What is God Up To?

What is God Up To?

By Pastor Gary Wayne

The Triumphal Entry / Palm Sunday is in all four Gospels.

Mat.21:1-17, Mar.11:1-11, Luk.19:28-48, Joh.12:12-19

If you want the full impact of the context, you have to start a few chapters earlier before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. As He was headed in that direction, the disciples questioned Him as to why He would go back to the area - basically there was a warrant out for His arrest. Jn.11:8

Each of the fore Gospels add different points that help us understand this event.

Text: Luke 19:28-48

In all of the other Gospels the texts tells us the people were shouting “Hosanna, Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Hosanna means, “save now.” They were quoting and singing from Psa.118:25-26

They were looking for Jesus to do something NOW!

This was the first time Israel was calling Him the King – The implications were that they were recognizing Him as the Messiah.

Mt.21: “all the city was moved…” There was SO MUCH happening.

Most of the time when a King rode into the city, he rode a war horse.
One of the tallest, fiercest, most noble looking horses you could ride.
The OT prophesy says He was “Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” Zech.9:9
Matthew says they brought the donkey and it’s colt for Jesus to ride on.
So Jesus wasn’t just on a short donkey, but a donkey’s colt.

Try and use your imagination to envision this setting.
Here the people are making a major statement and scene, proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah, the King.

And instead of Him looking powerful and noble, He is riding a colt.
Possible with His feet dragging.

An interesting “coincidence” is literally on the same day Jesus entered Jerusalem from the East, the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate and his army entered Jerusalem from the West, accompanied by six hundred war horses and thousands of foot soldiers.

The political tension had to be thick!

At a certain point,(v.41) Jesus stops and weeps over the city.
Wept = to sob, to wail aloud.

I wonder what the nosy crowd did when Jesus began weeping.
This is the second time scripture tells us Jesus wept.
1st time was at the tomb of Lazarus.
What makes God sad?

In that era, when Roman conquers rode into the city, they would proceed to their pagan temple to do sacrifice.
Where did Jesus ride to? Why? What makes God mad?

The religious leaders were scamming the people.
Their actions were keeping people from God.
In America, too many times, going to church is about me, my comfort zone, how the setting makes me feel, if I get my needs met, etc.

We are usually ok with “sinners” coming “just as they are.”
But let someone make a mistake, or do something wrong, and we are quick to judge, and slow to forgive.
But you don’t understand how they wronged me – and they did it on purpose!

My point is any time we operate with a religious attitude it still keeps people away from God today.

Why did this crowd turned so quickly from Hosanna, to crucify Him?
Hope deferred makes the heart sick. (Pro.13:12)
How do we react when it seems God does something different then we thought He would?

Sound of Music – “When God shuts a door, He opens a window.”
We don’t understand what God is up to with this pandemic …..
When I don’t understand is the time to cling, to focus, to worship.

The political atmosphere is a swirling mess that can be used to distract us.
But God is Up TO Something GOOD!
At the time of Palm Sunday, I think there was something in the air that things were about to change.

At the season we are in, to me, there is something in the air that things are about to change.

And I HAVE to stay focused on the Holy Spirit, or I will miss what is happening and be grieving loss instead of celebrating what God is doing.