israel.

And they hated the oppression of Rome.

They hated it. They hated.

The soldiers that Rome recruited from the Samaritans.

And from the Phoenicians that these actually were soldiers,

who just came from Rome. These might have been soldiers

that were recruited from their cousins.

They hated it. About as much as they hated the

tax collectors. They hated the violence and

oppression that accompanied the rule of Rome.

And, so pilate could not risk, that Caesar would be displaced

in the rule of Jerusalem. And he had made it his Habit to

bring his own parade and procession of the empire into

Jerusalem on or by the 10th of men.

There's two parades this day. One parade as pilot and his

loyalists are those who wanted to placate the Empire.

The other procession was the rush of pilgrims headed to

Jerusalem going in as the shepherd's, herded, all of the

sheep and the Lambs so that each family could choose their lamb

for the Passover meal. Which would be 4 days later,

they would choose it on this evening.

And then by the fourth day, they would sacrifice that lamb for

their Passover meal. And this is the day that Jesus

chooses. To parade in with them, but he's

very conscientious of the prophetic drama.

He's about to be a part of So he tells two disciples, go and get

me a donkey. Some of your translations will

say a cult, others of your translations will just say an

ass. It's a donkey.

It's not the military triumphs of a grand horse.

It's a donkey. Jesus chose a donkey.

Because he knew something about the crowds.

They had always been intending to make him their King their

Earthly King but his Heavenly Kingdom.

The kingdom of his heavenly father was of a different fabric

and a different way. So while one parade is happening

on the benefit of the Empire, Jesus is parade, is the Empire

or the Kingdom of Heaven. Notice what it says in verse 4

of chapter 21, this took place to fulfill, what was spoken

through the prophet. Say to daughter Zion.

See your king comes to you, Gentle and riding on a donkey on

a Colt, the foal of a donkey the disciples went and did as Jesus.

Jesus instructed them they brought the donkey and the colt

and placed their cloaks on them. For Jesus to sit on a very large

crowd spread their cloaks on the road while others cut branches

from the trees and spread them on the road.

The crowds that followed went ahead of him and those that

followed shouted Hosanna to the son of David blessed.

Is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest

heaven? When Jesus entered Jerusalem,

the whole city was stirred and asked who is this?

The crowds answered. This is Jesus.

The prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.

So is Jesus is going in the crowds choose the Palm, but

Jesus chooses, the donkey, why was the Palm important to them?

Why was it significant? It had been significant in the

history of Israel for almost 200 years.

It was a nationalistic, symbol the poem.

It was the symbol of military might in the nation of Israel.

For Antiochus, epiphanes. Who was a Solution.

He had been ruling over Israel and he had become so despised in

the history of Israel because when he took over the temple, he

brought in pigs to be slaughtered on the altar of God,

he had found a way to offend all of the sensibilities of the

Jewish people. He brought in a pig and then

spread the blood all around. He mingled, the blood of people

that he had killed Jewish people outside the temple with that.

Blood and said, oh, here is your sacrifice.

Sacrifice to my gods, he had been ordered.

That in every town, someone make us sacrifice to his gods.

And so, until Antiochus sent, A representative and Enforcer.

To go to each town. But in one town.

One man, stood up to him to the enforcer.

And killed him. This.

Family, The Maccabees. Began to create, an Insurrection

in Israel to re-establish themselves.

As this older man was dying. He said to his son Judas, make

sure that you avenge the wrong done to your people pay back,

the Gentiles in full. And Judas became relatively

successful as a military leader. And he was greeted outside.

Jerusalem by throngs, raising Palms to him, and they called

out to him Judas. The Hammer Hammer Time.

He's making his way into Israel and from that day forward, the

Palm began to be a symbol of military nationalistic identity

in Israel. They had coins imprinted on it.

So who did the crowds and even his disciples Think Jesus was.

He was going to be their military Vindication against the

Gentiles. But what did Jesus choose?

He chosen ass. You chose a donkey?

Why did he choose a donkey? He was doing.

Prophetic symbolism here. From Zachariah chapter 9, where

it says Rejoice greatly o Daughter of Zion.

Shout Daughter of Zion. See, your king comes to you

righteous and Victorious. Lowly and riding on a donkey on

a Colt, the foul, the foal of a donkey, Jesus, chose the

Peaceable Kingdom, not the palm. Do you know what verse 10 says?

Verse 10 of Zachariah chapter 9 where that prophetic word comes,

he says, I will take away the Chariots from Ephraim and the

war horses from Jerusalem and the battle bow will be broken.

He will Proclaim peace to the nation's.

His rule will extend from sea to Sea and the river to the ends of

the Earth. Jesus is choosing peace for the

Nations. Do you know what?

Judas. The hammer did when he marched

into Jerusalem. He went all the way to the

temple and he took the Palms that they had, and they use the

Palms to clean the temple to just sweep it to clean the

temple out as a symbol of cleaning away.

The defilement of that Gentile rain.

What does Jesus do next? Let's see.

Verse 12. Chapter 21.

Jesus, entered the temple courts, and drove out all who

were buying and selling. He overturned the tables and the

money changers and the benches of those selling doves, it is

written. He said my house will be called

a House of Prayer but you are making it a den of robbers.

Oh, do you know the passages is? Calling out there prophetically,

is that my house will be a house of prayer for who for the, for

the Nations. but you, he says, have made it a den of robbers

and the word there he's using, is insurrectionist You have made

it a house for insurrectionist. You have made it a house for

your national identity, but I have made this house to be a

house of prayer for the Nations who Jesus could preach.

He could preach and the Blind and lame came to him at the

temple, and he healed them, what?

He's letting the Blind and lame into the temple.

But when the chief priests and teachers of the law saw, the

wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple

Hosanna to the son of David. They were indignant.

Do you hear what these children are saying?

They asked him. Yes.

Jesus said, have you never read from the lips of children and

infants? You Lord have called forth your

praise. And you left them and went out

of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

Wow. Hosanna.

It was so Peaceable in the temple that you could hear the

children play and the children playing in the court of the

Gentiles caught on to the word of Jesus, Hosanna to the son of

David Hosanna to the son of David.

Do you know what who's Anna means?

It means help us. Help us now.

Save us, save us. Now Hosanna, save us Hosanna,

save us. Now, it's a cry of urgency, but

they're in the mouths of the children, it became a word of

praise. You might not feel like you've

got a Hallelujah today. But do you have a Hosanna?

Do you have a Hosanna? Save me now.

Help me now. Lord, I feel the pressure.

I feel excluded. I don't feel like I've got an in

with you. I feel like others are against

me that maybe the people that should have been for me, or

against me. Jesus knows what that's like

he's about to experience it. Radically as the crowd turns on

him Friday in fear of what pilot might do.

It's better for one to perish for the nation than for all.

But Jesus is going to allow himself to be the chosen

Passover Lamb. So that he might save the lame

and the Blind and those scarred by sin.

I'll Santa save me. I'm going to invite the worship

team to come and we're going to enter into a time of prayer and

worship a mix. as we still our hearts before, God wait on him

as it says in chapter 46 of Psalms, Wait on him and know

that he is. God.

We're going to invite you into prayer our prayer team.

Now, if you'll stand and move to the sides and in the back, you

could see who our prayer team is today, we would like for you to

have somebody pray for you. And the next bit, we believe in

Incarnation and impartation the god incarnates us as his people

and his ministers. And that by physical presence

and work somehow, the spirit of God, also works to impart his

healing and his opening of life for his help.

And so, whether you have a hallelujah or a Hosanna, we'd

like to invite you to let others pray for you today.

So we're going to stand. We're going to enter into

extended worship prayer. Feel free to move towards those

who will pray for you.