Rife with cultural
A few things to note:
Geography
Procession as a genre
Generals, Kings
Mighty
Peace - donkey
Very
East Gate - cities had walls
Between two powers - Temple on the left, Rome on the right
Why this
Secret healings, small crowds at best
Feeding of the 5000 came upon the crowd like a sunrise
Public Act
Disciples were causing a ruckus
Praising God for what he had done
For Jesus entering into the city
Pharisees - tried to trick - intellectual attacks
Overt
You are going to get us in trouble
Jesus - Had to happen
King has to enter the city
God was to be praised for all he had done
King enters in peace with
Warning not a curse
City has a choice, and they are making it
Strategic Strike
To both, Rome and Temple
Force
Occupied
Higher Ground overlooking city
Working underground - Zealots
Simmering rebellion starting to boil
In just 35-40 years, they will rebel
Hoping to match power with power
They will lose, and the city will be destroyed
Farce
Temple Renovations by a false king
Led by people who wanted the outside to look great
Jesus
Exposes emptiness of both force and farce
Force
Doesn’t come to lead the rebellion
Psalm 2
Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
“Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.” —Psalm 2:1-6
Farce
Exposes the
It was no longer the house of prayer
One who they worshipped came into it, and they missed him
Both force and farce often occupy our cities, towns, churches, personal hearts and minds today
Force
We continually believe that we need to maintain cultural power to win
With guns loaded with memes, slander, and half-truth, we march into battle
Create enemies, assault them, rally our side
Farce
Placated with religion
Want to be combed, massaged and told what we want to hear
Today, we need to deny ourselves
Not farce or force
May we have eyes to see
Jesus alone
Our only hope
The true king
The true object of worship
Kingdom
His cross