New Testament Studies: Mark (12): Chapter 11 v1 to 11 -- David Pawson

Summary

The video script narrates the story of Palm Sunday, focusing on the contrast between the crowd's perception of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the deeper significance of his mission. The crowd, influenced by a nationalistic spirit, expected a military leader to liberate them from Roman rule, which is reflected in their actions and cries of 'Hosanna'. However, Jesus, riding on a donkey, symbolized peace, not war, indicating his true purpose to bring spiritual peace through the redemption of sins, not political freedom. The speaker laments the crowd's failure to recognize this, leading to their eventual rejection of Jesus. The narrative serves as a cautionary tale against the dangers of nationalism and a call to embrace Jesus' message of peace, forgiveness, and personal transformation. It concludes with a prayer for understanding and applying the principles of Palm Sunday in both personal and political contexts.

Takeaways

• 📜 The story of Palm Sunday, as told in Mark's Gospel, illustrates Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, which was misunderstood by the people as a nationalistic triumph rather than a peaceful mission.
• 🐾 Jesus instructed his disciples to fetch a colt that no one had ever ridden, symbolizing his humility and the peaceful nature of his mission.
• 🌿 The people spread garments and palm branches, a customary sign of greeting a king, but they failed to recognize the true purpose of Jesus' entry, expecting a political savior rather than a spiritual one.
• 🎉 The crowd's acclamation of Jesus as the 'Son of David' reflected their nationalistic hopes for a leader to free them from Roman occupation.
• 🕊️ Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem signifies his grief over the people's misunderstanding and the tragic consequences that their nationalistic fervor would bring.
• ✝️ Jesus' mission was to bring peace, not through military might or political power, but through the spiritual salvation offered by his teachings and ultimate sacrifice.
• 🇮🇱 The nationalistic spirit of the crowd is contrasted with the message of peace and the importance of recognizing the 'things that belong to peace,' which is a call for righteousness and the rejection of sin.
• 📖 The script emphasizes the importance of knowing one's Bible to understand the true nature of Jesus' mission, as the people failed to recognize the significance of his riding a donkey, which is a symbol of peace.
• 🏛️ Jesus' actions in the temple, inspecting and questioning the activities within, reveal his focus on spiritual reform rather than engaging with the Roman authorities.
• ⛰️ The geographical context of Jerusalem and its surrounding hills is used to set the scene for Palm Sunday, highlighting the massive scale of the pilgrimage and the intensity of the people's expectations.
• 👑 The discourse challenges modern notions of nationalism and the use of force, urging instead a return to the principles of peace and righteousness as taught by Jesus.
• 🙏 The application of the Palm Sunday narrative to contemporary life encourages individuals to invite Jesus to inspect every part of their lives, seeking the peace that comes from overcoming personal sins and embracing spiritual transformation.

Q & A

What is the significance of Palm Sunday in the Christian tradition?

Palm Sunday marks the day when Jesus entered Jerusalem, and it is often symbolized by the waving of palm branches. It is seen as a day of triumph for Jesus, but also a day of deep significance as it leads to the events of Holy Week and ultimately the crucifixion.

Why did Jesus choose to ride a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday?

Jesus chose to ride a donkey as a symbol of peace and humility, contrasting with the typical image of a conquering king on a warhorse. This act was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and a demonstration of his mission of peace.

What was the crowd's initial reaction to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem?

The crowd initially reacted with great excitement and celebration, viewing Jesus as a potential political leader who could liberate them from Roman rule. They hailed him as the 'Son of David' and spread their garments and palm branches on the road before him.

Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem during his Palm Sunday entry?

Jesus wept over Jerusalem because he foresaw the tragic future of the city and its people. He lamented their failure to recognize the true nature of his mission, which was to bring spiritual salvation rather than political liberation.

What does the phrase 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord' signify in the context of Palm Sunday?

The phrase 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord' is a quote from Psalm 118 and was used by the crowd to hail Jesus. However, it was also a nationalist and militaristic phrase that the crowd used to express their hope for a military leader who would liberate them from Roman rule.

What was the significance of the garments being spread on the road?

Spreading garments on the road was an act of honor and respect, similar to a red carpet in modern times. In the context of the script, it was also a historical act performed for leaders who were seen as liberators, indicating the crowd's hope for Jesus to lead a political revolution.

Why did the crowd's attitude towards Jesus change so dramatically from Palm Sunday to his crucifixion?

The crowd's attitude changed because they were expecting a political savior who would free them from Roman oppression. When Jesus did not fulfill their nationalistic expectations and instead focused on spiritual matters, they became disillusioned and turned against him.

What does the term 'Hosanna' mean and why was it used by the crowd during Jesus' entry into Jerusalem?

The term 'Hosanna' is a Hebrew word meaning 'save us now' or 'help us now.' It was used by the crowd as a plea for immediate deliverance from their oppressors, reflecting their nationalistic hopes for Jesus to lead a revolt against the Romans.

How did the actions and words of the crowd on Palm Sunday reflect their misunderstanding of Jesus' mission?

The crowd's actions, such as spreading garments and waving palm branches, as well as their words like 'Hosanna' and 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,' reflected their nationalistic and militaristic expectations. They failed to recognize that Jesus' mission was spiritual, not political, leading to a tragic misunderstanding.

What is the modern application of the Palm Sunday story in terms of nationalism and peace?

The Palm Sunday story serves as a cautionary tale against the dangers of nationalism and the use of force to achieve political ends. It encourages a focus on peace, righteousness, and the transformative power of love and forgiveness, as exemplified by Jesus' mission.

How can the message of Palm Sunday be applied to personal faith and daily life?

The message of Palm Sunday can be applied to personal faith by recognizing that true peace comes not from solving worldly problems but from addressing the spiritual issues within one's own life. It encourages individuals to invite Jesus into every aspect of their lives, seeking transformation and peace through forgiveness and righteousness.

Outlines

00:00

📖 The Story of Palm Sunday and Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem

This paragraph narrates the events of Palm Sunday as described in Mark's gospel, where Jesus approaches Jerusalem, sends disciples to fetch a colt, and is welcomed by crowds spreading garments and palm branches. The people's acclamations of Jesus as the coming king are contrasted with his own intentions, leading to a call for spiritual reflection and preparation for the day of visitation.

05:02

🏇 The Triumph and Tragedy of Palm Sunday

The second paragraph delves into the dual perspective of Palm Sunday, highlighting the public's view of triumph and Jesus' view of tragedy. It discusses the historical context of Jewish longing for a messiah and the political fragmentation of their land. The narrative emphasizes the people's hope for Jesus to be a political savior and the tragic misunderstanding of his true mission.

10:05

🌿 Nationalism and the Misinterpretation of Palm Sunday

This section examines the nationalistic fervor surrounding Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, contrasting it with the actual spiritual significance of the event. It explains the crowd's actions and words as expressions of nationalistic aspirations, and how these were misaligned with Jesus' message of peace and spiritual salvation.

15:07

😢 The Tragedy of Misunderstanding Jesus' Mission

The fourth paragraph focuses on the tragic misunderstanding of Jesus' mission by the crowd, who expected a military leader to liberate them from foreign rule. It contrasts their nationalist uprising with Jesus' message of peace and the fulfillment of prophecy, highlighting the emotional response of Jesus to the misguided expectations.

20:09

🐫 The Symbolism of the Donkey and Jesus' True Purpose

This paragraph discusses the significance of Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem, a symbol of peace that was overlooked by the crowd. It emphasizes the contrast between the expected military conquest and Jesus' actual mission of establishing peace through his sacrifice. The narrative also touches on the disappointment of the crowd when Jesus did not fulfill their nationalistic hopes.

25:10

🕊️ The Pursuit of True Peace and the Rejection of Jesus

The sixth paragraph reflects on the personal and political implications of the events of Palm Sunday. It calls for a deeper understanding of peace beyond the removal of troubles and towards the forgiveness of sins. It also addresses the fickleness of the crowd's support for Jesus and the potential for similar misunderstandings in contemporary society.

30:12

🙏 A Prayer for Understanding and Embracing Jesus' Message

The final paragraph is a prayer for insight and readiness to embrace the true purpose of Jesus' coming, which was to save humanity from sin. It asks for the grace to allow Jesus to inspect and purify every aspect of personal and communal life, leading to the peace that comes from forgiveness and reconciliation with God.

Keywords

💡Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is a Christian feast that commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as described in all four Gospels. In the video, Palm Sunday is portrayed as a misunderstood event by the crowd, who saw it as a nationalistic triumph, while Jesus viewed it as a tragic day, foreshadowing the coming destruction of Jerusalem.

💡Nationalism

Nationalism in the context of the video refers to the belief shared by the crowd that Jesus would be a political savior, leading a revolt against Roman rule and restoring the kingdom to the Jews. The video contrasts this with Jesus' message of peace and spiritual salvation, highlighting the tragic misunderstanding of his mission.

💡Triumph and Tragedy

The video contrasts the crowd's perception of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as a triumphant event with Jesus' own view of it as a tragic day. The crowd expected a military leader, while Jesus came as the Prince of Peace, leading to a deep sense of disappointment and a tragic turn of events.

💡Hosanna

Hosanna is an exclamation of praise, used in the Bible and by the crowd during Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. In the video, the crowd's use of 'Hosanna' reflects their nationalistic hopes for a military leader, whereas in modern Christian worship, it is a term of praise, illustrating the shift in understanding over time.

💡Donkey

The donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem is a symbol of peace and humility, as opposed to the horse or chariot that a military leader would use. The video emphasizes the significance of this choice, as it was a deliberate act by Jesus to present himself not as a conqueror but as a peaceful leader, which the crowd failed to recognize.

💡Temple

The Temple in Jerusalem is a central place of worship in Judaism and a focal point in the video. After entering Jerusalem, Jesus goes to the Temple, where he inspects and criticizes the practices within, causing a disturbance. This act signifies Jesus' mission to purify and reform religious practices, rather than engage in political conflict.

💡Zechariah

Zechariah is a biblical prophet whose writings are referenced in the video. The prophetic text in Zechariah foretells the coming of the king who will enter Jerusalem on a donkey, symbolizing peace. This is significant as it provides a biblical context for understanding Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, contrasting with the crowd's expectations of a military leader.

💡Peace

Peace is a central theme in the video, representing Jesus' mission to bring spiritual peace through forgiveness and redemption, rather than political or military victory. The misunderstanding of Jesus' message by the crowd and the tragic consequences of their nationalistic fervor are a testament to the importance of recognizing the true nature of peace.

💡Sins

Sins are referenced in the video as the true obstacle to peace and the focus of Jesus' mission. Jesus aims to deliver humanity not just from their troubles but from their sins, which is the source of unrest and conflict. The invitation for Jesus to inspect and cleanse every part of one's life is a call to personal transformation and the path to true peace.

💡Disappointment

Disappointment is a key emotional response depicted in the video, experienced by the crowd when Jesus did not fulfill their nationalistic expectations. This disappointment is a pivotal moment that leads to the tragic outcome of Jesus' crucifixion, illustrating the dangerous consequences of misunderstanding and the power of mob psychology.

💡Mob Psychology

Mob psychology is discussed in the video as a phenomenon where a group's collective behavior can rapidly shift based on emotions and expectations. The crowd's initial adulation of Jesus quickly turns to disappointment and then to calls for his crucifixion, demonstrating the volatile nature of public sentiment and its potential for harm.

Highlights

The story of Palm Sunday as described in Mark's Gospel verses 1 to 11, where Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey.

The disciples are sent to fetch a colt that no one has ever ridden, symbolizing humility and peace.

The people spread their garments and leafy branches on the road, an act of honor and celebration.

The crowd's cries of 'Hosanna', meaning 'save us now', reflect their nationalistic hopes for a political savior.

Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem, expressing his grief for the impending tragedy due to the people's misunderstanding of his mission.

The expectation of Jesus as a nationalist leader leading a revolt against Roman rule, which he subverts by turning to the temple instead of the Roman garrison.

The contrast between the people's desire for a military leader and Jesus' message of peace, as he rides a donkey instead of a warhorse.

The significance of the donkey in biblical prophecy, indicating a peaceful ruler, as opposed to a conquering warrior.

The historical context of the Jewish people's longing for a return to the days of King David and their resistance to foreign rule.

The tragic irony of the crowd's celebration, which Jesus perceives as leading to disaster due to their misinterpretation of his message.

The importance of recognizing the true nature of Jesus' kingdom, which is not of this world, but one of spiritual peace and redemption.

The application of Palm Sunday's lessons to modern times, warning against the dangers of nationalism and the use of force.

The call for introspection and allowing Jesus to inspect and correct the aspects of our lives that are not pleasing to him.

The transformative power of Jesus' message of peace, which offers a different path to resolving conflicts and achieving peace.

The challenge to embrace Jesus' teachings not just as a solution to personal troubles, but as a means to address and overcome sin.

The invitation to pray and reflect on Palm Sunday, seeking to understand its true meaning and to experience the peace that comes from following Jesus.

Transcripts

Mark's gospel verses 1 to 11 the story

of the first Palm Sunday

and when they drew near to Jerusalem

Beth Fiji and Bethany at the Mount of

Olives he sent two of his disciples and

said to them go into the village

opposite you and immediately as you

enter it you will find a cult tied

and on which no one has ever sat untie

it and bring it

and if anyone says to you why are you

doing this say the Lord has need of it

and we'll send it back here immediately

and they went away and found a coat tied

at the door out in the open Street and

they untied it

and those who stood there said to them

what are you doing untying the coat and

they told them what Jesus had said and

they let them go

and they brought the cult to Jesus and

threw their garments on it and he sat

upon it

and many spread their garments on the

road and others spread leafy branches

which they had cut from the fields and

those who went before and those who

followed Cried Out Hosanna blessed is he

who comes in the name of the Lord

blessed is the kingdom of Our Father

David that is coming hosanna in the

highest and he entered Jerusalem

and went into the temple

and when he had looked round at

everything as it was already late he

went out to Bethany with the twelve

oh God we ask now that in spirit each

one of us may shout Hosanna

May welcome the Lord Jesus afresh

may see in his face

those deeper things that belong to our

peace

that each one of us may be aware of the

day of our visitation

we remember how he said o Jerusalem o

Jerusalem how often would I have

gathered you as a hen gathers her

chickens beneath her wings

and you would not

we pray that we may be prepared to be

gathered under his wings

and find there our safety

and our salvation

amen

in the month of March or April it varied

a little because of the Jewish calendar

about two to two and a half million Jews

left home and they set off on a

pilgrimage that would take them away

from home for a few days

and in the year ad29 which I take to be

the year in which Jesus died that's as

near as we can get in that year they set

off with one question being discussed by

everybody traveling up to Jerusalem and

that was will Jesus Come To The Feast

they realized that if he did come it

would mean the big Showdown

it would mean a crisis in their National

Life

and everybody must have been asking

everybody else have you seen him on the

road some had but not many he had been

making his way up healing people

teaching them on the way

I want you to imagine this scene if you

can there they all are Jerusalem can't

cope with that many visitors and they

have to camp out around the Hills

if you can imagine a nightlight in the

middle of a soup plate you've got the

geography of Jerusalem

there it is nestling in a hollow with a

rim of Hills all around about a mile

away and those Hills are higher than the

city itself

so that you don't see the city until you

come up over the rim of the soup plate

and there it is nestling like a jewel

It's a Wonderful situation and on these

Hills all around they camped for the

Passover

literally millions of them and this is

the setting for Palm Sunday on that

morning Jesus left the home in which he

was staying which was just over the top

of the rim on the Jericho side the last

time we saw Jesus Sunday night a week

ago he was down in Jericho now he's

climbed nearly 3

500 feet

he's staying here in Bethany just over

the Mount of Olives he will catch his

first glimpse of the city down here

and so that morning he set out and he

sent the disciples for that coat I was

very tempted to preach this morning on

the use of our possessions and I would

have used the coat

as an illustration of a man who said

when the Lord needs it he can have it

and that's all that Jesus needed to say

I I need your donkey as he may say to

you on a Sunday morning I need your car

or I need this or I need that will you

use it for the Lord and the man

immediately let him have the coat

it was a cowboy who reading this story

said Jesus must have had wonderful hands

to get on a coat on which no man has

ever said

and then write it through a shouting mob

numbering thousands and thousands it

takes a police horse years to learn that

and the cowboy said Jesus must have had

wonderful hands you get a unique

impression of our Lord's control of men

of animals of every situation

but that's not the main theme this

morning

I want to ask the question what was

really happening on Palm Sunday

what was really happening

I know we've had the story since we were

that high I know we think it's all

exciting and tremendous and Jesus riding

in with the crowds adulation

nevertheless

when we ask what is really happening we

are a bit shaken when we discover

to the crowds it was a day of tremendous

Triumph

to Jesus it was a day of terrible

tragedy

and it depends entirely which view you

take as to how you feel today whether

you feel excited and happy or whether

you feel

a sense of being oppressed

with all that Jesus saw that day

well now let's look first of all at Palm

Sunday from the point of view of the

crowds and the disciples they had waited

one thousand years for this day and

that's an awful long time to wait

and father had passed on the dream to

son and son and passed on the dream to

grandson and they were all waiting for

one thing to happen and it was this they

were waiting for David's Throne to be

occupied again

a thousand years before this day

they had known a time of peace

prosperity and a wonderful king a king

after God's Own Heart everything went

beautifully it was the Golden Age of

their history and it had never been the

same since it's a sorry tale and much as

I would like to give you a history

lesson now I know that history is boring

but I want to give you just a little bit

of the sorry tale of this Thousand Years

very soon after King David died

because of his son Solomon's policies

there was Civil War and the nation

divided never to unite again

from then on they had a succession of

Kings some of them good most of them bad

and after that they began to be invaded

by other powers as Syria came Babylon

came

and they lost the land altogether for

about 70 years some of them managed to

crawl back and build a wee little Temple

on the site of the big one that Solomon

had built

and they tried to maintain their life

there

but other Invaders came from another

Direction the syrians came the Egyptians

overran them then Alexander the Great

marched and the Greeks took over

and finally the Romans marched and by

the time Jesus began his ministry

Palestine was cut up into little bits

it wasn't even one land it was divided

far worse than Germany as today

a little bit in the north belonged to a

man called Philip and his Capital was

caesarea Philippi

Galilee belonged to Herod the grandson

of the man who'd killed those babies at

Bethlehem

a chunk in the middle belonged to the

Samaritans

Jerusalem and the bit around that was

governed by a Roman Governor Pontius

Pilate who'd taken over Direct Control

and the whole land was cut into little

bits

and they just lived for the day when

they would have their own land to

themselves again it's quite natural that

all these hopes should be expressed in

one word David David

do you know that when any Jewish boy was

born

the parents would rush out into the

street and Shout dowies dowies

meaning a boy has been born and it might

be another David who could get back the

land for us and be our King and every

mother who had a child hoped that their

baby would be that King and sit on his

on the throne of the land again it's a

very wonderful story

how for a thousand years they kept alive

the hope that one day there would be

another king like David

now being an enemy occupied territory

this had bred quizlings collaborators

Tax Collectors a resistance movement

known as the zealots

acts of terrorism were taking place in

fact if you could read the story then

you'd realize it's so like today it's so

up to date

the whole situation was crying out for

the right man to come

and if I asked what was the real meaning

of Palm Sunday in the eyes of the crowd

one word will answer it nationalism

it was a nationalist demonstration

it was a crowd of people who were fed up

with others ruling their country

fed up with being a colony

fed up with not having their own land to

themselves and their own ruler over them

and it was nothing more or less than a

nationalist demonstration a protest

movement a March

now that becomes strangely relevant

in their eyes

they had found the right leader

they had tried some months earlier up in

Galilee to make him King and he had

refused

now they thought he's willing and what a

king to have can you imagine finding a

king to rule over your land who's a

wonderful teacher

a friend of everybody no matter what

their class or background a man who can

heal and work miracles a man who loves

the Common People a man who's fond of

children a man who's fair and wise and

just and merciful a man who puts

hypocritical religious rulers in their

place

now man who can even raise the dead

wouldn't you want a man like that to

Reign Over England

wouldn't you be thrilled if the king of

England were like this

well that's the man they'd found

and when he came riding over the brow of

the hill with all the crowds waiting

there they said this is it

he's going to be king he's accepted our

offer no wonder they got excited so

there's no doubt in the people's minds

as to what was happening the Throne of

David was not going to be vacant for

another 24 hours

it was a tide of nationalist feeling

the end of foreign domination the end of

a divided country

now somebody may be saying in their

minds how does he know it was all this

how does he know it was nationalism

isn't he just trying to update the Bible

by linking it to a modern newspaper no

I'm not

look at two things and this will prove

to you that it was nothing more or less

in their minds than a nationalist

demonstration first look at what they

said and second look at what they did

every single word they said and Every

Act they did on that Sunday was sheer

nationalism let me show you what did

they say

they said Hosanna Hosanna what does that

mean

if you think it means a kind of Glorious

hello or a great hail or some greeting

some Act of Praise then think again it

means nothing of the sort

in modern Christian worship Hosanna now

means Praise Him

but he didn't then

it is a Hebrew word

and you know what it means it means this

save us now

that's what it means

it's an expression of impatience

it is saying get us out of our troubles

now now is the time to fight now is the

time to meet the enemies and Tackle them

save us now and shouting Hosanna

was just like singing the freedom song

it was a military phrase look at what

else they said do you notice how the

name David comes in again and again son

of David

Kingdom of Our Father David there are

the words you can see that they're

thinking of a political coup

look at even the phrase blessed is he

that cometh in the name of the lord it's

from a Passover psalm

which was about the defeat of the

Egyptians and when you read Psalm 118

you know what it's all about it's all

about cutting off our enemies

and when they quoted that Psalm they

were shouting a political nationalist

militarist phrase

now look at what they did we think it's

lovely that they took down palms and

waved The Palms and strew the road with

the palms and we think it's wonderful

that they took their garments off and

they put them down in the dust

what did those actions mean the clue

lies in their own history

once before they had done both these

things on two separate occasions do you

know when

do you know of the occasion when they

actually took their garments and put

them in the road outside Jerusalem they

did it once in the Old Testament

it was for a man called jihu

and he was coming

to throw ahab's house and Jezebel off

the throne

he was coming as a resistance leader

he was coming as a terrorist and he was

coming to liberate the children of

Israel from the domination and

exploitation of an evil royal family and

they took their garments off and they

put them in the road for jihu

he was the man you remember who driveth

furiously and he was coming at a great

Pace in a chariot up that road and they

threw their garments in front of him and

the chariot wheels went over it was a

military action

and what about the Palms

this is not in the Old Testament but in

the Apocrypha in that 400 years between

Malachi and Matthew there there was one

and only one occasion when they got the

throne back

and it was under a family of Brothers

who were very skilled resistance

Fighters they were called The Maccabees

I'm sure at least the choir is heard of

Judas Maccabees but others of you have

heard of this family of seven brothers

who fought the Greeks and who managed

for a very few years to put one of their

own number on the throne again

and you know when Judas Maccabees or

rather Simon maccabeus came to Jerusalem

they pulled Palm leaves and they waved

Palm leaves to welcome this resistance

leader

who was going to set them free

now I hope I haven't spoiled Palm Sunday

for you but that's what it was

that's why they shouted Hosanna that's

why they took their coats off and put

them in the dust that's why they wave

Palm leaves this was a military leader

this was a man who'd set them free and

it was a nationalist Uprising and the

leaders in Jerusalem said look the whole

world has gone after him

that's what it was in their eyes and

they were thrilled they were bursting

with excitement and pride can you see

the disciples James and John making

quite sure they're walking on the right

and the left of the donkey can't you see

them

thrilled this is what we've left the

fishing for this was what it was all

about isn't it great look at them all

looking at us and we're near him and oh

they were so bursting with it you can

sense what they thought was happening

but the tragedy is that when you look at

our Lord he's crying

the word used is this he's sobbing

he's burst into tears

and they look at him and they think it's

tears of joy they think he must be so

happy with it all that he's overcome

with his emotions no he's not he thinks

it's the most tragic thing they've done

I know he allowed it to happen I know he

came

but when he looks at that crowd

who think it's a day of Triumph he sees

it as a day of terrible tragedy

now why what has gone wrong it's a

terribly strong word used of Jesus here

he loved this place he loved this people

and his heart ached for them

he could see that this kind of

nationalism would lead them to utter

disaster

and indeed if you study his words on

this occasion in the other gospels you

find that he predicted to the people at

that point I can see already

remparts besieging the city I can see

women and children being slaughtered I

can see this whole city wiped out

nationalism leads to that

those who live by the sword will die by

the swords of Jesus and you know that in

the year ad70 only 40 years after Palm

Sunday what Jesus saw would happen did

they Rose against the Romans and the

Roman might under Titus crash that City

killed one million one hundred thousand

inhabitants in it

and during The Siege they were so

reduced that they were eating dung and

even cooking their own children to get

something to eat it's an appalling story

which you can read in this in the

history of Josephus and Jesus saw all

that

he saw that if that's the kind of

Kingdom you want if this is the kind of

feeling that is going to stir you then

it will lead you to utter ruin and

disaster and he wept over them

you see the thing that they had not

noticed

which he had deliberately done

they had not noticed the animal on which

he rode

that is the tragedy of Palm Sunday

all their eyes were on him

they had no eyes for the animal on which

he rode and that's the key to it all

if you are coming as a military leader

you come on a horse

or even with a chariot as jihu did or as

Simon Maccabees did

but he came on a nest

and it's the one animal you don't use in

battle

you try

you'll be as effective as Don Quixote

you'll be as ineffective

he had deliberately chosen an s

and if they'd known their Bibles and he

was often telling people the reason you

get wrong ideas is that you don't know

your bibles if they had known their

Bibles in Zechariah the prophet it said

that the king would come to Jerusalem

humble

make not a fighter but as a prince of

peace riding on a nurse

when General Allenby in the first World

War the British general liberated

Jerusalem he rode up to Jerusalem on a

war charger of a horse and then when he

came within sights of the gates he

realized he shouldn't come as that

and he dismounted and he took his

military cap off

and he walked bareheaded into Jerusalem

he could not enter that city as a man of

war

do you know that the word Jerusalem

means peace city of Peace the end part

of its Salem is the same as the word

shalom

the greeting peace that you give to Jews

in Israel today it was always meant to

be the city where peace would be from

which peace would flow to the whole

world this was God's intention it was

not meant to be a city of War

the city where peace was made and from

which peace could reach the whole earth

and Jesus came to bring peace to the

whole world from that City and indeed he

has done he's made Peace by the blood of

his cross that was why he came he was

coming for peaceful purposes

to bring the peace of God to a world

that needed it

and they misunderstood because they

didn't see the Donkey

they only saw him

their disappointment with him was great

because as you come up imagine the scene

you come down from Mount of Olives past

the Garden of Gethsemane over the kedron

brook up the other side towards the

Magnificent Golden Gate which by the way

has been bricked up ever since the only

gate of Jerusalem that you can't go

through now and Ezekiel said it was for

the king not for anybody but coming up

to the Golden Gate in his day which was

wide open

when he got through it they would expect

him to turn right

because over here at the corner of the

temple area was the Roman Garrison

and to their horror when he came through

the gate he turned left

and he made for the temple

that was shattering

he didn't even

take one look at the Roman Garrison or

at the soldiers he went right into the

place of worship and he began to look in

every cupboard

and every back room

he began to say and what's going on in

here

what's going on in there

now this shook them

they thought he was coming to deal with

the Romans and here he was dealing with

them there were things in those

cupboards and in those rooms that they

didn't want him to see

and it was profoundly disturbing

and he was looking all around the temple

and then he simply said it's getting

late

and he went out down the valley up the

Mount of Olives and over the hill and

away

the most disappointing anti-climax

I wonder what they thought

they were so disappointed with him that

within days they were shouting crucify

him and the mob psychology of it is

utterly true to life

if you have once roused a nationalist

mob

and then do not do what they want you to

do

the mob will turn right around and

that's precisely how the cross took

place within the week

where were the people on the Friday when

Jesus died where were they those who'd

shouted Hosanna they were still in

Jerusalem

not one would lift a finger to him why

well because they were disappointed with

Jesus

and one of the things Jesus said on Palm

Sunday I think is the most important

thing

apart from saying I'd love to have

protected you I would love to have drawn

this city and this people under my

protection as a hen gathers of chicks

that's a lovely picture and he said you

wouldn't come like that you wanted me to

fight you wanted me to be a Cockerel you

wanted to have a cockpit here and I

wanted to be a hen Gathering you as

chicks under her Wing but the thing he

said that was most revealing was this

wood that you had known

the things that belong to your peace

what does he mean

he's saying if only you had understood

how peace comes

but they didn't

so I must finish and I want to apply

this morning very practically

first at a political level and second at

a personal level what has all this got

to do with us simply this this crowd was

made up of men like me

and women like you and young people it

was made up of ordinary people and in

them we can see a mirror to ourselves

now here is the political application

the Nationalist spirit is characteristic

of our times

the desire to protest the desire to have

big demonstrations the desire to

overthrow those who oppress the desire

to use Force this is a desire that is

rampant in our world

this is the new world in which we live

and it's an old world

in every continent

in America North and South in Europe in

Africa in Asia this spirit is abroad

and one wants to say to such people

again and again would that you knew the

things that belong to your peace

may I say that I don't think it is up to

Britain now I don't think it is possible

for Britain now to be a peacemaker and a

world leader in peace because we do not

understand the things that belong to our

peace

what does belong to our peace

I'll tell you righteousness exalts a

nation but sin is a reproach to any

people and if Britain is ever going to

be a peacemaker in the world we shall

only be a peacemaker if we are prepared

to let Jesus come and inspect every

cupboard in Britain

and look at our life in all its aspects

and begin with us

it's all very well to say it's always

them it's always that Nation it's always

that race it's always the other people

but Jesus said I've come to look around

your life

and there's perhaps plenty in our

national life at the moment

that we would not like Jesus to see

oh if we knew the things that belong to

peace

and so we say release to us Barabbas now

Barabbas was a nationalist

insurrectionist release unto us

mercarios release unto us this man and

the people have been in prison one year

are the leaders of the nation the next

and Jomo Kenyatta comes out of jail

becomes the Prime Minister and so life

goes on release unto us Barabbas and

what shall we do with Jesus he's

irrelevant away with him you can see the

crowd psychology in this politically we

need to say to Wales and to Scotland

nationalism is not the thing that brings

peace

we need to say it to ourselves

the other thing we need to say is

personal

it's easy enough to welcome Jesus as the

answer to our troubles

it's easy enough to say Jesus Come into

my life I'm unhappy and I want to be

happy Jesus Come into my life I'm bored

and I want to be interested

but Jesus can weep over that and say I

want to come in and put right what is

wrong with you

I've not just come to deliver you from

your troubles I've come to deliver you

from your sins that is what belongs to

your peace

if we want the Peace of Jesus then we

must welcome him on Palm Sunday and say

Jesus come in and inspect every part of

my life

that's what belongs to my peace

that's why he comes riding on an S

he is not coming to get us out of our

troubles but out of our sins

that is the heart of all true peace let

us pray

Lord Jesus on this Palm Sunday we

remember how many people misunderstood

you

how they misunderstood the purpose of

your coming

and you knew all along that you had come

to die to save us from our sins

Lord we pray that we may be ready to

have you come and inspect our worship

every part of this Temple of Praise that

we have erected this morning

we pray that you will inspect the

temples of Our Lives

and look into every nook and cranny and

if there is something there that is not

pleasing we pray that you will deal with

it and bring us into the Peace of

forgiveness

help us to celebrate Palm Sunday in this

worthy way

help us to understand what it is all

about and to give you the True Glory as

the coming Savior and Lord

amen