Palm Sunday April 5th, 2020 Pastor Ryan Heiman True heroes run toward the danger to face it head on to stop evil in its tracks. These are words often used to describe law enforcement, first responders, er doctors and our military personnel. While many are running, screaming, panicking and trying to get away, heroes and warriors go against the flow to help, protect, defend and save. We are so thankful for the many men and women in our country that we can call heroes and warriors. Our savior Jesus Christ is a hero, the warrior we need because today he rides forth into battle to the shouts of hosanna.
Matt hew 21:1-11 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Immediately you will find a donkey tied there along with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 Tell the daughter of Zion: Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. [a] 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their outer clothing on them, and he sat on it. 8 A very large crowd spread their outer clothing on the road. Others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them out on the road. 9 The crowds who went in front of him and those who followed kept shouting, Hosanna [b] to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! [c] Hosanna in the highest! 10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, asking, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
The Warrior Rides Forth Into Battle Today we see Jesus knowing what was before him, and riding forth into the battle. Throughout Holy Week Jesus shows his omniscience. Really, throughout his ministry he shows his knowledge of God’s plan of salvation and doesn’t back down. He starts Palm Sunday by telling his disciples about this donkey they need to get for his glorious entrance into Jerusalem. This wasn’t an accidental ride, crowd and celebration, it was all according to God’s plan. It makes the rest of the week all the more impactful. On Thursday he’ll explain to them about the details for the Passover celebration. He explains the historical plan of God to send a true sacrificial lamb to forgive sins. He speaks to them about what is going to happen on Good Friday and Easter for that matter on most of the days of the week, even though they didn’t understand his plain words until it was all over. So what about all the people there that Palm Sunday, what did they have in mind for Jesus? Did they see him riding into battle? They did, but it was some other kind of battle they were thinking. They proclaimed him the Son of David. They assumed it was time to become God’s nation again, not one ruled by the pagan romans. For the Israelite historian, they probably were thinking that this would just like old times when they would go through a period of captivity and hardship, but their crying out to the Lord would finally be heard and he would deliver them. He had done this many times before. The prophesies spoke about a deliverer. The Son of David would certainly be a fitting name for such a ruler.