Sermon Tone Analysis

On Palm Sunday we celebrate the TRIUMPHANT ENTRY of Christ into Jerusalem!

It was the day that He was allowing His public proclamation as KING OF THE JEWS - Messiah.

The people of Israel took off their coats and cut down palm branches and placed them on the streets, and then they waved the branches in the air as Jesus rode into the city on a donkey.

The palm branch was used - symbolic

Feast of Sukkot (Tabernacles)

This feast represents the dwelling in tents when God delivered Israel from Egypt - and annually they celebrated a rememberance of this SALVATION from BONDAGE --

The palm branch was used to make temporary dwellings and the four species of palm decorated the inside of these temporary shelters — but at the start of the feast the branches were waved in the air in PRAISE TO GOD for the salvation He brought from their bondage.

Jesus, riding into Jerusalem, was coming to become the SALVATION OF MAN to free man from the bondage of SIN!!!

The waving palm branch in PRAISE FOR SALVATION.

Palm Branches also represented victory in the Roman Empire - the end of conflict!

IN a “gentile manner” these same branches being waved signified the triumphal entry to declare the victory of King Jesus who was about to end the conflict of sin through His death on the cross

What they were unaware of is that He came to end conflict between them and sin and death!! His salvation is spiritual!

PRAISE IS BECOMING OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS!!!!

On this unique day in history - the people PRAISED JESUS, WAVING BRANCHES and DECLARING HIS KINGDOM!

The religious leaders REBUKED the people — but Jesus response was telling of the need for such praise!

Shouldn’t we be willing to express our praise to the one

we fully know as our King and Savior?

As those who KNOW HIS SALVATION — we should be PEOPLE OF PRAISE!

1.

He Wants Our Praise

God inhabits the praises of his people - we become His dwelling place when we gather as the body of Christ and exalt Him - His presence abides

An interesting fact of this Feast of Tabernacles is that it talks about dwelling in temporary shelters ---

In salvation - Christ comes and makes His home within the hearts of man!

We become His temple/ tabernacle - even though our bodies are just temporary shelters...

The Lord is made King on the praises of His people!!!

YES - JESUS WANTS OUR PRAISE!!!

He wants to be acknowledged as our King by those receiving HIS SALVATION!

He has come to live IN US and we become His temple — of course the temple was the place of PRAISING GOD!!!

OH CHURCH - we need to wave the palm branch (our arms and hands) and give praise to the King of Kings who desires our praise.

If we don’t do it - the stones will cry out and declare HIS MAJESTY!

2. He is Worthy of Our Praise

What made a person worthy of praise??

Being a King alone was worthy of the honor - but if you look at the Kings of Israel - they went OUT TO BATTLE with their people over the enemy.

They did not just send out armies - they LED ARMIES!!!

The ROMAN PROCESSION OF TRIUMPH was a parade that led the spoils of war, the captive peoples into the city while people cheered and praised the Generals and Leaders for their victory!

Jesus fought the battle and won the victory over the greatest enemy - death and the grave and has power to forgive sin

We give praise to humans for singing, acting, playing sports, holding our same political opinions - why do we withhold praise for the one who paid the price to grant eternal life?

This is the PRAISE and HONOR of the VICTOR!!!

Today - we know Jesus has conquered the grave and redeemed us of our sin through His death and resurrection —

HE IS WORTHY TO BE LIFTED UP!!!

Not just today, but everyday!!

Every time we come together as living stones to build a habitation for Him to dwell --- may our praises ENTHRONE OUR KING!!!

3.

He Wins Through Our Praise

Praise brings VICTORY in the life of the believer!!!

A. PRAISE makes the devil flee!

Praise is the act of humbling ourselves before God - we go low and lift HIM HIGH!!

Many people do not want to praise because of their pride --

What will people think of me??

If I raise my hands, dance, shout to God, kneel, cry out to the Lord — all the ways we praise are acts of humility to our human nature, but in doing so we go low and lift HIM HIGH!!!

As we EXALT (LIFT UP) Jesus - we are drawing near to God so He can draw near to us - as we purify our hearts - it sends the devil running!!!

B. PRAISE tears down walls

Can we forget when Israel marched around Jericho in silence for 6 days and then on the 7th they stopped and shouted - shouted the Victory of the God of Israel — in that PRAISE the walls of the city collapsed.

God wants to bring victory into our lives and tear down the walls that separate us from the promises HE HAS for us!!

Praise breaks down those walls!!!!

C. PRAISE opens prison doors

When in prison, it was the praise of Paul and Silas that set them free from the chains, and not them alone — when they praised - ALL WERE SET FREE FROM THEIR CHAINS!!!

Maybe you feel free, but there maybe someone nearby you that is not — when we praise, we are calling on our VICTOR JESUS to set captives FREE!!!

We don’t have to live in bondage to sin, depression, sickness, bitterness, etc — PRAISE makes the chains break!!

CONCLUSION

Praise causes Jesus to triumph in our lives and every situation we may find ourselves in!!!

Praise

As they waved branches to Jesus they were praising the one who would bring them VICTORY!!!

They were declaring their freedom!!

It is not different today--

Wavin our PRAISE before the Lord brings Victory!! and TRIUMPH over our enemies.

Jesus wants our Praise

Jesus is worthy of our Praise

Jesus WINS in our Praise!!!