Glorify (Global Restoration II)

When we last visited the theme of Global Restoration, we looked at what God was doing to restore His kingdom and how, unlike the world, God’s restoration does not require violence because God has no rival. On Palm Sunday we are reminded of God’s power and authority through peace, echoed through Jesus’s arrival in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Despite the cries of adulation, we see the Pharisees sneering at the scene instructing Jesus to denounce the crowds. But Christ tells them that even if the crowds were silent, the stones would cry out.

The Peaceful Supremacy of Christ

The events of Palm Sunday reinforce the message of our first “Global Restoration” message: Christ’s restored kingdom does not require violence or conquest, because there is no viable source to rival Him.

When you remove the need for struggle, worldly achievement, or any standard to ‘earn’, all that is left is worship.

Luke 19:37–40 CSB

37 Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: 38 Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! 39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”

Impactful Moment… All Gospel writers recorded it

Luke 19:38 CSB

38 Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!

John 12:13 CSB

13 they took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord —the King of Israel!”

Matthew 21:9 CSB

9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!

Mark 11:9 CSB

9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Recall that each Gospel serves a different purpose...

Matthew - Highlights His messianic and regal nature.

Mark - Highlights His actions

Luke - Highlights His compassion

John - Highlights His divinity

Given the different perspective, its interesting that this note about the rocks was highlighted by Luke. It is as if Christ’s sense of love, peace, and compassion is testimony of His supremacy.

But If the Rocks Can Even Worship...

[NOTE: The following is a narrative and something I intend on exploring/ad-lib-ing during the message.]

I’ve always loved the rocks in Luke 19 because it makes you stop and wonder: If the rocks would cry out in worship, then what does that say about my recognition of God’s glory? Am I brought to shout the praises of God or am I content to simply participate in religion?

Stop for a moment and consider creation...

Acts 17:24–25 CSB

24 The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. 25 Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things.

...and yet this is how we seek to limit His glory.

We worship Christ… in the church.

We worship Christ… on Sundays.

We worship Christ… when we have a free moment.

But we are not called to worship Christ when it is scheduled or convenient. We are told in ALL THINGS to glorify God!

The stones cry out. Why do the stones cry out? What would cause creation to sing of God’s glory? Paul has a thought...

Romans 8:19–23 CSB

19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope 21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. 23 Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

Creation cries out to God because creation does not have ego or pride… only design ordained from the glory of God in the beginning. Since then creation has witnessed it all.

Have you heard of the Greenland shark? These creatures are thought to be capable of living over 500 years due to their low metabolism. Imagine what this animal would have seen living in the 1500s through today. What about the oldest trees? The oldest known bristlecone pines can be 4,000-5,000 years old. And the rocks still. The granite in my beloved Appalachian Mountains is said to be 300 million years old. Creation has seen every step of God’s unfolding plan, so it is no wonder that the existence of God would reflect worship and praise to the glory of God.

Consider the Beauty of Creation

Consider the beauty of creation and God’s essence it displays.

The stars proclaim God infinite scale.

The oceans reflect the depths of His goodness and love.

The skies amplify the vast expanse of His dominion.

LIFE ITSELF TEAMS WITH THE HUM OF HIS BREATH!

The mountains peak in an image of His scale and the valleys kneel in reverence to His greatness.

The streams move in metaphor of His relentless Will and the trees grow, fall bare, and bloom cyclically in symbolism of our redemption.

The whole of creation constantly buzzes with the refrains of “Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy is our Lord Almighty!”

—-> ISN’T THAT SOMETHING WORTH WORSHIPING?

His Glory continues in Your Own Life

You were lost, and yet now you are found.

You were purposeless, and yet now you have purpose from He who gave all things meaning.

You were alone, and yet now you are known.

You were a slave to the world… sin, shame, abandonment, depression, addiction, lust, hatred… and now you are free through no work or credential of yourself.

THIS IS YOUR GOD, and yet you have the nerve to be inconvenienced or embarrassed by acknowledging Him and celebrating His glory?

—-> ISN’T THAT SOMETHING WORTH WORSHIPING?

——-> The concern we have shouldn’t be whether it is the time, place, or method to worship Him; it should be whether we feel we can ever truly go far enough. <——

My Bible...

I am burdened to my core at the person I am and all the things which make me unworthy. How can I be a pastor when I am so aware of my own sins and shortcomings? How can I appropriately bring others to Christ when I myself don’t know if I give God everything He is due?

I am constantly convicted with the cries of Paul: Romans 7:24 “24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

I am here to tell you it is hopeless. You can not make yourself worthy and you will not be righteous. Show me the man who claims they are righteous and I will show you the man who has not understood their Bible!!! You will not earn salvation, you will not earn understanding, you will not earn favor.

Your sin is too great and the rot goes to the core. There is NO remedy and NO rehabilitation… only death. You are no more capable of saving yourself then a rock is of becoming more than a lump of mineral.

But therein lies your cause for worship. You did not, but God did. You could not, but God would. You failed, but God won. In every way possible where you were not able, God was both able, willing, and determined! —-> ISN’T THAT SOMETHING WORTH WORSHIPING?

My Bible says that Christ was given dominion over all creation… that includes YOU by the way. All judgment and honor were given to Him, even of those who would seek to repress, oppress, and convict Him.

He CAME to a world He owed nothing to.

He GAVE wisdom that had already been taught.

He DEMONSTRATED compassion where there was no cause or personal gain.

He LOVED those who could not be loved.

He EMBRACED those who were kept at arm’s length.

He HEALED those who did nothing to earn it.

He CONVICTED those who needed rehabilitation.

He SUBMITTED Himself when there was no authority He was compelled to obey.

He DIED on a cross a death that was not deserved.

Then… just to prove to you that He did all of this willingly, He came back 3 days later so you wouldn’t get your story twisted.

This is glory incarnate! The breath of God speaking truth and love to the masses. This is your Messiah, the destruction of sin and death! This is your freedom day, your soul was purchased and is written in the Book of Life for ever and ever and ever and ever and ever. —-> ISN’T THAT SOMETHING WORTH WORSHIPING?

—-> I have to be honest, if we get to this last worship song and you act bored or uninterested, I might start questioning what you’re even doing in a church at this point. <—-

Your Charge

At the onset of Holy Week you have a divine charge: praise God more than a rock.

It may sound easy, but some of us have become spiritually numb. Your God isn’t dead, so why does your worship sound like drudgery.

Your God is alive. He has set you free. He manifests His glory in the redemption of your soul. Even the stones cry out in worship of the almighty Creator. How much greater, then should your soul cry out in adoration.