Palm Branches and Hosanna [John 12]

TEACHING: Palm Branches and Hosanna (John 12)

Let’s go back a bit. We have looked at and considered some of the events the night Jesus was betrayed. We considered foot washing which was during the Seder. We also have seen that the Lord’s Supper originated and remains the end of the Jewish Passover that has been practiced for thousands of years. Just a few days before, a feast had been given in honor of Jesus. One of the reasons was because He had raised Lazarus from the dead. That is the same feast where Mary poured the perfume on His feet and wiped it with her hair. The next day, Jesus headed for Jerusalem. That means the feast was on the Sabbath – the "next day" we celebrate as Palm Sunday.

John 12:12-19 The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

"Hosanna!"

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

"Blessed is the King of Israel!"

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,

15 "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;

see, your king is coming,

seated on a donkey's colt."

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

Psalms 69:6

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty;

may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.

At the Feast of Tabernacles, the Israelites shout Hosanna and beat palm branches – and make tabernacles out of branches. When Jesus came into Jerusalem just a few days before he was killed, the people shouted Hosanna and laid palm branches in front of him and laid down their own cloaks. On Palm Sunday, we all have palm fronds that some put in their houses and others weave into crosses and things. Some burn the branches and put the ashes on their foreheads the day after "Fat Tuesday" or Mardi Gras (Ash Wednesday) the following year.

The Gospels include many events that followed the humble entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Yes, Jesus rode on a young donkey in fulfilment of scriptures – and it had never been ridden on before and was borrowed.

Following that Sunday entrance, Matthew records that Jesus:

– Drove out the money changers in the Temple

– Healed the blind

– Cursed the fig tree for NOT bearing fruit out of season

– Taught with many parables

Mark includes:

– The fig tree issue

– Money changers in the Temple

– Authority questioned

– And He taught with many parables

Luke includes:

– Jesus weeping over Jerusalem

– Cleaning the Temple of traders

– Taught with many parables

– And the authority of Jesus compared to John the Baptist

But John includes a few different events following that first Palm Sunday. And one of them had to do with Greeks who had come to the Passover.

John 12:20-33 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

SIR, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE JESUS

These were Greeks, not Jews. The fact that they were in Jerusalem for the Passover suggests they were converts of some kind or else they were doing research. But they had heard of Jesus and what Jesus was doing and had taken the initiative to come and see Jesus.

To this point in time, the voice of God speaking about His Son had been actually heard on two occasions:

1. John the Baptist and crowd at the baptism of Jesus.

Matt 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Mark 1:9-11 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Luke 3:21-22 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Who heard this? John and maybe some of the people around. John was a Hebrew and the forerunner of Christ. He knew his role and what He was to confirm or verify.

2. Peter, James, and John at the Transfiguration.

Matt 17:1-8 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

Mark 9:2-8 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6(He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

The VOICE OF GOD had been heard talking about HIS SON. And notice what Peter wanted to do. He wanted to build three shelters. What was this if not the same celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles when shelters out of branches are made?

But now, immediately after the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, with Greeks present and palm branches being strewn around the same as the celebration of the Feast, the voice of God is heard again. This confirmation was not just to one weird prophet out in the desert, or three devotees, but included representatives of the center of science in the western world. THE GREEKS HEARD THE ACTUAL VOICE OF GOD. And Jesus explained what He had to do in scientific terms for the benefit of the Greeks.

He had entered into Jerusalem in compliance with what the Hebrew prophets had declared. That is mystical.

The Hebrews – at least some of them – had celebrated with the enthusiasm and the emotion of the Feast of Tabernacles shouting Hosanna at the entrance of their King Jesus.

One could say that the mystical / spiritual side of things had been presented and now Jesus presents pragmatic understandable science to the Greek mind.

John 12:23-28 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!"

The scientific western mind should be able to understand that a kernel of wheat must die and be buried to produce many seeds. And Jesus told the Greeks precisely that. He stated it clearly and God confirmed the message with His own voice from heaven.

The Jews were throwing branches around and shouting Hosanna. They had been seeing miracles for years and had been hearing, but not understanding, parables just as long. But days later, they abandon the Christ they had celebrated and want Him crucified. None of them believed in the resurrection – not even His disciples – and they had Lazarus with them. We know nothing about what the Greeks did. We could only speculate. I find it interesting that the Apostle Paul was led to Macedonia. Maybe all that was needed by the Greeks was one simple scientific explanation.

AFTER THE PALM BRANCHES AND HOSANNAS

We all have a variety of experiences in Christian worship. Pentecostals have a reputation for lively music suitable for jumping around – and it is done regularly with great joy. Some of the attraction to our style of worship is exactly that. In style or genre, our worship music is more closely related to rock-and-roll and country music than it is to Bach, Beethoven, and Handel. The later wrote their music to the glory of God purposely. Our praise music – well – you have to READ the words to be sure. But it is still a good time: dancing in the aisles. And both rock-and-roll and country have common roots in gospel.

There is a reason we are called holy rollers and it comes from the times past when people – maybe under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – actually were on the flooring rolling around. Is that emotional expression of any more extreme than leaping to one’s feet, screaming, and jumping around because some person managed to get a ball about a foot in diameter through a slightly larger hoop ten feet above the floor? Wahoo!

But what happens after our spiritual, even mystical, celebration? What follows our emotional expressions of joy in the Lord? When praise and worship is done, do we just go home?

During recent revival type meetings – real or pretend – the "liturgy" is: stand up and sing worship and praise choruses for an hour. This is emotionally highly charged. And it is emotionally effective. People are touched by the event and recognize that God is there. But when we put down the palm branches – after we have laid down our cloaks – after we have quieted down from shouting Hosanna, then what? The current liturgy continues with another hour of preaching. The preaching preferred is hell-fire and damnation. REPENT. REPENT. REPENT. All of this declared to people who had just spent the last hour in praise and worship. How quickly they fall into gross sin. But of course the Jews killed Jesus just a few days later.

The Greeks had an attitude to emulate. "We would like to see Jesus."

The Greeks had an answer from Jesus we need to hear. "Understand that a seed must die to bear fruit."

The Greeks heard the voice of God that Peter, James, and John heard and John the Baptist heard. "This is my Son."

John 12:30-37 Jesus said, "This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

34 The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"

35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.

37 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

Palm branches and shouts of Hosanna apparently do not save. Drums, guitars, and trumpets do not save. Even seeing the miraculous does not save. What does?

Rom 10:9-13 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."