Main Street Jerusalem- Roads Less Traveled #3

A man fell off a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:

"Is anyone up there?"
"I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?"
"Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can't hang on much longer."
"That's all right, if you really believe you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch."
A moment of pause, then: "Is anyone else up there?"

Faith is an easy thing to talk about but another thing entirely to practice. Even when practiced properly, the quality of faith is entirely dependent on what or who the faith is placed in.  This important theological idea has proven to be the deciding factor in every one of the episodes described on Jesus’ way to Calvary and beyond as He has taken the roads less traveled. The faith of a tax collector and a blind man have been awarded with restoration and healing because they discovered Jesus Christ. The road the follows after Jesus Christ is paved with faith. Would this theme continue as Jesus finally arrives in Jerusalem? As Jesus turns on Main Street, we see a people who, because of their “faith,” were giddy and excited. However, the responses found in this passage will reveal the true nature of the “faith” that is expressed.

I. RESPONSE #1: THE CROWD'S RESPONSE TO JESUS-19:37-40

               

As we enter into this story Jesus’ disciples have already made the final preparations for His entrance into the city. This passage describes the ascent to Jerusalem from the town of Bethany. The responses described here took place once the city of Jerusalem was in sight as they descended down from the Mount of Olives, “…as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives,…”(19:37). This small range of mountains stands 2660ft above sea level and lies directly across from the Temple. Luke, in his own style, includes these and other details to add to the drama that is about to unfold. The more frequent use of geographical notes heightens the excitement and suggests that the anticipated key events in Jesus’ life are drawing to a close just as Jesus drew close to the city. It is almost as though the pace of the story goes into slow motion so that we don’t miss any details.

 

It is important to realize that the “disciples” mentioned in verse 37 included the “whole crowd” that had followed Jesus for some time now on the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The two Greek superlatives used to describe the immensity of the group are literally translated “the whole of the multitude of the disciples.”

Think back to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at St Paul’s Cathedral. If you rose early enough to watch or observe any of the coverage, you would have seen thousands of people lining the streets on either side, in celebration of the occasion. This is the picture we get here.  

This enormous crowd comes complete with loud cheering and joyous praise—something that Luke alone mentions (19:37d). It is clear, as Luke reveals, that their cheers found their source in God’s miraculous works. Jesus’ ministry had been characterized by a continuous demonstration of God’s power: The deaf spoke, the blind saw, the lame walked, lepers were cleansed, and the gospel was preached! Their praise was in response to these wonders they had beheld in these last three years of ministry. It was obvious that the crowd understood that Jesus was extraordinary based on what He could do. 

Luke then gives us the content of the crowd’s response, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (19:38). The use of Psalm 118:26 here depicts a leader leading pilgrims to the temple and receiving a greeting of welcome from the priests at the temple, probably on the occasion of some major victory. The key difference between these two passages is the addition of “the King.” While Luke has already made mention of Jesus’ Davidic connection in his gospel, here he explicitly calls Jesus “King.” Truly, the implication was that Jesus, the King of the Jews, was coming to reign and for the time being, these Jews were excited.

The phrase, “peace in Heaven and glory in the highest!” acknowledges God’s work in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ message was a message of hope for the future and peace between man and God in the present, which, in its entirety brings glory in the highest! As Jesus entered the city He presented Himself as the King who brought the nation the hope of peace for which they had so desperately longed.

While the crowd sang its praise, a few were standing in a shadowy corner in no hurry to jump on this bandwagon. Some of the Pharisees quickly tell Jesus to silence the chorus that is growing louder with every stanza, “teacher, rebuke your disciples” (19:39). This presumptuous command given by the Pharisees suggests that they were offended by the confession the crowd was lifting up. They regarded this praise as inappropriate because they could not swallow the fact that Jesus is the Messiah who has been prophesized. This is why they were quick to call on Jesus Himself to put an end to this hellacious carnival outside Jerusalem’s walls.

 

Jesus reacts to this desperate command with deep irony. In an ardent refusal to stop this messianic confession of His followers, Jesus claims that if they ceased in their praise, creation itself would cry out in testimony to Him (19:40). Creation itself is aware of Jesus! Inanimate, base, lifeless creation, is in tune with Jesus’ authority and yet the leadership of the nation of Israel was not!  (Luke is the only one of the gospels to portray the Pharisee’s rejection as a tragic stinging indictment of their lack of judgment).

 

A triumphant entry to say the least! Jesus is greeted by those already in Jerusalem with a king’s reception, songs of praise, and all of the honor due His name. Not even the Pharisees could ruin this moment! However, there is something insidious lurking under the surface of this joyful spectacle—something that Jesus alone can see when He looks out into the crowd. As the camera zooms in on Jesus we are taken into the mind of Christ and made aware of His response to Jerusalem.  

 

II. RESPONSE #2: JESUS’ RESPONSE TO JERUSALEM-19:41-44

 

Undeterred by the Pharisees, Jesus continues down Main Street. Once again the word, for drawing near appears in order to suggest that Jesus is inching closer to His destination (both physically and ministerially as He headed to the cross). However, as soon as Jesus sees the city, He weeps, “When he approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it.”(19:41). But why?

Have you ever been privy to something that others around you weren’t. Maybe you knew the outcome of some competition before the results were announced and watched all of the participants anxious and hopeful that they would win the prize. It is difficult to see. Parents, especially mothers, have you even been asked your child to do something, knowing full well they were going to disobey or divert from your instruction. I imagine it is not a fun thing to go through. This is similar to what Jesus is facing here.

However, what does know that upsets Him?  Jesus mourns because Jerusalem as a whole has missed the nature of the times. Although this day held potential for God’s restoring peace, their failure, the same failure that Jesus had warned them about, cut the celebration short. The note of sadness is introduced by this contrary to fact condition, “if you only knew,…but you didn’t.” This reference to peace is a reference to the gospel message, which, much to Jesus’ dismay would be ignored, or refused by the same people waving their branches. The Gospel, was hidden from the city’s eyes. Blindness was a result from their failure to know Jesus and instead of enjoying the peace that comes from salvation, they would be destroyed. These are the tears of one who knows that the people have already turned their backs on God’s message. Though they acted like they knew Jesus, all they pretended to understand was His works.  

Jesus, like an Old Testament prophet, suggests that important events are about to take place. This would be the payment for Jerusalem’s rejection. Just as the nation had been taken into exile after God’s judgment in the OT, Jesus predicts judgment for the generation He is staring at along the sidewalks. What was supposed to be a visitation for salvation, would become a visitation of judgment.

 “…For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you an every side…” (19:43). Jesus uses war terminology, primarily of a siege in which barricades are raised and an impenetrable perimeter is established. The historical event in view is clearly the attack that led to the collapse of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.              

Jesus follows the three descriptions of verse 43 with two more portrayals of the nation’s demise. First, the nation and its children are will die. The image invoked here of “level to the ground” is a scene of corpses filling the streets (19:44a). Secondly, the description of one stone not being on another pictures the city being completely leveled. The defeat is total. Nothing is left standing. While the stones might have cried out in praise, they are now spoken of being completely obliterated.

This is the antithesis of what God desired for his people, (peace, protection, salvation). But the choice would be theirs and Jesus knew that they would chose rejection. 

The reason for this horrific prophecy and ultimate fulfillment in A.D. 70 is that the nation missed the opportunity to respond to the moment of Christ’s visitation for all it meant. Jesus would not prove to be what they wanted Him to be, (a political figure). Although they should have welcomed Jesus as the Savior of their souls, their blindness proved fatal and less than a week later, this same crowd full of praise and love, would be cheering not for salvation but for the death of the man who triumphantly entered on a donkey days before down Main Street.

So What?

Having looked at these two responses, it is clear that praising Jesus is not enough for salvation. Acknowledging Christ for His miracles won’t bring peace to your life. Joining the bandwagon of worship will not satisfy God’s wrath. Faith must be in the person of Christ Himself after having learned exactly who He is! He is God, King, Savior, Deliverer, Messiah, and Lord. Some reading this today may be living in Palm Sunday or on Main Street. Life has dealt you a good hand, things are going well, and praising Jesus fits easily into your personality, schedule, and behaviors just like it did for these Jews for the time being. But if you really examined your life, you would discover that you do not know Him intimately. Jesus looks at you and weeps because He knows that it is just a matter of time before life changes or some event rocks your world and causes you to turn on Him and curse His name! For many, Jesus won’t be what they want Him to be, do what they want Him to do etc. and because of this, they will turn on Him. We are not called to have Palm Sunday faith (fickle faith that does not save). Do not let the spectacle of Palm Sunday fool you. For the most part, those who lined Main Street would line the path to Calvary.  We are called to resurrection Sunday faith (faith that remains when the miracles cease, when God can’t be heard, and when all hope seems lost). That is where we are headed in our series. However, there are still a few more roads we must take first.