Living In The Present Tense

LIVING IN THE PRESENT TENSE

Today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday. It's the day we that celebrate one of the great events in the ministry of Jesus.

It occurred on his final journey to Jerusalem.

It was the Passover season, which is one of the most significant holy days in Judaism. Faithful Jews from all over the world came to Jerusalem to take part in the festival; there were as many as two million visitors to the city for this special week. In other words, the streets were jammed and the place was packed.

And this time there was a buzz all around town about Jesus — stories were being told about the miracles he had performed, specifically that he had raised Lazarus from the dead. And the rumor was that Lazarus was in Jerusalem with him, and, of course, the crowd wanted to see him, as well.

As Jesus came into the city, the crowd waited in expectation, eager to cheer him on, ready to proclaim him king.

You've no doubt seen this in films and maybe you re-enacted it when you were in Sunday School. Jesus comes into Jerusalem and the crowd is gathered near the gate as he enters, and they're singing and shouting...

13 "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!"

This moment in Jesus ministry is called "The Triumphant Entry." This morning I want us to take a closer look at the details of this story, as we also consider what this event in Jesus' life can teach us today.

First, I want to point out the crowd did something that day that was a little "seasonally incorrect." They waved palm branches as he entered the city. As I mentioned, this was the time of the Passover festival. Palm branches aren't associated with Passover; they're associated with Hannakuh, which took place a few months before.

Seeing the crowd wave palm branches as Jesus came through the city would be like going to an Easter party and seeing Easter baskets and colored eggs and an evergreen tree covered with lights and tinsel.

But in the joy and excitement of being in the presence of this great and powerful prophet — who claimed to be God's Chosen Messiah — the crowd waved their branches and shouted "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Second, it's significant that Jesus came into the city on the foal of a donkey. There is some symbolism here that can't be overlooked.

It was the processional of a king. When a king comes intent on war, he rides in on a horse. When a king comes in peace, he rides the foal of a donkey.

And so as the crowd waved their branches and shouted Hosanna, Jesus was saying, in effect, "Yes, I'm the king, I'm the Messiah. And I come in peace."

This is the one thing that was most misunderstood about Jesus throughout the entire course of his ministry — from the crowds that followed him and the bystanders who watched him from a distance, to his enemies that sought to silence him, and even to his closest followers. They were expecting a political leader, even a military leader. They were expecting the Messiah to come and establish his kingdom on earth through use of force and bloodshed, if necessary. They believed the Messiah was coming to establish a political kingdom that would overthrow and overpower all other kingdoms.

That's not the kingdom Jesus came to establish. He didn't come to conquer any governmental authority. He came to conquer sin and death and the grave. He didn't come to overpower any political establishment, he came to empower the hearts of men and women who choose to follow him.

He came to fill the world with love, and to bring peace to every corner.

When he was born in a stable in Bethlehem his birth was announced by the angels on high:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ( KJV)

And during his ministry he proclaimed to his followers...

"These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace." ( KJV)

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." ( KJV)

Jesus came into this troubled world so that we might have peace — the kind of peace the world simply cannot give, or even understand. The Apostle Paul calls it "the peaces which passes all understanding."() It's the peace Jesus came to give. He said...

"In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." ()

That's the kingdom that Jesus came to establish. Not to rule in a palace, not to rule from an earthly throne, but to rule in the hearts of men and women who have surrendered their lives to him.

In this Palm Sunday event — the triumphant entry into Jerusalem in which throngs of people gathered in the streets and shouted Hosanna to his name — we learn something about the kind of peace that Jesus comes to give.

We're in the final week of our series called The One Less Traveled By. This series is about learning to navigate life's defining moments.

- We've seen that there are no short-cuts to living in the fullness of the Christian life. It involves seasons of preparation and times of trial and a focus on moving forward, come what may.

- We've seen that one of life's defining moments is when we take a stand and say, "I will live my life God's way, not my way; I will build my life based on what matters most in eternity, not based on what is most convenient in the moment."

- We've seen that one of life's defining moments is when we stand up with a courageous heart to speak for and reach out to the helpless and the hurting. That's a defining moment: I will not look the other way, I will do what I can.

- We've seen that another defining moment we face day after day after day is determined by the Law of Where You Look. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and focus on him.

- And last week we saw that we must also come face-to-face on a daily basis with life's greatest challenge — that defining moment in which we deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus.

Today, in the final message of the series, I want to talk about another defining moment we face as we continue our journey on this road less traveled. It's the decision we make to each moment, each and every day, in the present tense ... come what may.

As we look at this Palm Sunday story, I want to make three observations about Jesus' decision to enter Jerusalem in this manner, to the cheers of the crowd and the praises of the people, even though the celebration was short-lived, and even though he knew what was yet to come. I want you to notice three things. First of all...

1. Jesus knew that in the coming days he would suffer a humiliating death ... and yet he made the triumphant entry.

He gave his followers the chance to bask in the glory of who he is, to celebrate this moment of victory, even though he knew things about the coming days that they didn't know.

This is hardly a comparison to his situation, but maybe it's close enough that you can relate to it.

When I was in high school there was a time when I had misbehaved, had gotten caught, and I knew I was going to be punished that day — at the end of the day, in sixth hour.

In those days punishment in high school was not a time-out, and it was not merely being scolded. It typically meant you got swats with a paddle. And in my case the swatter was a coach — a Neanderthal coach.

All day long I knew that I was going to get spanked at the end of the day, at the top of the sixth hour.

I had tests that morning, but I couldn't concentrate. I had an elective free hour, but I couldn't relax. I had lunch with my girl friend, but I couldn't enjoy it...because I knew what was waiting for me at the end of the day. And guess what? It turned out to be just as bad as I had imagined.

It was hard for me to focus that day on the things that needed my attention, because I was so afraid — with good reason — of what lay ahead.

I think we've all had a similar experience.

Now, ten thousand times worse than our experience is the challenge that Jesus faced during the final week of his life. As he came into Jerusalem, hearing the praises of people, receiving the welcome of a king — he knew that in just a few days he would stripped and beaten and tortured and ridiculed and mocked and humiliated and put to death in the most painful way possible.

And yet he chose to put that all aside and live fully in this moment of triumph. When the Pharisees told him to tell his disciples to stop, he said...

"I tell you ... if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." ()

He knew this event must take place, regardless of what lay ahead.

For one, it was the fulfillment of prophecy, foretold my Zechariah...

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ()

Also, the triumphant entry had to take place, not only to fulfill the prophecy, but because for many years to come thousands and thousands of people who had been in Jerusalem would remember the significance of this event.

Jesus knew all that would occur by the time the week had drawn to a close. But he refused to let that moment diminish the importance of this moment.

Here's what I'm saying: There is always trouble around the bend. Until we get to heaven, there will always be sadness to come. It's as inevitable as it is unavoidable. Don't let the certainty of future sadness prevent from you experiencing the joy of this moment in all its fullness.

A friend recently told me about spending time with his father — his best friend — who is in late stages of cancer. He said, "We get together and talk sports and argue politics and we laugh, like we've always done, like there's no end in sight."

This is what it means to life life in the present tense.

A second observation I want to make about this story.

2. Jesus knew that many in the crowd would turn against him ... and yet he received their praise.

One of the saddest things about the entire passion narrative is how, in the end, the mob turned against him. The very people whom he had championed during the course of his ministry — the people he had treated with compassion and dignity — would soon call for his death, while calling for the release of the murderer, Barrabas.

I want you to know that the hivemind is not an internet phenomenon. I think maybe the internet makes it worse, but there have always been those who can think only what the group tells them to think. And when the tide of public opinion sways in a new direction, they sway right along with it. We see it happen almost every day.

Jesus understood this tendency in people. He knew that there were some in the crowd who were just along for the show, just there for the entertainment, and nothing more. He knew that their convictions could change in a flash, as soon as a new idea became fashionable.

Jesus knew this on Palm Sunday (ie, the day of the triumphant entry), and he knew it when he fed the 5000, and he knew it when he healed the sick ... and yet he continued doing good — knowing that some of those he served would turn away on a whim.

Crowds are fickle. Those who are booing you today might be cheering you tomorrow, and vice-versa — because crowds are fickle. But, of course, not all the people in the crowd are fickle. Some remain faithful. And so Jesus received the praise of the crowd in the moment, knowing that some of them might turn away, and knowing that perhaps some of them would ultimately find their way back to him.

I'm saying that rather than dismissing the praise of the crowd, Jesus received it — imperfect and temporary as it was.

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a kindness, but you couldn't appreciate it because you had doubts about the person's motives?

Or have you ever received an apology, but you weren't able to accept it because you questioned their sincerity?

This happens often in families, between spouses and between parents and children. One person says, "I'm sorry," and the other one says, "You don't mean it." One person says, "I want to do better," and the other person says, "Yeah, I've heard that before."

Imagine that when Jesus had come into Jerusalem, and the multitudes were shouting "Hosanna," he cut them off and said, "You don't mean it! You're not sincere! Most of you will be gone in a few days! Your words mean nothing to me!"

You can't really imagine Jesus doing that, can you?

Instead, when the crowd began to praise him, he let them ... because in this moment they were doing right. Yes, some of them would soon turn away, but in this moment, it was as it should be.

When a person comes to you with an apology, and expresses a desire to make things better, that's not the time to shoot them down and make them feel worse. Instead, you have the opportunity to make this moment exactly as it should be: a moment of grace and a moment of growth.

Don't let the fact that the people in your life aren't perfect prevent you from living fully in each moment of the relationship. Perhaps there have been failures in the past. Perhaps there will be disappointments in the days to come. But when another person — your spouse, your child, your friend, your co-worker — makes a move in the right direction, make the most of the moment. Make it a moment of grace and a moment of growth.

Here's the third observation about the triumphant entry that I want to bring to your attention.

3. Jesus knew that his followers wouldn't fully understand the events as they occurred ... and yet he asked them to participate.

John tells us...

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

Most of the meaning of this significant event was completely lost on the disciples while it was taking place. They knew it was an exciting moment, but they didn't understand all the implications.

I would venture that we don't fully understand the significance of life's most meaningful moments as they occur. Usually it's weeks or months or even years later before we realize what that moment really meant.

We may not fully understand the significance of everything that happens in our lives — but we can learn to be observant. We can learn to practice awareness. We can learn to pay attention to each and every moment, each and every day of our lives.

I'm talking about making it a habit to live in the present tense, to fully acknowledge the significance of every moment — because who knows what this moment might be teaching me?

The same is true for our children. Many of the lessons we want to teach them, they're not going to get — not now, anyway. It might be years before the meaning of the moment is made clear to them — but we need to give them those moments. We need to teach them those lessons, even if they don't fully appreciate their value at the time.

A friend was recently telling me how, over the years, his dad always insisted on having family devotions together. And he was telling me how he and his siblings resisted the idea, especially when they were teenagers. Today he says, "Now I understand how important those moments were."

Jesus knew that the significance of the triumphant entry would be lost on many of those present in Jerusalem that day, and yet he entered triumphantly anyway.

He recognized the value of each moment. And he lived fully in the present. And he challenges us to do the same.

CONCLUSION

There will be victories and defeats in your life. Whichever you're experiencing today, the other is no doubt around the bend.

Each event has its meaning. Even when you don't fully understand all that is going on around you, you can still practice awareness. You can live each moment with your eyes open wide, and your heart receptive to what God is doing.

When you experience a victory, experience it fully. Savor it. Don't let the uncertainty of tomorrow get in the way of today's joy.

And when you experience a setback, experience it like a student learning from a master — because each moment of your life is packed with meaning.

I'm talking about living in your life in the present tense. I'm talking about making the choice to...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. ()

Last week I talked about the importance of "tagging along" with Jesus. One of the ways we do this is by acknowledging him in every moment of the day.

Bill Gaither wrote a song about living in the present tense.

Hold tight to the sound of the music of living, Happy songs from the laughter of children at play; Hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows, Making memories of what was today.

We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand; Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come, But we have this moment today.

We have these moments in our lives, and they may be fleeting, and we may not always understand the fullness of their significance, but we have these moments — this moment — to hold in our hands, to experience in its fullness, knowing that God is with us every step of the way.

This is a defining moment that occurs in your life again and again and again, because this defining moment recognizes the value of each and every moment.

This defining moment empowers us to say:

I live my live in the present tense, always in the presence of God.