Matthew 21:1-11 - King Jesus

When I was 15 my family took a trip to Europe, and during this trip we spent two weeks in Egypt. We spent our time looking at the sights and enjoying the scenery and sweating to death. We actually would do our sight seeing in the mornings and then pretty much spend the afternoons at the hotel in the swimming pool because it was just too hot to do much of anything after 1pm. One of the days we went donkey riding. We each got a donkey and we had a guide with us and we went to about three different sights of Egyptian ruins. It was actually quite fun and a lot cooler than being packed in the busses that most people were. The busses didn’t have air conditioning, but as we trotted along on our donkeys, a breeze would build up and keep us cool. I could tell stories about my mom not being able to control her donkey and going off the wrong way a number of times or I could talk about how there were caves near the valley of the kings where garbage was piled up. I remember commenting on how there might be something neat in those caves and being laughed at by my family. Years later it was discovered that these caves were entrances to a whole complex of tombs for princes. I could talk about the man who pulled my dad aside and tried to sell him a mummy finger. But none of these things really apply to today’s scripture. Instead I want to share about the looks on people’s faces as we rode up on donkeys. You see, there were these main roads that the tour busses followed and people pretty much stayed on them, but our guide knew back ways that basically seemed to go right through the desert. So there were these tour groups that would be at a sight and looking around and here comes my family over a dune out of the desert on donkeys, trotting away. And people stared as we came up, got off our donkeys, looked at the sights, then re-mounted and headed back off into the desert in a different direction. You could see people talking about us. You could see people wondering at what was going on and trying to figure out who we were.

I think I got a small taste of what Palm Sunday was like for those with Jesus. Here was this teacher that they had been following, who was obviously special, but who they had been spending time with regularly. And as he entered Jerusalem on a donkey, all the people became very excited and turned it into a great celebration. And Jesus trotted along on his donkey and accepted the praise that all those around him gave. It must have been quite the sight.

I. The Gift of a Donkey

Today’s scripture tells the story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. To put this in context we need to quickly map out the last week of Jesus’ life. For this triumphal entry is the beginning of that final, fateful week. Jesus has been traveling down to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Some great things have been happening and Jesus even brought Lazarus back from the dead not too long before this. His name is going before him and there is this excitement in the air. There is anticipation that something great is about to happen. The anticipation is so great that an impromptu parade breaks out as Jesus and those with him enter the city. Jesus is just one of many who are entering the city, but there is something special about this one.

This Triumphal Entry actually took place on the Sunday before Jesus’ death. We are told in John’s account of it that it took place 6 days before the Passover. The next day, which would be Monday, Jesus goes to the temple and overturns the tables of those buying and selling in the temple. Tuesday and Wednesday Jesus taught. Thursday found Jesus meeting with his followers in the upper room for his last supper with them. Thursday evening then took Jesus out to the Garden of Gethsemane, which is where Jesus was arrested. On Friday we have the trial and death of Jesus on the cross. This all happens before sundown, which is when the Sabbath begins. And then, you all know, we have Saturday and then on Sunday Jesus rises from the dead.

So this Triumphal Entry is the beginning of a busy and crazy week for Jesus. And it begins in an odd way: with a donkey.

The beginning of Holy Week, the beginning of this amazing event in Jesus’ life that changes the whole world, is in the theft of a donkey. That’s right, Jesus tells his disciples to go steal a donkey for him. This donkey does not belong to them. This donkey is not theirs. But Jesus has use of it and sends his disciples off to get it. And someone stops the disciples as they take the donkey, as you would expect. But Jesus has told the disciples to explain to the people who might stop them that “the Lord needs it”, the disciples do this and they are not stopped, but are allowed to take the donkey that Jesus rides as well as this donkey’s mother.

We are told that this fulfills prophecy, and it also affirms that Jesus is the Prince of Peace, for kings would ride donkeys in peacetime and horses as they went to war.

But it is an odd thing for Jesus to ask a stranger for use of their donkey and for that stranger to allow it. It makes me wonder what kind of strange things God might be planning to ask of us. We think of the obvious things that God asks of us, our time, our talents, our treasures. We focus in the evangelical church on the fact that God wants our hearts. This all is important; but what happens when God asks for that odd thing from you that just doesn’t make sense. What happens when God asks for your donkey?

What happens when God calls for you to spend more time with your family instead of working harder so that you can build better relationships with those around you? What happens when God tells you to slow down because you are trying to do too much and will hurt yourself? What happens when God asks you to give up your anger and turn it over to him? What happens when God asks you for something small and insignificant, something that you need to give up; something that you need to do in a different way? It may not even make any sense, but God is calling for you to do it. God is calling for you to let him steal your donkey. Are you going to say no to your Lord?

II. Crowds Cheer

Palm Sunday is just an odd place for a celebration. Here we are beginning the roller coaster ride with Jesus that will make the next week of his life the most important event in the history of the world. Here we are, rejoicing and cheering with the crowds, singing “Hosanna” with the children. But in just days we will see Jesus at the lowest point of his life and we will see humanity at its worst, killing their God and Savior.

You know why people are cheering. They’re on their way into Jerusalem, heading into the celebration of their most holy holiday. They’re excited and ready for great things to happen. Some would regularly go to Jerusalem for Passover. Others would try to make this trip a few times during their life, but it was a holy trip and a trip full of celebration.

This is Christmas, Easter, the Fourth of July and Mardigras all rolled up together. This week is a time for people to party and enjoy themselves, but to do so in a holy way. And so the people entering Jerusalem are already excited and hoping for something great to happen. When they see a celebration they want to become a part of it. So they celebrate what God is going to do through Jesus.

That’s what is really great about Palm Sunday; it is a time to celebrate that which God is going to do. The people are cheering because of hope. They are cheering because they expect great things to happen. They are cheering because though life is difficult for them now, they see the possibility of something great happening. Their hope causes them to cheer, to praise God, to rejoice. They see great possibilities in Jesus. So, they celebrate. They throw him a parade.

Hope can be a wonderful thing. It can take you out of the place where your pain and suffering is in control. And it can cause for you to celebrate God’s promises and the fact that his promises will be fulfilled. The Triumphal Entry is a time where God’s people celebrate God’s future work. It is a time where Jesus is acknowledged for who he is and what his role will be. It is a time where God’s people can rejoice because even though it seems like a bunch of Roman soldiers are in control, they know that in truth it is God who is in control… and God will do amazing things through this Jesus, though the people cheering have no idea what these things could possibly be. The Triumphal Entry, Palm Sunday is a time to celebrate because we know that something great is about to happen, though we don’t know what it will be. Do you ever rejoice in this way? Do you let yourself get excited about the fact that Jesus is yet going to do great things in your life? Are you ready to celebrate because you know that God has not yet done his best work? He still has great things to offer this world. He still has great things to offer you.

III. Crowds Curse

But, as I said at the beginning, the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is only the start of holy week. Jesus has a difficult week ahead. After this entry he will visit the Temple, a place that holds a special place in his heart. And he will find it to be in a way that is shameful to him. And he will overturn the tables of the moneychangers. He will have constant attacks from the Pharisees and leaders of the religious community. And a mere five days from now the crowds who were praising him today will be cursing him and calling for his death.

I cannot imagine the people of Jerusalem changing so very quickly, going from praise and joy, from celebration, to cursing and calls for his death. I believe they allowed themselves to act this way because of fear. They were afraid of Jesus’ power. They were afraid of the unknown. They were afraid of what the Romans would do to their culture, to their temple, to their way of life. They didn’t want to lose what they had, which is our greatest fear, so they lashed out at Jesus.

I worry that sometimes we act out of fear ourselves. We focus too much on protecting ourselves and our way of life. We want to protect our identity, we want to protect our faith; we want to remain comfortable in what we know. We want to remain safe and secure in the place that we are at, but if we let this be the motivating source behind everything we do, we will also find ourselves acting out of fear. And decisions that are made based on fear do not take account of God.

Jesus never made decisions based on fear. He relied on God for all and was rewarded mightily for this. He knew that fear was distrust of God. Does this mean that fear itself is bad. No, it is a natural reaction to much that we face. But when we make decisions based on it, they will not be the right decision. Instead, we are to make decisions based on God’s promises, based on God’s reality, not ours. We are to make decisions based on the fact that Jesus rose from the dead, and so shall we.

Throughout the week leading up to Jesus’ death, we see people again and again acting out of fear: the high priests and Pharisees, the Roman rulers, the crowds, and even the disciples. And this fear continues to lead them to a place where they need forgiveness. The amazing thing is that Jesus does forgive them. He calls out on the cross for God to forgive the people responsible for his death.

Jesus doesn’t want us to live ruled by fear. He knows that if we do, any triumph that we think we might have, that he might offer us, will turn to tragedy. No, he wants us to live with the hope that trusts in his promises. He wants our lives to be lives that celebrate the possibilities; that celebrate not only what God has done, but also what he will do. He wants us to live in a way that trusts him enough to even give him our donkeys when he asks. For it is hope that allows this, it is hope that brings us to a point where we can trust God, where we can know that what he asks of us will not only make his kingdom great, but it will help us. So let us enter this Holy Week as we celebrate God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice; let us enter it filled with hope. Amen.