Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Date: 12-13-98

Sermon Number: 129

Text: Luke 19:28-44

The Triumphal Entry

When Jesus came on the scene John the Baptist had been in place for some time. He had walked out of the wilderness with a message of repentance. He spoke of the coming Messiah and lived to witness His arrival. Gazing upon Jesus he said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." But then hard times fell upon John. He was imprisoned for exposing the sins of King Herod and eventually he was put to death. But before he died, in that dark, cruel, prison, John's faith was challenged. He began to doubt or at least to wonder if He had identified the right person as the Messiah, the Lamb of God. So he sent his disciples to ask the question, "Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?" (Matthew 11:3 NASB)

This question continues to be asked today by millions. As Christians bear witness to their faith in Jesus calling others to believe in Him those who hear ask, with doubt in their voices, "Is this Jesus the only Savior of mankind or should we look for another?" The often go on to ask, "If He is the Savior, God in the flesh, then why is the world in its present condition? If He is the God and governor of all things why does the devil so frequently triumph? If He is who you say He is why does He tolerate His enemies? If He is the Christ why does He not show Himself so clearly that none will doubt and all will believe? If He is God and the Son of God why does He not vanquish sin and all its ugly children forever and restore this earth to its former glory? Is Jesus really the Messiah? Is He the Son of the Living God? If so, we can trust Him with our lives today and our souls for eternity. If not, we are, above all people on earth, to be pitied and laughed at as fools.

The rather large text which comes to our attention today answers John's question in the affirmative. Yes, Jesus is the Expected One, the Son of the living God, the creator of all things. And no you need not look for another savior. Look with me at our text for today. Luke 19:28-44 NASB.

"And after He had said these things, He was going on ahead, ascending to Jerusalem. {29} And it came about that when He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, {30} saying, "Go into the village opposite you, in which as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it, and bring it here. {31} "And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' thus shall you speak, 'The Lord (the word means, "One with authority.") has need of it.'" {32} And those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them. {33} And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" {34} And they said, "The Lord has need of it." The Gospel of Mark reports that they immediately gave them permission to take the donkey colt.

What do we find here to convince us that this man named Jesus is the Expected One, the Messiah, the Savior of sinners, or, God in the flesh? We find Him doing things that only God could do. Specifically we discover that this man is omniscient in that He knows and sees all things. Then we learn that He has the ability to control the behaviors of both man and beast. He exercises Sovereignty over them. These are both characteristics unique to God. Therefore this Jesus is divine.

That Jesus is omniscient is revealed when He says, "Go into that village and there you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat." First, He knows its in the village. But more than that, He knows where it is and He knows the animals history. It is an unbroken, un-ridden colt. But how does He know? There is only one way, ladies and gentlemen, that He could know, He is God in the flesh. He is omniscient, He sees and knows all things because He has ordained all that will ever come to pass. He Created that beast for this day and purpose. Jesus is God in the flesh!

Second, we see Christ's sovereign rule over the will and behavior of men. "Go to that village and take the colt that you find there and if anyone says, "What do you think you are doing?" Simply say, "The Lord has need of it?" Then they will let you take the animal. Can you imagine some one coming to your house, getting in your car and when you object they say, "Oh its alright the Lord has need of it." Surely you would say "OK, take it and God bless!" No, you would fight for your car or call the police or some other authority to help you stop the thief. No one just gives their car or their donkey to the first two men in long robes that come along. There is one reason and one reason only that the owner of that donkey gave those men permission to take it. They did so because Jesus, the Eternal, God, Man, Savior, caused them to comply with the request. The disciples were strangers who appeared to be stealing a donkey and the owners said "OK" you have our permission. This is contrary to human reason and all that is normal behavior. And it was brought about by the Son of the God, the Expected One. Here is God working in men causing them to will and do what He wants them to do. This is something He does far more often than we humans want to admit. Listen to a few texts that support my statement.

(Proverbs 16:1 NASB) "The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD."

(Proverbs 16:9 NASB) "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

(Proverbs 19:21 NASB) "Many are the plans in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD, it will stand."

(Proverbs 21:1 NASB) "The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes."

God and His Christ both rule sovereignly over the words and actions of men.

The revelation of Christ's sovereignty over dumb beasts is found in the following verses, Luke 19:35-36. "And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their garments on the colt, and put Jesus on it. {36} And as He was going, they were spreading their garments in the road."

If you have ever had any experience with unbroken un-ridden horses or donkeys you will see the miracle revealed by this text. First they "threw their garments on the colt." Do you know what reaction this should have brought from the un-broken donkey? Under normal circumstances the beast would have gone crazy. He would have bucked and thrashed about until the garments were tossed off. But he did not do that! Why not? You know the answer, don't you? Because the God who made him overthrew his natural instincts. Jesus calmed the beast by the exercise of His power and sovereignty. More miraculous is the fact that after they threw the garments on the animal Jesus climbed on board. A man of one-hundred plus pounds climbed onto the back of an un-broken donkey colt and began to ride toward Jerusalem! The beast did not object but moved forward as if it had been ridden a thousand times. This is no mere man ladies and gentlemen! This is Jesus the Son of the Living God, the Expected One, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Behold your God riding to His death for you.

Not only does Christ's control of human and animal life indicate that He is divine, the circumstances here described identify Him as the long awaited Messiah and Savior of sinners. For more than four-hundred years earlier the prophet Zachariah prophesied and in that prophesy said that the Messiah would arrive in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Hear the word of the Lord.

(Zechariah 9:9 NASB) "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." This ancient prophecy was fulfilled the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey! Jesus, brothers and sisters, friends and guests, is the King who is just and endowed with salvation! And oh how the people rejoiced.

{37} And as He was now approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, {38} saying, "BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

There is no shortage of miracles to which this text might refer but the one closest to this event was the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead! Just days before this Jesus enjoyed a meal with Lazarus and his family but they were not alone. (John 12:9-11 NASB) "The great multitude therefore of the Jews learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. {10} BUT the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus to death also; (meaning along with Jesus) {11} because on account of him many of the Jews were going away, and were believing in Jesus."

No wonder the multitudes were gathered around Christ praising God as he rode into Jerusalem. But they weren't just praising God. By the words they used they identified Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, John's Expected One! This made the murderous Pharisees furious, but not stupid. As I read the next section notice that these snakes don't have what it took to address the multitude. Instead they ask Jesus to rebuke the people for referring to Him as the Messiah. Let's see how Jesus reacts.

{39} And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to Him, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." {40} And He answered and said, "I tell you, if these become silent, (If these people do not declare the arrival of the Messiah . . .) the stones will cry out!" You see it was time for Jesus to be identified and He would no longer discourage it. Many times before this moment Jesus shunned identification. His time had not yet come and so He discouraged publicity. There were even times when, after healing someone, He would say, "Tell no one." But now it was time. It was time for the whole Jewish and Roman worlds to set their eyes on Him. He was on His way to the cross. He was the Lamb of God come to bleed and die for the sins of His people. He would not perform this great work in private. If need be the stones would announce His arrival. If humans were silent the rocks would be given a voice and they would declare to the world that, "The Messiah has come!" "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord."

In the words that remain we are reminded of the misconceptions the Jews had about the Messiah. Jesus had come to die for the sins of those given to Him by the Father. (see John six and seventeen) The Jews, however, thought He had come to overthrow the Romans and set up His kingdom. They were looking for a physical Savior not a spiritual one. They wanted someone to make their lives more comfortable and peaceful. They thought the Messiah was to be a warrior King instead of a dying substitute. Most of the excitement and rejoicing, therefore, did not have to do with the truth about Jesus' mission. Yes they had identified Him as the Messiah but they had misunderstood His mission. This is why Jesus was not as jubilant as His followers. He knew that the vast majority of them did not believe in Him as they must for the salvation of their souls. Fact is, Israel, and particularly Jerusalem, was about to be destroyed by a judgement from God for their unbelief. This is why, in the midst of all this rejoicing, Jesus wept.

(Luke 19:41-44 NASB) "And when He approached, HE SAW THE CITY AND WEPT OVER IT, {42} saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! (He speaks of peace with God by faith in Himself.) But now they have been HIDDEN FROM YOUR EYES. {43} "For the days shall come upon you when your enemies will throw up a bank before you, (He speaks of a dirt ramp by which their attackers would come over the wall.) and surround you, and hem you in on every side, {44} and will LEVEL YOU TO THE GROUND AND YOUR CHILDREN WITHIN YOU, AND THEY WILL NOT LEAVE IN YOU ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER, BECAUSE YOU DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION."

You see, Israel had been visited many times by the prophets of old and now by Christ himself. Both the prophets and Jesus brought the good news that sinners could be saved from eternal damnation by trusting in Him. But they stoned the prophets and rejected the message. They hardened their hearts against the truth. Therefore, in judgement, God hardened their hearts even further to the extent that when Jesus finally came they could not recognize Him. And Jesus wept. What are we to learn from this?

Previously we saw very clearly that Jesus was God in the flesh, divine, the second person of the Blessed Trinity. Now we see that He was fully human as well. This accounts for the tears. What normal human being who knowing the facts about heaven and hell would not be moved to tears as he thinks of the judgement that will soon come upon those He loves? Jesus was a real man with all the emotions and feelings that go with being human. Jesus loved his fellow man and was saddened by the prospect of their damnation. Yes, as God, He had determined to save the elect and them only. However, as man He is filled with sorrow when He thinks of the destruction that will come upon the unbelieving. Our Lord, being God, could look at men and identify the elect and non-elect yet He preached the gospel to all. Having preached the Gospel He rejoiced over those who believed and He wept over those who remained in their sin. We must make careful note of the fact that Jesus' knowledge of and compliance with the will of God to save some and not others did not keep Him from weeping over those who would not believe. Our Lord sets an example of love and compassion for every Christian to follow. We must all be lovers of the souls of men. We must all lament the damnation of the wicked even while we rejoice in the salvation of God's chosen people.

By the prophets of old and at last in person, Jesus came to Israel. He came unto His own Jewish people but they would not have Him as the Savior of their souls. They did not recognize their day of visitation, their opportunity for salvation. Just as they had killed the prophets they would soon kill Christ. Therefore, judgement would be their reward. About forty years from this event Jerusalem was leveled by the Romans and all its inhabitants were destroyed. The day of grace, their opportunity to be saved from God's wrath was gone. The door of mercy was now closed. These would not see Jesus again until the resurrection and judgement of all men.

There is no doubt that some in Christ's immediate company did believe in a saving way but these were very few when compared to the masses. Why was that the case? The answer is in our text. "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been HIDDEN FROM YOUR EYES." The difference between those who saw and those who did not was in the hands of the one who has the power to hide or reveal truth to men. That one is the Savior Himself. Hear the word of the Lord.

(Matthew 11:25-30 NASB) At that time Jesus answered and said, "I praise Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes. (For reasons known only to God He reveals the truth to one and not another. Jesus praises God for His wisdom in this.) {26} "Yes, Father, for thus it was well-pleasing in Thy sight. {27} "All things (The same prerogatives and divine powers.) have been handed over to Me (Jesus) by My Father; and no one knows the Son, except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, AND anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."

This is why one will recognize his day of visitation while another will not. One will see the Savior as a good man who lived and died in history. The other will see Him as his only hope for peace with God and peace within. The person to whom Christ reveals Himself will see his sinfulness, and hopelessness. He will be burdened, indeed, he will be overwhelmed and crushed with the knowledge of his sin. The person to whom Christ reveals his sin will very quickly be brought to the end of himself. This man, this woman, this child will look away from himself for help. To such a person Jesus says, {28} "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (Most everyone here today knows how terrible and wearisome a life of sin and rebellion against God is. Most everyone in this house has at some point come to the end of themselves only to hear the Savior's invitation. "Come unto Me and I will give you rest.) {29} "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. {30} "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."

Oh how I remember the days when I had no rest for my soul. Every day was one of misery, fear, and anxiety. Every waking hour was spent trying to fill the emptiness in my heart. Yet there was no filling it with anything I could do or buy. Neither could people stop the incessant gnawing in the pit of stomach. I could find no rest until the Savior revealed Himself to me. He said come and, by grace, I went and found rest for my soul. Now I have peace with God and peace in my home. By faith I have traded the heavy load of sin and guilt for the pleasant yoke of serving the God I love. To Him be all the glory for He reveals Himself to those of His own choosing. It was grace, dear people, that caused me to recognize the day of my visitation. What about you?

Has Jesus revealed to you your sin, guilt, and helplessness? Do you understand at last that you are without strength, hope, and without God in this world? If so I must tell you that today, through God's word, you have been visited by the Savior of sinners. I pray that you will hear Him say, "Come unto Me." "Come unto Me." It is very important that you hear the exact words Jesus uses. He does not say come unto baptism. He does not say come unto church membership. He does not say come unto the Lord's Supper. He does not say come to the alter. What He says is very specific and eternally important. "Come unto Me and I, Jesus Christ the Son of God, will give you rest." Therefore, I say to you, "Run to Jesus. Dear troubled sinner cry out to Christ and He will lift your burden. He will save your soul and wash you white as snow. He will forgive your sins and make you new again. He will give you rest. Oh blessed rest. How wonderful it is to have that gnawing, grinding emptiness put to death. How sweet it is to have peace with God and peace within. These are the greatest treasures man can possess.

Jesus is the God, Man, Savior of all who will come to Him by faith. You needn't look any further to find rest for your soul and hope for eternity.

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