Through the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) you can quickly manipulate photos and create voice-recordings that sound like the voice of a famous or influential person.
I read an article about a financial worker who wired $25 million dollars to who they thought was the CEO of the company because they thought they were on a ZOOM call with the CEO and some of the other board members.
The financial worker was suspicious but the video was so authentic and compelling they wired the money.
AI is creating fear. We already live in a culture of fear and distrust.
We distrust our politicians.
We distrust the media.
But we do trust social media and the video and images we receive from friends shared there, but it seems now that we cannot even trust these two minute videos we love so much on Youtube.
Who should we trust? How can we know if this video or this voice call is real?
I took a test on CNN website to try and spot the fake pictures vs the real pictures. I didn’t do so well. I only guess right on 1 out of 4 pictures.
Jesus entered Jerusalem in what your bible might call the Triumphal entry. He entered at a time of fear and distrust.
During this time of fear and distrust. He entered in a rather unusual fashion riding on a donkey.
Why come in riding on a donkey? So that people would know that he is the genuine article and that he can be trusted. In riding in a donkey
This donkey ride symbolized that …
Jesus truly is King and we can trust him. He rightly receives the praise he is due, and he shows compassion for those who will soon turn against him.
Jesus’ donkey ride is described in all four gospel accounts. It is a very important event.
I will read the description of the event in Matthew and we will discuss three symbolic elements, Jesus’ response, and then our response.
Matthew 21
21 When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”
4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
5 Tell Daughter Zion,
“See, your King is coming to you,
gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt,
the foal of a donkey.”
6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!
10 When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Three Symbolic Elements
Symbolic Element 1 – The Donkey
If you were writing this as a Hollywood script, would you put Jesus on a donkey?
Jesus is the hero of the story but is a donkey fitting for the hero?
Walking is the normal mode of transportation for most people during this time. Jesus was accustomed to walking, so he did not request a donkey because he was tired.
For us, driving a car is the normal mode of transportation. Right? How many of you drive a car or own a car? Most of us. Some of us have the fortune or misfortune of owning multiple cars.
But how many of you arrived at church today in a limo? No one… right? It’s ok if you did, but I assume you didn’t.
What would we do if we were standing in the foyer and a limo comes down Oliver, pulls into the parking lot and pulls up the front door?
We would probably all stop and stare and think… Who is that? Who is coming to church today? Mahomes? Taylor Swift? Bill Gates? Who is it?
We all drove cars to church but if you arrived in a limo it would communicate something about your status. You are wealthy. You are important (or at least you think you are). You are a dignitary.
Riding in a limo = you are important
Riding on a donkey = you are an important person.
Jesus requested a donkey to fulfill an OT prophecy and to communicate something about his identity. He is the King
Matthew and John both tell us that Jesus rode on the donkey to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9
John in his gospel tells us that at first the disciples did not recognize the symbolism but later after Jesus was risen from the dead, they remembered what happened and it made sense to them.
The ride on the donkey points backwards and forwards.
It points back to an OT Prophecy about the coming King.
It points forwards to the time when Christ will return.
On the ride into Jerusalem Jesus was coming to purchase peace.
On his second ride he is presented as riding a war horse and bringing judgment.
Symbolic Element 2 – The Clothes and Palm Branches
By placing their clothes on the road people were symbolically placing themselves under Jesus.
Think of this like rolling out the red carpet.
In our society we roll out the red carpet to welcome an important person or dignitary.
2 Kings 9:13 when Jehu is anointed as King of Israel, the men with him quickly take off their robes and lay them on the ground for him to walk on.
It was a spontaneous response and showed that these men were willingly subjecting themselves to the new King’s authority.
Laying your outer garment may be similar to rolling out the red carpet but it is vastly different because it is much more personal and costly.
Imagine the president getting off Air Force one and everyone there to greet him begins to take off their suit coat and put it on the ground for him to walk across, that is much more personal than the red carpet.
Two purposes for the outer garment.
- Protection
- Status (how wealthy are you, how important are you)
Taking off their outer garment and placing it on the road before Jesus, these people are saying to Jesus, we place ourselves under you. You are our protector. You are our provider.
Our natural tendency as humans is to hide or self-protect or to make yourself look better than you are. The outer garments represent our normal human tendency.
Who or what do you look to for protection?
(wit, charm, physical strength, intelligence, beauty)
Who or what are your symbols of status? They could be the same things that provide protection.
If I take off my outer garment, Jesus will see me for who I am. Yes he will, but he already knows you better than you think and he is glad for you to submit to him.
Our best outer garments are not able to provide or protect us.
As we turn to Jesus we give up self-protection and self-promotion.
Jesus is meant to be our ultimate protector. He is meant to be our ultimate provider.
Symbolic Element 3 – The Praise
The people behind and before Jesus are declaring:
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Hosanna is a Hebrew word.
The word means Save Us!
It is both a declaration and a prayer.
You are the only one who can save us.
Would you save us?
Jesus is called the Son of David. Kingship follows the family tree. David, Israel’s greatest King, was promised to have a successor who would restore Israel and judge the nations.
This coming King would have an eternal rule on David’s throne and the people are assigning this title to Jesus.
The Jewish leaders are troubled by the praise that Jesus is receiving. They know that only one person should be referred to as the son of David. That person is the Messiah, the one promised to restore Israel and be hope for all the nations.
So in Luke 19:39 the Jewish leaders tell Jesus – Rebuke your disciples. Your disciples are claiming that you are the messiah, but you are not. Tell them to stop!
Jesus says, NO – If they are silent the rocks would cry out. I am who they say I am.
What do we learn from Jesus’ response to the outer garments and the praise?
JESUS Accepts the title of King
As Jesus is riding on the donkey…
The people lay their outer garments on the road.
Jesus is silent.
The people assign him the title of King.
Jesus is silent.
His silence gives approval to the crowd proclaiming him as King. If he did not want to be known as King he would have silenced the crowd or told his disciples to pick up their outer garments.
Well maybe, Jesus didn’t want to hurt their feelings so he let them praise him even when they shouldn’t. Jesus does not have a problem rebuking his disciples just ask Peter.
When Peter tries to instruct Jesus, Jesus says to Peter, ‘Get behind me Satan.’ Ouch! Jesus does not have a problem saying what needs to be said.
His silence gives approval.
Jesus is very comfortable with the title of King.
Are you comfortable with Jesus having the title of King in your life?
“I prefer to think of him as Savior.” That’s good but if he is going to be your savior you must TRUST him and him only.
“I like the image of the shepherd caring for the sheep.” Me too, but the shepherd has a rod that he uses to lead the sheep where they ought to go.
“A King provides, so I’m happy with Jesus being King because he provides for me.” Yes, but what if he does not give you what you want. Can he still be King?
“I think he is a good teacher.” Yes but he taught to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.
It does not matter if we are comfortable with the idea of Jesus being King. He is the King. He will always be King. He is very comfortable with the title of King.
Here is the wonderful news – He is a King like no other.
Jesus is a compassionate King.
He knows that lies ahead for him in Jerusalem – abandonment, loneliness, mockery, torture, rejection, and death
He responds with compassion.
Luke 19:41-42 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, 42 saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
He Wept
He did not weep out of sorrow for his own fate, he wept because of the blindness of the people of Jerusalem.
When was the last time that you wept because people around you were blind to the reality of sin?
When was the last time that you wept because people close to you are indifferent to Jesus?
I can easily become indifferent to the blindness of those around me. God help me. God help us.
Rather than condemning those who were about to turn on him, he had compassion.
Who does that? Only Jesus.
Jesus truly is King and we can trust him. He rightly receives the praise he is due, and he shows compassion for those who will soon turn against him.
He is the servant King.
Matthew 20:28 the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Soon he will not be riding on the back of an animal.
Soon he will have a cross on his back and will be walking through the streets of Jerusalem.
Soon the crowd who is cheering him on will be shouting “crucify him!”
He will be crucified with criminals and placed in a borrowed tomb.
The King will die a criminal’s death and be buried as a poor man in someone else’s tomb.
On Easter and every Sunday we celebrate the fact that he came back to life just as he predicted he would.
He is the victorious King. He will return as the victor to earth to judge every person.
Are you living under his authority?
Are you trusting in the protection he provides?
The pilgrims on the road with Jesus took off their outer garments and laid them down.
In laying them down they said – you have authority over us.
In laying them down they said – you are the one who protects us.
In laying down their garments they said, you are the one who provides for us.
Taking off their outer garment was a personal, public act.
Have you taken off your garment of protection and laid it before the compassionate King and asked him to protect you? Have you asked him to save you?
Everyone has lived in rebellion against the King’s rule.
Because of rebellion (sin) humanity lives under judgment.
Judgment requires a sentence and the sentence is death and separation from God.
Jesus, the compassionate King, fulfilled the sentence for our rebellion by dying on the cross.
Christ rose demonstrating the sentence had been fulfilled.
Christ will return and those who belong to him will be with him forever.
If you have not received the protection of the King, what are you to do?
Believe and receive.
Believe that your outer garment of good deeds, intellect, wealth, family heritage, or whatever else you wear will not protect you.
Believe that only Jesus can protect you.
John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life but whoever rejects the Son will not see life for God’s wrath remains on them.
Receive protection from the compassionate King Jesus. Cry out like the pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem – Lord Save me.
If you are trusting yourself for protection, you are in a dangerous position.
Jesus last rode into Jerusalem on a donkey gentle and weeping.
When he returns he will be entering as one on a horse, the Victorious conquering King.
He will come to judge. Those who have looked to him for protection will have it.
God’s wrath will remain on those who have not looked to him for protection.
Please ask yourself – Am I living under the authority and protection of the King?
When you live under the King’s authority, you enjoy the king’s protection and provision.
Enjoy the King’s Provision
He has provided for us through the instruction of his word and the guidance of the church.
His word and His church are precious gifts to us. His spirit illuminates His word.
His spirit gifts his church for acts of love and service.
Take him at his word.
If you have accepted the protection that Jesus provides, you no longer live under God’s wrath. You are secure.
Take him at his word.
His mercies are new every morning. Confess your sin and he will forgive.
Yeah but I committed the same sin over and over again isn’t he tired of hearing from me? NO
He wept with compassion for the people who were about to condemn him to death.
Yes – He has compassion for you.
Take him at his word
God is actually with you.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
All the time, In every situation help from God can be found. Always!
Enjoy the King’s Provision
Obey His Word
The residential speed limit is 30 MPH. If I go 60 hop the curb and hit a tree, it’s not the fault of the homeowner for having a tree. It is not the city’s fault for not having wider streets.
The limits are there for my protection and flourishing.
Freedom and flourishing are found by walking within the limits of God’s word.
Our King is compassionate and good. He wants us to flourish under the instruction of his word. He does not require us to figure him out. He requires us to trust and obey his word.
Live in honest fellowship with His Church.
Jesus did not purchase our salvation on the cross so that we could learn to be self-reliant.
Jesus brought us into his family so that we might enjoy the fellowship and guidance of the church.
His local church is the expression of his bodily presence in the world. God has given us a tremendous resource in the church.
We cannot get bored with being the church. We cannot get bored with loving one another. We cannot get bored with being honest with one another. Confessing our sins to each other, bearing one another’s burdens, praying for each other, working together to reach the lost.
God is making his multi-facet wisdom known through THE CHURCH.
We experience God’s protection and provision as we live under the authority of the church.
Christ the risen victorious King has designed the church to be a great resource for you. Use the resource that the King provides. Live under the authority and protection of the church and enjoy what he, the compassionate King, has provided.