Now turn in your Bible again
to Mark chapter 11. Mark chapter 11. Now the title
of the message this morning is taken from verse 9. The crowd Went the four, and
they that followed, and they cried, Hosanna, Hosanna. Which means, O save us. Blessed is he that cometh in
the name of the Lord. Now that's the title of the message.
Blessed is he that cometh. Blessed is he that cometh. In the name of God Almighty. Talking about the coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ to accomplish salvation for us. Now we have
given unto us in these verses in Mark 11. When they came nigh
to Jerusalem unto Bethphage and Bethany. At the Mount of Olives,
He sent us forth two of His disciples. We have given unto us in these
verses the most public entry of our Lord into Jerusalem four
or five days before His death for us as a Passover lamb. He comes here to this city to
accomplish our salvation. He's not going to walk out of
this city. He's going to stay there until he has accomplished
what God gave him to do. That is to accomplish and finish
the work. Our very life in salvation depends
upon his doing. Depends upon his performance. Is he going to succeed? Is he
going to make an attempt? Or will He be absolutely victorious? Now, we know the answer, don't
we? We've read the last chapter. He's exalted, victorious, seated
on the throne in glory, ever living to intercede for us. But here we see the Lord's entry,
His entrance into the city, the city of God, Jerusalem. These
days before his death, he comes here. to observe the Passover. He comes here as a God-man miniatur
to observe the day of Passover, honoring the law of God. And
not only that, he comes here not only to observe the Passover,
but he comes here to BE our Passover sacrifice for us before God. We read in 1 Corinthians 5 verse
7, Christ, our Passover, is slain, is sacrificed for us. So He comes
here as the God-man, as our representative, honoring the law of God. He said,
I came not to destroy the law, but I came to honor it. But we
see more than that. He actually comes here to be
our Lamb of God, the sacrifice for our sin. His life, His death,
His resurrection, His ascension, His enthronement are the things
upon which the hinge and the door of salvation swings, upon
His doing, upon His dying, what He accomplished for us in our
salvation. Now, three or four things in
the way of introduction. He comes to Jerusalem as the
mighty God. He comes to Jerusalem as a mighty
King, as a glorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords to fulfill
all Scripture. We read that in Matthew 21. Let
me remind you the words. All this was done that it might
be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Zechariah 9 saying,
Tell ye the daughters of Zion, behold the king coming unto thee,
meek, lowly, sitting upon an ass. And a coat, the fold of
an ass. So the Lord Jesus Christ died
for our sins. He died for our sins according
to the Scripture. According to the determinant
decree and foreknowledge of God. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God was delivered up for our
sins. So He comes to fulfill all Scripture.
Secondly, the Lord Jesus Christ comes to Jerusalem for a specific
purpose. To lay down His life for His
covenant people. He said in John 10, I lay down
my life for somebody. I lay down my life for the sheep,
to secure their salvation, to accomplish their salvation, to
bring in everlasting righteousness for them. Thirdly, He come to
Jerusalem to pay our sin debt. Oh, the great mountain of sin. Our great sin debt against God. We have no way of paying our
sin debt before God. But the Lord Jesus Christ, who
knew no sin, took our sin-debt to Himself, and put it away eternally
before God by the sacrifice of Himself." We've studied that
in Hebrews 9, 26, remember? He appeared once in the end of
the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Matthew 20, 28 says He gave His
life a ransom, a ransom, payment, When the payment is made, the
prisoners of hope are set free in Christ Jesus. He bought us
with His own blood. We are redeemed with the precious
blood of Christ. He ransomed us. He paid our sin
debt. Therefore, in Christ Jesus right
now, no charge. No condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus. Now we see Him enter into Jerusalem
just as He told His disciples that He would. Remember back
in Mark chapter 10. Turn back over there. Mark chapter 10, 11 verse 32.
Mark 10, 32. The Lord goes to Jerusalem knowing
full well what awaits Him. But he does not turn from it.
He does not flinch. He does not hesitate. He marches
to that end. with resolve in his heart to
glorify God. Mark 10, 32, And they were in
a way going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went before them, and
they were amazed. And as they followed, they were
afraid. And he took again the twelve,
and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, saying,
Behold, we go to Jerusalem, The Son of Man shall be delivered
up to the chief priest under the scribe. They shall condemn
him to death." They did it unjustly. "...shall deliver him to the
Gentiles to be crucified." Talking about the Romans. "...they shall
mock him, shall scourge him, shall spit on him," just as they
did. "...and shall kill him," just
as they did. And the third day, he said, I'm
going to walk out of that tomb. He said, because I live, you
shall live. We see Him enter into Jerusalem
just as He told them He would to accomplish these things. Now
He's going to accomplish all the redemption work the Father
has given Him to do as our High Priest. He prayed in John 17,
Father, I've glorified You on the earth. I've finished the
work You have given me to do. He said, my meat is to do the
will of Him that sent me and to finish His work. Now we see
him going about his priestly work for us, as our high priest
representing us before God. Not as a typical high priest.
He didn't bring that typical animal sacrifice, did He? Not
with the blood of bulls and goats. He redeemed us with His own blood. For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and goats should take away sin. But without the
shedding of blood is no remission. And the Lord Jesus Christ gave
His own life, His own blood, to put away our sin. Oh, happy
day. Happy day. My Savior is victorious. in accomplishing our salvation
with His sacrifice, with His shedding of His blood. Now here's
the first point after the introduction. Now here's the first point. In
verses 1-6, the first thing I want us to take notice of is the Lord's
mighty power. He is in control of all events
of this day. And all events of every day,
the Lord is in absolute control. There's nothing out of control
here. Everything's in absolute order. All the advent and events
are coming to pass just as God decreed they would. For of Him,
and through Him, and to Him are all things. And this same Lord
that ordered all things this day is the same Lord who does
not change. He is in charge that day, and
He is in charge this day. In all things, the Lord is in
charge. Several things we see here. We
see the Lord Jesus Christ display His omniscience of all things. Now what does that mean, omniscience?
That simply means He knows everything. The Lord knows everything. He knows your heart. He knows
your life. The Lord knows all the events
of all things because He orders all things. God's foreknowledge
is not based upon His ability to see the future. God's foreknowledge
is based upon His decree of the future. He knows all things because
He has decreed all things that come to pass. This day is a decree
of God. We see the Lord display His omniscience. We see Him as the mighty God
who knows all things. He says in verse 2, He says,
"...Go your way into the village over against you. And as soon
as you be entered into the village, you shall find the coat tied,
whereon never man set. Loose him, and bring him here.
If any man send you, why do you do this? Say ye that the Lord
hath need of him, and straightway he will send him." And they went
their way, and look what they found. They didn't have to go
around and ask and seek. They walked in, and they found,
just as the Lord said, the colt tied by the door, went out in
a place where two ways met. And they
loosed him, and certain of them that stood there said unto them,
What are you doing? Loosing the colt, and taking
the colt, and the old mare. And they said unto them, even
as Jesus had commanded, and they let them go. And they brought
them to the Lord. We see the Lord's omniscience.
We read in Acts 15, 18, Known unto God are all His works from
the beginning. So we see His omniscience. Secondly,
we see the Lord's display of His mighty omnipotence. Now,
these are big words, but they simply mean, what does the omnipotence
of the Lord mean? Well, He is the Most High Potentate. Omnipotence is God has all power. There is no man here that some
people in these shriners and these masons, they call the leader
the Most High Potentate. Well, that's tommyrot. That's
just pure tommy. That's blasphemy is what it is.
I wouldn't have anything to do with those organizations that
honor men like that. Holy and Reverend is his name.
His name. You say, well they do some good
things. Well, I don't know about that. I know they raise a lot
of money. to their own glory. But my friend
is this, God is the most high potency. And we see the Lord
Jesus Christ omnipotent over all things. His power and providence
is displayed. He arranges all things. He works
all things according to His will in the army of heaven and among
the inhabitants of this earth. And no one can stay His hand.
No one can stop Him. He orders all things arranged
by His sovereign will and decree. Second thing we see is this,
his power over the wills of men. Luke verse 3, if any man say
unto you, why do you do this? You say to him that the Lord
hath needed him, and straightway he will sin. He will comply to the Lord's
command. His power over the will of the
creature. Something else we see, we see
He is still talking about the Lord's omnipotence. We see His
power over providence. His power over the wills of men.
Not only that, we see His power over nature. I hate people when
they talk about mother nature. Don't ever use that phrase. God
is in control over all nature. God controls the rain. He says
over here, rain, over there, don't rain. God controls the
rain. He sends the rain, He sends the
snow, He sends the lightning, He sends the wind. The Lord controls
all things and all creatures. We see His power over nature
and all animals. He rides into town on a wild
ass's coat where never man set. Do you notice that? Verse 2, Bring this coat wherein
never a man sat, and loose him, and bring him. And when they
brought him to the Lord, the Lord, after they had saddled
the young coat, the unbroken, unbridled coat, with their own
coat, the Lord sat on him, and that dumb animal, burden of beast,
beast of burden submitted to the Lord's power, the Lord's
reign. He broke him in an instant and
he rode him into town. That young wild colt didn't buck,
didn't rear, didn't kick, submitted unto the Lord's mighty power. He works all things after the
counsel of His own will. What can we learn from these
things? Well, I'll tell you what we can learn. Several things. The Lord knows His sheep. The
Lord knows His sheep. He's omniscient. That is, He
knows His sheep. He knows His sheep by name. He
calls them out by name. He says, you're mine. You remember,
He called Matthew by name. He called Zacchaeus by name.
In John chapter 11, He called Lazarus out of the tomb by name. Lazarus, come forth. And he that
was dead. He knows His sheep by name, and
He calls them by name. You see, the Lord is omniscient.
He knows the name of all His covenant people. We read in 2
Timothy 2 verse 19, The foundation of God standeth sure. The Lord
knoweth them that are His. He's omniscient. He knows His
covenant people. All that the Father hath given
to Him, they will come to Him. He knows His sheep. Secondly,
He has all power to save them. He has all power to save them.
Because of our total depravity in sin, because of our total
deadness in sin, what does it take to raise a dead, vile, guilty
worm? It doesn't take just some gentle
persuasion. Oh, won't you let God? God's
trying to, but you won't let Him. That's not going to do it. It takes the power of Almighty
God to raise the dead. My God has all power. He prayed
that in John 17. He said, The Father has given
me all power over all flesh that I should give eternal life to
as many as the Father had given me. He has all power to save. He will conquer His people and
overcome them. He will rise them. Rule over
them and make them willing in the day of His power. We read
in Hebrews 7 verse 25, He is able to save to the uttermost
all that come to God by Him. He is able to save because He
has all power, all might, and all dominion. He will conquer
His people. He will arrest their stubborn
will. For He came to seek and to save
those who are lost. That's right. Thy people shall
be willing in the day of His power. We can safely rest and
trust our great God and Savior. With God all things are possible. We can be assured He is mighty
to save. Nothing is too difficult for
our Lord to do. He knows His sheep. And my friend,
He'll save them. It says in John 6, of those given
to them, that he'll lose nothing. Not one sheep for whom he stood
in that eternal covenant of grace can perish, because he saves
them by his grace. He saves them by his power. Remember
the disciples asked this question back in Mark chapter 10? They
were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Well,
who then can be saved? And our Lord answered with men,
Impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible."
Your salvation and mine in the hands of the mighty, sovereign
God, absolute, certain, and sure. You see His power to save. The
Lord displays His power all through the gospel. The second thing
I wanted to notice is this, in Mark 11 verse 7. The second thing
I wanted to take notice of is the Lord's voluntary poverty. His voluntary humility. He takes unto Himself, as God
incarnate, our flesh. apart from sin. Verse 7, And
they brought the coat to Jesus, this wild ass, never been ridden,
and they cast their garments on him, and there he sits on a borrowed ass. The Lord Jesus Christ did not
ride in Jerusalem on a white stallion with a custom-made saddle. He rides into Jerusalem just
as God said he would, lowly, on an ass's coat. He rode into
town on a borrowed ass's coat, with a saddle made of borrowed
clothes. We see his lowliness, his voluntary
poverty. Now think about this for a moment.
When he was born, God incarnate, God manifest in the flesh. He
was laid in a borrowed manger. He didn't even have a bed. He
was laid, do you know what a manger is? It's a couch trough. That's
where the animals feed. They made a bed of straw and
put the bed in a borrowed couch trough. That's lowly. That's lowly. He's identifying
with our humanity. When he crossed the Sea of Galilee,
we read about that, we studied that. It wasn't in a big fancy
yacht. It was in a simple fishing boat
that was borrowed. Belonged to somebody else. When he died upon Calvary's tree
as our substitute and sacrifice, he was buried in a borrowed tomb. You see his humility, his lowliness. And consider this, yet as a mighty
God, he owns all things. For we read in Psalm 50, he says,
For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon
a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains,
and the wild beasts of the field, they're mine. If I were hungry,
I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and the forest
thereof, it's all mine. And yet he impoverished himself
with our humanity, with our sin. And he dies the death reserved
for the most vile, wicked offender, crucifixion. Yet he willingly impoverished
himself to accomplish our salvation. Now listen to these two scriptures.
These are familiar to you. 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. For you
know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich,
rich beyond description, rich in holiness, rich in eternality,
rich in all blessedness, He possesses all things. Yet though He was
rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His impoverishment,
you through His poverty, might be made rich. in righteousness,
in salvation, and in eternal life. Consider this scripture,
Philippians 2, 7 and 8. It says, he thought it not robbery
to be equal with God that made himself of no reputation. He
made himself of no reputation. One man said, can any good thing
come out of Nazareth? The man said, come and see, come
and see. He made Himself of no reputation.
He took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men, and being found fashion as a man. He humbled
Himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. You see how the Lord impoverished
Himself to accomplish our salvation. What a miracle of grace. Here's
the third thing I want us to notice. In verse 8 to verse 11,
here's the king's entrance into his city. Verse 8, and many spread
their garments in the way. Mark 11 verse 8, and others cut
down branches off trees and shrubbed them in the way. Here's the red
carpet treatment. And they that went before, and
they that followed, cried before and behind this great crowd and
this assembly of sinners, saying, Hosanna, save us. Blessed is the King. Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom
of our Father David that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna
in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem. Here's the King's entrance. Oh,
I tell you. What an entrance. Now oftentimes
in our study we've seen the Lord of Glory avoiding large crowds,
passing through large crowds, seeking seclusion from the crowd. Often we've seen Him in the wilderness
and in desert places praying unto the Father. He never sought
the public eye or called attention unto Himself until this day. But now, you remember many times
He said, My hour has not yet come. They sought at one time
to take him and to make him king. He said, the hour has not yet
come. But now the hour has come. Now the hour has come. Now is
the time when he comes to accomplish our salvation in a most public
way. He doesn't sneak into town. He
doesn't come in, nor does he send spies in. He comes in through
the front door. Oh, aren't you glad He's here?
Aren't you glad He came to accomplish our salvation? Ours come now
is the time when He's to accomplish our salvation in a most public
way. In a most public way, in the
fullness of the time God sent forth His Son. God sent forth
His Son. I want you to turn back to Matthew's
record of this in Matthew 21. I want you to notice something
here in Matthew 21. Matthew 21 verse 7, And they
brought the ass and the coat, and put on them their clothes,
and they set him their arm. And a very great multitude spread
their garments in the way. Others cut down branches from
the trees and strawed them in the way. And the multitude that
went before and that followed cried, Hosanna to the Son of
David. Blessed is he that cometh in
the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. And when
he was coming to Jerusalem..." Now here's what I want you to
look at. All the city was moved, saying,
Who is this? Who is this? And the multitude
said, this is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee. Who is this? The whole city was
moved. Are you moved? by the coming
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you moved? The whole city
was moved that day. Everyone took notice. Everyone
set up took notice. Everyone in every house, they
were all talking about the coming of the King, the Son of David,
the Messiah is here. Oh, what an important day this
is. Everyone took notice. Everyone
was saying, well, who is this one? Some were moved with wonder. Some were moved with joy, saying,
Hosanna, Lord, save us. Some were moved with envy and
anger. For we read in Matthew 21, 15,
the Pharisees were sore, displeased. And it says here in Mark 11,
notice down to verse 18. Mark 11, verse 18, when the Lord
came to the temple and drove out the money changers, and put the whip to him. And
the scribes and the chief priests heard it and sought how they
might destroy him, for they feared him, because all the people were
astonished at his doctrine. Some were moved with wonder,
who is this? Some were moved with joy, Lord
save us! Some were moved with envy and
anger and were displeased. They sought to destroy him. My
friend, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has the same effect
on all those who hear it today. Some are moved with wonder, wondering,
what is all this about? Some are moved with joy, crying
out from their heart, Lord have mercy on me, the sinner. And
some are moved with envy and anger. I hope that's not a description
of any of you. I pray that it's not. The gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ divides, my friend. It divides the sheep
from the goats. This gospel message of the Lord
Jesus Christ is either a saver of life unto life, it's either
good news to you, or it's nothing to you. There's no middle ground. There's no middle ground. Our
Lord said, those who are not with me, they're against me. You're either with Him or you're
against Him. There's no middle ground. There's no straddling
the fence. It's either to believe the Lord
Jesus Christ or be damned. There's no in-between. He that
believeth on the Son hath life. He that believeth not the Son
shall not see life. This gospel message is either
savor of life unto life or savor of death unto death. There's
no middle ground. I hope you see that. Here's the fourth thing I want
you to notice. The praise and worship given
unto the King of kings and Lord of lords. In verse 9 they cried,
Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed
be the kingdom of our father David that cometh in the name
of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Lord
save me. Lord save me. I pray the Lord
will make this cry The cry of our heart. Hosanna means, oh
save us. This is what all of us are in
great need of. Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember our message from
a few weeks back, how should we escape if we neglect so great
salvation? May we all approach Him as a
mercy beggar and plead for mercy. That's what we need. God's mercy. You know He delights to show
mercy? This ought to encourage every mercy beggar. I've never
read in scripture one time when a sincere mercy beggar came unto
the Lord Jesus Christ seeking relief, seeking salvation, was
ever turned away. That leper. Lord, if you will,
you can make me clean. I will. Be thou clean. Blind
Bartimaeus, what do you need? Lord, restore my sight! Okay. Here's your sign. I tell you what, that ought to
encourage all of us to seek mercy where mercy is found. In the
Lord Jesus Christ alone. Now lastly is this. I want you
to turn to that scripture I told you to mark. In Zechariah 9,
9. I want to give you a great description
that's given to us here of the Lord's glorious work, His
person and His work. Notice if you will, and I give
this to you quickly. Maybe we'll come back next week
and take a closer look at it. But here's a great description
of the Lord and His glorious work, His person and His work.
Notice, first of all, I want you to point out six things.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of our salvation. Behold,
it says, the King cometh. The wise man asks, where is he
that is born King? Our Lord, as in God incarnate,
is King of kings and Lord of lords. As King, He is the sovereign
in salvation. Behold, the King cometh. He's
not a weak-kneed Savior. He's the King in salvation. Secondly, it says there, He is
a beholding King cometh, and then it says in verse 9, He is
just. He is just. That is, He is holy. He is righteous in all of His
ways and holy in His character. Stephen and Peter and others
called Him the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the just one. He is a just
God and Savior. And then notice thirdly, it says,
having salvation. Having salvation. He's not only
a just God, but He's the only Savior. He is a just God and
Savior. Paul calls the Lord Jesus Christ
God our Savior. He came to give His covenant
people life and salvation. He is the only Savior of sinners. He came to seek and save the
lost. He is called the friend of sinners. He's the only Savior. Notice the marginal reference.
Saving Himself. He is salvation. Fourthly, the
Lord Jesus Christ is identified with our humanity. Lowly. Notice
that. Lowly. Riding upon an ass. Upon
a coat fold of an ass. Totally, fully Almighty God,
yet a real man. As a God-man, He honored the
law and brought in perfect righteousness for us. Lowly. Fifthly, the Lord
Jesus Christ is our peace. Notice he says there, I will
cut off the chariot, verse 10, from Ephraim and the horse from
Jerusalem and the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak
peace. unto the heathen, because he
has dominion over all things. Christ is our peace, he shall
speak peace. Surely no one else has the authority
to speak peace unto sinners but the Lord Jesus Christ. He made
peace with God for his people with his own blood. And the sixth
one is this, Christ is our deliverer. In verse 11. For as thee also
by the blood of thy covenant have I set forth thy prisoners
out of the pit wherein is no salvation, no water. Christ is
our deliverance by the blood of the covenant have I set forth
thy prisoners out of the pit. Redemption and deliverance is
by the blood. Our blessed Lord came to set
His people free from the curse of the law, from the bondage
of sin, from the terror of death, from the grip of the devil. And
He got the job done. He's the surety and sacrifice
of the covenant that's ordered in all things and sure. Hebrews
13 20 declares now the God of peace that brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep to
the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in
every good work to do his will working in you that which is
well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom
be glory forever and ever. Amen. May God be pleased for Christ's
sake to cause us to honor and worship the Lord Jesus Christ
now and forever. May the Lord be pleased to bless
that message and cause us to realize all things that the Lord
has accomplished.