JOHN 12:12-19
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.13 They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;see, your king is coming,seated on a donkey’s colt.”
16 At first His disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about Him and that these things had been done to Him.
17 Now the crowd that was with Him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.18 Many people, because they had heard that He had performed this sign, went out to meet Him.19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!
John 12:12-19 JESUS: WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD
SPRINGFORD BAPTIST CHURCH: PALM SUNDAY April 10, 2022.
Palm Sunday comes each year the week before Easter. The events of Palm Sunday challenge us to consider that when we recognize Jesus for Who He truly is, there must be a response.
The waving of the palm branches and the shouting of the crowd as they welcome Jesus, confirms yet again that we can KNOW GOD BY KNOWING JESUS. This Jesus, Who comes in the name of the Lord displays for us this possibility of welcoming God among us by welcoming Jesus.
Today we affirm that the living of our lives and the way that we welcome Jesus Who comes in the Name of the Lord is much more than how we respond in a crowd of people. It has to be the consistent day to day way that we welcome Jesus and choose close communion with Him whether in a larger or smaller group of people or just us and Him.
You know how it is in a crowd of people. One or two people start to clap for someone and soon the rest of the crowd joins in and perhaps even stand to their feet to acknowledge someone they admire.
This is the scene created here in John 12:12-19 as Jesus is about to enter Jerusalem. The word circulated that Jesus was on His way to the Feast of the Passover. A great crowd of Jewish people were already there in Jerusalem for this same celebration. They hear that Jesus is coming and there is a spontaneous, unrehearsed response.
At first a few people grab palm branches and then more do the same. At first a few voices shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord”! (John 12:13) Then more and more voices join in.
People join in because they feel compelled to respond to the truth that they hear expressed.
These people in the crowd had been hearing reports of Jesus’ miracles. In the crowd were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ latest and most astounding miracle of raising Lazarus back to life when he had been dead in the tomb for 4 days. (John 11:43,44)
“Hosanna” means“The Lord saves.” Jesus, Who comes in the name of the Lord had the power to save Lazarus from death. He had the power to save each person in the crowd there in Jerusalem from death. We today believe that Jesus has the power to save each one of us from death.
Death does not have the final say because Jesus, God’s Son Who comes in the Name of the Lord, has come to overcome death completely!
When we recognize this truth of Who Jesus is and why He has come, there must be a response.
These palm branches that they were waving were a symbol of victory and today they continue to be for us a symbol of the victory of Jesus God’s Son over sin and death forever.
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;see, your king is coming,seated on a donkey’s colt.”
(John 12:15 quoting Zechariah 9:9)
Jesus is seated on a donkey and this is the symbol that He comes as King to rule in the hearts of any and all who will respond and acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour. Yes, recognizing Jesus for Who He is requires a response.
As we read further in this Scripture, we realize that even Jesus’ disciples who had such close association with Him did not fully understand what was happening right before their eyes.
“At first His disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about Him and that these things had been done to Him.” (John 12:16)
It was after Jesus’ death and resurrection that the understanding came of the full significance of Who Jesus is and why He came.
We are privileged today to have this complete insight revealed to us when we read the testimony of Scripture regarding KNOWING GOD BY KNOWING JESUS.
I want to emphasize that our response to Who Jesus is extends far beyond church on Sunday. We are encouraged in our faith when we gather together. We enjoy hymns and songs of praise that proclaim blessing to the One Who comes in the name of the Lord. We feel uplifted when we have worshipped God with other believers. The intention is not for us to then go home and carry on unchanged with life as usual.
We are to be so deeply affected by our recognition of Who Jesus is and why He came that it permeates every aspect of our lives.
Beyond the waving of the palm branches and the shouting of the crowds is the living of everyday life.
We read in John 12:17, “Now the crowd that was with Him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.
People who had experienced Who Jesus is could not keep it to themselves. Good news is for sharing! We have this good news of having recognized Who Jesus is and why He has come.
We, like the crowd in Jerusalem respond by praising Him from the depths of our hearts. We also are called to respond by sharing this good news with those around us. Our world so desperately needs to hear good news. This Easter season of 2022 is an ideal opportunity to find natural ways to share the good news of Jesus Who has come in the name of the Lord.
We can be certain that other people will respond when they too come to KNOW GOD BY KNOWING JESUS!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to view what is expressed here about Jesus, “Look how the whole world has gone after Him”! (John 12:19)