Point of Grace - 3.24.24 Sermon Notes – Palm Sunday – “If you only knew what would bring you Peace!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CkhFQol0xE
The Prominence of Holy Week in the Gospels (chapters)
Baptism (3 years) Palm Sunday (1 week) Resurrection
Matthew 3 21 28
Mark 1 11 16
Luke 3 19 24
John 1 12 20 (21)
Matthew 21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Context of Tension
- Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem for Passover (35,000 – 100,000+)
- Romans, Jewish Leaders (Pharisees), Zealots, Pilgrims
- Jesus had raised Lazarus 2-6 weeks earlier in Bethany 2 miles away.
- He was popular among Galilean pilgrims coming to the festival.
- Jesus healed 2 blind men in Jericho 2 days before
- He rides in on a donkey (Zech. 9:9)
- Accepts the praise of the people as Messiah (Psalm 118:25-26)
- Cleared the Temple and called it back to its purpose as a “House of Prayer”
Luke 19 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said,
“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another,
because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
This Palm Sunday is a time of God’s coming,
He comes humble … but He comes as the King, who was crucified and now risen and reigning,
He comes to bring peace to all who will receive Him who will surrender to Him alone in worship crying out,
“Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”