Palm Sunday 2018

Sunday Morning March 25th, 2018

Sunday Morning March 25th, 2018

Text: (NKJV)

The Triumphal Entry

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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.

17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. [1]

23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

“Lord, who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,

Lest they should see with their eyes,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should heal them.”

41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

1. “The next day” refers to the day after Marry anoints Jesus with the spikenard oil and wipes His feet with her hair.

a. There is no doubt that this is a tremendous act of worship.

i. I know from personal experience that worship changes our atmosphere. There is no doubt to me that Mary’s act of worship was the event that prepared the way for the triumphal entry of Christ.

ii. The fact the Mary pierced the vail and changed the atmosphere, makes me wonder, who pierced the vail for me? Has my worship ever pierced the vail for others? Do we as the body of Christ as He expresses himself through the local church understand the weight present when we gather as the People of God?

iii. I know how easily I forget! To be sure God is bigger than any mood I can get in or lethargy that can fall on me, but what ways my heart down at this point is how little I have opened my self to God in the local body gatherings. Especially when I contrast that same openness to a promise keepers experience. The same Holy Spirit is available to me at Church on the Rock-Abilene that is available to me at promise keepers.

The same Holy Spirit is available to me at Church on the Rock-Abilene that is available to me at promise keepers. If Marry can usher in the presence of God what can I do? God is willing its me who is not available. Lord let me enter in to worship in such a way that “The next day” you cause mass worship.

The same Holy Spirit is available to me at Church on the Rock-Abilene that is available to me at promise keepers. If Marry can usher in the presence of God what can I do? God is willing its me who is not available. Lord let me enter in to worship in such a way that “The next day” you cause mass worship.

iv. If Marry can usher in the presence of God what can I do? God is willing its me who is not available. Lord let me enter in to worship in such a way that “The next day” you cause mass worship.

b. I know that the triumphant entry is a prophetic fulfillment. I wonder if the fact that we know that this act of worship was going to culminate in the cross with some of the same people shouting, “give us Barabbas!” do we assume that all the people were unfaithful? Even if they were do we assume that this worship service is discounted? I think I do! I wonder how this attitude of perfection robs me of the opportunity to worship in a life changing way. Looking ahead it was marry that went to the tomb. Because I’m focused on the male disciples I have missed the fact that when the boys were locked up in the upper room playing hide and go seek, marry is at the tomb seeing Jesus first! Why? Her worship carried her from the cross to the opened tomb!

2. Why Did she worship? Not only did she know Him as all the other disciples, she knew as the death conquer.

a. With Lazarus dead not only did she lose her beloved brother.

b. She lost her voice in the culture.

c. She lost her protector.

d. When Jesus raised Lazarus from death, he banished fear and uncertainty that might have fallowed those days. She knew him as a way maker and a chain barker.

e. When she gave this “oil of spikenard” she gave of her most valued position. This was and is a great act of worship.

f. What is of greatest importance of your everyday life? Would you give that to God?

2. lets talk about the worship of the crowds for a moment:

Hosanna means “save us now” (NKJV) 25 Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.

25 Save now, I pray, O Lord;

O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.

[1] This seems to be the end point of the historical account of the triumphant entry, but, I may have to go all the way to the end of the chapter to get the Theological significands.