The Crowd
In this message, we examine the Palm Sunday crowd, their reactions to Jesus, their motivations behind those reactions, and how these might apply to us today.
Click here for the recording of this 3/29/26 Service, and you can fast-forward to 26:06 to get to the start of the sermon.
Our text is from John 12. 12-19
12 On the next day, when the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!”
14 Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15“ Do not fear, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him.
17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. 18 For this reason also the people went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not accomplishing anything; look, the world has gone after Him!”
Introduction
There was an excitement in the air because of the upcoming observance of Passover
Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead, and event by which the crowd was absolutely fascinated
Jesus had previously had dinner with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, at which Mary had anointed the feet of Jesus
Judas, pilfering from the till, falsely objects to “wasted money” saying it could have been used for the poor
Jesus’ response- “leave her alone; you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me”
A large crowd had gathered
They wanted to see Jesus the miracle worker
The wanted to see the dead man raised
The chief priests intended to kill Lazarus, because on account of him many were leaving Judaism to follow Jesus- they felt threatened by both Jesus and Lazarus
V12-15
The crowd, hearing that Jesus was in route to Jerusalem, lined the roadway with palm branches
It is a Sunday; Jesus enters on the colt of a donkey, much like a conqueror or a king, (prophesied, Zech 9.9)
Yet, He was not the messiah they desired
When we say “messiah” we mean spiritual authority and lord over our life, son of God; when they said it, they meant a political leader who would deliver them from roman oppression
V16-18
John makes it clear that Jesus’ disciples did not fully understand what was going on in the moment; it was only later that they put it together
The crowd who has seen Jesus call Lazarus forth from the tomb continued to talk about Jesus’ miracle
V18- “for this reason, the people when to meet him”- They heard he had performed this sign
V19
The Pharisees, the most highly trained religious scholars of their day, said to each other- “we are not accomplishing anything; the world has gone after him”
They felt threatened by him, and the attention he was drawing
This would set in motion the events leading up to his crucifixion- they wanted to do him in
Some observations about the crowd
They were absolutely fascinated by Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead; likely, they wanted more
They clearly wanted a political leader to liberate them from Rome; they wanted THEIR version of a Messiah
There were some of the Twelve who walked with Jesus for 3 yrs and still did not comprehend what he was about
The religion can get in the way of a relationship with Christ- ex, Gandhi on Christians…
What do you want from Jesus?
Do you want Him to be lord over your life, or simply to answer your prayers? The consumer…
Will you all Him to be sovereign over your life, or do you insist on your version of him?
if the disciples can walk with Jesus for 3 yrs and not “get him” you and I risk that as well
The 30 corridor has had enough religion- it needs Jesus
