The Will of the Father (Palm Sunday)
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION:
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Sermon: The Will of the Father!
SEGWAY:
Talk about the Triumphal Entry
What we are entering into is called “Holy Week!”
Today is called Palm Sunday!
We get this name from the idea of the Palm’s being cut and used as a celebration of Christ entering into Jerusalem.
At this moment in time this is a big deal.
The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah (Coming King)
Up to this point (We find in scripture) that there had been a couple of times Jesus has let it slip that he was the Messiah.
John 4:25-26 Jesus tells the woman at the well that he is the one she had heard about.
He tells her to not say anything but She does.
Matt 16:15 Jesus ask his disciples “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answers correctly!
16:20 Jesus tells them to tell no one!
Why was Jesus being so secretive about his identity?
I know that if I was the Messiah I would have been telling everyone who would listen.
I would have had a blast with it …
Walking on water
Healing by brother when he was too sick to go to school.
There are many reason, I am sure!
But bottom line is this, the secret is out and the announcement is being made on Palm Sunday.
THE MESSIAH HAS ARRIVED!
The donkey the cloaks
We know that scripture associated a Horse with war and a COLT with humility or peace.
But the Donkey in that day and time was also used by Kings and was a symbol of Kingship.
(Look at the screen) – “No not that one that starred in the movies”
That one!
The cloaks being placed on the ground to be walked on was a sign of paying Jesus kingly respect.
We see this in 2 Kgs 9:13 13 Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”
Jehu is the son of Jehoshaphat. He had just been pronounced King!
Side note: Do you think OT names will make a comeback?
What has been understood and announced at this point in history is “THE MESSIAH HAS ARRIVED!
When we read this story in all four of the Gospels we see the Will of God being fulfilled!
I don’t know about you but I find that the will of God is greatly misunderstood at times!
Someone told me that it was the will of God for a child to die!
Will of God for their daughter to get pregnant out of wedlock.
Will of God to leave their spouse and marry someone else.
I want to share with you from this passage the truth about the will of God!
It was the will of God to restore his people back to him.
It was the will of God to have Christ be that sacrifice that was needed to do just that.
It was the will of God to have Christ die on that cross so that all who repented of their sins and confessed Jesus as their Lord would be acceptable in the sight of God.
It was the will of God to have Christ ride into Jerusalem on a donkey and pronounce to the world HE IS THE MESSIAH!
BODY:
I think it’s important for us to be sure what is happening in our lives is the will of God?
I think it’s important for us to want to be sure it’s His will and not ours.
There are three things that are revealed to us in this passage of scripture that can help us know it’s His will not ours …..
1. The Details
Have you ever heard the phrase “The devil is in the details”?
The expression "the devil is in the detail" refers to a mysterious element hidden in the details,
It literally derives from the earlier phrase "God is in the detail" expressing the idea that whatever one does should be done thoroughly; i.e. details are important.
Not only is God in the details but ….
The Will of God takes care of ALL the details!
I can tell some of you don’t believe me!
It was the will of God to have Jesus pronounce to the world at this moment that he was the Messiah.
The 2 disciples / the donkey’s location / the owners of the donkey
The Lord has all the details covered!
The second thing that is revealed to us that can help us know it’s His will not ours …..
2. The Prophecy
The Will of God fulfills the promises of God!
Definition: the foretelling or prediction of what is to come.
Matthew and John both point to the Prophecy in Zech.9:9
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.
Matthew is almost a direct quote where as John is more of a paraphrase.
Either way, what we read is the promise being fulfilled.
It is not really possible to count all the promises of God.
Some people have tried and come up with about 3000. Others have counted 7000.
Herbert Lockyer wrote a book called All The Promises of the Bible, and claims to list 8000.
You want to know if it’s Gods will or yours?
Is it fulfilling the promises of God?
The final thing that is revealed to us that can help us know it’s His will not ours …..
3. The Praise
Luke is the only Gospel writer who shares the conversation between the Pharisees and Jesus.
They tell Jesus to rebuke his people!
Jesus tells them “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
There is a direct response to the fulfillment of God’s Will!
That response is praise!
Praise is the outcome!
What we read in this passage is not just that if Gods people are stiffened that praise will pour from the rocks.
We understand that creation declares the Glory of the Lord!
We have read in Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
It’s that in the midst of God’s will being done PRAISE will pour forth!
It can’t be stopped!
If man chooses not to do it, creation will!
CLIMAX:
The announcement of the Messiah at this point in time was the WILL of the Father!
God took care of the details!
He fulfilled his promise!
He received the Praise!
CONCLUSION:
Ask yourself this morning ……
“Am I in the center of God’s will?”
“Am I doing the will of God?”
How do you know you are?
Are we seeing and trusting that the minute details will be taken care of so that you can fulfill HIS WILL?
Are promises from the Lord being fulfilled?
Do you have this overwhelming urge to PRAISE HIM for what he is doing?
If you answered “YES” to all three, I would be safe to say YOU are doing the will of the Father.
But if you answered “NO” then start asking, seeking, knocking for the Lord to show you HIS WILL for your life.
Jer 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
God has a plan for your life.
For his will to be done through you.
You are that special to God!
Not just for you to spend eternity in Heaven but also to be a vessel used for His WILL to be done “here on earth just as it is in Heaven.”