The King Has Come
Notes
Transcript
12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; 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 were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
THE KING HAS COME
AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE PALM SUNDAY, LET US REFLECT ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SPECIAL DAY IN THE CHRISTIAN CALENDAR. PALM SUNDAY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF HOLY WEEK, THE WEEK LEADING UP TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST'S CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION. IT IS A TIME FOR US TO REMEMBER AND REFLECT ON THE SACRIFICE THAT JESUS MADE FOR US, AND TO PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR THE JOY OF EASTER SUNDAY.
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTER 12, VERSES 12-16, WHERE WE READ ABOUT THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION OF JESUS' TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM. AS HE RODE INTO THE CITY ON A DONKEY, THE PEOPLE GREETED HIM WITH SHOUTS OF "HOSANNA! BLESSED IS THE KING OF ISRAEL!" THIS WAS A MOMENT OF GREAT CELEBRATION AND EXCITEMENT, AS THE PEOPLE RECOGNIZED JESUS AS THEIR LONG-AWAITED MESSIAH
IN THE DAYS LEADING UP TO THE PASSOVER, JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES MADE THEIR WAY TO JERUSALEM. THE CITY WAS ABUZZ WITH EXCITEMENT AS PILGRIMS FROM ALL OVER GATHERED TO CELEBRATE THE FESTIVAL. YET, AMIDST THE THRONGS OF PEOPLE, A SENSE OF TENSION AND ANTICIPATION HUNG IN THE AIR. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE PLOTTING AGAINST JESUS, SEEKING TO PUT AN END TO HIS MINISTRY ONCE AND FOR ALL.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, TO REMEMBER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PALM SUNDAY AND TO REFLECT ON THE MESSAGE OF HOPE AND SALVATION THAT JESUS BRINGS TO US. LET US BE REMINDED OF THE TRUE MEANING OF THIS DAY, AND LET US BE INSPIRED TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS OUR LOVE AND DEVOTION TO THE KING OF KINGS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS TEXT SHOWS US OF THREE ASPECT OF JESUS AS OUR KING…..I BELIEVE THAT HE IS OUR…
I. THE PROMISED KING
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THERE ARE MANY PROPHECIES ABOUT THE COMING OF A MESSIAH, A KING WHO WOULD REIGN IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND BRING SALVATION TO GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE. IN
ZECHARIAH 9:9
, WE READ: "REJOICE GREATLY, O DAUGHTER OF ZION! SHOUT, DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM! SEE, YOUR KING COMES TO YOU, RIGHTEOUS AND VICTORIOUS, LOWLY AND RIDING ON A DONKEY, ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY."
THIS PROPHECY REFERS TO THE COMING OF JESUS, THE MESSIAH, WHO WOULD ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM AND BRING SALVATION TO THE WORLD. THIS HUMBLE ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY WAS A CONTRAST TO THE COMMON EXPECTATION OF A POWERFUL KING RIDING ON A HORSE. THIS SHOWS THAT JESUS' KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD BUT OF A SPIRITUAL NATURE
THE PEOPLE ARE SHOUTING HOSANNA! WHICH MEANS SAVE US!
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS RIDING ON A DONKEY INSTEAD OF A HORSE, TRADITIONALLY USED BY KINGS.
JESUS FULFILLS THIS PROPHECY WHEN HE RIDES INTO JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY, JUST AS THE PROPHET FORETOLD. THE PEOPLE RECOGNIZED HIM AS THEIR PROMISED KING, AND THEY WELCOMED HIM WITH SHOUTS OF JOY AND PRAISE.
AS AFRICAN AMERICANS, WE CAN RELATE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ISRAELITES, WHO LONGED FOR A LEADER WHO WOULD DELIVER THEM FROM OPPRESSION AND GUIDE THEM TO A PROMISED LAND OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY
JESUS IS OUR PROMISED KING, THE ONE WHO HAS COME TO SET US FREE FROM THE CHAINS OF SIN AND DEATH. HE IS THE TRUE SOURCE OF OUR LIBERATION AND THE ONE WHO BRINGS HOPE AND HEALING TO OUR BROKEN WORLD. AS WE CELEBRATE PALM SUNDAY, LET US REMEMBER THAT JESUS IS NOT JUST A HISTORICAL FIGURE, BUT A LIVING, REIGNING KING WHO IS PRESENT WITH US TODAY.
LET US CONSIDER WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US PERSONALLY. JUST AS THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM WELCOMED JESUS WITH SHOUTS OF "HOSANNA!" SO TOO MUST WE WELCOME HIM INTO OUR HEARTS AND LIVES. WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS OUR KING AND SAVIOR, SUBMITTING OUR LIVES TO HIS AUTHORITY AND RULE.
II. THE HUMBLE KING
ONE OF THE STRIKING ASPECTS OF JESUS' ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM IS HIS HUMILITY. INSTEAD OF RIDING IN ON A CHARIOT OR A HORSE, WHICH WERE SYMBOLS OF POWER AND MAJESTY, JESUS CHOSE TO RIDE ON A DONKEY, A HUMBLE AND LOWLY ANIMAL. THIS ACT OF HUMILITY DEMONSTRATES JESUS' SERVANT HEART AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO IDENTIFY WITH THE POOR AND THE OPPRESSED.
AS BELIEVERS, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMILITY IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND THE POWER OF GOD TO LIFT UP THE HUMBLE AND BRING DOWN THE PROUD. WE HAVE SEEN HOW GOD USES THE WEAK AND THE MARGINALIZED TO CONFOUND THE STRONG AND THE POWERFUL. IN JESUS, WE SEE THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY AND SERVANTHOOD, AND WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS.
THIS HUMBLE KING, JESUS, IS NOT ONLY RIGHTEOUS BUT ALSO THE SOURCE OF OUR SALVATION. HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SEEN THROUGH HIS PERFECT LIFE AND HIS SALVATION IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
WE MUST ALSO LEARN FROM HIS EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY.
WE SHOULD NOT SEEK TO EXALT OURSELVES OR BOAST IN OUR OWN STRENGTH, BUT RATHER, WE MUST LEARN TO BE GENTLE AND MEEK LIKE OUR SAVIOR. LET US ALSO REMEMBER THAT THE GREATEST AMONG US IS THE ONE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF AND SERVES OTHERS.
AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, WE ARE CALLED TO IMITATE HIS HUMBLE NATURE. IT IS EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN PRIDE AND SELF-PROMOTION IN OUR SOCIETY, BUT JESUS TEACHES US TO HUMBLE OURSELVES AND SERVE OTHERS. LET US REMEMBER TO FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE AND SERVE OTHERS WITH HUMILITY.
LET US NOT ALLOW THE BUSYNESS AND DISTRACTIONS OF THE WORLD TO HINDER OUR JOY AND CELEBRATION OF THE HUMBLE KING. MAY OUR WORSHIP BE FILLED WITH REJOICING AND OUR LIVES REFLECT THE HUMBLE AND GRATEFUL HEARTS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED BY JESUS.
DURING THIS HOLY WEEK, LET US REFLECT ON THE HUMILITY OF OUR SAVIOR AND ASK GOD TO GIVE US THE GRACE TO HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE HIM AND BEFORE OTHERS. LET US REMEMBER THAT TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUND IN SERVICE AND SACRIFICE, NOT IN POWER AND PRESTIGE. LIKE JESUS, LET US BE WILLING TO LAY DOWN OUR LIVES FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS, AND TO BE A LIVING EXAMPLE OF HIS LOVE AND GRACE
III. THE VICTORIOUS KING
AS JESUS RODE INTO JERUSALEM ON THAT FIRST PALM SUNDAY, THE PEOPLE HAILED HIM AS THE KING OF ISRAEL AND THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. THEY BELIEVED THAT HE WOULD LEAD THEM TO VICTORY OVER THEIR ENEMIES AND ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE. LITTLE DID THEY KNOW THAT THE TRUE VICTORY WOULD COME NOT THROUGH MILITARY MIGHT OR POLITICAL POWER, BUT THROUGH THE SACRIFICIAL DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS ON THE CROSS.
ON EASTER SUNDAY, WE WILL CELEBRATE THE ULTIMATE VICTORY OF OUR KING OVER SIN AND DEATH. JESUS DEFEATED THE POWERS OF DARKNESS AND OPENED THE WAY FOR US TO EXPERIENCE ETERNAL LIFE AND FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
HIS RESURRECTION IS A TRIUMPH OVER ALL THAT SEEKS TO DESTROY US AND A DECLARATION OF HIS POWER TO SAVE AND REDEEM US. AS BELIEVERS, WE CAN TAKE HEART IN THE VICTORY OF OUR SAVIOR AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN HE WILL RETURN IN GLORY TO ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH.
AS WE REFLECT ON THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY, WE ARE REMINDED OF THE HOPE THAT JESUS BRINGS TO EACH ONE OF US. HIS ARRIVAL IN JERUSALEM SIGNIFIES THE BEGINNING OF A NEW KINGDOM, A KINGDOM OF PEACE, JUSTICE, AND LOVE. IN HIM, WE FIND FORGIVENESS FOR OUR SINS, HEALING FOR OUR BROKENNESS, AND ULTIMATE VICTORY OVER DEATH AND DARKNESS.
AS WE JOURNEY THROUGH HOLY WEEK, LET US REMEMBER THAT WE SERVE A VICTORIOUS KING WHO HAS CONQUERED ALL OUR ENEMIES AND WHO REIGNS IN GLORY AND POWER.
LET US BE ENCOURAGED BY THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS, WHO ENDURED THE CROSS FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM. LET US BE CONFIDENT IN HIS PROMISE TO NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US, AND TO BE WITH US ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AS WE PREPARE TO CELEBRATE EASTER SUNDAY, LET US REMEMBER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PALM SUNDAY AND THE MESSAGE OF HOPE AND SALVATION THAT JESUS BRINGS TO US. LET US BE ENCOURAGED BY THE EXAMPLE OF OUR KING, WHO RODE INTO JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY, NOT AS A CONQUERING HERO, BUT AS A HUMBLE SERVANT. LET US TAKE HEART IN THE VICTORY OF OUR SAVIOR, WHO CONQUERED SIN AND DEATH AND OFFERS US ETERNAL LIFE AND FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
MAY THIS PALM SUNDAY BE A TIME OF REFLECTION AND RENEWAL FOR US AS WE PREPARE OUR HEARTS FOR THE JOY OF EASTER SUNDAY. MAY WE BE FILLED WITH THE LOVE AND GRACE OF OUR SAVIOR AND BE EMPOWERED TO BE HIS WITNESSES IN A WORLD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS HIS SAVING GRACE. MAY WE LIFT HIGH THE BANNER OF JESUS CHRIST AND PROCLAIM HIS VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH TO ALL WHO WILL HEAR.