Already and Forever Settled

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We call this Sunday Palm Sunday because it commemorates a certain event in history. Sunday is the first day of the week and today we begin counting down the days to the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. 

 

John 12 NKJV

12 ¶  The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13  took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”

 

Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 12 all share the account of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a young donkey on a Sunday, just 5 days before He was crucified. That year, like every other year, Jews cameto Jerusalem from everywhere to celebrate the Passover. Only that year they had heard that Jesus was healing the sick, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, and casting demons out of people who were possessed. Many people believed Jesus was the Messiah and everyone was excited to see Him in person.

 

Matthew 21

1 ¶  Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

2  saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.

 

Mark 11

3  “And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”

4  So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it.

5  But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?”

 

Luke 19

34  And they said, “The Lord has need of him.”

35  Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him.

36  And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.

37  Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,

38  saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39  And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”

40  But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

 

John 12

15  “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

16  His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

 

All of their life Jews had waited for Messiah. Their forefathers told them a Messiah would come and set them free from their enemies. The Prophet Zechariah told them to look for this specific sign:

 

Zechariah 9:9 ¶  “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

 

I know the people had to be thinking: Could this be the day? Is it possible we are the generation? The thrill of being chosen to experience what generations had believed would happen had to be almost overwhelming. The faith of the fathers was coming to pass right before their eyes on the Mount of Olives that first Palm Sunday.

 

The people who were there that day, must have felt much like the people who were standing on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, looking into the Promise Land alongside Joshua in his day. Can you imagine being in either one of those crowds of people? 

• Witnessing the fulfillment of prophecies that had been carried in the hearts and uttered by the lips of men and women for generations.

• It must have seemed like a dream come true.

• Chosen to have a ringside seat for such a pivotal moment.

• Personally invited and offered the opportunity to walk alongside the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and to welcome Messiah into His Temple.

 

The Disciples did not recognize how many prophecies were being fulfilled right before their eyes. However, from God’s divine perspective, every prophecy was complete and fulfilled even before time began. With God there is never a “might be,” “maybe,” or “we’ll see” kind of future. With God, His plan is Already and Forever Settled. 

 

Psalms 119:89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.

 

What are some other Already and Forever Settled Truths for the Born-Again Believer?

1. 1 Timothy 1:9 We were in Christ before the world began. 

a. The KJV of the New Testament uses the positional term “in Christ” 77 times.

b. That’s an average of more than once each 3 ½ chapters.

c. God sees the finished work and He keeps talking about it.

2. Galatians 2:20 We are Crucified with Christ.

a. Not will be … maybe some day … hope so …

b. But that we were in Christ before the world began. 

3. Romans 6:4 We are Buried with Christ.

4. Colossians 2:12 We are Raised with Christ.

5. Ephesians 2:6 We are seated with Christ in Heavenly Places.

6. Ephesians 3:20 Our Citizenship Is In Heaven.

 

These things belong to those who have invited Jesus into their hearts much in the same way as those on the Mount of Olives that first Palm Sunday welcomed Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. In this overlay, Jesus is the promised Messiah, and the Temple in Jerusalem represents your heart. 

 

Don’t be like the Pharisees and the doubters of the day. Why try to find ways to test, trick, or trap the One Who came to give His life as a ransom for your soul. It is really worth it to imagine reasons, concoct rationale, or espouse human logic to refute the love of God? He is going to love you anyway. Who benefits from trying to discredit or destroy such love?

 

Give your heart and your hope back to Jesus. Cleanse your hearts and purify your minds, humble yourself and the King of Glory will come in. And you will find rest for your soul.

 

Pray with me now. That’s right … after thousands of years and with all the technology, prayer still works!