Sermon #59
Series: Matthew
Title: “Who Is This?”
Text: Matthew
21:1-11
Reading: Ron
Woods – Larry Criss
Subject: The
Triumphal Entry
Date: Tuesday
Evening – October 3, 1995
Tape # R-84
Introduction:
These verses of Scripture, at first glance, appear to be
out of sync with the rest of our Lord’s earthly life. The narrative reads like
the account of some royal conqueror return to his own city. “A great multitude
“swelled quickly to “multitudes,” (Some estimated the crowd to be more than
300,000!) accompanied the Lord Jesus Christ in what is described as his
“triumphal entry “into Jerusalem. Loud
cries of praise and expressions of adulation rang through the air. “All the
city was moved.” Everyone wanted to know “Who is this?” “Who is this?”
Everything in these eleven verses seems to contradict the
whole tenor of our Lord’s earthly life and ministry. It seems to be altogether
unlike him who would not cry, nor strive, nor lift up his voice in the streets.
He always withdrew from the crowd, hid from applause, and urged those who were
healed by his power to tell no one what he had done for them. But all of this
is very easy to understand and to explain. It is not a contradiction at all.
The
fact is, that public triumphal entry into Jerusalem at this time is just what
we should expect to see. Our Lord knew well that the hour of his death, the
hour of his glory, the hour of his manifestation was near. The time of his
humiliation and earthly ministry was drawing to a close. The hour was rapidly approaching when he
must finish the work, which he had come into this world to do. His last great, climatic work was before
him. There was nothing left for him to do except make atonement for and redeem
his people by the sacrifice of himself upon the cursed tree.
He deemed it proper that
every eye should be fixed upon him as he came to be offered up as the Lamb of
God. He would have his great work of redemption known and advertised by
everyone in Jerusalem. The sin atoning blood of the Son of God was about to be
shed. And this great deed was not to be “done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). Therefore, he who had deliberately spent
most of his life in secrecy, secluded from public view, he who would not allow
his admirers to make him a king, come to announce himself King in the most
public manner imaginable. His death would be his entrance into his kingdom.
Therefore, he made a royal procession through the streets of Jerusalem.
Proposition:
This
royal procession was our Lord’s public declaration that he is indeed the Christ
of God and that he was about to enter into his kingdom.
There are five lessons in these verses to which I call
your attention.
I.
Our
Lord Jesus Christ is the Omniscient God – (v. 1-3).
“Who is This?”
A. He is the man, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
B. He is God
who sees all things and knows all things. (Ps. 139).
C. He is
sovereign owner and ruler of all things (v. 3).
II. Obedience to Christ must be unquestioning and unhesitating – “All this was done.” (v. 4).
– (v. 6).
Genuine
obedience, that obedience which arises from true faith, must be blind
obedience.
III. The Bible is without question, the Word of God, fully and perfectly
inspired and without error (vv. 4-5).
IV. The Lord Jesus Christ is King over All Things, By Virtue of His
Obedience to God as Our Substitute – (vv. 5-9).
A.
The
King of Israel, The Son of David – (Acts 2).
B.
The
King of the Universe (John 17:2) “The Lord hath need of them.” (Rom. 14:9).
C.
The
King of His Church (Eph. 1:21-23).
V. The Praise of Man is a Shallow, Deceptive, Fickle Thing.
Application:
1.
Believe
Christ.
2.
Obey
Christ.
3.
Exalt
Christ.