Triumphal Entry

Today, we begin our look at the most important week of history since Genesis. This is the week that Christ was born to live through, die at the end of, and rise at the beginning of the next. There are many complexities in the Christian life. There is a lot of theology that we need to wrestle through, personal ethics that we need to consider (especially as we begin James in a couple week), matters of wisdom to think through, but we must never forget the center: the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Jesus is not the founder of Christianity; He is the object of its worship.

The entire Bible has been building up to and looking back at this moment. So we do well to sit up, consider this moment afresh, especially if your walk with Christ has been wobbly lately. Consider this your opportunity to be reawakened to what is really important in life, what our main goal is.

Today we are going to see Jesus do two things: Jesus produces the hope of the Old Testament and Jesus previews the hope of the New Testament.

Jesus Produces the Hope of the Old Testament

All of the gospel writers are highlighting different elements of this event in Jesus' life. It doesn't mean that they are making up their own details or that there isn't a consensus of what has happened. They are just addressing different audiences and therefore will draw out different points. Luke here is writing to a Gentile audience, so he isn't going to make as much about Jewish symbolism at Matthew will. You will notice that Matthew talks about palm branches (a Jewish symbol of victory), but Luke doesn't. He mentions just the cloaks on the ground. Both symbols have a royal victory meaning to them, but palm branches would be lost on a Gentile audience. It is the same with the cries of "Hosana" because a Hebrew phrase would be lost on the Gentiles. This is why we read the Bible with the whole Bible in mind. Each part of it agrees with each other part of it and enhances the understanding of each.

We can see this phenomenon at work in this moment in Jesus' life especially when we look at the expectations both stated and implicit in the Old Testament.

Firstly, and most explicitly, we have Jesus fulfilling the prophecy that we read in our Old Testament reading out of Zechariah 9. This prediction was made 5 centuries before, so the people have been waiting for their promised one for quite some time. They have spent most of their life as a nation conquered or just returning from a conquering, so the idea of their king coming, setting up his kingdom from sea to shining sea, and combined with other prophecies, setting up a reign that will last forever (2 Sam. 7:13; Isaiah 9:7) is pretty appealing! No detail is overlooked at Jesus begins His donkey ride in the city of Bethpage, which at the time was considered the very outer city limits of Jerusalem. Jesus is going to ride in on this donkey such that even the nerdy City Council Guy would have to admit that Jesus is fulfilling this prophecy even from a technicality perspective!

Further, for the really observant in the crowd, it seems as though He is doing everything He can to drive home this point of His kingship. He's coming down from the Mount of Olives, a mountain just soaked with tradition and expectation. This is the mountain that David ran to when he got briefly ousted as king by his worthless son, Absalom. Now, the true King is coming Home!

The prophets have expectations for the Mount of Olives, too. Ezekiel 11:23 shows a vision of the glory of the Lord departing the city of Jerusalem and resting on the Mount of Olives. In Zechariah 14:4, there are some end times expectations for this mountain: "On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward." This is cataclysmic stuff!

So when Jesus starts his journey on this donkey, we can see why people would be nearly delirious with excitement After all, who else would you be waiting for after seeing Jesus? He's healed the sick, fed thousands, cast out demons, and just a few days ago raised Lazarus from the dead! Who else COULD be the Messiah who would do greater things than that? It has to be Him! If you wanted to throw in one more thing, this mountain is to the east of the city of Jerusalem, and in the Bible people traveling west are considered to be moving towards God because God kicked Adam and Eve out on the east side of the Garden. This Messiah is supposed to set all things right and crush the head of the snake, too (Genesis 3:15). IS IT THE END OF THE HISTORY?!?!

It's the Return of The King! The Curse will be lifted! A New Humanity is dawning! It is no wonder that the people are chanting Psalm 118 (a Psalm that would be sung at Passover time) capturing the meaning of the Psalm of a king returning from victory: "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Peace from heaven is on its way!

It is hard to imagine how pumped this place would be. This is during Passover week. The city is swelling to three times its usual population. Its a bustling place. And Jesus, usually the kind of guy that as soon as crowds start talking about making him king he disappears (John 6:15), is going mega public!

So why aren't the religious leaders getting this? The real answer is the Holy Spirit isn't moving in their hearts. You can show a person all the proof in the world, but if they don't have the heart given them to believe they simply won't. But there is at least a little bit of recent events that are shaping their approach. John 11:48 has their reaction to Jesus raising Lazarus "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” They aren't entirely off base.

Within the last thirty years, according to Josephus, there have been attempts at a Jewish revolt against the Jews. Once, near the end of Herod the Great's reign (the same guy that tried to kill the infant Jesus), two men Judas and Matthius knocked over a golden eagle statue that was raised by Herod over the temple. They mistakenly thought Herod was on his deathbed, so this would make a great time to have a revolution (this is around the time of Jesus' birth). It wasn't a good time. Herod was still alive. So for their troubles, he burnt them alive, and according to Josephus (who might, admittedly, be exaggerating) massacred 3,000 other people. When the next governor took over after Herod, there was another uprising. This time, it was around Passover, and some agitators got the crowd swept up into a frenzy such that the local Roman government called in back up to come in to restore order. They did so. Were merciful to some, but crucified 2,000 others. Now, Rome has a guard tower built into one of the corners of the temple.

See how this might make them a little nervous? But if they were to truly believe what was said about Jesus, there would be no need for nerves. And that brings us to our second point.

Jesus previews the hope of the New Testament.

But contrary to expectation, while Jesus is the literal King, He isn't here to establish His throne. Not yet. Not in the way that most would think. Jesus is riding a donkey, a symbol of peace, rather than a warhorse, a symbol of challenge. This might be part of the reason why Rome doesn't really respond.

Jesus doesn't come to do a political takeover. He comes to establish a new covenant, a fulfillment of all the worship that has been lifted up in this place. It is easy to miss who is in the crowd. It isn't just the Jews. In John 12:20, we find Greeks, Gentiles, seeking Jesus. There is a mixed multitude here. Also as the prophets expected. Isaiah 56:6-7 "And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”" Sound familiar?

He isn't here to conquer. Not yet. He is here to gather. But there is going to be a great cost paid. He isn't here to ascend a throne, but a cross. And with that payment will open a place where all the world will assemble together. Isaiah 2:2 "It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

Oh, if they could have only known what was coming!

Well, we do. We have our own prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Revelation 7:9-17. Palm branches? Every tribe and tongue?

Jesus is entering into Jerusalem in triumph, and one day, we will enter into the new Jerusalem in triumph. Opened the life gate that we may go in.

So where do we go from here? Y'all, there is no need to fear the powers of this world. Does that vision we just saw out of Revelation look like it can be stopped by governments? Loss of job? Mean comments and weird looks from people? Don't fear.

We've got a story. We can all tell our neighbors. Some of you in here may be called to one day go across languages and cultures. There are so many languages that have no faithful churches in them. And if you can't go, send. Do you know how much money that is labeled "missions" is actually going overseas? 5% There is still much to do. But it will end in victory.

The King has called us to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)

Instead, spread this joy. The confidence that we see in Revelation 7, previewed here in Christ's triumphal entry should drive us to joy and a joy that is expressed! This is the vision that animates evangelism. That's the real future, y'all! Don't you want to be a part of building that? This is the vision for missions among the nations! Tell them all that their king is riding! His eye is on the Throne! He's closer than He has even been before!

Will you be a part of it?