Knowing the Times
John 12:12-16

They have been dating for a while; she is been looking forward to the time when he would pop the question “Would you marry me?” She longs with excitement because she is ready to journey life with him.  She knows it’s time.  She has been teaching since sept of last year; she knows that summer will soon be here in which she would have time to rest, go on vacation and finally relax.  We operate by calendars and agendas; we write dates in our calendar to remind ourselves of certain events we want to attend; we don’t want to forget.  Time has a beginning and it also has an end.  This reminds me of the words of the “Teacher” in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 there is time and a season for everything under heaven. Time to be born, time to die; to plant and to harvest, time for war and time for peace….
Nothing in the life of Jesus happened by chance or coincidence; He was always aware of time.  He knew his mission and the timeframe by which he would complete it.  Galatians 4:4 Tells us that when the right time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoptions as sons.
During his time on earth, Jesus did not waste time.  He knew what needed to be done and when.

• John 2:4 Jesus told his mother “my time has not yet come” at a wedding where they ran out wine.
• John 4:21 A time is coming when the place of worship won’t matter.
• John 4:23 A time came when true worshipers would worship in spirit and truth.
• John 5:25,28 A time is coming when the resurrection of the dead will be possible.
• John 6:15 Jesus left the crowd behind because he knew they intended to make him king.  It wasn’t time yet.
• John 6:64 Jesus knew who would betray him and who would believe in him
• John 7:6 The right time for him had not come yet.
• John 7:30; 8:20 They tried to arrest him but failed because his time had not yet come.

John 12:12-16  Jesus is on his way to the City of Jerusalem from Bethany.  Large crow was following him.  This is known as the Triumphant Entry.
Why is this important?  The four gospel writers tell us about this time in which Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey.  We know it in our calendar as Palm Sunday.
Jesus knew it was time to do this.  He sent two disciples to get the donkey. (Luke 19:30)
Jesus intentionally did this because he was fulfilling the prophecy; the prophecy that spoke how the Messiah would be recognized in Jerusalem.
People celebrated Jesus as king; (they took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting:
Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the King of Israel! (Ps.118:25-26)

This was the only time that Jesus allowed the crowd to hail him king.   A king riding on a donkey is no coincidence.  Jesus did this intentionally to show himself to the world as the expected Messiah.  This is what the prophecy stated. Zech.9:9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ESV
The prophet Daniel also talks about the exact time when the Messiah King would appear in Jerusalem.  Daniel was speaking about this event.

John tells us that the disciples did not understand what was happening right here.  (v.16) They were clueless as to the significant of Jesus entering the city in such manner.  It was after the resurrection that they were able to understand this.

The people, as well as the disciples did not understand Jesus’ agenda.  Even when he showed himself as the expected Messiah, they had different expectation for him.  They wanted a political leader who would fight the Romans and restore control to the Jewish people.  They missed the point of Jesus riding on a donkey, on a mission of peace.  They failed to know the times; even after God had given them ample evidence to know.  Jesus held the city of Jerusalem responsible for failing to know the time in which God visited them.  Jesus came to redeem people back to God.  Jesus came so you and I can have direct access to God by becoming his children.  When the time was right God sent Jesus to do this.  Nearly two thousand years have passed since Jesus made it possible for people to be saved.  Jesus fulfilled God’s schedule and he is waiting for people to come to him for salvation.  He died but came back to life.  He went back to heaven but promised to come back for those who believe in him.  When the time comes for him to return, will you be ready?  If you are not, then get ready today. We are told to always keep watch since it can be any moment Jesus comes or death comes to us.