The Triumphal entry (3 things)

• 1^st – Dinner at Lazarus house… vs. 1-8
  • 1^st – Six days before the Passover – Jesus returned to Bethany… vs. 1-2
    • Parallel passages – Matthew 26:5-1 / Mark 14:1-11
    • Jesus went to the house of Simon the Leper – to have a feast in His honor…
    • Martha was serving (true to character) – and Lazarus was sitting with Jesus…
  • 2^nd – Mary took an pound of very costly oil (3 things)… vs. 3
    • The Alabaster box of spikenard – a fragrant and VERY expensive oil from India…
      • Alabaster (named after a town in Egypt where it was made)…
      • The oil – spikenard – was worth 300 days wages (300 denari) – P45,000!…
      • This was a gift literally meant for a King – it represented a life’s savings!
    • Mary poured it onto Jesus head and his feet – filling the house with the fragrance…
      • Not only did Mary pour her life savings on the head of Jesus…
      • As it covered the Lord – she used her hair and wiped his feet…
      • Mary who had sat at the feet of Jesus – was now worshiping at His feet…
      • She was willing to give all to Jesus – willing to lay it all down at His feet…

• 3^rd – The Disciples were very unhappy (one in particular)… vs. 4-6
  • Judas said – the oil could have been sold and given to the poor…
    • He said this because he kept the ‘money box’ and would steal from it…
    • Judas true motive for not liking Mary’s gift – he wanted it for himself!
    • What is our motive for going to church – why do we want to follow Jesus…
    • Are we only hanging around to see what we can get from the Lord…
    • God does not promise us wealth in this world – He promises us eternal wealth!
      
  • Perhaps because Judas was frustrated – by the ‘waste’ of Mary’s gift to Jesus…
    • He saw that he could not profit from Jesus – he went looking elsewhere – betrayal!
    • If we are caught up in the cares of this world – only looking for what we can get…
    • We will likely end up like Judas – walking away from Jesus…
    • But He patiently waits for us to see – life is far more than food or money…
    • Desiring us – like Mary – to just sit at his feet and worship – because…
    • Life – true life – eternal life – is simply knowing Jesus – John 17:3
• 4^th – Jesus rebuked the disciples… vs. 7-8
  • Why do you trouble Mary – she had done it in preparation for Jesus burial…
    • The poor you have always – and whenever you wish you can help them…
    • But Jesus was going to the cross – then heaven – He would not always be there…
    • Mary understood what everyone else seemed to miss – Jesus’ Word….
    • She understood that in 6 days Jesus would face the cross!

• Why did Mary get what everyone else missed…
  • Mary was not caught up in the desire for money (300 days wages)...
  • She was more concerned about the eternal than the things of this world…
  • She understood that nothing was more important than knowing Jesus…
  • When we truly understand nothing is more important than Jesus…
  • Not position or the respect of men – fleeing/lasting only for a moment…
  • Not money – which no matter how much we have – never seems to be enough…
  • That is when we truly understand – His Word – and His purpose for our life!
• Wherever this Gospel is preached in the whole world – Mark 14:9…
  • Many people try to leave their ‘mark’ – their name on memorials to be remembered
  • But memorials crumble – names fade away – things are forgotten…
  • But not what Mary did – we still talk about her ‘deed’ 2000 years later!
  • The things we do for ourselves – the glory of men – are all forgotten…
  • It is the things we do for the Lord that last forever – Matthew 6:20
    

• 2^nd – Plotting to kill Lazarus… vs. 9-11
  • 1^st – Many of the Jews came to the feast… vs. 9
    • Not just to see Jesus – they wanted to see Lazarus who had been resurrected…
      • Because of Lazarus many of the Jews had abandoned the religious leaders for Jesus…
      • So powerful was his testimony for Jesus – that the leaders wanted him dead!
      • It is thought that may be why the account of Lazarus is only in the book of John…
      • As the last of the Gospels written – Lazarus was likely dead when John wrote it…
      • But he might still have been alive when the other Gospels were written…
      • And any mention of his name might have put his life in further danger!
  • 2^nd – In Luke 16:28-31 – a rich man and Lazarus both died…
    • Lazarus was taken to Abraham’s bosom / while the rich man ended up in hell…
      • The rich man begged Abraham to send back Lazarus to warn his five brothers…
      • Apparently the rich man’s brothers were just like him – living only for themselves…
      • Their fate would be the same as the rich man if someone did not intervene…
      • The rich man assumed the resurrection of Lazarus would convince them…
      • Wonder how many would be in church – if someone from hell came to warn them…
      • You might think the church would be full – but you would be wrong…
    • Abraham answered – let them listen to Moses and the prophets…
      • The only way to be saved – was for them to hear God’s Word – Romans 10:17…
      • That is why we take so much time studying God’s Word – simply teaching the Bible…
      • That is why we put the Word of God out on the Radio – so everyone can hear…
      • Faith in Jesus – faith to believe – to grow – comes only from hearing God’s word…
    • The rich man argued – if one comes from the dead – they will repent…
      • But Abraham corrected him – even if one came from the dead they would not listen…
      • If someone does not believe the Word of God – nothing will convince them…
      • Most scholars believe the Lazarus in John is not the same as the one in Luke…
      • But all the same – here in John – Lazarus came back from the dead…
      • And rather than listen to him – listen to Jesus – they wanted to kill Lazarus again!
      • If someone doesn’t believe the Word – no matter what they see they won’t believe!
        
• 3^rd – Palm Sunday… vs. 12-19
  • 1^st – The next day news spread that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem… vs. 12
    • A huge crowd gathered – they were all there for the Feast of Passover…
      • The Passover – the festival that remembered how God saved Israel – slavery in Egypt
      • The 10^th plague – the death angel – killed the 1^st born of every man and animal
      • Yet if the blood of the lamb covered your house – you were passed over!
      • All Jews were required to attend the feast of Passover – Exodus 23:14
      • The population of Jerusalem would swell from 100,000 to over 1 million people!
      • They were all there for the Passover feast – to celebrate freedom from slavery
    • 4 days before Passover – every household chose their sacrificial lamb – Exodus 12:3
      • On this same day – Palm Sunday – God choose His lamb for the perfect sacrifice!
      • The Lamb of God – John 1:29 – who would take away the sin of the World!
      • But if we believe in the sacrifice of Jesus – then the judgment for sin – which is death
      • Passes over us – we are set free from the bondage/slavery of sin and the world…
      • We are forgiven for all our sin and get to go to the Promised Land – heaven!
  • 2^nd – The multitudes gathered – laying clothes and palm branches at Jesus’ feet… vs. 13
    • This was an act of worship – they were proclaiming Jesus as their King!
      • Then they began to worship Him as the Messiah (savior) crying out (Imperfect)
      • Hosanna – a Hebrew word that means – ‘save us now’…
      • Blessed is He who comes in the names of the Lord – Psalm 118:26
    • The people were expecting Jesus to overthrow Rome – set up God’s Kingdom…
      • They were not looking for power/ glory – not to be saved from their sins…
      • That is why 4 days later – this same crowd would cry out – ‘crucify!’
      • God did not come to make us rich / easy life – He came to give us eternal life!
      • When we come to Jesus for the wrong reasons – we are will be disappointed…
  • 3^rd – Jesus rode down on a donkey… vs. 14-16
    • The question has to be – why a donkey (it would be like riding in on a goat)
      • A King would not come to conquer a nation – riding on a donkey…
        • For a king to ride in on a donkey was a sign of peace…
        • Jesus was not coming to conquer Rome – and establish His Kingdom…
        • Jesus came the 1^st time bringing peace between God and Man – conquering sin!
          
      • But Jesus will not be riding a donkey when He returns for the 2^nd time…
        • Revelation 19:11 – “I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, in righteousness He judges and makes war.”
        • When Jesus comes for the 2^nd time He will NOT come to make peace
        • He will come with all the armies of heaven for war – against the Antichrist
        • To set up His Kingdom here on Earth (for 1000 years – Millennial reign)
    • The disciples did not understand it at the time – but did after the resurrection…
      • This was all done to fulfill the words of the Prophet Zechariah – Zechariah 9:9
        • Fear not ‘Daughter of Zion’ – another name for the nation of Israel…
        • Your King is coming – you will know Him because He rides on a Donkey…
        • Israel was expected to recognize Jesus as the Messiah because…
        • They had even been told THE VERY DAY He would arrive on that donkey!
        • Luke 19:41 – “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.’”
      • They were to know – because God had given them a watch – Daniel 9:25-26
        • From the command to rebuild Jerusalem – March 14^th, 445 B.C.
        • Count 69×7 or 483 years till the Messiah comes – April 6^th, 32 A.D.
        • God had told the Jews the exact day Jesus would come – but they missed it…
        • The Jews were all very religious – they all went to ‘church’ every ‘Sunday’…
        • But very few of them actually knew their Bible – read their Bible…
        • So they missed how (Donkey) and when (April 6^th) the messiah came!
        • It is so important we learn / read / and get to know our Bible…
        • Jesus is coming a 2^nd time – and we are expected to know the signs…
        • It’s easy to be religious – but miss most important thing of all – Jesus!
        • Luke 21:28 – “So when all these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!”
  • 4^th – The multitudes came out to see Jesus in droves – because of Lazarus… vs. 17-19
    • Many of them had been at the feast the night before…
      • Some of them had even seen Lazarus resurrected – and had told others…
      • It captured the imagination of the crowds – and they flocked to see Jesus!
    • The religious leaders had plotted and planned – looking to find Jesus…
      • Well they found Him all right – riding boldly into Jerusalem as the Messiah!
      • But there as nothing they could do to stop Him…
      • The Pharisees even exclaimed – ‘the whole world has gone after Jesus!’
      • My prayer is that we would be like Mary – nothing is more important than Jesus….
      • Pouring out our lives – all we have – at the feet of Jesus…
      • So that we might be like Lazarus – an unstoppable witness for Jesus…
      • That people would flock to Jesus – because of what He has done in our lives!
      • That we could hear the words – the whole world has gone after Jesus!