April 1st - 2012
Palm Sunday and
Jerusalem
Some years ago a king had decided to lead his own army out into battle. His soldiers were under his direct command. This particular battle was to be the mother of all wars since it meant that the entire empire would now come under his control.
But as the trail led through an ordinary meadow, his eye caught the glimmer of something he’d never seen before on this path. The sun shone on a very bright object just outside the entrance to a small hillside cave.
So affected by this shimmering was the king that it came to near mesmerizing him; so much so that he directed his horse towards the entrance of that cave. His horsemen and soldiers followed his lead.
How many times he had ridden this path through this one field having never once spied neither this cave nor its shiny object. Stopping his horse, the king dismounted, called for a light and stooped down to enter the black hole. Once inside he noticed two thin streaks of silvery ore winding further on and deeper into the cavern.
Transfigured by what he saw, he called for his soldiers to begin digging at the shiny ore. And as they dug, they too began to be affected and even enthralled with their find. Soon baskets of the silvery ore were being transported from the mine. The digging lasted through the afternoon and well into the time when campfires had to be made and a camp set up.
By the time the moon rose, the ground was settled with baskets and bags of ore and the king’s soldiers began to grow weary with the work. Supper now ended, the tired king and his men began to nod off and fall into a deep sleep, leaving few to guard the camp.
That night, while the men slept, enemy soldiers arrived; the very soldiers they had been sent to do battle with; men whose job it was to repel any invasion. Within minutes the king and his army were slain in their sleep and the newly discovered ore was taken as spoils.
Can you imagine how you might feel if you’d missed the biggest day of your life because your attention had been drawn to something less important than that day?
That, folks, is what took place on the first Palm Sunday in the city of Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders, those in authority in Israel, missed their day.
Would you open your Bible with me please to the LORD’s day, Sunday, AD 33, just a few days before the crucifixion of Jesus? It’s found in the Gospel of Luke chapter nineteen. It’s Palm Sunday. Look with me at Luke 19:28.
Luke 19:28 “And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. (29) And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
(30) Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. (31) And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
(32) And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. (33) And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? (34) And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
(35) And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. (36) And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
(37) And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
(38) Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. (39) And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
But as the trail led through an ordinary meadow, his eye caught the glimmer of something he’d never seen before on this path. The sun shone on a very bright object just outside the entrance to a small hillside cave.
So affected by this shimmering was the king that it came to near mesmerizing him; so much so that he directed his horse towards the entrance of that cave. His horsemen and soldiers followed his lead.
How many times he had ridden this path through this one field having never once spied neither this cave nor its shiny object. Stopping his horse, the king dismounted, called for a light and stooped down to enter the black hole. Once inside he noticed two thin streaks of silvery ore winding further on and deeper into the cavern.
Transfigured by what he saw, he called for his soldiers to begin digging at the shiny ore. And as they dug, they too began to be affected and even enthralled with their find. Soon baskets of the silvery ore were being transported from the mine. The digging lasted through the afternoon and well into the time when campfires had to be made and a camp set up.
By the time the moon rose, the ground was settled with baskets and bags of ore and the king’s soldiers began to grow weary with the work. Supper now ended, the tired king and his men began to nod off and fall into a deep sleep, leaving few to guard the camp.
That night, while the men slept, enemy soldiers arrived; the very soldiers they had been sent to do battle with; men whose job it was to repel any invasion. Within minutes the king and his army were slain in their sleep and the newly discovered ore was taken as spoils.
Can you imagine how you might feel if you’d missed the biggest day of your life because your attention had been drawn to something less important than that day?
That, folks, is what took place on the first Palm Sunday in the city of Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders, those in authority in Israel, missed their day.
Would you open your Bible with me please to the LORD’s day, Sunday, AD 33, just a few days before the crucifixion of Jesus? It’s found in the Gospel of Luke chapter nineteen. It’s Palm Sunday. Look with me at Luke 19:28.
Luke 19:28 “And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. (29) And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
(30) Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. (31) And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
(32) And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. (33) And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? (34) And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
(35) And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. (36) And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
(37) And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
(38) Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. (39) And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.