Everyone loves a parade. There are parades at Christmas, Thanksgiving and before football games. Every parade has a Grand Marshal, a celebrity who is the star of the parade. The Grand Marshal usually appears near the end of the parade.
Some years ago, Charles Lindbergh was given a tickertape parade in New York City honoring his solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. The biggest parade in New York City was in 1962, for astronaut John Glenn after he became the first American to orbit the earth in a spacecraft. The sanitation department cleaned up 3,474 tons of confetti and paper along the 7-mile route.
We know how to put on a parade.
Jesus was different. During most of his life, Jesus tried to live out of the spotlight. Jesus wasn’t like the stars at the Academy Awards who walk the red carpet to be seen. In many ways, Jesus tried not to be noticed. He often slipped away from crowds, but one day that all changed.
Jesus deliberately arranged a parade, with himself as the Grand Marshal. That day, Jesus put himself on center stage. Jesus was in Jericho on his way to Jerusalem, knowing his ministry would come to a climax in Jerusalem where he would die.
Jesus did what Jewish prophets often did. Rather than simply speaking his message, he dramatized his message, acting out his teaching to emphasize his point. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the Grand Marshal of a parade.
PALM SUNDAY
The Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday. It is a day to remember that parade into Jerusalem.
The events of that day were deliberate, not impulsive. This was no sudden whim of Jesus; he carefully planned the details, making arrangements with the owner to use his colt.
It was a defiant act. Jesus knew what he was doing. The Jewish leaders had put a price on his head and Jesus knew this action would antagonize them. He deliberately arranged the parade to bring things to a climax. He wanted to focus attention on himself; he knew he was fulfilling prophecy.
See your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9).
Notice what the prophet said.
Riding on a donkey. To the Jews, riding a donkey was significant. It meant he was declaring himself to be king. In some countries, a donkey is a beast of burden and is considered a stubborn animal, but in Palestine, a donkey was a noble animal. When a Hebrew king went to war, he rode a horse; when a king came in peace, he rode a donkey.
See your king. Jesus did not enter Jerusalem as a military hero, rather he entered the city in peace. He was making a statement, claiming to be king and the Jewish people understood this.
Gentle. Jesus came with gentleness. We don’t normally associate gentleness with an ancient king. Jesus declared himself to be a new kind of king – a gentle, meek and humble king. Other kings might conquer with military might but this king conquered with gentleness.
Righteous and having salvation. The King was the Savior, the Deliverer who was going to Jerusalem to make the sacrifice for sin.
There were a variety of reactions to the parade – cheers, fears and tears. Some people cheered, others feared what was happening and then there was Jesus, the Grand Marshal of the parade, who shed tears when it was over.
IT’S ALWAYS RIGHT TO CHEER JESUS, THE PARADE’S GRAND MARSHAL
When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. (Luke 19:37).
What a parade! They filled the road with palm branches and lined up to get a glimpse of Jesus. They cheered. What the crowd did was right; it’s always right to praise the Lord.
Praise God whenever you can. The people joyfully praised God. These praises were not orchestrated nor was anyone leading them. Spontaneously, they praised. Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. (Luke 19:38). They acknowledged Jesus as King. They cried, Hosanna, meaning “save us.” (Mark 11:9; John 12:13). This was a cry for help to the one who could save them. Perhaps they were thinking of political and economic salvation, but in reality it was a cry for spiritual salvation. They knew what Zechariah had prophesied, that when the Messiah rode into Jerusalem, he would bring forgiveness for the past and hope for the future.
We cheer sports teams; let’s cheer Jesus.
Praise God joyfully. Praising God was a joyous, not a sad experience; the whole crowd began to praise joyfully. . .
Praise God loudly. The whole crowd began to praise joyfully God in loud voices. They didn’t whisper or bury their praises in their hands. They didn’t just praise God in their hearts; they praised God with loud voices. Praising in heaven will be as a loud roar of thunder.
Demonstrate your praise. They were active; they sang and danced. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, Hosanna to the Son of David. (Mathew 21:7).
They were involved, throwing their clothes in front of Jesus. They waved palm branches and placed them on the road. There was exuberance and emotion.
Praise inclusively. Matthew said there was a very large crowd. This was the week of Passover when pilgrims from all around the Mediterranean were in Jerusalem.
Everyone got involved. It was contagious. It wasn’t a case of some praising while others watched. It wasn’t the emotional people praising and the rational people evaluating. It wasn’t a case of the young praising and the old listening. The whole crowd, including the children, praised God.
Praise gratefully. . . .the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. . . (Luke 19:37).
These people had received from the king. The blind beggar whom Jesus healed in Jericho was there. Many of the 5,000 he’d fed with the loaves and fishes were there. Those who had been crippled, but who were now walking, were there. Those who had been healed from diseases were there. Those who’d been delivered from demonic powers were there. Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead, was there. They were joyfully praising God for the miracles they’d seen.
Praise the King. They were recognizing the King. They shouted, Blessed is the King. They knew Jesus was their Messiah.
Jesus gladly accepted this praise. Jesus didn’t tell them to be less boisterous and more dignified. He was pleased with their praising.
It’s always right to cheer the Grand Marshal of the parade. God expects to be praised, deserves to be praised and is pleased when he’s praised. Praise him when you are alone and when you are with God’s people.
IT’S NEVER NECESSARY TO FEAR JESUS, THE PARADE’S GRAND MARSHAL
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, Teacher, rebuke your disciples.(Luke 19:39).
Not everyone was excited. Some said, “Stop the parade! We’ve had enough of this fanaticism!” They said, “There’s no place for emotionalism in our religion! Jesus, tell them to stop!”
I know some people who are critical when people praise. When the prodigal son came home, the elder brother got upset. He couldn’t handle the celebrating over his brother’s return. When David danced before the Lord, his wife Abigail criticized him.
Praising has always had critics. Acknowledging Jesus as King has always had its detractors.
The religious aristocracy was upset as Jesus rode into the city. The Pharisees knew the significance of what Jesus was doing. They knew Jesus was a threat. They were afraid of losing their positions.
The Bible says they were indignant, saying, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. They were offended when the crowd honored Jesus as king and thought Jesus was wrong to accept their adoration.
They were jealous and fearful. In spite of the wonderful things Jesus was doing, they were angry and indignant. They wanted the parade to stop. They had no place for praises that day.
They were offended as Jesus let the children get involved. They thought children had no place in religion. They thought their involvement cheapened their religion.
They were angry at the emotionalism, the demonstrations in the streets, the loud shouting, the waving of the palm branches and the way people threw their clothes on the road. They felt it was all out of order and wanted it to stop.
Jesus replied, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. Jesus was saying I am going to be praised and if people don’t do it, the rocks and stones will. He was saying there’s nothing wrong with loud, enthusiastic, joyful praise.
Today, some are afraid of demonstrative praises. They get uptight when people do what they did that day. They want church to be quiet and dignified. I’d remind you: the church is not a funeral home!
The New Testament church put energy into their worship. Their praising showed vigorous enthusiasm, and every spiritual awakening since then has been marked by emotional worship.
There’s a time to get excited in praising God. All God’s people should praise. The King deserves it.
Some people come from backgrounds where any outward expression of praise is considered wrong. It’s an adjustment when they attend a church that does what people did in Bible times.
But when people criticize the expression of praise, they say a great deal about themselves. Yes, it is possible to be out of order and disruptive during a service. What’s dangerous, however, is the attitude that says any public expression of praise is wrong.
IT’S ALWAYS APPROPRIATE FOR TEARS, WHEN PEOPLE REJECT JESUS, THE PARADE’S GRAND MARSHAL
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, if you, even you had only known on this day what would bring you peace but now is hidden from your eyes. (Luke 19:41).
As Jesus saw the skyline of Jerusalem he began to cry. His heart was aching and he couldn’t hold it in any longer.
He wept for the city. The city would reject him and would shortly be rejected by God.
The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you. (Luke 19:43 44).
Because they would reject him, God would reject the city. They would punish Jesus but God would punish the city. Jesus knew tragedy would strike when Roman armies destroyed the city in 70 AD. Trouble always follows the person who rejects God.
He wept for the people. What they did was proper but Jesus knew they didn’t understand. In a few days they would shout, Crucify him. Crucify him.
He wept for the lost opportunity. His tears were for the needless pain the city would go through. The destruction of Jerusalem was so unnecessary. If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes. (Luke 19:42).
If people had only known who was entering the city that day, had only recognized him as their Savior, had only acknowledged him as their king, he could have spared them so much trouble. But they rejected him and paid the price. He offered them peace, but they refused it.
The same is true today. Jesus weeps for people when they fail to recognize him as King. He knows the pain that results.
Today, Jesus says, if only you would accept me, I could spare you so much heartache.
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