DEAD MAN WALKING

 

Luke 19:37-44

"Dead man walking" is a phrase traditionally used in prisons to identify a condemned prisoner being led to execution. It now commonly acts as an expression for anyone facing unavoidable doom, such as a, likely, impending job loss or a failed, desperate situation. As Jesus enters the city for the last time, He comes prepared to die on a cross for the sinfulness of mankind, though they are ignorant to the reality that Jesus is a “Dead man walking” 

This special Sunday is a historical event of gospel prophecy fulfilled. All four of the Gospels contend that this incident was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. The gospel writers affirm what was said by the prophet Zechariah, who was among the fifty thousand, or so Jews, who returned in the first wave of Hebrews, who were released from Babylonian captivity in 536 B.C. He wrote about this event five centuries before the birth of Jesus in 520 B.C. The prophet’s main emphasis was to rekindle spiritual passion in Israel’s hearts after they had fallen into a state of apathy and idol worship. We read this in Zech 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” 

This was a day of mixed emotions for anyone who stood along that road that day! It’s a day of joy and peace as Luke pens here in this passage. (v38) The infinite, glorious Godman, enters the city for His final week of earthy ministry. This means His death on the cross is at hand, and the gospel is here to save and reconcile sinners back to the Father. Palm Sunday marks Jesus' triumphal, yet, humble entry, into Jerusalem riding a donkey to fulfill prophecy. It begins Holy Week, contrasting the cheering crowds with the impending crucifixion, as Jesus knowingly walks toward his death to offer salvation. 

It is a journey of sacrificial love starting with tributes,

praise and ending in death. 

The scene is electrifying which is grabbing the attention and the people are genuinely excited because their idea of a King, is here to rescue them. The hope of the promised Messiah enters, and yet many didn’t see Him as the hope for lost sinners. Jesus enters the city, and the people express their joy about the one who comes in the name of the Lord. (v38) The song that the people are singing is almost identical to song of the angels at the birth of Christ. Luke 2:14 says "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" It’s interesting to point out here in this passage that these verses are so alike… but so different. In the birth of Christ, we read “peace on earth” but His triumphant entry here, we read “peace in Heaven” (v38) Why is so different? Jesus would be rejected and despised from this point on, and there will be no peace on earth. Our earthy lives will never truly taste joy and peace apart from His everlasting love found in His Son, “Peace in Heaven” There will be only true peace in Heaven with the Father, through the death and resurrection of His glorious Son, in the gospel.  How do we know this to be true? Paul penned these words “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Rom 5:1. Paul also wrote “and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Col 1:20 

This glorious account of Jesus entering

the city brings two types of people. 

The first being those who are singing who truly need a Savior and the second, those who are only singing because they want earthly deliverance. Jesus’ big entry causes a stir and an up roar with the religious elites. The reaction of some of the Pharisee’s was one of fury and rage. Look at (v39) What are the Pharisees requesting? Quit these people because they considered such a Messianic expression was a kind of blasphemy, when used in praise of one whom they considered a mere man. Quit these people because the Roman’s chief garrison, the tower of Antonia was in sight. This was a major Roman citadel and military barracks in Jerusalem, built by Herod the Great to protect the Second Temple and serve as the Roman garrison for the city. The leaders of the Jews were afraid that such demonstrations might arouse the Romans to use tyrannical measures. 

But you truly have to love Jesus’ response to their resentment. (v40) Do you realize what this verse is saying? Even creation knows who the great”1’AM” is. This was a strong claim that Jesus’ made of His deity to the skeptics and disbelievers. Some theologians say, this was a reference to the words of Habakkuk. “For the stone will cry out from the wall, And the beam from the timbers will answer it.” Hab 2:11 It’s if an inanimate object had a voice, it would, “cry out to God for vengeance for the sin of the people and rebellion of their hearts.” Everything that was created sings praises to the sovereign God of the universe. “Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.  Sing to the LORD, bless His name; ….Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously." Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the LORD….The whole earth is full of His glory and you cannot contain creation as they praise the true King!” Psalm 96:1-13

 

Psalm 98:4-9 describes why creation sings “…..Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”

 

Which Jesus are you singing for in your heart? To the one, who will save you from your sin; or the one, who you want to deliver you from this wicked government that rules over us? Many were singing not because He was: the Messiah, The Redeemer and Saviour for lost sinners. Ya, but Mike in John’s Gospel it says as Jesus enter the city they were crying out “Hosanna” which means “save us know”

Save us from what?

Was it… save us, from Satan’s grip and bondage? Was it… save us, from ourselves and deliver us from our sins and transgressions? Was it… save us, from God’s perfect wrath and anger over our disobedience and rebellion? Was it… save us, because we cannot save ourselves from the wrath of God and Hell’s torment forever? Don’t kid yourself in this expression of praise, as Jesus entered the city. This is a dead man walking to His death, to please the Father for sins of mankind. Jesus knew their hearts before entering the city for His final week as He was prepared, willingly…. to die on a sinner’s tree for the ones who were crying out “Hosanna, Hosanna” What their hearts were crying out was, “Save us from this Roman bandage, save us from this corrupt government” 

We need to understand the context and the people at this time. The Jews had limitations to their surroundings and how they governed their people. They weren’t as free as you, and I, are today, to a certain degree. They were under Roman’s rule and they had to obey and answer to the emperor, and king at that time. When they were crying out praise to save us! What they really were saying was “Free us from Romans, and take over the throne Jesus” I say this because of what John records after Jesus feed the 5000. “Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” John 6:15. The multitude weren’t looking for forgiveness of sins, redemption, or restoration. They were only looking to Jesus for physical deliverance and oppression, not eternal, spiritual deliverance, from sin and death. Another example of this is! “Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.” John 6:26

 

Again look at (v37) as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. They only saw….. Jesus was there Genie in a bottle, their earthly ruler. Jesus was there filling for comforts of life and relief from Rome. Jesus was nothing more than a man to bring them physical joy and freedom from the bondage of Caesar. Jesus was going to be their muscle, and conqueror, because He was powerful to even raise the dead after four days. Jesus was able to heal the blind as John records before Jesus made His journey into Jerusalem.

But this not why Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. Jesus wasn’t entering the city to be their King; He was entering this city to be the Passover Lamb for…. sinful man, and women. Jesus pre-prepared His disciples for His final week as He entered the city. “And taking the twelve, he said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise." Luke 18:31-33

 

We should truly stop here and pause for a moment and reflect on what this means for you and me. When I read the account of Jesus entering the city:

 

I see the selfless Christ, who would sacrifice His life, to redeem a wretch like me.

I see the selfless Christ who has released me from the bondage of my previous master, Satan.

I see the glory of God’s redemptive plan, entering the city for many who are called out of darkness.

I see the glory of the Gospel sitting upon a noble steed of grace and humility.

I see the glory of Heaven open up to displaying the Father’s love for sinful mankind.

 

Knowing what we know from this passage today, we can truly praise Him,

as they ought to have done then. This is what makes this triumphant entrance into Jerusalem so humbling, breathtaking, and sad, all at the same time. The Creator of the universe is coming into the city riding on a colt... which is a humbling display of grace, and love, towards a people that would later call out His name to be “crucified.” This is why the believer can sing with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, David and the saints who have gone before us, that our King is here to deliver us from our sins and to pave a way home to the Father. This is why I can sing with the psalmist. “This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.” Psalm 118:20-26

Which Jesus are you singing for in your heart? Are you saying, “save me Lord from the bondage of my sin.” Or are you saying, “free me so that I can have my physically desires and comforts met.” The majority of these people were looking towards their present gain, which will never solve the long-term problem that separates us from God because of our sin. You might be thinking to yourself! Mike, why do you say this about them. You don’t know what is in their hearts. To where I would say to you “Look at the verses that follow” (v41-v44) It says “Jesus wept over the hearts of the people” Jesus lamented for the people because He knew their hearts and motives. OH! How devastating that must be, for the God of creation to see into the sinful hearts of man and to know what they truly are worshipping. Jesus knew what they were going to do in the coming days, because their song would change to “crucify Him” Jesus wept for their souls, because they were lost; and Jesus knew the outcome and the pending dome for His created children! (v43-v44) This is precisely what happened to Jerusalem in 70ad; Titus seized the city by cutting off all supplies and trapped thousands of people who had been in Jerusalem for Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Romans systematically built embankments around the city and one by one they demolished the city temple, the dwellings, and the people. Men, women and children, were brutally slaughtered by the tens of thousands. This destruction was God’s divine judgement for their failure to recognize and embrace their Messiah when He visited them.

 

These people were cheering for an earthly Deliverer, to relieve them from

their present situations…. and many still do this today.

Understand! Jesus came to deliver the spiritually broken from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus didn’t come to deliver you from the bondage of rulers and oppressors, or have your personal interests met. We need to look through the lenses of Christ, into our own hearts

this morning and ponder what song am truly singing. Jesus entered Jerusalem this final week to bear and carry my…. Sin and shame and unregenerate heart. To take my place in the Heavenly courtroom of God’s perfect justice. To bare the wrath that I deserve for my many years of rebellion and hate.

 

This Jesus entered Jerusalem this final week of earthy ministry to be our dead man walking. So that we could claim…. We are redeemed from that wrath that is yet to come to those who deny His gospel. Restored back to the Father’s love as it once was when He said, “It was good” Forgiven for my all sins of the past, present, and future. Free from the grips of Satan’s schemes, shame, and death. We have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb, as His adopted sons and daughters. See! He came to be our Heavenly King......not our earthly king! This final week of Jesus’ ministry helps us to reflect about what Jesus came to do and did for sinful man and woman. Those of us who have been redeemed by the gospel and confession we proclaim can truly sing along with the rocks “Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest” But can I tell you….. we can also sing “crucify Him, crucify Him” as well. Why? Because we need Him to die…. so that we may live and be forgiven of all our sin. Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25

Jesus Christ was not just another prophet for the people to listen to or ignore. He is, “The Christ” the Son of David, Abraham's chosen seed; the only One who can deliver us from captivity; Yahweh in the flesh. The Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world. This account of Scripture reminds us of the Godhead’s compassion, love and mercy to redeem many for His glory and our eternal good.

Dead Man walking

He came to please the Father, by becoming a sacrifice to redeem sinful man, and sinful woman, from the bondage of: Satan, sin and death. He did not come to deliver us from our: our personal Rome, Canada, the United States, rulers and dictators, or to give you your best life now. He came to redeem you for Himself, a people who would truly worship Him for His saving grace, and His glory, for all eternity. As the Apostle Paul said to the church “that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom 15:6. We can sing “Hosanna, Hosanna” and we can also sing “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”, because we need Him to die for our eternal good. Dead man walking…. as Jesus Christ journeys to the cross, as He was condemned to death. This produces in the believer’s, their spiritual death with Christ, being "crucified with Christ" and the subsequent new life though being born again. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20