John 12:12-19
Notes
Transcript
Welcoming the Needed King
Welcoming the Needed King
Bible Passage: John 12:12–19
Bible Passage: John 12:12–19
Intro:
Body:
1. Praises of the People
1. Praises of the People
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 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!”
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Prior Context: Last week, we saw Mary pour out perfume on Jesus’ feet, and wash His feet with her hair, the heart of Mary was seen worshipping and serving her Lord. If we go back a little further, remember Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead. It has caused such a stir that the religious leaders are now plotting to kill Jesus.
V.12 So this great crowd that is coming to meet Jesus, remembers this amazing miracle Jesus performed. It is all fresh in their minds, either through witnessing or by hearing.
V.13 Now they are taking these Palm branches and crying out,
English Standard Version Chapter 12
Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel
Previous translation of Hebrew meant Save now, it was a cry for help. By the time of Jesus, this was not the exact translation (No different then words slightly changing meaning today such as how _______ ). By the time of Jesus, this is less of a cry for desperation though, and more of a joy and welcoming. In fact, this passage pulls from Psalm 118:25-26
Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
This Psalm was sung as a welcoming during worship. But this is not how the crowd is using this Psalm. For the Crowd, this is about a Messianic Declaration. For here is this man named Jesus that has not just the power to restore sight to the blind, but to raise the dead back to life. For he must be the “King of Israel” one who is to raise this dead nation back to life. The people begin to Praise the long-awaited Messiah
Another custom of the day was to bring Palm Branches before the Triumphant entry of a Victorius King. Jesus is being Praised for the Victory he is about to endure.
The Victory follows The Praising of the Victor.
I was reminded of a time when I had a lot of responsibilities, and I was literally sitting in my basic sociology class I had to take and we were talking about Role Strain. When you have multiple roles you are trying to play, and instead of them always working together, they strain other roles. I was trying to balance a long distance relationship, being a student, working part-time as a youth pastor, and I found myself praying Lord, I need help. I don’t know how I am going to get through not drop the ball. And theres a verse in…
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
ii. If I could go back, I would tell myself to stop praying out of doubt and fear. It is okay to have concerns your bring to the feet of the Father, but we must remember we are already victorious through Christ. That doesn’t mean we won’t ever mess up or drop the ball, but it’s through Him we are made strong, as we Praise the Victor, the Victory follows.
2. Paradox of the King
2. Paradox of the King
And we see in V. 14-15,
And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
Jesus accepts the Praise. This is a reference back to Zec 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.
Now I mentioned a minute ago that it was custom that in a King’s victorious return, the people would praise him by bring Palm Branches as he enters and moves through the city. This is exactly what the people are doing but there is something different about the King. Jesus, the Messiah, is not mounted on a victorious Warhorse but on a humble donkey.
Oftentimes before we receive the Jesus we want, we get the Jesus we need.
There is story of a man, which many of you have probably heard, he asked God for peace and so God gave him things to worry about. He asked for love, so God gave him hard people to love. He asked for strength, so God gave him hardships. He asked for faith, so God gave him struggle to overcome.
b. What we need is not always what we want.
i. It is the Paradox of Deliverance. Often, the thing we ask for is only achievable though enduring the opposite.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
ii. God works through Paradox. The people in this story are experiencing what we so often seem to experience which is the Paradox of the King
See, the praise of Jesus would have been challenging to Jesus enemies, but his entry was also likely troubling for his followers. They want a powerful King who is suppose to over through the oppressive Roman Empire. You can see it…
3. Pathway to Understanding
3. Pathway to Understanding
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 crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
Jesus’ triumphant entry challenges and strikes fear into the opposition. We know that Jesus has already won. The Spiritual warfare that is being stirred upon by demonic powers and is attack your mental health, that is going after your kids, that your middle or high schoolers are being faced with, is shaking. May I remind you that they know that by the name of Jesus they can’t stand.
We’ve already seen in John10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jesus is our Good Shepard, and He is taking care of his flock. As we see in this passage, the opposition of darkness can not stand before what the Lord has called his. You can have a hope today, that Jesus has made you free and victorious under his blood. Your battles, your struggles, your trials have been won, and if the opposition knows it, then how much more should you know it.
But when we begin to think about how the battle is already won, we begin to picture how our individual battles will be won. That is what the Disciples do in v. 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.
Like the story of the man who asked God for peace, he expected just to receive peace. Which sometime, God does. There will be times in your life when you will be confronted with a supernatural blessing in that very moment. It is called a miracle, which are meant to bring God glory.
But oftentimes, in God’s selfless nature he is concerned with you. And the truth is whether we want to hear it or not, is that we learn more from the process then we if God just fixed our problems. There are times in life when we needed our parents to fix our problems, but as we grow instead of just fixing the problems which may be easier, they walk us through the issue so that we know how to deal with it.
Behind the scene of the trial you see in your life, is God taking the time to slow down and walk through the problems that we face with us.
The Disciples were expecting a Messiah to bring a miracle (which he did), but instead they got a King who humbled himself as one of us and brought himself into our trials, our struggles, our battles, so that through him we can be victorious.
c. The Pathway of Victory is Through, not Around.
The Disciples didn’t understand what Jesus was doing until after the Victory.
There’s been so many times in my life when I was walking through a trail, I was walking through the mess, I was like God I need your love, I need your peace, I need your strength, do you not hear my cries?
I thought the Lord had abandoned me. But when I got through the trail, and as I look back to the battles of my life, I can see two sets of footprints. I see mine and right beside them I see the track of God walking with me through the pain.
We don’t need to know how, because our Lord has already declared He is victorious in the battle. And if the enemy, if your opposition knows it, then how much more should you know that you walk in victory while admits the battle.
Conclusion:
There may be someone in this house today, that you are going through a battle right now and you don’t know the Lord. You don’t have the victory, you aren’t sure if you can make it through this trial. The Lord’s heart is here breaking for you today. So much so that Jesus didn’t come into this world as a Warrior King, but as a humble man. He wants to walk with you right now through the struggle.
Not only will Jesus bring you into everlasting life, but you restore you current life. He is calling to you today. Right now, you have the chance to know Jesus, and if so raise your hand.
Prayer:
Lord I need you,
I am broken and a sinner,
I have fallen short,
but you have won,
I believe in you Jesus,
Be my Lord and my Savior,
Forgive me,
And Change my life forever,
Amen!
Maybe there is some of you who you know Jesus, but your in a trial. Life has not been easy and it feels like you have been left abandoned. The Lord is telling you today
“I’m here with you. Giving you not want you wish, but what you need”
I have already made a way of victory, and we are walking on the pathway to victory right now. Look to the past, I have delivered you before, and I will do it again.
We have altars in this house. Coming to the altar does not mean you have sinned or done something wrong. It means you desire to dwell at the feet of Jesus.
And God is speaking to His church today, come dwell in my presence. I want you to feel my presence as I am with you through this walk. If you need the presence of God this morning, come down to the altar. The prayer team is on the side if you want to be prayed over, Let us dwell in the presence of God.
