A Movement of God

Introduction:

Pledge

English Standard Version Chapter 19

28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,

30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.

31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ”

32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.

33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”

35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.

36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Title: A Movement of God

When we think of a movement of God we tend to think of the “big ones” ......

The Protestant Reformation movement (Calvin moved away from the catholic Church) (late 1400- early 1500’s)

The Great Awakening (4 of them total)

Started around 1730’s

Evangelistic Movement - Billy Graham (1940’s)

But I would be safe to say that not all movements of God are necessarily BIG.

Many of you can attest to that!

There was a movement of God in my life about 25 plus years ago. Salvation!

There have been movements of God in my life since. (Calling me Jefferson)

For some of us TODAY, there is a movement of God in your own lives.

But lets step out a little further .....

We have witnessed a movement of God in this Church ......

Seeing someone come to Christ at these altars.

Having people stand and testify to how God has been moving in their lives. (Kara Paxson)

The passage of scripture we have read this morning is a moment in time that is leading up to one of the “GREATEST CULMINATING MOVE-MENT’S OF GOD” the world has ever seen.

For some of you who may be asking, “What is he talking about?”

What is getting ready to take place (and we celebrate this every year around this time) and is preceded here in is revealed to us in From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Segway:

I think it would be safe to say, “there is STILL a movement of God taking place today in our world (Big or small).”

The passage of scripture we have read this morning is a “moment in time” that is leading up to one of the “GREATEST CULMINATING MOVE-MENT’S OF GOD” the world has ever seen.

For some of you who may be asking, “What is he talking about?”

What is getting ready to take place (and we celebrate this every year around this time) and is preceded here in is revealed to us in From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

reveals that Jesus and his Disciples are about a week away from ...

Christ being crucified

Defeating death and sin

be raised from the dead in 3 days

Body:

In this passage, what we find is, Jesus moving toward the city of Jerusalem.

Coming down the mount of Olives

Jesus is taking control of the situation!

He asked 2 of his disciples to go ahead of the group and enter the city Bethphage

He tells them they will find a donkey there.

Tell the owner the Lord needs it and you will bring it back to them once they were in the city.

There is a debate among the scholars to what they believe happen .....

Some believe Jesus prepared this situation by speaking to the owner before hand.

I personally believe this was done by the HOLY SPIRIT.

What ever the case may be, Jesus was in control of the situation.

I don’t know about you but are you grateful that we serve a God who has every little detail planned out for us?

All we have to do is be obedient.

These 2 disciples are obedient and GO!

I wonder though, was there a conversation between these 2 men, “Hey I hope we don’t get shot!”

Or was the conversation, “Come on, let’s get the Donkey and get back to our Teacher.”

The 2 disciples come back with the Donkey and, .... the others placed there cloaks on the donkey and, ... the lift Jesus up onto the donkey.

People started to place their cloaks on the road along with palm branches.

Spreading cloaks on the road is an act of homage as in Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”

This was done out of a sign of the people recognizing Jesus as “THE COMING KING.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

They had the wrong view of what king King Jesus was going to be, but never the less they showed honor toward HIM.

And then look what took place ......

ALL the people, not just some, was rejoicing and Praising GOD!

Luke tells us they were saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”

tells us they were saying, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

If we were to put this into today’s AMERICAN vernacular it would sound something like this, “Yea BABY!” “He is HERE!” “Step aside, the real King is here!” “#PLT!”

The rest of the Gospel writers end this part of history (story) right here.

Matthew shares that the City was stirred, “Who is this?”

John shares that the concerns the Pharisees had about the people following Jesus.

Mark doesn’t give any account to the pharisees.

Luke is the only one that reveals a conversation between the Pharisees and Jesus.

Some Pharisees (Not all of them) tell Jesus to “Rebuke your disciples.”

The word “rebuke” (epitimao) to express strong disapproval of someone, rebuke, reprove, warn in order to prevent an action or bring one to an end.

Parent saying to their child, “STOP IT NOW!”

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 384). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

But look what Jesus say’s, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

This is a reference to For the stone will cry out from the wall,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

This is not Jesus being a little smart-elic. Not being SMUG!

This is actually Jesus being realistic with the Pharisees .....

The Joy of the Lord cannot be contained.

Some how, some way, God’s praise will come forth!

Feelings will always find its vent.

If suppressed in one form, it will express itself in another; if driven underground in one spot, it will only come up in another.

Jesus is basically saying, “if these human beings whose hearts are so filled with exultation were silenced, the very stones would cry out.”

It is useless, and worse than useless, to try to extinguish enthusiasm by a hard repressive commandment.

“STOP IT NOW!”

I bet there are many here today who understand completely what Jesus is saying here.

You have had that moment where “Praising God” for what he had done could not be held back.

Climax:

What we have just read is this leading up to this “Movement of God.” The Cross!

As I have looked back in history and especially in this passage of scripture I have come to the conclusion about these “movements of God.”

There are 4 factors that can be pointed out in a “movement of God.”

A Movement of God is always ....

Lead by Jesus (The Holy Spirit)

You might be saying, “DUH!”

I have run across many people who have done things under the “name of the Lord” and it wasn’t the Lord who was leading them.

In this Passage of scripture we see “all” of this was by the leading of the Jesus.

He was leading toward Jerusalem

He told the 2 Disciples to go get the Donkey

A Movement of God is always ....

A Movement of God is always ....

Brought forth through God’s people

Brought forth through God’s people

Brought forth through God’s people

You might be saying again, “DUH!”

Church we are seeing a decline in the growth of Christianity today in America.

In this passage of scripture we see this fulfillment of Prophecy being fulfilled by 2 disciples who go and get a donkey.

Because of their obedience.

God has done some amazing things through this church. (Upwards)

Why? Because of people who have been obedient.

A Movement of God is always ...

Celebrated

Now some of you are saying, “Now this I can get behind!”

I mean who doesn’t like to celebrate.

Celebration when it comes to the “Movements of God” is something that Has to happen.

I have learned as a leader, (being that I am a type A kind of person) you have to stop and celebrate the victories.

Big or small. One or Many!

With a Movement of God there is always ....

An Attempt to silence it by the enemy!

Satan used the Pharisees to try and stop what was taking place, “Praise to the Father.”

The enemy doesn’t want you to praise God.

The enemy doesn’t want you to celebrate the Goodness of God

The enemy doesn’t want you to recognize what the Lord has done.

The enemy wants you to BLAME God for the bad things that happen.

The enemy wants you to SHUT UP NOW!

A movement of God is always followed by a movement by the enemy.

Conclusion:

Let’s ask ourselves a question .....

HAS GOD BEEN MOVING IN OUR LIVES? IN OUR CHURCH? IN OUR COMMUNITY? IN OUR NATION?

If not, then WHY NOT?

I wonder if the reason we have not being seeing a movement of God withing out community or within our church ...

We have to be honest

Is this because we have allowed the Enemy to Silence us?

PAUSE

Have you seen a movement of God in your family as of late?

If so then #PLT

If not, could it be because you have allowed the enemy to silence you?

Has God been moving in your own personal life as of late?

If so, again #PTL

If not, could it be because you have allowed the enemy to silence you?

I don’t know about you but I want the Movement of the Holy Spirit in my life.

I don’t want to become stagnate or silent.

If I am stagnate or silent, I don’t have anybody else to blame but myself!

I can’t blame God, I can’t blame another person, I can’t blame the president, I can’t blame the church!

I long to be lead by the Holy Spirit!

I long to be an obedient vessel for the Lord to do His will through

I long to celebrate the victories of the Lord.

And I long to shout to the roof tops, How GOOD GOD IS!

Time? Have the Praise Team come back up to sing a song!

If no time? Go straight to Communion!

I think it would only be appropriate to reflect on God’s goodness by taking Communion together.