Beyond All You Ask or Think

Beyond All You Ask or Think

Luke 19:28-42

 

Today is referred to as Palm Sunday, it is a day that is celebrated each year the Sunday before Resurrection Sunday. It is a day that kicks off what is known as Passion Week, or Holy week. The title Passion Week is so named because of the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of His people. It is a day that gives the detail surrounding Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem. It is a journey He had embarked upon many times, but this time, it was different. This time, He presents Himself to the people as the Messiah, the One who had come to save.

The people respond by offering shouts of praise to Him…But at the end of the week those shouts will turn to shouts to do away with Him. Things will change in less than one week, and the circumstances we see here in history carry much application for you and me. The circumstances remind us that Jesus can do beyond what we ask or think in any given situation, but also the importance of trusting Him to work all things for good, even when we don’t understand the direction things seem to be headed in.

 

Illus. Preferred seat.   

 

Read: Luke 19:28

           

From verse 28 we know that Jesus and His disciples are going up to Jerusalem. The occasion in their culture was for the Passover celebration. This was a celebration of the day God saved the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God had told the Israelites to sacrifice a spotless lamb in that day and mark the top and sides of their doorframes with the blood of the lamb. This would ensure that their household would be spared from death.

From history, we know that Jerusalem swelled for this celebration, we are told, to about five times its normal population. People would travel from all over the known world to Jerusalem for this celebration. Therefore, not only would the city of Jerusalem be packed, but the roads and paths to get there.

As He travels, the scene unfolds in Luke 19. What we will see is a beautiful picture. Jesus, while on His way, will fulfill a prophecy and present Himself to the people traveling as the Savior. The people are then moved to praise Him, and they welcome Him into the city as King. But their loud shouts of praise for Him, would turn to doubts about Him, followed by shouts to crucify Him at the end of the week.

Their shouts of praise would turn to doubt, because Jesus was going to save differently than the people expected or desired. The people were looking forward to a savior, but they had specific ways they desired that savior to save, places they wanted the savior to go, and a particular foe they wanted the savior to overthrow.

In Jesus’ day, many were looking forward to the Savior who would come as their messianic deliverer, and the predominant thought was that this deliverer would lead them in a revolt against Rome. Jesus was truly the One who would save, but the cross would come before the crown.

Jesus will present Himself as the Savior to the people, but He would save differently than they anticipated, He would not go where the people wanted Him to go, and His focus was on a greater foe than the fight against Rome. Jesus had come to make a way to permanently save people from their sins, rather than a situation they might temporarily find themselves in.

For us today, we can easily find ourselves in a similar situation. There are difficulties we endure, struggles we face, wars that are waged, and foes we face. We often have a preferred path to make it through, but it is most important we pursue what Jesus desires to do.

 

1. Be Available to What Jesus Desires to Do

 

Luke 19:29-32

 

• As they approach Jerusalem and stop near the Mt. of Olives, Jesus sends two of His disciples into a nearby village to retrieve a colt of a donkey that He knows is tied there.

 

• It was a colt that no one had ever sat on. His two disciples were to untie it and bring it to Him.

 

• If anyone were to ask why they were taking the colt, they were to respond by saying, ‘the Lord has need of it,’ and that it would be sent back to them after Jesus used it.

 

Luke 19:33-34, And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord has need of it.”

 

Mark 11:6, And they told them just as Jesus had said, and they gave them permission..

 

• Hearing that the Lord needed their colt, the owners were willing to let Jesus’ disciples take the colt for His use.

 

• The colt had never been ridden (Mk 11:2; Lk 19:30). It would seem a gesture of respect and honor to offer such an animal to someone.

 

• I am immediately struck by the phrase used when coming to the owner of the colt, the phrase used specifically is, “the Lord has need of it.”

 

• Why would the creator of all things have need of anything?

 

2 Corinthians 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

 

• Am I willing to let Him break in the unbroken things I have, or use the unused things that I have been holding onto?

 

Illus. Borrowed things.  

 

Illus. Available?

Romans 11:36, For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever.

 

• He who made everything laid it all down that I might become rich in Him. But not only this, He chose to put Himself in a position whereby we could partner with Him, in order to see His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

 

• God didn’t have to make it work this way. But He has chosen to allow us the opportunity to be a part of His story.

Luke 12:48(b), “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more..”

 

• We get to be a part of making a difference on this earth and in our lives, for Jesus.

 

• We would not be speaking of the items on that list, had they not been offered to and used by Him.

 

• This borrowed colt, would become a very famous colt. Why? Because as we see throughout Scripture regarding cities, towns, mangers, tombs, talents, and anything given to and used by the Lord, He returns them with interest. In other words, they become greater.
• Their young donkey became the most famous donkey the world has ever known all because they gave it Jesus on loan.

Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

• This colt of a donkey, would be remembered for generations to come…Spoken of 2,000 years later…why? Because Jesus had need of it and the people who had it, allowed Him “borrow” it, for His good and His glory.

 

Matthew 16:25, For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (NIV)

 

• We have hopes, dreams and expectations surrounding our lives. But if the Lord has need of what He has given you and me, let us be those who allow Him access.

 

1. Choose His Solution to Your Situation

 

Luke 19:35, And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.

• After the disciples threw their cloaks on the back of the colt, Jesus sat on it.

 

• In taking His seat and heading to Jerusalem, He was offering Himself as King to the people. Something He had previously avoided.

 

John 6:15, Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. (NIV)

 

• This time it was different.

 

• Jesus was now at the height of His ministry, and all wanted Him to ascend to His throne.

 

• As mentioned, the people were heading to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover which commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery to Egypt.

 

• And it was at this time, in remembrance of deliverance that hopes for their own deliverance from Roman’s oppression ran high.

 

• They were looking for their leader, one who would lead them in victory and here was Jesus, they had found their guy, He was fulfilling scripture, He was the Messiah.

 

• Verse 37 tell us that in response to what they had seen…The people begin to praise loudly!

Luke 19:37, And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: “Blessed is the King, the One who comes in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

John 12:12-13, …When the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!”

 

• Some in the crowd laid down their coats and others placed palm branches on the road, it was their way of creating a “royal carpet.”

 

• Atop the colt He was elevated, now celebrated, and the people excitedly exalted Him. He was showing them who He was beyond the shadow of doubt, the crowd couldn’t help but to shout!

 

Matthew 21:9, Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”

• As Jesus continues toward Jerusalem, the people who surround Him were shouting “Hosanna,” which is of Hebrew origin and the result ofyasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna”.

 

• Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!” Hosanna! Save now!! Save now in the highest, in the uttermost!

 

• The people cry out to Jesus, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

 

• With those words, they are quoting Psalm 118, which was a song the people would sing, it was a song set apart for the Messiah, and now, they are welcoming Jesus to Jerusalem, singing it about Him.

 

Psalm 118:24-26, This is the day which the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it. Please, O Lord, do save us; please, O Lord, do send prosperity! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord…

 

• They wanted Him to save them out of their situation, but not in the way He was planning to save.

 

• Hosanna in the highest, “I beg you to save to the uttermost,” “I beg you to save until there is nothing left to save.”

 

• They had great expectations, but Jesus was going to perfect those expectations. He was going to go deeper.

 

Illus. Home inspection.

 

Psalm 37:5, Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you. (NLT)

 

III.       Remain Committed No Matter the Conditions

 

Luke 19:39-40, Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”  But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

 

• The idea of creation itself praising the Lord is seen in the Bible. The water supported Him (Mt. 14:25), the storm stopped for Him (Mk. 4:39), and here He says the rocks were ready to praise if the people didn’t.

 

• As we close this morning, we notice verses 41 to 42 which represent a shift in the scene.

 

• It has to do with what we know, and Jesus knew at that time to be true.

 

• The people are singing and shouting praises, but in just a few short days, some of the very people shouting praises to Jesus, will be shouting “crucify Him.”

 

• And the shouts will shift, because His purpose and plan will be largely missed by the people.

 

Luke 19:41-42, When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known on this day, even you, the conditions for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.

 

• Notice the contrast, the crowd was rejoicing, and Jesus is now weeping. When it says He “wept over the city,” the word “wept” is indicative of a loud cry or lament.

 

Illus. A picture.

 

• Jesus looks around, weeping He says of the people, “If you had known the condition of peace…” In verse 44 He will say “you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

 

• The word for peace here, is “Eirene” (eye-ray-nay), which carries the meaning of wholeness, with all essential parts together.

 

• It carries the definition of completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, peace. It depicts an exemption from the rage and havoc of war.

 

• It can refer to a stone that has a perfect shape with no cracks, or a completed stone wall with no gaps or missing bricks.

 

• In the Old Testament Hebrew, the word for peace is “shalom.” It carries a similar meaning and definition.

 

• In Isaiah 9:6, calls Jesus the “Prince of Shalom.” He was at that point the One to come, there would be no end to the increase of His shalom!

 

• Shalom, when used as a verb, has a meaning that is powerful, to bring shalom means to “make complete” or to “restore.”

 

• As the angels announced Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:14, His birth is noted as arrival of Eirene, or our English word, peace.

 

Romans 5:1, We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Ephesians 2:14, He Himself is our peace…

 

John 14:27, Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.

 

• Jesus weeps because He had come to provide a way for the people to have peace with God, but they didn’t see it.

 

Illus. Conditions.

2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

 

Luke 19:28-42