Palm Sunday
Pastor Jim Thomas
Luke 19:28-48
- 4 Gospel accounts divided into 89 chapters in our English Bibles
- 4 of those 89 chapters skim the first 30 years of the earthly life of Jesus
- 85 chapters focus on the last 3.5 years of the earthly life of Jesus ie his public ministry, including His teaching and miracles, etc
- 29 of those 85 chapters zoom in on the Passion Week: Palm Sunday, cleansing of the Temple, daily teachings, the Last Supper, betrayal, arrest, interrogation trials, torture, crucifixion, burial and Resurrection of Jesus
Triumphal Entry of Jesus:
- Matthew 21:1-11
- Mark 11:1-11
- Luke 19:28-48
- John 12:12-19
1. The Paradoxical King was deliberate.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
He is just and endowed with salvation,
Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9
Some of the more well-known Old Testament prophecies about Messiah include:
- The promise of a seed of the woman who would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15).
- The prophecy of a descendant of Abraham through whom all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).
- The prediction of a ruler from the line of Judah (Genesis 49:10).
- The prophecy of a prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).
- The promise of a virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14).
- The prophecy of a suffering servant who would bear the sins of many (Isaiah 53).
- The prediction of a a humble king, riding on the colt of a donkey, who would come in righteousness, bringing salvation and peace (Zechariah 9:9).
2. The Paradoxical King was dramatic.
“The Christian faith is the most exciting drama that ever staggered the imagination of man—and the dogma is the drama.”
Dorothy Sayers
3. The Paradoxical King demanded a response.
“In Jesus we find infinite majesty yet complete humility, perfect justice yet boundless grace, absolute sovereignty yet utter submission, all-sufficiency in himself yet entire trust and dependence on God”
Tim Keller, King’s Cross
Discussion Questions
- The reactions to Jesus as he traveled up to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover varied widely. Some in the crowds were shallowly swept up in the celebration, while others who had encountered Jesus were radically transformed and followed him wholeheartedly. How do we respond to Jesus today? Are we following him unswervingly, or like many in the crowd are we joining in only when it’s convenient and culturally acceptable?
- The gospel accounts of passion week are very familiar to many of us. Are we looking at these texts with fresh eyes and open hearts? Are we hanging onto God’s word like the people who heard him teach daily at the temple? What do we do with the greatest story ever told?
- As we approach Holy Week, what are some specific ways that we can prepare our hearts and minds? Who or what can we commit to praying for this week? Who could we invite to join us at church? How can we live this week with a greater mindfulness of who Jesus is and what he has done for us?
“New evidence and recent scholarship mean the Bible needs to be taken seriously, not only as a work of literature that has had a dramatic impact on the world, but also as a work of history. That means taking its central character – Jesus Christ – seriously too.”
Justin Brierley, The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God
“Jesus came the first time, and he is coming again, as the king over all kings. King of Israel, king of all the nations, king of nature and the universe. Until he comes again, there is a day of amnesty and forgiveness and patience. He still rides a donkey and not yet a white war-horse with a rod of iron. He is ready to save all who receive him as Savior and Treasure and King. Come to him. Know him. Receive him. Live your life in allegiance to him.”
John Piper