The Triumphal Entry John 12:12-19 Key Verse 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” The Passover was now 5 days away, and Jesus made his grand entrance to Jerusalem. In this passage, lets learn about what kind of king Jesus is, and lets welcome him into our lives. Part 1 The crowds welcome Jesus Look at verse 12. “The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.” The feast mentioned here is the Passover. The Passover was a picture of the cross of Jesus. First, because Jesus died at the very same as the Passover lambs were to be slaughtered. Second, because, just like the blood of the Passover lamb, the blood of Jesus allows God to pass over us in his judgment on sins. Third, because 1Co 5:7 says that Christ is our Passover lamb. So the meaning of the Passover is Jesus. Consider this crowd who had come for the Passover. These people were not from Jerusalem (v12); they were pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem because of the command to do so (Ex 23). One reason for God to require such a yearly pilgrimage was so that when the Christ came, all of Israel would be there to witness Jesus’ triumphal entry and then his crucifixion. Before considering Jesus’ triumphal entry, let’s review the climate of Jerusalem just prior to his coming. Let’s read 11:55-57. “When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, ‘What do you think? Isnt he coming to the Feast at all?’ But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.” From this, we see that Jesus was the cause of much speculation and anticipation at the Feast. Also that there was an arrest warrant for him. So when he approached Jerusalem in broad daylight, it was bold and brave. How did they react when they heard that Jesus was coming? Let’s read verse 13 together. “They took palm branches and went out to meet him shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the King of Israel!’” This verse is full of spiritual significance. First, the people welcomed Jesus. They spread palm branches on the road before him. Some of them also spread out their cloaks on the road, according to Mk 11:8. It symbolized the paving of the way for Jesus to come. They are preparing the road for his arrival. It was like hanging a big “Welcome Jesus!” sign over the city gates of Jerusalem. In modern terms it might be like rolling out the red carpet. Second, they saw Jesus’ coming as the fulfillment of scripture. They shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!” What does their shout mean? First, we have to understand why they shouted hosanna. The word “hosanna” comes from the Hebrew word “ ” (yaw-shah’ naw -- yaw-shah meaning “Save” and “naw” meaning “I pray” or “now”). The word “Hosanna” may sounds strange to us because we do not speak Hebrew. But to the Jews, it did not sound strange. They were praying for salvation and calling on Jesus to save them. Their words were from the Bible. Psalm 118:25-26 proclaims, “O LORD, save us (that’s like Hosanna); O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.” They saw Jesus as the fulfillment of Psalm 118. Third, they called Jesus the King. The last part of their shout was not from Psalm 118, but it was their own confession, “Blessed is the King of Israel!” They were right; Jesus is the King of Israel. But it is likely that the crowd had the wrong idea about what Jesus kingship entailed. They may anticipate a return of the kingdom they enjoyed under David, and may expect Jesus to save them from Roman tyranny. Also, some of the people may have come only to see the spectacle and not really mean what they are saying. Only five days later another crowd would shout just as loudly, “crucify him!” Perhaps the disillusionment of some that Jesus seemed so weak before the Roman Governor Pilate; he did not even fight to save himself, how could he defeat Rome? This also shows the fickleness of the crowd, which is like seed in rocky soil that grows up quickly, full of joy, but falls away just as quickly when persecution comes, because they have no root. But there were surely some or even many in the crowd who truly did put their trust in Jesus as their king. It is from them that we want to learn the lesson of how to welcome Jesus. How are we to apply this triumphal entry in our personal lives? It is very applicable, because everyday Jesus makes a triumphal entry into someone’s life. Among us today are those who have welcomed Jesus into their heart, and there are surely those who have not yet done so. What can we learn from this crowd about how to welcome Jesus? First, they laid palm branches across the road. It symbolizes paving the way for Jesus to come. This reminds us of John the Baptist, who was “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low.’” (Is 40:3-4, Jn 1:23) John prepared that highway by teaching people to repent. Lives crooked with sin were straightened out, and proud people made low. So we also can pave the way for Jesus to come into our hearts. Jesus did not approach Jerusalem with siege equipment, but with a donkey. If they had locked the gate, he would not have forced his way in. Nor will Jesus force his way into our hardened hearts. But when we welcome him he will come. Like this crowd, we can cried out, “Hosanna! Save me, I pray! Come and be my King!” Will you pray that? Will you pray for Jesus to save you from your sins, invite him into your life, and obey him as your king? In this way we welcome Jesus, and if we are sincere, he will come to our heart. Jesus says in Jn 14:23, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Some people have positive ideas about Jesus, but don’t accept him as the king, because they want to be their own king. To accept Jesus as our King demands our obedience to him. One of us here today comes from a Muslim background, but she accepted Christ as her King. Her passport application asked for her religion. What could she say? To claim Christ would mean intense family persecution – in some Muslim countries it is legal to kill those who accept Christ. But she could not deny her King and by faith she wrote down “Christian.” Therefore Jesus is truly her king, because she clung to him, even in adversity. Among us are many who have accepted Jesus as their King. When we accept Jesus, we often experience a new joy, and want to shout God’s praises. One day, Jesus will come again to claim his throne. At that time, we can stand with the great cloud of witnesses and shout God’s praise. Part 2 Jesus, the King of Peace Let’s read verses 14-15 together. “Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, ‘Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’” Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem is in stark contrast to the entries of other Kings. Usually, a king would enter his capital with a massive show of force. He would enter on a chariot or on a great warhorse. On horseback, he could sit high above the common people and look down upon them. Such triumphal entries would often be held after returning victoriously from crushing his enemies. But Jesus was not that kind of king, and his way of entry shows much about what kind of king he is. Jesus could have easily proclaimed himself as king at anytime in his ministry. There was a ready group of followers. In fact Jn 6:15 shows that the crowd intended to make him king by force. But instead of agreeing with the crowd, he slipped away. This is because he is not the kind of king who would take his throne by force. But he is our Spiritual King. He is the King of Peace. If he announces that to the people, they will misunderstand, because there are no true kings of peace in this world. So instead of telling them, he shows them what kind of king he is, by riding on a donkey’s colt. It was the fulfillment of Zec 9. Let’s all turn to Zec 9 and read verses 9 and 11 together. 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. 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 nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit. Looking at these verses carefully, we learn four things about Jesus. First, that Jesus is righteous. Among all people of all time, Jesus alone was truly righteous, never having sinned. This is because he always obeyed his Father. If he were not righteous, he could not atone for the sins of others; he would not qualify as a lamb without blemish. Second, that Jesus has salvation. “See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation.” When Jesus comes, he brings salvation with him. Verse 11 tells us that Jesus brings that salvation through his blood, which seals our covenant with God. Acts 4:12 proclaims, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Third, Jesus is gentle. See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. The image of a young donkey, is an image of gentleness. A baby donkey is not large and not threatening. Its cute. Jesus entered Jerusalem on such a gentle creature. Although this donkey had never been ridden (Mk 11:2), Jesus was so gentle that it did not throw him off, like most donkeys do before they are broken in. As Jesus entered Jerusalem on this humble animal, he was actually lower than the other people. The psychological effect of a king riding a great stallion is that he is unapproachable. That Jesus rode such a humble animal means that he is gentle and approachable. The donkey is not a fighting animal, but an animal that patiently bears heavy burdens. Jesus’ gentleness was shown in his caring for the lost and the sick. One time, Jesus helped a sinful Samaritan woman to meet God, by asking her for a drink. On another occasion, he healed a man who had been blind from birth, and then revisited him, to encourage him. Another time, he touched a leper and made him whole. Jesus is our gentle king. He invites all of us in Mt 11:28-30, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Fourth, Jesus is the King of Peace. Verse 10 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 nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Jesus brings peace to all men. The peace that Jesus offers is peace with God. When Jesus comes into our hearts, he brings salvation and peace. He does not come with chariots and war horses, but with a young donkey. Did you ever hear of soldiers charging on donkeys? When Jesus approached Jerusalem, If they had barred the door against him, he had no army or chariots, nor would he force his way in. When Jesus comes to us, our heart may be hard, like a walled and fortified city. Jesus will not force himself in and proclaim himself King. But if we invite him in, and open the door, then he will come and be with us. Jesus came to rule us as our spiritual king. It is very different than an earthly king. He rules in gentleness, humility and love. He wants to free us from slavery to sin. Often when we cry out Hosanna!, save me I pray!, we have in mind for God to save us from our job problem or difficult situation. But what Jesus really saves us from is the waterless pit, from death and judgment. Despite all of the spiritual meaning of the triumphal entry, it is clear that few understood what it all meant at the time. This included the disciples. Look at verse 16 “At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.” Without knowing the scriptures, Jesus actions must have appeared strange. Why was he riding on a donkey that could harldy support his weight? He looked ridiculous; so gentle and un-regal. They must also have wondered why, suddenly, Jesus was proclaiming his kingship, after years of avoiding politics. Why was he entering Jerusalem so publicly at such a dangerous time, when just before then, he had not moved about publicly, which we can see in chapter 11:53-54. Why was it all happening like this? It was to fulfill scripture, which proclaimed his triumphant entry, and his death at the Passover. Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus was carefully aware of God’s time. Finally the time has come. He proclaims in verse 23, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Before Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples often failed to understand what Jesus was teaching them, not just about the triumphal entry, but also about his death and resurrection. We may often feel that the disciples are so slow to learn and so dense. But we have the advantage of hindsight and of the Holy Spirit. But even we, as we study the Bible more and more deeply, continually come across new passages that prophecy exactly about Jesus and his salvation work. Books like Zechariah are not popular for study, but they contain such prophecies about Jesus. In v 17-19, we can see two responses to Jesus triumphal entry. Those who accepted him, and those who rejected him. Look at v 17-19. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him! Many people heard about Jesus’ raising of Lazarus. So they came out to see Jesus’ triumphal entry and to welcome him. They took part in a great spiritual event. The ground shook with the shouting of thousands and thousands praising God. They saw Jesus, and could think, why is he coming so gently and humbly. Some of them came to accept him. Meanwhile, most of the Pharisees grumbled. They refused to come out and welcome Jesus. They knew the scriptures and should have been the first to make the connection to Zechariah’s prophecy, but instead they only saw Jesus’ triumphal entry as proof that Jesus was political threat and that they would have to kill him quickly. Their words are in a sense true, for when we fight against God, we will get nowhere. And God’s purpose of world salvation work through Jesus will be carried out, despite all then men may do to try to stop it. So as you listen today, are you going to welcome Jesus with joy and shouts of praise, or continue to reject and end up getting nowhere, and missing out on salvation? His entry into Jerusalem is called the “Triumphal Entry.” Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is called the “Triumphal Entry” for several reasons. Firstly, it was a triumph to Jesus personally. Jesus had been on his way to Jerusalem, knowing that suffering and death on the cross were awaiting him. Jesus must have been tempted to avoid suffering, but Jesus finished his journey and finally entered Jerusalem triumphantly. Secondly, it gives us triumph. Up until now, the world—both man and nature—was under Satan’s rule. Satan ruled with the power of sin and death. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was to conquer and destroy man’s enemy, Satan, through his death on the cross and glorious resurrection. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was to conquer our hearts with his grace and truth and restore us into glorious children of God. So let’s welcome Jesus into our hearts today, “Save me! Come into my heart and be my king!” Let’s read the Key Verse 13.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 14:56:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015