Slight Break from Matthew

Today is Palm Sunday

Each of the 4 Gospels records what the crowd says during Jesus’ Triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Each is slightly different from the other… which makes sense… no two people would see things the same.. 2 of the accounts were written by eye witnesses 2 by people who reported what they heard. It would be more suspicious if they all said exactly the same thing…

They do have one thing in common though… they contain one word they all report… Hosanna!

Today’s sermon we’re going to concentrate on One Word that appears in all of the accounts of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem

o John 12:12-13(ESV) 12The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that

Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.  13So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 

o Today I want to talk about Hosanna… And ask 3 questions about this word

Why were they shouting it out?o And related to that… What were they calling for?

Who were they saying it to? What was the result?

o Hosanna It comes from Psalms 118:25-26(ESV)

25    Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! 26    Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.

o That Save us… Is a contraction of two Hebrew Words

Yasha = Save or Deliver Na = NOW

Those Hebrew words were then transliterated

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o Into the word Hosanna By the translators

o It’s emphatic… It’s Save NOW OH LORD OH JEHOVAH Save us NOW!

BTW The Jews also called the palm branches twisted together o Hosannaso And these were used in their worship services

This was a hymn that the Israelites would sing in anticipation Of the coming Messiah Of the King They were waiting for

o Someone to drive out the hated Romanso Someone who would be cut from the same cloth

As David and Solomon Israel’s two greatest kings

In the eyes of the Israelites So the first question is relatively easy to answer

o Why were they calling Hosanna out to Jesus? Because they thought Jesus was the Messiah

o Why would they think this? Because Jesus had performed many miracles when He was on the

earth In fact, John wrote at the end of his epistle

o John 21:25(ESV) 25Now there are also many other things that Jesus

did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

o Jesus was a sensation He performed all kinds of miracles He even performed miracles on people who weren’t

in His presence And because He performed all these miracles

They welcomed Him as they would welcome a king His fame spread everywhere!

o This wasn’t the first time that a crowd thought to make Jesus King

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o Remember when He had fed the 5,000 men When out of just 5 loaves and 2 fishes

Jesus had provided a Feast And as you know men generally will follow their

stomachs anywhere But Jesus would not take part in their plans

John 6:15(ESV) o 15Perceiving then that they were about to

come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus knew they weren’t following Him because he was the son of God

But because He could provide them with free meals

So Jesus left them that timeo He didn’t operate by man’s willo Or even His own… but on the will of the one who sent

Him He was to be king

But not just because he could provide for people physicallyo But for their spiritual lives as well

o So why did the people get excited about Jesus’ arrival The easy answer is partly His mode of transportation

He came on the back of a donkey Which fulfilled one of the prophecies of the Messiah

o He was spoken of in Zechariah 9:9(ESV) 9    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud,

O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

o But there were probably other people who rode on donkey’s right?

And they didn’t receive such a welcomeo No… We need to go back a few days prior this entry

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Back when His friend Lazarus died Let’s turn tor John 11:1-8(ESV)

o We won’t go there… but in the previous chapter The attempted stoning incident that the disciples

were talking about Occurred during the Festival of Dedication Or Hanukkah

When Jesus was surrounded by the Jewish leaders Who wanted Jesus to tell them plainly

o Was He the Messiah or NOT? Jesus said in John 10:25-26(ESV)

o 25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,  26but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. 

o But it was this statement in John 10:30(ESV) 30I and the Father are one.” That threw them over the edge

Which lead to them want to stone Himo But it wasn’t His time yet… o And as had occurred at other times

He eluded them and passed through them Remember when Jesus was crucified It was on His timing

It was because He allowed ito Now Jesus says he’s going back to the place where they wanted to kill Him

And He tells them why John 11:11-16(ESV)

I love Thomas o He’s gotten a bad reputation over time

As Doubting Thomaso But look here… in the face of death

He says… let’s go Just for the honor to die with Jesus

o When they get there they are greeted by Martha first

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Martha who is out of the kitchen Martha who learned from Jesus’ previous visit

o To value time with Him above all other Martha who confesses saving truth in John 11:23-27(ESV)

23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”  24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”  25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  27She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

This is a confession every believer in Jesus must confesso This confession of who Christ is

Came in her darkest moment Her brother was dead

But she was still able to confess Him as Lordo Not because she wanted something from Jesus

But because HE IS LORDo Then Mary when she is told about Jesus races to Him

And assumes the position we always see Mary in At the foot of Jesus John 11:32-33

o 32Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 

That word for Deeply moved Is a strong Greek word

o It literally means to snort like a horse It’s has a connotation to anger and indignation

He was angry or moved because of sin’s tyranny and death o That resulted from man’s sin

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o But I think he was also indignant over the Jews Who were weeping with her

These were professional mournerso People paid to mourn

o Now notice, Jesus saw Mary’s pain… her agony over her brother’s death And He didn’t say… oh well… All things are going be okay

God is still in control He’s got a plan Mary…

NO! John 11:35(ESV)

o 35Jesus wept.  Jesus wept… not the same way the professional did

This is a different word entirely This word is only used here in the whole NT

o It means silently bursting into tears You see while this is the shortest verse in the Bible

It is so full of meaningo We have to remember one of the prophecies of the Messiah

Isaiah 53:3(ESV) 3    He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows,

and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Jesus saw her pain… knew what she was going through And wept The Jews who were with Mary… saw it as a sign John

11:36(ESV) o 36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 

The Jews saw Him weep and thought it was with the same sense of loss that Mary was feeling

The same sense that the world feels when someone dies The type of loss that the world feels

o the same tears they cryo the same pain they feel

But Jesus wasn’t without hope… o He knew where this was heading

He wept for the effect sin had on the world

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o Now some of the Jews… made a logical leap John 11:37(ESV)

37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Knowing Jesus could open the eyes of the Blind A miracle which was attributed only to the Messiah

Couldn’t this have all been averted… IF ONLY Jesus had come sooner

o Again think about what they’re saying… This guy can heal the blind Could’ve healed the Lazarus if only He’d been here But Death is final…

Death is the end… Well they were going to see what a true Son of God can do That Death is NOT the end

John 11:38-44 And so Lazarus becomes one of the most disappointed people

in the worldo Think about leaving Heaven and God’s presence

To come back to here This this world

Jesus was NOT surprised by His miracles Notice Jesus involves the people around him

o To unwrap Lazarus… o They got to put their hands on Him…

Got to see that He was really raised Not a ghost

And as a result of this miracleo John 11:45 -52

This was a powerful amazing miracle That caused many to believe in Jesus

o For who He waso But there were others… who saw the miracle… didn’t believe

Others went and told the Pharisees Remember observing a miracle doesn’t guarantee salvation A person has to be called by God

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o In order to receive Salvationo Later there was a feast… John 12:1-2(ESV)

1Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  2So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. 

Six days before Passover… Martha and Mary throw a banquet We read in John 12:9-11 Notice people heard that Jesus was going to be at the banquet

o And wanted to see… but also the object of His Miracleo Lazarus… and because of their witnessing Lazarus

Many more followed Jesus But it was this one miracle in particular that got the people believing

o John 12:12-18 The people who had been there when Jesus raised Lazarus from the

grave These were going around telling others about the miracle

o Telling others about this man Who could raise the dead

o And I bet there were still others Telling of Jesus’ other miracles

And Jerusalem was packed with people o Many commentaries says like 2 MILLION PEOPLEo Were in Jerusalem at the time

And they were being told about this man Jesuso Who was going to free themo But they were thinking about freedom from the Romanso They were calling out to the Messiah

Save Now!o Their eyes were fixed on the world! And because of that

they were saying Save us now

And if that weren’t enough, and to reinforce His position as Messiah After Jesus entered the city

o He cleared out the temple of the vendors and money changers

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Clearing the temple of everything that brought dishonor to God’s house

And then Matthew records in Matthew 21:14-16 o Here is Jesus among the overturned tables….

And the blind and sick Who would have been outside the temple

gateso See or hear all the merchants running away

And come to investigate And He heals them all

o Do the leaders say… wow this MUST be the Messiah Do they like Martha confess Jesus as Lord NO they tell Him to stop them

They allowed their personal beliefs and position To cloud their vision of who was standing in their midst

o So these people… for the wrong reasons… were saying the right things 2nd Question: Who were they saying it to?

o Each of the 4 gospels gives us a different snap shot of what the crowd said In Matthew 21:9(ESV)

9And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 

They called Him the son of Davido Who came in the name of the Lord

In Mark 11:9-10(ESV) 9And those who went before and those who followed were

shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

He was coming in the name of the Lord,o But they were looking for the kingdom of David to come

backo That earthly kingdom of old

Luke 19:38(ESV)

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38saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 

o Jesus further tells them this is appropriate to call Him this Luke 19:39-40(ESV)

39And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”  40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

The Pharisee’s knew exactly what the crowd was saying

Knew exactly what Jesus was allowing And He told them if the people were silent

o The stones would cry outo Because all of nature recognized what

was happening John 12:13(ESV)

13So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 

John says he’s reported to be the king of Israelo And they were all right

The Messiah was of the line of David Jeremiah 23:5(ESV)

o 5“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 

As both His genealogies trace His line through to David Jesus did come in the name of the Lord

And to do His Willo John 6:38(ESV)

38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 

Jesus was in deed the king Jesus said as much in John 18:37(ESV)

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o 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 

o It just wasn’t of this worldo Jesus Christ was all of these

And He is the only way to receive eternal life As Paul would write in Romans 10:9(ESV)

9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

As I said the people greeting Jesus were saying the right things But for the wrong reasons

What was the result of this?o To the Pharisees it only confirmed their worst fears about this man

John 12:19(ESV) 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are

gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” They saw the world following after Him

They couldn’t tolerate anything that took the spot light off of them

And that included Lazaruso As we said before

The Jewish leaders also wanted to get rid of him tooo And so this crowd met Jesus with these shouts of Hosanna because of the

miracle of Lazarus As John writes in John 12:18(ESV)

18The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 

But if your faith is based on miracles alone It’s not really faith Many acted because the those people

o Who were there when Jesus raised Lazarus Stirred them up

o After all would that be a great king

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He could feed you And raise you from the dead

o And if you could be stirred one direction… you can be stirred in another As happened a week later…

These people were stirred up by another group of peopleo The Pharisees who did it out of envy of Jesus’ popularity

Mark 15:10-11(ESV) 10For he perceived that it was out of envy that the

chief priests had delivered him up.  11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 

o And because their beliefs were only based on what they could see

Or what they heard They quickly turned on Jesus

And shouted Mark 15:13(ESV) 13And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 

And John records they went so far as to declare Caesar their king

In John 19:15(ESV) o 15They cried out, “Away with him, away

with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 

See when you are not grounded in what you believeo You will say pretty much anything

o This crowd would be stirred another way About 45 days later…

After Peter, filled with the Holy spirit at Pentecosto Gave his first sermon and at the end o We read in Acts 2:36-40

Then true faith took holdo After hearing Peter talk about Jesuso They were Cut to the heart

And when they asked what we shall do…

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They were saying… Hosannao Save us NOWo But with a clear hear a clear mind

Today people still shout Hosanna…o Oh they may not know they’re shouting it

But people need to be saved People may be shouting

Without opening their mouths Without saying a word

Maybe their being stirred up by people with good intentions People stirring them up to say all the right words

o To come forward during an alter callo To get baptized

But unless people are called by God o This is just a waste of timeo You cannot force someone to call on Jesus as Lord

On the other hand, others could be stirred up with the worst intentions People gossiping about others Railing against ministry heads

o Because they want things their way But they don’t want to be under the authority of

church leadership Or like the Pharisees they want the spot light on them

o On what they want to sayo So they tend not to listen to others…

But they always just want to have their say They will be rude and try and boss people around

All in the name of Godo These are also the first people who feel threatened

When things change… When new people come into the church

How do you prevent being stirred up by others Regardless of their intentions

o Ephesians 4:10-16 The way you avoid being stirred up by men

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Is grow in your walk… never thinking you have nowhere else to grow

Accept your place in the body of Christ Which is the church And serve Him gladly

And never get discouraged… yes there will always be some who will stop trying to stir the pot

o 2 Timothy 4:2-4 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of

season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  3For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,  4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 

o Some people ears will always be itchy People who want to substitute man’s wisdom for

God’s Who follow the latest trends

The latest hip things People who never want to hold on to Jesus

And Him alone And who do you call out to?

o Is it man… the latest and greatest dynamic pastor on TV Or a politician who promises you the moon Or a young man or woman who says

o And one thing that doesn’t change is The one we’re calling out to is still

Jesus Christ… King of Kings and Lord of Lords He is still the Alpha and the Omega

o The beginning and the endo And we can come to Him and cry

Hosanna! Blessed is HE who comes in the name of the Lord

All praise is due Him!14

o And when we do… what is the result Like Martha with Jesus Like the Jews who heard Peter

When we are cut to the heart… by what Jesus had done for us personally

With eyes wide open to what we’re saying As Paul said in Romans 10:9-10(ESV)

o 9because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  10For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 

And we run to Him like Mary dido Falling at Jesus’ feet

As Lord and Savior… the only way to be saved As the writer of Hebrews says in

o Hebrews 12:1-2(ESV) 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a

cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

o When we do that we will be saved! And death is just an doorway to eternity with God

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Benediction:

Psalm 118:20-29 says:

Psalms 118:20-29(ESV) 20    This is the gate of the Lord;      the righteous shall enter through it. 21    I thank you that you have answered me      and have become my salvation. 22    The stone that the builders rejected      has become the cornerstone.£ 23    This is the Lord’s doing;      it is marvelous in our eyes. 24    This is the day that the Lord has made;      let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25    Save us, we pray, O Lord!      O Lord, we pray, give us success! 26    Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!      We bless you from the house of the Lord. 27    The Lord is God,      and he has made his light to shine upon us.      Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,      up to the horns of the altar! 28    You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;      you are my God; I will extol you. 29    Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;      for his steadfast love endures forever!

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