Palm Sunday 2021

Sermon Notes: Palm Sunday 2021. Matthew Chapter 21:1-11

In Matthew 21 we join a crowd who have gathered outside the city of Jerusalem, who see and are there to welcome Jesus, the One they hoped would rescue them from their Roman oppressors. This is the One they’ve been waiting for, the One they know who’s been promised by God time and time again throughout the Old Testament.

1: Come join the crowds and let’s welcome Jesus into our town and lives as King. But will you still love Him and obey Him when you have to make some difficult choices, as some had to make that day and later that week?

V2, ‘Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, GO!’ He says, ‘Go to the village ahead of you and you’ll find a donkey there with a colt, untie them and bring them back to me.’

Jesus had carefully planned this whole event. There was no sudden impulsive action! Jesus had arranged with the owners of the donkey that He would be in need of it, and the owner of the donkey allowed the Lord’s request to take propriety.

Being a disciple of Jesus is really quite simple – whatever Jesus tells you to do, just do it! Work it out in and through your life. Remember Jesus said, ‘if you love me, you will love and obey my commands.’ Work them through in our everyday lives, when it’s easy and when it’s difficult.

John 14 and Matthew 7, ‘Jesus replied, if anyone loves me, they will obey my teachings. But if they do not love me, they will not obey my teachings.’

2: Come, join the crowds, let’s not reduce Jesus or remould Jesus into a shape and size that suits our expectations.’

This must have been an amazing sight as Jesus rides into Jerusalem. There are thousands and thousands of people pouring into Jerusalem for Passover, and Jesus is there joining in the celebrations. Jesus is riding into the city on a donkey, completely surrounded and engulfed in a singing, shouting, celebrating crowd. The people are shouting, ‘Hosanna! Save us Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’ The crowd obviously see Jesus as some sort of King and leader, and so they give Him the Red-carpet treatment. They take off their cloaks and spread them along that dusty road. They are delighted to see Him and greet Him with their welcome songs. The authorities cannot help but see it, because it’s happening right in their faces.

Jesus is doing everything according to His Father’s timetable and plan, v4, ‘this took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet: Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

Those are words spoken by the prophet Zechariah, who lives hundreds of years before this event, prophesying that there would be a day when Jesus would ride into this city of Jerusalem on a donkey.

Jesus is God’s King, so very different to the earthly images we have of a King. He comes to establish a totally different kingdom, with different kingdom values.

3: Come join the crowds, let’s grasp who Jesus really is, let’s wait expectedly for that day when he will return to wrap up this world as King of kings and Lord of all, v10-11.

V10, what an entrance, ‘when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and they asked, who is this?’

Will these people realise who He is or how great He is? Sadly, most of them won’t! But the whole city is stirred when He enters on this Palm Sunday, and that’s what Jesus comes to do, He comes to stir us – shake us – awaken us out of our sin.

He comes to deal gently and lovingly with us, that’s why you take the risk and open the door of your life and welcome Him as your Lord and Saviour.