"Get It Right"

“Get It Right”
Matthew 21:1-16

Mat 21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 21:2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose [them], and bring [them] unto me. 3 And if any [man] say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set [him] thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed [them] in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 and the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?


Today is a different kind of sermon, it is a didactic type of sermon, that means that there is a purpose for the sermon so that you gain insight on four things. The four things have everything to do with whether or not you can go forward of stay right where you are as a church in the body of Christ. Churches are ekklesia or “called out” persons who perform the will of the Father who call us all. God calls us from uncleaness unto holiness, which in the most elementary forms means from old to new. Set aside for the use of the Master. Master in terms that one does not have the choice to refuse the Master’s desire and pleasure. Called from our dark world into the world of light, the one John gives the example of the light that lights everyone that comes into the world.

John says (John 1:4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ..the Light, that all [men] through him might believe. We witness that Light. 9 [That] was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Light represents change in the dark world. Those bearing of witnessing the light are the agents of change. We represent the possibility of one who is in darkness of sin may come to the true light.

There are four issues that the body must understand concerning being agents of light or change in the earth. The text pulls and disentangles the meaning of the church in four ways. Those four ways are The Purpose, the Praise, the Perversion and the Power. The reason this is so important is because the church can become something other than what God meant it to be. This drawing away or distraction comes from the people themselves. The religious folk of the day, were the ones who could determine the direction and purpose of the church. This text highlights the disciples, the people, the religious folk, the moneychangers, the colt’s owner and Jesus. They all play an important role, in that they all represent in one way or another the components of an earthly church.

Jesus is beginning the march toward Gethsemane, here he anguishes over the task of giving his life for the world. This a predestined plan according to Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

We are the beneficiaries of …Romans 5:19 the For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. It is now the work of the church to convey the grace of God as well as the gift by grace. The church is the expression of the gift of grace. Only in the church will you find persons purposed to extend the gift of grace through Jesus Christ.

Jesus calls his disciples with the purpose. He speaks of the propphecy from Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he [is] just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion [shall be] from sea [even] to sea, and from the river [even] to the ends of the earth. 11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein [is] no water. 12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare [that] I will render double unto thee; he fulfills the scripture and promises salvation and to those who dare to hope double.

In the time of transition from captivity to freedom, God declares to His people through Zechariah a savior who would bring with him the recompense for the suffering and calamity that had come upon them. The disciple through the simplicity and humility announce that the King has need of the colt. That he comes in power, humility by the colt and power as King. The deliver and the one who brings salvation. The purpose of the church is highlighted at this point by the two disciples as ones who would tell the world that the King comes. It is important to emphasize the position of the coming King and the results of his coming. The church’s purpose is to do just that; tell the world and the church alike that the King, who brings what has never been extended to the world in a general sense salvation and redemptive power to the sinner. Only Jesus can offer this deal through his disciples now on earth.

His triumphant entry is pronounced by his arrival on the colt, but does not change the affect of the arrival of the King, brings on Praise. Praise is perfected at arrival, the coming and the preparation are not nearly as exciting as the arrival. Vs.8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed [them] in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

The people recognize not only by his anointed appearance but also by his position on the colt of humility and power that Jesus who posses the power to bring light to darkness has arrived and the response to arrival is praise. Anticipation of arrival brings apprehensive praise for we no not when he is coming, but the actual arrival brings the words Hosanna: the Hebrew derivation of the words save us along with propitious or the promise of, we would bode well Lord if you save us. The promise of salvation and the potential of the redemptive power of the King intensify the praise. Hosanna no longer to you should just mean praise, but intensified praise because of the promise of salvation and double. Purpose along with intensified praise, praise with promise or praising for the promises give the church a definitive action and work. To purposefully praise God for the things God has done.

Jehovah-jireh - This name is translated as "The-LORD-Will-Provide," commemorating the provision of the ram in place of Isaac for Abraham's sacrifice (Genesis 22:14).

Jehovah-nissi - This name means "The-LORD-Is-My-Banner," in honor of God's defeat of the Amalekites (Exodus 17:15).

Jehovah-shalom - This phrase means "The-LORD-Is-Peace," the name Gideon gave the altar which he built in Ophrah (Judges 6:24).

Jehovah-shammah - This phrase expresses the truth that "The-LORD-Is-There," referring to the city which the prophet Ezekiel saw in his vision (Ezekiel 48:35).

Jehovah-tsebaoth - This name, translated "The-LORD-of-hosts," was used in the days of David and the prophets, witnessing to God the Savior who is surrounded by His hosts of heavenly power (1 Samuel 1:3).

Jehovah Elohe Israel - This name means "LORD-God-of-Israel," and it appears in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Psalms. (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

If that is too much for you, if God has been bread when your hungry, water when your thirsty, a mother to the motherless and a father to the fatherless, if he has been anything and everything that you need then you need to praise God.

In order for the church to feel the pressure to stay on course there are times of perversion. This simply means that there are some good things about the church and then there are the religious folk in the church. The church is declared to be a dragnet, or a means by which it is possible to have many kinds of folk in the physical church being or organism.

Verse 12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. The money changers issue was that they were in the rackets inside of the temple. They were the lazy person’s salvation. In order to make sacrifice one had to have the proper offering. Jesus was indignant about the violence of sacrificial worship, not the possibility of petty theft by moneychangers although that was also occuring.

When they said God's house had become a den of "robbers" the Hebrew word that was used (here, transliterated) was "per-eets'" defined as "violent, i.e., a tyrant--destroyer, ravenous, robber." It was the violence of the system, the killing of innocent victims in the name of God that they were condemning. The moneychangers operating in the time of Jesus were driven out of the Temple because they were taking part in the process of sacrificial religion, not because they may have been cheating the pilgrims. http://www.compassionatespirit.com/JR-Hyland.htm

As is in the church today it is a haven for corrupt folk who believe it is their given right to oppress the folk who actually take part in ministry. One of the discrepancies of the church is the involvement of the religious folk in the process of salvation and redemption, or the lack of involvement thereof. There in the text it stands out that when folk set up shop in the church, there is not much you can do. They seem to appear as a permanent fixture, something that the church can seem to live without. I must concur that if you are not versed in the art of salvation and deliverance, you are limited to the tables. The art of oppression and disruption. If you find yourself limited to ideas void of the work of salvation and deliverance, other stuff, not in touch with the spiritual forces of the church you can pretty much say that you are in the category of the folk discharged by Jesus from the temple. Their duty and work is that of selling and raising funds, setting aside money for the purpose of looking at it.

Power is the fourth and final portion of the text I want to talk about. Vs. 14 and the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were displeased. They were displeased because Jesus he was able to set the atmosphere for salvation and redemption once the temple was cleansed. They were able to get it right. It became the house of prayer. When prayer comes into the picture the response and the outcome was that of healing and deliverance.

Blind folk see, lame folk walk, sick folk get well and broken folk get blessed. Depressed folk get joy, anxious folk get answers, silent folk speak, and deaf folk hear, lonely folk find a friend, angry folk smile, and mourning folk find peace. Jesus is now able to demonstrate power beyond human effort, the king make his way into the temple, the house of prayer, where good stuff happens. The church has the power to stand against the gates of hell, stand as the firm foundation, the means of justification, the way of salvation, the process of regeneration, the outlet of sanctification, the lover of grace and the friend of mercy. It is the seat of the King, it is the bride of Christ, and it is the bridegroom’s responsibility. The church is God’s church and the and God is worthy to be praised. I conclude with the words of this grand song.

The marketplace is empty, No more traffic in the streets, All the builders' tools are silent,
No more time to harvest wheat; busy housewives cease their labors, In the courtroom no debate, Work on earth is all suspended As the King comes thro' the gate.

O the King is coming, The King is coming! I just heard the trumpets sounding,
And now His face I see; O the King is coming, The King is coming!
Praise God, He's coming for me!

I can hear the chariots rumble, I can see the marching throng, The flurry of God's trumpets, Spells the end of sin and wrong: Regal robes are now unfolding, Heaven's grandstand's all in place, Heaven's choir now assembled, Start to sing "Amazing Grace!"

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I’m found was blind but now I see.

O the King is coming, The King is coming! I just heard the trumpets sounding,
And now His face I see; O the King is coming, The King is coming!
Praise God, He's coming for me!