NO TURNING BACK

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 12

27 “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.”,i

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

30 Jesus responded, “This voice came, not for me, but for you. 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.

Message Moment: Jesus teaches us how to faithfully move forward to fulfill our destiny!

It’s PALM SUNDAY: Jesus enters Jerusalem with tremendous fanfare. The people heard that He was coming, and now they celebrate his coming with a reception fit for a King! “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, -the King of Israel!”

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 12

12 The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept shouting:

“Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,ac—the King of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written:

15 Do not be afraid,

Daughter Zion. Look, your King is coming,

sitting on a donkey’s colt.,ag

MATTHEW RECORDS THE QUESTIONS OF THE CROWD ASKING, “WHO IS THIS?” TO WHICH OTHERS RESPONDED “THIS IS THE PROPHET JESUS FROM NAZARETH IN GALILEE.”

THIS IS THE SEASON WHEN WE MUST ASK AND ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR OURSELVES, “WHO IS THIS?” IS HE YOUR SAVIOR - THE PROMISED MESSIAH, OR IS HE JUST ANOTHER MAN? IS HE, IN FACT, THE SON OF GOD, GIVEN AS A RANSOM FOR THE SINS OF MAN? IS HE, IN FACT, THE LAMB OF GOD, GIVEN TO BE A SACRIFICE? IS JESUS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE?

AS WE APPROACH OUR TEXT FOR THE MORNING, JESUS ALIGNS HIS TRIUMPHAL ENTRY WITH SCRIPTURE:

 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!

Look, your King is coming to you;

he is righteous and victorious,

humble and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

HIS ENTRANCE AFFIRMS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS “NO TURNING BACK!” AND SO HE ENTERS:

SEASON FOR CELEBRATION - IT’S PASSOVER! THE ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF GOD’S MIRACULOUS SALVATION OF ISRAEL’S SONS:

 “I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt. 13 The blood on the houses where you are staying will be a distinguishing mark for you; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will be among you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

14 “This day is to be a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

PILGRIMAGE TO JERUSALEM TO CELEBRATE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD…BUT THIS YEAR WAS SPECIAL! JESUS WAS THERE!!

SHOUTS OF CELEBRATION - HOSANNA

YOU SEE, THE WORD HOSANNA IS JUST A TRANSLITERATED HEBREW WORD, USED OFTEN IN THE OT. IT’S THE WORD “SAVE OR RESCUE.” WHAT THEY’RE SAYING IS “SAVE US!” “RESCUE US!” WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT JESUS CAME TO DO...

SEATED FOR CELEBRATION - ON A DOKEY!

MATTHEW 21:1-9

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 21

When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples, 2 telling them, “Go into the village ahead of you. At once you will find a donkey tied there with her foal. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once.”

4 This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

5 Tell Daughter Zion,

“See, your King is coming to you,

gentle, and mounted on a donkey,

and on a colt,

the foal of a donkey.”,u

6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and its foal; then they laid their clothes on them, and he sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their clothes on the road; others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Then the crowds who went ahead of him and those who followed shouted:

Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is he who comes in the name

of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!

JESUS ENTERS, SEATED IN THE POSTURE OF A KING - THE KING - THE MESSIAH - THE ONE WHO COMES TO SAVE…NO TURNING BACK!!!

Get It: This moment affirms that Jesus has COME to be KING! His path towards His Kingdom will NOT be fulfilled in the manner that the people desire. Jesus enters Jerusalem to begin the process of His crucifixion. He has entered this town to DIE! NO TURNING BACK!

27 “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour.

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

JESUS, AWARE OF WHAT LIES AHEAD, PRAYS - SPEAKS TO HIS FATHER:

PAIN OF THE HOUR (BE CRUCIFIED) - AS HE WRESTLES WITH THE PENDING PAIN OF CRUCIFIXION (BEING SPIRITUALLY SEPARATED FROM THE FATHER BECAUSE OF OUR SIN), JESUS SURRENDERS & SUBMITS HIS PAIN TO THE FATHER’S WILL: “BUT THAT IS WHY I CAME TO THIS HOUR.”

28 Father, glorify your name.”,i

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

PURPOSE OF THE HOUR (BE GLORIFIED) - BELOVED, OUR PAIN OR INCONVENIENCES OR SACRIFICES MUST ALWAYS SUBMIT TO OUR PURPOSE! JESUS HAS GLORIFIED THE FATHER IN HIS SURRENDER OF HIS RIGHTS IN HEAVEN, AND NOW, HE WILL GLORIFY THE FATHER IN HIS SURRENDER OF HIS LIFE/RIGHTS ON EARTH! THE FATHER WILL BE GLORIFIED AGAIN!!!

For family devotions, Martin Luther once read the account of Abraham offering Isaac on the altar in . His wife, Katie, said, "I do not believe it. God would not have treated his son like that!" "But, Katie," Luther replied, "He did." 

NOW IS THE TIME FOR DEATH TO BE DEALT WITH, FOR SATAN TO BE DEFEATED, AND FOR SALVATION TO BE ESTABLISHED:

31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Twelve: Christ and the Crisis (John 12)

We have met the phrase “lifted up” before (John 3:14; 8:28). Its basic meaning is crucifixion (note John 12:33), but it also carries the idea of glorification.

NO TURNING BACK!! JESUS WAS BORN TO DIE! AND HIS DEATH HELD ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE:

NO TURNING BACK!! JESUS WAS BORN TO DIE! AND HIS DEATH HELD ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE:

THE DEATH OF CHRIST MEANS THE DEATH OF DEATH! -

The death of Jesus Christ would seem like a victory for the wicked world, but it would really be a judgment of the world.

A little boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bumblebee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to bee stings he became petrified. His father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and then released it. But as soon as he let it go, the young son became frantic once again as it buzzed by the little boy.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 342). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

The father sensed his son’s terror. Once again he reached out his hand, but this time he pointed to this hand. There, stuck in his skin was the stinger of the bee. “You see this?” he asked. “You don’t need to be afraid anymore. I’ve taken the sting for you.”

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible The importance of believing now 12:27–36

Jesus’ passion would involve His enemies lifting Him up on a cross but also His exaltation to God’s presence.

The Christian does not need to be afraid of death because Christ has taken the sting out of death and sin.

: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”

31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate what kind of death he was about to die.

THE DEATH OF CHRIST MEANS THE DEATH OF SATAN - On the cross, Jesus would defeat Satan and his world system (). Even though he is permitted to go to and fro on the earth, Satan is a defeated enemy.

Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible The importance of believing now 12:27–36

Jesus’ passion would involve His enemies lifting Him up on a cross but also His exaltation to God’s presence.

On the cross, Jesus would defeat Satan and his world system (). Even though he is permitted to go to and fro on the earth, Satan is a defeated enemy.

THE DEATH OF CHRIST MEANS THE DELIVERANCE OF ALL WHO BELIEVE - THROUGH THE LIFTING OF JESUS UPON THE CROSS COMES THE DRAWING OF BELIEVERS UNTO HIMSELF!!! WE COULDN’T BE DRAWN TO HIM, IF HE HADN’T BEEN LIFTED…HE HAD TO DIE!!!

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION

Jesus Is Going to Win

Vernon Grounds tells of an incident that happened while he was in seminary. Since the school had no gymnasium, he and his friends played basket ball in a nearby public school.

Nearby, an elderly janitor waited patiently until the seminarians finished playing. Invariably he sat there reading his Bible. One day my friend asked him what he was reading. The man answered, ‘The book of Revelation.’ Surprised, my friend asked if he understood it. ‘Oh, yes,’ the man assured him. `I understand it.’ ‘What does it mean?’ Quietly the janitor answered, `It means that Jesus is gonna win.’”

Grounds concludes, “That’s the best commentary I have ever heard on that book. Jesus is going to win. That’s the Biblical mind-set.”

VICTORY IN JESUS

I heard an old, old story, How a Savior came from glory, How He gave His life on Calvary To save a wretch like me; I heard about His groaning, Of His precious blood's atoning, Then I repented of my sins And won the victory.

Chorus O victory in Jesus, My Savior, forever. He sought me and bought me With His redeeming blood; He loved me ere I knew Him And all my love is due Him, He plunged me to victory, Beneath the cleansing flood.