Triumphant

You're listening to the radio ministry of Clearview church in Henderson North Carolina I Clearview. Our goal is to make Christ visible in everything we do this week aftershock continues our series title. Hosanna, we visited the account of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Jesus is the true King invites us to accept the weather we except temple rejected him nothing change the fact that he is the king one day rule… Of the rest of this week's message up into many big cities but my favorite ones is Washington DC. I love love love the iconic sites of the Washington monument of the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial World War II omitted just amazing.

Always stand in all of those sites.

We've even filmed in some of those places as Clearview media and last year our family was invited by one of our friends to go and and see the White House from the inside and I can tell you that was a trip of a lifetime.

Something we will never ever ever forget not to thousand years ago Jesus also visited a big city of the city was Jerusalem, but he did not come to visit the iconic sites he came to lay his rightful claim as the king of his people, the king of that city of the city had seen many kings come and go, but he was the rightful heir to the throne and unfortunately the city failed to recognize him to recognize her king and as you know, they crucified him, but didn't realize that in the process he was being the king not just of the city, but of all people everywhere, the king of our hearts and today were in the third message in our series titled hosanna this is Palm Sunday we can, and our message today is called triumphant but it's a different kind of triumph that Jesus achieved when he came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey on what we now call Palm Sunday, but here's the gist of the message Jesus is the rightful king of our hearts.

Jesus is the rightful King of our hearts. He wants to establish his rule in our hearts, but he will not force his way in. He will not demand that we make him the King of our hearts.

His rule is received rather than imposed. He gives us the choice to make that the decision to declare him the King of our hearts and today were going to go to Matthew chapter 21 starting in verse one, and let's all stand together for the reading of God's word.

Matthew 21 starting in verse one. Now when they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage. Bethphage was a small little town outside of Jerusalem. It was included into the city limits. During the time of the Passover because over hundred thousand.

Some people say as many as hundred and 80,000 people would come to celebrate Passover every year, probably more than that. And so he came to Bethphage the Mount of olives than Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them going to the village opposite you immediately. You will find a donkey tied in a cold with her moves them and bring them to me both the mother and the baby donkey and if anyone says anything to you, you shall say the Lord has need of them.

The word of Lord there is not necessarily referring to Jesus, but in the context in the way that word Lord is used at its referring to God the commander Jesus gave to them was tell them God needs those animals and immediately he will send them all this was done that might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you lowly and sitting on a donkey, a cold, the full of a donkey.

The question for us before we pray and look at our message today is is Jesus the king of your heart.

Is he truly ruling your heart. If you've never made him your King today is a day to do that if you lost pretty simple prayer that says Jesus. I believe I believe that you died on the cross for my sins. I believe that you were buried, and that you rose again as promised, as prophesied, and today I need you to come into my life.

Forgive me of my sins and be the king of my heart, the king of my mind, the king of who I am, so that every day I will seek to obey you.

And when I fail, forgive me and through your Holy Spirit.

Help me to obey. From that point on now so far in this series.

This is our third week we have looked at the meanings of the word. Hosanna in the first message should be focused on the meaning of the word hosanna to be save us now.

Please save us, but the second meaning be focused on last weekend was that hosanna also means victory on taste message.

Our focus is going to be more on what Jesus had in mind. What was he trying to communicate when he came riding on the donkey.

What prophecy was being fulfilled. I preached on this before from Zechariah. But this is a little different message.

Three things I want to highlight very quickly.

The first is the discourse so far helps us understand why Jesus did what he did. So what is happen until Matthew 21 verse one will if you back up to Matthew 16 and verse 20.

Thus far, unto chapter 16 verse 20 Jesus was focused only on Galilee within something happens in Matthew 16 and verse 21. There's a shift in focus, listen to what it says. From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up heard day. So what is happened in the discourse so far. Starting in Matthew chapter 1 to Matthew chapter 16 verse 20 time to time him Jerusalem, but most of his ministry was in Galilee. This is where he was preaching to the disciples. This is where he was teaching the multitudes, he was feeding the multitudes, he was healing the sick, he was raising the dead. All these things were wonderful and they were meant to be done. These were also fulfillments of the prophecies that Jesus was the one whom the prophets had talked about, but starting in 1621, we realize that this was not the ultimate purpose for his coming and listen very carefully you like the Beatitudes are due to be like the Lord's prayer. So do I like the miraculous power of God and in the healing the sick and calming the storm and feeding the 5000, that's wonderful. But make no mistake, the ultimate purpose for his coming was not just teach he'll feed his purpose was to come and go to Jerusalem, died on the cross at the hands of the leaders be buried. But on the turn day rise again. That is the peak you know we talk about the peak in this whole coronavirus situation that's can be peaking. This was the peak of his ministry. This was the height. This was why he came. Okay, let's not miss that point.

In fact, loose as it so well when Luke 951 note came to pass, when the time had come when the time had come for him to be received up to go back to where he came that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem at that point. Luke is actually quoting from Isaiah chapter 1 and a verse seven versus versus. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed, and so that is a very very important passage that we need to keep in mind the question for us today is this with Jesus.

Are you trusting in me and what is your whole salvation is your hope simply in being a good person is your hope in keeping the Beatitudes is your hope in shining the light in the world.

Be the salt and the light is your hope and trust in God to do things that cannot be explained. What is your hope. If your hope is anything other than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you are lost in your sense, you are lost in your sins made me not feel a whole lot compare to see the Beatitudes manner Beatitudes just did this warm heart. The miracles of God just gives me so much hope in knowing that God's will come through for me the way he did for those disciples awaited for the multi-he's gonna come through for me. All those emotions are great but this fact is not based on emotions is based on the truth that we are saved by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, no matter the feeling is the fact that we affirm is the fact in which we place our faith rest will not matter in the question today for you is which Jesus are you trusting it is that the center the focus that you come back to the cross.

The empty tomb because that's why Jesus came and so the first thing we need to understand is that discourse so far. How there is a shift in his ministry. He heads towards Jerusalem to give his life for us.

The second thing very quickly me to understand is a destination where was he heading he wasn't heading to Athens, Greece. He wasn't heading to Memphis, Egypt.

He wasn't heading to any of those places in Palestine at the time he was headed to Jerusalem. Why Jerusalem, Jerusalem was the capital of the Jewish people. Jerusalem was the place of the temple was caller stated this way. He said the temple was the earthly focus of the religion of Israel says it so he can come to die in Nazareth didn't come to die in Bethany he can come to die in Samaria.

He came to the very place that prophets and psalmist had talked about and saying about Jerusalem. This is the place I want to read to you. Couple of Psalms very quickly and if he spent time looking at the importance of the city of Jerusalem will be here for Dave's coming months. There is so much their best to very quickly versus Psalm 48. Starting in verse one. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.

But listen in the city of our God means a destination matters I keep in mind, don't. Don't misunderstand this for us today.

The destination doesn't matter we worship in spirit and in truth.

But keep in mind at the time prophecies were being fulfilled. The Messiah had to die in Jerusalem so that he may have fulfilled all the other prophecies would have this one is not fulfilled that it doesn't matter. Nothing else matters to don't try to think that all I need to go to Jerusalem, I want to go Jerusalem Lord willing to go again next year. As many of you have already signed up and is wonderful for the trip to Israel, but keep in mind at this point Jerusalem was the place the designated place by God. Lucky: verse two. Beautiful in elevation. The joy of the whole earth not just in the geographical elevation but also the spiritual elevation is Mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King city of the great King. Of course, King David. But keep in mind he was a type of the Messiah, the great King. Psalm 122 this is an amazing Psalm that talks about the importance of Jerusalem. This is why the destination was so critical is in a verse when I was glad when they said to me let us go into the house of the Lord. Now we often use that passage. We talk about people going to church is great because I believe folks the building does matter.

I think sometimes a pendulum tends to swing too far on one way, I agree the church is the people please. We've said that plenty of times and we believe that the don't forget where we meet is also church that also matters is all it doesn't matter. Study the Bible carefully and they had places where they met in the spaces didn't matter that it matter so verse two our feet have been standing within your gates.

All Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together where the tribes go up the tribes of the Lord, to the testimony of Israel to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

Of course you can give thanks in Asia minor.

Of course you can give thanks and Syria. Of course you can give thanks and Lebanon, but this is the place designated by God. In those days I was in verse five very important for thrones are said therefore judgment the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem verse six. May they prosper, who love you. Here's the point I'm trying to make the point is this Jerusalem was the city of the great King.

Jerusalem was a place where the thrones were set so for Jesus to go to the destination was not optional. He had to go there. But here's the point.

Jesus came as the rightful king of his people. The Jewish people. The people of Israel. We need to remember that Jesus came more than just to be our Savior. He came to be okay and he came too late that claim in on the opening when we prayed I asked you the question. Is he your King is he truly is. He's my Savior.

I trust them on. I'm Sable good but is he okay you see the Jerusalem now is your heart that's where is the Jerusalem is here and Jesus is coming to lay his rightful claim and if you say that he is your Lord and Savior. He is my master and King.

That is, he truly welcome in your heart. Is there any area of your life any place in your life where you are refusing to abdicate your throne. Are you refusing to give over control is in the matter of your mind, your parts is it in the matter of your behavior.

Is it in the matter of your words is it in the matter of your money is in the matter of your goals.

What area of your life as the King is coming, the destination is your heart and you claim that this is the place where he lives are the gates of your heart open to the king in your marriage and your parenting and what's happening in our world today went when he tells us to be the salt and the light.

Of course, lawfully and carefully.

Are you really doing what is commanded us to do. Let's keep moving. We talked about the discourse of which is this is why he came delay his claim, but we talked about the destination Jerusalem for us. This is where God dwells right. The temple is our hearts, not made by brick-and-mortar and you claim that this is his house and is he truly living and ruling from us, but now the final point very quickly when he comes he does not come demanding that we let him in the midst this when he comes when Jesus comes he does not come demanding that we let him in. He gives us the choice to make a decision to Letterman. Let's look at this. All this was permission-based numbers this point.

All this that's happening on the first Palm Sunday was permission-based Matthew 21 verse one even though he is a king listener that is when the junior Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of olives and Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them going to the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied a cold with her loose them and bring them to me so Jesus comes not just, waiting outside, he does come to take over but have you noticed something over here. He did not just blind. Those people who owned those animals.

Jesus did not just you know miraculously move those animals from their stable to where he was, of course he was. Jesus was God can do anything right, transported them, teleported them. I think he could've done that but he does not do that the disciples have to go to that house to that place and they have to loosen them and bring them and if anyone says anything to you, you shall say the Lord has need of them and immediately he will send them Amicus so much here. I don't have time to get into is a spiritual application there's argument so there is none, but I see it I see is a reason why the Holy Spirit put that part in the Bible. There's a reason to believe everything in the Bible has some deep spiritual meaning, but I believe there's something here, something is this goddess coming, but he is not coming as a demanding king, he is coming as a humble king. He still the king he can take anything he wants to, but he does give me the chance to say yes you can take it.

Did you get that as a king. He can just come and take it he can kill you them either that the disciples who could have been replaced by angels.

God could've saved the day. And if they refuse just smite them just kill them.

He didn't do that. He sent human beings his disciples to the owners of the donkeys and they began to loosen them because they belong to him by the belong to God and Jesus is God, but he gave them permission to say yes. I often wonder what would happen if they had said no they were thought about that one of those people had said no we want to give. That's where God's foreknowledge comes in Jesus being God also knew the decision they would make a right. So please, see how amazing the Bible is how amazing it is that all this counterfeits together that this was permission-based and yet Jesus was not like, please up. Can I have permission to take you know, he began to take it.

But then he still give them permission to do the option to give permission. Now, let's keep going. All this was done see why when I reading too much into the text because all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you lowly. The reason why he did what he did, told the disciples to ask permission as they're taking the animals in case there were stop is because he's a lowly king humble king not weak but meek, and sitting on a donkey and not a steed or a warhorse but a donkey why a donkey because a donkey was a common man's beast of burden means when he was coming to his Jerusalem he could've come riding on an elephant he could come riding on a horse but that's not the image he wanted to communicate you see how everything, hangs together.

Yes he's coming as a king. Both Jesus did not ride the donkey because his legs were tired. More than likely the donkey cared him maybe a mile or two down the shoulder of the Mount of olives driven their walk there many times maybe a mile or two. I mean he's been walking for hundreds and hundreds of miles even need a can can can I get a ride to get into Jerusalem. There's an image he was communicating and the image was of fake conquering King coming to his city but he was not a a demanding king. It was a king that gave you the permission to make a decision amazing amazing. So what happens here. Verse 21 chapter 21 verse six of the disciples benefited as Jesus commanded them the prophecy of Zechariah is being fulfilled. They brought the donkey and the cold. But listen to what they did. They laid their clothes on them and set him on them. Okay, maybe they allowed the baby to come along because people ask a question of why to DeJesus it on to know what the point is this that this was everything was done without violence. Everything was done without demand.

Even the donkey had the opportunity to take her cold with her.

So even the baby was not separated from the mother. Amazing how rich this is and then verse nine, I'm sorry verse eight in a very great multitude spread their cloaks on the road. You see, Jesus did not say okay I need a red carpet.

I need you all of you to start putting UK on the ground so I can project my rulership. My rightful heir on the rightful heir to the throne know they did it on their own free will. Others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road and below there were palm branches based on what John tells us in the multitudes who went before and those who followed means. These were not people from Jerusalem.

They were not Judeans. There were Galileans that you heard me say this before, that these people did not understand who Jesus truly was but but they were willing to follow him. The Judaism's, the Jerusalem lights.

They were not willing to follow Jesus, maybe some of these multitudes that follow from Jerusalem did cry, crucify him. A few days later, but most of the ones who cried, crucify him were actually from the Jerusalem crowd. There's two different crowds okay and what did this crowd more. The Galilean crowd.

What is this shout will be know this hosanna to the son of David.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highs and we know the day and understand everything but they were willing to glorify him by the Jerusalem crowd was absolutely reluctant the chief priests and scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, all of the rulers. All of those who were the stakeholders of the Temple of Jerusalem of the surrounding country to dance the stakeholders.

We don't want him we don't want him, and guess what Jesus wept when he saw their predicament. The hearts were close to him and then we know this a few days later the same crowd falsely accused him beat and mock him and then called and cried.

Crucify about you. Jesus is the King he comes as a king we doesn't demand that you let him in.

He gives you the choice to make a decision for him, and today he is coming to your heart he is talking to you right now and he's calling you the same way he has been calling thousands and thousands and thousands of people throughout history, follow me, follow me, follow me, and today the same call is coming to each of us.

Are we gonna follow our king.

Thank you so much for listening to this week's sermon. Jesus is the true King either willingly accept him as Lord of your life, which was rejected.

Either way, his reign will be established forever.

For more information visit us online@qvc.org and for the sermon notes and other additional resources to Dr. Shah's blog, not Shah.com