The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 21: 1-17
INTRODUCTION: Happy Sabbath! I am so thankful for the Sabbath and this one is much needed. I love this lesson. There is grandeur and pageantry. In a way this passage is about the happy people making the grumpy people mad. And Jesus getting upset at the grown ups and defending the rowdy children. I have always loved this story, and have hoped if I had lived at that time I could have been part of the procession. Part of the celebration. Or at least one of the rowdy kids!
Question of the Day: Do you like to celebrate?
READ: Matthew 21:1-11
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion,
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a]
‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”[a]
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]
“Hosanna[d] in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
I think the reason I love this story is because like the disciples at the time I wanted a little glory and grandeur for Jesus. Here in this story at least there is a parade!
Would you have felt comfortable to do what Jesus asked two of the disciples to do?
Have you ever been uncomfortable with something that you really believed Jesus was asking you to do? Did you do it?
What gave you the strength to do it or what kept you from doing it?
When asked who this was, how did the crowds answer?
Were they right?
Jesus at the Temple
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[f]”
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
Jesus goes into the temple and does what?
Who was he angry at and why?
After "clearing out" the temple, what does Jesus do?
When Jesus works in our lives, when we let Him in, he may have some difficult work to do. Some "clearing out." It may not be fun or pretty. But what comes next.
He clears out... junk.... then starts healing!
Healing so you can walk, healing so you can see. Healing...
So imagine Jesus has just cleared out the temple, called it a house of prayer, and then there are children, rowdy children, praising him and not just calling him a prophet named Jesus, but what?
The kids get it right.
There are two things that I think are very important here..
1. The children, the youngest, with the least amount of knowledge get it right!!!
Remember we should become like little children...
2. He lets them be who they are, rowdy, with joy!
Today, I want to be...
Free to celebrate Jesus, one who waves branches or puts down my coat and praise Him, Cleansed, healed, accepted for who I am, and most importantly I want to get it right! I want to be like a child.
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