Palm Sunday, The Sixth Sunday in Lent, 2014
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Hymn #160 All Glory, Laud 4:49
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The Gospel
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 162 Ride On 4:80
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn # 162 Ride On 4:80
Over Against You
The Communion Hymn # 42 O Thou Love 4:93
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 229 Holy Spirit 4:70
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn # 229 Holy Spirit 4:70
KJV Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Palm Sunday
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast caused Thy beloved Son to take our nature upon Himself, that He might give all mankind the example of humility and suffer death upon the cross for our sins: Mercifully grant us a believing knowledge of this, and that, following the example of His patience, we may be made partakers of the benefits of His sacred passion and death, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Over Against You
KJV Matthew 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
When Luther wrote his sermon about this text, he made a point about the location of the village, using the words to express the way the Gospel spreads among people.
One pastor was quick to say that the literal meaning of the text concerned location, not opposition, but he missed the forest for the trees.
Luther's approach to the Word was to see the entire Bible as a whole and to show how all the related texts informed the reader or audience about the one being read. As Luther scholars know, the theology of the cross was basic to the Reformer. That is expressed in his commentary on the Good Samaritan - the wine is the sharpness of the cross that comes after one believes.
Could the cross be in both texts? Jesus said we must take up the cross daily to be His disciples, so that means the cross is in every text.
The application of these three words is clear - but not pleasant to consider. We should take the Gospel where it is opposed - not where it is welcomed and life is easy. That goes against the Old Adam, where each person really wants comfort, security, and outward peace.
But the Gospel fades away in that atmosphere while the message of God's grace flourishes where people hate, despise, and persecute it. The result is not unlike efforts to put out an oil fire by throwing water at it. The fire only spreads.
Jesus said, "I send you as sheep among wolves." His followers were actively persecuted for centuries and during that time they spread all over the Roman Empire, East and West.
That applies today as well. If a church body cannot tolerate the Gospel it pretends to teach, the message goes out to places it would have never reached before. Last night I received a message thanking me, Brett Meyer, and Norma Boeckler for teaching the truth and influencing a pastor to teach justification clearly.
One would assume, from hearing synodical scuttlebutt, that this could not be true. Brett and I have been consigned to the nether regions so many times that one wonders if they really believe everyone is forgiven - as they claim.
But the squawking of false teachers serves to alert people that something is worth studying. Bird-watchers notice this. Bird-lovers create a steady drip of water in their yards to attract birds to the sound. Birds come to the sound and fuss with each other about the food they find. Other birds notice this and stop by. Hawks also hang around areas with a large, noisy bird population.
I use the air-conditioner water for our dripping feature. At one time I used dark room bottles hanging from tree limbs, falling on pans. On this blog I use Photoshops that generate a lot of squawking. Pointing out the errors of the rationalists makes them so upset that they want to silence me, which attracts attention to the issue.
Beasts of Burden
It is intriguing that the disciples are sent to find beasts of burden, which are given to them without question. They accept the Word of Jesus that one statement will release them from being charged with stealing the animals, which were valuable.
This not only shows the miraculous provision for the animals, but also the trust of the disciples in Jesus' promise. We would not try that with an automobile, if we think it over first, but things done in faith are not that different. We know, from the Word, "This is good," but do not know how everything will work out. If it is really God-pleasing, it will be persecuted by the very people we expect to support it. Nevertheless, faith trusts the Word rather than human reason and experience.
Notice also that the response is "The Lord has need of them." Not "Jesus of Nazareth." The reason to give up the animals is to fulfill prophecy, so the exact details are left out - but enough is said to make it clear that this happened directly through God's will. More happens through angelic intervention than we will ever know.
Often forgotten in this secular world - God manages all our efforts and those of unbelievers as well. Mankind is increasingly under the delusion that humans make everything happen. The Founders of America thought otherwise, giving God the honor for all our blessings and warning people about the dangers of going against His will and failing to acknowledge Him as behind all human government.
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
Matthew's Gospel always cites the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Some say this makes it a Jewish Gospel. That may be an exaggeration for this reason. The Gentiles who converted to the Christian faith were changed by the Gospel alone, as Paul was happy to point out. They did not have to become Jews first or second in order to be faithful Christians.
Nevertheless, Jesus as Messiah is the central message of the New Testament. Whether the term Messiah or Christ or King or Son of David is used, all this rests on the fulfillment of the Old Testament, which was simply called "The Scriptures."
We can call the Old Testament the objective foundation for the New Testament, and this becomes even more apparent during Holy Week. All the seemingly scattered prophecies of the Messiah are fulfilled and clarified during Passion Week,
These prophecies are compelling reasons to consider how God plans and executes His will centuries in advance, even from the beginning of time. This reality builds and confirms faith, among Jews and Gentiles alike.
Doesn't it matter that the most read major prophet devotes a chapter to the Atonement - Isaiah 53, that the same prophet teaches the Means of Grace in the 55th chapter.
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
The dramatic parts of Holy Week show the disciples as being confused, weak, and scared. But that makes it easy to overlook their faith and obedience. They obeyed Christ, which led to the Royal Entry, the laying down of palms and coats and branches, the shouts of "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord."
Young children joined the shouts, which means they also had faith, as Jesus commended. "You must believe as a child to enter the Kingdom." This refutes one of the more obvious mistakes in Protestantism - that children are too young to have faith. Many verses relate to this as well.
"Let the children come to Me and do not forbid them." The term forbid is used for church membership in . Jesus is not talking about an audience but about being in the Kingdom of God. We are included through faith, so children are in the Kingdom of God through faith.
3 John 1:9-10
King James Version (KJV)
9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. [Nota bene, Fox Valley]
Therefore, the details leading up to Palm Sunday are extremely important, showing us the significance of the disciples believing and obeying. Although they were reluctant at times, frightened and dismayed, we have to see that in relation to the all-powerful Roman occupation forces. Once they were identified as being with a criminal, the disciples could not escape the swift and brutal punishment of the soldiers. That they were spared is an example God's plan to make them apostles.
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
The raising of Lazareth is the pivotal event in Passion Week, first for explaining the crowds, and second for showing us why Jesus had to be eliminated as a threat to Rome and the Jewish leaders.
Therefore, the raising of Lazarus by the Word of God was dramatic and unique - witnessed by a large crowd. Jerusalem knew that famous Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus, who was well known for His miracles already. After hearing for some time about the deathly illness and passing away of Lazarus, they heard about the funeral, then the raising of Lazarus.
This was the miracle that precipitated the final events in Jerusalem. Opposition had built ever since He drove the money-changers from the Temple.
KJV John 12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
The disciple closest to Jesus was in a position to observe and record many details that supplement Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This is the answer, if anyone asks, “Why was this trip to Jerusalem so special?”
And we can also see the wisdom and providence (seeing ahead, literally) of God in unfolding all the events according to the prophets. The people wanted to make Jesus the Messiah-King after He fed them, so Jesus escaped their grasp. Also, the opposition wanted to grab and kill Him early, but He also evaded them.
11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. 12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
Therefore, the raising of Lazarus, which clearly revealed Jesus as the Son of God, caused large numbers to believe in Him. People wanted to see Jesus and Lazarus. That antagonized the Jewish leaders and likewise alarmed the Roman authorities.
Messiah means King, and that was a reminder of the successful Maccabean Revolt. Only a few decades after Christ, another revolt was successful for a short time, so Messiah and revolt went together for the Roman Empire.
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
What we hear as praise for God was seen by others as a riot against the established order of the time. Nevertheless, it was important for Jesus to show Himself as the Messiah and Savior, to fulfill all prophecies and obey the will of God the Father.
14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
Lenski:
Here is the picture of the King on his royal entry. Since we know from the other records how Jesus “found an ass;” John is very brief and mentions only the fact, although in v. 17 he indicates the aid of others in securing the ass: “they had done these things unto him.” Only the essentials are given, first, of the fulfillment; secondly, of the prophecy. The extensive perfect, “as it has been written,” includes the present: is still on record.
15) John quotes Zech. 9:9. In the call, “Fear not!” he reproduces only the sense of the original, “Rejoice greatly!” For when fear goes out, joy comes in, i.e., over against God. One may quote theipsissima verba, but an entirely legitimate form of citation is to restate the sense in equivalent terms, especially such parts of a quotation as are not to be stressed. Here the call to rejoice is entirely minor; the point of the quotation is the statement about the King’s coming, riding upon the foal of an ass. This remarkable feature is the one stressed by Zechariah. “Daughter of Zion,” to which the prophet adds, “daughter of Jerusalem,” is one of the honor names of Israel. “Zion” seems to have been the name of the locality where Jerusalem came to be built and was then used as a designation for the highest eminence in the city. The Temple, however, was not on this high point but on Moriah, which lies lower. Thus “the daughter of Zion” names the people according to the most prominent eminence which distinguishes its capital. By a legitimate transfer this poetic title is now applied to the New Testament Israel, the Christian Church.
Lenski, R. C. H.: The Interpretation of St. John's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing House, 1961, S. 853.
Jesus established His core teaching and believers among Jews and Gentiles before His death and resurrection. He also spent three years in tutoring the future apostles about the meaning of His teaching and mission.
Looking back upon this, we can see how God worked to bring this about, so we should also trust that the same wisdom and providence works today.
16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
We are very much like the disciples, often not understanding at the moment but remembering and believing later.
17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. 18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
This shows us how much the raising of Lazarus was connected with Palm Sunday and Holy Week. This is essential to know, because the One who could conquer death by the Word would reveal Himself as the Resurrection and the Life, as He taught Mary and Martha.
