INTRO: This Palm Sunday morning I would like to spend our time, not focusing on all the mere tradition, but on the most essential things about the event that are pertinent to the Lord’s purpose and what it teaches us about our faith.
I. JESUS MADE A PUBLIC CLAIM TO BE THE MESSIAH. (28-38)
A. At age 30, Jesus went to be baptized by John the Baptist and began His earthly ministry. He Isaiah 61:1,“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me. Because He anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. . . .Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
He proclaimed He was the long awaited Messiah – and they rejected Him.
B. 1.) READ vss. 28-36. Zechariah 9:9, “Your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey, even the colt, the foal of a donkey.”
2.) READ vss. 37-40. Jesus accepted the praise of the people.
- A primary purpose of Palm Sunday is to make clear Jesus claimed to be the Messiah.
The cleansing of the Temple (Vss.45ff).
II. JESUS SHOWED HIS WILLINGNESS TO LOVE AND SAVE PEOPLE. (28)
A. Jesus was a wanted man, but Jesus He chose to go into the danger, not secretly, but drawing a crowd so He would not be missed.
Read Lk. 18:31-33. He knew His claim would be rejected, but He offered Himself anyway.
B. Some claim that people can be “saved’ in a variety of ways.” If that were true, why would Jesus, who was able to do so much for people if He lived, choose to die and to die in a most horrible fashion?
III. THERE ARE ALWAYS THOSE WHO REFUSE HIM.
A. Vss. 41-44. They waited, but they did not recognize the day. And they would pay a heavy price.
READ vs. 39. Right before their eyes the religious leaders, those who should have been first to turn to Him and help the others to do the same, instead rebuked Him.
B. We have been sent to reach out to all people. On the day this world ends, there will still be those who wait in rebellion. It is a terrible thing and, despite it, we must, love them and reach out to them.
CONCLUSION
Basic lessons: 1.) Jesus certainly claimed to be the Messiah, the Savior sent from God. 2.) He wants us to know He loves us beyond our understanding and willingly laid down His life for us.
3.) There will always be those who choose to disbelieve and reject the Lord and us who offer them hope.