Who Is This?
Matthew 21:1-11
I. He is the (Matt. 21:1-5)
Here we certainly see the sovereignty of God as he knew where the donkey would be, that it would be tied up, that the disciples would be questioned about taking it, and that the owner would willfully let the donkey go upon hearing its for the Lord.
Here again, as is common in this gospel, Matthew is showing that Jesus did something to specifically fulfill an Old Testament prophecy that showed up in one verse in a minor prophet. Matthew is showing us once again, this Jesus is the one you’ve been looking for.
Jesus is who you are looking for! If you were Jewish you should see clearly here that he was the Messiah. They were waiting for Messiah and here He was. Now you may not be Jewish today, but you’re still looking for purpose and fulfillment. You’re still looking for the whom God has placed a longing within your heart. Here He is! Jesus is the promised One.
II. He is the (Matt. 21:6-9)
They were giving Jesus the royal treatment as they celebrated the king that they thought was going to come and free them from Roman rule and reestablish national Israel. This is the picture of a king.
However, the unusual thing is that Jesus is on donkey colt. This is not a war horse. This is not chariot. This conquering king comes in on a donkey colt.
These people thought they were getting a human king. But they were really getting so much more!
This Jesus is King! He is the conqueror and ruler of all. Nothing is outside of his power or control. He is in charge, and following Him is following one with ultimate power and authority.
He is humble. He is holy and great and worthy of all glory. Yet, He does not display arrogance despite his greatness.
He is Savior! He died for our sins to save us from the penalty, the power, and one day, the very presence of sin! He is the not just the one you’re looking for due to fulfillment. He is also the answer to your greatest need, which is the burden of sin and guilt in our lives.
III. Who is He ? (Matt. 21:10-11)
The crowds are fickle. This is a great reception, but the same shouting Hosanna will be among the crowd shouting “crucify Him!”
First they call Him a prophet. He is so much more than that.
Second, they reference where He is from, which isn’t wrong, but does seem to indicate they only recognize His humanity. This is not just a prophet from Nazareth. This is God in the Flesh! This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! This is the one whom all the prophets pointed to!
So I pose the same question: Who is He to you? Is He your Savior? Is He your King? Or is He simply a nice idea? A good teacher? A moral guide? It matters how you answer the question. Decided today who He is to you!
Conclusion: Who is this? He is the humble, savior king that you’ve been looking for!