Sermon Notes:
1. Jesus arrived on the lowly colt of a donkey, beginning at the Mount of Olives. Some people had a joyful heart because their king had come. (Luke 19:35-38; Zechariah 9:9)
2. Others had an angry, rejecting heart because their king had not come. (Luke 19:39-40)
3. They didn’t welcome the king because their hearts were hard. They missed their chance to have the peace God offered them. (Luke 19:41-44)
Why don’t we open our hearts to Jesus? Same reason as them.
We don’t see the fulfillment of our dreams of cultural happiness.
We don’t see a purpose in struggle.
We don’t see a solution to evil.
4. But all is not lost—the king is coming back. In the interim period, he offers himself to everyone who will open their heart to him. (Revelation 3:20)
5. When the king returns, he will fulfill the prophetic picture of his reign. He will arrive at the same location as before—the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:11-12). This time, he will arrive on a white horse, ready for battle. He will judge evil and remove it from the earth. (Revelation 19:11-16)
Questions
1. Read Luke 19:28-35 and Zechariah 9:9-10. The book of Zechariah was written five centuries before the birth of Christ. Zechariah received visions that included prophecies of Israel in the last days. Why might Israel be confused about the coming of a Messiah-King based solely on these two verses in Zechariah 9? Now read Zechariah 14:1-9. This passage summarizes the final battle at the end of the age (events which would occur between Zechariah 9:9 and 9:10). What can you learn by comparing these passages? Who is the king revealed to be, in Zechariah 14?
2. Read Luke 19:41-42. Israel seems to have a problem perceiving the truth. It’s the reason Jesus teaches using parables rather than speaking directly. Read Matthew 13:13-15. This isn’t only a problem with Israel; it’s true of many people in today’s world. Why do so many people dismiss or ridicule the words of Jesus, in your experience? What, if anything, can cause them to react differently?
3. One of the reasons our hearts are not ready for the king is that we pursue a cultural definition of happiness. Read John 4:13-15. What are some differences between what Jesus offers the woman at the well and the temporary experiences we find in much of today’s popular culture?
4. Another reason our hearts become hard is because we feel abandoned when life becomes difficult. Read John 16:33, Romans 8:35-39, and 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. List some reasons we can expect hardship and ways God can use this in our lives, if we let him.
5. Read Revelation 19:1-21. This chapter begins with a heavenly event—the wedding supper of the lamb—and ends with the final battle on planet earth, at the end of the age. Who is the figure on the white horse? (See Revelation 17:14) Who makes up the armies of heaven (see v. 14 and compare it to vv. 7-8)? How does this vision complete the picture of God’s justice and help us make sense of evil in today’s world?