Sunday Sermon/Mt.21:1-11,15-16, The Cry of Children, Praise That Opens…

Mt.21:1-11,15-16, The Cry of Children, Praise That Opens the Heavens

1.As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,  2.saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3.If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." 4.This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:  5."Say to Daughter Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "  6.The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.  7.They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.  8.A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  9.The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"  10.When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?  11.The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."...  15.But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.  16."Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, " 'From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise'

Today God is seeking not our perfect faith, but our true hearts. Let us all confess together this time, simply like a child, sincerely like a child, and boldly like a child: “Hosanna! Son of David!”

1. There are three reactions to welcoming Jesus the King.
1) The welcoming crowds — “Hosanna!” V.9: “The crowds that went before and followed after shouted with a loud voice, ‘Hosanna! Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people welcomed him as the King of Victory, waving palm branches and shouting. “Hosanna!” This word is not merely a cheer. It is a desperate cry of “(Now) save us!” and an earnest prayer. However, this enthusiastic welcome, shouting “Hosanna,” had its limits. A few days later, the same lips would cry out with a heart of betrayal, “Crucify him!” Their emotions were fervent, but their faith was not deep enough, and they ended up changing.
2) There are those who doubt — they ask, “Who is this?”(11). Vs.10-11, “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘It is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee...” The whole city is in an uproar and asks, “Who is this?” People explain Jesus: “The prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” But this is not a sufficient answer. Jesus is not merely a prophet, but the Messianic King and Savior.
3) Those who reject — they are “angry.”
V.15, “The chief priests and the scribes were angry when they saw the strange things Jesus was doing and the children in the temple shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’”
The crowds welcomed him enthusiastically, but the religious leaders were angry and uncomfortable. They were angry at the strange things Jesus was doing and at the children in the temple shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Why? Because their positions were being shaken. It is because their own standards are crumbling. What particularly angered them was the praise of the children. “Hosanna, Son of David!” The pure faith of the children makes the formalistic faith of the religious leaders uncomfortable.

2. There is praise that God is pleased with
And in the midst of this, the purest beings appear. They are the children. They, too, praise Jesus. Verse 15 reads: “The chief priests and the scribes were angry when they saw the strange things Jesus was doing and the children in the temple shouting, ‘Hosanna, Son of David!’” Why do God and Jesus rejoice in the praise of children? Children do not calculate. Children do not walk on eggshells. Children shout exactly as they are. “Hosanna, Son of David!” This praise brought joy to God not because it was theologically perfect, but because it was from the heart. Jesus did not stop these children’s praise. Rather, He acknowledged it. God accepts praise from a sincere heart rather than loud and flashy praise. 

3. Why are children’s hymns special?
“Hosanna, Son of David” is not just a simple song. This hymn is a declaration. “Jesus is my King.” “Jesus alone saves me.” When children sing this hymn, the gates of heaven open. And even now, God receives that hymn with the utmost joy. Why is that?
Children’s hymns have three characteristics. ① Because they are pure. It is because it is praise offered exactly as it is, without any calculation. ② It is because there is complete trust. They possess a simple yet certain faith that “Jesus is my King.” ③ It is because there is boldness. They have the courage to shout without worrying about what others think.
What does our faith look like today? Sometimes we live our lives of faith like this: “Is it okay to praise like this?”, “How will others see it?”, “Because of the current situation…” But children are not like that. They speak simply: “Jesus, I love you!” “Hosanna!” Could it be that our faith has become more complicated than that of children? I hope we all praise the Lord and offer prayers of thanksgiving to God with the heart of a child like this.

4. Application and Resolution/Application: Today, the Lord asks us: “Who is Jesus?” Is He a great teacher? Is He someone to be morally respected? Or is He my King, my God?
Today’s message asks us: What kind of person am I? Am I a crowd welcoming Him with emotional faith? Am I a crowd doubting Him with intellectual faith? Am I a leader rejecting Jesus with formal faith? Or am I a child of pure faith? God is currently seeking childlike faith. Try to put this into practice for the week. 1) Praise with sincerity once a day, 2) Confess, “Jesus is my King,” 3) Pray without calculation.
Resolution/Beloved, the praise of children may seem small, but it is by no means small. That praise moves the heavens, that prayer changes lives, and that confession reaches eternity. With what voice are we calling upon the Lord today? Today, we must make a resolution. “I will return to a heart of faith like that of a child.” “I will sincerely acknowledge Jesus as my King.” “I will praise fervently without shame.”
“1-Minute Conclusion”/Beloved saints, the sound that resounded the loudest in the Jerusalem Temple that day was not the prayer of the priests. Nor was it the teaching of the scribes. It was the praise of the children. “Hosanna! Son of David!” The people tried to remain silent, but the children did not stop. This was because they had conviction. “Jesus is my King.” Today, God is asking: “Are you calling me that right now?” Do you still have that heart that praised with tears when you first met Jesus, and that faith that made your heart race? Today, please choose again. Praise without calculation, confession without being self-conscious, and pure faith like that of a child. Let us shout together at this moment: “Hosanna! Son of David! Lord, save me! Jesus is my King!” At that moment, the gates of heaven will open in your life once more. Beloved, God is waiting today not for our perfect words, but for a single, genuine word. That confession the children shouted—“Hosanna, Son of David!”—that single word opens the heavens, revives hearts, and changes lives. Now, let us confess again: “Jesus is my King.” “Lord, save me.”

5. Prayer/Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to see our lost faith and hearts through the praise of the children today. Lord, we confess that we are living with a faith that is too calculating and too complicated. At this time, please renew our hearts, which have been self-centered, so that we may praise “Hosanna, Son of David” purely like children. Grant that I may sincerely accept Jesus as my King, and confess Him not only with my lips but also with a trusting heart and life. Let our worship come alive and let our praise reach the heavens. I pray in the name of my King, my Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.