Please turn with me to the Gospel of Luke. Luke chapter 19. Our focus is going to be on verses 28-40. And what's been commonly called the triumphal entry. So Luke chapter 19. focusing on verses 28-40, but I'll read from verse 28 to the end of the chapter. Hear God's holy word. And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go into the village in front of you, whereon entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, why are you untying it, you shall say this, the Lord has need of it. So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, why are you untying the colt? And they said, The Lord has need of it. And they brought it to Jesus. And throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near, already on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen. saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. He answered, I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that would make for peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you've made it a den of robbers. And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him. but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. Our Heavenly Father, we do thank you for your word. We thank you again for sending your son. We thank you, Father, for his death on the cross. We thank you for the promise of his return. And we pray now that you would teach us, that you would instruct us through this passage, that you would bless he who proclaims your word, that we would hear what you were saying to us and so grant us each listening ears. We do pray it in Jesus' name. Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, last week we looked at the parable of the Minas. With Jesus' death getting closer and closer, he told the parable so as to prepare his disciples for what was ahead. Jesus, like that nobleman, was about to embark upon a journey to receive his kingdom. For a while, he would be away, but during that time, his disciples, his followers, are given a task. Christ has entrusted us, you see, with the Gospel. And with that Gospel, we are to invest it in the world. As I said last time, our duty, of course, is not to live the Gospel, because you don't live good news. The Gospel is news. You don't live news. You may have to live according to that news. And indeed, we have to live according to the Gospel. But we invest the Gospel. by proclaiming the gospel. The news is to be announced. The news is to be proclaimed. We're not to take the gospel and fold it up in a napkin for safekeeping. We're to put it to use. We're to announce it and proclaim the good news. Now, two men in the parable are described as doing what the noblemen said. They invested the minas. And when He returned, they were able to say, your mina has earned you such and such. Neither, you see, took credit for what they did, because it was what the mina did. Neither can we take credit for what the gospel does through the work of the Spirit as we announce, as we proclaim that gospel. But the amazing thing anyways was that this nobleman, now king, rewards these men for their labor. And when Christ comes again, he will reward us for our labor. It's not that any work of ours merits anything from God. It doesn't. What we merit from God is death. The wages of sin is death. but our Heavenly Father, who is gracious to receive us, not only receives us, but also receives our works done in His name, though they're accompanied with so many frailties and faults and imperfections, or let's just put it this way, even our works are tainted with sin. And God, in His mercy, receives them. much the same way we can take pleasure in the faulty artwork, let's say, of our children. God takes pleasure in us. There was one man, though, that did not invest his mina. And he had it taken away from him. Those who refuse to labor for the Lord until He returns show themselves in the end to be false servants. And even what they thought they had will be taken from them. We saw back in chapter 9, you'll remember that Jesus was steadfast and determined to go to Jerusalem to die for the sins of His people. And then we saw in the last chapter, chapter 18, that Jesus said He was going to Jerusalem. And now in chapter 19, we are seeing Jesus enter Jerusalem, and Christ's death, from the perspective or the context of our chapter here, is only one week away. And so this evening we'll be looking at Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And two things in that regard. First of all, a divine preparation for it. And then we'll look at that triumphal entry itself. Now verse 28 says, And when He had said these things, He went on ahead going up to Jerusalem. Jesus concludes that parable, that parable of the miners, and He goes on ahead on His way to Jerusalem. Again, nothing's going to stop Him from the task that He had before Him. But before Jesus actually enters Jerusalem, we see some preparation for His entry into Jerusalem. It's going to be a triumphal entry. The king is going to enter Jerusalem. Verses 29 to 30, when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany and the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples saying, go into the village in front of you where on entering you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. Now Jesus is coming up on Bethany. Now it's at Bethany that he would raise Lazarus at this time. Now that's not recorded here in the Gospel of Luke, but it is recorded in John, in John chapter 11. And so Jesus, as they enter there in Bethany, Jesus is going to raise Lazarus. And Bethany, you see, is real close to Jerusalem. John 11 tells us it's about two miles. And in the vicinity opposite Bethany is another place, Bethpage. And it was there that Jesus told them that they would find a colt tied, which nobody has yet risen. Now, there are a couple of things for us to focus on here. First of all, what kind of a colt was this? What kind of a cult was this? Now, that word could refer to several kinds of animals. A camel, a horse, a donkey. Well, we know from Matthew, of course, that this was the cult of a donkey. Matthew 21, verse 2 says this, saying to them, Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them Now, brothers and sisters, it's very significant that this was the cult of a donkey, because hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Zechariah had prophesied, he had said that the Messiah would come riding on the cult of a donkey. Zechariah 9, 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation, is he humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the fowl of a donkey. Now why did Jesus take a donkey? Well Matthew really answers that question Matthew 21 4 to 5 says this they took place or this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophets saying say to the daughter of Zion behold your king is coming to you humble and mounted on a donkey on a colt the fowl of a beast of burden Jesus was going to ride a donkey into Jerusalem because he was going to fulfill prophecy By doing this, Jesus was unequivocally identifying Himself as the Messiah. He was unequivocally saying that He was the King. He would fulfill prophecy. But we might wonder why a prophecy about a donkey? Why not some great steed, some powerful horse that was maybe used in war or something like that? Well, the donkey portrayed a lowliness and a gentleness. Zechariah speaks of the king coming lowly or gentle, riding on a donkey. Christ is being portrayed here not merely as the exalted, powerful king, but as the gentle and humble king. We're told also here that this cult is one that no one has ever sat upon. That's in line with the fact that Jesus was conceived within a womb that was never used before, would be buried later on in a tomb that was never used before, and this cult as well is reserved for sacred use. Jesus is going to be in a cult that was never used before. Now, how did Jesus know that there was going to be a cult there across from Bethany in the other town? How did He know that? Some might be tempted to say, well, he maybe had a conversation with the owners who were going to leave it there for him. Maybe he already got over there. Maybe he made some arrangements. I don't think that's very likely to you. How did Jesus know? Because he's God. And he's making that statement clear to his disciples. It was divinely arranged. In much the same way, we read at earlier points in the Gospel things like this. Matthew 12, 25. Knowing their thoughts, He said to them. I love seeing those things as we go through the Gospel. Jesus responds simply what? Knowing their thoughts. Or John 2, 25. And needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man. Knows the thoughts of man. John 6, 64. But there were some of you who do not believe, for Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe and who it was who would betray Him. Jesus knows the thoughts of men. He doesn't need to be told that there's going to be a cult over there for Him. He doesn't need to make the arrangements in a human fashion, if you will. This is the plan of God. This is the purpose of God. This is all happening in accord with the prophecy of God that goes back to Zechariah chapter 9. Jesus would enter Jerusalem according to the plan of God as prophesied in Zachariah. And in the way that God had determined on a lowly donkey that God placed at the right place at the right time for all of this to come about. No accident, no coincidence, all happening according to the plan of God. And all of this to make that statement that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, that He is indeed the King. Now I can imagine, I mean put yourself in the position of these disciples here. Can you imagine these disciples thinking as they're being told this, as they're being commanded to go out and get this donkey, perhaps beginning to wonder something like this. What's the owner going to say when we start untying the donkey? What's that owner gonna do is he is the owner gonna get upset with this? How's this going to happen? But Jesus has got all this planned out as well because before the disciples can ask any questions And I'm pretty sure I'd be asking some questions. Wait a second, but isn't that stealing? Isn't that gonna cause a problem? Isn't he gonna come out upset the owner if he sees us doing that I'd have all these questions. I Now Jesus, before they ask any questions, says this, if anyone asks you, verse 31, why you're untying it, you shall say this, the Lord has need of it. That's it. That's all you've got to do. If anybody asks any questions, just simply say the Lord has need of it. And sure enough, the owners of the donkey asked, what are you doing? Why are you untying the donkey? Why are you untying the colt? and who can blame them? Some people are there untying their animal. Verses 32-34, So those who were sent away and found it just as he told them, and as they were untying the colt, its owner said to them, Why are you untying the colt? And they said, The Lord has need of it. The disciples simply respond as the Lord had told them to, and there's no problem. No problem whatsoever, no further explanation needed. In other words, arranged divinely by the Lord. Couldn't have been orchestrated any smoother. When the owners here the Lord has need of it That's it. Let it go. No objection. No complaint. No questions. No butts But what about what is it going to or what are you talking about? God's plan to have Christ come into Jerusalem riding on a donkey Happened and it happened just as it was prophesied in Zechariah hundreds of years prior Divine preparation for this event all to make the statement This is the Messiah And now with these preparations set, Jesus does enter Jerusalem. Verses 35 and 36, And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. The donkey is brought to Jesus. And these two disciples, perhaps with the other ten, put their clothes on the colt as a sort of saddle. Then, as they ride in Jerusalem, Others, if you will, are making a carpet with their clothes. And as Jesus approached the Mount of Olives, there was this joyful praise of God. And as He was drawing near already on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of His disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. The multitudes are praising Him. There's noise, there's commotion, there's this rejoicing and praising God, and it's loud. They're praising God for the works that Jesus had done. Although not mentioned here in the Gospel of Luke, I already pointed out that in Bethany, Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead. And according to John 12, verses 17 and 18, this had certainly got a lot of attention. And of course it wasn't that long ago that Jesus healed blind Bartimaeus of Jericho and given him sight. And Jesus had performed miracles for the past three years. And now they see that this Jesus who raised the dead, who performed all these things, what's He doing? He's riding. into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the crowds get the point. It's a statement that is loud and clear. We've seen all these things. We've seen all these miracles. And now, here he is on a donkey, just like Zacharias said. If this man can raise the dead, this must be the king. This must be the king. And so the crowds are saying, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. They see him as king. And not just a king, but the king that comes in the name of the Lord. The one who's coming in fulfillment of Zechariah. They believe this would be the restoration of the kingdom of David. There's a quote as well from Psalm 118, verse 26, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We will bless you from the house of the Lord. You see, ultimately here, they're calling Jesus the Messiah, the coming king. Matthew points out as well that they called Christ the son of David. Matthew 21, verse nine, and the crowds that went before him. that followed him were shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. You remember when they saw the healing of the blind man Bartimaeus, they also called Jesus the Son of David, which I said then was a messianic title. And when Bartimaeus called Jesus the Son of David, he was acknowledging that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Now again, he's riding on a donkey and they're calling out, Son of David, and they're acknowledging this is the King, this is the Messiah, this is the one that the Old Testament pointed ahead to. However, as we've seen in the past with others, the crowds didn't really understand all of what this meant. They were looking for an earthly king. one who would free them from the Romans, who would reign literally on a throne in Jerusalem. Little did they know that this king riding into Jerusalem on a donkey would die. Less than a week later, the Pharisees don't like Jesus, and they don't like that he's getting all of this attention. They don't see him as the son of David. They don't see him as the coming king, and they want the crowds to shut up. So verse 39, some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. In the mind of the Pharisees, the crowd need to be rebuked. They need to be told he's not that coming king, he's not the son of David. They need to be rebuked for thinking such. But Jesus doesn't correct the crowds. In fact, he says this, I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. In other words, what's Jesus doing? They're proclaiming the truth, and I'm not going to shut them up. If they weren't doing this, even the stones would cry out because it's true. I am the Messiah, he's saying. The crowds have it right. I am the king. That was the statement that Jesus was loudly proclaiming as he rode that donkey. And notice here as well, that Jesus is kind of doing different than what He has done in the past. Here He goes riding into Jerusalem, purposely drawing attention to Himself. On other occasions, we see Him withdrawing from public observation, going into the wilderness, charging those who He healed to tell no one, but here He boldly, unequivocally, clearly is announcing Himself as the King. Desirous that all should see him Now what's behind this? Well, his death is approaching and he's drawing the attention of all to himself He would be offered up as that one sacrifice before the eyes of the whole nation. His death would be seen It wasn't going to go unnoticed. It wouldn't be hidden away in some corner Christ was about to redeem his people from their sin. His earthly ministry was about to be finished His work as a sacrifice for sin remained to be accomplished and would be accomplished. And before that sacrifice of Himself, He would draw the attention of the whole nation to Himself, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, was about to be slain, and it wasn't going to be a secret. More than that, this praise of Jesus would also result, of course, in the Pharisees wanting to kill Him all the more. This praise of Jesus as the coming king would spur on the scribes and the Pharisees all the more to put Jesus to death. So what they're about to work with their wicked hands is all happening according to the plan of God. In chapter 9, Jesus was steadfast and determined to go to Jerusalem for his death. And how different than every earthly king, here was a king who entered Jerusalem not for the sake of exalting himself, but to redeem a people from their sin. He came to Jerusalem to conquer sin and death. He came to Jerusalem to give up his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of his people. He came to Jerusalem to bear the fierce wrath of God in the place of his people. Now they expected an earthly king to sit on the throne in Jerusalem like David. But this king came to conquer our sin and to rule in our hearts and lives. Christ would die and rise from the dead and would be exalted to the right hand of God the Father. It's from there that he reigns as sovereign king of the universe. He continues to work all things for the good of those who love him. and have been called according to His purpose. You see, Christ died on the cross. He was risen from the grave. He ascended into heaven to the right hand of God the Father where He reigns right now. He wasn't going to reign as a king in Jerusalem on a literal throne there. He conquered death as king. And He reigns now from heaven. And He is reigning now. drawing His elect to Himself, conquering the sin that yet remains in us. He is King and He's King right now. And this King will return again. And when He returns, He will not come lowly and on a donkey. John describes his return like this. Revelation chapter 19, written by John, verses 11 through 16. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the Word of God. And the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen white and pure were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he is the name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Brothers and sisters, praise be to our God who sent His Son into the world and this Son entered Jerusalem as the promised King to die on the cross, to conquer to conquer the sin of his people. Next time we'll see in the midst of all this cheering that was going on, Jesus weeps over the spiritual condition of Jerusalem. So next time, that or in two weeks, let's go to our great God in prayer. Our Heavenly Father, we do thank You and we praise You again for the blessings that You give to us. We thank You, Father, for our King, King Jesus, We thank you, Father, that he even reigns now, that he reigns in our hearts, that he reigns in our lives, that he works all things according to his plan. And Lord, we look forward to all of his enemies being placed under his feet. We look forward, Father, to the return of Christ and to that marriage supper of the Lamb. Lord, strengthen us to live for you each day, each moment of our lives. We do pray it in Jesus' name. Amen.