ENTER THE KING

And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

This Sunday is known as Palm Sunday and it marks Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem riding on a colt that had never been ridden. This also marked the time when his earthly ministry was coming to an end and he knew it.

Jesus knew his earthly life was coming to an end, he had almost completed his assignment. He had chosen 12 men to follow him, he had trained and prepared them for the assignments they were about to undertake. They walked with him for three years and still one of them betrayed him.

Jesus had performed many miracles. He fed thousands, healed the sick, delivered, raised the dead, cast out demons and forgave sins just to name a few. He used many ways to perform these miracles to show us there’s more than one way to do something. Our healing, our deliverance, our miracles will not all come the same way. Our praise will not all look the same way, our deliverance will not all come the same way and our walk for the Lord will not all be the same. We have different gifts and talents, we have different levels at which those gifts will operate and we have different ways of delivering those gifts. What is the same, is the gift giver. He gave you your gift and he will give you a forum to exercise your gift. More importantly, he’ll pave the way for your gift to be received. So you don’t need to go busting down and kicking in doors to exercise you God given gift or talent. And don’t try to sell it to the highest bidder.

It’s important to know what God has called you to do, the reason He called you to do it is for the edification of the saints, and whatever it is, do it to the glory of the Lord. Jesus knew what he was supposed to do, he knew what was about to happen, he knew he was about to be betrayed, he knew the crucifixion was coming – come back next week for that full story – but Jesus knew because he was God in the flesh. If you knew someone was about to betray you, could you still sit down to dinner with them. Jesus said to love your enemies. But can you? The Bible says, with God all things are possible. Jesus knew, and he was still giving instructions to his disciples. They followed his instructions even though they didn’t understand. He tried to tell them, God will not leave you unaware, but they just didn’t get it. What has God tried to tell you and you just didn’t get it? Have you prayed for something, God answered your prayer and you’re still praying because God didn’t give you the answer you were expecting, maybe he didn’t give you the answer you wanted so you’re still praying and now you’re wondering why you’re not hearing from God. It’s because he already answered you – now move on and do what he told you to do.

The disciples went and untied the colt and brought it to Jesus. Sometimes you just have to do what God tells you even when you don’t understand. They put their coats on him and Jesus got on the donkey.

There’s something you must understand, if I could just paint a picture for you. The Scripture said Jesus made a triumphal entry – this triumphal entry is not what you’d expect – neither did the people there at the time. These people had been waiting for their savior for centuries. They had been waiting for the king who was going to come with his mighty army to deliver them from their horrible oppressors, the one who would deliver them from Roman tyranny. They expected him to ride in on a powerful – if not white horse, with sword in hand striking down those in power.

- So they cheered as he came

- Jesus was coming on a donkey – but they cheered HOSANNA

- A donkey was a meek animal not one used for war – but they shouted HOSANNA to the Son of David

- He wasn’t carrying a sword – but they cheered “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord”

You see they knew their history, they knew the prophecy, their parents had taught them, they had told the stories of how a savior would come through the lineage of King David and save them from their dictators. They knew the words found in , written nearly 600 years before this day, that said – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” And so they did, they rejoiced.

They knew the words foretold by Daniel that said, “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’”. They had done the math, it was time and so they shouted BLESSED IS HE THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!

They were happy – it was about to go down and they had a front row seat and so they shouted HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.

What they were shouting – the word hosanna – meant save, rescue, help or I pray. They were expecting Jesus to establish his kingdom – one that did not include them being enslaved and having to pay taxes to the Romans. Perhaps they thought, we’ll be in charge and they’ll have to pay taxes to us, they’ll work for us, yeah that’s it, we won’t be under their thumb, we won’t be under their rule ever again. And so they cheered and they threw their garments in the streets and cut palm branches from the trees and put those on the street. You see the palms represented victory.

Jesus didn’t fit the profile for what they thought their deliverer would look like but he had talked about his kingdom and it was time and so they cheered. They received him like a king and savior and they were right to do so.

But the kingdom he spoke of was the kingdom of God, the kingdom he spoke of was not of this world it was a heavenly kingdom; and so they turned on him. Oh it’s amazing how quickly people will turn on you. This day they chanted Hosanna and blessed be the Son of David but just five days later they would be chanting something else, five days later they would chant crucify him, but this day, Palm Sunday, they cheered.

So this Sunday, Palm Sunday, marks the beginning of what would look like the end of Jesus’ ministry. It looked like the Romans would take down just another Jew, but

- he had performed so many miracles

- he had helped so many people

- he had loved those no one wanted to associate with

- he had touched those no one else wanted to touch

But how many know things are not always what they seem, it’s not always how it looks.

- Your marriage may look like it’s dead but pray – put God back into the center of it and watch him resurrect it, watch him reconcile it, because God is a reconciler.

- The bank might be about to foreclose on your home, maybe they already did, but cheer and watch God give you a better one.

- You may have just lost your job and you don’t know how you’re going to make it, but shout Hosanna and watch God come through for you. Watch him open a door no man can shut; watch him give you not just a job, but a career.

I don’t know what you need, but what I do know is my God will supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Not according to what you see, what you know or what you can do, but according to his riches in glory and my Bible also tells me in that eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. Do you love him this morning?

- You have no idea what’s about to happen for you – but shout anyway

- You can’t see it – but cheer anyway

- You can’t figure it out – but praise God anyway

- Praise him in spite of your circumstance

- Praise him because of your circumstance – did you not know that trials come to make us strong? You don’t believe me turn to “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy ghost which is given unto us.”

- So praise him in the midst of your heartache

- Praise him in the midst of your pain

- Praise him in the midst of your sorrow

- Praise him in the midst of your problem

- Praise him in the midst of your trial

- Praise him because he is God and God all by himself

- Praise him because there is nobody greater

- Praise him because he is the Sovereign God

- Praise him because he woke you up this morning and he didn’t have to

- Praise him because last night could have been your last night

- Praise him because he got you here this morning – even through the rain. But you know it takes rain for things to grow, so into each life some rain must fall. The rain will remind you to pray. The rain washes, it clears the air. Praise God for the rain

- Praise him because you have a job

- Praise Him because He is making a way out of no way

- Praise Him just because He is

We have a right and a reason to praise God.

That first Palm Sunday, the people shouted, cheered and made such a scene as this man rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people in the city said “Who is this”. There are still people who don’t know who Jesus is and it’s our duty to tell them, it’s our duty to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them, it’s our duty to love our neighbor as ourselves, it’s our duty to tell them about the goodness of the Lord.

So what is your conversation like? What are you talking about? Is it conversation that builds up or does it tear down? Is your conversation such that someone would ask you the question who is this you’re talking about and you could respond, Jesus.

But the people of Jerusalem wanted to know, and they asked the question, who is this? In other words, what’s all the fuss about? And the response was “This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.” But he was and is so much more. Sometimes you have a treasure and you don’t even know it. There’s a saying that goes you don’t miss your water until your well runs dry.

He wasn’t just Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee

- He is Jesus – the savior of the world

- He is Jesus – the Master

- He is Jesus – the Master teacher

- He is wonderful

- He is counselor

- He is the mighty God

- He is the everlasting Father

- He is the Prince of Peace

- He is the Rose of Sharon

- He is the lily of the valley

- He is the bright and morning star

- He is the wheel in the middle of the wheel

- He is my shelter

- He is my peace

- He is peace in the midst of the storm

- He is my way maker

- He is my reconciler

- He is my all in all

- He is alpha and omega

- The beginning and the end

- The first and the last

- He is my way out of no way

- He is my provider

- He is my protector

- He is my salvation

- He is my refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble

- He is my deliverer

- He is my sustainer

- He is – you fill it in because I could go the rest of the day and not say who and what he is to you.

Palm Sunday was the beginning of the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, but he left us with so much more. He left with us the Holy Spirit, the comforter who comes to dwell inside of you, who’s there to stop you when you’re about to cuss somebody out. To stop you when you want to slap somebody. To spur you on to good works. To encourage you when no one else is around at two o’clock in the morning; when there is no one else to call, call him and he’ll answer. When you have nowhere else to turn, turn to him. When you’re falling and there’s no one there to catch you the Holy Ghost will not only catch you, He’ll lift you up. Jesus had to leave but he sent us a comforter, He sent us the Comforter. He had to leave so the Holy Spirit could come and dwell in our hearts, but the only way for that to happen for you is that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was born of a virgin, that he died, was buried, rose again and ascended back to the right hand of the Father you will be saved, you will receive salvation at that very moment. Perhaps you have already accepted Christ as your Savior and you need a church home to walk out your soul salvation, to work out your faith, because faith without works is dead we invite you to come and join us…

Rededication