He is excited. Alright. Amen. I wish you all were as excited as he. Maybe you are, but I guess I'm kinda glad you're not running laps around the church while I'm trying to preach.

Matthew chapter 21. So Matthew chapter 21 is where we'll start. Takes me a moment to get everything put in its place here. Here we go. Matthew chapter 21.

Ezra mentioned earlier, this day is sometimes called Palm Sunday. It is named thus after an event that took place in the life of Christ as recorded in the gospels a week before the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It begins a week sometimes referred to as the passion week, and we're going to look at some lessons that can be learned not only from the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem on that donkey, but also from some things that Jesus taught his disciples during that week period leading up to his crucifixion and sacrifice for us and resurrection. So but we're gonna start out with the triumphal entry of Christ in Matthew chapter 21 and beginning in verse one. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and were come to Bethpage, unto the Mount Of Olives, then sent Jesus to disciples, saying unto them, go into the village over against you and straightway you shall find an ass tied and the colt with her, loose them and bring them unto me.

And if any man say odd unto you, you shall say the Lord hath need of them and straightway he will send them. And all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, tell ye the daughter of Zion, behold thy king cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass, the colt, the foal of an ass. And the disciples sent and did as Jesus commanded them and brought the ass and the colt and put on them their clothes and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way. Others cut down branches from the trees and strawed them in the way.

And the multitude that went before that followed cried saying, Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved saying, who is this? And the multitude said, this is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth and of Galilee.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day that you've given us to worship you, to serve you. We pray that you would be exalted in our service today. We pray, Lord, if there be one who's yet to receive you as Lord and Savior, that you would open up their heart to receive you today in your great love wherewith you love them, that you sent Jesus Christ, your only begotten son, into this world to save them from their sins. Lord, we pray that you would direct as we look into your scriptures today.

Give us understanding and draw us closer to you. In Jesus' name, we do pray. Amen. Lesson number one. Before exaltation comes, humility.

Before exaltation comes, humility. The attribute of a great Christian leader, humility. As we read in Sunday school this morning, there are several passage that talk about the second coming of Jesus Christ and how he will return in the clouds with great glory on a great white horse and vanquish the enemy and restore his dominion over the earth. But this day, he didn't come on a great white stallion. He came on a what?

On a donkey, on the foal of a donkey as Zechariah foretold. Christ came up the road to the gate of the Temple Mount, not seated on a white charger, not robed in royal robes, though one day he will, but riding upon a young donkey. And for those who believed him to be the Messiah, they were not deterred by the donkey for they knew the prophecy of Zechariah. They were encouraged by what they saw and they cried out of Jesus as the son of David, the Messiah. Hosanna to the son of David.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Several hundred years before, Zechariah had written, rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion. Shout, oh daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, the king cometh unto thee as just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an ass. Zechariah said, your king, when he comes, you'll recognize him.

He will ride into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey. Not what some of them were looking for. Many of them were looking for him on the great white horse, on royal robes, conquering army to vanquish the Romans. But Jesus Christ came in humility, not with great pomp and circumstance as a Roman ruler. And yet some that day recognized who he was.

They rolled out the red carpet before him. Later in the week, Christ would pick up a towel and would wash his disciples' feet, teaching them not just in word but also by example how they should serve one another and recognize that leadership in the church is not an opportunity to will power over others but to serve them as he had come to do for them. Mark ten forty five says, for even the son of man came not to be ministered on but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. I'm speaking of John chapter 13. Let me read a few verses from there for you.

Jesus in the upper room not long after his presentation on Palm Sunday. Speaking to his disciples, it says now in chapter 13 let's go down to verse four. He rises from supper, and he laid aside his garments and he took a towel and he girded himself. After that, he poured water into a basin, began to wash the disciples' feet and wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

I mean, this is this is upside down. You're you're the Messiah. You're the son of the living God. Why are you washing washing my feet? This is this is backwards.

Jesus answered, verse seven, and said unto him, what I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter said unto him, thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered, if I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but my hands and my head. Jesus said unto him, he that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.

You are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him, therefore he said, you're not all clean. So after he'd washed their feet and had taken his garments and was set down again, he said unto them, know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me master and Lord, and ye say, well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. One of the lessons we can learn from the passion week is humility. Jesus Christ didn't have to come in Jerusalem riding on a lowly donkey that he borrowed from somebody. He could have called 10,000 angels to escort him into the city and to take his rightful place upon the throne. But he came for a different purpose, to redeem us from our sins, and that required that required the donkey.

That required God in in human flesh, tempted as we, hungry, homeless at times, humbled. It required a little later, as they left that upper room and went out to the Garden Of Gethsemane, Jesus on his knees in the garden in anguish, knowing what was coming. Yes, he was God, but he was also man. And knowing what was coming, the pain and anguish that that was about to be upon him, it's one thing to go through terrible pain and anguish. It's another thing to know it's what?

To know it's coming. A matter of fact, a lot of times, the fear of what's coming is a lot worse than the actual pain. And Jesus said to his father, not my will, but thine be done. As he humbled himself once again to carry that weight of sin for us, that penalty, that anguish that should have been ours. As the crucifixion approached and Jesus stood before Caiaphas and Pilate, he suffered himself to be abused.

He permitted himself to be abused and humiliated. He refused to defend himself or to exercise his authority and power. Isaiah fifty three seven where it tells this, He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as the lamb to the slaughter and the sheep before a shearer's dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Now you think of that.

Well, he opened not his mouth. Well, he didn't say anything to defend himself. Well, that's true. But remember, he is God. With one word of his mouth, everything could have changed.

But he did not. He allowed it to happen because it must to redeem fallen humanity. Christ chose the path of humility and trust and obedience to his father. What lesson can we learn? He asks us to do the what?

He asks us to do the same. He says, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his, what, cross and follow me. Praise the Lord. His cross is not our cross, for we couldn't pay that price. We couldn't endure that suffering that he did for us.

But there is a ministry. There is a calling that is ours in service to our Lord. And as Jesus Christ picked up his cross in humility, we should also pick up ours and follow him. He asked us to do the same as Paul reminded us in Philippians chapter two when he said, let this mind be in you which was also in who? Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of man.

Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. Humbled himself and became obedient unto what? Death, even the death of the cross. But the passage doesn't end there. Wherefore God also hath highly, what?

Exalted him and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Before exaltation comes what? Humility. Humility. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up.

Jesus Christ humbled himself. He came. He was born in a stable, not in a palace. And he died on a cross. But praise the Lord, he has risen again and he is exalted.

And we who are children of the Lord by faith are exalted with him. But first comes humility. And as Jesus humbled himself, we should arm ourselves with the same mind as the one who came for us. Lesson number two, obey with boldness in the name of the Lord and do not be overcome with fear. We talked about fear last week.

One of the roadblocks that keeps us from changing into the image of Christ that that hinders that process is fear, fear of failure, fear of man. But in the events surrounding the passion week of Christ, we see a boldness in our savior. Not only are we to follow in his example of humility, but also in his example of boldness. In Matthew 21 and verse 12, if you're still there, you wanna turn back. Matthew 21 verse 12, Jesus not only rode up into the gates of Jerusalem on a donkey, but it tells us what he did, one of the first things that he did when he got there.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and he cast out all of them that sought, that that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that sold doves. And he said unto them, it is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have made it into a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the temple saying, Hosanna to the son of David, they were sore displeased. And he said unto him, hearest thou what they say?

And Jesus said unto them, yea. What were they saying then? Well, they were saying he was the what? The Messiah. And the the unbelievers said the religious leaders said, do you hear what they're calling you?

He said, yeah. Yeah. I hear. I know what they're saying. Yea, have ye never read.

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou shalt thou hast perfected praise. Jesus didn't go into the night quietly, entirely. Yes, he permitted the suffering that needed to come. However, he was bold as he entered that temple. Yes.

He rode up on a donkey, but he marched into the temple as the son of God. Once Christ came into the Temple Mount, he boldly overturned the tables of the money changers and declared that his father's house should not be a place of greed and deceit and thievery, but of worship. He was bold. He continued to minister to the needy, to heal the sick, to give sight to the blind, to teach his disciples right up till the very end. Just right up to the point where they were coming to arrest him.

What was he doing? He was teaching his disciples. He was teaching them. Every person was important, every need vital, every moment used. He was faithful to his mission through it all, knowing all, and giving his all.

What does Paul write in first Corinthians four two is required in stewards that a man be found what? Faithful. Jesus was faithful. He obeyed the will of his father and he did it with boldness. When he did open his mouth to speak to Caiaphas and Pilate, he did it boldly to declare the truth, though he knew it would only further incriminate him.

Matthew 26. I think I have that up here. I do. Matthew 26. But Jesus held his peace.

And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the son of God. Jesus saith unto him, thou hast said. What did he simply say? Thou hast said. In other words, yeah.

Nevertheless, say unto you, hereafter shall you see the son of man sitting on the right hand of power coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes saying he has spoken blasphemy. What further need have we have witnessed? Behold now, ye have heard his blasphemy. Was it blasphemy?

No. Because he was who he claimed to be, And he wasn't going to back off. He wasn't going to say what they wanted him to say in order to get out of the trouble because it was for the trouble that he came to redeem us. And so he spoke honestly and he spoke boldly. Christ was humble and meek, but he was not timid.

Neither should neither should we be in the things we know to be right. We should declare them with confidence and boldness, particularly when the souls of others are at stake and the reputation, the name of our God. Paul put it this way in Romans one sixteen. He says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Paul said, I'm not ashamed.

In saying that, what is he doing? He's challenging those who read his letter also not to be what? Not to be ashamed. Be bold. Your savior boldly went to the cross and yet humbly as well for you.

Do not be timid to speak of him. Do not be timid to stand for what is right. Be bold in Jesus Christ. You are a child of God. You have the spirit of God living within you.

You have the word of God before you. You have no need for timidness. Humility, yes, but not timidity. Be bold. Lesson number three.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is what? The flesh is weak. Our best intentions will come to failure every time in regards to serving Christ if we endeavor to do it in the power of the flesh and disregard the spirit who lives within us. Christ's disciple disciples intended to stick by him. I think that's a true statement.

They intended when he said, they're gonna come for me, they said, we are not going to leave your side. And they weren't lying. That is what they intended to do. But when they came to the garden to arrest him, what did they do instead? They turned tail and ran.

For a moment, Peter pulled out his sword and cut off the high priest servant's ear. They hung around. But when they realized that Jesus was not going to let them fight physically, they all left him. They all left him. The most adamant of all, Peter, failing in the most dramatic fashion.

One moment, he's taken out his sword and I'm gonna cut off the guy's ear. And the next moment, he's hiding and denying his connection to Jesus. In Matthew 26, Peter said this, though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet I will I never be offended? Jesus said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto you that this night before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. That is three times.

Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. And instead, what did they do? They all turned tail and ran. And Peter, just as Jesus told the bold Peter, the flesh failed him.

He intended to do that, but yet when the accusations flew and Peter became afraid for his life, he denied his savior three times. Christ's disciples intended to pray with him in the garden before his arrest, but they failed because they were what? Tired and sleepy. Like, sometimes people sitting in the pew on Sunday morning and their head nods off. That's okay.

It happens. I understand. Fortunately, I don't fall asleep standing up here. That would be a problem. What is a little bit frustrating is when somebody throws their head back and snores right in the middle of service.

Haven't had that in a while, but it has happened several. We had one lady that came several weeks in a row right in the middle of service, threw her head back, snored. Every you could couldn't ignore it. Christ's disciples, they said he he took three of them aside. He said, pray with me.

Matthew 26. Then sayeth he unto them, my soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death. Tarry, ye hear and watch with me. And he cometh unto the disciples and findeth them, what? Asleep.

Just a few minutes. Pray with me. Wait with me. Pray with me. And he came back after praying, and there they were sound asleep.

Cometh unto them and findeth them asleep and saith unto Peter, what? Could she not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that she enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing. Now, if you'll notice, spirit there is not capitalized.

He's not talking about the Holy Spirit. He's talking about their their will, their spirit, their intentions. Their intentions are good, but the flesh is what? But the flesh the flesh is weak. It's only after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and filled them with wisdom and boldness that they took to the streets and didn't and were unafraid of what others had to say.

He told them in Acts one he said one eighty says, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem and ye and unto the uttermost part of the world. Our flesh is powerless and often contrary to do the things which God has commanded and deserves. It's only if we walk in the what? In the spirit that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Jesus, throughout this week, reminded them in chapter 14, in chapter 15, in chapter 16, he says, I know you're discouraged that I'm telling you I'm going away, but it is beneficial for you that I go away because when I go away, I am going to send another comforter, another helper.

And he won't just be with you, he will be what? In you. And he will remind you of all the things that I have taught you, and he will guide you in service to me. Who is he? He is the Holy Spirit, and he lives inside of every redeemed child of God today.

And he will help us to be what we ought to be, to do what we ought to do. If we'll walk in the spirit, if we will yield ourselves to the Lord and to his word, we will succeed. If we will meditate upon his word, which is called the sword of the spirit by Paul in Ephesians six, it will light our path and lead our way. When we step out in faith trusting the Lord, we will receive the strength to do it as Paul as God promised Joshua back in Joshua one eight and nine. Trust in the Lord.

Don't be afraid. He has given us his spirit. The flesh will fail us, but his holy spirit will not. We must abide in who? The key is abiding in Christ, yielding our self to his spirit.

He reminded his disciples of that in John chapter 15 during this week in the upper room. He said, I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman. He says in verse four, abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except you abide in me. I am the vine and ye are the branches.

He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me, ye can do what? For without me, ye can do nothing. What can we learn from the passion week? We need him.

We cannot do it without him. No amount of planning and organizing, no amount of good intentions is going to cut it without the power of the Holy Spirit and abiding in Jesus Christ. If you wanna see victory over the flesh and the devil and sin, spend some time here. Spend some time on your knees. Learn to rely in your savior and not solely upon your good intentions because they will fail you, but he will not.

Learn to abide, to trust, to rely, to get closer to him. That is the key. That is the key. And then finally, lesson number four. True believers and devout followers of Jesus Christ will always be in the minority till we reach the shores of heaven.

When we first read this account in Matthew 21, it may seem that the majority of people in Jerusalem came out in great swelling throngs to lay palm branches at Jesus' feet. But when you go back and you look a little closer, you see it was mainly children and a few others. Yes. There was a a good number of them. But it wasn't it wasn't the majority.

No. The majority well, they show up in verse 10 here of Matthew 21. And when he was come in Jerusalem, the city was moved saying, who is this? They didn't even know who he was. What what's going on here?

They didn't recognize who he was. A matter of fact, few days later, they were crying out what? Crucify him. Crucify him. Crucify him.

Jesus points out it is the children and those least esteem which God often appoints to give him the praise he is due. Paul points out in Corinthians, he has chosen the weak things to what? Confound the mighty. Indeed, those who truly repent and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior and declare it and live it as God commands can be certain that we won't receive a pat on the back and great swelling words of love and encouragement from the world. No.

He tells us something actually much different as he as he experienced. As he came unto his own and his own, what, received him not. In John 17, during this week, Jesus said to his disciples, I have given them thy word. He's actually praying to his father. I've given them thy word and the world hath, what?

Hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world even as I am not of the world. If you are a believer in Christ, you have a home in heaven. This world is not our home.

We're just what? Passing through. We are pilgrims on this earth. Our home is is is much better. But don't expect the world to love you when you declare his name.

John fifteen eighteen and nineteen, if the world hates you, Jesus said, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore, the world hateth you. Matthew five ten through 12, Jesus. Passage we call the beatitudes.

Got to the end of the beatitudes. Blessed are the meek and blessed are are the peacemakers. And then he gets to this. Blessed are they which are, what? Persecuted.

Well, that that doesn't sound right. You know, we think about Christians around the world that are persecuted by their faith for their faith. The first word that comes to mind is how blessed they are to be persecuted. Not often is that the case. We think, oh, how terrible it is that that they face such terrible persecution.

But Jesus says, no. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This they understand this world is not their home. They're looking for something, what, better that's waiting for them. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.

Rejoice and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. You are in good company if you are persecuted for the cause of Christ. Do not be ashamed. Be bold but humble and abide in the what? And abide in the vine because you're gonna need him.

You can't do this. You cannot do this alone. The arm of flesh will fill you. But regardless of whether we are in the minority, we are right. Jesus is the what?

The only way. And the way of Christ is not the way of hate, but the way of of love. That he reminds his disciples again during this week. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Why did Jesus come?

We came because he loved us. Why did the father send the son? He did because he loves us. Why did he die on the cross? But God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet, what, sinners, Christ died for us.

And he has called us to love one another. He has called us to love even our enemies and to pray for them and to share with them the good news. He says in John 13 during this week, a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another. As I have loved you that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if ye have, what, love one to another.

In John 15, he said, this is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this than a man lay down his life for his friends. And as we're reminded in Romans chapter five, Jesus Christ laid down his life when we were his enemies to make us his friends. But we couldn't come to him, so he came to us. We're reminded in Romans 12 not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with what?

With good. And what is good? The love of God is good. And the fruit that comes forth from a heart filled with the love of Jesus Christ, that is willing to take the mocking to tell others that there is a savior, that is willing to stand up for what is right and be bold, but also to be humble. And remember, it is not us, it's him.

We have a wonderful savior. And without him, where would we be? Where would we be? Before you can love others as Christ, you must first accept the love of God and the sacrifice of Christ by faith. Most importantly this morning, have you done that?

As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name. When did you believe on his name? When did you receive his gift of eternal life? When did you come to him in repentance and faith and receive him as your Lord and savior? If you have, you have become his child.

You have a home in heaven. You have eternal life. You have been forgiven, and he will never leave you nor forsake you. But if you have yet to do so, that cannot be said of you, but it could be today if you will humbly come to receive him who gave his life for you. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord. The example set forth and the teaching declared by Jesus Christ, our savior, in these final days before his crucifixion. And, Lord, there is so much more for us to learn even from these few days. But, Lord, thank you for your humility and the example that you gave us, the necessary sacrifice that you made for us. And, Lord, I pray that we would take up that same mind as you, humble ourselves.

Lord, give us boldness to speak your word and to stand for what is true and right and not be ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ. Lord, help us to abide in you and learn that what is most important is to spend time with our savior if we are to get victory over the flesh. And, Lord, thank you for the example of love in the face of hostility. Lord, we will never face the degree of hostility that you face for us, not only from human beings, but from Satan himself as you endured the weight of our sin on the cross for us. Lord, thank you for what you did.

And, Lord, we pray if there's one here today that is yet to receive you as Lord and Savior, that they would come today as we sing this hymn of invitation. And I pray that we who do know you might take a moment as others sing to talk with you today before we leave this place. In Jesus' precious name, do pray. Amen.