Carey Baptist Church Sermon Notes

The Triumphal Entry – John 12:12-19

Basil Howlett - Carey Baptist Church - 29 January 2006

The day after Mary anointed Jesus in Bethany, the great crowd of Jews who were visiting Jerusalem for the Passover heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, so they went out to meet him. They took with them Palm branches to wave and to throw before him (Leviticus 24:40). When Jesus got as far as Bethphage, he borrowed a young donkey, a colt, which he rode into the city and all the people shouted Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, blessed is the King of Israel. John explains again in verses 17 & 18, that this intense interest in Jesus was because they had heard about Lazarus being raised from the dead. The other gospels (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40) provide further details about Jesus sending his disciples to borrow the young donkey etc, but John gives us the basic story and its a very remarkable one.

A. It reminds us that Gods Word is true and always comes true

This event (verses 14 & 15) was prophesied 500 years before in Zechariah 9:9. The Jews at that time, who had just been freed from captivity in Babylon and faced the daunting job of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, were very discouraged. Zechariah gave them this wonderful promise that one day, their king would ride into Jerusalem and enter the temple. 500 years later that prophecy was fulfilled in a wonderful way. .

B. It tells us so much about the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. He is a great King (verses 13 & 14). The King of Israel, and of the whole universe, He has always been the King (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16), but at his resurrection and ascension he was made King and Lord in an additional sense, in that his human nature was exalted and given kingship. These people worship Jesus, waving their palm branches, quoting the Bible in praise of him, and he makes no attempt to stop them, even though the Pharisees told him to do so (Luke 19:39).

2. The King of glory came into this world. See your King is coming, said Zechariah 500 years before and he did come. He came in lowliness, even poverty. The King of glory rides on a borrowed donkey, with a fisherman’s cloak thrown across its back as an improvised saddle (Luke 19:35).

3. He came into this world and rode into Jerusalem in peace. The donkey, generally speaking, is a peaceful animal. Jesus did not charge into Jerusalem on a war-horse to execute judgment (contrast Rev 19:11-16). He came to give us peace with God (Zechariah 9:10).

4. He came into this world and rode into Jerusalem to save us Zechariah 9:9. How?

By laying down his own life. By dying upon the cross (Matthew 20:17) to bear the punishment of sin. He had no sin of his own but was perfectly righteous (Zechariah 9:9) so he could bear the punishment of the sins of others. He did this publicly (Acts 26:26) and then rose again. Verse 16 refers to his resurrection and glorification in heaven.

C. What should be our attitude to this wonderful King?

Three wrong attitudes:

The Pharisees had no time for him (verse 19.

Some just wanted temporal blessings e.g. Release from Roman tyranny.

Others were fickle in their attitude to him. Hosanna then Crucify him.

The right attitudes to Christ?

Ask him to save you. With sincerity of heart some cried out Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (the Hebrew version of Psalm 118:25). Hosanna means Save now O Lord .

Acknowledge him as Lord and king of your life. Blessed is the King of Israel . He is the King of the universe whether we recognise it or not but he is also the King of Israel; his own people in a special way.

D. What will happen if we respond like that?

He is gentle (Zechariah 9:9) He will not brush us aside but will hear and accept us, no matter what we have done.

We will have nothing to fear thereafter (verse 15). Zechariah actually said Rejoice in the Hebrew; John says Do not be afraid when he translates into Greek but there is no contradiction at all. Rejoice includes do not be afraid.

This story of Christ riding in triumph into Jerusalem and being acclaimed King is a reminder of the time when he will come again in great glory and every knee will bow to him and every tongue will acknowledge he is Lord. No one will oppose him on that day. No one will be fickle on that day. Everyone will have to acknowledge him then and many will wail and weep as they realise what fools they have been to reject him.