For the next few weeks we will be entering into the Easter season.  As we do that I will be taking a look at the main events a week in advance.  This morning I want to take a look at Palm Sunday, or the Triumphal Entry.  The actual day for this is next Sunday.  Then looking ahead, next Sunday we will look at the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion.  Then on Friday, which is good Friday, we will have a viewing of The Passion Of The Christ as a way of setting our minds to the real reason of the season.  Then finishing up on Easter Sunday we will look at the ending, the resurrection of Jesus.

Now on with the idea of the triumphal entry.  I think that when we look at the triumphal entry, we should notice that Jesus had two triumphal entries while here on Earth.  They were both similar in one aspect, they were both covered in humility.  On Christ’s first entry He was born to an unwed mother in a barn surrounded by shepherds and carpenters, not kings and royalty. 

Herod the Great heard that a new King had been born and so he sought to kill this new king before he was removed from power. The Son of God from his birth had a price on his head.  Throughout his ministry his own hometown rejected him, others questioned what good could come from Nazareth. Jesus’ entry to Earth deserved to be celebrated with parades, festivals, and feasts yet He was greeted by cows, and shepherds. He deserved to be clothed in silk and fine linen instead he was wrapped in rags and laid in hay.

And yet in spite of all of this, his entry was still triumphant! Our savior was born He was among us.  He was here he breathed our air and ate our food. Jesus walked with us and He walked beside us.  This was his first triumphal entry.

After 3 years of ministry the time had come for Him to make His second Triumphal Entry.  The Passion Week begins with Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  The Son of God entered Jerusalem greeted by followers and disciples who sang praises to His name.  But this entry was very similar to His first entry.

The Triumphal Entry or Palm Sunday as some may call it of Jesus’ is recorded in all 4 of the gospels.  However this morning I want to turn to Mark’s account of this even.  It can be found in Mark 11:1-11.  I like the way that Mark puts this event best in my opinion.  Here in Mark 11:1-11 it says, “1”

As Palm Sunday occurs Jesus comes riding into Jerusalem, now He does not come as a conquering king who seeks to oppress, but instead He comes as a humble Savior who just wants to set His people free.  He does not come upon a white stallion with armor and a sword, but rather He comes riding a young donkey.  No army with this king, but there is a group of followers and disciples that have seen the wonders of His love.

No matter which entry we look at they both have a single purpose, and that is that they both usher in Jesus who will be the Savior of all.  Both entries let us know that Jesus has come!  They both allow us to become children of God.

Now lets look at why it is called Palm Sunday.  It was Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem the Sunday before His crucifixion.  It is called Palm Sunday because palm branches were laid in Jesus’ path as he entered into the city.  This is also an important day because it was the first time that Jesus was recognized publicly.  Before this day Jesus did His ministry away from Jerusalem and was unrecognized.  Now as He came riding in on a colt He would not only be recognized, but would also fulfill a prophets prophesy of the Messiah riding in on a donkey found in Zechariah 9:9.

Now what was this entry like?  I would compare it to a parade that no one would ever forget.  As a nation we love parades.  On Thanksgiving and New Year’s we have tremendous parades.  When a team wins a championship we have parades in the city or town.  Parades are often held to celebrate victories and to honor returning heroes.

I remember an illustration that I once used about a missionary who was just returning from mission work in Africa for the past 40 years.  When he returned there was a great crowd there holding sings, and cheering welcome home.  At first he thought that they were there for him, but quickly found out that they were there for someone else.  Upset he asked why there was no welcome home for him.  His wife reminded him with these words, “remember, you are not home yet.”

It is true, the world is not our home.  We are just passing through.  And as children of God, someday we want to hear Jesus say to us, “well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.”

There are now 4 things that I would like to take a look at and then I would like to give you three applications from today to walk out of here with.

The first thing that I want to look at is THE CROWD.  It was a time when all of the Jews would be gathering in Jerusalem.  News had gone out that Jesus was on his way, so a crowd of people rushed out to meet Him.  There were actually 2 crowds.  One crowd was accompanying Jesus as He was on His way.  The other crowd was surging out of Jerusalem to meet Him.  The two crowds must have surged together like 2 tides of the sea coming at one another.

As the crowds met Jesus they received Him like a conquering king.  This put the Jewish leaders into an uproar.  Now this crowd was made up of many different types of sightseers.  We will look at them later.

The next thing that I want to look at is JESUS. In such a situation it was obviously impossible for Jesus to speak to the crowd.  An excited crowd won’t stop to listen.  So Jesus did something that all could see.  He sent for a donkey’s colt & came riding upon it, which as I said was a dramatic fulfillment of the words of Zechariah the prophet.

Zechariah is the next to last book in the Old Testament, & both Matthew & John quote Zechariah 9:9 as an clear prediction concerning the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
Zechariah 9:9 says, “2”

Now that passage tells us some things about Jesus and why it was important to have this parade.  Notice what it says in Zechariah, "See, your king comes to you, righteous & having salvation."  This parade was announcing plainly to the world that Jesus is the Messiah, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords.  But it was also saying that Jesus was a special kind of Messiah. We usually think of a donkey as a lowly animal, but in the East it was considered very noble. Kings, princes, and judges rode upon donkeys. A king rode upon a horse when he was bent on war, but he rode a donkey when he came in peace.

Zechariah said that the king would be "gentle & riding upon a donkey" and Jesus deliberately fulfilled that prophecy to call attention to the fact that He comes, not as a war maker, but as a peacemaker. He comes into the world to bring gentleness and love and peace.

Now the third thing that I want to look at is THE DONKEY’S OWNER.  Have you ever wondered how Jesus knew that donkey was there?  Did He have X-ray vision like Superman and could see through walls to know where it was?  Well, I don’t want to limit the power of Jesus, but I’m more inclined to believe that Jesus must have walked up & down that street many times before.

Maybe He had seen this colt and where it was kept. Maybe He had already talked to the owners and explained to them that one day He would have need of that animal. And when that day came would they be willing to let Him have it?  And they said that they would.

Whatever the case, the day finally arrives and Jesus tells His disciples in verses 2-3 “1”

That is exactly what happens.  They found the colt & untied it.  And as they did, the owners rushed out to ask them what they are doing.  They reply, "The Lord needs it."

Now donkeys were prized possessions back then.  They were a way of transportation. They were beasts of burden, and they pulled the farmer’s plows.  They did so many strenuous things that a man could not do by himself.  So this donkey was a very valuable possession.  Yet Jesus said, "Tell them `the Lord needs it.’"  When the people heard that, they gave it.  And when they gave that donkey they were giving the best and the most that they had to give.

Now what is the most important thing in your life right now?  Is it your money, your house, your car, or something else that is very dear to you?  Your answer will tell a whole lot about yourself.  Now ask yourself, "If Jesus came by today and said, `I have need of that,’ whatever it is, would you give it?"  Would you surrender it to Him as these owners surrendered this donkey?  Would you be willing for Him to take it & use it for whatever time He needs it?  Or would you hold on to it?

The fourth thing that I would like to look at is THE DONKEY.  Donkeys play an important part in Scripture.  It was a donkey that taught Balaam a valuable lesson.  It was a donkey that carried Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 

It was a donkey that carried the baby Jesus into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod.  And now in the last part of His life we see a donkey carrying Jesus in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Horses are beautiful animals with coats that shine in the sun.  They have flowing manes that ripple in the breeze, and long graceful legs that gobble up the miles.  They have soft eyes, and make a sound that radiates power & strength.

But not the donkey.  His hair looks like ours does when we get up in the morning and haven’t combed it in a week.  His tail is unkempt.  His mane is nothing beautiful to behold.  His ears are too big, too floppy.  And his sound causes us all to laugh.

And yet, on the road to Jerusalem this little donkey hears the people shouting, "Hosanna!" and he sees them spreading their cloaks on the road before him.  And for a while, this donkey that is not supposed to be in parades is in one, and he is the focal point of attention.  Why?  Because he is carrying the King of Kings, & the Lord of Lords.

Now when I think of this I am reminded of a movie that the kids have probably seen.  Shrek 2.  In this movie the donkey is magically turned into a white stallion and he is carrying a prince,  however later he is put back into his place as a donkey, yet funny as that scene may be in a movie that is exactly what happened to this donkey.

Tomorrow he will be forgotten.  Tomorrow he will be in the corral again.  But today this parade is his because of Jesus.  Today he is where the horse would usually be. 

Today he is the prancing stallion carrying the victor to his throne.  Jesus made all the difference!

You know, if I ever have a parade in my life, it will only be because Jesus is sitting upon the throne of my life.  Just like the donkey, we don’t belong.  But then Jesus comes and He makes all the difference.

Now there are 3 applications that I would like you to gain from all of this.  The first is that WE LIVE FOR AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.  The crowds were very quick to gather along side the road for Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.  This is what causes me to think of parades.  I can remember being a spectator at so many parades.  The people lined the streets leading into Jerusalem just like a parade would.  The King was coming.  Think about this crowd.  Jesus always drew a crowd.  He went up and preached on the mount- with large crowds listening.  He healed the sick pressed on every side by large crowds. As they followed him, he ended up feeding all 5,000 of them.  Now He is greeted by a large crowd welcoming Him into Jerusalem.  Soon the large crowd would turn on him and instead of shouting “Hosanna“, the would be shouting “Crucify Him.”

You see that is the way it is with public opinion.  One day they love you and the next day they hate you.  We cannot live for the opinion of others.  You and I do not live for the audience and opinion of others.  Instead we live for the audience of one, and that is Jesus.

Some loved Jesus, some hated Him, that didn’t change who he was.  They wanted Jesus to be an earthy king and ruler.  In fact earlier, crowds had tried to take him by force and make him their king.  Others were convinced he was Satan in the flesh.  Public opinion did not change how Jesus lived, or who Jesus was.  Jesus was living for an audience of one.  So it is with us, some will love us, some will hate us, but that doesn’t change who we are.  And it certainly shouldn’t change how we live.

The second application form this morning is LIFE IS FULL OF VALLIES AND MOUNTAINTOPS.  In Psalm 23 it says, “3” 

This is a definition verse for life being full of vallies and mountaintops.  The main verse there is verse 4 where it says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”

Now when it comes to amusement parks, I love roller coasters.  The bigger, the faster, the more frightening it is the better!  It seems the higher they climb, the farther and faster they fall.  Life sometimes can feel like a wild out-of-control roller coaster ride.  The good news is that God is in control.  No matter if we feel like life is spinning out of control, moving too fast, or if we aren’t sure what lies around the next turn, God is still there.  Life is full of valleys and mountaintops.

Jesus had experienced valleys and mountaintops all of his life. 

His baptism- that was a mountaintop.    His temptation- that had to be a valley.
His teaching and healing changing lives- it must be a mountaintop.  The death of John the Baptist- a definite valley.

Here was Jesus coming into the Holy City during the greatest time of religious celebration.  This had to have been a mountaintop experience.

But that would soon change- he would eat a final meal with his disciples.  He would know that he was going to be betrayed, and not just by Judas.

He would find himself in great agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He would be tormented, tortured, and crucified.  But With every valley, there is a mountaintop waiting on the other side.  Three days later He would rise from the dead, rise from the valley and go to the mountaintop!  One day you and I will join him.

I know your life may hold many valleys.  Sickness, loss of a loved one, marital problems, work crisis, financial dilemmas, and the list goes on and on.

Even though it is very difficult, we must keep the words of David in our minds-
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me.”

If we will look to God for our strength and sustenance from day to day- there will be a mountaintop waiting for us just on the other side of the valley.

The final thing that I want to look at are the DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THE CROWD.  Everyone will make a decision for Jesus. 

There were the Critics- The religious leaders.  They hated Jesus.  They saw him as a threat to them.  They wanted nothing more than to kill him.  It wasn’t that they just wanted him dead, they wanted him gone and forgotten.

Then there was the Crowd- We touched on this already, there was always crowds around Jesus.

Then there are the Curious- A little different then the crowd.  They actually have some interest in Jesus.  Many of you are here today as the curious.  You have been coming, listening, hearing the word, and hearing the praises.  You are curious.  I say keep coming as long as you want.  But my prayer is that you will move beyond curiosity.

The next group is the Committed- This group was full of faithful followers of Jesus- but maybe not totally sold out to him.  They wanted to follow him, but just struggled to be more.  Many of you are committed.  You are Christians.  You want to be everything for God.  But there is something in your life holding you back. 

Maybe a sin you won’t let go of.  Maybe a fear you can’t overcome.  Maybe a wound you won’t let him heal.  Maybe a wrong you won’t forgive.  Maybe ministry you won’t give to the Lord.  You may live your life out faithfully as a Christian.  But you will never be all that God wants you to be unless you move beyond the committed.

The final area that we all should strive to be is the Core- These are the people that are totally sold out for Christ.  The disciples and especially Peter, James and John.  Disciples who would do more than follow Christ, they would pick up their crosses and die for him. They were not perfect- they all ended up denying Christ, but they got up each and every time ready to go all the way for him.

Every person in here this morning belongs to one of those groups. Which group are you in?  Are you a Critic?  Are you in the Crowd?  Are you Curious?  Are you Committed?  Or are you in the Core?

In closing, Palm Sunday has a message for the church today.  Jesus is passing by and He is saying, "The Lord needs you."  Now how will we respond?  Will we turn our backs as the Pharisees did?  Or will we support Him for just a while like most of the people did? And then when we get out into the real world crucify Him all over again?
Or, will we be like the owners of the donkey who gave what they had just so Jesus could have a parade?  We’re like that donkey and God wants to change us and transform us and make us new all over again.  The question that remains unanswered is, “WILL YOU SURENDER AND GIVE YOUSELF TO HIM FOR WHATEVER HE NEEDS?”