Walk the Line Matthew 21:1-11

Message by Kurt Jones
April 1, 2007

Does Your Faith Work?

“Walk the Line”

Matthew 21:1-11

Valley Church

Palm Sunday April 1, 2007

INTRODUCTION
How many of you have ever had to “walk the line”? Nine steps on a straight line turn around and come back… It’s called a “Field Sobriety Test”

There are six scoring factors that can be observed in this stage.

Stopping while walking to steady oneself.
not touching heel to toe.
Raising one or both arms more than six inches from the side in order to maintain balance.
losing balance while turning.
taking the incorrect amount of steps.
If the suspect receives two total points on this test, the officer is trained that the suspect is under the influence of alcohol and to make an arrest.

Johnny Cash put it this way….

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time

Because your mine, I walk the line.

Straight like an arrow, staying on the straight and narrow, not wavering to the left or the right… So let me ask you again, have you ever had to “walk the line?”

What is it going to take to get you to swerve? To step out of line? To lose your balance?

EX: Ernie – Harassed THIS week at work for his faith in Christ!

“Does your Faith WORK?” series from the book of James

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

⁵¹ When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; ⁵² and He sent messengers on ahead of Him… Luke 9:51-52

Literally, “he set his face toward Jerusalem…”

One third of the Gospels are dedicated to this last week of Jesus’ life, half of the book of John.

Friday Evening--Six days before the Passover at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus - Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume. John 12:2-11.

Saturday. Jesus keeps the Sabbath in the traditional fashion with His friends.

Sunday. The Triumphal Entry. Mt. 21; Mk. 11; Lk. 19; Jn. 12.

(Stop here?)

Monday. Cleansing of the Temple. Mt.21; Mk.11; Lk.19.

Tuesday. The Day of Controversy and Teaching in Parables. Mk. 11:27-13:37. Matt. 23. the Olivet Discourse - Matt. 24,25; Lk.21:5ff.

Wednesday. The Silent Day. - After an exhausting day of controversy, Jesus more than likely spends this day resting and visiting with His intimate friends.

Thursday. Day of Preparation and Last Passover Supper.

Friday. Trials, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial.

Saturday. Jesus' body lies in the tomb. After 6:00 PM the Sabbath is over and His body is treated with spices. Mk. 16:1.

Sunday. Resurrection Day!

BACKGROUND

Matt. 21:1-7, Mark 11:1-14, Luke 19: 28ff, John 12: 12-36 – Palm Sunday in “Surround Sound”.

When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives… Matt 21:1

V. 1 – Jericho (Jordan river valley near Dead Sea . Matt 20:29) to Jerusalem was a 17 mile journey that rose 3000 feet in elevation. (Like Santa Cruz to Los Gatos except East to West and hotter)
John 12 tells us that Jesus visited Mary, Martha, and Lazarus “Six days before the Passover.” In Bethany about 2 miles away from Jerusalem.
Mary anoints Jesus' feet with costly perfume. John 12:2-11
The next day many Jews came to Bethany to see Jesus and Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
It was probably the next day that Jesus left Bethany for Jerusalem. Bethany on the east side of the mount of Olives. Bethphage (Lit. “house of figs”) was between the two.
Mt of Olives was 300 feet higher than the highest point of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. It offered a spectacular view of the city and everyone in the city could see it.

Jesus declared himself to be the Messiah.

2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³ "If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."

V. 2,3 - Donkey tied there with a colt. The colt had not been ridden on making it cerimonially pure.
Sounds funny, Just go and take the donkey and if anyone asks, say the LORD needs it. (Mark adds that they said “…and we’ll bring it right back”)
Luke says that the owners of the donkeys DID ask, perhaps followers of Jesus…

V. 4 “Now this took place – Commentary by Matthew later on as he looked back on what had happened. Amazing fulfillment of prophecy

⁵ "^A SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,

'BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,

GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,

EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.'"

V. 5 “Daughter of Zion” (cf.Is.62:11) – Used of the city of Jerusalem (Is. 1:8)
Zech 9:9 “Gentle and mounted on a donkey”. Zechariah 500 years beforehand had predicted that Jerusalem would welcome their king coming in on a donkey.

Roman world of Kings entering a city – the multitudes “went out to meet him” was a common expression for a returning, triumphant king – A conquering hero or king bringing his spoil from battle into the city.
But Jewish expectation of MESSIAH was even greater. A great military power to throw off the yoke of Rome and establish God’s kingdom on earth was on every Jewish mind.

This act of self-disclosure lifted the veil of secrecy… Jesus was blatantly declaring himself to be the Messiah. In the face of the Pharisees who had already declared they were trying to kill him.

God’s divine plan was that the Savior would not come in wealth, but in poverty, not in grandeur, but in meekness. Christ willingly came to earth to take upon himself the sin of the world.

“He was not at that time intended to come in earthly spendor or reign in earthly power. He was not to come in weatlh but in poverty, he did not come in granduer, but in meekness; and he did not come to slay Israel’s enemies, but to save all mankind. He did not come to conquer Rome, but to conquer sin and death. He did not come to make war with Rome, but to make peace with God for men.”

“Nothing could have been more appropriate than that the Bearer of the world’s sin burden would enter God’s holy city of Zion, riding on a lowly beast of burden.” John MacArthur

Jesus COULD have come in the back door, ditched the crowds, snuck in… not made a big fuss… but he was walking the line…

Jesus wants people everywhere to know who he really is. Do I?

So many ideas of him out there…

Do I want people everywhere to know who he really is?

TRANS. And what was the response of the crowds?

The people praised Jesus, and He let them!

Jesus accepted the praise from the crowds.

Poplulation of Jerusalem – Usually 50,000 grew to as many as 120,000 or more, some say 2 million…
There were those coming in, those already there, and residents of the city.
Passover -commemorating the great Exodus of Israel from Egypt.

A. What did they do? V.8

This mob all around him began to spread their garments – acknowledgement of Jesus Kingship (2 Kings 9:13 for King Jehu) An act of royal honor.
EX: Hail to the Chief!
Others were cutting branches from trees – Mark “leafy; from the fields”. John “of the palm trees”
Historians tell us that palms had become a sign of Jewish nationalism. When the temple was rededicated in the Maccabean era, over 100 years earlier, palms were used.
Extra biblical traditions show that palms were used as a symbol of ruling power.
During the wars against Rome, palms were used as identifying symbols by Jewish rebels.

B. What did they say? V. 9

Ps. 118 – (on ppt) Part of the Hallel – songs used at the Passover liturgy. Would have been sung by crowds coming up to Jerusalem anyway.
Hosanna – Aramaic for “Save us!” or “Save us now!”
“Son of David” – The most common Messianic term.
As they were coming down off the Mount of Olives in full view of the city. Amazing sight!!!
John says that the crowd adds “even the King of Israel”, not part of Ps. 118, and clearly representing their Messianic expectations.
Later that week, Jesus Himself would refer to this psalm and apply it to Himself (Ps 118:22-23; Matt 21:42).

C. What did they want?

The people traveling with Jesus

John 12:17 tell us that this group knew of Jesus’ great deeds in Galillee, had seen the raising of Lazarus from the dead, had been healed themselves? = “great multitude” – “because of the signs he had perfomed”
They had seen his power and had tried to take him by force and make him king after the feeding of the 5,000 (Jn 6:15)
Hungry to be freed from the oppressor of Rome. Political aspirations for Jesus.
They wanted a liberator, a political ruler to put Israel back on the map as a power. To restore God’s chosen people to place of special power and influence.
The disciples were not immune to this… Who will be the greatest? Is it NOW that you are going to establish your kingdom?
Today he gives us bread, the next day he heals our diseases, lets make him the king!
Self centered, ambitious, looking out for #1, all they could think about were their own hopes, fears, insecurities, their wants…

Multitudes in Jerusalem

V. 10 – (John 12:18 on ppt) People who had come from all over Israel to celebrate the Passover –Camped out all over Jerusalem hillsides
Residents of Jerusalem (including Pharisees- Jn 12:19 “…look, the whole world has gone after him…)
Doing nothing, looking for something exciting, “Who IS this?”
BTW - v.11 Answer: Prophet… (there were lots of prophets…), “from Nazareth in Galilee” – a despised place, “can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (Jn. 1:46)
Didn’t say “Messiah” Had the excitement already begun to wane?

The Multitudes were right in their praises of him, they just didn’t know why! It wasn’t for the reasons they all wanted.
he longs for people everywhere to know who he is.
accepts you at your starting point of need.

Jesus said “Come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28
If you are afraid, uncertain about the future, worried about your kids, suffering physically, suffering mentally, suffering emotionally, bored, lonely, lost, just walked in off the street, just got served with divorce papers, just got out of jail, just watched your 401 got down the stock market tubes, got dumped, got fired, got cheated, Jesus says come to me…
Luke 19:40 The Pharisees tell him to stop the people from praising him and he tells them “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

Jesus accepts people at their starting point of need – Do I?

TRANS – But then the cheering stopped…

In a few short days, the same mouths that cried out “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna” were crying out again, except this time with a cry of “Crucify! Crucify! Crucify!”

Judas would betray him, his best friends would deny him, the multitudes would call for his death.

Jesus recognized the necessity of the cross.

Luke 19:41-44

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and ^A wept over it, ⁴² saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ "For the days will come upon you ¹ when your enemies will ^A throw up a ² barricade against you, and ^B surround you and hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and ^A they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize ^B the time of your visitation."

Jesus knew he was headed for the cross. If the Passover was Thursday (14^th day) then count back to the 10^th day… Yes, it was the exact day of the triumphal entry. Jesus didn’t just pick any old day to arrive in Jerusalem!!!

Corresponding to the day of choice of the sacrificial lamb. According to Exodus 12:2-6, sacrificial lambs were selected on the tenth day of the first month., and kept there until sacrificed on the 14^th.

Ex 12:3-6

3 "Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, 'On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers' households, a lamb for each household. 4'Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. 5'Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6' You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.

This was to be a PERFECT lamb – without blemish of any kind. Jewish tradition says there were 50 points of inspection for each lamb. You didn’t just run down to Walmart just before the Passover and pick up some old thing…
You could bring one of your own and hope the priest liked it, OR you could purchase one sold there in the temple for that very reason. It is interesting to note that Jewish scholars say those sold in the temple were only to come from the flocks of a small town near Jerusalem… flocks from the town of Bethlehem…
This is why there were so many people in the city 4 days before the Passover… it was Lamb Selection Day!!! They would then keep the lamb with them for the next four days… Jewish folks took this very seriously… Each member of the family would spend time with the lamb, and children would cry when it was taken away to be slaughtered…
It was a picture to teach that sin is ugly and parents would teach children the pain of sin. It was a way to personalize and interact with the ceremony in a real and personal way…

Jesus was speaking to a crowd in Jerusalem about his death in John 12:36-38 These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them. But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke…

Isa 53:1-7

Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

Jesus recognized the necessity of the cross… do we? It is easy to focus on our own “needs”.
Jesus wants to take us beyond the extent of our own wants to recognize our real need – a relationship with him. All of the answers to our needs are met in the cross.

There is no Christ without the cross, no Easter celebration without the pain of Calvary
He wants to bring comfort to the afflicted and affliction the comfortable.

Jesus understood the necessity of obedience – Do we?

Have we gotten complacent in following Christ? Are we willing to have the “Hosannas” on our lips when we are here at church, but it is something else entirely most of the rest of the week?

Jesus proved himself worthy of the praise.

Do you see what this means — all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running — and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. ² Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed — that exhilarating finish in and with God — he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. ³ When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! Hebrew 12:1-3 from THE MESSAGE:

Application

Jesus wants people everywhere to know who he really is.
Jesus accepts people at their starting point of need – Do I?
Jesus understood the necessity of obedience – Do I?

Zoe Koplowitz is a marathon runner. She has completed 20 marathons in New York City, Boston, and London.

In the 2003 New York City Marathon, the first woman to cross the line was Margaret Okayo of Kenya, finishing in a record 2:22:31 on Sunday. While Okayo collected her awards and was interviewed by the press Zoe was still running. She took a shower, ate dinner, and went to bed…and Zoe was still running. Got up early Monday morning, officiated at the posting of the marathon results and was off to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Zoe was still running…

When Zoe crossed the finish line, she was the last of 35,000 marathoners to complete the race, finishing in 29 hours, 45 minutes. In fact her thirty-six hour, fifteen minute run has re-set a world record for the longest marathon in the history of women’s running.

Did I mention that Zoe is 55 years old, is a diabetic, has a degenerative disease of the central nervous system called multiple sclerosis, and uses a pair of purple crutches to help her get through the race?

"I think that's really the ultimate lesson, you just keep going until you get it done," she said. "You do what it takes."

2 Tim 4:7-8

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.