Our Texas morning comes from the Gospel of Luke, we are in chapter 19. We're going to be looking at verses 28 through 40.
This morning, by if you have a copy of the scriptures, please turn with me. Again, you never want to listen to just what I say. But listen to what the Lord says. And if this is indeed God's Word, we need to not only listen to it, but we need to submit to it and follow it with all of our lives, with all of our hearts and souls and minds.
Before we turn to God's word, let us go to him again in prayer asking for his blessing, remembering that and unless the Holy Spirit is here, working in our hearts, we're here in vain.
We're wasting our time, unless the Holy Spirit is working among us, but he has promised to be where his people have gathered, he has promised to be where his word is proclaimed. So let's let's pray for his blessing upon His Word, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are not a silent God.
But even now, the heavens are declaring your glory. And as we come to your word, it tells us of Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that you would open up our blind eyes that we might see the Son of David, and that he would have mercy upon us, or to open up our ears that we might hear of him crucified, or our King, riding into Jerusalem this morning, that we would submit our hearts and our lives to Him. Lord, I pray that you would humble our hearts that you would chisel away these hardened hearts and give us hearts of flesh that we might receive Him as King as Lord and Lord, help us to praise the Lord Jesus Christ. Be merciful to your people, we pray, in Jesus's name, Amen.
People, God, hear God's word this morning from the Gospel of Luke chapter 19, beginning in verse 28, reading through verse 14. And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem, when he drew near to Bethpage and Bethany at the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of his disciples saying, Go into the village in front of you where, on entering you will find a cult tied on which no one has ever yet sat, Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, Why are you untying it? You shall say, The Lord has need of it. So those who were sent away, found it just as he told them. And as they were in tying the coat, its owner said to them, Why are you in tying the cold, and they said, The Lord has need of it.
And they brought it to Jesus and throwing their cloaks on the colt. They sent Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. And as he was drawing near, already, on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, bless it is the king, who comes in the name of the Lord, peace and heaven and glory and the highest. And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the various stones would cry out. He who has ears, let them hear the Word of God, you may be seated.
If you were here this past week, in our parenting class, we discussed a common lie that our children are prone to believe.
The lie is that we are all autonomous. That is the lie is that we are completely independent individuals and have every right to rule over ourselves. And it's not only a lie, or children believe but one we believe as well often. The truth is, is that we are not all independent. In fact, we are all under an authority all of you are being ruled this very day.
Everyone here has someone or something over them that rules over then that controls you. And whatever controls you is ultimately your god, you're king. If you crave power, full power will be your God and power will control all your thoughts and all your works and everything you do. If you seek acceptance, will you are controlled by the god of fear than the fear of man. If you seek money, well that is a strong master, isn't it? That will guide your thoughts and whatever you do. All of these are false gods but you might Bibi, you might be being ruled by one of them right now. The true God has told us you shall have no other gods before me.
And even as we just read, you shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that's in heaven above, or that's in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth, you shall not bow down to them or serve them. And God doesn't just tell us this because he's a jealous God, because we are made to be under his authority, as First Corinthians 15 says, For God has put all things in subjection under His feet, we are made to be in subjection, the under the authority of the King, Jesus Christ. You know, a pastor friend of mine once said, Jesus is the only person who can rule over us without destroying us.
Jesus is the only person that can rule over you without destroying you. Every other thing or every other person that is not Jesus Christ will manipulate you will take away your dignity and ultimately, it will destroy you if you're being ruled by anything else other than King Jesus. And as we come to this text, this is ultimately what it's about, that we are made to be ruled and to submit our lives to King Jesus. This story as this text is a reminder to us that Jesus is King. He is the rightful king, he is the proper king. And here we have a public revelation of who Jesus is. I think this text can even be summarized well as First John, or John one tells us He came to His own and His own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive Him who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.
So the question that this text puts before us is will you receive Jesus as your King? Will you make Jesus your sole and only authority to glorify Him alone? Or will you reject him?
Will you shout his praise? Or will you be silent? The text I think, is broken into three parts, we first see the ride of the king. We then see the reception of the king, and then the rejection of the king. And we'll begin here with the ride.
Our text begins in verse 28. And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. Now you might remember, it doesn't matter where you approach from Jerusalem, you always go up to Jerusalem. And it's not so much a geographical description, but a religious one of Jerusalem is where the temple of God was, if you remember all the way back in Luke, chapter nine, Jesus has set his face to go to Jerusalem, the city of God, and everything from Luke nine to Luke 19, has been Jesus's journey to get here and we have arrived, and he is going up to Jerusalem because it's a picture of ascending towards God. Jerusalem is where the temple of God was going up, ascending into the presence of the Lord approaching God. And that's why in the Psalms, you have the psalms that are called the Psalms of Ascent, and they are going up to worship God lifting their hearts, to worship God. And here are in our texts, we have a partial fulfillment of Psalm 24. If you might remember Psalm 24. It says, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, and who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart who does not lift up his soul to what is false? And does not swear deceitfully. This is a partial fulfillment of Psalm 24. And even our text is directing us to something else Jesus is going to do that is His ascension, it's that this text of him riding into Jerusalem is actually actually prefiguring his going and ascending and are rising to the heavenly Jerusalem, approaching the doors of heaven.
And who is this that approaches the doors of heaven and no man has ever approached the doors of heaven and not been destroyed by the holiness of God? Well, we are told as Psalm 24 tells us, that King of Glory, the King of Glory, is who approaches and salvation is found in the King of glory. And that's what again, what are some are what our text is pointing us here.
Everything that happens in this text, Jesus is sovereignly ruling and over See, nothing is happening here outside of the control of Jesus to accomplish that mission that he has set out to do that is to seek and to save the last. And he here in our texts, he begins to speak and describe things that haven't yet even happened, but will happen. He knows everything that's about to happen to him.
And yet it doesn't deter him from his mission, it doesn't deter him from going further into Jerusalem. He's not deterred. And we know this all the way back in Luke chapter nine, he says, The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed. And on the third day be raised. Jesus also just recently said in Luke chapter 18, see, we're going to Jerusalem and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished everything, everything that's been written about Jesus is going to be accomplished, not just some of the things, most of the things, all of the things that have been written about Jesus are going to be accomplished. And there's a number of things that are happening here that Jesus is accomplishing. Verse 29, when he drew near the Bethpage and Bethany at the mount that is called all of that, well, this is significant, we can just look over it. But if we look at Zechariah, chapter 14, on that day, his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and on the Mount of Olives shall be split into from east to west, by a very wide alley so that on one half of the mountain shall move northward and the other half southward. And you might think what did that mean? I don't know what Zacharias is talking about. But Zachariah is saying, The King is going to come to Jerusalem and then there's going to be a great division. People are going to move in opposite directions. And that's exactly what happens in our text. The King is approaching from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem. That's where Jesus is in our text. And great division is about to occur. People are going to either praise Jesus or reject Jesus. Another is found in Zechariah, chapter nine, verse nine, Rejoice greatly a daughter of Zion, shout aloud, oh, daughter of Jerusalem, Behold, your King is coming to you righteous, and having salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey on a colt, the fall of a donkey.
And here in our text, we see Jesus taking this prophecy into his own hands. And now that's interesting, usually, all the other prophecies that have been fulfilled, they're just kind of happening when Jesus was born, he, he, he's not, you know, asking for the shepherds to arrive and things like that, that they're happening, even though he's in control of it.
But here we see Jesus, very purposely making sure this prophecy is fulfilled. And he sends two of his disciples out to find this cold, he tells them exactly where it is, he tells them to untie it, to bring it to him. And if anyone asks about why you're taking someone's donkey, you tell them, the Lord has need of it. And that's exactly what happens, isn't it?
They find the coal exactly where Jesus said it would be, then they start to untie the cult.
And guess what the owner of the cult then says, Why are you taking my coal? And they say, The Lord has need of it. Now why did the owner agree to it? Why did the owner just agreed to let the cult go? Well, some have said it's a secret password, that the disciples and the followers of Jesus knew that if you said the Lord has need of it, and okay, he said, the password, that's it. Others have said that he may be recognize these to be disciples of Jesus and him. He himself was a follower of Christ. And so he let them have it. Or God worked in his heart, to let his resources go, if Jesus asked for it. And I think that's, I think that's what happened. Just like Zacchaeus. He starts just letting things go, because he's a follower of Jesus. And if the Lord has need of it, I'm letting it go. I think Jesus knew this man, we wouldn't have not given a name. But Jesus knew this man before the foundation of the world. And he knew at the right time, this man would provide Jesus whatever he needed. Now, whose donkey was this? Well, that's ultimately Jesus's donkey, isn't it? For Colossians one reminds us that all things are created through Him and for Him, everything in creation is created for our Lord. Everything in creation is Jesus's personal property. It's not ultimately yours, it's God's and you are just stewards of what He has given to you. Jesus can take this donkey without permission.
And he has every right to take it because it belongs to Him everything and all of creation belongs to him. Even your very lives. Jesus has every right to call it to himself at any moment because your life does your life doesn't even belong to you. It belongs to him. but this is part of Jesus's humility, that here you have the King of kings and the Lord of lords the sovereign over all things. He asked to ask for something, letting go of his divine rights and becoming further like a servant. And I think it's a good question for us is what if Jesus asked something of you? How will you respond? When Jesus asks that you give to the work of His kingdom, or the work of the church? Or the work of missions?
How do you respond? When Jesus says, watched and pray, how have you responded? Will you let goods and kindred go this mortal life also? Or will you be more like the rich young ruler and I think this is valuable stuff.
And I'd rather have this rather than follow Jesus. Knowing the Lord had need of it was enough for this man. I think that's interesting, because that's all that it's told it says, The Lord has need of it. And that's the end of the discussion. There's no There's no well, when are you going to return it? Maybe you could give me a shoe or a cloak or something. So I'll hold it as collateral, just in case you don't return it. I'll at least have something to compensate.
There's no discussion that the Lord has need of it. We give knowing that the Lord will provide He will take care of our every need the cattle on 1000 hills, or his and we give whatever the Lord requires and asked of us, knowing that it is for His glory and are good. So let us model that. Now this code is not just the fulfillment of prophecy, but it's also a depiction of the humility of Christ, that God is humbling himself, he is taken on flesh, and he is riding on a donkey rather than a powerful Horse of War. Now we move into the reception of Jesus, the reception of the King, the people of Israel, they know their Bible, and they know that Jesus showing up on a donkey Island, Colt is a prophecy, they recognize this as a fulfillment of Zechariah. That's pretty good. And they're okay with him riding on a donkey here because it is directing them to the coming King, the King who would come to establish David's throne again, you remember, they've heard of Jesus, and they've seen Jesus's miracles, and they are ready for Jesus to unleash all that miraculous power and all that cool stuff on Rome. They're ready. So it's okay, if he's riding on a donkey, because it's really pointing us to the king, and he's just going to overthrow it all. And we are excited. We are ready for Jesus to do that.
In Jerusalem, if you might even remember, it's already buzzing.
It's already buzzing because it's that time of year it's Passover. Jerusalem is swelling to three times its typical size.
Because everyone's coming to Passover. It's exciting. You're getting to see people you haven't seen for a while, and they're going to do the most significant thing. And all of Jerusalem the Day of Atonement.
Where you put your hands the high priest puts his hands on the goat and the sins of the people are transferred to it.
And as slaughtered. The Peoples might not bear their sins anymore and the town of Jerusalem is buzzing because of the Passover. And now the Messiah the king is arriving does he think the overthrow Pilate and to get rid of Caesar all the more they are? A lot going on. They're ready to have Jesus put their enemies under their own feet. But what they didn't realize was that he was not yet coming to judge both the living in the dead he was coming to accept the cross. And not yet the crown. He's coming first as a king to offer peace, the die for sinners, to die for tax collectors to die for liars. For thieves for adulterers. He was going to Jerusalem to be made sin who knew no sin. And they give Jesus Oh royal reception.
Now it might have been misplaced, but they're still doing it.
They throw their cloak on a donkey because royalty doesn't wear a ride bareback. They set Jesus on a donkey as servants would do to their King and lift him up. They spread their cloaks on the road because he is too worthy to travel on an ordinary road and it's not an insult for a donkey to travel and trample on my garments because he is worthy to be praised. And they begin to shout praise using a Psalm Psalm 118 In verse 26, but they actually alter it slightly.
In Psalm 118, it says, Bless it is he who comes in the name of the Lord, but they say, Jesus is King, and bless. It is the King who comes in the name of Lord, and they are right. He is the king and bless it as he who comes in the name of the Lord.
And Jesus is publicly entering Jerusalem. And he receives praise he receives worship, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world is entering the city of God. And it is right, that all Israel should be praising Him. It is right, that all should be looking to Him and glorifying Him. It is right. You know, we had the privilege Stacy and I did about a month ago to go to the Straz. And see one of the Broadway shows there. And it was wonderful. It was a real treat. And as the last song was completed, do you know what happens in that arena applause, shouts, praise and people get to their feet and praise the actors. It was a wonderful performance. But they are just sinful actors. Do we give this kind of praise to Jesus? Do we give such fervor and effort and our prayers and and our songs to King Jesus? Yet we do it for actors and athletes, would we not do it for the King of kings, and the Lord of lords? You know, the song we just sang Oh for 1000 tongues to sing my great Redeemers praise. What that song is calling us to do is, Lord, give me another tongue to sing.
One tongue is not sufficient to praise you. I need another and another I need 10,000 tongues to then properly praise you as my king. And this is what Jesus deserves. He is the king and he ought to be praised. But not everyone is praising him. Not everyone here he is even praising Jesus, and certainly in our text. Not everyone is praising Jesus either. The Pharisees aren't joining in the celebration. They call out to Jesus and they say rebuke your disciples. They thought what they were doing was blasphemous.
And they're seeking to silence, the praise that is given to Jesus. And this is a reminder again to you that not only were there will be many people who do not worship Jesus, they will try to keep you from worshiping Jesus as well. And it won't just come from the secular outside.
It's coming here from the religious leaders. It's coming even from inside the church.
Don't be so loud, be silent.
Don't sing so loud. Don't pray so fervently. Don't do this for the Lord. Does that not sound familiar? From a recent text when you had a blind man? Who was crying out Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me? And what did the crowdsite Did they say, you know, Jesus come, the span, he is in desperate need.
He's, he's blind, physically, but also his soul. And Lord Jesus, give him life that he might see and be merciful to him come. Now they say silence. And this is what you will always hear. If you're seeking the follow Jesus, non stop, but let nothing silence you. But cry all the louder. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. Now, I think Jesus's response here is amazing. And how does Jesus respond? does Jesus say to the Pharisees, you know what, you're right. Things are getting a little out of control. I just wanted to spread a message of love. I just wanted to set a good example of how people can care and love one another. And, you know, I wasn't expecting this whole worship thing, but it's just gotten a little out of control. is how Jesus responds.
Of course not. He answered in verse 40, I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out, the stones will cry out, that is the whole of creation is made to worship me.
And this is one of the strongest texts to direct us to the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. In no way shape or form.
Does he say that you're Right, you know, I don't deserve this.
They're just the the word worked up in a frenzy, and the lots going on with the Jerusalem and the sacrifice and all that. He says, No, it is mine, I deserve it. If they're quiet, the stones will worship me. Psalm 19 says, The heavens will declare the glory of God. If my people stop praising me, the creation itself will burst open into doxology.
Even the stones will begin to sing praise God from whom all blessings flow. And Isaiah that talks about the mountains breaking into song and the trees, clapping their hands, I would love to see that when the Lord returns. In here, the rocks will praise Him. And here is the irony of this text. You have dumb, mute and adamant rocks, who have a better perception of who Jesus is than the teachers of Israel. And its judgment is judgment on them, they will not receive Him as King. Jesus is saying I am the King, I am worthy of all praise of all of creation. And this will enrage them all the more walnut. This will not move them more to worship Jesus but move them more to killing Jesus. They will rather kill Jesus than submit to Jesus. And that is what they will do. And so how will you respond to Jesus? Will you receive Jesus this day? Or will you will reject Jesus, there's no neutrality. There's no in between. You either receive Jesus as King or you reject Him as King. He's always King. It doesn't matter what you believe or what you think he's king. It doesn't matter if you believe in trucks, if you stand out in the road, their trucks Jesus is King. Doesn't matter what you believe it's whether you will receive him or not. Do not be fooled. In our text, he has come in humility on on a donkey. And he came to die for your rebellion. And you might be thinking, you know, I have rejected Jesus that time. And I have been foolish Well, today is a day of salvation. And this is the very reason why Jesus was going into Jerusalem, that you and I sinners, who have rejected Jesus time and time again that we might be saved if we bought repent and believe and put our faith in Him because He has come to seek and to save the loss tax collectors and sinners, adulterers, that chief of sinners. There is no sin that is too great that Jesus cannot pay.
But all of us have sinned and the wages of sin is death. One day Jesus will write again. And it won't be in humility, but it will be in such great power.
That words can even properly express it. He will put all enemies under His feet. And even the greatest of men and all of the world they get one glimpse of Jesus when He arrives on the white war horse will cry out for the mountains to fall upon them.
Revelation 19 says Then I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True. And in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many Daya dems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He's clothed in a robe dipped in blood. And the name by which he is called is the word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure were following Him on white horses.
From the mouth came a sharp sword from which to strike down the nations and He will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. It is a terrible day to find yourself rejecting The risen King but a day of Much Joy, for the people that embrace Him that would turn from their sin and cry out for his mercy and He will so freely and fully give it to you. In our text, we have joy, but it's then quickly followed by sorrow. But on this coming day of the Lord, there is joy for God's people, followed by joy for God's people, followed by joy for God's people, and nonstop joy and celebration for the king, that he has completed salvation that He has sought and save the law. How will you respond to Jesus syste? Will you praise Him and lift up your tongues to sing? Or will you reject him?
Let's pray. Father, I pray that you will help us to choose this day, whom we will serve. That we will give all of our lives, our beans, our possessions, our voices, our energy, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Lord, we are made to be in submission to his authority. And Lord, that is what is good and that is what is right everything else was seek to destroy us. And Lord, let us not be foolish, there is a time that Christ will come again. And today even could be the day. And so let us find ourselves repenting turning from sin. In turning the Jesus, finding mercy and grace, time and time again, would be merciful to us. And it's in Jesus's name we pray, Amen.