Palm Sunday – Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
Pastor
Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith
Church
INTRODUCTION
It
is nearing time for Pesach, the Passover Feast. Today being the 8th of Nisan,
according to the Hebcal Jewish Calendar.
This
Jewish year is currently 5775 (or 2015 by the Gregorian calendar), Pesach begins
Friday April 3rd – and
ends Saturday April 11th.
One
of the seven feasts of the Lord given to Israel as a teaching tool and reminder
of what God had done for them.
Passover,
took place at a time when God’s People were slaves to Egypt.
OLD
TESTAMENT
GOD’S
PEOPLE ARE SLAVES TO EGYPT
In
Exodus we read about how God’s people were given instructions by God on how to
escape the coming judgment that was to fall upon all the people in Egypt.
OLD
TESTAMENT INSTRUCTS ON ESCAPE FROM COMING JUDGMENT OF EGYPT
God
instructed them, to escape this judgment, the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb
was to be made,
SACRIFICE
OF UNBLEMISHED LAMB
and
the doorway to the house was to be covered with the blood of the lamb so the
Judgment of the Lord on Egypt would pass over God’s people.
BLOOD OF
LAMB WILL CAUSE GODS JUDGMENT ON EGYPT TO PASS OVER
HIS PEOPLE
Exodus
also tells God’s people to remember this as a feast to teach the next
generation of what the Lord has done.
REMEMBER
UNBLEMISHED SACRIFICE OF LAMB
WHICH
ALLOWS ESCAPE FROM THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON EGYPT
Here
we see a perfect example of how hearing the Word of God was not enough, if you
did not DO what the Word instructed, then you would have been a partaker of
God’s judgment.
James
1:22
Do not merely
listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
This
teaching in Exodus, as most of the teachings in the Old Testament, is a teaching
of the coming of Christ and what He would accomplish for us.
I. GOD’S PEOPLE
WERE SLAVES TO EGYPT
Today,
all are God’s people, Jew & Gentile, not in the sense that we are all saved
and right with the Lord, but because Salvation is available to all because of
Jesus Christ.
1
Peter 3:18
For Christ died for
sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring
you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
He
died for all – Jew and Gentile.
1
Timothy 2:3-5
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to
come to a knowledge of the truth. 5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus,
God’s
first Will for you in your life is that all are saved and come to a knowledge
of the Truth…who is Jesus Christ!
He
died for all.
Old
Testament : New Testament
But
we are enslaved, not by Egypt, but by sin.
Romans
6:6 – 7:25
We
are condemned and guilty by the first covenant, the covenant of Law, by which
all men are guilty.
Galatians
3:10 – 12
10 All who rely on observing the law
are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not
continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly
no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will
live by faith." 12 The
law is not based on faith;
If
you think you can live by The Law, and be reconciled to God you’re
mistaken.
The
scriptures say “ALL WHO RELY ON THE LAW ARE
UNDER A CURSE”
Sadducees
and Pharisees thought they were justified by the Law.
Jesus
corrected them.
The
rich young man who wanted to follow Jesus thought he was justified by the Law.
Jesus
corrected him.
The
scribe in the Temple who thanked God he was not like the tax collector who
prayed to God before him, thought he was justified by the Law.
Jesus
corrected him.
This
is why Jesus, the Lamb of God came.
As
a sacrifice for those who are slaves to sin.
John
3:17 & 18
For God did not
send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through
him. 18 Whoever believes in him is
not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already…
Just
as God’s people were salves to Egypt, We, Jew’s and Gentile are slaves to sin.
II. GOD’S
INSTRUCTION TO ESCAPE COMING JUDGMENT UPON EGYPT
OLD
TESTAMENT INSTRUCTS ON ESCAPE FROM COMING JUDGMENT OF EGYPT
SIN
a. Sacrifice an
unblemished lamb.
Unblemished
= sinless
Lamb
= Jesus Christ
He
is our sacrifice.
SACRIFICE
OF UNBLEMISHED LAMB
SINLESS JESUS
b. Slaughter the lamb
on the 14th day of Nisan at twilight.
Jesus
rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, which is the day that all those who were
going to give sacrifices would come from everywhere to the city.
While
all of them are preparing for their sacrifice, the true meaning of the
scriptures and sacrificial teaching was riding in the city at that very same
day.
And
at the twilight of the 14th day of Nisan, while the sacrifices were
taking place, Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God and our perfect sacrifice was on
the Cross for you and me.
This
is exactly when Jesus Christ died on the Cross!
The
14th Day of Nisan, the First month of the Jewish year!
c. Eat the lamb with
unleavened bread.
Here
we have the Blood of the sacrifice, and the unleavened bread.
The
lamb’s blood represents Christ’s Atoning Blood, and the unleavened bread
represents the sinless bread of life, manna from heaven.
Jesus
is that sinless bread of life.
d. Eat it with cloak
tucked into belt and staff in hand, eat it in haste.
Why? This too is symbolic; the end is near when we
will be ushered away in the blink of an eye!
Symbolic
of what is coming after the Passover…what is coming NEXT…after Christ’s
sacrifice, the next EVENT is going to be the calling up of all those who are
committed to Jesus Christ.
e. Paint the doorposts
with the lamb’s blood.
The
Blood of Christ must be a covering for our hearts, for it is the only thing
that will remove our sin, and make us reconciled to God when with time of
judgment comes.
f. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where
you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague
will touch you when I strike Egypt. – Exodus
12:13
Because
of the Blood of Christ, no judgment will touch you when God strikes sin!
BLOOD OF
LAMB WILL CAUSE GODS JUDGMENT ON EGYPT TO PASS OVER HIS PEOPLE
JESUS
SIN
This
judgment is coming!
Tribulation
is around the corner, and the judgment of God is going to be poured out upon
the earth and it’s sinful inhabitants.
Only
the Blood of Christ will ensure that you are not here to partake of this coming
judgment.
III. GOD INSTRUCTED
HIS PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THIS DAY
a. "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the
generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting
ordinance. – Exodus 12:14
Why
a lasting ordinance?
Because
Jesus came to FULFILL the Law.
Jesus
is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.
The
Promise of God.
REMEMBER
UNBLEMISHED SACRIFICE OF LAMB
SINLESS JESUS
WHICH
ALLOWS ESCAPE FROM THE JUDGMENT OF GOD UPON EGYPT
SIN
Palm
Sunday is the day Jesus Christ came to give Himself for us.
The
beginning of the Passover Feast.
Dying
on the night that the High Priests were sacrificing the lambs.
These
same Priests ushered and orchestrated the sacrifice of Jesus.
It
is God’s Will that all men come to Jesus Christ and are saved.
If
you have never done so, do so know, in remembrance of Him and what He has done
to reconcile you with the Father in Heaven.
How Jesus Spent
Pesach (His last week before the crucifixion)
Saturday and Sunday
Jesus drew near to Jerusalem (John 11:55), arriving at Bethany six days before
Passover (John 12:1), on
Saturday. Jesus was anointed at Simon the leper's house (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark
14:3-9; John 12:1-8). On Sunday,
a great crowd came to Bethany to see Jesus (John 12:9-11).
Monday
The next day (John 12:12) Jesus entered Jerusalem (Matthew
21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19), visited the temple (Matthew
21:10-11) and
returned to Bethany. It was Nisan 10, when the Passover lambs were selected.
Likewise, the entry into Jerusalem was the day when Jesus presented himself as
Israel's Paschal Lamb.
Tuesday
On the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, Jesus cursed the fig tree
(Matthew
21:18-19; Mark 11:12-14) and
in Jerusalem he challenged the temple practice of selling on the premises (Matthew
21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46). Some religious leaders began to plot
ways to kill him. That evening Jesus left Jerusalem, presumably returning to
Bethany (Mark 11:18-19; Luke 19:47-48).
Wednesday
On the way to Jerusalem, the disciples saw the withered fig tree
(Matthew
21:20-22; Mark 11:20-26). At the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus' authority
and wisdom was questioned by some religious leaders (Matthew 21:23-23:39; Mark
11:27-12:44; Luke 20:1-21:4). That
afternoon Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and delivered his discourse to
those assembled (Matthew 24:1-25:46; Mark 13:1-27; Luke 21:5-36). Two additional things occurred on that
day: (1) Jesus predicted that in two days he would be crucified at the time of
the Passover (Matthew 26:1-5; Mark 14:1-2; Luke 22:1-2); and (2) Judas planned the betrayal of Jesus
with some religious leaders (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6).
Thursday
Jesus and his disciples prepared the Passover lamb (Matthew
26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:3-6), and they had their seder meal
together (Matthew 26:20-30; Mark 14:17-26; Luke 22:14-30). Jesus shared heartfelt
words with his disciples and offered an intercessory prayer in their behalf (Matthew
26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-39; John 15:1-18:1). They arrived
at the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus suffered in agony awaiting what was to
come (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1). Later that night Jesus was betrayed and
arrested (Matthew 26:46-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12). He was tried first by Annas and later
by Caiaphas and other religious leaders (Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke
22:54-65; John 18:13-27).
Friday
Early in the morning, Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin, Pilate,
Herod Antipas, and Pilate again (Matthew 27:1-30; Mark 15:1-19; Luke
22:66-23:25; John 18:28-19:16). He
was led to the cross and crucified at 9 a.m. and died at 3 p.m. and was buried
later that day (Matthew 27:31-60; Mark 15:20-46; Luke 23:26-54; John 19:16-42). Jesus died at the time when the
Passover lambs were being sacrificed.
Saturday
Jesus' body was in the tomb during the Sabbath, and the
Pharisees hired Roman guards to keep watch of the tomb (Matthew 27:61-66; Mark 15:47;
Luke 23:55-56).
Sunday
Christ was resurrected from the dead (Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-13;
Luke 24:1-35). His was the first of many resurrections to come, in
which it was a type of first fruits offering. (First fruit offerings were made
on the day after the Sabbath.) (Leviticus 23:9-14; I Corinthians
15:23)
