Road to the Cross

Matt. 21:1-11

Intro: Today we will look at the last week of Jesus' life on this earth. Today we begin with Jesus' triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem.

Jesus had spent the night before in the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Jesus had nothing of this world's goods. In order to fulfill the Scripture of Zachariah 9:9 that the Messiah was to enter the city riding a colt, Jesus had to borrow the colt. How materialistic we become, thinking we must have things in order to live!

He told His disciples where to find a donkey. They were to take the donkey and the colt and to bring them back to him. What was the significance of this event? By entering Jerusalem on a donkey, Jesus fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem in this way. Luke 19:41-42 (NKJV) ⁴¹ Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Jesus was the

Many in the crowd apparently understood that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, shouting, “Hosanna”—which means, “O Save!” and calling him “Son of David.” The people were excited because their long-awaited king had arrived, and for a time Jesus had their support; however, they failed to understand what kind of king Jesus was. He was not entering Jerusalem as a conquering warrior, but as a peaceful king riding upon a lowly animal. The throne that he was about to claim was not a golden throne, but a wooden cross. Sin enslaves us--but Christ gave his life as a ransom for our sins. The people would turn on Him before the week was over.

I. JESUS GOES TO THE TEMPLE in Matt. 21:12

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, He entered the Temple. As the Messiah, he was a priest as well as a king, and the temple was the dwelling place of his heavenly father. This entrance would mark the beginning of a dramatic confrontation with the religious authorities who ran the temple. Jesus does the following:

II. He cleanses the temple (Mt. 21:12-13). The temple was where people came to offer sacrifices for their sins. They would give an animal to the priest, and he would sacrifice the animal and offer it up to God. If a person did not have an animal, he would purchase one. For those who came to the temple from out of town, they would have to change money first to buy the animal. Jesus was upset that this business was being conducted in the temple itself, which was supposed to be a place of prayer,

not a “den of thieves.” He drove out everyone who was buying and selling in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers.

III. He heals in the temple (Mt. 21:14-17). After cleansing the temple, all of the blind and lame come to Jesus to be healed. By caring for these unfortunate people, Jesus turns the temple into what it was supposed to be—a place of healing. How would the religious authorities respond?

IV. Jesus teaches lesson on faith. Matt. 21:17-22) Jesus leaves the city and went to Bethany where He spent the night. In the morning asHe was returning to Jerusalem He stopped long enough to teach a lesson on faith by cursing the fig tree and causing it to be dried up at the roots. Jesus said we could also by faith do the same thing by speaking to our mountain and believing in our heart it will move.

V. He teaches in the temple (Mt. 21:23-27). In the past, Jesus had spent most of his time teaching out in the countryside and in villages. Now he was claiming his right as the Son of God to teach in the temple itself—the domain of the religious leaders. They try to challenge his authority, but they cannot answer any of the religious questions that he asks them. In verses 28-32 Jesus rebukes the religious leaders for their unbelief in Him as The Messiah.

VI. He pronounces judgment in the temple (Mt. 21:33-46). Jesus tells a parable about a vineyard owner who rented out his land and went away on a long journey. When the harvest time came, the owner sent his servants to

collect the fruit, but the tenants killed each servant that he sent. Finally, he sent his son, but they killed him too. The point of the parable was that religious leaders did not own the temple—they were tenants. They and their forefathers had killed God’s servants that he had sent. Now they would kill God’s son too.

From chapter 22 – 25 In chapter 22 Jesus tells the parable of the wedding dinner which was a metaphor of the “MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB.” Many are called but few accept invitation. Leaders tried to trip Jesus up by asking Him questions about taxes and the resurrection and the greatest commandment. In chapter 23 Jesus warned the religious leaders and condemned them. Jesus did this because the leaders were hungry for more power, money, and status. That had made the people lose sight of God, and their blindness was spreading to the whole nation. Jesus once again grieves over Jerusalem for their blindness and rejection of Him as their Messiah.

In chapter 24 Jesus departs the Temple and teaches His disciples about signs and the things that would happen on earth before His return to earth to set up His Kingdom.

In chapter 25 Jesus tells the parable of the 10 bridesmaids. In this parable Jesus is telling those in the church to be ready for His return at any time to take His people home in the rapture or great catching up of the church.

The next event in Jesus' last week was the observance of the Passover feast where He instituted of the Lord's Supper.

VII. In Matt. 26:1-5 Jesus tells His disciples that the Feast of Passover is approaching and warns them concerning His coming crucifixion by the religious leaders.

The Passover refers back to the time when God delivered Israel from Egyptian bondage in (Exodus 12). He had pronounced judgment, the taking of the firstborn, upon the people of Egypt for their injustices against the nation of Israel. As He prepared to execute the final judgment, those who believed God were instructed to slay a pure lamb and sprinkle its blood over the door posts of their homes. The blood of the innocent lamb would then serve as a sign that the coming judgment had already been carried out upon the sacrificial lamb. When seeing the blood, God would pass over that house. Those who believed God applied the blood to their homes and were saved, but those who did not believe did not apply the blood to their homes and they were destroyed, both Egyptians and Israelite's alike.

Then in verses 26-30 Jesus shows that He is the fulfillment of the O.T. Passover lamb by establishing a New Covenant to be confirmed by the sacrificing of His body and blood on the cross. Matthew 26:26-30 (NKJV) ²⁶ And as they were eating the Passover meal, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." ²⁷ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sin. ²⁹ But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." ³⁰ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus was tying the O.T. Passover meal and the Lord's Supper to His death on the cross.

Jesus by the establishing a “new covenant” was showing that He was the fulfillment of the O.T. Passover Lamb.

John the Baptist spoke of this as he was preparing the way for Jesus the Messiah he said in:

John 1:29 (NKJV) "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He was using metaphor of O.T.

Just as the blood of the O.T. Passover lamb caused the judgment of God to passover their houses when applied to the door posts, The blood of Christ when applied to our hearts causes God's judgment for our sin to passover us. We are freed from the penalty of sin thru the blood of Christ.

Jesus offered His body and blood as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind once and for all.

Hebrews 9:28 (NKJV) Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Invitation: Are you ready for Jesus' return? If you die before His return, are you prepared to meet Him? Has Jesus' shed blood been applied to your heart's door? Have you confessed your sins and asked Jesus to forgive you? If not, don't wait another day, do it now.

Remember Jesus walked the road to the cross for you so you could be with Him and the Father in Heaven for eternity!