Palm Sunday; The Triumphal Entry | The King They Didn't Expect

Amen and amen. Come on, everybody. Anybody happy to be here today? All right, anybody love Jesus in the house today? Yes. Man, all of our campuses, those that are joining us online, those that are in the jails, Lakewood Ranch, would you all put your hands together? Let's just welcome each other. Welcome, God, in the house, so glad that you guys are here. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Bernard Scott. I have the privilege of serving as the campus pastor here at Lakewood Ranch, aka the Dark Shepherd is in the house today, and I am thankful to partner with the greatest pastor this side of heaven, Pastor Randy, and thankful for him and his wife. They're just great, great, great, great, great pastors and friends. And today is Palm Sunday, all right? It's Palm Sunday where we celebrate, you know, this season. This is, we're going into Holy Week, we're celebrating next Sunday the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And of course, on Palm Sunday, this is when you, palms up, everybody, palms up, palms up. This is it. This is our palms right here, baby. Palms up, palms up. Hallelujah. Here we go. Yeah, that's what we do, right? Palms up. It's Palm Sunday. Y'all ready? So this is what I'm going to ask.

I'm going to ask this in a while, but you are allowed to talk back to this preacher. You can say, amen, uh-huh, preach, that's all right. Come on, somebody. You know what it's like, right? You can even get your elbows loose because you might just want to wave that note card and be like, mm-hmm, I hear you. Preach it. And if you get too hot, just fan yourself, just be like, woo, I feel that. That's the presence of God that you're going to encounter today. You help me preach this and we're going to have a good time, all right? Now on this Palm Sunday, let me just start with this. Have you ever misread a moment so badly in your life, right? And you thought later, how did I not see that? Maybe it's only me that went through that. Like when somebody texts you, we need to talk, and you start rebuking demons until you realize all they wanted to do was bless you, right? Or when your wife says, don't get me anything, and you believe her, right? That's not discernment, that's called a setup, right? Palm Sunday is one of the greatest moments in history where people were in the right place, these people were saying the right things, and they were feeling the right emotions, but still missing what God was actually doing. They shouted, Hosanna, which means save us now, but they misunderstood the king they were praising. And here's where the tension lies. You can be close to Jesus, you can be emotional about Jesus, you can even be loud about Jesus and still miss Jesus. So let's stand in this moment for the reading of God's word, because what I want to do is I believe that, you know, you make room for what you honor, so we're going to take a moment to honor God's word, and the best way that I know in this moment is just to stand as we receive, because we're going to be transformed by his word today.

You ready? Out of Luke 19, verse 41, as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, if you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and your children, within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you. Father, I ask that today you would give me the words. Open our ears and our hearts to receive. Remove every hindrance and distraction, and I pray that, God, as we encounter your truth today, that we would be transformed by it, becoming who you've created and redeemed us to be. Lord, we trust you, and we love you, and we ask that you have your way. In Jesus' name, and everybody said, amen. You may be seated. So on this Palm Sunday, this, we're going to go back to the historical context. Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, and when you read the story, it's very interesting. He sends his disciples to get a donkey, and then he rides into Jerusalem on this donkey, and then people start praising him, and they take their cloaks off, and they put them on the ground before him. They grab these palm branches and they're waving them and they're shouting and they're praising him Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord the whole city the Bible says was stirred Now there's a couple things that I want to bring your attention to because the title of my message today is the king They didn't expect The king they didn't expect Now the first thing about this king, I want to talk about the king that they missed The king that they missed so we're gonna slow it down and we're gonna break this down a little bit because this Palm Sunday message It's loaded with meaning. So the first thing let's just look at this donkey

This donkey was not just this, you know It was a very intentional thing the donkey Jesus specifically asked for donkey for a reason and the reason is Hundreds of years earlier Zechariah in chapter 9 verse 9. He prophesied this and he said rejoice Oh people of Zion Shout in triumph. This is what was happening on Palm Sunday, which was spoken by Zechariah hundreds of years ago He says Oh 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 So here's the scene Jesus tells his disciples go get me a donkey He's literally fulfilling Zechariah's prophecy from hundreds of years ago He could have asked for anything but a donkey, but he chose asked for a donkey Kings in that time typically rode on horses in war and they rode donkeys in peace So Jesus was declaring in this moment on this Palm Sunday. He was declaring. I'm not coming to take over Rome I'm coming to take over your heart But they weren't expecting that they were expecting him to be this political Savior He was they were expecting him to save them from the oppression of Rome See palms back then They meant it was a sign of revolution a sign of victory in Matthew chapter 21 verse 8 through 11 It says it's a very large It's telling the same story a very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road while others cut branches from the trees and spread them Out 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 When Jesus entered Jerusalem the whole city was stirred and asked who is this? And the crowds answered this is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee now Palm branches were not just a declaration These palm branches were a political protest. These were political protest symbols It's like this this revolution and this came this happened If you go back to the Maccabean era when the Jews were under oppression and Maccabee helped them to get free

They waved these palms as a sign of victory and national freedom So they shouted Hosanna, which means save us now But here's the problem. They weren't saying save us from sin. They were saying save us from Rome The Crowd had the right praise but the wrong expectation It's just happening even today and I just might as well just say it right now God never set it up so that your salvation would come from an earthly ruler Your political party is not gonna save you Jesus Christ is the one that's gonna save you So we got to get we can't get this twisted. We got to have the right expectation Because people get all worked up and we just start we start worshiping the wrong thing You're not to worship politics or political leaders. You were to worship Jesus Christ. He is the only King The only one the king of all kings Told you I'm gonna preach right now. That's when we get there. They were the crowd had the right praise But they had the wrong expectation They were actually quoted when they were giving him praise. They were actually quoting scripture In Psalm 118 blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord from the house of the Lord? We bless you this Psalm in 118. It's a it's literally a messianic psalm It's it's prophesying once again to this moment that Jesus is coming in to Jerusalem and they're actually Praising using the Word of God. They knew the scripture, but they misinterpreted the mission Here they are doing the right thing, but their heart was far from where it was supposed to be, they were missing the moment. Listen, church, Jesus will not meet expectations, he will execute purpose. I'm gonna say it again. Jesus will not meet our expectations, he will execute purpose. He's always about executing purpose in your life. So don't get confused that when you are asking God to meet a need or when you're asking God to provide for you, those things are great, but this is what I want you to know.

If you have expectations attached to it that are not aligned with him, Jesus is only interested in executing purpose. So every time I get up in the morning, I realize I'm breathing, I have life, that means I have purpose. I'm awake, I'm alive, it's another day to execute purpose. The crowd expected a conqueror, but instead they got a crucified king. It's like ordering a burger and the chef brings you out a five-course meal. You all mad because you didn't get your fries and you didn't even realize you got something way better. You know what I'm talking about? I mean, we're expecting this one thing and we limit God. God's like, I have so much more for you and you complaining about not having your fries when I've just given you a five-course meal. Leave your expectations aside and just don't miss the moment of his visitation in your life. They wanted temporary relief, but Jesus came for eternal redemption. So listen, stop reducing Jesus to your immediate needs and trust his eternal plan over your temporary expectation. Should I say that again? Stop reducing Jesus to your immediate needs and start trusting his eternal plan for your temporary expectations. Trust his eternal plan.

He's trustworthy. They wanted a political king, but God sent them a spiritual savior, the king they didn't expect. They're there thinking, oh, he's coming to take down our political oppressors. And Jesus is like, y'all don't even get it. I'm coming to save you from the devil's oppression over your heart. I'm not interested in this political thing. I'm not interested in what this man-made system that's here. My system is far above man-made systems. I am the king of all kings. Don't be moved or shaken by all the things that are happening in the world. Don't be distracted. I am making a visitation. Are you expecting me to show up in the chaos that's happening around you? I'm doing something. Don't get distracted. Here's where it hits us. Jesus didn't just meet expectation, he fulfilled purpose. Sometimes we praise God while asking him to do something that he never promised to do. We praise him, at the same time asking him to do something that he's never promised to do. This is the king they miss, but here's the other thing.

He's the king who partners. He's a king who partners. God partners with people. I don't know why he chose to do it this way, but this is God. He chose to partner with us. In Luke 19, verse 30, it says, "'Go to the village ahead of you, "'and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, "'which no one has ever ridden. "'Untie it, bring it here. "'If anyone asks you, why are you untying it? "'Say, the Lord needs it. "'The Lord needs it.'" Now, let's just be honest for a minute. That sounds illegal. That sounds illegal. I live in Myakka. You try that out in Myakka. Just go up to somebody's house. I'm taking this donkey. What do you mean you're taking it? Pastor Bernard needs it. You're gonna get shot, okay? That's what's gonna happen. It sounds illegal. It's like, what are you talking about? But I don't want you to miss this. Jesus could have created a donkey. Actually, he could have had the donkey come to him.

Remember Noah's Ark? Noah didn't have to go chase animals. God brought the animals to him, and they got on the boat. Jesus could have had the donkey come to him, but no, he chose to partner with his disciples. He said, go get the donkey. Why is that important? We need to partner and not spectate. Amen. We need to partner with him and not spectate. Now, here's what's interesting. Everybody has an opinion, and everybody wants to complain, but nobody wants to partner. Everybody wants to complain. to complain, but nobody wants to partner. And this is what happens. It's crazy. I mean, I know we live in a crazy world and you're entitled to your prison, but you're not entitled to express it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If you think you're playing hard to get and that situation, you're complaining isn't helping because you're partning with a different spirit. God wants to partner with you. If you want to see heaven on earth, stop your griping and start partnering with him so that heaven can flow through you and maybe bring about the change. iele le le Well, he comin' off. Who he think he is talken to me like that. Just part . . I'm partnerin' with him right now. I had to say it that way

and that's how he said it to me. I love you. So here's the deal. Stop waiting for God to do everything. Sometimes he's actually waiting on you. Like God, won't you, won't you do, won't you do? And we will stay, listen, we will stay. Whatever the need is in our life or whatever we think needs to move and change and shift in order for you to be better, sometimes there might be something that God be like, look, I want to partner with you. If I just brought this to you, then it wouldn't develop something in you. I choose to partner with you. So I want you to begin to take some steps with me so that you can actually walk into your healing. Are you with me? Boy, it got quiet up in here real quick. I'm not in a monastery, I know that. I'm in church, praise God. So here's the truth. God's kingdom moves through people. Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. Where? On earth as it is in heaven. How is it gonna be done on earth? Through us.

So sometimes you go, sometimes you give, sometimes you do both, but the key is to partner with God. And you're always invited to do so. So yeah, he's the God who partners, but he's also, he's the king who rides low, not the king who low rides. Okay, there's a difference. He's the king who rides low, not the king who low rides. I don't know what it is, but you know, you get a nice ride, a certain car. Certain cars you get in and there's just something, your body just kind of goes into this like position, like you, and you driving by like, yeah, what's up, homes? You know, you're just driving at this, this whole attitude. What is that? That's pride. Check me out, low riding. That wasn't Jesus. He wasn't doing that. He's the king who rides low, but not low rides. So here's the expectation that they had. They expected a conquering king, but instead they got a humble savior. They were expecting Jesus to be on a war horse, but he came on a donkey. They were expecting him to exert his power, but yet he exerted his humility. They were expecting him to defeat their enemies, but yet he came to die for their enemies. They were expecting him to take control

of the political system, but he came to serve everybody. Here's the truth. Jesus will not meet our expectations. He will always execute purpose. They wanted temporary relief, but Jesus came for eternal redemption. This is the king that they didn't expect. They didn't realize it was about an eternal thing that was happening. They thought it was about a natural thing, which brings me to the king they missed was the king who weeps. The king who weeps. In Luke 19, verse 41 through 44, you heard me read it at the opening of this passage, but as they're praising him and as they're celebrating him, Jesus begins to weep. The reason why he's weeping is because 38 years later he knew what was coming to them. They're praising, thinking that he's gonna help them take over Rome and to conquer the enemy of the political system that was there. Jesus was coming, recognizing that I'm actually coming to save your heart, I'm coming to bring you peace, and you're missing the moment. So Jesus began to cry, and it says the actual translation of that word there is he's actually sobbing. Now there's only two places in the scriptures where it talks about Jesus weeping, and the first one was Lazarus, and after Lazarus died,

it says Jesus wept, the shortest scripture in the Bible. Jesus wept, and those tears, it's kind of one of those just when you're just sad, just those kind of silent tears. It's just like, you know, macho tears. You know? Because he knew he was about to raise Lazarus, so it was like, oh man, this is sad, but not very sad. You know, it's one of those kind of tears. But then this other tear, Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, here he is, they're praising him, Hosanna, Hosanna. He's, it's ugly cry. You ever have an ugly cry? I've had an ugly cry, and my wife, it scared her, because she's like, I ain't never seen him cry like that. I've had that cry before. It's not often, but I've had it, and that, is it just me that's had an ugly cry before? You know what I'm talking about? You with me? Okay. He's, I mean, overcome with emotion, and I'm sure, they're so missing the moment, they're like, look, he's so excited, we're praising him. But he was sobbing, because they were so lost, and didn't even know how lost they were. They had no idea what was coming. He's weeping over the people that are praising him, because they missed him. They wanted political peace, but Jesus came for personal peace.

Here's the powerful truth. You can live in a free country, and still be bound. Or you can live in oppression, and still be free. It's like Paul and Silas. Here they are, in prison. They are bound by chains. They're encircled by bars, and they're in this prison, but yet, they're free on the inside, and so they begin to worship, as a result of their freedom, that was happening on the inside, and what began to happen on the inside, the freedom that they had on the inside, eventually became expressed on the outside, as the chains end up falling off. The prison gates opened, and they walked out of the place that held them bound, but they were already free. So the reality is, you can live in a free nation, and still be bound, because you're thinking, all of these things that people do, those things are causing you to live beneath. You can't be who God wants you to be, because we don't have the right president, or we don't have the right this, or we don't have the right that. Listen, that is superficial. All that you need is Jesus Christ, because whom the Son sets free, He is free indeed. Yes, Lord.

Yes, Lord. Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed. If I sit here and say, well, when this changes, then I'll be okay. What I've done is I've just given that thing the power that only God should have in my life. It's like saying, well, if my wife would only do this, then I'll be okay. No. If I would just submit my life to the King of my life, and recognize, if I put the weight of what only I should put on God on someone else, I've just created an idol. And God said, don't have any other idols, no other gods besides me. Are you with me? Yeah. Ooh, that's good preaching, B. Go ahead, just. My God, yeah. Hey, what does that mean? You can be loud and still be lost. The crowd was loud in their praise, but lost in their purpose. They shouted Hosanna on Sunday, but days later, the same group of people were crying out, crucify him. Why? Because they thought he was coming to deliver them from Rome.

So here they are shouting, crucify him. They're all upset because Jesus didn't perform according to their expectations. So here's the truth. You can praise Jesus, but you can also still misunderstand him. So here's the application. Let me ask you this. When was the last time you wept over lost people? We're so quick to complain about people and get angry about people, but we're very slow to pray for them. And God says, why aren't you praying for them? See, your complaining isn't gonna change anything, but prayer does change things. So have the same heart that Jesus did. Jesus wants everybody to experience the peace that he came to give, but so many people don't have it, so they're operating out of the pain rather than the peace. And if they could just know his peace, if they could just know his peace, they can stop operating out of their pain. So begin to weep over people that don't know the truth rather than complain over the people. That person that cuts you off, that person that disrespects you, that person that says this. Weep for them, because they just don't know the peace that's been offered to every human being on this planet.

Can you feel the weight of that? Don't build your faith on outcomes, build it on truth. I'm gonna say that again, we gotta just sit with that for a second. Don't build your faith on outcomes, build it on truth. Even if God doesn't do it your way, he's still God. Now what does this mean? Sometimes we just want an outcome so bad, we want an outcome, we want an outcome, we're praying for an outcome, but we're not standing on the truth of God's word. We're not standing on the truth of who he is, we're not even standing on the truth of who we really are. I've been made in the image of God, and if I'm just focusing on an outcome and missing the one who is present with me, he says, I'll always be with you, I'll never leave you, I'll never forsake you, here's the deal, he is Jehovah Jireh, my provider. So I choose to focus on Jehovah Jireh, my provider. I don't care how you meet the need, I'm just gonna worship you, because in your presence, everything changes. There's fullness in your presence, fullness of joy, fullness of peace, fullness of love. Everything I need is in your presence. So now I'm not gonna try to control, I'm not gonna try to manipulate. I'm gonna release my expectation to just be in your presence.

See, when we miss that, we don't give the worship that he's due. And I wanna warn you of this, you can be replaced. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. What do I mean by that? Listen, be a worshiper that won't be silenced. What do I mean by that? The Pharisees, as Jesus is coming in and the people are worshiping, the Pharisees are sitting there going, tell them to be quiet, Jesus. And Jesus looks at them and he says, if they don't praise me, these rocks will cry out. What was he saying? You could be replaced. So instead of complaining, just imagine, you have this visual with me. You're walking outside and you're griping about whatever. Well, blah, blah, blah, blah. And all of a sudden, a rock goes, hallelujah! And you're like, who said that? You're walking by this tree and all of a sudden it goes, the tree goes, glory to God! And you're like, what? In the middle of your, if you could just hear, because while you're complaining, God's like, you know what, I'm gonna just have nature praise me because you're refusing to do so. Hee hee hee hee, my God. Let me say this.

Let me say it like this. Don't let critics, skeptics, or even church people talk you out of your worship. Don't allow your circumstances to talk you out of worship because creation is ready to replace you. You can't muzzle creation when it comes to the creator. Everything that God made has been, all of it gives God praise. In its glory, it glorifies God. When an orange tree produces oranges, it's a praise to God. When an apple tree produces apples, it's giving glory to God. As the grass grows and the flowers bloom, it's all giving glory to God. As the bees begin to do all of its thing to create the produce that we have, it is God being glorified. Nature will glorify God, why won't we? Praise him because he's worthy. You can't miss the moments Jesus prophesied. He said, glory to God. You can't miss the moments Jesus prophesied that Jerusalem's destruction's gonna come and 38 years later it happens in this very scripture. And he said, why is this gonna happen? Because they didn't recognize, they didn't recognize the time of God's visitation. They missed their moment. And while you're complaining about your politics,

God is working a purpose. While you're complaining about your relationships, God is working a purpose. While you're complaining about your health, God is working a purpose. While you're boasting about your success, God is working purpose. And while you're praising him for a great life that you're having, Jesus, God, King of all kings, is working a purpose. So don't miss the moment of his visitation. You're celebrating, God, I'm so blessed, I'm so thankful. Yes, but don't miss the moment of your blessing. He's blessed you so that you can be a blessing. Which brings me to the last thing. They missed this king, but they're gonna get another chance because this is the king that they will see. We get a redo. And in Revelations chapter seven. In verse nine it says, after this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and before the lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands and they cried out in a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb.

Imagine this great multitude. This is the redemption of Palm Sunday. The first Palm Sunday, they missed it but they get a redo in Revelation when we're all standing before the throne of God. When we'll have clarity at that moment. We'll have clarity and I don't want you to miss the connection because the first Palm Sunday, there was confusion, there was misunderstanding, there was wrong expectations. He's gonna deliver us from this political system and yet they missed that moment. But on the final Palm moment when we're standing before the throne with perfect clarity, with perfect unity, with full revelation, we will be standing in this moment and we'll get this redo, this declaration where we understand the first time they thought he came to save a nation but he actually came to save the world. The first time their praise was emotional but the second time their praise is eternal. The first time, it's interesting, they missed the moment but the second time, nobody's gonna miss the moment. This is our redo moment. Palm Sunday says, I don't fully get it but Revelation says one day we all will and that day starts today. I get it, it's like watching a movie twice. The first time you watch it, you're like,

and I'm kind of confused but the second time you watch it, all the pieces come together. Or if you're watching that movie and you're like my wife, you're asking questions all throughout the movie and it's like, can we just wait till we get to the end? Just let her, well, why are you saying that? Well, why are you doing that? Or she talks to the screen and like, move, he's coming, move, get out of there. You know, you're like, they can hear you. Love you, babe. But here's what I want you to understand as I wrap this up but we're far from over. I just feel like preaching another hour but I'm not gonna do that. When we're in his presence, everything clicks. So this is what I want to challenge you to do. Stop trying to control Jesus. Stop trying to manipulate him. Ask yourself, am I following him or am I trying to manage him? Here's the second thing, praise him for who he is even if you don't understand. Say, I trust you. And then live like you're already in that Revelation 7 crowd. Live like that with this understanding that man, God, you saved me. God, you love me, I'm your son, I'm your daughter. I've been made for love and you love me.

No matter what happens in and around me, God, I'm safe with you. This time, there's no confusion, there's no division, there's no distraction, just perfect clarity because this is the king who came for me. Palm Sunday was praise with confusion but in Revelation, it's praise with clarity. Imagine it, every nation, every tongue, every tribe, every color, every people group standing before the throne of God, just worshiping, not for our agenda or asking him to fit our agenda but we're there with this revelation and this clarity that he truly is a king that brought us victory and so our revolution was not for salvation from our political system but it is, it will be total freedom from this earthly system that is full of death and decay and sin. Jesus came to set us free and we'll be able to stand there and say before the throne of God, you are worthy, you are worthy and we thank you for your goodness. Let's get a picture of this in Revelation 19, verse 11. It says this, then I saw heaven open on a white, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True. I'll get a picture, I'm gonna pause here because in this Palm Sunday, he came on a donkey but now when we get to heaven, he's gonna be on the white horse, right?

And this is what he says, Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. See, this king, this is the time now that the king, Jesus, is riding the horse because now he's gonna deal with the enemy, he's gonna deal with Satan, he's gonna deal with all the darkness. Now he's on his war horse. His eyes were like flames of fire and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. Come on out worship team. He wore a robe dipped in blood and his title was the Word of God The armies of heaven dressed in the finest of pure white linen followed him on white horses. Nobody's on a donkey now From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod He will release the fierce wrath of God the Almighty Like juice flowing from a winepress and on his robe at the thigh was written this title King of all kings and Lord of all lords Come on somebody The king that they didn't expect is the king that we desperately need The king that they didn't expect is the king that we desperately need The king that they didn't expect is the king that we desperately need so on this Palm Sunday We can actually practice now what we're gonna be doing in Revelation at the throne. We can stand on our feet We can lift our palms and we can begin to give God the praise that he is worthy of Because he's the king of all kings and the Lord of all lords