Luke 19:28–48

REVIEW•••

•  LUKE 18:18-43-ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM•••
• o A rich man came up to Jesus – asking what good thing to do – to inherit eternal life…
  •  Jesus defined ‘good’ as God- meaning no one is good enough to be saved…
  •  It only takes one sin to keep us out of heaven – but salvation is possible with God!
• o Jesus was on His final trip to Jerusalem- He knew His time had come…
  •  So He told his disciples again about the cross and the resurrection…
  •  But they did not understand because they were looking for Jesus to rule and reign…
  •  LUKE 19:1-27-ON THE WAY UP TO JERUSALEM…
• o Jesus came to seek and save the lost- Zacchaeus…
  •  A rich tax collected wanted to see Jesus – but was too short to see over the crowds…
  •  He climbed a tree – only to find that Jesus was looking for him!
  •  He repented – giving half of his wealth to the poor·- giving back anything he stole!
• o Jesus told the words the Parable of the Kingdom…
  •  They expected Jesus would set up His kingdom when He arrived in Jerusalem…
  •  1st – A King went to a far country – the Kingdom of God is in heaven…
  •  znd – Before He left He gave his servants money to invest – we all have gifts..
  •  He returned and they gave an account – 2 had been faithful – more responsibility…
  •  One had done nothing – blamed the King – but was accused of being a lazy servant!
  •  3rd – The citizens of the land refused to be ruled by the King…
  •  They were not citizens of the Kingdom – because they rejected Jesus!
  •  When the King returned He had them put to death for their rebellion

ENTERING JERUSALEM ••• (4 THINGS)

•  1ST- A VERY IMPROTANT PLACE- MT.OF OLIVES••• VS. 28-34
• o Having concluded the Parable of the Kingdom – Jesus made His way up to Jerusalem…
  •  Jesus & Disciples arrived at Bethpage- at the eastern foot of the Mt. of Olives…
  •  The western slope faces the east gate of the Temple Mount (across Kidron Valley)…
  •  Mt. of Olives is where Jesus prayed before His Crucifixion (Garden ofGethsemane)…
  •  Where Jesus ascended after His resurrection- Acts 1:9…
  •  Where Jesus will return at His second coming- Zachariah 14:4…

o Jesus sent two disciples to get a donkey from the neighboring village of Bethany…

•  It was a donkey that no man had ever sat on…
  •  I am sure the disciples found the request a bit strange – but they obeyed…
  •  When they arrived in the village – they found the donkey and untied it…
  •  When someone asked why they were taking it- ‘the Lord has need of it’…
  •  Sometimes God asks us to do things- that don’t seem to make,much sense…
  •  Following Jesus – sticking yor
  •  Even if we do not understand – it all works out for the best if we obey the Lord!

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 1st time bringing peace between God and Man – came to conquer sin!
•  But Jesus will not be riding a donkey when He returns for the znd 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 znd 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 lfor 1000 years- Millennia/ reign)…
  •  2ND -A VERY IMPORTANT DAY – PALM SUNDAY••• VS. 35-40

o The Triumphal Entry…

•  The disciples threw their robes on the donkey- and set Jesus on it…
  •  As He rode down the Mt. of Olives into Jerusalem (up to the Temple Mount)…
  •  Multitudes gathered laying clothes and palm branches at Jesus’ feet (Palm Sunday)...
  •  When you approach the city of Jerusalem from the east you cannot see the Temple…
  •  It is only when you crest the top of the Mt. of Olives it first comes into view…
  •  But at the bottom of the Kidron valley you loose sight of it again…
  •  Only to have the temple come into view again as you approach the city walls…
•  It was as Jesus came riding up out of the Kidron valley ‘- the ct  ds broke out in praise!
  •  This was an act of spontaneous worship- they were proclaiming Jesus as their King!
  •  They began to worship Him as the Messiah (savior) rejoicing and singing…
  •  Hosanna – a Hebrew word that means – ‘save us now’ …
  •  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord- Psalm of accent– Psalm 118:26
•  The people were expecting Jesus to overthrow Rome – set up God’s Kingdom…
  •  They were looking for powerJ glory – not to be saved from their sins…
  •  Which is why four day later- this same crowd would cry out- ‘crucify!’
  •  God did not come to make us rich – an easy life – He came to give us eternal life…
  •  When we come to Jesus for the wrong reasons- we will be disappointed…
  •  And we may end up rejecting Jesus – because we did not get what we wanted!

o A very important day…

•  The Passover – the festival that remembered how God saved Israel – slavery in Egypt
  •  The 10th plague -the death angel -killed the 1st 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
•  Four 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!
  •  God choose to give us His Son Jesus- as the sacrifice for our sin- John 3:16…
  •  He was willing to offer His Son because of His great Love for us…
  •  That anyone who believes in Him – would be forgiven and have eternal life!

o When the Religious leaders heard this – they were extremely upset!

•  Jesus was threatening their power/control- more and more people believed in Him…
  •  Even the children were crying out- Hosanna, Hosanna- Matthew 21:14-15
  •  The religious leaders completely understood what all of this meant…
  •  The crowds were accepting that Jesus was the promised Messiah- Savior
  •  John 12:19 – “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”‘
•  So they tried to quiet the crowds – silence Jesus…
  •  Jesus answers them- if the people were quiet- the stones would cry out!
  •  What the children/ and even stones could see- that Jesus was the Messiah
  •  The religious leaders missed – because they  . re not looking for a savior…
  •  They were more interested in using religion to see what they could get from men
  •  It does not take a seminary degree – or years of Bible College- to know Jesus…
  •  Children know him / the blind can see him / even the stones worship him…
  •  If we are wiser than kids – see better than the blind – are smarter the rocks…
  •  Then we can know Jesus – see Him -and be able to recognize He is our salvation!
  •  3RD – THE BLINDING OF THE }EWS••• VS. 41-44

o As Jesus drew near the Jerusalem – He wept over it…

•  Israel was expected to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah because…
  •  Jesus came riding in on a donkey- according to the Prophet Zechariah- Zechariah 9:9

o  Daughter of Zion -Another name for the natio ·

o Your King is coming – you will know Him because He rides on a Donkey…

•  They had even been told THE VERY DAY Jesus would arrive on that donkey!

o They were to know – because God had given them a prophetic watch…

o   Daniel9:25- “Now listen and understand! [483 years] will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until… the Anointed One comes.”

o The watch counted down 483 years (70×7) to THE DAY- to Palm Sunday…

o The Start- the ‘command to rebuild Jerusalem’ – given on March 14th, 445 B.C.

o Then 483 years or 173,880 days later- April 6th, 32 A.D.- Jesus arrived!

o THE DAY Jesus entered Jerusalem on a Donkey proclaiming Himself King!

•  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 (Aprif6th) the Messiah came!
  •  It is so important we learn – read – and get to know our Bible…
  •  It is easy to be religious- but miss most important thing of all- Jesus!
  •  That’s why we go to Bible studies / read the Bible/ listen to the Bible on the radio
  •  So we get into the Word to learn all about our Lord- so we don’t miss Jesus!

o  Because they missed Jesus – they were blinded…

•  Israel as a nation (not as individuals)was blinded- dulled of understanding…
  •  Romans 11:25- “Blindness in part has happened to Israel…”
  •  That is why even today- the Jews as a nation do not understand God’s Word …
  •  Only about 10,000 of the 6 million Jews in Israel believe in Jesus
•  As a result- not one stone of the temple will be left standing upon another…
  •  Literally fulfilled 35 years later- 70AD -when Israel rebelled against Rome…

• Future Caesar – Tttus Vespasian- responded with the lOth Roman legio .
  •  He laid siege t Jerusalem killing over 1 million Jews- destroying the city…
    •  He did not intend to destroy the Temple – but in the Siege it caught fire…
    •  The gold of the Temple melted between the stone blocks…
    •  The Romans dismantled the Temple stone by stone to get the gold…
    •  Not one stone remained upon another- the ruins are still in Israel to this day
    •  Jesus knew all of this was going to take place- and so He wept!
  •  The Jews will not be blind forever- only ‘Until the fullness of the Gentiles’…
    •  The idea is there are a set number of people who will receive Jesus as their savior…
    •  No one but God knows the number- or who will be the last gentile to be saved…
    •  But when the ‘Last Gentile’ to believe – recei  Jesus – the rapture of the church!
    •  You never know who might be holding the rapture up- the last one to receive Jesus
    •  All the more reason to tell anyone- everyone about Jesus…
  •  The Rapture of the church- marks the beginning of the end…
    •  After the 7 years of tribulation – when Jesus returns – Revelation 19:11
    •  The Jews will see Jesus- re  ’ze He is their Messiah- and believe – Zechariah 12:10
    •  Do not be like the Jews – it · not worth the consequences to reject Jesus…
    •  Today is the day to believe – God does not guarantee tomorrow- II Corinthians 6:2
    •  No one plans to have a heart attack/stoke- or have a car accident…
    •  There are many people w o wait till12:00 to receive Jesus- only to die at 11:59…
    •  m – THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE…VS. 45-48

,o This is the znd time Jesus cleansed the Temple…

• •  The first time was at the beginning of His ministry- John 2:14
    •  The Temple -the Jewish religion – had become a moneymaking industry…
    •  One that took advantage of the poor and those who were seeking to know God
  •  Jesus drove out those selling- doves and animals for sacrifice- Mark11:15…
    •  The Dove was a poor man’s sacrifice- for those who could not afford a lamb…
    •  Those who sold the doves – charged exuberant prices – robbing the poor…
    •  Even if you brought your own sacrifice – it had to be perfect… ..
    •  The priests would always find a flaw- so you had to buy one of theirs – $$$
  •  Jesus overturned the tables of the money exchangers…
    •  You could not purchase things in the Temple with regular money…
    •  All purchases had to be paid with the ‘Sanctuary Shekel’…
    •  The exchange rate for which was tantamount to extortion…
• o It is written – ‘a house of prayer for ALL nations’… Isaiah 56:7 f Jeremiah 7:11
  •  The Temple was supposed to be a place where you could meet with God – Prayer…
  •  Instead they had made it a ‘den of thieves’ – a way to make money off of others…
  •  Rather than drawing men to God – they were misrepresenting God to the world…
  •  I fear if Jesus walked into many churches today He would overturn a lot of tables!
  •  Rather than being a place where people come to learn about the Lord…
  •  Churches instead teach about a God who only wants money- misrepresenting Jesus….
  •  God does not want or need our money- He is the creator of Heaven and Earth!
  •  Church should be a place of prayer – where men from ALL nations can meet with God…
  •  Where we learn to have a relationship with the Lamb of God -who takes away our sin!