Sermon notes from Sunday 14 April 2019
Matthew 21 verses 1 - 11
This is the account of the Lord entering into Jerusalem. You only have to look at the 4 gospels and see how important this entry into Jerusalem was. Every gospel writer has placed it there in their writings. This is the beginning of the Passion Week culminating in the day Jesus was nailed on the cross. What a death crucifixion was. The Lord hanging on that cross. Not a bone in his body was broken. When they came to the Lord they realised he was already dead. He was in control. Not the Roman army. Pilate said "I have the power to crucify you." Jesus replied "you have no power but that which is given unto you." (John 19 verses 10 and 11) The power of the Lord was shown clearly at Calvary when he was crucified, buried and rose again. There are so many things in these verses but I want to look at 4 areas surrounding this event.
The promise that was fulfilled. Once the Lord set his sights to come into Jerusalem there was a promise of God fulfilled. We still see God`s promises fulfilled even to this day - think of the verse that reads "where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst." (Matthew 18 verse 20) God is already here and he knows all about you right now. Matthew is veery quick to tell us in verse 4 "all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet." The prophet referred to here is Zechariah 9 verse 9. God promised through Zechariah to his people Israel that he would send a king 500 years before the birth of Christ. God told Zechariah what to write, an event that he perhaps did not understand. We know of course that when Jesus came "he came unto his own and his own received him not." (John 1 verse 11) Peter wrote "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." (1 Peter 1 verses 10 and 11) The prophets had the Holy Spiirt to help them write what we have before us. They took time to search and sift through the word of God. As we go through the word today we see these marvellous promises God has given to these men of old. We need to sit down with them and study them ourselves. Micah told us about the birth of Christ when it would take place. The wise men came to Herod`s palace. They told Herod that they had seen a star in the east and they had come to worship the new born king. Herod asked them to tell him where he was once they had found him as he also wanted to worship him. Herod consulted the scribes and wise men and they were able to turn to the scripture that Micah had written 6/700 years previously. Micah had said he would be born in Bethlehem. They knew all about it but didn`t apply it. The promises of God are nothing to us unless we apply them. The word Peter uses is "searched" which refers to miners who go down into the mines to seek out precious stones. They work all day in the veins of the earth that they might somehow find nuggets of gold and precious metals. That is the very word Peter was using. Do I sit down with the word of God and be meticulous as those miners? Peter said of the Lord`s promises "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3 verse 9) Sometimes the promises of God do not come too quickly. Sometimes we don`t always see that promise fulfilled but God will fulfil it one day.
The prince. The prophecy referred to in Zechariah 9 was very detailed. "This is thy king." God didn`t want them to mix up the details. The one riding into Jerusalem is your king. Matthew recognised the details and tied up the prophecy with this great event. There were multitudes before Jesus and multitudes followed him. He was the prince. He was coming here on the colt, the foal of an ass. The natural thinking was for a king to come on a white horse. The Lord was however coming on a foal. It was the symbol of humility and peace. The white horse was a sign of a victorious leader. Our Lord would die on the cross for our sins to give us a peace the world cannot give us. Is he the king of my life today? He was arrested, brought before the elders, there he would be beaten and scourged. The people had the prince in their midst. Have we come today to seek the prince? To get our eyes on him in alll his glory and splendour? Here was Pilate handing him over to the soldiers who took him into the Judgment Hall, took a lash with 3 or 4 leather strips with bone in each of them and beat his back with it. This is God`s own son doing this for you and I. It is important to get our eyes on him. The Roman soldier would pull that lash down his back. That is why scripture says his back was like a ploughed field. Then they laid a crown of thorns on his head. He is taken out to the people. Pilate would say to the crowd "behold your king". He would go on "should I crucify your king?" Here in this chapter Jesus is riding into Jerusalem in fulfilment of the promise. Every eye is on him. The focus of their attention. At the feast of the Passover in John 12 verse 21 we read "certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast. The same came therefore to Philip which was of Bethsaida of Galilee and desired him saying Sir we would see Jesus." They were not interested in anything else. Isn`t that a wonderful way to come to the fellowship. Remember on the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus` face and clothes shone. They were whiter than snow. Listening to Moses and Elijah. A tremendous time. Peter wanted to make 3 tabernacles. He was caught up with seeing Elijah, a man he had heard so much about. On the other side there is Moses who had led the Children of Israel out of Egypt, the great law giver. Is it any wonder Peter said "we must stay here, we must make tabernacles for them to live in." He got his eyes off the Lord. He lost his focus on Christ.
The people. Verse 1 of chapter 21 says that Jesus sent 2 of his disciples on an errand. He wanted them to go into the city and find a donkey. They were to loose it and bring the donkey to Jesus. "The disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them." (verse 6) Think of the obedience of these 2 disciples. Jesus told them to go and find the donkey. An usual request I am sure the disciples thought. They went forth just as Jesus told them and the donkey was there. Jesus told them that if anyone was to ask they were to tell them that Jesus had need of it. They had obedience that day. Peter asked one day about taxes. Someone had asked him "does your master pay taxes." Jesus told Peter to go down to the sea and the first fish he would catch would have a coin in its mouth. There would be enough to pay for their taxes with that coin. Peter went and did exactly as Jesus told him to do. He had faith. The woman with the alabaster box poured the ointment onto Jesus` feet. She was giving the Lord her very best. The disciples gave their very best. On the seashore Jesus preached from Peter`s boat and told him to push out into the water. Jesus asked and Peter gave all that he had. The boy with the 5 loaves and 2 fishes gave all he had to the Lord. No-one else could do it The only one who could offer it to the Lord. There is something specific for you to do today - he told the 2 disciples to go and bring the donkey, they went and brought it.
The praise. In verses 8 to 11 we read they sang and worshipped and praised the prince who was coming. "all the city was moved" as a result. Do we praise God today, worship him wholeheartedly? What a scene this was - Jesus coming into the city and the people crying out with praise.
No comments:
Post a Comment