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Tim Keller – “Palm Sunday invites us to reflect on the paradox of Jesus' kingship, which is revealed not in power and splendor, but in humility and sacrifice.”
Matthew 21:6-17 – The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 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!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” 12 And Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying on the temple grounds, and He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” 14 And those who were blind and those who limped came to Him in the temple area, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant, 16 and they said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” 17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
They welcomed Him by shouting…
· Hosanna – “Save us we pray”
· Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord – (Psalm 118:26) “referred to pilgrims entering the sanctuary/could also be Messianic”
· Hosanna to the Son of David – “Eternal kingdom in which all other kingdoms would fall – It was very eschatological”
· Waving Palm Branches – A sign of victory and shouting”
“When Jesus comes to town there is a Holy Confrontation”
“Confront” – To expose, make known, speak up, bring awareness to
Horse / Stallion – War -> Power and Might
Donkey / Colt – Peace -> Servitude and Humility
Craig Keener – “Jesus was announcing that he was indeed a king, but not a warrior king. Jesus was the meek one, who came to serve rather than be served.”
*For the church historically, this has often meant speaking up for those who don’t have the power, place, voice, or opportunity to speak up for themselves.
· Poor -> disabled, slave, widow, the orphan
· Marginalized
· Oppressed
· Silenced
· Weak
Andrew of Crete - “So let us spread before his feet, not garments or soulless olive branches, which delight the eye for a few hours and then wither, but ourselves, clothed in his grace, or rather, clothed completely in him.”