If you would please open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 21. Matthew chapter 21. Continuing our study of this Gospel. Good morning. Matthew 21. This is God's Word. As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away. This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet. Say to the daughter of Zion, see, your king comes to you gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. The disciple went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. Very large crowds spread their cloaks on the road while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, who is this? The crowds answered, this is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. It is written, he said to them, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers. The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did, and the children shouting in the temple area, Hosanna to the son of David, they were indignant. Do you hear what these children are saying? They asked him. Yes, replied Jesus. Have you never read From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise. And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany where he spent the night. May God add his blessing to this reading from his holy and inspired word. We're working our way through Matthew. And so on this Good Friday, we come to the story of Palm Sunday. How does that work? Well, it's actually very appropriate. Because if you want to understand what happened on Palm Sunday, you have to know what would happen within the week on Good Friday. On Palm Sunday, people were shouting Hosanna, a word that became an expression of praise that literally means save, save. And that is what Jesus would do. It's exactly what he would do. Within the week, he would give his life in order to save those who trust in him. But on this day, Jesus was fulfilling the Scriptures. Matthew is very careful, perhaps the most of all the four Gospels, he goes back to the Old Testament time and again to say, see this was in fulfillment of what was written before. This was to fulfill this passage. This was to fulfill this passage. This was to fulfill this passage. And so God had already declared what was going to happen when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the colt, the foal of a donkey. That had already been declared by God. It was part of His plan. And likewise, the children shouting Hosanna was part of the plan that had already been declared by God ahead of time. And likewise, Jesus dying at Passover as the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world, that had been declared. In fact, that was what Passover was all about. If you go back to the Old Testament, to when God's people were slaves in Egypt, the means by which God finally delivered them after plague, after plague, after plague, had failed to cause Pharaoh to say, okay, go. The thing that God did that finally delivered His people involved the death of the firstborn. And the symbol that God gave of how a death, a sacrificial death would bring salvation was he told them they were to take a lamb and they were to kill it. And they were to take the blood of the lamb and apply it to the top and the two sides of the doorframe at their house. And they had to be inside protected by that blood in order that the angel of death would pass over that house and not take their firstborn. They did not know when they put that basin of blood in the doorway, as God said, and dipped a branch in it, as God said, and put it at the top and the two sides that they were making the sign of the cross. They didn't know that. God did. God knew exactly how Jesus was going to die because it was his plan for Jesus to be the sacrificial lamb, the one who would take away our sin. That's what Good Friday is all about. Jesus doing what the Father had decreed. His taking our place. Events that seemed to be spinning out of control were not out of control at all. They were perfectly fulfilling what God had said would take place. And you and I need to know that God has not changed. He wasn't in control then, but now he's kind of let it all go crazy. God is still working out His purpose. He is still fulfilling His plan. And you and I need to rest in His sovereignty and in His love and know that the One who loved us so much that He gave His Son for us will certainly not forsake us. He is always, always, always faithful. So when Jesus was approaching the city, He sent two of His disciples saying to them, go to the village ahead of you and at once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them and He will send them right away. How did Jesus know that? I mean, the two that he sends to get the donkey, those two were kind of the first ones into town. So how did Jesus know that right as they came into town, they're going to see this donkey and foal there? That's kind of spooky. How did he know that? How did he know that if anybody asked, which they did, that if they answered as Jesus said, that would suffice? You don't have to pay them. You just tell them the Lord needs it, and they'll say, okay. How did all that work out? A lot of people who are supposed professionals, scholars, have suggested that Jesus must have made arrangements ahead of time. Well, in one sense, yes. Before the creation of the world, he made the arrangements. The idea that God incarnate couldn't know what's coming, he knows he's about to die on the cross. You think he can't know about a donkey? I mean, that's just... Crazy. Folks are forever trying to come up with some other explanation for the supernatural. I've lived a long time, and I've seen God do so many amazing things. I would have to be willfully ignorant not to know that not only is God real, but God is kind. I've seen so many answers to prayer. Now, let me tell you, I've had plenty of problems. I've had plenty of things that didn't go the way I wanted. I've experienced personal tragedy. But in the midst of it all, God is kind. He is faithful. And he has a plan. And it's a detailed plan. And so when Jesus says, Go, and this is what you'll find, and this is what you're to do, and this is how it's going to turn out. It's because God knows this stuff. He knows. And you and I don't have to worry about all the details. We just need to be concerned with obedience. Imagine if these two had said, well, I don't know. I mean, how are we going to recognize the donkey? You'll know. You'll know. You know what a donkey looks like? But how do we know which donkey? You'll know. Well, what if they say, then here's what you say. Well, what if that doesn't suffice? It'll suffice. You remember when Moses was being sent to meet with Pharaoh? And it's like, well, I don't know. I don't know if this is going to work or not. It sounds to me like a very audacious plan. God says, what's that in your hand? Oh, it's my staff. God says, throw it down. Why? I said, throw it down. Okay. Ha! What happened? He threw it down, it turned into a giant serpent. How'd you like to be standing next to a six foot or eight foot snake that moments ago was a staff in your hand, okay? Now I don't have anything to hit it with. Okay? So, I mean, you don't need to worry. God says, pick it up. What? By the tail. What? By the way, that's generally not the way to pick up a snake. I would recommend you not pick up snakes, especially poisonous snakes. But if you do, you want to use a forked stick, immobilize them right behind their venomous head, and then pick them up there by the, do not try this at home. Pastor Wood told us how to do it. And you can see the fang marks right there. Don't try this at home. But I'm telling you, if you're going to pick up a snake, You want to get it right behind the head, okay? Now that's dangerous, too, because what if it turns around and bites you? Then you're in trouble, okay? But you pick it up, up by the head, and that way it can't bite you. If you pick it up by the tail, I know I've seen some people pick them up by the tail, but I'm just telling you, generally speaking, that's more dangerous. They can swing around and get your leg. They can curl up and get your arm. You want to immobilize the head, because that's where the fangs are. tells his disciples to do something that's not nearly as scary as picking up a snake. But it involves the same principle. And that is, do as you're told. Obey. Why is it important for parents to teach their children to obey? Because it's training so that they'll know how to obey God. If you don't think it's important to teach your children to obey, then you're not reading what God says to you as parents. We need to teach our children to obey because our children need to learn that obedience is the right path. Obviously, young people, if somebody tells you to do something that involves disobedience to God, you obey God. No one, as we've said before, and I'll say again, especially as you're heading out this weekend, no one has the authority to require you to do something God forbids or to forbid you from doing what God commands. Is that clear? No one has that authority. Somebody tries to get you to do something that God says you're not supposed to do, the answer is no, even if you pay for it with your life. Somebody tries to tell you you cannot do what God says you must, you obey God even if you pay for it with your life. Do not give in to sin. So Jesus says to his disciples, go to the city. Here's what you'll find. Here's what you're to do. Bring those animals back to me. They went. It was exactly the way Jesus said it would be. They did what Jesus told them to do, and they brought the animals back to Jesus. And then Jesus makes this awkward-looking entrance to the city. He's not just riding on a donkey, which in and of itself would be kind of, you know. Anybody ever ride on a donkey? They're not princely animals, generally speaking. I mean, you've seen people on beautiful mounts, these animals that just make anybody can look good on a horse like that. And then you kind of lose that whole effect if you're on a donkey. Well, Jesus wasn't on a donkey. He was on the foal of a donkey. He was on a young, never ridden, baby donkey. So what looks more ridiculous than a man on a donkey? A man on a baby donkey. I mean, it's just true. I'm not trying to be unkind, but it's an odd thing. What could be more humiliating than riding into town on the foal of a donkey? How about being beaten? stripped naked, nailed to a cross to die, and having people spitting on you and mocking you. Hosanna. Save. He will. He did. You see, we look at this and we say, why would God choose this Why would God choose this? Why should He die for us? Let me just tell you something. We're not that great. We're not that cute. We're not that pretty. We're not that handsome. We're not that smart. We're not that virtuous. Why would He die? for us bible says it's because he loves us he loves us and that folks is the gospel really really good news for sinners he loved us so much that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life So Jesus rides on the donkey into Jerusalem and the crowds are celebrating as he approaches. They've seen miracles. They've heard stories. They have high expectations. They did not understand exactly what was happening or certainly not what was about to happen. But this took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet. Say to the daughter of Zion, see your king comes to you gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. And so when Jesus entered Jerusalem, verse 10, the whole city was stirred and asked, who is this? And the crowds answered, this is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee. Within the week, there would be crowds shouting once again. But instead of saying, Hosanna, they'd be saying, crucify Him. Let me tell you something. If your goal is to be popular, you've got a bad goal. Opinion changes. People go from being heroes to being the butt of jokes. People go from being celebrated to being despised. People go from being mighty to either being dead or old. I'll tell you something. The adulation of the crowd does not last. It really doesn't. I had the privilege of working for a couple of years for a man by the name of Billy Graham. Some of you in this room know who Billy Graham is. He's still living. Billy Graham spent longer on the most admired list than anybody else in the history of the most admired list. Year after year after year, decade after decade, when Americans were asked, whom do you most admire? Billy Graham. Billy Graham. When I went out, asking folks to be a part of something that had the potential of reaching many people for Christ. And there were over 100,000 who professed faith in Christ as a result of this effort. So it was not a bust. But let me tell you, the process leading up to it, I was fascinated by the responses. I'd talk to some people and they'd say, oh, I was saved in the Billy Graham crusade. Oh, I'd love to help. My parents were saved in Billy Graham meetings. Oh, I'd love to help. My dad was an alcoholic and he watched a Billy Graham crusade on television and he prayed to receive Christ and his life was changed and our whole family was changed. I mean, I heard testimony after testimony after testimony after testimony all across the United States. I also ran into tons of people who said, who's Billy Graham? Who's Billy Graham? Well, do you know, he was invited by every president, starting with Harry Truman, to please come to the White House I want you to come and talk with me. I want you to pray with me. And I'm looking at a room right now that's got a bunch of people saying, who's Harry Truman? When was that? It was before I was born. So there was Truman. Then there was President Eisenhower. Then there was President Kennedy. Then there was President Johnson. We won't talk about anything after that. No, there was Nixon and Ford. You go all through the years, year after year, decade after decade. Billy Graham was such a celebrity, ABC, asked permission to broadcast his crusade from New York for free. They gave the airtime because they knew that the most amazing thing was going on in New York City back in the 1950s. 1950s, I was born then. Billy Graham's holding meetings. Times Square is packed. I mean, amazing things happening. But you know what? Most of those people are dead now. And the folks who are still around, only us old people remember. If you think being popular is gonna do it for you, tell you right now, it doesn't last. It doesn't last. You're going to spend forever somewhere. You're going to spend forever somewhere. And all that's going to matter is your relationship with Jesus Christ. That's it. It's not going to matter how big a house you lived in. It's not going to matter what kind of car you drove. It's not going to matter how expensive your clothes were, or your sports gear, or your electronics. It's not going to matter what level you got to on a video game. It's just not going to matter. It's not going to matter how many people thought you were wonderful, or smart, or clever, or witty, or beautiful. It's not going to matter. What's gonna matter is your relationship with Jesus Christ, because that determines whether you are in paradise or in hell. Just your relationship with Him is what it all comes down to. When Jesus came into town, the crowds thought He was wonderful. Jesus went up to the temple, the center of religious power, And people had turned it into a business enterprise. And they were selling stuff and ripping people off. And the religious leaders were getting a cut. They were getting a piece of the action. And Jesus did something a lot of folks think perhaps was not appropriate. He took the tables where they were doing their business and he flipped them over. And he drove those crooks out of his father's house. Within the week. those religious leaders would have Jesus nailed to a cross. Jesus wasn't worried. Because he knew whose house it was. And he knew he was gonna die. And he wasn't unwilling to do what needed to be done. Whether it was cleaning house, or whether it was cleaning us. The only way that we could be made clean, the only way that the garbage could be gotten out of us, the only way that we could be changed and forgiven was Jesus dying on the cross. And he knew that's what he was going to do. In the previous chapter, he again told his disciples We're going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn Him to death and will turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day, He will be raised to life." Jesus knew exactly what was coming. And He did exactly what the Father told Him to do. He obeyed. He obeyed. And you and I must obey. The blind and the lame came to him at the temple and he healed them. Where do you get this authority? Where do you get this power? They asked on another occasion. And Jesus said, I only do what the Father tells me to do. Perfect obedience. That's why the power flowed. Chief priests and teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did, and the children shouting in the temple area, Hosanna to the son of David. They were indignant." Isn't that interesting? I love the way Matthew puts it under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. When they saw the wonderful things he did, they were upset. Have you ever been upset because God's doing something wonderful, but it's not what you had planned? Doesn't make you look good? It's just like, what? There was a famous preacher and author from South Africa, greatly honored because of his wonderful writing about the ministry of the Holy Spirit and prayer. I mean, he was a great guy. You know one of the things he confessed? He prayed for decades that God would send revival to his country. And when God sent revival, he became one of the strongest opponents of what was going on. He would later repent of that and confess that. Well, what happened? Well, revival didn't come the way he wanted it. It didn't come the way he expected it. It didn't come in a way that had him as one of the movers and shakers in it. And so he was upset by it because it wasn't going according to his plan. Jesus shows up in Jerusalem and instead of going to the chief priests and teachers of the law and saying, guys, can I meet with you? We need to strategize and I just really want to get your input. He didn't do that. He shows up in Jerusalem, goes to the temple and flips out. He didn't lose his mind. He turned everything upside down. Because they weren't doing what the Father says. Jesus would respond to... I love this. Jesus would respond to these religious leaders by saying what he said so often. Have you never read Have you never read, look at verse 16, the religious leaders indignantly said, do you hear what these children are saying? Jesus replied, yes. Have you never read from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise? You want to know what God's up to? Read. You want to know what God wants? Read. You want to know what you need to be doing with your life? Read. Well, I just wish I knew the will of God. Well, rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. How are you doing with those things? I was thinking more in terms of which job I ought to take and so forth. OK. Are you rejoicing always? Well, not always. OK, we'll need to work on that. Are you praying constantly? Well, not constantly. Well, you need to work on that. Are you giving thanks in all things? Well, not in all things. Well, you need to work on that. Because that's God's will for you in Christ Jesus. And I'll promise you this based on God's Word. If you'll do what you know He says you are supposed to be doing, He'll take care of the rest. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. All these things will be added unto you. That's God's promise. I don't have to make these promises up. It's God's promise. I'm telling you what God says. He'll take care of the rest. He'll take care of the rest. Hallelujah. I am so grateful. Because there are so many billions of things I can't control. Okay? And sometimes we get kind of crazy in our thinking and think we've got to get everything under control. And God comes along and goes, and all our dominoes go. And we go, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait, wait, wait. Why'd you do that? God says, seek first my kingdom, my righteousness. I'll take care of everything else. Everything else will be added to you. You're going to be fine. You just do what I say. OK, we're going up to Jerusalem. What should we do? You too, go into town. You're going to find a donkey and her foal. Bring them to me." That doesn't sound like a plan, but it was. And it was to fulfill what God had planned and declared generations before. Don't be afraid to do what he says. Just obey him. Just obey him. Just obey Him. Let's pray. Father, thank You so much. Your plans are good. They often look illogical to us, but You do all things well. Thank You that Jesus came to die. and died so that we could live. Thank you, Lord. Help us to trust and obey. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.