return to the main player
Return to the Main Player

Palm Sunday Perspective (Part 1 of 3)

Mark 11:1-11
Program

A triumphal entry sounds like a joyful, victorious celebration. So why were Jesus’ disciples astonished and afraid as they approached Jerusalem? Join us for a closer look at the events of Palm Sunday. That’s our focus on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.

From the Sermon

Palm Sunday Perspective — Part One

Mark 11:1-11 Sermon Includes Transcript 44:46 ID: 2323

The God of Broken Pieces

The God of Broken Pieces

The angel of the Lord also said to [Hagar], “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude” … And God said to [Abram], “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.”

Have you ever watched children play with a Lego set, building a little house or spacecraft but completely ignoring the plans for its construction? Eventually, with pieces strewn across the floor, they end up with a monstrosity—pieces every which way, doors that open to nowhere—and they come to you, bemoaning the fact that it just doesn’t look right. And so you take the child, the pieces, and the mess, you sit down together, and you say, “Let’s take the plans and this brokenness, and let’s do it right this time.”

When Abraham and Sarah grew weary and restless as they waited for God to fulfill His promise of an heir, they took matters into their own hands. Trying to piece together life on their own, they agreed that Abraham would sleep with Hagar, Sarah’s servant, in order to have a child (Genesis 16:1-4). Their decision sowed discord, chaos, contempt, and unhappiness: after Hagar “saw that she had conceived” (v 4), she became proud and “looked with contempt on her mistress.” Sarah then blamed Abraham for her misfortune, and he responded by wiping his hands clean of the whole mess: “Your servant is in your power; do to her as you please” (v 6). Their lives had become a disheveled mess.

But God overruled their wrong decisions and intervened with mercy and grace. First, an angel of the Lord met Hagar in her need, assured her of God’s presence, and told her God’s promise: “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” Likewise, Abraham and Sarah’s blunder couldn’t derail God’s covenant purposes and steadfast love. God promised that Sarah would bear a son, whom they were to call Isaac, and promised Abraham, “I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant” (Genesis 17:19).

In many ways, God treats us similarly. Like a parent with a dismayed child, He comes and picks up the scattered parts of our lives. He comes to us in our brokenness, with the scraps of our self-effort strewn around us and His plans tucked somewhere off to the side, and He replaces the pieces, points us back to His plans, and restores us to the right path.

How many times has God overruled your blundering? How many times has God come to you in your error and rebellion, in your emptiness and brokenness, and brought about, to His glory, events that are unimaginable? Praise God today for His steadfast love and faithfulness. The words of Moses to Joshua still ring true today: “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

My Help and My Deliverer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1I waited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

2He drew me up from the pit of destruction,

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

3He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord.

4Blessed is the man who makes

the Lord his trust,

who does not turn to the proud,

to those who go astray after a lie!

5You have multiplied, O Lord my God,

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;

none can compare with you!

I will proclaim and tell of them,

yet they are more than can be told.

6In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.1

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

7Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

9I have told the glad news of deliverance2

in the great congregation;

behold, I have not restrained my lips,

as you know, O Lord.

10I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness

from the great congregation.

11As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain

your mercy from me;

your steadfast love and your faithfulness will

ever preserve me!

12For evils have encompassed me

beyond number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

and I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head;

my heart fails me.

13Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!

O Lord, make haste to help me!

14Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether

who seek to snatch away my life;

let those be turned back and brought to dishonor

who delight in my hurt!

15Let those be appalled because of their shame

who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation

say continually, “Great is the Lord!”

17As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, O my God!

Open in Bible
Footnotes
1 40:6 Hebrew ears you have dug for me
2 40:9 Hebrew righteousness; also verse 10

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotional by Alistair Begg, published by The Good Book Company, thegoodbook.com. Used by Truth For Life with permission. Copyright © 2021, The Good Book Company.

Here is Love!

Here is Love!

… The love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.

The love of Christ in its sweetness, its fullness, its greatness, its faithfulness passes all human comprehension. Where can we find the words to describe His matchless, His unparalleled love toward the children of men? It is so vast and boundless that, as the swallow simply skims the water without diving into its depths, so all descriptive words merely touch the surface, while immeasurable depths lie below. Well might the poet say, O love, thou fathomless abyss!

For this love of Christ is indeed measureless and fathomless; no one can fully comprehend it. Before we can have any right idea of the love of Jesus, we must understand His previous glory in its height of majesty, and His incarnation upon the earth in all its depths of shame. But who can tell us the majesty of Christ? When He was enthroned in the highest heavens He was very God of very God. By Him the heavens were made, and all its inhabitants. His own almighty arm upheld the spheres; the praises of cherubim and seraphim perpetually surrounded Him; the full chorus of the hallelujahs of the universe flowed without ceasing to the foot of his throne. He reigned supreme above all His creatures, God over all, blessed forever. Who can tell His height of glory then? And who, on the other hand, can tell how low He descended? To be a man was something; to be a man of sorrows was far more. To bleed and die and suffer—these were much for Him who was the Son of God; but to suffer such unparalleled agony—to endure a death of shame and desertion by His Father—this is a depth of condescending love that the most inspired mind must utterly fail to fathom. Herein is love! And truly it is love that “surpasses knowledge.”

O let this love fill our hearts with adoring gratitude and lead us to practical demonstrations of its power.

Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission.

Making the Priestly Garments

1From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments,1 for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

2He made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 3And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. 4They made for the ephod attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. 5And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

6They made the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7And he set them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

8He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, in the style of the ephod, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 9It was square. They made the breastpiece doubled, a span2 its length and a span its breadth when doubled. 10And they set in it four rows of stones. A row of sardius, topaz, and carbuncle was the first row; 11and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond; 12and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; 13and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold filigree. 14There were twelve stones with their names according to the names of the sons of Israel. They were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes. 15And they made on the breastpiece twisted chains like cords, of pure gold. 16And they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece. 17And they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece. 18They attached the two ends of the two cords to the two settings of filigree. Thus they attached it in front to the shoulder pieces of the ephod. 19Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. 20And they made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, at its seam above the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 21And they bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, so that it should lie on the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

22He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue, 23and the opening of the robe in it was like the opening in a garment, with a binding around the opening, so that it might not tear. 24On the hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. 25They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates all around the hem of the robe, between the pomegranates—26a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate around the hem of the robe for ministering, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

27They also made the coats, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, 28and the turban of fine linen, and the caps of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twined linen, 29and the sash of fine twined linen and of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, embroidered with needlework, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

30They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, “Holy to the Lord.” 31And they tied to it a cord of blue to fasten it on the turban above, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

32Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses; so they did. 33Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 34the covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins, and the veil of the screen; 35the ark of the testimony with its poles and the mercy seat; 36the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 37the lampstand of pure gold and its lamps with the lamps set and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; 38the golden altar, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; 39the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin and its stand; 40the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; 41the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons for their service as priests. 42According to all that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work. 43And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the Lord had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them.

Open in Bible
Footnotes
1 39:1 Or garments for worship
2 39:9 A span was about 9 inches or 22 centimeters

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

1When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.”1 Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6When Jesus2 said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant3 and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Jesus Faces Annas and Caiaphas

12So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews4 arrested Jesus and bound him. 13First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Peter Denies Jesus

15Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18Now the servants5 and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

The High Priest Questions Jesus

19The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter Denies Jesus Again

25Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

Jesus Before Pilate

28Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters.6 It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

My Kingdom Is Not of This World

33So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.7

Open in Bible
Footnotes
1 18:5 Greek I am; also verses 6, 8
2 18:6 Greek he
3 18:10 Greek bondservant; twice in this verse
4 18:12 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verses 14, 31, 36, 38
5 18:18 Greek bondservants; also verse 26
6 18:28 Greek the praetorium
7 18:40 Or an insurrectionist

1A soft answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,

but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

3The eyes of the Lord are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

4A gentle1 tongue is a tree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

5A fool despises his father's instruction,

but whoever heeds reproof is prudent.

6In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,

but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

7The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the hearts of fools.2

8The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.

9The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,

but he loves him who pursues righteousness.

10There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way;

whoever hates reproof will die.

11Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord;

how much more the hearts of the children of man!

12A scoffer does not like to be reproved;

he will not go to the wise.

13A glad heart makes a cheerful face,

but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.

14The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

15All the days of the afflicted are evil,

but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.

16Better is a little with the fear of the Lord

than great treasure and trouble with it.

17Better is a dinner of herbs where love is

than a fattened ox and hatred with it.

18A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,

but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

19The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,

but the path of the upright is a level highway.

20A wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

21Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,

but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.

22Without counsel plans fail,

but with many advisers they succeed.

23To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,

and a word in season, how good it is!

24The path of life leads upward for the prudent,

that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.

25The Lord tears down the house of the proud

but maintains the widow's boundaries.

26The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,

but gracious words are pure.

27Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,

but he who hates bribes will live.

28The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.

29The Lord is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and good news refreshes3 the bones.

31The ear that listens to life-giving reproof

will dwell among the wise.

32Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,

but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.

33The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,

and humility comes before honor.

Open in Bible
Footnotes
1 15:4 Or healing
2 15:7 Or the hearts of fools are not steadfast
3 15:30 Hebrew makes fat

Christ's Example of Humility

1So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,1 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,2 being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Lights in the World

12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22But you know Timothy's3 proven worth, how as a son4 with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Open in Bible
Footnotes
1 2:5 Or which was also in Christ Jesus
2 2:7 Greek bondservant
3 2:22 Greek his
4 2:22 Greek child
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.

Get the Program, Devotional, and Bible Reading Plan delivered daily right to your inbox.