Palm Sunday: In His Steps

Living Hope, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f2FXxDVO6w

Psalm 118

Psalm 118:1–2 NIV

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”

Psalm 118:19–29 NIV

19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

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This Is Our King video

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In His Steps

The first video ever posted to the YouTube site was a video called "Me at the zoo." It was just 19 seconds long, and it was posted in 2005 by YouTube's co-founder Jawed Karim.

In the video, Karim stands in front of some elephants and explains how they have very long trunks. While this was not groundbreaking information, it was a groundbreaking accomplishment. This first YouTube video paved the way for millions and millions of videos that would follow.

Today, many people turn to YouTube to learn how to do something. If you need help with a car problem, YouTube has a video for that. Never tied a bow tie before? There is a video for that! Are you trying to figure out how to master a Rubik's Cube puzzle? Thousands of how-to videos await you!

Why are these how-to videos so successful? It's pretty simple: Watching someone is one of the easiest ways to learn. Reading written instructions engages the mind. Hearing step-by-step instructions engages the ears. However, watching a person doing the task engages the eyes, ears, mind, and everything else in the learning process.

God made us this way and He provided a way for us to observe Jesus, which is the same as observing God. Today’s subject as we continue this theme of walking in His steps is...

I. Watch What He Does John 12:12-19; Joel 3:1-16

For something different this morning, our text will be presented to us by video. Please turn your attention to the screen.

John 21 Video

The Word of God for the People of God. Thanks be to God!

For centuries, human kings ruled all peoples. At the time of Jesus birth, the Jews were no longer a nation unto themselves, but instead were under Roman rule. But unbeknownst to most, all that changed when Jesus was born. All the years of longing, striving, and hoping for God’s return had come to an end. Incredibly enough, it took foreigners to alert the Jewish leaders that it had occurred. “We are kings from the east and we come to worship the King of the Jews which has been born. Where can we find Him?” they asked. How dumbfounding it must have been for them to realize that no one seemed to be aware.

Jesus grew up without bringing a lot of attention to Himself until the day He walked up to John to be baptized. His miracles and teaching brought Him recognition, yet He still cautioned people to not disclose His true identity.

Then, on the day we call Palm Sunday, He no longer remained hidden. God came among His people as king once again. This is the Messiah’s first coming and we find...

A. Israel’s King arrived on a donkey demonstrating love and peace.

God wants you to know him and his love. As we hear in Ephesians 3:19, God wants us to, "know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Rather than just giving us written instructions about his love (which were written and lived out in the OT), God came into this world in physical human form through Christ Jesus to be love for us. Rather than tell us about his love, God came in Christ Jesus to show his love to us. Countless people beheld Jesus with their own eyes and watched what he did:

At his birth, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, Magi, Simeon, Anna, and many others beheld the Christ Child, who had come into the world. Echoing the response of the shepherds, all of these people in some way said, “Let us go... and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us" (Luke 2:15).

Throughout his ministry, countless people watched as Jesus brought the kingdom of heaven near: they watched as Jesus took mud in his hands to heal a blind man's eyes. They beheld Jesus with bread and fish in hand and saw it miraculously feed multitudes of people. They watched Jesus engage invisible people-people whom everyone else looked past but Jesus looked at. They saw, heard, and felt the water that Jesus used to wash their grimy feet in the Upper Room at the Last Supper.

As the final days of his ministry approached, crowds of people beheld Jesus triumphantly arrive into Jerusalem and bring an Old Testament prophecy to fruition: "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" (John 12:15).

Even Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, watched Jesus with amazement. Pilate interrogated Jesus and declared, "I find no guilt in him" (John 19:6). Yet, when the crowds continued to call for his death, Pilate invited them to behold King Jesus saying, "Behold your King!" (John 19:14).

In all of these ways, God invites us to behold him and his love for us in Christ Jesus. No mere words of instruction. No telling us what to do from afar. Rather, in Christ Jesus, God came to us and invited us to watch and witness his love at work. Jesus came to open our sin-shut eyes so we might see his salvation. The Bible invites us to walk in faith, "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

1. Jesus invites us to walk in the path He has demonstrated.

Jesus invites you to walk in his steps, to walk in newness of life, now that your eyes have been opened. He has trod the trail of triumph over death. He has stepped through the chasm of sin to salvation. He is marching you on to victory and eternal life. Following him, you can walk through even the valley of the shadow of death without fear because what was spoken of Jesus long ago is still true today: "Behold, your king is coming to you" (Zechariah 9:9)!

However, to walk in Jesus steps calls for...

2. Complete surrender is required!

Watching what he does, is not just something for your eyes; it is for your ears, mind, heart, hands, feet, and every other member of your body. When you watch what Jesus does, the Spirit also enables you to do what Jesus does. Having received new life by the nail-pierced hands of Jesus, you go about the hands-on work of Jesus as his apprentice. Just as Jesus showed compassion on people who were invisible to society, his love creates within us a desire to care for overlooked people. Transformed by the weighty words of Jesus, you can now speak God's words of truth to the world. Though you may not feel ready, Jesus is ready to send you out with his Word, peace, and power so that others can see and know Him.

They need to know Him because this is not where the story ends. There is more! Much more! And they need to be ready. You see, Jesus came as a gentle king riding on a donkey on the day this day commemorates. However, another day is coming when King Jesus will come again. This time, He will not come as Israel’s King but He will come as King of all! This time...

B. Our King arrives on a war horse bringing victory. Joel 3:1-16

However, this victory will not be experienced by everyone. It will only be victory for those who have followed the steps of Jesus, which as we know are not easy steps to follow. But it is not a blind faith we follow, but a faith of confidence of what waits for us at the end. God has never asked us to follow blindly. Just as Jesus demonstrated for us how we were to live, He was teaching us about what was yet to come. He described for us the promises of what God has for us.

The miracles He performed while He walked on this earth were evidence that He was who He said and that He had the power to deliver on those promises. His miracles included:

Miracles of healing for the body (the lame walk, the blind see, the leper is healed)

Miracles over the elements of the sky (Commands the storms to cease)

Miracles over the elements of earth (water to wine)

Miracles of His power over death (Lazarus raised from the dead and even more, His own resurrection)

From the time when sin entered creation, God has promised that a time was coming when He would remove it. There would come a time of the return of Eden and God’s residence among people once again.The children of Israel were another visual example of all He could do. He demonstrated through them until the time was right. The appointed time had come for Jesus to come and to die for our sins. We now live in a time of grace providing us ample opportunity to save as many people and families as we can before His return. But His second coming will be different.

In Matthew 25, Jesus says He will return and there will be a separation of the sheep from the goats. The sheep are those who have faithfully followed in Jesus steps, listening to the voice of their master, Jesus. Goats have a reputation of getting into trouble and eating anything. The goats symbolize those who have lived independently of God. When the time comes, the sheep will receive an inheritance, while the goats will come under judgement.

This is the time of which Joel began describing last week at the end of chapter 2. In chapter 3 of Joel, God calls the nations to account for all the wrongs they have inflicted against Israel.

If you are up on your end times prophecies, you will know that a time is coming when all the world will turn against Israel. If you are watching the news, you will understand that this shift is beginning to occur. However, there are still many (mostly Christians or people with knowledge of Christianity) who are yet in favor of Israel preventing this complete shift jut yet. Joel describes God’s work of judgement upon Christ’s second return.

God begins by calling...

1. Nations, Prepare for Judgment ! Joel 3:1-8

Joel 3:1–8 NIV

1 “In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land. 3 They cast lots for my people and traded boys for prostitutes; they sold girls for wine to drink. 4 “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon and all you regions of Philistia? Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done. 5 For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. 6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland. 7 “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them, and I will return on your own heads what you have done. 8 I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.

At that time, God will bring all peoples under judgement that have ever harmed His people the Jews. From Pharaoh to Hitler, to the antichrist. They will all be judged. Yet, those who have followed Jesus and taken care of His people, great rewards await. After all, they were set apart by God to use to bring us all salvation.

Matthew 6:4 NIV

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 16:27 NIV

27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Revelation 22:12 NIV

12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

Jehoshaphat means “the Lord judges”. It is not known if this is a literal name or symbolic but most believe this is talking about the Valley of Esdraelon which is where the final battle of Armageddon will be held. This brings us to our next point.

God calls to the nations again...

2. Nations, Prepare for War! Joel 3:9-15

Joel 3:9–15 NIV

9 Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. 10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!” 11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord! 12 “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. 13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow— so great is their wickedness!” 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.

God has been patient, but the time of grace will be over. When Jesus returns, all the nations will join together and come out to do war against God. This is a spiritually inspired war. Satan will be driving this war. They will turn out prepared to defeat Israel once and for all, only to have the tables turned by God Himself.

This will be no contest. God will defeat this army as easily as a farmer harvests grapes and crushes them in a winepress. God needs no artillery. His spoken word is the only weapon He requires. The same voice that spoke and brought creation into being will speak again and destroy with the same power He used to create all things.

Revelation 14:14–20 NIV

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. 17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.

This will be the time of the cosmic disturbances that so many scriptures have spoken of. These same verses have been too often pulled out of context and used by men to point to periods in time when people declared the Lord would return. However, it will not be natural events such as eclipses and regular blood moons. This cosmic disruption will occur from blood, dust, fire, and battle as well as the reaction to the power of God being dispensed on earth.

And finally, God calls to the nations yet again...

3. Nations, Prepare for Defeat! Joel 3:16

Joel 3:16 NIV

16 The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

The plain of Esdraelon saw many battles in the days of the Old Testament, but none can begin to compare to what it will be like at the battle of Armageddon.

On that day, the sheep will be separated and protected while God’s hand of justice is reeled. Take note of what Jesus says about that sheep in that day.

Matthew 25:33–40 NIV

33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

When you think of Jesus words here in Matthew (spoken to Jews about Jews) and the words of Joel which calls for the judgement of those who mistreat God’s people (here again, it is addressing Jews), we can understand that what is happening in our day is very important. A spiritual battle is raging against the Jews. As Christians, people who walk in Jesus steps, we should have an appreciation for the Jews and all they have suffered. In a day when so many are speaking ill of them, we should do all we can to support them.

Conclusion

In our day, many people turn to YouTube to learn new things. Yet, can people really learn the best about Jesus through a video? I suspect the best way for them to learn about God and the places He would put His loyalties in these crucial days, is through you. May you be the means God can use to teach others about the truth of this life. As they watch you, may they find you imitating Jesus and walking in his steps. Long before there was such a thing as YouTube, the apostle Paul told the church in Corinth to "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). In other words, Paul was telling them to watch him and learn the ways of Jesus. Paul had watched, practiced, and embodied the ways of Jesus so much so that watching Paul was in a way like watching Jesus.

As we follow Jesus-walking in his steps and growing into the newness of life that he has won for us through the cross and the empty tomb-we watch what Jesus does and do what Jesus does. People are more likely to come to know Christ through watching us, then they will through any other means.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for not just telling us about your love but showing your love through Jesus. As we watch Jesus and walk in his steps, empower us by your Spirit to let your love show through us to others. We want the world to see you through us. In these days when loyalties are shifting Father, may we stand firm in our battle for right against wrong. May we be willing to support Your people even as others turn their backs. As Jesus walked firmly toward His destination on the cross, may we walk firmly in the destination set before us. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

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