That's Who? Riding on a What? Why?, Part 1

From the beginning of January until now. Chuck Swindoll has been guiding us through it verse by verse study of the first book in the New Testament. The gospel according to Matthew, which he divided into four major sections.

The king's arrival the Kings kingdom. The king's ministry and today on Insight for living or stepping into the fourth section, the Kings commission. It's a major turning point. That happened when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem in a manner no one expected Chuck titled today's message that's who. Writing on a what why it is absolutely wonderful that we have the Scriptures in our own tongue for us to open and read at any time freely and often and publicly. Let's let's just never get over that. I think so easy for us in a blessed place like ours to take all of this for granted. Just every once in a while just because when you're in your home or in your apartment or or wherever you are.

When you're at when you do your reading and just say thank you Lord for providing us with written instructions on how to live our lives. You've not left it up to our feelings or their opinions of others or the culture of our times you have written it in words that we can understand how wonderful that we have various versions we can we can read there even paraphrases that that brought our understanding. There's an amplified Bible there is a the message. Another form of of the rendering of the Scriptures and some are much more literal and others more readable. We have all of that available to us in different size print is not great. I have giant print in my Bible and you have yours. Maybe on the little app the whole Bible with an amazing resort grateful for that were reading from Matthew 21 and outward reading of the very first though they didn't call it this at that time the very first Palm Sunday. This is what it originated when Jesus came into Jerusalem in a very unusual way, we read of it in Matthew 21.

I'm reading from the new living translation your reading from another version. Quite likely in real work our way through these first 11 verses so that we might ultimately understand what they are saying not only in that day, but in our day, which is the goal of biblical exposition what it means Van and what is it mean to us now.

It's called bridging the text we Bridget from the first century to the 21st as Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of olives. Jesus said to them on the head going to the village over there. He said as soon as you enter it you will see a donkey tied their with its cold beside it untied them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you were doing just say the Lord needs them, and he will immediately let you take them. This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, tell the people of Jerusalem look your King is coming to you, he's humble, riding on a donkey riding on a donkey's colt.

The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. They brought the donkey and the cold to him and through their garments over the cold, and he sat on it. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession and the people all around him were shouting.

Praise God for the son of David. Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Praise God in the highest heaven the entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. As he entered who is this that and the crowds replied it's Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. I wonder when I first read that this past week. If he were to come into the city. Our city if he were to enter would they recognize when they know who it was in sight for living the book of Matthew woodchucks window. Be sure to download his searching the Scripture studies by going to Insight world.org/studies and now the message from truck that is titled that's who.

Writing on a what why it didn't seem at all like Palm Sunday. In fact no one there thought of it as Palm Sunday, though it was Palm Sunday ninth of April. Unusual day for those people who gathered to come together some to celebrate quietly not flaunting it but down deep inside gratefully relieved others with hearts breaking as a result of the long years of blood. He struggled until finally the day arrives. This is a day where there is a mixture of humiliation and for them to defeat Robert Edward Lee was meticulously dressed in his will. Press gray uniform stars on his collar were highly polished yet arrived on traveler's muscular amount as he walked up the steps of the McLean house in took his place in the parlor. He he looked the part of a of a commanding general, deep red silk sash hanging from his waist with his beautiful sword by his side, you would know by looking that he had just completed another bloodied battle is ma'am starving and many of them barefoot fighting to the last. He's awaiting the arrival of Ulysses Simpson Grant, Lieut. Gen. he's on his way. Also on horseback, a little late and what a contrast with the generally 15 years younger 3 inches shorter biographer Jay Winick in his work. April 1865, says Lee was tall and stately grant was stubby and rumpled red arrives sword lists wearing a privates shirt. Interestingly, one biographer said one button was in the wrong button hole his boots and trousers money from the ride's hair was uncombed and matted.

Nothing like the commanding general of the union Army is teasingly faced each other for the first time in two decades, having fought in Mexico years earlier alongside one another. But now the fight was over.

Both stood stern face. They had business to do with the table and Lee surrendered the Army of Virginia and ultimately the Confederate Army.

He expected to be taken prisoner, but was not was in fact treated much better-than-expected even released and allowed to return to his troops and ultimately to his home with head bowed he mounted traveler tipped his hat grant and return and slowly rode away.

April 9, 1865 seem at all like Palm Sunday, no one there realize that before the following Easter, a death would occur that would stun the world. If you are not sure in a much much further back, we will come across is seeing that in some ways was similar. It occurred in another place far far away for people spoke another language and the circumstances were altogether different, though stilly study. In contrast to talk about an unusual celebration summer cheering others were staring. Some understood others were at a loss to understand what this strange site was all about.

Interestingly, both scenes, whether in 1860 by or way back in the first century. Both scenes were scenes of surrender, but to be sure our team was entering a city back in the first century, but what a strange entrance. There were those I'm sure who expected a conquering king to arrive on the chariot goldplated pulled by white stallions as he conquered the Romans gave the Jews back there freedom but that was not to be. It was not a conquering like that for this king came to die and even in this final week called in Christian literature or holy week, even at the beginning of holy week. It it it is good for us to remember why these things took place as they did. Strange though they seemed at the time they made all the sense in the world. A word about the holy week. First, the four Gospels devote nearly 1/3 of their of their link to the final week of Jesus life. Many chapters remain in Matthew word chapter 21 and you go all the way to 28 covering one week only two of the four Gospels even mentioned Jesus birth. All four offer a page maybe a little more on the resurrection as powerful and important as that was, but when it comes to his passion, his crucifixion that single week prior to the. The death of the Savior. Each writer lingers over it with attention to detail, as if to say, slow down, slow down, read carefully enter into the scene. Don't rush this is mission accomplished.

When he is nailed to the cross and later raised from the two.

Read it carefully so we need to take our time and let the wonder in Christian author Philip Yancey puts it into perspective when he writes the simple, unadorned rendering has a grinding power but no miracles break in no supernatural rescue attempts. This is tragedy beyond Sophocles and Shakespeare. For those who came expecting a conquering king with a enforcer price but most came not having a clue. Frankly, he prefers for his arrival in the first three verses according to the narrative in Matthew 21. They've approached Jerusalem and they become to the crest of the Mount of olives. Would you travel to the holy land. You always will visit the Mount of olives.

It is a slow rising hillside all the way up to the crest it's east of Jerusalem and so they're looking West toward the city, the old city. But before they begin the decline in Jesus has instructions for his men. They are there enforcer price. He has it all planned. Remember they have come from Jericho up to Jerusalem Jericho 1800 feet below sea level Jerusalem 2300 feet above sea level. The client has been steady 3600 feet to the crest of the Mount of olives and there they stand as a strange twist to all of this up until now Jesus has stayed out of the limelight. Remember remember how often he said don't tell anyone about this. Even after an incredible healing. Don't tell anyone after a major meeting don't share this.

Those who wanted to make him king, he slipped out of their prisons and hit himself away, less the presume that it's time for him to become the conquering king that will come later, but first he must die. The disciples's it seemed, would never get that straight. What's interesting about this scene and I imagine contrast earlier is that now he comes in the limelight. This is if you sing everyone. Don't hold back. Let your praise sound for all no longer hide in the shadows. Let your words be heard by all. I'm coming as the Messiah. Look at the words he tells his disciples go into the village verse two.

As soon as you enter it you will see a donkey tied there, with its cold recited donkeys are not told animals not at all. The height of a horse there already shorter but a cold is even shorter than the donkey itself. The mother of the glove. The cold there will be a cold, standing beside it untied them you wanted both of them bring them to me.

If anyone ask what you're doing. Just say look at the password the Lord needs them. That had to be arranged ahead of time were not told how we arranged it. Or, through whom he made that arrangement just to if for some reason, the owner of the donkey and the cold is resistant just say the Lord needs them. That's all you need to say he will know that the password and he will let you take them now.

Matthew is so good about this because in the middle of a narrative.

When you're in the process of seeing things unfold and putting yourself in that scene which we always do when we are studying our Bibles. You you come to a place where Matthew interrupts the narrative and reminds you that this didn't just happen in a vacuum.

It didn't. It just didn't happen to be the first day of holy week. It didn't just happen there on this at the site. It all is the fulfillment of Scripture. Matthew writes this took place to fulfill the prophecy. By the way, one of the ways we know God's word is God's word is the prophecy fulfilled within the time of the writing of God's word we say it again. One of the ways we have the assurance of the inerrancy of Scripture is the prophecies made during the days of Scripture or sometimes fulfilled within the same days that the Scriptures are being written is a case in point Matthew was quoting from a prophet noteholder place here and will be right back, go back to Zechariah I'm going to watch how many of you know where to go when I say Zechariah what you know what the Old Testament have a little fun with you is the next-to-last book of the Old Testament, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Zechariah chapter 9 verse nine. This is the exact prophecy that will be fulfilled.

We are going back get this 500 years.

500 years before the moment recorded in Matthew 21 we go back to the writing prophet Zechariah chapter 9 verse nine, the see what he says rejoice, O people of Zion shout in triumph. A little over people of Jerusalem look at this 500 years earlier. Look your King is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious. Yet he is humble, riding on a donkey riding on a donkey's colt, not for just a moment before you go back, put yourself in Zechariah's place that you think you wondered what in the world in my writing and why am I writing something like it to see when they are under the unction of the Spirit of God profits would sometime write not knowing fully the meaning of what they're writing but they are writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, God, who has a full panoramic view of all time and beyond, from eternity past to return the future has pinpointed the Zechariah 99 statement with the fulfillment of it in Matthew 21, such want you to see word was written Zechariah 9 service will back to Matthew 21 and Matthew runs ahead and says this might look like it was a spontaneous moment. It wasn't that it all was all part of the fulfillment of prophecy tell the people Jerusalem look your King is coming to some familiar is exactly what we written Zechariah. Your King is coming to you is humble, riding on a donkey riding on a donkey's colt close and give you a moment to picture it in your mind when the best things you can do while reading your Bible is to pause and let the picture in most of us had been on horseback. I doubt that most of us have ever written a donkey. I know some of you have but it's doubtful many of you have ever written. The cold of a donkey and this is a cold.

Of course, it's never been broken unless Jesus is writing and by the way, how tall would that be just a few feet off the ground. Jesus Fleetwood dragged in the dust of the road, maybe even his knees. Picture it is sitting on the back of this colt of a donkey. What a lowly humble scene is Jesus coming into Jerusalem as a king roars the chariot where were the stallions where the guards out front shouting about the bow he not there visiting that kind of entrant. This is an entrance of surrender and submission ability, something we rarely connect King if the fulfillment of prophecy and Jesus is fulfilling riding on the back of a couple. The imagery is striking Jesus the King of the Jews writing into the holy city on the back of a donkey listening to Insight for living and please stay with us because Chuck Swindoll is just getting started in this message he titled with three questions. That's who.

Writing on a what why, and to learn more about Chuck Swindoll and this ministry.

Please visit us online@insightworld.org. Well, as you look forward to a relaxing weekend perhaps will take some extra time to browse through the variety of free Bible study resources at your disposal.

For instance, if likelihood is mention the searching the Scriptures studies online. These are interactive, meaning that you can type your thoughts directly into the document or feel free to print out the PDF and use the notes in your personal quiet times and pastors and leaders can use these notes for teaching a class or preparing a sermon as well. To access the searching the Scriptures guide for Chuck's daily teaching go to Insight.org/studies. In addition, Chuck is recommending an insightful book by pastor and author of Odie Baucom in faultlines. Voting helps Christians understand the nuances of the social justice movement, and in particular the implications of critical race theory. This isn't an esoteric book faultlines is written for anyone who truly wants to understand how to engage in conversations about social justice from a biblical perspective and to do so with grace and compassion again. The book is called faultlines and you'll find all the details for purchasing a copy@insight.org/offer were deeply grateful to those who understand that these daily programs are made possible the voluntary contributions from people who value Chuck's teaching and want to see Insight for living. Continue to give a donation right now. Call us listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 phone number again is 800-772-8880 or go to insight.org. Thank you for your generous a great weekend and join us again Monday when her study in Matthew's gospel continues right here on Insight for living.

The preceding message that's who. Writing a one why was copyright in 2017 and 2019 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2019 by Charles R. Swindoll.

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