The Questions Jesus Asked Part 13
This week in our Questions Jesus Asked series we are looking at a question Jesus asks in Matthew 16:15, “who do you say I am”. We are also celebrating Palm Sunday and we are going to tie in the events of the first Palm Sunday with our question today.
Matthew 21:1-11 (NIV)
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
This passage is known as the triumphal entry, and it took place on a Palm Sunday thousands of years ago.
The Whole City was Stirred
Matthew 21:10a (NIV)
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred….
There is something life changing when you realize that Jesus is near. We have been talking for the last few weeks about the now and the not yet. Jesus has inaugurated the Kingdom of God. He has defeated the power of sin and the power of death, and He has made a way for us to be reconciled to God. We can experience New Creation life now and forever. We live in the incredible tension of the Now and Not Yet. The Kingdom of God is here, though not yet fully here, but we live in the very real overlap of heaven and earth. The whole city was stirred was because Jesus was near.
The presence of Jesus caused the crowd to ask “Who is this?”
Who is this?
Our question for the week from Jesus is “who do you say I am’? Who is Jesus? Was he some sort of guru? Was he a prophet? Was he a great moral teacher? I would suggest to you that your answer to this question is the most important in your life.
Matthew 16:13-17 (NIV)
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.
More than one apologist has argued that there are only three possibilities as to who Jesus was: He was a liar, falsely claiming to be God; He was a lunatic, completely out of touch with reality; or He was, in fact, who He said He was, the Son of God, Lord.
Why is the answer to this question so important? Your eternal destiny rests on your answer.
We will be talking more about this at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend. Make plans to join us in-person or online.
Steve Lawes is a church encourager and the lead pastor of Keys Vineyard Church.
