Palm Sunday - Luke 19:28-44
We are walking it back a bit this morning, as we’ve been in the gospel of Mark and are on the doorstep of the resurrection. But this morning will be a good reminder of the intentionality and laser focus of Jesus on Jerusalem, and what the final week of His life meant for humanity. We are going to look at a few specific moments that had great symbolism then, and have continued to carry the same importance even for us today.
Read Luke 19:28-40
Jesus and His disciples are coming up and over the Mount of Olives, and as they begin their descent with Jerusalem in full view, Jesus knows that the time for His public announcement is here. And along the way into Jerusalem we see so many moments that bear great significance, even for us today.
1. Significance of the Donkey (Peace)
There is a great contrast that we see depending on the choice of animal. There were 2 choices that He could have made. Historically in the Middle Eastern World, a king could have ridden into a city on a horse, which would have signaled the intention of war. Or, he could have ridden in on a donkey which would have been a signal that he came in peace.
Jesus was making a statement with His choice. The Jewish people were waiting for a Messiah that would bring war, and an eventual victory over Rome. For this a warhorse would have been fitting. Instead, Jesus makes a massive statement that He came to bring about peace. So where had everyone gone wrong in their expectations?
Zechariah 9:9-10 - “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. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
It’s easy to see how they got there. He is bringing salvation. He is cutting off the chariot, and the war horse from Jerusalem. He will do away with the battle bow, and will bring about peace. He will rule to the ends of the Earth! So when Jesus came, and rumor had it that this was the Messiah, the people looked past the donkey and believed He was coming to overthrow Rome and take His rightful place on the throne. When Jesus didn’t do what they expected, however, they quickly turned their backs on Him and called for His death, even death on a cross.
Application
Let me ask you a question. Does your life seem like there is constant chaos? Do you feel like things can sometimes spiral out of control? And when that happens, do anxiety, fear and doubt increase? The peace that Jesus was bringing into Jerusalem was a spiritual peace between God and humanity. In Scripture we see that as sinners, before Jesus, we are enemies of God. Romans 5:1 tells us that “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The cross of Jesus offers us peace with God. That peace is felt through the Spirit that indwells us, and in those moments of chaos, when our world is spiraling, we have a Savior who gives us peace in those moments. The donkey signifies peace.
2. Significance of the Coats (Submission)
We see 2 different instances of people placing their coats under Jesus. We see His disciples place their coats on the donkey for Him to sit on, and we also see people from the crowds laying their coats on the road for the donkey to walk on. This was a customary thing for people to do. By laying their coats on the path where kings would have entered, the people are in effect showing their respect in submission to that king. They were symbolically placing themselves under His feet. These people believed that Jesus was their King. Again, in their minds, He was walking into Jerusalem to take the throne.
Application
We don’t like this word, “submission.” This means that we aren’t in control. It means we are letting someone else take control. Listen, I’ve tried to be in control of my life. It never really turned out well for me. I’d end up in trouble, hurting someone, failing out of college. Me in control is not a good thing. But when I got to a point in my life where I was able to relinquish control and allow Jesus the primary seat in my life, things got so much better. When the things of God become priority, the things of this world fade. The pursuit of God discredits the pursuit of the material. I am so thankful that I have a Savior who is seated next to God in heaven bringing my needs to Him. He has given me a guidebook on how to live. He has given me an example of how to live. Saying yes to Jesus and allowing Him control is the best thing that has ever happened to me. But this is a difficult thing for us. Life feels safe when we are holding the reigns. Being able to to let God lead and follow Him is so much better than the alternate. The coats signify submission.
3. Significance of the Branches (Triumph)
We don’t see mention of this in Luke, but it’s interesting what we do see when we compare all of the other gospel accounts. The Palm Branch has become the symbol that we use on Palm Sunday, but we see that in Matthew he mentions short shoots, or twigs. Mark mentions a large grouping of straw and leaves that have been meshed together to almost form a carpet-like effect. John mentions palm branches. It’s all true. People were grabbing whatever they could to participate in laying this red carpet for their Messiah to enter in on.
Palm branches were in fact very important at that time. They had become a symbol of Jewish nationalism, so even though there were many different kinds of sticks and plants laid down, these were the most significant. Again, Jesus was coming into Jerusalem to overthrow Rome. In doing so, He was going to establish a Jewish nation that would rule from “sea to sea,” to the ends of the Earth.
Application
While there wasn’t a great victory that day, the most significant triumph occurred on the cross just a few days later. That triumph continued into the resurrection that we will celebrate next week.
Hebrews 2:14 - “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Jesus became sin on the cross and died so that we would not have to. In fact, Jesus dying on the cross gives us the ability to experience freedom from our sin. Listen to what Paul tells the church in Corinth in his 1st letter to them:
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Friends, we have freedom from our sin because of Jesus. We don’t have to be held in its grasp any more. The chains have been broken. Because of Jesus we have the power to overcome. Keep fighting in prayer and trusting that the Lord can bring true freedom from sin. And beyond that we have victory over death, because this life is temporary and one day we will die and immediately have fullness of life in perfection for the rest of eternity.
4. Significance of the Shouts (Expectation)
As He is approaching the city, the people are rejoicing and singing, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven! Glory in the highest!” They had been expecting Him! They had been waiting for this moment! “Our King is here! Hosanna! He has come to destroy the war horse in Jerusalem, to bring peace to the nations, to rule to the ends of the earth! Hosanna!” Hosanna means, “Save now!” Salvation is here! It was! But not in the way that they were expecting.
They were praising Him, and He was finally allowing them to do so. There would have been over a million people in and out of Jerusalem for the Passover celebration at this time. Many believe near 2 million. With that amount of people, there would have been an estimated 250,000 lambs being led into the city to be slaughtered. I mean just picture it. Jesus, with a spirit of humility on the back of a donkey. His disciples, many of whom believed that Jesus was going to overthrow Rome as well, were ecstatic. Smiling ear to ear, proud of the man they were leading into the city. Crowds of Jewish people that had traveled near and far to celebrate the Passover. We see also some Pharisees that were present as well. And as they are walking they are singing and celebrating. That which they had been waiting for had arrived!
It’s so much in fact that the Pharisees in the crowd were imploring Jesus to get HIm to stop the celebration! “Blasphemy! Tell them to stop calling you the King. Tell them to stop believing that you are the Messiah!”
And Jesus’ response is so awesome. “I can’t do it! This statement is incredible. Jesus is like, “you guys are so blind, you are missing everything. Even if I tell them to be quiet, the rocks will cry out.” This moment is too monumental to keep quiet. The power of God found in this Messiah is too great to be silenced. One way or another, people are going to know. You cannot stop it, you cannot silence it, it is inevitable.
But, in all of the celebrations and acts of respect and submission, the people missed the true nature of who was right in front of them.
Read Luke 19:41-44
5. Significance of the Tears (Love)
The word for “wept” here means that Jesus was visibly and audibly weeping. It wasn’t silent. He was sobbing. Why? Why this response from Jesus? Because He was right in the middle of this massive celebration, but the crowds were completely missing it. Jesus looked down at Jerusalem and His heart broke for the people who were so lost. He knew that in just a few days the same people who were celebrating Him would be wanting Him dead. He knew that He would be mocked, and beaten, and spat upon, and crucified, and they had no idea that the man before them, if they would only believe, in Him there would be true freedom, true peace, salvation and redemption. But they were missing it.
This is why Jesus said, “if you would only see that today peace is coming to you!” And then He offers up this warning. “Because you are missing it, your enemies will surround you and overtake you and destroy your city.” And then in AD 70 the Romans surround Jerusalem, set up a wall to prevent escape, and they destroy the city. And it’s interesting that Jesus basically says that judgment was coming because they missed the true nature of the Christ. And this is a sad reality for many today. Judgment is awaiting those that reject the true nature of Jesus. The power that He has to save. The power that He has to bring about peace. The power that He has to love unconditionally, no matter what we have done.
Application
This morning I just want us to reflect on these truths:
Do you need peace in your life? Come to Jesus.
Is your life out of control? Submit to Jesus.
Do you need victory in your life? Come to Jesus.
Do you need hope in your life? Look to Jesus.
Do you crave love in your life? Come to Jesus.
