Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
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Antithesis
You don’t have to be a fan of college basketball to realize that the country is mired in March madness right now!
Now, take that mental image -- the image of the champions joyously racing out to center court when the final buzzer sounds -- and place it in Jerusalem.
The year is approximately A.D. 33 -- give or take five or six years.
Buzz is building as thousands of Jews gather for their celebration of Passover in the holy city.
A march is staged by Jesus and his disciples, and before you know it -- madness!
Yes, the month is March.
And Jesus is on the march.
Put the two together, and you get March Madness in Jerusalem!
Just as fans make their bracket picks and try to guess who will make it to the Final Four, residents of Jerusalem were trying to figure out who would come out on top.
Some of the locals were betting on a new ruler who would establish the kingdom of their ancestor David (v.
10).
Others in Jerusalem wanted a religious leader such as the high priest to come out on top.
The Romans' imperial political machinery wanted their appointee Pilate to keep the peace through a show of military force.
And the disciples wanted Jesus to be their champion -- but they were not exactly sure what his victory would look like.
Thesis
This is where we are today, on Palm Sunday 2018.
There’s another March Madness we ought to aware of.
I can’t help you with your bracket, but I came to talk about Jesus!
We watch as Jesus marches into Jerusalem on a thrilling and unpredictable ride.
Every opponent he faces is going to test him and try to defeat him.
In this single-elimination tournament, there are no do-overs and no second chances.
We hope that Jesus will cut through the chaos and emerge as the champion.
But what kind of winner do we want him to be?
Relevant Question
Relevant Question
And what kind of champion does God want him to be?
Jesus was clearly a team player, not a ball hog.
Mark tells us that when Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them ahead to find a colt.
He said that if anyone questioned them, they were to say, "The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately" (vv.
1-3).
And what kind of champion does God want him to be?
What kind of champion does God want US to be?
"The Lord needs it."
What a surprising admission.
Jesus needed a stranger to provide him with an animal so that he could make his march into the city.
You wouldn't think that the all-powerful Son of God would need anything, but Mark reveals that he did.
He needed a colt and a cooperative animal owner.
Jesus was not going to enter Jerusalem under his own power, beating his chest and calling attention to himself.
In basketball language, you would say that he was a team player, not a ball hog.
"The Lord needs it."
What a surprising admission.
Jesus needed a stranger to provide him with an animal so that he could make his march into the city.
You wouldn't think that the all-powerful Son of God would need anything, but Mark reveals that he did.
He needed a colt and a cooperative animal owner.
Jesus was not going to enter Jerusalem under his own power, beating his chest and calling attention to himself.
In basketball language, you would say that he was a team player, not a ball hog.
1. Jesus was clearly a team player, not a ball hog.
Mark tells us that when Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of them ahead to find a colt.
He said that if anyone questioned them, they were to say, "The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately" (vv.
1-3).
So, what does the Lord need from you? Probably not a colt.
But how about your time, your efforts and your talents?
David Brooks, a columnist for The New York Times, has written, "About once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light.
These people can be in any walk of life.
They seem deeply good.
They listen well.
They make you feel funny and valued.
... They are not thinking about what wonderful work they are doing.
They are not thinking about themselves at all."
"The Lord needs it."
What a surprising admission.
Jesus needed a stranger to provide him with an animal so that he could make his march into the city.
You wouldn't think that the all-powerful Son of God would need anything, but Mark reveals that he did.
He needed a colt and a cooperative animal owner.
Jesus was not going to enter Jerusalem under his own power, beating his chest and calling attention to himself.
In basketball language, you would say that he was a team player, not a ball hog.
Such people, says Brooks, have generosity of spirit and depth of character.
They are people who say "yes" when Jesus asks them to contribute their time and effort and talent.
They don't think about themselves as much as they think about what they can do for others, and because of this they are outstanding teammates for Jesus.
So, what does the Lord need from you? Probably not a colt.
But how about your time, your efforts and your talents?
David Brooks, a columnist for The New York Times, has written, "About once a month I run across a person who radiates an inner light.
These people can be in any walk of life.
They seem deeply good.
They listen well.
They make you feel funny and valued.
... They are not thinking about what wonderful work they are doing.
They are not thinking about themselves at all."
Jesus also accepted his role as a leader.
Every successful team needs a leader, and Jesus did not resist playing the part.
Mark tells us that many people in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.
That's where we get the term "Palm Sunday."
All around him, people were shouting, "Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (vv.
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