Mark 11:1-10 - Palm Sunday

I want to invite you this morning to Mark chapter 11, where we're going to be together today. Mark chapter 11. We're actually going to kick off at the at the very end of Mark chapter ten, starting in verse 32. As we get into Mark 11, that's the primary part of the passage that we're going to focus on. But you know, when we look at this section of Scripture today, it reminds me that the Gospels pay a significant amount of attention to the final week of Jesus's life. When you look at the Gospels, some might be even be surprised to find out like we have 33 years. We know that Jesus walked the earth. And when you read the Gospels, you find very little amount is given attention to Jesus for the first 29 years of his life. The majority of the Gospels focus primarily on the last three and a half years of Jesus's life, and then a good chunk of that focuses on the final week of Jesus's life. In fact, if you read the Gospel of Matthew, you'll find starting in chapter 21 of 28 chapters. It's dealing with the last week of Jesus's life. If you read the gospel of Mark, which is 16 chapters long. The final week of Jesus's life starts in chapter 11. We're going to read today and we read the Gospel of Luke. It's chapter 19 of 24 chapters. And then when you read the Gospel of John, he gives the most attention to it.

It starts in chapter 12 of 21 chapters. And so a significant portion of the gospel is dedicated to the final week of Jesus's life. And it's as if it's to say to us, the whole point of his life culminated in what this week was about. And that week begins with the day that we celebrate today, known as Palm Sunday. Now, if you're new to the Christian faith, or maybe you haven't even been a Christian, you might be asking, well, why and why should Palm Sunday even matter to me? I mean, this happened thousands of years ago. Why should I? Why should I care about Palm Sunday? I could see why it was significant for maybe the people in the first century that might have loved Jesus, but why should I care here, this many years later, and what Palm Sunday represents? Or maybe, maybe you've been a believer for a while and you're like, I know we've kind of got these days to celebrate as Christians. We got Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Silent Saturday, and then Resurrection Sunday. Right. But I mean, why these days? Are we highlighting as God's people? Why? Why are these important to us? And let me just say, I'm glad you asked, because guys, this is not only the anthem of what God's people are about. This is the greatest moment in all of history. The fate of our souls for eternity rests in this week, and understanding the significance of what it's about, especially as we kick off with Palm Sunday, is important for all of us.

So here's what I'm going to do today. I really just want to look at the at the at the end of Mark chapter ten as it leads into chapter 11. And I want us to primarily focus on these ten verses in Mark chapter 11. I'm just going to walk us through it. I'm going to make two points and then I'm going to be done. But when we see how this particular day is beginning to culminate to what is Palm Sunday, we see the significance of what Christ is doing. And this is not something that was done just in some dark, distant corner where no one was really aware, and all of a sudden people showing up on Passover see Jesus crucified and they're asking the question, what in the world is happening? The significance of this moment had been building. I mean, this is just not long after the resurrection of Lazarus. And the crowds are starting to follow Jesus. And then in Mark chapter ten verse 32, it says, and they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them, and they were amazed. And those who followed were afraid, and taking the 12 again he began to tell them what was to happen to him.

I mean, if you just imagine the first century for a moment, these crowds are following behind Jesus. But Jesus has become a very polarizing figure, and he's about to walk into their capital, where the leaders of Jerusalem and the leaders of the Jewish people are starting to come against him. In fact, their desire had grown out of this hatred, and what they longed for was to kill him. And now Jesus has made the decision to go into this capital where the majority of these leaders would live, and especially where they would be present during the Passover. And the temperature of the room is easy to read. In Mark chapter ten, verse 32. I mean, could you imagine this moment if you were one of the disciples or one of the one of the people in the crowd that are following Jesus and Jesus all of a sudden gives a pronouncement, I'm going to Jerusalem. I mean, the people behind him have been like, oh, snap, right? Like, Oh my gosh. What is he thinking? This is an insane moment. Why would he be wanting to do that? Does he not know what people think about him? Do they? Does he not know what the leaders are saying about him? But when Jesus has determined that it's the appropriate time to go into Jerusalem. I love the way it's describing this passage, because the disciples are acknowledging that he's just walking boldly, as if this is his calling, this is his purpose.

And the disciples are like, man, we got to see what's about to happen, and they follow Jesus. But it's like, let's just how far behind him do you think is safe enough where we can kind of experience this, but we're not going to be caught up in it, right? We don't want to be a casualty off to the side. So they see the determination on Christ and entering into Jerusalem intentionally in this moment. And Jesus again, is beginning to teach them what's going to happen to him, because they're not grasping the full picture of everything Jesus has come to accomplish. In fact, when Jesus is going into Jerusalem, there's no mistaking in their mind what he's declaring by doing this. And you see it in the next verses with the brothers James and John, the sons of Zebedee. It says, they came up to him and said to him, teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. That would be nice, right? Jesus be my genie. Verse 36 and he said to them, what do you want me to do for you? And they said to him, Grant us to sit one at your right and one at your left in your glory. And Jesus said to him, you do not know what you're asking. See, in the mind of the Jewish people in the first century, they had the idea of the Messiah being a king, but their concept of the type of king that he would be was completely missed on them because they're thinking geopolitical, earthly king and his ruling, and he's about to go into Jerusalem to take his rightful position.

And James and John are coming to Jesus and saying, look, Jesus, we've walked with you for three and a half years. And I think that's earned us the right to be in the second and third place of power. So how about when you're ruling we get to sit in that position? Won't it be awesome? And Jesus is saying to him, again, you don't have any understanding of what exactly I'm coming to accomplish as king. And in fact, the next verses that follow there is this monumental moment in helping us recognize exactly how this tension might be building and the crowds recognizing what Jesus is doing. In Mark chapter ten, verse 46, and it says on the way to Jerusalem, as they came to Jericho, and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples, talking about Jesus, look at this. And a great crowd was following him. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar. The son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside, and when he had heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.

But he cried out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stopped and said, call him. In verse 52 And Jesus said to him, go your way. Your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. So Jesus performs this, another miracle to testify to the significance of who he is, a messianic demonstration of his power. But it tells us as Jesus is journeying into Jerusalem, this great crowd is now swelling around him because they're recognizing that here he is, this Messiah of which we've longed for. And then this blind man says something interesting about the Lord. And at the end of verse 47, he calls him Jesus, the idea of salvation, son of David. This rescuer identifies him as the Son of David and begs for mercy. And when this man uses this particular identity for Jesus, he's showing to us his knowledge and pronouncement of who Christ is. And what's wild about this individual is he's blind, meaning he would have never had the opportunity to really open up a scroll and read it, but he was knowledgeable of what the scripture said and their hope of a coming Messiah to deliver them. And by using not only this name, Jesus salvation, he's also taking this title Son of David and recognizing his rightful authority. And the crowd is hearing it. And this pronouncement of Jesus as being the Son of David, it comes to us in second Samuel chapter seven and verse 12 to 16 is why it's referenced at the bottom of this verse for you.

But this particular reference is God acknowledging to David the importance of his throne and what his throne would ultimately produce? And God says to David in second Samuel chapter seven, verse 12, that after you have passed away, one will come to reign on your throne, and his reign will be an everlasting reign. It will be eternal. And who but God could reign eternally? And by this man acknowledging this title upon Jesus, he's recognizing Jesus is not only from the lineage of David, but he's come to rule and reign on that eternal throne. There's no mistaking in this crowd who Jesus is pronouncing himself to be as he's journeying into Jerusalem and the crowd is beginning to celebrate an acknowledgment. What he's seeking to accomplish as he journeys to this position. So much so that when you get to Mark chapter 11, it leaves us in no mystery. In fact, in verse one it says this. Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter, you will find a colt tied and on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it.

If anyone says to you, why are you doing this? Say the Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately. And they went away and found a colt tied at the door outside in the street. And they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, why are you what are you doing? Untying the colt. And they told them what Jesus had said and they let them go. Here again, in this particular passage, this description is rich for us in imagery and exactly what Jesus is saying when in verse one, when it tells us that Jesus is coming to Jerusalem from the direction of Bethpage Bethany in the Mount of Olives. This is a tell sign of his messianic presence and his authority. Meaning, if you were to read the book of Zechariah, chapter 14, verse four, it would tell you that the deliverance that the Messiah would bring would come from the direction of the Mount of Olives. So. So Mark is just not arbitrarily naming towns for you. He wants you to see the significance of this town and the identity of Jesus as he's journeying to Jerusalem, because this is where deliverance was to be made known. More than that, it tells you in verse two that when Jesus is requesting this particular donkey, it gives you some specific details about this donkey. That this was a young donkey, that this donkey had not been used.

And in Jewish system of worship, any tool that was used for sacred purposes was to be unused, unworked. And now when Jesus is taking this donkey, he's choosing this unworked, unused donkey, as if to say it's been set apart for a sacred reason. And then in verse three, when they're to go and untie this donkey, Jesus gives them a very specific statement to tell to the people. And it's not to say this, will you kindly just beg humbly on our behalf that they might let us allow us to use it, but rather Jesus gives this declaration. Tell them that it is the Lord that needs it. And in this moment, when Jesus would have had this specific ask, this would have dissolved all mystery in the minds of people and turn their heads and recognizing exactly what Jesus is saying. Because what Jesus is doing in this moment is prophetically fulfilling everything he came to fulfill for you and for me. Because in Zechariah chapter nine, verse nine, it says this of the Lord. And we saw this at the end of the video. But in Zechariah nine nine, it says, 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 humbled and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. And in this prophetic statement from Zechariah, he's helping us identify this is how you're going to know it's the Messiah.

And at the second half of this verse, he gives us a two particular things he wants us to recognize about the significance of who Jesus is. And it helps us understand what the defining moment is about when it comes to Palm Sunday, when Jesus chooses to walk in to Jerusalem on the back of this donkey. He's declaring to us exactly who his identity is. So there is no mystery on our hearts. In fact, when you read the next few verses, you see the crowd responding in this way. And it said, and they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it. This is a response as if Jesus is a dignitary. And Jesus sat on it in verse eight. Look at this. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread their leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. I mean, what, what's happening in this particular moment is not only has the crowds followed Jesus up into Jerusalem as he went from Bethany to Bethpage to the Mount of Olives, but once Jesus sent the disciples to go get this donkey. When the people around this donkey began to hear exactly what Jesus had requested, this also attracted a crowd to come back to Jesus. So when Jesus is journeying into Jerusalem, it's not like he's riding on the back of a donkey. And as he gets close to the city, people begin to recognize, oh, here comes Jesus, let's celebrate.

This is telling you towns away. When Jesus is now journeying to Jerusalem, the crowds begin to realize what Jesus is doing as he's going to the city and they start to celebrate it to the point where they they're raising these palm branches and they're throwing their cloaks on the road, acknowledging this dignitary comes into town, or even during this time period, if a if a general went into battle and he was victorious, when he would return, the people would celebrate in this way. I mean, this is who Jesus is. He is. He is this warrior king coming for you and for me. And then it goes on and says in verse nine, and those who went before him, and those who followed were shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming kingdom of your father, David. Hosanna in the highest. I mean, here's what they're doing during a Passover celebration. It was common for Jewish people when they would walk into the city of Jerusalem as they journey on the streets, they would sing the Hallel, they would sing from the Psalm, Psalm 113 to Psalm 118. And when they get to Psalm 118 and verse 25 and 26, this is exactly what it says Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. And for centuries they would have walked in the streets of Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

And with this praise. And now finally, finally, that Messiah is in their midst. That deliverer has come. And Jesus leaves no mistake of who he's proclaiming himself to be. So. So why should I care about Palm Sunday? Well, let me give you point number one in your notes. And it's this Jesus is Saving King. Jesus is the saving king. In fact, when you read at the inn in the book of Zechariah chapter nine, verse nine, at the second half of this verse, this is exactly what is declaring. It says, behold, your King is coming to you righteous and having salvation. Is he? He's saying, this is. This is who he is. This is what he's about. Jesus is your saving king. And by journeying into Jerusalem, Jesus certainly knows the temperature of the room. Jesus certainly knows the way that the leaders are perceiving him and the desires of their heart to kill him. Jesus knows all of these, and Jesus knows this is exactly the reason he came. And so Jesus and journeying into Jerusalem, he's journeying boldly, and he's forcing the people to make a decision, either crown him or kill him. But either way, you're going to have to determine who he is. And guys, that's the significance of Palm Sunday for you and for me. You know, some people look at the life of Jesus and they just want to treat him with certain nice platitudes.

They want to say things like, he's a he's a wonderful man. He was a great moral teacher. He said lots of wise things. I'm so thankful for the influence of Jesus. And I want you to know Jesus is certainly those things, but he's not those things alone. He is more than those things. And Jesus didn't leave it to question on our behalf. He knew exactly who he was. And he comes to this moment to force the people to finally make a decision over his identity. I mean, even when Jesus hung on the cross, it tells us that they beat into him the crown of thorns. They mocked him as they put on him a purple robe and they nailed. They tacked to the top of the cross that statement. King of the Jews. Anytime anyone was executed, the reason for their execution was written at the top of the cross, and for Jesus there was no mistaken in his identity. Even when it came to Pontius Pilate. And in John chapter 18, verse 33, Pilate asked the question, are you a king? And Jesus said, you have said so. But then he goes on to explain all the way to verse 38, he says this, but my kingdom is not of this world. If it were so, I would tell my people to fight. But Jesus is teaching us his kingdom is greater than just this earthly rule.

And the importance of Palm Sunday is here for us to recognize it. And. And so for those that might just make nice platitudes about who Jesus is, Jesus didn't leave that place for us. And I realized some of us might look at that and hear this and say, yeah, that's exactly right. Like you tell them, Nathaniel, but I but I want you to know my purpose in identifying that isn't for us to throw stones at people that might not recognize the significance of who Jesus is. But the pause in our hearts and realize that we're guilty of the very same thing. That it's often in our lives. It's often in my life. Than rather, rather than surrender my heart to the significance of Christ and his rule over me. I live life for my glory. As if Palm Sunday is a place for all of us to ask ourselves, where does Jesus rule in our lives? Truly crown him or kill him? But you've got to make a decision over him. And I recognize like, I'm not literally just killing Jesus today, but in a spiritual sense, I can make the decision to do so every day when I don't allow him to rule the throne of my life. And Palm Sunday is one of those days where it's the opportunity to renew and refresh my heart and the and the goodness of who Christ is to recognize he is in control.

And when my wife wants to war against him, I. I see that as a place of contention. Right. Oh, don't tell me that Jesus is in control. But when you realize the kind of king that he is, it's a it's a beautifully freeing place to be, to say to myself, Thank God it's not on my shoulders. Thank God I'm not in control. Thank God he's in control. I mean, look at the way this king comes into Jerusalem. He tells you in Mark ten, verse 32, this is not something that he did reluctantly, but this is something that he did boldly. And the purpose for him doing this was for you and for me. He is the saving king. You know, it's interesting when you read passages like first John chapter three, verse four, it says this sin is lawlessness. And one of the things it's acknowledging about sin is that there is a king who rules, who created the law and the reality of what sin is. Tim Keller says it like this. I think it's a beautiful way that Tim Keller phrases it. He says, knowing sin is lawlessness. He says, sin is when the servant lives like they're the king. But the gospel. The gospel is when the king chooses to live his life as the servant. That's the significance of Palm Sunday, that not only did Jesus come in as the saving king, but it also tells you here at the end of the verse that the way he enters is humbled and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, on the foal of a donkey.

And this is acknowledging something about the way Jesus is taking his throne. You know all the ways Jesus could travel into Jerusalem and he chooses a donkey. And I got to tell you, out of all the animals, I will never ride in my life. And Jesus choosing this type of transportation is historically important, especially in the pronunciation of who he is. Because historically, a donkey is seen as an animal of peace, an animal not used in wartime, but an animal when you're coming humbly and a donkey historically in Israel's history has often been used for the inauguration of a king. And Jesus, by choosing a donkey, is acknowledging exactly who he is as he comes into Jerusalem. But here's the other thing that makes this unique is that Jesus also knows what's waiting for him is a battle. And can I tell you, when you're a king, or anyone in general just heading into battle, one of the stupidest animals you might choose to ride on. This is like choosing an animal and just saying to the world, hack me to death. You know, like you would have been better off just going on your feet. Like the fact you're riding a donkey. You're just like, take a swing at me. That's what you're saying.

But this is exactly the point of Jesus's life, that the way he would choose to fight his battle was not through his strength, but through his surrender. Rather than choosing a horse as a warrior, he chooses a donkey as a servant. And rather than take a throne, he chooses the way of the cross. I mean, this is what invites people into the endearing opportunity that Jesus gives us and in recognizing the authority of who he is. And also the grace of who he is. He is a good King, boldly entering to Jerusalem for you and for me, knowing every step that he was about to take, what awaited him on the back end, because his interest in this moment was your heart and mine. Palm Sunday is the beginning of the most significant moment in all of history, where we discover the freedom of who we are, and a King who loved us so deeply to give us everything. So not only is Jesus that saving king, but too, he is. He is that suffering servant. Guys, can I tell you? And that's point number two. If you didn't get it, he is the suffering servant. But can I tell you Something that maybe is a bit mind blowing to this moment and hopefully helpful for us now that when you read this same account in the Gospel of Luke, Luke adds something that Mark doesn't say as Jesus journeys into Jerusalem, Luke says it like this.

Verse 41 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 make for peace, but now they're hidden from your eyes. And here's what Jesus is saying. They saw the king coming, but their hearts failed to truly embrace it in knowledge. They were understanding it to a degree, but not fully in what Jesus was coming to do. And can I tell you, when it comes to Palm Sunday, that's the great tragedy of possibility for us. I said, no matter how glorious the story is and the boldness of Christ coming to Jerusalem. You can still miss the gift of what this moment is. And as you think about the celebration this week, I realized in a room like this, there might be people among us that are like that, where you kind of hear the stories of Jesus, but your heart has never truly seen him as that saving king, that suffering servant, and you've never taken the time to just say, Jesus. Not only is this beautiful, but this is for me and God with all of my heart. As you given your life for me, I'm giving my life for you. Forgive me God. Be the King of my life. I'm tired of sitting on my throne. You're a good king and you're in charge. I'm no longer going to be the servant that calls myself king, but Lord, as king, you've surrendered yourself as servant for me.

That I could be free in you. God become my king, become my savior. And. And guys, look, I know that's an important moment for all of us to have in the Lord, but can I just tell you, if you do find yourself in Jesus, the air of our lives is failing to see the significance of this moment. Not just not just in a time period or not just that one off moment where I just say, okay, Jesus is my Savior. But to see how this moment is teaching us who Jesus is every day. Can I, can I just say practically how that might work for us? Like you certainly see it theologically. This is this is important because it's true. This is important because this is the identity of Jesus. It's important to see the significance of that. But then it's also important in the practical sense of understanding, what does that look like in my life every day? And let me just let me ask it like this for you. As you might be thinking maybe about the struggles of your life, maybe the worries that you have, maybe the weight of the world. Maybe, maybe you walked in that way today. Just some anxiety, some tension, some worries. Do you think God doesn't know about the troubles that you carry. Do you think God doesn't care about what you're struggling through? Do you think God's not capable of meeting you where you're at? That's what this holy day is about.

That's what this Holy Week is about. About seeing the significance of who the Lord is and stopping in our heart and realize, why am I carrying this? Why do I feel like this is up to me? There is a King who has come for my life, and he's come as a servant to minister to my heart. And this is not just one day. This is a journey. Jesus likes to walk with me every day because of who he is. See, the beautiful thing about this Palm Sunday and the Holy Week is a reminder to us that this isn't just an event in history. This is the identity of your God. This is to understand the significance of Jesus in my life, and remind myself and my heart of the glory that he deserves and the presence that he has in me every day, so that I don't miss it. Because the tragedy of the first century is a tragedy that we can walk in every day. When we fail to see the significance of who Christ is. So as you think about the importance of this Holy Week, that's the hope in your heart that this is not something that we just celebrate in a week and forget, but we recognize in the depth of our soul the glory of a good God who cares for us in our every need.