“Triumphant”
Matthew 21:1-16 (With Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and
John 12:12-19)
Pastor Rylan Allen
New Day Christian Church, Sarasota, FL
April 13, 2025
Today we are going to be reading about Jesus’ grand entrance into Jerusalem during the final week leading up to his death by crucifixion.
We’ll be turning together to Matthew 21:1-16.
Sometimes I think about Larry.
We all know people like Larry. They may say that they’re all in with Jesus, but what they really want is to build their reputation, business contacts, or self-image.
Without God’s help, I think life is all about me and my wants and my wishes.
We love someone who talks big, calls shots, and gets stuff done.
The devil lost his angelic place by trying to play god.
Jesus, though, is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. But unlike so many he doesn’t constantly announce and proclaim himself.
Today we are going to look at a passage of Scripture where the people ask of Jesus: “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10)
Alright, let’s set the immediate scene for today’s message.
Jesus and the disciples are going up to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.
Let me take a little side road and answer the question: “So, what’s the Passover?”
The Passover was a time to remember how God spared the Israelites and led them out of slavery in Egypt.
Let’s begin reading today’s text, which has become known as the Triumphal Entry, in Matthew 21.
Now all four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John record this event in the life of Jesus. We’ll focus mostly on Matthew’s account, but we will grab some details, unmentioned by Matthew, which one of the other gospels mentions.
Please follow along as I read from Matthew 21:1-3.
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 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. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.
Jesus walked with his disciples pretty much everywhere he went.
Today he has decided that he needs a young donkey to ride into town.
Why?
Matthew provides the answer as we continue reading in Matthew 21:4.
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “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.”
Matthew explains that Jesus knew the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah—the religious Jews knew the prophecies as well.
The Messiah announced his Messiahship by riding into town on a donkey.
Matthew says that Jesus came “gentle and riding on a donkey.” Jesus didn’t come the way most would-be rulers would.
I don’t think I’m like Tony Stark, also known as Marvel’s Iron Man. I don’t have Stark Towers. I am not a wealthy narcissist.
But I can be selfish and prideful.
Jesus has the right to receive glory, praise, and honor from all, but he came humbly.
Now before we move in our story today, which is a true story from the Bible, let me address a question you may have.
Why did the owners of the donkey just let the disciples take it even after they explained that their lord—think teacher, leader, boss—needs it?
Maybe Jesus had already made arrangements with them earlier. Maybe they knew about Jesus and recognized his disciples when they saw them and heard them speak.
It could also be that they were used to their fellow Jewish believers borrowing things and returning things whether they knew each other or not.
Many of the folks in the crowd with Jesus understand what he’s really doing, and they excitedly join in.
Let’s keep reading Matthew chapter 21, beginning with verse 6.
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:6-9)
There is another crowd in the city of Jerusalem. These are probably the people who live there. This crowd, the people of Jerusalem, don’t really like Jesus. Their reaction to Jesus is quite different.
Let’s pick back up in Matthew 21:10-12.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” 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. “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.”
The city of Jerusalem, and undoubtedly those who lived there, were “stirred.”
Listen now to these last few verses in this section of Scripture. Here we find a couple more groups of people who responded to Jesus in totally different ways.
Please follow along as I read Matthew 21:14-16.
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 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. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”
Let me make a couple of observations.
The religious leaders got mad at Jesus.
Jesus came into the house of worship where they were in charge, and they ran things. And he let some kids echo phrases proclaiming him as the Messiah. That was disrespectful to them and their leadership.
The blind and the lame came to Jesus.
And he healed them!
The children worshipped Jesus.
They didn’t question him.
What can we learn from this account? How do we apply this to our lives?
Let’s ask ourselves some questions. This is a time for a real heart check.
1. Am I worshipping Jesus as Lord, even when he’s not what I expected?
This is what the blind, the lame, and the children did.
This is not what the religious leaders did.
That’s the first and most important lesson for us today.
It’s the most difficult for me too.
I have at times, had the wrong idea that Jesus wants to help me build up my kingdom when all the while he wants to have a relationship with me and call me his own.
Don’t use Jesus to meet your needs, improve your reputation, and build your business contacts.
Know who Jesus is, what he said about himself, and what exactly he is inviting you to when he is inviting you to himself.
2. Am I worshipping Jesus as healer even when he asks me to wait?
There is suffering in this world.
God will bring healing either in this life in answer to prayer or in the next life on the new heavens and the new earth.
God healed King Hezekiah.
Am I worshipping Jesus as healer even when he asks me to wait?
Sometimes we pray and he says, “Yes.” At other times, we pray and God says, “No.” We don’t really like that answer. But sometimes it’s most difficult when he says, “Wait.”
Ultimate healing comes only with patiently waiting for the new heavens and the new earth.
Let’s go to Jesus and trust him for healing for our physical bodies, relationship issues, and financial difficulties.
3. Am I worshipping Jesus as Savior even when others don’t understand?
The children worshipped Jesus even though it really annoyed the religious leaders.
Who are you worshipping? Who’s your God?
Is Jesus, the Messiah, who brings ultimate healing, your God? Do you worship him?
Or, have you really been worshipping yourself regardless of what Christian spin you may have been trying to put on it.
Can I challenge you, the next time you are tempted to skip church, make fun of those who are more expressive in worship, or say, “I don’t think that command from Jesus is that important”—can I challenge you to remember Jesus’s triumphal entry. Remember that he is the King of kings and say instead, “I will worship him.”
Would you cast down your idols, ask God for a clean heart, and turn to Christ Jesus?
He’ll forgive your sins and send the Holy Spirit to live in you. The Holy Spirit will give you new life and the power to obey God.
The Bible says that the day we want to put our faith in Christ and turn to God and away from our sins, we are to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, the ultimate King of kings, and be baptized.
Why not take the step of baptism today?
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