Is that the next King

“Is that the next King?”

Luke 19:28-44

March 20, 2005

Sermon

Purpose: After this lesson the hearer will understand what that Jesus presented Himself as the messiah.

Central Truth: Jesus presented Himself as the messiah on that first Palm Sunday.

Introduction:

Have you ever seen a great celebrity? Have you ever been in a situation where there where just hundreds or thousands of people gathering just to get a glimpse of a well know celebrity?

I remember when I was a young boy and there was this group from England called the Beatles. Oh how they created frenzy in the United States and around the word.

I remember watching television and seeing the crowds, yelling and screaming just at the site of the Beatles. I never got caught up in the Beatles’ movement but I was always amazed at the effect they had on the young people of my day.

And as time went on in my life I would from time to time think of what it would be like to meet or see someone as famous as the Beatles.

I always had this bigger that life impression of famous people ---- I don’t know if I can explain it clearly – but it just seemed that famous people where big, smart, funny, a little more than human.

The closest I ever got to a big time celebrity is Nipsey Russell.

Today we are going to look Jesus and in His day He was as Big as the Beatles. In just three years He had a following that numbered in the hundreds. It was not uncommon for Him to teach in front of thousands of people.

But first let me give some background as to how the world got to this point.

Passover – When the Nation of Israel was captive in the land of Egypt

Deut. 18:15

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.

We will look at Jesus on that first Palm Sunday the day;

Jesus presented Himself as the messiah on that first Palm Sunday.

The first Palm Sunday, did you ever think what that day was all about. Many see it as the first day of holy week.

Holy week the last week of Jesus life, think about that for a moment as we begin this lesson this is the beginning of the last week of Jesus’ life.

On Thursday of this week Jesus will wash the feet of His disciples before celebrating the last supper.

The last supper is the Passover meal. The past over meal is the holiest Holiday of the Jewish religion Passover is the remembrance of the night when the Angel of death Passover the homes which had sacrificed a lamb as instructed by God in the last plaque on Egypt before the Nation of Israel was let go. 

I.                In giving instructions to the two disciples Jesus revealed His omniscience. (vv. 28-31)

1a. Omniscience - one having total knowledge. As we learned of the attributes of God John Baker taught us the God Knows everything.  

1. Who else would know that there is a colt tied up that hasn’t been ridden?

2. Who else but God who knows everything would be able to tell these disciples exactly where to look.

3. Not only where to look but what answer to give to the question they had not heard as of yet.

II.            In referring to Himself as Lord Jesus was asserting His authority as Messiah (vv. 32-34)

1.  Lord - Used in Judaism as a spoken substitute for the ineffable name of God.

2.  Messiah – as foretold by the prophets of Hebrew Scripture The anticipated savior of the Jews

a.  David used this title in Psalm 110:1

Psalm 110

   1 The LORD says to my Lord:

    "Sit at my right hand

    until I make your enemies

    a footstool for your feet."

III.        In riding an unbroken colt Jesus demonstrated His authority as Creator over all creation. (vv. 35-38)

a.  Genesis 1:26

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Psalm 8:4-8

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,

    the son of man that you care for him?

    5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

    and crowned him with glory and honor.

    6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;

    you put everything under his feet:

    7 all flocks and herds,

    and the beasts of the field,

    8 the birds of the air,

    and the fish of the sea,

    all that swim the paths of the seas.

IV.         In refusing to quite the crowd Jesus establishes that He is worthy of all mans praises. (vv. 39-40)

1.              Only God deservers our worship

2.              The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the time and Jesus was disrupting their world.

3.              You see we humans have a very difficult time living as God would have us live our lives.

V.             When Jesus weeps for Jerusalem He weeps for all who will miss out on His blessings because they can’t see the messiah. (vv. 41-44)

1.              Jesus weeps because He can see all who will be lost.

2.              He can see the temple which these religious leaders are so set on protecting from Him being destroyed in the future.

3.              He can see all the souls that would be lost because of the misleading of these religious leaders.

GOD WEEPS FOR THE LOST

A Hasidic story tells of a great celebration in heaven after the Israelites are delivered from the Egyptians at the Red Sea and the Egyptian armies are drowned. The angels are cheering and dancing. Everyone in heaven is full of joy.

Then one of the angels asks the archangel Michael, "Where is God? Why isn't God here celebrating?"

Michael answers, "God is not here because he is off by himself weeping. You see, many thousands were drowned today."

The title of my sermon is Is this the next King?

I ask you today is Jesus your King.

On this Day the Jews would selected their lamb to be sacrificed on Passover.