The Road to Palm Sunday: Jesus Is My King!

The sermon "The Road to Palm Sunday: Jesus Is My King!" provides a thoughtful exploration of the significance of Palm Sunday, focusing on the themes of kingship, humility, and the nature of Jesus' kingdom. Here's an outline of the sermon:

Introduction

I love the enthusiasm of Eddie in the skit. Jesus is my king! This is something that's worthy of shouting at the top of our lungs. This is a truth that is worth us getting excited about getting all worked up over. :) this is Jesus. And the reality was on Palm Sunday there was a lot of shouting going on. You know there was so much shouting that the religious people who are trying to organize everything got upset.

It's humbling to think that I'm kind of in that category of myself as a pastor as a leader in a church it's easy to slip into the role of being a religious person just trying to keep things organized. The reality was Jesus showing up on Palm Sunday. What we look ahead to next week what we're talking about this week... what happened then is and was worth shouting about. Let's read the verses in John that talk about this.

John 12:12–16 ESV

12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.

The Significance of Palm Sunday

Can you imagine what that scene was like? How many of you have been to a truly historic event? To a concert that made history? To see president in person? Have any of you seen a president in person? This is probably one of the shortest parades in history but it was definitely the most important one.

You see these people were anticipating the arrival of a king! They were looking for someone who would change the status quo picks the problems of the world and save them.

This has been a very ironic week in our world. Both president trump and president Biden were officially confirmed as their parties candidates. It's amazing how much every four years no matter how much we try to resist the urge... We start to hope that if we vote the right person in he or she will fix things and make our world better we look with hope to the president that we elect.

I say this week has been ironic because I've laughed at a lot of commentary online period. The social media platform TikTok was banned by the House of Representatives this week. They passed a law that will force the sale of TikTok. Now it hasn't made its way all the way through both houses and passed the president's desk but regardless the law was voted on by the House of Representatives and it passed. The funny thing in all this is the countless Internet commentary over how our government has managed to not solve countless pressing problems in our world and yet they did manage to work together very effectively and quickly to ban an entertainment platform.

Regardless of what you see them trying to do the fact is that we hope that a change will come about we look for for a change in our lives.

The people that were shouting for Jesus as he rode into the city were looking 4 a change period they were hoping for a leader who would fix things. And they showed it in a number of ways

The Palm Branches

You see as many of you know that palm branches were something they put down to celebrate a victory in the time of King David it was something that honored world to you and these people threw these branches down thinking of Jesus as the king that was going to come and save them and that they shouted hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna means save us

You see they misunderstand the kind of king that Jesus was. Even the passage reminds us that his disciples didn't understand us at first period they thought that Israel would be liberated from Rome by Jesus but they're also misunderstood the kind of king that Jesus was.

Misunderstandings About Jesus' Kingship

You see they misunderstand the kind of king that Jesus was. Even the passage reminds us that his disciples didn't understand us at first period they thought that Israel would be liberated from Rome by Jesus but they're also misunderstood the kind of king that Jesus was.

The kings in that day used fear and power and intimidation

1 Samuel 18:7 ESV

7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

But that's just not the kind of king that Jesus was and is. I mean revelation tells us that Jesus is the king of kings there's no one above Jesus and we can't imagine what kind of king that Jesus is! But Jesus is also a humble king

Jesus is a Humble King

When you think of a king riding into town you probably have images of gold and power.

Maybe you think of an image like this.

Or a leader who rules like this:

But Jesus looked more like this.

Let's not make a mistake Jesus is mighty and noble and worthy of all praise honor and glory but on that day he projected humility because he values this over any other characteristic that someone can display.

Luke 22:27 ESV

27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Jesus deserved to be at the head of the table and yet he showed humility by serving his disciples. Humility is not seen as strength and sometimes seen as weakness. We live in a very Self promoting self honoring culture. Jesus knew exactly who he was he knew the power he had but he didn't demand loyalty or make people follow him.

Jesus Is A King of Peace

It's interesting it is more comfortable to say that Jesus is a king of peace. But Jesus did not come to bring peace. He came to change hearts. It's easy to see the humility of Jesus as weakness and his peace as softness

But he was not soft at all with the religious leaders or the political leaders. He wasn't soft with his disciples.

And yet he does provide peace to his followers.

John 14:27 ESV

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

There's a certain sense where kings don't say I give you king say you give me taxes and land and many other things. Jesus gives us peace. A piece that passes understanding. That's the king that we are celebrating this Easter season. That's the king that we can put our hope in this year. Irregardless of what happens politically and in our world we can trust in our king our savior our Jesus.

Jesus is a Compassionate King

Have you thought about how compassionate Jesus was? Compassion isn't something that we often see today because we're so focused on ourselves.

Luke 19:41–42 ESV

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

Jesus is loudly crying. We don't focus on this normally. Jesus has just finished riding in the king Jesus parade and everyone but the religious leaders are on team Jesus. But now he's crying. Why? You see he understands what everyone else doesn't understand

Jesus is king the king of kings. But the palm sunday ride and parade wasn't a victory celebration it was a ride into battle. Only one of the men that he called disciples will be at the foot of the cross as he's dying for them. In one week's time everything would change.

So why does he weep.? He weeps over the city over Jerusalem because they don't know what will bring them peace. He weeps because they are confused as to what's going to happen

I wonder if Jesus tears mingle with ours even today we're confused as to what's happening we're caught up in the hype of what and who it is important Jesus is a compassionate and caring king

Jesus' Kingdom is Not of This World

John 18:33–37 ESV

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus 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.” 37 Then 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.”

We need to listen to the words of Jesus today and take them to heart. We can shout on a Cliff edge and yell that Jesus is our king and yet we still have to answer the question that Jesus asked pilot is this your idea or did others talk to you about me? Am I your king or are we just talking about what other people say.

You see the deal is this if Jesus is our king if he is our Lord then we will allow his peace his humility his presence his competence to give us hope as we go forward. If he's just an idea that we talk about in church than his peace his presence his humility will not change our lives and We will look just like everyone else around us..

Throughout history there have been Christians good and bad period there have been Christians who have tried to make their Kingdom on earth. And yet Jesus reminds us that we are not of this world.

John 17:14–15 ESV

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

We are citizens of heaven we are subjects of king Jesus. Jesus prayer was not that we are taken out of the world but that we are protected from the evil one. Our Calling as followers of Jesus is to be in the world but not of the world.

2 Corinthians 5:20 ESV

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

We get to spend our life representing king Jesus in this world we get to put him on display by living like him as best as we can we get to be peace givers looking for unity rather than demanding our way period we get to be compassionate people showing compassion and concern for others.

Conclusion

If you want all those to know that Jesus is your king you don't need to find a Cliff to shout from. Choosing to live with humility peace and compassion will be heard much louder than any shout you can give. Choosing to live with humility peace and compassion will shout the name of Jesus to your friends and families. Choosing to live with humility peace and compassion online will make Jesus look beautiful this Easter season. Let's live as ambassadors as representatives as family of Jesus this Easter season