BEYOND THE MOMENT

Mike Geppert

Woodland Church

Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

(Luke 19:28-44, NIV) “After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” 

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

The Parable of the Sower

(Luke 8:11-15, NIV) “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Key verse:

(Luke 19:40, NIV) “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

1.  Pharisees Reject the Moment

(Luke 19:39, NIV) “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

a.  The Path represents ___________ (verse 12)

(Luke 8:12, NIV) “Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

• Fear
• Jealousy
• Pride

(Matthew 23:27, NIV) “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”

LAP: Don’t let fear, jealousy, or pride prevent you from embracing God’s moment.

2.  The Crowd Misunderstands the Moment

(Luke 19:35, NIV) “They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.”

(Luke 8:13-14, NIV) “Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”

a.  Rocky Soil represents emotions (verse 13)

b.  Thorns represent expectations (verse 14)

LAP: Don’t let emotional highs and lows or unmet expectations define your faith.

3.  The Disciples Follow Beyond the Moment

(Luke 19:37, NIV) “When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen”

a.  Good Soil represents ___________ (verse 15)

(Luke 8:15, NIV) “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.”

b.  Jesus focused on His mission

(Isaiah 50:7, NIV) “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

(Luke 9:51, NIV) “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

c.  Jesus is the source of eternal life

(John 6:68, NIV) “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

d.  Jesus calls us to discipleship

(Matthew 16:24, NIV) “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

LAP: Cultivate a relationship with Jesus, trusting His word, and embracing His call to discipleship.

*LAP – Life Application Point