God Is So Good
INTRODUCTION
God is so good isn’t He? We have heard from Mike and Portia telling us how good God has been to them. I am sure we could all tell a story about how God has been good to us.
Think back on a time when something really, really good happened to you. Maybe the birth of a child, your wedding day, a special moment, a sunrise or sunset, a beautiful nighttime sky, a rainbow, a breath taking scenic view or a time when things just really went good for you. Those are the times when all you could say is, “God is so good!”
He is good in so many ways. He:
· Brought His people out of bondage in Egypt,
· Provided food and water in the wilderness,
· Gave them the 10 Commandments,
· Parted the Red Sea and the Jordan River, and
· Sent His Son to be the Great Redeemer!
And that is what I want to talk about today.
PASSION WEEK
Today is Palm Sunday! The beginning of the last week of Christ’s earthly ministry. What a difference a week makes. It started out with His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and ended with His death and burial. There has never been such a time as that!
Let’s take a look at the events of that last week. Turn with me to Matthew 21:1.
Matthew 21:1-11
1 The Triumphal Entry
(Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-40; John 12:12-19)
Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."
4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
5 "Tell the daughter of Zion,
'Behold, your King is coming to you,
Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.'"
6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
"Hosanna to the Son of David!
'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'
Hosanna in the highest!"
10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"
11 So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."
NKJV
Zechariah 9:9
9 The Coming King
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.
NKJV
The last week begins on a Sunday as Jesus enters Jerusalem ona donkey in fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. The next day, Monday, He curses a fig tree and cleanses the temple. On Tuesday His authority is questioned, He teaches in the temple, and Mary anoints Him. On Wednesday there is a plot to betray Him. On Thursday He institutes the Lord’s Supper, gives His farewell speech, and prays in Gethsemane. He is arrested and tried by the Sanhedrin on Friday, followed by His trial by Pilate and then His death by crucifixion. He is then buried in a borrowed tomb.
This was a terrible time! Jesus was dead, His disciples were devastated and all was lost.
The week that had started with such joy and celebration ended in such disaster. This week was actually the beginning of the end, or so it seemed. Emotions ran the gamut. Just when it seemed all was lost, God again showed how good He is…
On Sunday, as Mary and the others rushed to the grave, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. He had risen!
Matthew 28:5-6
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. NKJV
That has to rate as one of, if not the, greatest moments in history. Jesus was not there and an angel told them that He had risen from the dead, just like He said He would. The scripture says they left the tomb with fear and great joy. Can you imagine?
Verse 8 of Chapter 28 says they ran to tell the disciples what the angel had told them. And then….
Matthew 28:9-10
9 The Women Worship the Risen Lord
And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."
NKJV
The angel told them He was alive and then Jesus showed Himself to them as they were on their way.
CLOSING
Job 36:26
26 "Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him;
Nor can the number of His years be discovered.
NKJV
Psalms 73:1
1 The Tragedy of the Wicked, and the Blessedness of Trust in God
A Psalm of Asaph.
Truly God is good to Israel,
To such as are pure in heart.
NKJV