Matthew 21:1-11 The Triumphal Entry

This passage is about being at the right time at the right place and missing God. The traditional title of the passage as the triumphal entry is a misnomer for three reasons:

1.     Jesus has not triumphed yet

2.     Jesus' followers and friends were sick, poor, and rejected - hardly a victory in the eyes of Rome.

3.     Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19) - and it was not tears of joy….

The Scripture tells us that as Jesus approached the city - he wept over it (Luke 19:41)

Why was Jesus crying? Because Jerusalem was not able to recognize God in their midst. They missed God! Listen to Jesus' words "…because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." (Luke 19:44)

This is not a triumphal entry, but a very sad event. The people of Jerusalem missed their time with God. How did they miss God? Everything hinges around the person of Jesus.

If we don't understand Jesus, we will not understand God.

If we don't come to Jesus, we will not be able to come to God.

If we don't submit to Jesus, we will not be a part of the kingdom of God.

Jesus said about himself (Jn.14:6): I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

People miss God because they don’t understand who Jesus is.

People miss God because they don’t understand that:

I.              Jesus is Lord

A.   Jesus referred to himself as Lord (v.3)

Lordship combines two elements: power (might) and authority (right) to own

The owner or legal guardian - the implication of what is legitimate

Jesus is the legitimate owner of our lives.

Jesus has legitimate power and authority over our lives.

What makes God's ownership of our lives legitimate?

John tells us about Jesus: (1:2-3)

"He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

Jesus owns us because he created us.

God created all things through his Word. Jesus is the word of God. Without the word there would be no creation to speak of.

B.    Demonstrated by his omniscience in the colt event (miracle) (Mat.21:2ff; Luke19:30ff)

Mt.21:10-11 Who is this?

                        The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth…"

The people insisted in Jesus' role as a prophet, but had difficulties with him being the Word of God. Jesus is not just the bearer of God's words, He Is God's Word!!!!

Our salvation hinges upon our embrace of this truth.

Rom.10:9 "That it you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord… you will be saved."

In Peter's sermon on Pentecost:

Acts2:36 " Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Jesus is the rightful owner of all things because he transcends all things. All things depend on him for their existence…

The argument in the book of Hebrews about Jesus can be summarized like this:

            Jesus is greater than the prophets,            Jesus is greater than the angels            

Jesus is greater than Moses                        Jesus is greater than Aaron

            Jesus is the high priest and sacrifice in one, who offered himself once for all to

buy us back from Satan's hands.

Jesus right to us is double.. He created us and he redeemed us!!!!

II.            Jesus is King (v.5)

Kingship is the exercise of power (might) and authority (right).

It is to legitimately rule over that which is owned.

            Implies kingdom - dominion and a people

                                                (world and humanity)

Jesus is the legitimate ruler of all people.

Jesus has legitimate power and authority to rule over our lives.

                        To rule means that he has the authority to establish laws by which his

people will live and the power to ensure that such laws are obeyed.

A.   The Scriptures attest to his Kingship as the fulfillment of prophecy (Zech.9:9) [According to Mt.21:5]

1.     riding on a colt

2.     people laid their garments/palm branches on the ground

3.     loud praises "blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord"

Jesus accepted this praise as proper. If they did not do it, the stones would. (Luke 19:39-40)

B.    The people did not understand his kingship as the ruler of the world and their lives, but a political position…

C.   This King is:

1.     Righteous - will do what is right

2.     Gentle - brings salvation and peace

Though Jesus has the power to subdue us, He will always do what is right.

Though he has the right to condemn us, He comes to offer peace through his own life.

III.         Jesus is on kingdom timing

A.   The Lord of lords and King of kings came to die

Jesus did not come as a prophet or politician. He came as a Savior. Here and now we are to wait for his return and share in his sufferings. The world will hate us, and many trials and temptations will surround us, but in Jesus we have the victory over them all including death!

B. He will return to judge. This time he will not ride a donkey, but a horse.

            Read the context Luke 19:11-27.

We miss God because we don't accept

            Jesus as Lord - right and might to own

            Jesus as King - right and might to rule - establish laws and judge

            Jesus' kingdom timing - we share in his sufferings (enduring patiently) until

He returns to judge

            Let’s not miss God now or in his second coming!

Acts 8:4-8 Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

God is an expert in redeeming terrible and chaotic circumstances. Persecution scattered the Ancient Church, but with its scattering came the spread of the Gospel. Jerusalem had become a place of comfort for the church and the Apostles made it a fortress so to speak. But in doing so, they were disobeying the very  instructions that Jesus gave them to be witnesses in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Sometimes, God uses very unusual circumstances to overcome my lack of motivation to be a witness outside of my Jerusalem (local place of ministry). Am I entrenched in my Jerusalem unwilling to go out to Samaria to be a witness?

Another key element in the propagation of the Gospel is that not only did the disciples break out of their zones of comfort, but they all were proclaiming the good news. The preaching of the word, understood in this context as being witnesses for the kingdom, was not the exclusive task of the Apostles - "those who were scattered went about preaching the word." In fact, the Apostles remained in Jerusalem! I must be a witness myself. I can't delegate the proclamation of the word to my leaders. I am called to do so. I must obey! My willingness to proclaim the good news as a believer is a key factor to the spread of the Gospel.

The persecution also forced the Ancient Church to go into places they probably would not have gone on their own. Not only were the disciples forced to leave Jerusalem and move outwardly, but they were forced to go to undesirable (to them) places. Samaria is a case in point. The inhabitants of Samaria are descendants of the Jews that mixed themselves with foreign women of the Assyrian empire. The Jews despised them for adopting not only foreign women, but also foreign gods. The Jews despised the Samaritans so much that they would rather walk around their city than enter it to go anywhere even if it meant walking more. Where is my Samaria? Who is despised like that in my context? Is it a social class? Is it the poor? Is it an ethnic group? There could be multiple answers, but the bottom line is that I must be a witness to them also!

"Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ." Maybe to his surprise, the people paid attention to his message and many signs followed the preaching of the Gospel, just like he had experienced in his own Jewish context. God had no partiality. He demonstrated his power among them just like he did among the Jews. Philip became an instrument in God's hands to demonstrate the love, compassion, and mercy of God. The result of such a campaign of love motivated by the persecution  was much joy for the Samaritans. My pain sometimes becomes the motivator to do God's will so that others may experience joy. Christ compels me to identify my Samaria and seek them Samaritans to proclaim the good news so that they might have the opportunity to experience true joy.

Father, thanks for the tough times as well as the good times. Fill me with your Spirit and grant me courage and boldness to speak your word, to be a witness and not rely on my leaders to do so. Help me take responsibility and action. Open my eyes to see the Samaria in my context and seek them. Thank you for the joy you give us all who follow you in your kingdom. Amen.

Matthew 24:1-14 Signs of the Close of the Age

The disciples wanted to know when the destruction of the temple was going to take place and what was the sign for Jesus' return. A sign is an indicator of what is to come. It is important to realize that the conversation has two very distinct events in view: the destruction of the temple and the return of Christ. But Christ does not make a clear distinction between these events in his timetable. It is my conviction that the events leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple (AD70) are the characteristic events that will lead us to Christ's return.

What are those events? In short, they are: false prophets, wars, famines, persecution, and apostasy. The appearance of false doctrines and prophets is as common as wars and famines around the world. The Church is being persecuted today more than ever before. We had more martyrs for the faith in the 20th c. than all the previous centuries combined and it is going to get worse. As a result of persecution there will be a great apostasy - people denying and abandoning the faith. These events led to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple and will continue to lead this age to its close.

One important and determining factor for Christ's return is the proclamation of this gospel of the kingdom into all the world as a testimony to all nations. All other sings are out of my control, but this one is in my hands. If I work to ensure the proclamation of the gospel around the world, I am in fact working to ensure the return of Christ is sooner rather than later. I must have a sense of urgency about missions. It means the end of this age filled with evil and suffering to welcome a new age filled with joy and peace. I want to go home...

Unfortunately, another sign that has to do with me as a believer more than the world, is cold-growing love.  Is my love for Christ and for others growing cold? Am I afraid of persecutions and want to play it safe? A love that grows cold is a hindrance to the proclamation of the gospel and therefore to the prompt return of Christ. A cold love will make me worry about my local church but not care for world missions. The promise of salvation is for those who persevere until the end. I must persevere in the teachings of Christ. I must persevere in love. I must persevere in the proclamation of the Gospel.

Lord, help me be alert to the signs of the end of the age. Grant me courage so that I will not be intimidated by persecution. Fill me with a sense of urgency to preach the Gospel around the world to speed your return. Revive my love for you and the world; don't let it grow cold. Give me strength to persevere until the end.

Matthew 21:1-11 The Triumphal Entry

Jesus finally arrives to the city of Jerusalem. To make an entry according to the Scriptures (Zech.9:9), he asks two of his disciples to bring him a colt of a donkey. They place some cloaks over it and Jesus rides it into the city. By this act, he is proclaiming to all his identity. So many times he asked people to keep it a secret, but now it is out in the open. This is the Son of David, the Lord, the Messiah, the King of Israel, the prophet to come. The crowd is stirred up in a frenzy as they welcome him into the city with much rejoicing.

The donkey was an animal used by ordinary people for cargo and transportation. It was used by royalty in the days of king David and eventually it became a symbol of humility and peace. As Jesus rides into the city, he not only proclaims his identity as the Son of David, but he also proclaims that he comes in humility and peace. Unfortunately, despite the frenzy, the people then did not understand who Jesus really was. 

Would I have known who Jesus really was then? Or would I have been one more in the crowd who expected Jesus to overturn Roman rule and reign immediately? Do I know who he is today? Is he just a good man to me? Is he just a great healer of the past to me? Or is he my Savior? My Lord? My King? Do I live my life like I truly believe it? Or am I like the crowd, in a frenzy for the moment, but when the "rubber meets the road," I cry "Crucify him!"? When given a choice between Jesus and any other revolutionary cause, do I choose Jesus?

Despite his riding into the city in humility and peace, he was condemned like a thief to one of the most violent of deaths - death on a cross. The humble one suffered in the hands of an arrogant people who did not recognize him. The peaceful one was violently mocked, spat on, and nailed to a tree. In a divine act of irony, his suffering in the hands of the arrogant humbles my heart as I believe in him. And the violence he experienced up to his death results in peace for my mind when I turn to him in my turmoil.

Father, thanks for sending your Son, Jesus Christ upon the earth. Grow my faith to believe he is my Savior, Lord, and King. May I live my life like I truly believe it. May humility and peace fill my life forever.

Matthew 20:17-19 Jesus Foretells His Death

Jesus is making his way to Jerusalem and informs his disciples that his death awaits him there. I am not sure that I would have the courage to continue my journey. For sure, we all are on our way to Jerusalem because death awaits us all, but to know the kind of death that awaits you is another thing. Jesus pressed on knowing the kind of death he would suffer.

His knowledge was not limited to his death, but he was very aware that death would not keep a grip on him. He also announced his resurrection to his disciples. The Scriptures tell us that for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross. The joy of knowing that death could not hold him. The joy of knowing that through his death he offered life to all humanity. The joy of going back to the Father where he came from. Suffering is bearable when there is hope of a better future. Hope gives us joy and peace in our suffering.

This thought is so appropriate for the season I am living. Lent has begun and it is a time to remember the life and ministry of my Lord culminating with the celebration of his death and resurrection. It is a time to seek God. It is a time to train myself to be closer to him so that I may grow in godliness. It is a time to shed old bad habits that cripple my relationship with God and begin new habits that will promote my spiritual growth.

As Lent unfolds, may I look forward to Easter Sunday. As my Lord was able to press on with life despite his sufferings because of the joy set before him, may I also press on with life knowing the living hope I have in my God and his promises. As he looked forward to his resurrection, may I also look forward to mine with my heart filled with joy and my mind overflowing with peace in the midst of whatever circumstances I am going through today.

Lord, may I seek you during this Lent season with all my heart. Fill me with the hope of the resurrection. May your joy and peace overflow in me every day.