Weekend of April 12 & 13, 2014

Introduction1. I am fascinated with royalty, and love reading

about them, maybe because I am so far from royalty myself.

A. Remember the hoopla surrounding the birth of baby George, the next heir to the British throne, last summer?

B. The Palaces, the servants, the untold wealth at their command is unbelievable.

Introduction2. When Queen Elisabeth visited

the United States several years ago, the newspapers reported how lavishly she travelled.

A. 4,000 pounds of luggage, containing two outfits for every occasion and one outfit in case someone died;

B. They brought 40 pints of blood plasma, in case the Queen would need an emergency surgery and blood transfusion;

C. Her own hairdresser, two valets and a host of other attendants;

Introduction3. The people Kenya have an expression for such

important people of our world. They call them “WaBenzi.”

A. The name comes from the luxurious cars they often ride in like the Mercedes Benz.

B. When Kaiser Wilhelm II visited the Holy City of Jerusalem, they had to enlarge the Jaffe Gate so that his over-sized carriage could pass through.

Introduction4. After Kaiser Wilhelm’s parade

had ended, someone put up a sign that read:

Introduction5. Jesus did not ride in a Mercedes Benz, a royal

carriage or on some impressive white stallion.6. No! He rode on a humble donkey!7. I think this is what separates the King of Kings

from all the other royalty of this world – wouldn’t you agree?

Prelude to the Passion1. There is something about

donkeys that invites ridicule.2. It is interesting that this

event of Jesus entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey appears in all four Gospels.

3. It all started out in the little city of Bethphage, on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives.

Prelude to the Passion4. I doubt the Disciples had any idea of what was

coming that week:A. The reception Jesus would receive in Jerusalem;B. The subsequent rejection;C. The mock trial that would occur;D. Jesus’ crucifixion and then resurrection;

5. It was truly the week that changed history.6. Watch this little video clip.

Prelude to the Passion7. Later, Matthew will write, “This took place to

fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, ‘See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey’” (Zechariah 9:9).

8. Thus, the drama begins, the drama we know as Holy Week.

9. Palm Sunday is really the prelude to Christ’s passion and His resurrection.

10.It is a day on which we wave palm branches and sing joyful songs of praise.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?

1. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He entered Jerusalem.

A. He knew the passion He would stir among the people.B. He also knew this was the end of His earthly ministry.C. After 3 years of telling people not to tell anyone who

He was, now was the day of the “Big Reveal.”D. Jesus also knew that would challenge the established

religious order – you saw that in the little video clip.E. Jesus was declaring Himself the King of Israel, the

long-awaited Messiah.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?F. The Sanhedrin could not tolerate Jesus’ assertion

that He was the Messiah.G. The Romans could not tolerate that He was a King,

which would rival Caesar.H. Jesus also knew how this would

play out and finally end, with His death.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?

2. Jesus came to take all the evil in human hearts upon Himself.

A. Jesus knew the Isaiah passage, “He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him and by His wounds we are healed” (53:5).

B. Everything that happened during Holy Week, displayed all the evil that human beings could dish out.

C. Jesus knew all that evil would be laid on Him.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?D. Are you familiar with Marco Polo

the famous missionary and explorer?

E. In the Far East, Marco Polo was captured by the dreadful conqueror Genghis Khan, and was told speak and then he will be killed.

F. Marco Polo told him the story of Holy Week: Jesus’ betrayal, trial, scourging, crucifixion and death.

G. With that Genghis Khan became very agitated and shouted, “What did the Christian’s God to do then? Destroy them all?”

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?H. Marco Polo explained, that this was God’s plan to

save people by punishing His own Son, Jesus.I. Genghis Khan was clearly disappointed and

unfortunately remained unconverted.J. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing.K. He know that He came to take all the evil of human

hearts upon Himself.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?

3. With Palm Sunday, Jesus was ushering in a New Kingdom of Love.

A. Jesus turned the world upside down;i. The King comes in humility;ii. This King becomes the sacrifice for others, in fact for all;iii. The foundation of this Kingdom is NOT power, but love;

B. In the Upper Room in Jerusalem there is a replica of a Pelican.

i. If food was limited for its young;ii. The adult pelican would tear out

its own heart, so that the young could eat and survive.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?

4. Humanity had never before been exposed to a God who would go to a cross for them.

5. Mankind had never been exposed to a God who would tear out His own heart for His people.

6. Fran Geddes tells of a tragic story of how his six year old son died.

A. He was coming home on the school bus that day and was the last to exit the bus.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?B. As he exited the bus, his coat got caught in the

closing door.C. Before anyone knew what happened, the bus pulled

away, sweeping the boy under the bus and killing him instantly.

D. Fran and his wife were in terrible dark grief at the loss of their son.

E. He says, we couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and didn’t know how they could ever pick up life again.

What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday?F. Then one night as he was struggling to go to sleep,

he had this image of Jesus on His cross.G. In that moment, he knew there was no pain, no loss

that God had not already felt on the day He lost His only son, Jesus.

H. That’s why we can walk into this Church, look up at that large cross above our altar and say: