Palm Sunday Lord's Supper Service

 Some think that it is strange that we celebrate the death of our Savior. It is a sacred thing. The Lord's Supper is also sacred, therefore we do not celebrate the Lord's Supper often because we want to keep it sacred and special.

I. Jesus our Passover Lamb 

1. Exodus 12 describes the Passover lamb in the Old Testament. The Passover lamb was to be inspected. It could not have any blemishes, a year old male. Jesus was brought on trial by the Jewish and Roman leadership and he was "inspected" by them and they could not find any "blemishes".

2. The Passover lamb was brought into the home for 10-14 days. The family would have come to "love" the lamb. Jesus came into Jerusalem and into the hearts of the people.

3. The Israelite people were told to sacrifice their lamb and place the blood on the door frame of their home and all that were inside that home would be protected from the "Angel of Death" passing over Egypt. The people were redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb. Jesus' blood covers our sin. All of the people who come under the blood of Jesus are saved by grace through faith. He was the sacrifice that covers all of our sins forever. His righteousness is given to us and we come into a right relationship with God through Jesus we are covered by the blood and we are saved and made new.

II. Why did Jesus die? 

1. To reconcile us to God.

Colossians 1:19-22 (ESV) "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,"

We were alienated from God and we could not reach Him because of our sin. He made away through Christ's blood.

2. To pay for our sins once and for all.

Hebrews 9:11-15 (ESV) "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."

Jesus came to be the final sacrifice. The blood of an animal could never take away the sins of the world so God had to send His Son. Jewish tradition tells that during the time of the second temple period a scarlet thread, made from wool, was fastened to the door of the temple, and later tied to the head of the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement. Once everything was done according to the law this scarlet thread would miraculously become white. Showing that God was pleased and he had accepted the sacrifices. "The Sages taught...during the forty years prior to the destruction of the Second Temple (AD 70 which would put it about 30 AD) the lot for God did not arise in the High Priest's hand at all. So too, the strip of crimson wool that was tied to the head of the goat that was sent to Azazel did not turn white, and the westernmost lamp of the candelabrum did not burn continually. And the doors of the Sanctuary opened by themselves as a sign that they would soon be opened by enemies" (recorded in the Babylonian Talmud Yoma 39B) Their sacrifices were not being accepted by God and their sins were not forgiven. What happened 40 years before the destruction of the Temple? They did not include that the veil separating the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom at the time of Christ's death. God is offering more evidence for the people. After Christ's sacrifice it never turned white again. Why? 

The song "Jesus Paid It All" quotes Isaiah 1:18 (ESV) "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

3. To Reconcile us to each other.

Galatians 3:26-29 (ESV) "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."

The Temple in Jerusalem was set up like this, the outer court was for the Gentiles, the next court was for the Jewish women, the next court was for Jewish men (clean men), the next inner court was for priests, the next was the Holy Place, and finally the Holy of Holies. There were barriers that separated each court. What Paul is saying in Galatians 3 is that in Christ Jesus the barriers have been broken down and we have a direct relationship with God through Christ Jesus. We also should be reconciled with one another. We should be closest to other Christians. Our relationship with Jesus binds us together. He has made us one. He has made us one kingdom all having access to God through Jesus. This should be demonstrated in how we treat one another.

John 13:34-35 (ESV) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

So today as we remember Christ's sacrifice on the cross what should we do today?

1. We should remember Christ's sacrifice and be grateful.

If you preached on the cross every Sunday you probably wouldn't be doing it enough. If we ever get "over" what happened on the cross, we have made a huge mistake. We can not overestimate what was accomplished on the cross. Last week's sermon went into great detail of the crucifixion. We don't know why this is how God chose to reconcile us. But Jesus said that "Moses lifted up the serpent, so must the Son of Man be lifted up" and Christ was lifted up, suspended between heaven and earth. On that cross He took on our iniquity, our sin and gave up His life for us. He did no wrong, but we did. Jesus took on our sin and our punishment so that we might be made right. He also did this to draw all the world to himself. For 2000 years God has been drawing men from all over the world to himself. Revelation tells us that every tribe and every tongue will be represented.

2. Examine our own hearts.

When you take the Lord's Supper it is a serious thing. Paul warns us that it is a serious thing. We need to examine our own hearts and repent of any sin and confess it and repent of it. Anything between us and God. And also anything between us and anyone else. We need to confess and repent.

1 Corinthians 11:27-31 (ESV) "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged."

The Lord's Supper

Matthew 26:26 (ESV) "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.'"

Matthew 26:27-28 (ESV) "And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.'"

Closing Scripture

Hebrews 9:23-28 (ESV) "Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundations of the world. But as it is he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him."

The Crucifixion of Christ

 Crucifixion had been practiced by many peoples before Rome. Crucifixion was very painful and shameful. We get the word "excruciating" from the word crucifixion. The person being crucified were typically naked and therefore publicly humiliated. Crucifixion was typically used for the worst offences and were public because they wanted to use it as a deterrent. Crucifixion was usually preceded by scourging, which in itself was life threatening. The victim was then forced to carry their own cross, either the entire cross or just the cross bar. Sometimes the victim was tied onto the cross, but the most painful was where the person was nailed to the cross. If the victim was strong enough to raise themselves up to breathe they could be on the cross for 4 days. Death was typically from asphyxiation, the result of not being able to raise oneself up to breathe. To hasten death the soldiers would often break the legs of the victim with a steel bar, just as what happened to the two thieves crucified with Jesus. There were different types of crosses, a stake, a T, an X, or the cross we typically think of on which Jesus was crucified on. This was the traditional type because they could place a sign overhead to state their crime. Jesus had a sign that said "Jesus of Nazareth-King of the Jews". There were many people crucified. 6,000 followers of Spartacus were crucified in 73 B.C. In A.D. 70 Titus (a general) had many of those who defended Jerusalem crucified. Josephus recorded that people were crucified in various positions for entertainment. Josephus had 3 friends crucified. He was friends with Titus and went to him and asked him to spare his 3 friends. All 3 were taken down, but 2 still died. Crucifixion was abolished by Constantine the Great in 337 B.C. because he was a follower of Christ.

Did  Jesus have to be crucified? Scripture suggests YES.

John 3:14-15 (ESV) "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

John 12:32 (ESV) "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."

Deuteronomy 21: 22-23 (ESV) "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land the the LORD your God  is giving you for an inheritance."

Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree...Jesus was cursed for us.

His death demonstrates (for us) 

1. God's love for us

John 3:16 (ESV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 5:8 (ESV) "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

2. God's justice 

Romans 3:25-26 (ESV) "whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Scripture is clear...we are REDEEMED (paid for/ bought back). Propitiation means satisfaction of a debt owed.

1 John 2:2 (ESV) "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

1 John 4:10 (ESV) "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

Romans 3:24-26 (ESV) "and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

The concept throughout the New Testament was Jesus paid for our sins.

1 Peter 3:18a (ESV) "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous"

Is there any other way to have forgiveness of sin and salvation? Apparently not. 

Jesus in the garden in Gethsemane Matthew 26:39 (ESV) "And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.'"

On the road to Emmaus Luke 24:25-27 (ESV) "And he said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." 

The point is there is no forgiveness apart from His death.

What about the blood? Was blood necessary? The Old Testament sacrifices brought forgiveness, but they did not pay for man's sin

Hebrews 10:3-5 (ESV) "But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, 'Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;'"

Hebrews 9: 23-26 (ESV) "Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

All of the sacrifices of the Old Testament were pointing to Christ. This necessitates INCARNATION! He had to be human to bleed and die.

Hebrews 2:17 (ESV) "Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people."

Christ is our substitutional sacrifice  if we accept Him

1.We are forgiven.

2. Our sins are removed.

Old Testament picture of the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). 2 goats were brought to the priest for sin offerings for the people. One goat was sacrificed and the other the priest would lay hands on its head and confess the peoples sins. This goat was then taken out away from the camp into the wilderness and released (the Scapegoat). This signifies the removal of sin.

1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."

1. On the cross Jesus suffered physical death. (An excruciating death!)

2. On the cross Jesus suffered the pain of bearing our sins. 

Isaiah 53:6 (ESV) "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

3. On the cross Jesus suffered abandonment

by his disciples after the crucifixion

By His Father! Matthew 27:45-46 (ESV) "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema  sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'"e

God turned away from the sin. These word's came from Psalm 22:1 (ESV) "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning." It is a cry of despair or perplexity.

Because...

1. He knew He was going to die and be a sin bearer.

2. He knew He'd go to the Father

3. He knew He'd RISE AGAIN!

This cry of pain and anguish was physical and mental.

4. On the Cross Jesus suffered the wrath of God for our sins! 

Isaiah 53:5-6 & 10 (ESV) "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 

The Results of His Sufferings

For those who personally accept His sacrifice for them He grants...

1. Forgiveness - debt paid/debt erased

2. Removal of sin - the Scapegoat

3. Reconciliation - the Bridge Illustration

4. No Condemnation - Romans 8:1 (ESV) "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Note: This does not mean there will not be any judgement. When you stand before Christ at the BEMA. It means that even though you will be judged your sins will not keep you out of Heaven. You will be judged, but not rejected.

5. Security & Confidence of your salvation, of your standing with Christ, of your destination

6. NO FEAR OF DEATH there is a distinction between the process of dying and the state of being dead. There might be fear in the process, but there shouldn't be fear in the state of death.

The doctrine of Atonement by His death has always been ridiculed by skeptics. You have to decide if this is truth or a myth. Ask God to show you.

Next week we will have a visual reminder of this doctrine...at the Lord's Supper

Matthew 26: 26-28 (ESV) "Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.'"

You can make a public declaration of your faith.

1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV) "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

If you are a believer you should be here for the Lord's Supper next week.

Closing Scripture: 1 Timothy 3:16 (ESV) "Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory."

 

Road to Resurrection: Cleansing the Temple Matthew 21:12-19

 We see through scripture the person of Jesus who God is and his heart.

Matthew 21:12-14 (ESV) "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, 'It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you make it a den of robbers.' And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them."

Why is Jesus so upset?

Jesus got upset sometimes and he was always right to! He drove out both those who sold and bought. Why was he mad at those that bought? Originally the Israelites were supposed to take an animal to sacrifice from their own flock. If they didn't have a flock to choose from, then they could purchase an animal to sacrifice. During the Passover they were supposed to choose a spotless lamb and bring it into their home for 4 days before the sacrificed the animal at the temple.  

Deuteronomy 12:5-7 (ESV) "But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go, and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the LORD your God has blessed you."

Sacrifice is a heart check

Isaiah 1:4 & 13-14 (ESV) "Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged." "Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations-I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them."

There have always been "once a year believers" People weren't living a righteous life. They came once a year made atonement/sacrifice and believed they were "covered" for another year. What about us? Are we "once a year believers"? You cannot cover a multitude of sins by throwing a few more dollars in the plate or a yearly sacrifice. The condition of your heart matters.

Romans 12:1 (ESV) "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

The people selling (robbers/bandits/armed thief forcibly taking money)

God hates dishonest gain 

Proverbs 11:1 (ESV) "A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is his delight."

Those selling in the temple would cheat the pilgrims by exchanging their money for an unfair exchange rate so they could pay their temple tax and purchase animals for sacrifice. They would also charge more for the animals than necessary.

God REALLY hates people taking advantage of those seeking him

In Matthew 23 Jesus quotes form Jeremiah 7

Matthew 23:13 & 15 (ESV) "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves."

The people were promised blessings for giving more. Use me to draw people to God.

James 3:1 (ESV) "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness."

We pray for our teachers, that they never be hot and cold. We as teachers need to draw people to Jesus, not push them away.

Location, Location, Location 

Jesus was upset with "where" the people were set up to sell the sacrifices and exchange money. They were set up in the "Court of Gentiles". This was the place where "non-Jews" could come to seek God and worship him. It was a sacred place and it became a stockyard and filled with "used car salesmen" It should been a place of prayer. The people coming and going in this location were watching and waiting for Messiah. The Jewish leadership, Pharisees etc. were supposed to be a light, but they failed and were hated.

Be a light to the world 

We are supposed to be a light.

Psalm 67:1-3 (ESV) "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!"

In the book of Mark we see that Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 (ESV) "these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my alter; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

The Jewish leadership was allowing the temple to be profaned and hindered people from drawing near to God. 

Matthew 21:15 (ESV) "But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' they were indignant, "

Hosanna means "save/deliver us". The children were crying out "save us" Jesus. The people knew he was Messiah. They called him "Son of David." 

1 Kings 9:5 (ESV) "then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'

The Scribes, Pharisees and Chief Priests knew that the people were close to "worshipping Jesus" and they did not like this.

Matthew 21:16 (ESV) "and they said to him, 'Do you hear what these are saying' and Jesus said to them, 'Yes have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praises?'"

Psalm 8:1-2 (ESV) "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger."

YHWH is being praised in vs. 1.

Matthew 21:17-19 (ESV) "And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it again!' And the fig tree withered at once."

Jesus was giving an object lesson. He is illustrating through the fig tree what was happening in Jerusalem. He was probably drawing from Jeremiah 8:13 (ESV) "When I would gather them, declares the LORD, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them." In this scripture Judah is the fig tree. It was about March when this took place. The tree should have had small edible green buds (sweet tasting), in April large green leaves would grow and then also figs. Jesus expected to find something to eat, but there was no fruit. It had all the appearances of bearing fruit, but it was not. This is just like the temple, it was ornate, beautiful. It had the appearance of grandeur and holiness, but it was not bearing fruit. What was happening on the inside was not pleasing to God.

Are you bearing fruit.

John 15:5-6 (ESV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned."

vs 6 the branches that don't wither, gathered and thrown into the fire.

We should be growing in our faith and producing fruit.

There were 2 cleansing of the temple. The first one was at the beginning of his ministry and this one at the end. Some believe that by "cleansing the temple" Jesus was doing his "priestly duties" found in Leviticus 14. 

We need to examine our own hearts we can be found just like these. Where are you wanting? Are you withering? Repent! Where am I hurting the cause? Lord let me be a light! Let me always offer the right sacrifice. I want to be someone who leads others to God, not push them away.

Closing Scripture:

Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV) "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

Road to the Resurrection: The Triumphal Entry - 3-8-26

 Leading up to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus performed his last recorded big miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead. In scripture you can see where Jesus, the prodigal prophets, and later the apostles raise people from the dead. The amazing thing about Lazarus being raised is that he had been dead for 4 days. The Jewish idea at the time was that when a person dies their spirit would "hover" around their bodies for about 3 days. After that they would move on to the after life. So Lazarus was "dead dead". His sister's did not want the stone rolled away because he would have stunk. It excited the people. At this time the people of Judea were looking for the Messiah, and Jesus was doing all of these miraculous things. He was raising people from the dead, restoring sight to the blind, which was a sign of Messiah. The chief priests and Pharisees did not like that and called a meeting where they plotted to kill Jesus (John 11).

John 11:48 (ESV) "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

In addition they planned to kill Lazarus as well, because his testimony was so powerful.

John 12:10 (ESV) So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well."

If someone hates Jesus...they should probably hate you too.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of the Lord lives inside of you, you ought to look a whole lot like Jesus, you ought to talk like Jesus, you ought to walk so close to him that you smell like Jesus. Our goal can not be to please the world. We should not cause unnecessary offense, we should have a good reputation with outsiders, but our goal is never to please the lost. 

John 15:18-19 (ESV) "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you, If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

The Triumphal entry of Jesus...the coronation of Jesus 

This is their King that is coming....riding on a donkey colt...humble

Different from modern day coronation of King Charles III or even our inauguration of the US president. The first inauguration of the first US president, George Washington, was a 2 week party. Washington began a 2 week journey from his home in Mount Vernon on April 16, 1789. He traveled through Alexandria, Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia and Trenton. In each town he was greeted with massive crowds, parades, and symbolic tributes, including a floral arch in Trenton and a child placing a laurel crown on his head in Philadelphia. On April 23rd Washington arrived at Elizabeth Town, NJ and crossed the Hudson River by a ceremonial barge rowed by 13 oarsmen, symbolizing the 13 original colonies. He was met by thousands of cheering New Yorkers, a Spanish ship firing a 13 gun salute and the ringing of church bells. It was a huge deal...in contrast that to Jesus who came in on a donkey, the greatest king who ever lived was the most humble of all. As Jesus was coming into Jerusalem there were large crowds amassing because it was close to Passover. 

Luke 19:28-35 (ESV) "And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, 'Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: 'The Lord has need of it.' So those who were sent went away and found it just as he has told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, 'Why are you untying the colt?' And they said, 'The Lord has need of it.' And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it."

The 2 disciples go and find a colt that had never been ridden on before. This was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9 (ESV) "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, humbled and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." 500 years before Jesus. 

God chooses and uses the humble and willing

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (ESV) "For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Christ Jesus is our ultimate example of humility. Christ Jesus being perfect, without sin. Christ Jesus was human and fully divine, he was God.

Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV) "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

Christ demonstrated this perfectly. God used humble people throughout time to accomplish great things. King David started out as a shepherd boy. God used Gideon, the smallest and weakest of the people to fight the Midianites and lead the people of Israel. God used the disciples, lowly fishermen to change the world. Jesus poured into the disciples so that they could go out and speak with authority. God uses the humble and the willing.

Luke 19:36-37 (ESV) "And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 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,"

The laying down of their cloaks or coats showed an act of submission. We see the same thing in 2 Kings 9:13 an acceptance of kingship. In the book of John it talks about the people cutting down palm branches which was a sign of Jewish pride, Jewish nationalism. They had palm branches on decorations in synagogues and on coins. The palm branches were seen as fitting for a conquering king. The people were showing that they recognized Jesus was their king and they were going to submit to him.

Luke 19:38-40 (ESV) "saying, 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in 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 very stones would cry out.'"

The people were shouting Hosanna. They were quoting Psalm 118:25-26 (ESV) "Save us, we pray, O LORD! O, LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD." Hosanna means "Save us! Please Deliver us!" They were expecting a messiah, but one that was different. One that would conquer the Romans and free them and grow their territory. A warrior like David, but a super version. Jesus had different things in mind. He was interested in the spiritual and eternal way. 

God's Ways are Always Bigger and Better 

We see such a tiny bit of the picture. But God sees EVERYTHING and we only see a small portion.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV) "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Romans 8:28 (ESV) "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

We ask for help in prayer, but must understand, not my will, but yours God. God is working ultimately for his glory and our good. We don't always understand we should remember...not my will but yours.

The Pharisees want Jesus to stop his followers from worshipping him. What does it mean when Jesus says "even the stones will cry out"? Matthew 3:9 (ESV) "And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." God created all creation for his purpose to worship him, to point to him, to cry out to him. Examples of this can be found in Psalm 96:11, 98:7-9, 114:7, Isaiah 55:12. God is worthy of all worship and he will receive it.

Luke 19:41-44 (ESV) "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.'"

Why did he weep? He knew what was going to come. The people stopped listening to his teachings and began listening to the Pharisees and scribes. He also knew what was coming within 40 years...the destruction of the temple and the people were killed. He had great compassion for the people because they were sheep without a sheperd. 

Follow Jesus Not the Crowd

We need to honor Jesus no matter what the crowd is doing. The crowd is often going in the wrong direction.

Be Careful Who You Listen To 

Not everyone will be good influences. It is important to choose wisely who and what we listen to. Jesus had some strong words for the Pharisees because they were teaching wrong things.

Test for True Teachers 

You must confess that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 4:1-3, 1 John 5:1)

They actually practice righteousness (1John 2:4, 1 John 3:10

They hold to the teachings of the apostles (1 John 4:6)

They are not like the world (1 John 4:5)

They have love for other Christians (1 John 4:20-5:1)

Closing Scripture Psalm 118:25-26 & 28-29 (ESV) "Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!"

Daniel 9:1-19 The Prayer of a Righteous Man 3-1-2026

 There are themes are throughout the book of Daniel, the biggest being that the Kingdom of God is greater than all of the kingdom's of man. The kingdom's of man will turn to ruin...to dust, but God's kingdom will grow and grow and last forever. God showed himself to be greater than the god's of the Babylonian's and he will show himself to be greater than the god's of the Medes and Persians and all the nations that rule after. God is willing to deliver his people. He remembers his people. Judah was attacked, conquered  and many were taken into captivity. Why the captivity? One reason is the people were to restore the Sabbath rests. Leviticus 26: 344-43 (ESV). Another reason was to purge them from idolatry. The people were serving other god's and mixing it into their worship of God. They were tolerating practices that they should not have been tolerating. (See Jeremiah 7) Ultimately God purged them from their idolatry  for their good. Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

To set the scene... Daniel had a scroll from Jeremiah. Jeremiah would have prophesied during Daniel's childhood and then continued to prophesy in Judah when the people were in exile. Jeremiah was then taken by force to Egypt where he continued to prophesy. A Christian historian Tertullian (he died in 220 AD), said that Jeremiah was stoned in Egypt by Jews because he prophesied things they didn't want to hear. 

Daniel had access to the scroll, he knew that it was the word of God and he knew it was true.

Daniel 9:1-19 (ESV)

Jeremiah had prophesied that the people would be in exile for 70 years. If you count the years from when the first exiles were taken until when they began to return it was about 70 years. If you look at the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the time it was rebuilt...it was about 70 years. As Daniel is reading this scroll he realized that the time was close for them to return to Jerusalem.

I. Approach God with fear and humility 

We can get into the trap of familiarity. We can forget who we are and who God is and how mighty he is and how small we are. In vs. 3 Daniel is in mourning for his people and he was fasting. It is important to see how Daniel approaches God. He has the right "posture". How we pray (physically and spiritually) is important. Is our heart rebelling against God or are we surrendering humbly before God. Should we "demand" things from God? We should approach God with confidence, but also with reverence and fear.

Hebrews 12:28 (ESV) "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,"

Daniel was in the habit of praying. He would pray 3 times a day. It was a regular practice.

II. Approach God with adoration 

Taught to pray using ACTS

A. Adoration

C. Confession

T. Thanksgiving

S. Supplication 

In Daniel's prayer we get adoration, confession and supplication. In vs 4 we see adoration. In Babylon and Persia when the people, including Daniel, would approach the king they would say "O king live forever". When we approach God it is good for us to thank God for who he is, for mercy, for his faithfulness, his trustworthiness, his unchanging love.

Mary's song in Luke 1: 46-55 is a great example of this, Mary thanks God for being a savior, for her humble estate, for being merciful, for being strong, that he humbles the mighty, fills the hungry, and he helps his servant. We serve a good and gracious and powerful king, let's say it and set our minds on those things.

III. Confess YOUR sins  

Daniel did a lot of confessing. He was the one who would not eat from the king's table, he would not worship the king. This is the same Daniel whom God had blessed with wisdom and knowledge. As Daniel was confessing he kept saying WE. He aligned himself with his people saying he was involved with the rebellion too. In vs 14-15...after all you've done for us we have done wickedly. The biggest chunk of Daniel's prayer is confession.  It is real easy for us to look around the world (room) and say they are wrong...they are wrong...they need to hear this message. We are never in need of changing our own hearts.... we need to look in the mirror as Christian's and see our own failure.

IV. Confess to God daily 

Psalm 32:5 (ESV) "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin."

God is a good, gracious and forgiving god.

1 John 1:9 (ESV) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Hopefully we are all doing that. We can confess our sins directly to God, we do not need to sit in a box and confess to a priest. However it is also good for us to confess our sins to one another.

James 5:16 (ESV) "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

When should you confess to other people?

1. If you have done someone wrong.

Matthew 5:23-24 (ESV) "So if you are offering your gift at the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the alter and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

The confession should be handled how the sin was committed. If you have hurt someone privately then you should handle your confession/apology privately, but if it has affected everybody then you should have a public confession/apology. It is also good to confess your sin when you need accountability. A great person to start with is your spouse. When you confess you take the power away from the accuser. Confession also has a way of disarming the sin, taking the power that the sin has over you. You don't have to confess your sins to everyone, but it is good to have someone to keep us accountable. Confession is a powerful weapon.

V. Be an intercessor 

Daniel was a great intercessor. We should be intercessors too. Daniel was praying on behalf of his people. He was not just concerned with his own well being, but also the well being of his people. We see all through scripture good and godly people who would intercede for the people. They didn't want them to be punished, they threw themselves in with their people interceding for them to God. Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses interceded for the people of Israel after the golden calf. Samuel called for a time of repentance and sacrifice and turning to the Lord before going into battle against the Philistines. Esther called for a time of fasting and prayer before going before the king on behalf of her people. 

In his confession Daniel mentioned 3 things that the people failed to do. 

1. We failed to listen to the truth. Your prophets...we didn't listen to them.

2. We failed to obey. God gave them clear commandments. We did what we wanted to do. 

3. We failed to repent. When confronted with our sins we just kept on going. In truth we are not much different. Daniel knows that God is about to physically restoring the people to their homeland, but he is also concerned with their heart, about their spiritual wellbeing. Are we concerned about that? We should be concerned with getting back to God, where the church stands out and stands up. We need to repent, we need to change. We need for people's hearts turn back to God.

We ought to pray to God to grant repentance and lead our hearts back to him.

Closing Prayer

Psalm 85:1-7 (ESV) "LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation."