The Triumphal Entry
21 January 2018 AM – Mark 11:1-11 – Mr17 – Scott Childs
Introduction: John 12:1 tells us that Jesus had spent the night at Bethany. The next morning Jesus did something that His followers had wanted Him to do for a long time. He publically proclaimed Himself to be the coming Messiah. He rode a young donkey about three kilometres from Bethany to Jerusalem while thousands cried, “Hosanna!” We know this trip as Christ’s Triumphal Entry.
Transition: This passage reveals three facts about Christ that each of us need to thoroughly understand.
The first fact about Christ revealed in this text is that …
1. Christ Possesses Divine Attributes
a. He is omniscient
1) Being omniscient means that His knowledge is unlimited. He is God. (Psalms 147:5) “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.”
2) He knew where a young donkey was tied (v.2).
3) He knew the disciples would be questioned when they took it (v.3).
4) He knew the owner would give it to them when they used the “password” the Lord hath need of him (v.3).
5) We cannot hide on God. No matter where we go, God is there. (Jeremiah 23:24) “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” (Psalms 139:7-12) “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”
6) God’s omniscience is both comforting and convicting.
b. He is Sovereign
1) Look closely at verse 2. Jesus said that no human had ever sat on that young donkey. It had never been broken for riding. As a boy on the farm we did not have horses or donkeys, but we did have pigs and cows. My brother and often tried to ride them. I can assure you that until they got used to us riding them, the first many rides were rough and wild.
2) The young unbroken donkey allowed Jesus to ride without a fuss. How could that be? All nature bows to the word of the Creator. Jesus is sovereign over all of His creation. Being the sovereign Creator, He altered nature on many occasions. He calmed storms, walked on water, gave life to dead people and turned water into grape juice. Riding that unbroken young donkey was no different.
3) There will never be a difficulty that arises in your life or mind that is too difficult for God.
a) (Job 42:2) “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”
b) (Ephesians 3:20) “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”
c) (Romans 8:31) “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
The second fact about Christ revealed in this text is that …
2. Christ’s Life Fulfilled Scripture
a. Zechariah had prophesied Christ’s entry
1) Hundreds of years earlier Zechariah wrote: (Zechariah 9:9) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
2) By fulfilling this prophecy, Jesus accomplished two things. 1) He declared Himself to be Israel’s King and Messiah; and 2) He deliberately challenged the religious leaders. Wiersbe, 149
3) The Jewish leaders did not want to arrest Christ during the holiday, but God had other plans. The Lamb of God must die on the Passover. Wiersbe, 149 (Mark 14:1-2) “After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.”
b. Matthew and John speak of this fulfillment
1) (Matthew 21:4-5) “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.”(John 12:14-15) “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.”
2) All that God has prophesied or promised He fulfilled. This assures us that the prophesies and promises yet future WILL certainly be fulfilled.
a) The Lord is NOT willing that any should perish (2Pe 3:9).
b) Jesus WILL come and take Christians to heaven (1Th 4:16-17).
c) Every man WILL give account of himself to God (Ro 14:12)
d) Christians WILL stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (2Co 5:10).
e) God WILL destroy the earth with fire (2Pe 3:10).
f) All whose names are not written in the book of Life WILL be cast into the Lake of Fire (Re 20:15).
3) (Matthew 5:18) “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
The third fact about Christ revealed in this text is that …
3. Christ is Worthy of our Honour and Praise
a. He accepted the honour given Him
1) The disciples placed their garments on the colt in the place of a saddle (v.7)
2) The people spread their garments in the road before Him (v.8).
3) Others cut tree branches and laid them in the road to honour him (v.8). John 12:13 identifies the branches as palm branches.
b. He also accepted the praise given Him
1) Note the four praises shouted out to Jesus (v.9-10) beginning with the words “Hosanna”, “Blessed”, “Blessed”, and “Hosanna”.
a) The people went before Him and followed crying “Hosanna”, which means “Save now!” The people recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah and excitedly begged Him to save them now.
b) These words of blessing were words of praise.
2) Jesus never rebuked the people for their praise. In fact He did the opposite when some of the Pharisees verbally attacked Him as He passed by. (Luke 19:39-40) “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
3) We too ought to praise the Lord from the depths of our souls. (Psalms 150:6) “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”
Conclusion: We have noted three facts that each of us need to clearly understand about Christ. 1) He possesses divine attributes, 2) His life fulfilled Scripture, 3) He is worthy of our honour and praise.
These facts about Christ ought to motivate each of us to give Him the elevated position and worship that He deserves. How can we do that? The most significant way is to place our faith in Him as our Saviour from hell. Jesus said that He came to seek and to save that which was lost. If you have never truly repented of your sin and placed your faith in Christ, do it today.
If Christ has saved you, lift Him up and worship Him by submitting to Him and obeying Him in every area of your life. Show Him you love Him by studying His Word and following His will for your life.
Song: I Have Decided – 397