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Today we are remembering and celebrating what is the most significant week in all history—the final week of Jesus that led to His crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection!
This last week is captured in 8 out of the 28 chapters of Matthew (almost 1/3); 7 of 16 chapters of Mark (nearly 1/2); 6 out of 24 chapters of Luke (1/4); and 9 out of 21 chapters of John (just under 1/2).
Jesus spent 3 1/2 years ministering, but a huge part of what the gospels relate of his life and ministry are the details of this final week of Jesus’ ministry.
This shows the significance of this final week.
I want to encourage us all to spend time reading about Jesus’ final week of ministry.
Imagine if you knew you had just one week to live.
Would you think about what you wanted to pass on to your loved ones and friends?
I imagine we all would take time to think through what we consider the most important things we wanted to pass on.
I imagine that Jesus may have done this as well.
What did He feel were the most important things to do and say during this final week?
Let’s take time to look at this all week long.
Friday, we will take time to consider the very last things Jesus said, the things He said while on the cross.
Let’s begin, by reading what happened on that Sunday so long ago, when Jesus was making the final leg of His journey to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.
We will be reading in Matthew 21, verses 1 to 11.
Let’s pray and ask God to speak to us from His word today.
Jesus our Courageous King
In different settings, we see Jesus walking in the midst of crowds, or with His disciples.
Luke and Mark both point out something that was different this time.
Luke 19:28
Mark 10:32, picking up Jesus’ journey just a little before this point of sending two disciples to get the donkey, put it this way...
It was well known that the leaders in Jerusalem hated Jesus.
They wanted to kill Him.
We have seen that over the past weeks as we have been studying through John.
How many of us would want to travel to a city where people hated us?
Yet that is what Jesus was doing.
And he was not going in the midst of His disciples, using them as body-guards.
He was leading the way, and determinedly going to Jerusalem.
Not only that, He literally took the disciples aside and told them exactly what was going to happen.
He knew all that was going to happen, and yet He was leading the way.
He was leading the charge to Jerusalem.
Why would He do that?
No reluctance.
No timidness.
No holding back?
Hebrews 12:2 tells us…
For the joy set before Him… The beatings and crucifixions were not a joy.
God never said that all things will be good in our lives.
And Jesus certainly experienced the worst of life.
However, God does promise to work all things together for the ultimate good of those who love Him!
And God used this horrible suffering of Jesus to provide salvation for everyone who will believe!
Gospel
Jesus was enduring that cross with His journey to Jerusalem that Sunday so long ago.
He was our courageous King who showed us how to endure the trials of this world, by looking ahead to the joy before us.
We need to fix our eyes on Him, and the joy set before us!
Let’s not grow weary and lost heart.
This week, look at what Jesus did for us, and remember why He did it.
The joy set before Him.
Ask Him to remind you of the joy set before you… Eternal life with Him!, so that you will not grow weary.
Jesus our Authoritative King
Can you imagine what it must have been like for those two disciples?
Go borrow the colt of a donkey.
Just get it and bring it.
He did not tell them to go rent a donkey.
He said, untie it and bring it here.
Just say, “The Lord needs it.”
This was actually a part of the culture.
A king or dignitary could demand the use of anything.
They just needed to use the formula, “The Lord needs it.”
This meant the person with authority claims this, and it needs to be done.
Jesus really does have all authority.
He is the Creator.
The Lord of Heaven and Earth.
Later in Matthew we here Him say, “All authority in Heaven and Earth” is His.
So, when someone with authority tells us to do something, what should we do?
These two disciples were the first that faced this dilemma.
The Lord told them to go to a town that was not their own.
He told them they would see a donkey with a colt as they entered the town.
And, that they were to untie a donkey that was not theirs.
It was not like going to their own hometown, where they likely knew the folks.
Hey, Jim-bob, its me.
Jesus sent me to borrow your donkey.
Hey, thanks, cuz.
No.
These would be strangers.
And, they were not to ask first.
They were simply to untie it.
Then, the people there were expected to just relinquish this donkey without being told who the Lord was?
Yes.
they were expected to do all of this, simply because that is what Jesus said to do.
Jesus has all authority.
What He tells us to do, we must do.
So, here’s the question: What is He telling you to do?
Rejoice in all circumstances?
Be at peace?
Be patient?
What is He telling you to do even if it doesn’t make sense to you? Are you doing it?
And for those times when it doesn’t make sense to us...
Jesus our Trustworthy King
We can trust Him.
Just like those two disciples, we will see how things work out when we obey.
And, sometimes we will even get a bigger understanding of why we had to do certain things, in certain ways, at a certain time.
I like the way John records this...
They did not know or understand the significance of Jesus wanting a colt to ride on.
But it was specifically a colt on purpose!
God worked things out that that colt would be at that town on the way to Jerusalem.
God worked it out that the owners would let them take the colt.
Why?
Because God was fulfilling what He said, a sign for all to see and understand who Jesus is!
Over 500 years before Jesus came, God gave this sign of the coming savior to His people Israel, through the prophet Zechariah.
Let’s read this prophecy.
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