Cloaks & Branches - 4-5-2020

many of you know that typically I don't start a sermon by reading it right reason the scripture right off the bat, but for some reason as I wrote The Sermon hoax and branches house

hit me that I needed to read the scripture first because the scripture this morning stands out. Because it tells a story of Jesus's journey into Jerusalem that beginning of the week as he Journeys towards the cross.

So I invite you to turn with me to Matthew that gospel the First Gospel in the New Testament chapter 21 verses 1 through 11.

Grab your personal Bible. I mean you're at home. You should have access to it. Or to open your favorite out if you're not using your phone and read along. If not, you can read along with me as a warrior scroll up on the screen. Buy invite you to hear the words recorded in the gospel of Matthew.

When they come near Jerusalem in head reach Bethpage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples same to them go into the village ahead of you and immediately you will find a donkey tie then a cold with them with her untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you just say this the Lord needs them and he will send them immediately. This took place to fulfill what they had been spoken to the prophet saying. Tell the daughter of Zion look your king is coming to you humble and mounted on a donkey and on a Colt the foal of a donkey. The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey in the cold and they are and put their cloaks on them and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him.

And that following that followed were Shelly Hosanna to the son of David blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord hosanna in the highest heaven. When are you going to Jerusalem the whole city was in turmoil asking? Who is this?

The crowds were saying this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. This is the word of God for all the people. Thanks be to God. Let us pray. Oh gracious Heavenly Host. We thank you for this opportunity gather and hear your ward words Lord to hear the story again of the triumphant arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Animate continues his journey towards the cross Lord.

The scripture isn't self as a sermon for us a day. But what does it mean for us today?

Lord I ask now that the words I speak in the meditations of our hearts may they glorify you and put you on high and lower ourselves and if they do not let them be quickly forgotten for those in your son Jesus Christ. Holy and precious name we pray in all of God's children said amen.

Whenever I read this text. About the crowds spreading their clothes on the road. Attend a picture of a man taking off his coat and covering a puddle for his date. So her shoes won't give wet wet.

I really have never understood the gesture though.

Put in your coat over a puddle and it's not like the coat will keep the date from getting her shoes wet on me when you step it when she's does step on the coat the water still going to come up and around. In fact, it's more likely the ruin that coat than it is to do anything else.

Understand people say it's a sign of chivalry. But how is that the case? I mean, have you ever seen anyone do this in real life? I mean you see it on TV and movies all the time. But what about in real life? Have you ever seen it? Cuz I know I haven't.

In fact, I sort of wonder where it all started. Where did this idea of laying a cloak over your coat over a puddle for a woman start? I did some quick research.

To see if it was more of a real life or just a cinematic thing and based on that research. Nobody really knows. And there is a story which is the start of this land to close down. That's Hawks about Sir Walter Riley laid his jacket across a puddle for Queen Elizabeth to walk across But the story has never been confirmed and only reported some years after. the encounter and historians truly believe that is a fable.

While these people are laying out their clothes and wave and branches. There's for Jesus to walk across or ride across in the town. There's another procession happening on the other side of town. And it's a completely different picture than what this is of Jesus entering Jerusalem.

In fact, it would be more of what you would expect of a king coming into the town.

It would be the all the pageantry happening in this one. As pilot is coming into town with his full Roman army. Of course all the people that travel with him.

They would be in their chariots all adorned with every piece of it with everything shined up on them to look pretty and go in nice. The horses would be covered not in their battle gear but in the presentation gear the stuff that makes them look better than shiny or equipment, you know, the spit polished leather everything the armor on the soldiers would be gleaming to The weapons would look like they've never been used.

Everything would look pristine in this parade. And all those that were traveling with pilot would have been dressed nicely.

They would have been in the richest a tire of the time.

There would have been no palms or cloaks involved in this journey.

It would have been heard on the street. That was the nicest Street probably the widest street because that's the way the Roman army would enter in the travel through the town.

facts about the only thing that would be similar to this for us today would be

the presidential motorcade

the streets will be cleared for pilot the pass ahead of time.

People would gather the sea.

This parade in the town.

And that would be cheering on this Roman Empire this Roman. City King in Pilot

or governor in Pilot as he travels into town for an event.

He travels in the town with his army and his regalia just to make sure that nothing happens during the Passover.

In fact, this is why all these Jewish people that are laying their cloaks down and palm branches down are gathered in Jerusalem. They're there to celebrate the Passover.

The guy either because the religious law for them.

But they also gather because it's an opportunity to worship. The celebration of remembrance remembering when God spirit. Passover the Israelites who were enslaved in Egypt and didn't and God did not bring harm upon their first born Sons, but the Angel the spirit kill the firstborn sons of the Egyptians I would say that's something to remember and something to celebrate, isn't it friends? I need that something that you would definitely Gathering celebration for.

But that's not where this tie to The Exodus tie to the gypsum slavery ends in this text actually.

Stop leaving town. We have the king of the Jews entering town from One Direction. Would this opposing Army?

Coming in from another Direction the new Egyptian Army. Entering from the other side of town.

Egyptian Army how to kill God's people in the Roman Empire will be used in quite a different way. Both use the show the power in the might of God.

As I said, I'm sure the entrance responses are completely different if you think about it. There's no proof of it, but I'm sure Pontius Pilate is procession. Is being reviewed was being viewed by people who just want to see all that stuff that he was. Traveling with I want to see the Roman army and their full regalia looking Sharp.

And I'm pretty sure they're not shouting hosannas for Pontius in his army, and they're definitely not laying those close down. But on the other side you find Jesus entering the town with shouts of hosanna and people singing Praise.

Giving Jesus a nicer path walk on with their clothes.

and the palm branches

Nyanners the city the people are confused asking. Who is this person that's getting all this celebration. Who is this person that singing hosannas and Shout of Praises for

When they hear that is Jesus the prophet.

Is coming into town?

I'm sure the religious leaders in Jerusalem were telling the people to quiet down because they didn't want to embarrass Pontius that all all these cheers were going on for Jesus while his pipe fly it for

they're probably worried because they didn't want to upset the Roman Empire. They don't want these officials to be upset that someone was getting more. cheers in with the Romans were

Glass key does what? Does this journey have to do with us?

Why is Jesus's Journey? It's a gruesome important for us today.

the laying of cloaks and palm branches on the ground compared to this beautiful parade of elitism on the other side of town

first is of great importance because it fulfills the prophecy. Matthew tells us that Jesus the prophet said that Jesus would come into town.

on a donkey and a colt

plus is the entrance sets the stage for the coming week.

To truly understand what this has to do with us. We have to look further into our Lenten Journey.

The journey that we've been going on. the past couple weeks

Cuz Jesus is a rival is a sign of changing a power within the world.

And looking back on our journey we talked.

I'm looked.

at the songs

and how we need to examine our lives and how we're doing things.

And how we prepare for this coming of the king.

Are we truly ready? Lay down our cloaks and branches across the grounds of the Jesus can make his triumphant entry into Jerusalem the New Jerusalem.

Have we offered up ourselves in a way that we will shout Hosanna when Jesus comes again?

And sing Hosanna from the highest.

How do we see Jesus entering?

See all these people that are guys are on the road. They they know who Jesus is. They know what Jesus about and they've made these commitments in their lives and they know that there's change the column that they've been changed to him.

My question is have you? And change this Lenten season.

Are you ready for that change that Jesus will bring

I hope so.

I hope so.

Cuz friends a lot of times we find our security. In the same place that the Pharisees in the religious leaders of Jesus's time found their security in the Roman Empire. That's Marching In in this all their Rebellion the great and shiny things and we said that our protection and our security when Jesus is walking down the other way and that's where I true protection and security comes from

the day like today many are wondering where their security comes from. as we deal with the coronavirus and covid-19 many are turning to the government search seeking for that security that hold that I don't even know what to call it.

But Jesus is the one that we need to turn to during this time. The true hope the true security that we have.

Not invite you friends to do that.

We know what's coming this week. We know Jesus last supper with the disciples on Thursdays going to happen and then Good Friday is coming.

Where Jesus was hung on the cross? And put in the Tomb. And the Pharisees are going to think that they have finally silence them silence Jesus and his followers.

Jesus would tell them like you told the Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness, even if I remain silent the God can make these Stones shout Praises of him.

Friends, that's where we come in though.

Pharisees tried to silence Jesus and his followers. on Good Friday

They weren't silence.

Are you going to be silenced? I hope you say no cuz we should be shouting hosannas. So loud that everyone can hear us. And when that first Sunday comes when we gather and worship again, we are going to have a big worship service celebration and I pray that you're ready to shout Hosanna. So loud that the people across the street can hear us.

I pray that you're ready to be loud and cheering for Jesus hosanna in the highest to the point that we get a noise ordinance call on.

Cuz we shouldn't be as fearful as we are to sing hosanna in the highest.

We should have peace as fearful as we are to shouted as the government was the Roman Empire walks in on the other side.

When we praise God we're letting the whole world here about the love that God has offered each and every human on earth.

Friends, as I said just because guy can make the stones shout Hosanna doesn't mean we should let them.

The disciples knew this too and yet they were Rowdy and proud about their worship of the Almighty. What are we afraid of?

Why is it that we only sing the songs that we know? Loudly in the ones that we don't know so quietly.

I challenge you this week. I challenge you to find hymns of Praise in your own life that you sing loud and proud. I challenge you to search YouTube to find hymns that we sing in church on a Sunday to be prepared for that day. When we gather to sing them find the homes. You don't know and sing them.

signal loud enough to your neighbors Want to know what's going on and call and ask? Cuz I can't knock on the door, but not allowed to come and visit right now.

So you ready to shout hosannas as you re lay your cloaks and branches on the ground for Jesus? To walk the streets. an inner and triumphant to Jerusalem

Let us pray. A gracious host. We thank you for this time together and hear your words Lord to hear your message the story of your son's triumphant entrance. And so Jerusalem

Lord God prepare our hearts the Shelf has Anna challenges to be loud enough.

That everybody hears. are shouts of hosanna enjoy

Allow us to be prepared for the day that we gather again and worship in person so that our worship is loud and boisterous Rowdy and proud.

That all may hear wonder what's going on in there. Let us be prepared to lay our cloaks are codes and branches on the street so that Jesus can make his triumphant entry. And change the world.

to follow your will Lord forcing your son Jesus Christ. Holy and precious name we pray. Hey, man.

Now may you go? shouting Hosanna

to the highest of highs