Matthew 21:1-11; Lev 23:40; Neh 8:14-15; Psalm 118; Rev 7:9 Jesus’ faith in His Father and His mission with the Father, for His Father compelled Him to go into Jerusalem
Why the “Feast of the Tabernacles”, the Passover, the palms: the remembrance, the experience, the vision of what’s to come - the promise.
This is our faith’s building...
Faith: remember: looking back to what God has done - rescued from a life of bondage (Deut 8:1-5; Neh 8:9-15; Isa 61:1; Luke 4:18)
Faith: experience: realize what God is doing now - taking us through the wilderness (Deut 6:6-19; Neh 8; Rev 3:14-22)
Faith: anticipate: be confident in what God will do - bringing us into the promised land - eternal life, salvation, the Kingdom which the coming King will establish and is even now making (Joshua 1; John 14:1-4)
It is with all of this in mind that Jesus enters the way He enters riding on the foal of a donkey.- this IS Jesus’ declaration is to all who might see since they would not hear, in essence, “I AM, who I say I AM… so see, look, and understand”
Hallelujah! This is Jesus, the Messiah, the One who is to come, is here, seeking to save, now: the author, pioneer, and perfecter of our faith - demonstrated that faith in His Father and that faith is what enables, compels, propels Him to enter in, courageously.
Jesus’ faith produced in Him…
His courage: I come, I enter in courageously, trusting the Father’s plan, intention, mission - this is why I have come - John 12:23-29
23Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
27“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
John 13:3 He knew from whence He came and to whom He would return. He trusted the Father for everything in between and placed Himself in His hands - and so ought we
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God”
And we can know, too
What gives us the courage to enter?
Courage to surrender our loves and lives
Courage to daily go forward in faith
Courage to approach the seeking heart on peace, with peace
It is our God-provided faith. (John 1:12; 17; Eph 2:8-10; Phil 2:13)
Belief, a budding trust, faith that He is who He claims to be and in turn entrusting ourselves to Him by that faithm
Written and conceived and born in and through Jesus that is now in us who believe
His claim: “I am laying claim to being who I AM”
Jesus had earlier asked: “Who do you say that I am?”
29“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
And at that time… 30Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
But, now...
Jesus declares “I AM” He of whom the prophets speak (Zech 9:9; John 12:15)
15“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
As He lays claim to us, we in turn lay claim to Him and what He has made us be and has created us to do (Rom 1:5; 2Cor 9:13; Eph 2:8-10; 1Pet 1:2; 2:21)
We now courageously go in… (Matthew 28)
He is declaring His heart’s intention: “I come in peace, to make peace, to give peace to the hearts of men”
Luke 12: Do not be afraid, for the Father is pleased to give you the kingdom
Do not be afraid, do not let your hearts be troubled
My Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”
And we can truly now cry out in truth “hallelujah… God saves!”
And lay down the palms of our hearts and receive and honor Him as Lord and king
This is not only a statement of the moment, but a foreshadowing of what’s to come...
Much like Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, Jesus now courageously approaches the reluctant, the broken, the misunderstanding heart at the risk of denial and rejection, but come, He does, He enters and lays claim to be who He says He is, to lay down the gauntlet, to say to all the princes, lords, kings, of our hearts I am here, the “I AM” is here, what will you do with me? All others have come to steal and destroy, I have come in peace, to being peace, to make peace. I AM the Prince of peace. Will you receive me?
And now, once you’ve received me, will you take me to the ends of the earth?
Matt 28:19 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
And so it is that we meet Jesus this way, or, He meets us.
And so it is that we, bring Jesus…
Courageously - knowing from whence we came and to whom we are going
Laying claim of that which we have been laid claim - taking hold of that which
Coming in peace - not to condemn, but to bring the life that had mercifully, graciously given us life - Jesus
And our faith is built…
Looking back to the Prince of Peace, and His entering in on the foal a donkey
Realizing now the salvation He brought with Him - to save and not condemn (John 3:12-18)
Looking forward to His coming, but this time, on a horse, to a final and eternal defeat the enemy and bring us home to the place he has prepared for us, that we might be with Him (Matt 24:36-47 25:21,23,34; 1Thes 4:15-17; Rev 6:2; 19:11; 21-22))
And this, by Faith
