Sermon Tone Analysis

We here a lot about final things these days.

-In School and College there is Finals week.

-You also receive a Final Overall Grade

-In College Basketball we just witnessed The Final Four.

-In Sports we all want to know what was “The Final Score?”

In July of 2020 there was a documentary that came out called the “Last Dance.”

This documentary was about Michael Jordan’s final season of playing basketball.

This was his final ride his final season.

In 1998 the Chicago Bulls were playing for their 2nd 3peat trying to will 6 world championships in 8 years.

The coach of the Bulls Phil Jackson said that this would be his last dance or his last year to coach the team and Michael Jordan had gone on record to say he would never play for any other coach so this was it.

This was their last year to prove that they were the greatest team ever.

There were many ups and downs throughout the season but the Bulls went on to win the World Championship.

Today I want to talk to you about a final triumphant ride into Jerusalem by Christ just days before his death.

This final ride tells us a lot about Jesus.

Up till this point there has been a lot of mystery surrounding Christ.

Many people including the religious leaders have wondered who is he really?

It seems that the time for this concealment is over.

Jesus is well aware that this decisive confrontation is about to go down.

As he shows up in the capital city of Jerusalem his messianic claim will be presented.

Eventually at his trial Jesus is asked whether he claims to be Messiah the Son of God?

What is so crazy here is that it’s not as if Jesus has been trying to keep all of this under wraps.

Everything Jesus did pointed to the fact that He was who he said he was, so his reply in verse 64 should have not come as a secret.

But because of the hardness of man’s heart, and the fact that many Jewish people including the religious leaders wanted a different type of Messiah they missed the one who was prophesied about.

They missed the real deal.

Please here me today, don’t miss Jesus!

Don’t miss the fact that something greater, someone greater has come.

What is so amazing about this final ride is that it is documented in all four of the gospel accounts.

These are all the accounts of the triumphant entry from gospels.

Matthew 21, Mark 11, John 12, Luke 19.

Today I want you to Notice Four things about Christ’s Final Ride:

1.

We see Prophecy fulfilled by Christ.

In Matthew chapter 20 Jesus and his disciples are leaving Jericho making their way toward Jerusalem.

On the way they stop at Bethphage which is close to Bethany.

You may recognize this place as the hometown of the Lord’s good friend Lazarus.

This city was on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, probably a mile or two from the city walls of Jerusalem.

Jesus and his disciples generally walked every where they went, so his decision to ride a donkey for the last mile or two was a very deliberate thing.

This was designed to present his claim as the messianic king.

There is so much that is happening here in this passage of Scripture.

There is much more than what we see on the surface.

Jesus is entering the final stage of his work on earth in humility and majesty.

Here in the opening verses there is much more going on then a multitude of people worshiping Jesus as Messiah King.

What is so amazing about this text is that prophecy is fulfilled.

In this very moment Jesus is very aware of who he is and what he has been called to do.

Jesus knows that he is the direct fulfillment of holy and ancient prophecies.

The act of Jesus riding on the colt into Jerusalem is not this random act that just happens.

No way!

This act is actually an ancient and sovereign plan that has been laid out many years before Christ comes riding into town.

Here is how the prophet Isaiah describes it.

If you are here and say yeah this is just random, and that does not prove a whole lot, there is another prophet Zechariah who explains it like this.

This vision by the prophet Zechariah and this prophecy was of a humble and peaceful king coming to Jerusalem.

This is based on the story of David’s return to the city after the defeat of Absalom and his rebellion.

David returned to the city in triumphant, and yet humbly and in peace.

(2 Samuel 19-20) Jesus is entering into town and he fulfills prophecy.

How awesome is that church?

Does the excite us today to know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God?

It should, it should change the way we live and act.

So, Jesus takes this final ride into town knowing that he will submit to his enemies and willingly offer up his life.

Think about this, Jesus still comes, He still rides into town and gives his life as a ransom for many.

2. We see the Humility and Servanthood of Christ.

Throughout the Life of Christ we see an often humble approach.

From his birth in a very lowly manger, from his childhood and throughout his earthly ministry Jesus was a very humble man.

So, this approach into Jerusalem one final time comes with humility.

Why?

Because we Jesus entering the city riding on the colt of a donkey.

Jesus doesn’t come riding in on a majestic white war horse, he comes humbly on a donkey even though he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

What’s so interesting about this moment as Christ is riding toward Jerusalem and the people spread their cloaks and wave their palm branches chanting Hosanna to the Son of David, is that Jesus realized this moment was not about him.

What I mean is that it is not about how much the crowd loves him or their exciting celebration.

We so often desire the praise of others don’t we.

We live for someone to recognize us.

So, this moment here is about one thing.

This moment and the moment Christ was born and his entire live are about His redemptive mission.

Every miracle, every word, every act, including this final ride, which would lead to his death and resurrection were done because Christ came to humbly serve us.

Here is how Luke the physician puts it.

In order for Jesus to do this he had to be willing to humble himself, he had to be willing to take this final ride into hostile territory, suffer, and then die for our sin.

The King of Kings left his throne in heaven to humbly come and serve mankind here on earth.

In Matthew 20:28 we see that Jesus came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Jesus knew that his final ride would lead to his death and yet he was still willing and would not be diverted from his calling.

Jesus came to give his life so that we may have life.

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the last time he did it with joy that was not regretful.

He did it with you and I on his mind.

3. We see the Majesty of Christ.

That word Majesty made sound funny to some of you today.

I know that generally we don’t say words like that today.

We would define this word meaning the glory of God.

This is talking about God’s splendor and beauty that shines through all of his divine attributes.

So, at this point the crowds that are following Jesus are huge!

Spreading one’s garments on the street as well as the waving of the palm branches was an ancient act or way that was reserved for high royalty.

All of this points us to the fact that these people recognized His claim to be the King of the Jews.

The other thing I want to point out is that in verse 9 here the people that are following Christ and have gone before him as he gets ready to enter into Jerusalem began to shout a few things.

Notice these important names.

-Hosanna.

Hosanna transliterates the Hebrew expression, “Save Now.”

How awesome is that?

These people recognize that they really do need someone to save them now.

They need a Savior and they recognize Jesus to be that.

This statement of save now actually comes from Psalm 118 which is the last and longest of the Hallel psalms, which the Hallel Psalm is chanted at the major festivals in Jerusalem.

Here is where we get this statement from.

-Also the term Son of David.

The Son of David is definitely a Messianic term or title because the Israelites knew that from this lineage the Messiah would come.

Notice that this phrase was just used to describe Jesus back in chapter 20 verse 30 when Jesus healed the blind men at Jericho.