WHO IS THIS? THIS IS JESUS THE PROPHET.
MATTHEW 21:1-11
Introduction:
All four of the evangelists take notice in their gospels of this passage of Christ’s riding in triumph into Jerusalem, five days before His death.
The Passover was on the 14th day of the month and this was the tenth. This was the day the Law required that the Paschal Lamb should be taken up and set apart for that service, Exodus 12:3, “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:” On that day therefore, Christ, our Passover, who was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly shown.
I. THE JEWISH LEADERS WERE PLOTTING TO SLAY CHRIST
A. The Jews planned to kill Jesus, John 11:53, “Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.”
B. The Pharisees had given a commandment to find Jesus, John 11:57, “Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.”
II. MARY ANOINTS JESUS’ FEET
A. Meanwhile He was at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, John 12:1, “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.”
B. There they made him a supper, John 12:2, “There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
C. After supper Mary anoints the feet of Jesus, John 12:3, “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
1. The ointment of spikenard was very costly.
2. Some complained.
a. Judas Iscariot was most outspoken, John 12:4-6, “Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5-Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6-This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.”
b. Some of the others picked up on his criticism, Mark 14:4-5, “And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5-For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.”
D. The Lord had put this in her heart to do, John 12:7, “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.”
III. THE DAY OF THE LAMB OF GOD
A. John the Baptist was the first to reveal the Lamb of God, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
B. Five days before the Passover, the Lamb was chosen and set aside for the sacrifice, Exodus 12:3, “Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:”
1. This Lamb was “for an house.”
2. This Lamb had to be “without spot,” Exodus 12:5, “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:”
C. The Lamb was to be killed “in the evening” on the 14th day of the month, Exodus 12:6, “And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”
D. The blood was applied according to the Word of God, Exodus 12:7, “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.”
E. “When I see the blood,” Exodus 12:13, “And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”
IV. BEHOLD, THY KING COMETH UNTO THEE
A. Rejoice greatly for the King is coming, Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
1. Jesus does not ride in on a magnificent white horse.
2. He does not come in beautiful royal robes.
3. The King, the Lord of host, was seen upon a throne, high and lifted up, but there was none of that here, Isaiah 6:1-3, ” In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2-Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3-And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
B. The King is coming riding on an ass.
1. The Lord instructed his disciples, Matthew 21:1-3, “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.”
2. The Lord fulfilled the Scriptures, Matthew 21:4-5, “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.”
C. Who is this? Matthew 21:10-11.
1. He was called the “Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” He was not their beloved, Song of Solomon 5:9, “What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?”
2. But He was rejected as King, John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
CONCLUSION
Thank the Lord not everyone rejected the Lamb of God as King. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”