Palm Sunday
05 April 2010
Matthew 21:1-11
“Almighty God,
you sent your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, to take our flesh upon him and to
suffer death on the cross. Grant that we may share in his obedience to your
will and in the glorious victory of his resurrection.”
Today is the
beginning of Holy Week. It is a time when we walk with the Savior. Observing
His arrest. Trial. Passion. Death. And burial. The events which lead to His
death - of course – Was His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
The small details of Scripture are not accidental. Or
incidental. Everything is done for a
reason. And a purpose. One of the small
details of Palm Sunday is the animal involved. The colt. On which Christ rode.
This animal is not at all unimportant to the story. The donkey was a burden
bearing animal.
The Roman military road. Which led from Jericho to
Jerusalem. Was about seventeen miles long.
It climbed three thousand feet. It passed through Bethany. (Where Jesus
stayed six days before the Passover. (John 12:1-10) And nearby Bethpage.
("House of figs") This lay on the southeast slope of the Mount of
Olives. Then crossed over the mount and the Kidron Valley and entered Jerusalem
(v.1).
Jesus sent two
disciples ahead to Bethpage. To fetch the animals. To ride on a colt. Because
it was planned by Jesus. This, could only be a deliberate act. A symbolic,
self-disclosure. For those with eyes to see. Secrecy was being lifted.
I.
Donkeys were…
A.
Not for status. But
for service. The quotation is from Zechariah 9:9 reads: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you. Righteous and
having salvation. Gentle. Riding on a
donkey. On a colt. The foal of a donkey.”
A donkey was sometimes ridden by rulers.
In times
of peace. When Solomon was anointed king
– He arrived . Riding on David’s beast. (1 Kings 1:33)
The crowd would have certainly
understood these words of the prophet. They referred to the Messiah. Who comes in peace. For those with eyes to see.
Jesus fulfills the promises of Scripture. He enters the city. As the prince of peace.
B. Donkeys
were used not for battle but for burdens. As they are even today. How fitting that Jesus should be sitting on
such a beast of burden. He offers His life. In exchange for the sins of the
world. This is what John had predicted in the desert. When he proclaimed
Christ. “The next day John saw Jesus
coming to him and said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world.” (John 1:29)
Transition: Donkeys were beasts of burden. Quite a perfect
reflection of Christ’s ministry.
II. This colt. Is a perfect reflection of
Christ’s ministry.
A. Jesus
came to bear the ultimate burden – The burden of your sin. The sin of commission.
The sin of omission.
1.
Sin of Commission
– Offenses against God and our neighbor. Committed in thought. Word. And
action. – Only one conclusion can be
claimed. – We are guilty before God and our neighbor.
2.
Sin of Omission –
When we had the opportunity to do good but failed. Where we could have
prevented evil. But chose not to get involved.
3.
But Christ will
not allow you to wallow in your misery and sin. He took your sin as His own. He
bore the burden of your rebellion to the cruel cross of Calvary. Now. Through
repentance and faith. You are free to bear the burden of your neighbor. In love
and service.
4.
You have
something to offer the world in this time of uncertainty. You have the sure
promises of Christ. While you’re staying
close to home – you are set - to care for and watch over your spouse, children,
co-workers, and your neighbor.
5.
Luther’s advice
is fitting here. In 1527, during the spread of a plague, Luther wrote a letter
concerning how Christians should respond.
He gives
the same kind of practical advice we hear today. Such as, Stay home! Especially,
if you are sick. Or if you think you may have contracted the disease. Take
medicine. And listen to physicians.[2]
In this time of uncertainty. An abundance of fear can
cause us to forget that we have been delivered by Christ. Death is not the worst
thing you can face.
Hell should be your worse fear. Yet
Christ has defeated hell. Through His cruel death on the cross. Never forget and lose sight of Christ. Your
light and life. Nor should we forsake your neighbor in his need. Especially at this time of social isolation.
B. Christ came to bear people’s burdens. Worn
down by sin and strife.
1.
He came to a
troubled world. Outside of Eden. An imperfect world. Filled with sickness. War.
And strife.
This
sickness. Covid-19. Is not the result of some particular sin. Or a certain sinner.
We need not act like bounty-hunters. Chasing down the culprit who started this whole
mess in the first place. This only leads to conspiracy theory programming which
airs on late night television.
What this
pandemic confirms. Like everything else. That ails our world. It shows how sin
and death have invaded and impacted every aspect of human life.
The
heightened sense of illness and death in the public sphere is a not-so-subtle
reminder that we cannot place our ultimate trust in things. Like physical
health. Financial security. And societal stability. These all wax and wane with
the constant, uncertain fluctuations of a sinful world. Even the healthiest and
richest among us - Cannot save or deliver themselves from sin. For the wages
of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)
2.
Sin. Which is the
root ill for all men. Is what Jesus came to eliminate. Precisely in times of
pandemic and anxiety. We see how the Father responds. He reveals Himself to us
in absolute commands and promises.
This Word
of God is delivered to us. At and through the cross of Christ. The commands are
fulfilled. The promises are guaranteed. By the blood of the Lamb. Our death is
faced fully in the death of Christ. Our resurrection is guaranteed by His
resurrection.[3]
Your Lord Jesus. The
Son of Man. The Prince of peace. Appeared on that first Palm Sunday. To offer
Himself for the life of the world. Today. We offer our praise. As we journey with
Him. As He offers up Himself. For the sin of all. For your salvation and life.
_______________
Words – 1,115
Passive Sentences –7%
Readability – 79.7%
Reading Level – 3.5
[4] Palm Sunday copyright © Ed Riojas Higher Things
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