The LORD's Day March16, 2008 Palm Sunday

The LORD Always Keeps His Promises

Matthew 21.1-11

This, Palm Sunday, as we call it, commemorates Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, which was eventually led to His arrest and death.

There was a great misunderstanding about what was taking place. This was the emotional peak that the disciples descended from into the valley of despair and hopelessness on Friday. How poor of a guide our emotions are! Yet they are used by many to reach decisions in their lives which results in heart ache and chaos. Many are ruled by feelings of despair. They lose out on the joy that could be theirs because they are worrying about something they don’t need to worry about.

May the Lord also bless your Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter.
Jesus is alive…don’t worry about a thing.

Palm Sunday, this day is so important. What we celebrate today is so very deeply significant. It was an emotional day to say the least. But more than that it was a day when prophecy was fulfilled, a number of prophecies. Jesus was entering Jerusalem, being claimed King- Messiah, knowing full well that a few days later, He would be led out of the city to be crucified between two thieves. The disciples were told this but they did everything but listen and believe it. Jesus told them plainly. They has their own ideas and it did not include their LORD dying on a Roman cross.
Don’t be too hard on them. After all they had seen Jesus do some tremendous miracles. They saw Him tell the winds and waves to stop and they did. What manner of man is this that even the winds and the waves obey Him?! They pictured Him taking on Roman soldiers.
To the crowds it looked like victory on Palm Sunday and defeat on Good Friday. But the crowds seldom get it right. It is finished from the cross was not a cry of defeat but one of victory over sin, death and hell.
The predicament that Israel was in at this time was one that called for a deliverer from God. Jesus fit the bill, the people thought. Their predicament was that they had promises in their Bibles that God gave to David that needed to be acted upon. This Palm Sunday I want to call your attention to something that is very significant. Look over at

II Chronicles 21.1-7 v.7 Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever.

1. God made this promise to David - II Samuel 7.5-17

What an awesome exchange. A man is tested by the praise he receives and David came out of the whole experience humbled. When God does something in our lives we should be humbled.
v.8 I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. You must learn to follow before you lead. God’s best men were shepherds before they led men.
This was an incredible promise to this young man. God’s promises are wonderful. How we need to hide them in our hearts!
If I make I promise to you:
* I could forget I made it. One of the things about children is you never need to worry about forgetting something you promised them- if you do they will remind you with these words: “You promised!” The LORD is faithful to all His promises!” He remembers. Gardening Glove yesterday.
*I could make a promise and then circumstances could make it impossible for me to keep it. Although unlikely and we are to keep our promises even if hurts but still some things could make it so we could not do what we said. Not so with God. He is able, more than able!
This was a very special promise. David well knew that. It was extraordinary. This promise continues to be fulfilled today and has great prophetic significance.

2. Israel broke God’s law and fell under judgment. Ezekiel 2

They were in Babylon 1.2-3
This was at the other extreme of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the city of God, the place of the temple. Babylon was the place of godlessness, the place where man attempted to build a tower to reach the heavens, the tower of Babel, in defiance to God’s Word.
Out of the land- a punishment.
God’s promise with condition: Deuteronomy 4.25-28

3. God promised they would return 29-31
We see the grace of God in the Old Testament.
What a return it was. Psalm 126

Ezekiel was a prophet of the exile and in Babylon as was Daniel.

4. Daniel told about Jesus’s coming Daniel 9.1-24

His prophecy was about the first Palm Sunday when Jesus came as Israel’s Messiah.
The birth of Jesus was wonderful. The death and resurrection of Jesus was wonderful and was the reason He was born. He came to offer Himself up for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Some believe it was Daniel’s writings that influenced wise men to look to the heavens when they knew this time was approaching- thus the wise men from the east who came to worship Jesus.

5. Jesus came on the precise day he said He would v.25-26

"Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens. After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.'’ 69 7's or 483 years. In Nehemiah 2.1 we are given the exact year and month this decree to rebuild Jerusalem was given: Nisan 445 B.C. Nisan is the first month of the Jewish calendar. Since Nehemiah names no other day, the prophetic period must be rendered according to Jewish custom from New Years’ Day. Nehemiah’s date was the 14th of March, 445, BC.
A prophetic year was 360 days. We see this in Daniel and Revelation. (11.2-3) Luke tells us that Jesus’ ministry began in the 15th year of Tiberius AD14.Tiberius began his reign on August 19, 14AD.
Jesus began his public ministry in 29AD Three Passovers after this in 32AD Jesus was crucified. The Julian date of the 10th of Nisan (the Sunday before the Passover that year) was Sunday April 6, 32AD. The length of time between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem March 14th 445BC and the first Palm Sunday April 6th 32 AD when Jesus rode into Jerusalem was exactly 173,880 days, 483 prophetic years of 360 days.
This event of Jesus riding into Jerusalem was so significant.
Several scriptures tell it better than I ever could:
Luke 19.41-44 Matthew 23.37

Jesus spoke about the kingdom of heaven, His kingdom not of this world.
He rode on a donkey into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the prophecy of Zechariah was fulfilled and by the week’s end He was dying on the cross for the sins of the world. He rose again and ascended back into heaven.
Philippians 2. 8-9 He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name...

6. Jesus set up His Kingdom in men’s hearts Luke 17.21

He is in heaven but He comes into people’s hearts and lives within them.
People were looking on that Palm Sunday to have an external kingdom, one on earth, now. They still are looking. As we just said, His kingdom is not of this world.
7. All the promises of God can be trusted because He is faithful Psalm 145.13

God kept His promise to David, even though things got very bad in the nation. The LORD does not change like the shifting shadows. He is true to His Word. His Word is truth.
Jesus came into Jerusalem on the very day almost 500 years later that God said in His Word He would come. He is on time always- always.
This morning whatever promise God has made for His people is for you if you believe. It is so unfortunate that many many people live on a lower level than what they have to spiritually. God has promised abundant life. He has promised perfect peace, even in times of trouble and storms. The LORD has promised to direct our paths. He has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us.

God is faithful to all His promises and He is always on time. When we are waiting patiently for the LORD to act He will and our hearts will be in tune with His will and His time. Jesus came on that first Palm Sunday. God kept His promise made to David and He will keep all the promises in His Word that He has made to you!
The LORD is faithful to all His Promises!