ICEL Sermon Palm Sunday ‘Start of the Holy Week’ ICEL Leuven April 1 st 2012 Pieter Boersema

ICEL 1. Introduction Palm Sunday: the start of the ‘Holy Week’, the week heading for: Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, the Death and burial in the tomb, the Resurrection. Important day in Folk history: the end of Winter (death) and the beginning of Spring (life). Palm Sunday, a day full of emotion: Great expectation. New Life.

ICEL Matthew 21: 1-11 Jesus comes to Jerusalem as King 1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

ICEL 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “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.’”

ICEL 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

ICEL 9 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!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

ICEL Palm Sunday: looking back at the Old Testament The Gospel of Salvation foretold in the O.T. The importance for the believers to see an event as part of a greater story. Summarizing the Gospel of Salvation by looking at the center. This story is also a fulfillment of prophesies in the Old Testament: God’s answer to Israel.

ICEL Entering of the Messiah: the King of Peace Reference to Zechariah 9:9: Your king comes, riding on a donkey. Palm leaves: a sign of triumph and victory (also the clothes on the pathway). Worthy of the highest honour. Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey a sign of peace (riding on a horse: a sign of war).

ICEL Entering of the King: the promised Messiah Reference to Psalm 118:26, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Psalm 118 located between Psalm 117 (the shortest) and Psalm 119 (the longest). Psalm 117: the world, and God at the center; 119: The Torah: the whole Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 118: 26. verse 1: “His love endures forever” last verse 29: Give thanks to the Lord. Jesus wept over Jerusalem: the city of peace has not understood the real shalom (Luke 19: 41).

ICEL Jesus as the Passover Lamb This week the focus is on the sacrifice of the lamb (Passover) and the Messiah (the King at the cross). Reading this story with our knowledge now, it seems inevitable that Jesus is the Saviour. Hosanna (exclamation of ‘Save’) is not the same as accepting Jesus as Saviour. Palm Sunday and Good Friday. Accepting that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from our sins, our transgressions.

ICEL The center of the Gospel of Salvation: The Holy Supper Psalm 118 as an opening psalm to the Holy Supper: “I will not die but live. ……… Give thanks to the Lord, His love endures for ever”. New Life, Messiah: the King of Peace but also the Man of sorrows (Isaiah 53). The understanding of shalom for the world and the believer: God’s righteousness. Partake of the Bread and the Wine as a symbol of invitation to God’s story of salvation. The mystery of God giving His Son for us.