Words Matter: Two Questions

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Key Verse: Matthew 21:11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Matthew 21:1-11 (NKJV) Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5″Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ” 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Two Questions of us 

1. Is He your King? 

• Vs 5 ‘Behold, your King is coming to you • Have you truly bowed down to Him as King?

• Our salvation is the purpose of His coming Luke 19:10 (NLT For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.

2. Are you living life as His subject? 

• Vs 6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them

When He is your King and you’re living life as His subject…action is the result

• Jesus could not have entered the city on Palm Sunday had it not been for the obedience of those sent to get the donkey (verse 4)

Zech. 9:9 (NLT) Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt. • We can’t expect Jesus to show up in our city until He sees the same obedience from us • Jesus won’t fan the flames of revival in our hearts until we fan the flames of obedience in our hearts

Two promises from Him

1. It will change this city 

• Vs 10-11 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?” 11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

• All of Jerusalem was “stirred” because Jesus had arrived “Moved” is Greek word “seio” (SAY-oh) which literally means stirred or shaken

• They had a desire to know who this was because He had captivated the city

2. It will change you 

• Vss 12-14 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” 14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

• Jesus cleansed the temple because the people had made the temple about their own needs rather than about the desires of Christ

• There is a parallel that can be drawn to the church of today. Often, we have made today’s church all about meeting our needs rather than fulfilling the mission of Christ (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Acts 1)

• The church exists to “win people to Christ and grow them in Christ”