If you have your Bible with you, you can open it up to John chapter 12.
John chapter 12.
We're picking up where we left off last Sunday.
And last Sunday we heard about a special dinner that Jesus had with Mary and Martha and Lazarus
in the village of Bethany, just three kilometers outside of Jerusalem.
And we heard about how Mary poured out on Jesus her very expensive perfume, probably her
most valuable possession as a gift of love and worship.
We also heard about how Jesus' whereabouts has again become known to not just the religious
leaders, but to many of the people of Jerusalem.
And how they, finding out about Jesus being there in Bethany, have now come out to see
both Jesus and Lazarus and how many were coming to believe in Jesus.
Let's pick up the story in John chapter 12, verse 12.
John chapter 12, verse 12.
The next day, the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his
way to Jerusalem.
They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord, blessed is the King of Israel.
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it as it is written.
Do not be afraid, daughter Zion.
See, your King is coming, seated on a donkey's colt.
The triumphal entry.
This is a big moment in the story of Jesus.
John tells us that it happened soon after his visit in Bethany.
Either the day after the dinner or the day after the crowd arrived to see Jesus, they came.
And then this next day was the triumphal entry.
John tells us here in verse 12 that a great crowd came out from Jerusalem to meet him.
But notice which crowd.
This is not the same crowd back in verse 9.
This crowd is a different crowd.
They're the ones who have come to Jerusalem for the Passover generally.
And now they've heard that Jesus is now on his way out of Bethany to Jerusalem.
And so hearing this, they now make their way out to meet Jesus.
John tells us in the next verse,
they took palm branches and went out to meet him.
So picture this in your mind.
Word is spreading from house to house
that Jesus is just down the road and now he's on his way right now into the city of Jerusalem.
This is the same Jesus that's been the talk of the whole city.
The one that they've all been asking about.
Where is he?
Is he coming to the festival?
And as the word is spreading
that Jesus is now on his way,
these people are running out of their houses.
They're finding palm branches,
whether from trees in the city or just outside the city.
Maybe even climbing them, some of them.
Breaking off the branches
and then with branches tucked under their arms,
they're running down the road
towards Bethany
to meet Jesus.
Well, what's with the palm branches?
The only significance of the palm branches
that's in the Bible that we hear about
has to do with a different festival,
the festival of tabernacles.
But this is Passover.
The general consensus among Christian scholars and historians is this.
About 200 years before this took place,
palm branches became a national symbol in Israel.
They were used when they rededicated the temple to the Lord
about 200 years before this.
And then about 20 years after that,
a man named Simon the Maccabee
drove the Syrian forces
out of the Jerusalem citadel.
And when that happened,
there was celebration and music
and the crowds grabbed palm branches
and waved them.
It was a moment of victory,
a moment of national liberation.
And that all took place
in the time between the Old and the New Testaments.
But now here again,
Israel and Jerusalem
are not free and independent.
This time it's not the Syrians,
but the Romans who are in power.
But there is great hope by many
that this man,
who is now on his way into the city,
is the long-awaited Messiah.
The king who will reign over Israel
and liberate us from the rule of the Romans,
who will lead us to victory.
And so the palm branches
probably are a kind of a tangible expression
of this hope
that Jesus will lead us to triumph
again as a nation.
For some,
that yes,
he is the Messiah
we've been waiting for.
And this feeling comes out
in the words of the crowd.
They were shouting,
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Blessed is the king of Israel.
The cry Hosanna
is a Hebrew expression.
And it literally means,
save!
Or give salvation now.
It actually comes from the Psalms.
And it was a passage
that every Jew would have known
because it was used often in festivals.
Let me read a little bit
from Psalm 118.
This is from Psalm 118,
verse 19.
And this appears on the screen in prose,
but it's actually poetic.
It's like a song.
So,
Open for me the gates of the righteous.
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks
for you answered me.
You have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
The Lord has done this
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The Lord has done it this very day.
Let us rejoice today
and be glad.
Lord,
save us.
That save us is literally
Hosanna.
And the Lord is literally
Yahweh,
the name of God.
Yahweh,
save us.
Yahweh,
grant us success.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of Yahweh.
From the house of Yahweh,
we bless you.
Yahweh is God
and he has made his light shine on us
with bows in hand.
Join in the festal procession
up to the horns
of the altar.
These were the words
of the song
that was sung long ago
and still sung in Israel
at the time.
Great song of joy.
Song of worship
and praise.
He is our deliverer,
the Lord.
The one who saves us.
And so we cry,
Hosanna.
Yes,
Lord,
save us.
This phrase is not just a plea
for deliverance.
It's also an acknowledgement
that we have one
who is mighty,
who is strong,
who is powerful enough
to save us from our enemies.
And so it became,
by this time,
very much
a statement of praise,
a word of praise.
And as the people
cry,
Hosanna,
oh,
there's a lot of meaning now
in this moment
as they're saying this
while Jesus
is walking down the road.
Perhaps
for some
in saying this word,
there's that plea
for salvation.
Though probably
for many
who used it this way,
not the kind of salvation
that Jesus
has been talking about.
More like it's the
come and
liberate us
from the Romans,
save us,
deliver us
kind of salvation.
But there is also
in this word
the praise part of it.
And I think
perhaps
some of these people
are getting it.
Yes,
Jesus is the Messiah.
He is the one
who can save us,
who can deliver us.
Not just from the Romans,
but in every sense,
he's the one.
Hosanna.
The second thing
that John
notes them saying,
blessed is he
who comes
in the name
of the Lord,
in the name
of Yahweh,
our God.
This is good.
This is true.
This is who Jesus is.
And then finally,
he reports them saying,
blessed is the king
of Israel.
this final proclamation
makes it clear
what this moment
is all about.
Let's not forget
that there's already
a man sitting
on a throne of sorts
in Jerusalem.
Let's not forget
that there's already
a Roman governor
over this region
under Caesar,
the Roman emperor,
who has laid claim
to this territory
as his own.
So this is a big deal.
What the people
are doing
and saying
in this moment
is actually
kind of risky.
They are making
this into
what very much
looks like
a royal
coronation procession
for Jesus,
a new king,
parading him
all the way
into Jerusalem,
an occupied nation
that seems
that seems to
already have
a king.
But there's
something about
this procession
that's very
different than
others.
Look at how
Jesus comes
into the city
in verse 14.
Jesus found
a young donkey
and sat on it
as it is written,
do not be afraid,
daughter Zion.
See,
your king is coming,
seated
on a donkey's
colt.
Jesus does not
come in
riding on a
war horse
with an army
ready for battle
behind him.
This is not
at all
a military
procession
as if he's
now coming
to rule
or to take
over the city
by force.
He comes
on a donkey,
a lowly
and relatively
gentle creature
which symbolizes
peace.
John tells us
that this
was the
fulfillment
of the
word of
Zechariah
long ago.
Zechariah
chapter 9
verses 9
and 10.
God spoke
through Zechariah
and this is
what Zechariah
said.
Rejoice
greatly,
daughter Zion.
Shout,
daughter Jerusalem.
see your
king comes
to you
righteous
and victorious
lowly
and riding
on a donkey
on a colt
the foal
of a donkey.
The prophecy
goes on.
I will take
away the chariots
from Ephraim
and the war
horses from
Jerusalem
and the battle
bow will be
broken.
He will
proclaim peace
to the nations.
His rule
will extend
from sea
to sea
and from
the river
to the ends
of the earth.
So God
long ago
through the
prophet Zechariah
told his people
that the Messiah
would come.
The king
would come
just like this.
Lowly,
gentle,
riding on a donkey.
And I love
what John says
about this
in verse 16.
He says
at first
his disciples,
this includes
him by the way,
did not
understand all
this.
Only after
Jesus was
glorified
did they
realize
that these
things
in Zechariah
had been
written about
Jesus
and that
these things
had been
done to him.
I love this.
You know,
it's not like
John and the
other disciples
at the beginning
of Jesus'
ministry
all sat down
with Jesus
and they
opened up
the scriptures
and they
made a list
of all
the prophecies
that Jesus
was to
fulfill
and then
said,
all right,
let's get
some prophecies
fulfilled.
What do we
got to do?
Check,
check,
check.
No.
John freely
admits,
we didn't
even know
what the deal
was with
the donkey.
Jesus,
why a donkey?
Why a young
donkey?
It wasn't
until later.
Can you
imagine that
after Jesus
had died
and rose
and ascended?
There they
are hearing
the words
of Zechariah
or reading
them.
Look at
this.
This is
exactly what
happened.
We were
there.
We saw
him.
You guys,
you were
the ones
that went
and got
the donkey
for him.
You were
fulfilling
prophecy
and you
didn't
even know
it.
Amazing.
And that's
how it
was.
In fact,
probably not
just with
this one
incident,
but probably
all over
the scriptures
in the Old
Testament,
as the
disciples went
back,
as they
looked into
the scriptures,
here,
there,
everywhere,
what they
had just
witnessed
with Jesus
was being
proclaimed and
described hundreds
of years before
any of it came
to pass.
And many of
these things,
they were
fulfilled and
in that moment
the disciples
didn't even have
a clue that
this is that
fulfillment right
here.
We're part
of it.
That's how it
works with
God.
God,
he really
does know
the end
from the
beginning.
And he
is able to
work and
ensure that
none of his
words fall
to the ground,
that every
single one of
them is
fulfilled,
regardless of
the actions
or the
decisions that
the characters
in the story
are taking.
It's awesome.
It's evidence
that he is the
Almighty and that
Jesus is the
one sent
from him.
We'll come
back another
time to what
it means for
Jesus to be
glorified.
Jesus is going
to bring that
up in chapter
17.
But for now,
let's come down
to verse 17.
John goes on,
he says,
Now the crowd
that was with
him when he
called Lazarus
from the tomb
and raised him
from the dead
continued to
spread the word.
Many people,
because they
had heard that
he had performed
this sign,
went out to
meet him.
Now there's a
bit of a
question here
as to which
crowd is which,
which crowd is
when,
and which
crowd is where.
Some see in
these words
two crowds,
one traveling
out from
Bethany with
Jesus and
one traveling
out from
Jerusalem to
meet Jesus.
Others also
see two crowds,
but it's one
who had been
at Lazarus'
resurrection and
ever since has
been spreading
the word,
and one who
is now going
out to meet
Jesus because
of the word
that they
heard.
And if that's
the case,
then how many
of the ones
who were at
Lazarus'
resurrection came
out yesterday
to Bethany,
and how many
are now coming
out now?
And you can
kind of see
where this all
gets mixed up
a little bit.
And a lot of
this seems to
hinge on a,
I guess there's
a manuscript
variant.
There's two
different streams
of manuscripts,
and it's the
difference of a
single Greek
letter as to
the word,
whether it's
this word or
that word.
Is it that the
crowd being with
Jesus when he
raised Lazarus
from the dead,
that crowd was
testifying?
Or is it the
crowd being with
Jesus was
testifying that he
raised Lazarus
from the dead?
And it's difficult
to say.
But here's what is
clear.
John wants us to
know, why are all
these people doing
something like this?
I mean, running
out of the city
with palm branches
to declare Jesus
king.
This is serious.
The man that
they're going out
to welcome and
declare his king
is a wanted man.
And John tells us
here in verse 18,
one of the big
factors in people's
minds is this.
Many people,
because they had
heard that he had
performed this sign,
that's raising
Lazarus from the
dead.
Because they heard
that, they went
out to meet him.
Literally, for this
reason, the crowd
met Jesus, because
they heard this sign
he had done.
So however you
interpret it, you've
got two groups of
people.
One of these groups
is testifying about
how Jesus called
Lazarus out of the
tomb and raised him
from the dead.
And the other group
is hearing this
testimony and saying,
wow, that's
amazing.
If that's the
case, this could
be the Messiah.
And so out they
go to meet him.
This is key.
Without the
resurrection of
Lazarus, there
might not have been
a triumphal entry.
It was the critical
event leading up to
this moment.
And it's, you know,
as I was thinking
about this, it's
difficult to say,
what are all these
people thinking in
the crowd?
Are some genuinely
believing in Jesus
that he is the
Messiah?
Probably.
Are some more
interested in him as
a political savior and
king?
Probably.
Are some just going
out there to see the
miracle man?
Probably.
For some is real
faith beginning to
grow?
Probably.
We can only guess.
We don't know.
But it caused quite
the stir that day as
they paraded him into
the city, declaring
him to be the king
that comes in the
name of Yahweh, with
shouts and singing.
Verse 19.
So the Pharisees said
to one another, see,
this is getting us
nowhere.
Look how the whole
world has gone after
him.
I love this.
The Pharisees are
exasperated.
They're so
frustrated.
Let's look back for a
second to chapter 11
verse 57.
There John tells us
that the chief priests
and the Pharisees had
given orders that
anyone who found out
where Jesus was should
report it so that they
might arrest him.
Are the people
listening to the
orders of the
Pharisees and the
chief priests?
Not at all.
All of these people,
this massive crowd,
they're completely
disregarding the
orders of the
religious leaders.
In fact, they're
doing the very
opposite.
Instead of reporting
Jesus, they're going
out to welcome him
as king.
So I guess the
Pharisees are
frustrated.
They've lost, it
seems, what little
control they had over
the people.
And what do we do
with all these people
now?
If they don't follow
us, if they don't
obey us, if they don't
submit to us, how do you
bring consequences and
instill a fear of
authority, a respect of
authority into a group
that's so large?
They're very frustrated.
This is getting us
nowhere.
They've been trying to
turn the people against
Jesus and right now in
this moment, it seems
like they have utterly
failed.
Look how the whole world
has gone after him.
Seems like the kind of
exaggeration that we
sometimes do when we get
really angry or really
emotional.
Everything is going
wrong.
The whole world has
gone after him.
Well, not the whole
world was, but it sure
felt like that to the
Pharisees that day.
But there's another
sense in which there is
some truth to this
frustrated remark of the
Pharisees.
Passover was a big time
of year.
Historical records
suggest that the number
of people in the city
of Jerusalem at Passover
time swelled up to
somewhere between one to
three million people.
And where did all these
people come from?
They didn't just come
from all over Israel.
They came from all over
the world, so to speak.
There's a list in Acts
chapter 2 of the various
nations that were
represented at Pentecost,
a different festival.
It's probably a good place
to start as we think
about where people may
have traveled just to be
here in Jerusalem for this
Passover, as far as Persia,
Mesopotamia, Asia Minor,
all over Egypt, Libya,
Greece, even Rome.
It was people from all
over the place that now
made up this great crowd
that had come for the
festival.
We're hearing the
testimony of how Jesus
raised Lazarus from the
dead and now running out
and bringing him in.
A very diverse group.
And so in a sense,
indeed, the whole world
is going after Jesus
just as it should.
But you can start to see
here how the religious
leaders get to a place
where they are so consumed
with hate and anger
and jealousy towards Jesus
that they would stop at
nothing to take him out.
Well, what do we do
with this whole account?
What's in this for us
here in 2022?
As I was thinking about
this, you know, for a
moment here in the story,
it was popular to be a
Jesus follower.
After all the disciples
and Jesus had been through
and the times nearly
arrested and nearly stoned,
for a brief moment,
it's suddenly popular
to be a follower of Jesus.
The disciples, I imagine,
were drinking this in.
How refreshing.
After all we've seen
and been through,
to hear this massive crowd
singing praise
and celebrating
all in favor of Jesus,
our King,
our Messiah.
I'm sure it was a day
of rejoicing.
But by the end of the week,
it's not going to feel
like this
at all.
Jesus will be dead,
falsely accused,
mistreated,
and murdered.
His death demanded
by the crowd
in Jerusalem.
And suddenly,
it will not be popular
at all
to be a Jesus follower
or to claim him
as King.
And I got thinking
about how it's been
in our world since then.
We've seen this popularity pattern
repeated throughout history,
haven't we?
In different places,
God has been gracious.
There's been renewal.
There's been revival
here and there.
Whole nations,
at times,
have declared themselves Christian,
have helped
to translate the Bible.
New nations have been founded
by settlers,
many of whom were Christians.
We might think back
to the days of Billy Graham.
Celebrated around the world
as a preacher
of the gospel.
Even the Russians
invited him
to come over
and preach the gospel there
because they didn't want
to be left out.
And there's this
sort of popular pride
for the moment
in being Christian.
but then suddenly
it's gone
and it's no longer popular
to be a Jesus follower.
Think of the disciples
here in the midst of this.
One day in the crowd
proclaiming Jesus is King.
Days later
in the crowd
cowering in fear
while the crowd
demands that
the King
be executed.
and as I was thinking
about this
I got thinking
it doesn't really matter
whether Jesus
is popular
today
or how popular
it is to be a follower
of his today.
All that matters
today
is the truth
of whether he is
the King
of God's choosing
the Messiah.
It doesn't matter
what the world
around us
thinks about Jesus
or is saying
about Jesus.
All that matters
is whether he is
indeed
worthy
of our hosannas.
Let me take a step
back from that.
We do care
about the people
around us
who don't believe
that Jesus
is the Messiah.
We want them
to believe
as we do
but what I'm getting
at is this
will we let
the opinions
of others
of our world
of the people
around us
will we let
their opinions
of Jesus
soften
or dampen
our hosannas.
Are you the kind
of Jesus follower
who only loves
to join in the procession
and sing the praise
when everybody's doing it
and it seems
like a good time?
Is the King
of God's choosing
not worthy
of our loudest praise
our highest praise
today
and every day
no matter
what the world
thinks
and what the world
is doing?
Let's go back
for a moment
to Zechariah
chapter 9.
Rejoice greatly
daughter Zion
shout
daughter Jerusalem
see
your King
comes to you
righteous
and victorious
lowly
and riding
on a donkey
on a colt
the foal
of a donkey
but what else
does Zechariah
say
about this King?
He says
he will proclaim
peace
to the nations
his rule
will extend
from sea to sea
and from the river
to the ends
of the earth
do you hear that?
this same King
who rode into Jerusalem
on a donkey
will someday come
to proclaim
peace
to the nations
and his rule
will know
no bounds
from sea to sea
he will be King
to the ends
of the earth
but are you
going to wait
till then
to sing
Hosanna?
Listen
every Sunday
when we come together
we have the opportunity
and the privilege
to lift our voices
in song
and in praise
and to sing
Hosanna
and blessing
to our King
whether it's popular
in the world
or not
doesn't matter
whether it's popular
to be in church
on Sunday mornings
in Davidson
doesn't matter
Jesus is the same King
back then
today
and forever
so let's not wait
until Palm Sunday
to make a joyful noise
to rejoice greatly
let's do it every Sunday
let's not worry about
what that person
sitting over there
in the church
will think
if they hear us
singing at the top
of our lungs
to Jesus
Jesus is worthy of it
he's the King
before whom
every person
will one day
bow down
think about that
everybody in the Canadian
government today
will one day
bow down
before him
the Queen of England
who's never bowed down
to anyone in her life
probably
will bow down
before Jesus
the President of the United States
the entire Assembly
of the United Nations
every person
represented in that group
will bow down
someday
to Jesus
he's coming back
to this earth
and he will rule it all
but let's not wait
until that day
to let the whole world
know
the truth
of our great King
every Sunday
should be Palm Sunday
for us
till he comes
again
to rule
to Zion
or
takes us
to be with him
Hosanna
in the highest
our King
has come
and he's coming
again
let's pray
Father in heaven
what a great hope
we have
what an awesome
thing you are doing
help us to keep
our eyes on that
in these days
it's tough
there are so many
things that pull
our attention away
but you are the one
who saves us
and Jesus
you are our King
I pray that you
would give us
eyes of faith
to see that
and to live
in light of that
and you're coming
again
today
and every day
glory to you
Amen