Welcome to Day 2609 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2609 – The Road to Jerusalem: The Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem

Putnam Church Message – 04/13/2025

Sermon Series: The Road to Jerusalem

Message 2: The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

 

Last week, we explored Jerusalem: The End of the Road or Just the Beginning. It was about the parable of the Ten Servants and their investment in what the King had given them.

This week is the second of three Easter messages about The Road to Jerusalem. Today, we will explore The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The passage we will cover today is Luke 19:28-40, pages 1631-1632 of your Pew Bibles.

INTRODUCTION: Throughout the ministry of Jesus set his face towards his eventual arrival into Jerusalem. His disciples followed him as he walked the long road towards the cross, although they did not fully comprehend what Christ would have to go through./ It was on this day, what we call Palm Sunday, that he finally reached his goal. This is the week that Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to suffer and die for our sins. But you would hardly know it from the amazing reception he received as he entered the city. (Read Luke 19:36-38 and pray.)

36 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

    Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”[a]

Opening Prayer

This event we are looking at today in Jesus’ life is often called the Triumphal Entry. We all know the scene well: Jesus entering Jerusalem accompanied by waving palm branches, /cheering the crowds, /and great anticipation. If you were a visitor to Jerusalem on this day and were unfamiliar with Jesus’ life and teachings, you would probably be wondering what this was all about.

Well, let’s take a closer look at this passage and find out for ourselves. There are three things we see happening in our passage this morning. First, Jesus presents himself as the Messiah./ Secondly, the people proclaim Jesus as the Messiah./ Finally, Jesus accepts their praise of him as Messiah. (Bulletin Insert)

Jesus presents himself as Messiah (28-34)

So, first of all, Jesus presents himself as Messiah. The Messiah was the coming Deliverer God had promised the Jewish people many years before. For much of the later part of the Old Testament and during the intertestamental period, the Israelites looked forward to the coming of Messiah. Messianic expectation ran high among the people of Jesus’ day. There were many false messiahs between the Old and New Testaments. Jewish history was one long cycle of freedom and then captivity to other nations. The Jewish people were currently under Roman occupation, and they longed to be free again. They believed that when the Messiah came, he would deliver them from the Romans and set them free.

This was also a significant week in the Jewish calendar. This was Passover week, when the Jewish people celebrated God’s miraculous deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians under the leadership of Moses. Crowds of traveling pilgrims journeyed to the holy city of Jerusalem for this annual event. The religious fervor and zeal were off the charts.

Part of the Messianic hope was that God would send a prophet like Moses to deliver his people. And so, here comes Jesus – a prophet – widely known for his miracles and teaching, walking the road to Jerusalem along with his disciples and this growing crowd of fellow pilgrims.

There was already wide conjecture among the people that Jesus might be the Messiah. Jesus had already revealed that he was to his disciples. Now, as he prepares to enter Jerusalem – at the beginning of this holy week – Jesus presents himself as Messiah to all the people of Jerusalem.

So, how does Jesus do this? How does he present himself as Messiah? Jesus presents himself as Messiah in three ways, which we find in these opening verses.

He approaches from the Mount of Olives(28-29)

      – Ezekiel 11:23, 43:1; Zechariah 14:4

The first is he approaches from the Mount of Olives. Look at verses 28-29: 28 After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29 As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. (Luke 19:28-29)

The phrase “after telling this story” refers to the parable we looked at last week. But right now, I want us to focus on the Mount of Olives, because the Mount of Olives is more than just a geographical marker here. The Mount of Olives has Messianic implications.

When Ezekiel in the Old Testament prophesied to the Jewish exiles,/ who were held captive in Babylon,/ he prophesied about the restoration of Israel to the land even as he beheld in a vision the glory of the Lord departing from the temple and then from Jerusalem. We read in Ezekiel 11:23: 23 Then the glory of the Lord went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east. This was the Mount of Olives. It marked the departure of God’s glory from Jerusalem. Later in Ezekiel’s vision, he sees the glory of the Lord returning to Jerusalem from the east (Ezekiel 43:1), implying that God’s glory would re-enter Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives even as it had left.

Zechariah was another Old Testament prophet. He prophesied to the group of exiles who returned to Jerusalem>after the exile was over/ and encouraged them in the rebuilding of the temple. In the final chapter of his vision, he prophesies about the Day of the Lord, which is when the Lord will return to fight for his people. We read in Zechariah 14:4: On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south.

Some scholars think this verse applies to Christ’s second coming, not his first, but the people expected that when Messiah delivered them, he would come from the Mount of Olives. And so, whether this verse applies figuratively or literally, it is no accident that Jesus begins his entry into Jerusalem from the east at this very location. He is intentionally, /deliberately presenting himself as Messiah.

He sends for the tethered colt(30)

      – Genesis 49:10-11

A second way Jesus presents himself as Messiah is by sending for the tethered colt. Look at verse 30: He sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. You might wonder, “What does a tethered colt have to do with the Messiah?” One of the earliest prophecies about the Messiah comes from Jacob in the book of Genesis in chapter 49. In chapter 49, Jacob is an old man who is dying. He gathers his sons around him and prophesies about each one and their descendants. Of particular interest is his prophecy about Judah. King David came from the line of Judah, and later, Old Testament prophecy made it clear that the Messiah would also come from Judah through the line of David.

So here’s Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis 49:10-11: The scepter will not depart from Judah,

    nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,[a]

until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,[b]

    the one whom all nations will honor.

11 He ties his foal to a grapevine,

    the colt of his donkey to a choice vine.

He washes his clothes in wine,

    his robes in the blood of grapes.

For the Jewish person in Jesus’ day, steeped in the Old Testament as they were, this tethered colt here in Luke’s gospel would evoke associations with this prophecy in Genesis and provide yet another reason to see Jesus as the Messiah.

The fact that the donkey had never been ridden is also significant. Animals that were meant for sacred or royal use were not used for ordinary tasks. They were set apart for their greater purpose. This young donkey that had never been ridden had been set apart by God for the sacred and royal task of carrying the Messiah into the holy city on this first Palm Sunday.

And so, that’s the second way Jesus presents himself as Messiah in these verses. He sends for the tethered colt.

He calls himself “Lord”(31-34)

      – Psalm 110:1; Luke 20:41-44

And then the third way Jesus presents himself as Messiah is when he calls himself “Lord.” Look at Luke 19:31-34 now. He told his disciples whom he sent on ahead: 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.”

This word “Lord” had several meanings in Jesus’ day. It could refer to God, or a master, or even just to the owner of something. When Jesus first instructs his disciples to say, “The Lord needs it,” he could have meant something as simple as saying, “His owner needs it.” However, Luke is careful to point out that the donkey’s actual owners are the ones who ask the disciples why they are untying the colt. And so, the word “Lord” then takes on a deeper meaning, when they reply to the owners, “The Lord needs it.”

The name “Lord” was a title that was used for the coming Messiah. For example, Psalm 110 is a messianic psalm. It begins with these words:

The Lord said to my Lord,[a]

    “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand

until I humble your enemies,

    making them a footstool under your feet.”

After Jesus enters Jerusalem, Jesus will use this very psalm to engage the Pharisees concerning the title of “Lord” as it applies to the Messiah. (Luke 20:41-44)

So, how does Jesus present himself as Messiah at the Triumphal Entry? 1) He approaches from the Mount of Olives. 2) He sends for the tethered colt. 3) He calls himself “Lord.”

The people proclaim Jesus as Messiah(35-38)

Jesus not only presents himself as Messiah at the Triumphal Entry. The people also proclaim Jesus as the Messiah. We see this in several ways.

They place him on the donkey(35)

      – 1 Kings 1:38-40; Zechariah 9:9

First of all, they place him on the donkey. We read verse 35: So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. So, you might wonder, why is this detail so important? Well, there are several reasons.

First, the people proclaimed him king by placing Jesus on the donkey for his entry into the city. Not everyone who rides a donkey into town would be considered a king. But placing someone on a donkey and following that person into town in a triumphal procession was an unmistakable sign of kingship.

For example, in the Old Testament, we find a similar scene when Solomon becomes king. We read in 1 Kings 1:38-40 38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king’s bodyguard[a] took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David’s own mule. 39 There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound. Solomon’s procession in the Old Testament is almost a preview of Jesus’ procession here in the New Testament.

Secondly, it is significant that Jesus rides into the city on a donkey rather than a horse. The horse was a military animal, and when the king rode into the city on a horse, it signaled military victory. The donkey was used for civil ceremonies and peaceful occasions. By choosing a donkey rather than a horse, Jesus showed he was coming in peace. This should have been a sign to the crowd and the disciples that he was not entering Jerusalem to overthrow the Roman government at this time.

Thirdly, the donkey figures are prominent in another one of the Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. We read this in Zechariah 9:9:

Rejoice, O people of Zion![a]

    Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!

Look, your king is coming to you.

    He is righteous and victorious,[b]

yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—

    riding on a donkey’s colt.

And so, the donkey here is highly significant. By placing him on the donkey and then processing before him into the city of Jerusalem, the people clearly proclaim Jesus as the Messiah and king.

They spread their garments before him(36)

      – 2 Kings 9:13

Another way the people proclaim Jesus as Messiah is when they spread their cloaks before him. We read in Luke 19:36: As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. Interestingly, Luke does not mention the waving of palm branches, just the spreading of the cloaks. Luke is the only gospel that does not mention the branches. So here we are on Palm Sunday, and we are reading the only gospel that doesn’t even mention the palm branches!

Now, the palm branches are significant. Palm branches were used in celebrations. They were also used as symbols of military victory, which shows that the people still thought that Jesus was coming to deliver them from Rome.

However, the spreading of the cloaks is also significant. The spreading of the cloaks was a sign of respect for the king. For example, in the Old Testament, when Elisha the prophet anointed Jehu as king, we read that: Then they quickly spread out their cloaks on the bare steps and blew the ram’s horn, shouting, “Jehu is king!” (2 Kings 9:13)

Spreading your cloaks under the feet of the king was a sign of submission. It indicated your willingness to bow before the king and yield the right of your possessions to him and his rule. This is the second way the crowd proclaims Jesus as Messiah and king. They spread their cloaks before him.

They shout his praises(37-38)

      – Psalm 118:24-26; Luke 2:14

Thirdly, they proclaim Jesus as the Messiah by shouting his praises. In verses 37-38 now: 37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

    Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”[a]

And so, the people lift up their voices in celebration and praise. The first phrase they shout comes from the Psalms. Psalm 118:24-26 says:

This is the day the Lord has made.

    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Please, Lord, please save us.

    Please, Lord, please give us success.

26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

    We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The word “hosanna” literally means, “Lord save us!” which we find in this psalm. And just like the psalm, the people cry out,  Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. The second phrase resembles the song the angels sang at Christ’s birth. Look at these two verses next to each other:

The angels’ song at Christ’s birth: “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:14)

The people’s declaration at his entry into Jerusalem: “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”[a] (Luke 19:38)

The main difference here is the change in phrasing from “peace on earth” to “peace in heaven.” And I wonder, did the people even realize the significance of what they were saying here? Probably not. But God, in his sovereignty, knew that Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem would result in his dying on the cross for sin. And Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross would bring peace in heaven between God and man for all who would put their faith in Christ. The praises of the people are the third way that the people proclaim Jesus as Messiah as he enters Jerusalem.

Jesus accepts their praise of him as Messiah(39-40)

And so, Jesus presents himself as Messiah at his triumphal entry. The people proclaim him as the Messiah. Finally, Jesus accepts their praise of him as Messiah.

The Pharisees object to the people’s praise of Jesus(39)

Now, not everyone was happy about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Look at verse 39: But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

You see, the Pharisees knew what was happening. They got it. They saw Jesus coming into the city from the east. They saw him riding on the donkey as the people waved their palm branches and laid their cloaks on the road before him. They heard the people praising God and proclaiming Jesus as king just as he passed by the Mount of Olives. They understood the implications of all these things. Jesus presented himself as Messiah, and the people proclaimed Jesus as Messiah. And so, they tell Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

Jesus affirms the people’s praise(40)

And you know what? Any good teacher who was not the Messiah would have rebuked the disciples, right then and there. They would have told them to stop. But Jesus doesn’t do that, does he? And do you know why he doesn’t do it? Because he is the Messiah. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

In fact, instead of rebuking them, Jesus actually affirms the people’s praise instead. Look at verse 40. He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

I love that phrase. It is wonderfully ambiguous, yet at the same time, it is such a clear affirmation that Jesus accepted the people’s praise of him as Messiah. So, what does Jesus mean when he says that the stones will cry out?

1) It is impossible for the disciples to keep quiet: One interpretation here is that Jesus is saying it is just as impossible for the disciples to keep quiet as it would be for the stones to cry out. It’s impossible for the stones to cry out, and it’s impossible for the disciples to be quiet. The Messiah is here. How can they not rejoice?

2) The stones will cry out in praise: A second interpretation is that Jesus is worthy of praise, and if we don’t give it to him, God will find some other way, even if it means making the stones cry out his praises instead. I like that one.

3) The stones will cry out in judgment: And then, there’s a third interpretation that sees the stones crying out, not in praise, but rather in judgment of those who do evil. In this interpretation, the stones would be crying out in condemnation of those who withhold their praises or perhaps in condemnation of the Pharisees who seek to silence those praising Jesus.

I like the second of these interpretations best, that if the disciples keep quiet, the stones will cry out the praises of Jesus instead. But whichever Jesus meant, it is clear that He affirms the peoples’ praises over the Pharisees’ objections.

Application – Bulletin Insert: 

At the Triumphal Entry, Jesus presents himself as Messiah. The people proclaim him as the Messiah. And Jesus accepts their praise. That’s what the Triumphal Entry meant to those who were there that day.

So, what does Jesus’ triumphal entry mean to us today? Let me leave you with three words of application.

1) Believe that Jesus is the Messiah. I also proclaim to you today what the people proclaimed about Jesus on that first Palm Sunday. Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Christ. He is the Savior. He came in fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies. He came not to deliver the people of Israel from the power of Rome. He came to deliver all people everywhere from the power of sin. Acts 16:31 says: They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” That’s our first application this morning. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah sent from God.

2) Serve him as King. As Messiah, Jesus is not only Savior, but Lord. He is the king of the universe who entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday:

 Rejoice, O people of Zion![a]

    Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!

Look, your king is coming to you.

    He is righteous and victorious,[b]

yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—

    riding on a donkey’s colt. (Zechariah 9:9)

The people spread their cloaks beneath Jesus’ feet as a sign of their submission. So the questions are: Will we bow our knees to Christ? Will we submit to him as Lord and serve him as our king?

Remember, when Jesus returns from heaven at His second coming, he won’t be riding a donkey in peace this time. No, he will ride a white horse of victory as he comes into battle to defeat his final enemies. He will strike down the nations with the sharp sword that comes out of his mouth. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. (Revelation 19:11-18) Please don’t wait until it’s too late. Submit to him now, and serve him as King.

3) Proclaim his praises. Jesus is the eternal Son of God, who

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges[a];

    he took the humble position of a slave[b]

    and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,[c]

8     he humbled himself in obedience to God

    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

    and gave him the name above all other names,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:7-11)

Jesus is worthy of all praise. And let’s face it. If we don’t praise him, the very rocks will cry out!

How do we respond to Jesus’ Triumphal Entry today? 1) Believe that Jesus is the Messiah. 2) Serve him as King. 3) Proclaim his praises.

Closing Prayer

Next week, we will be the third of a three-week Easter Series called ‘The Road to Jerusalem.’ Next week’s message will be: Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead? Our core passage for next week is Luke 24:1-12