Luke 19:37-40

Luke 19:37-40 – Has God People Stopped Cheering

Several years ago, a co-worker and myself had received tickets to the NC State – Florida State football game. Both teams at the time had a good record, and it looked to be a great game. For me, this was a great experience, this was the first time I had seen state play firsthand.

The place was excited, it seemed like everyone was anticipating a great victory. Everyone was screaming and cheering, but then, Florida State intercepted, and scored a touchdown. The cheers soften. This happen several more times, until the stadium was no longer cheering, but instead, they were beginning to exit.

That event reminds me of what we see in Luke 19, as Jesus is making his triumphal entry. The people are ecstatic, they are cheering, they are climbing trees, they see Jesus coming into Jerusalem. And perhaps many of these people thought, that Jesus was coming to establish his kingdom and begin to rule over Israel.

But as the end of the week, approached, the cheers turned to jeers. The rejoicing turned to ridicule. The city, had turned against the messiah in just a few short days. Why? Was it because their expectations were not being met? That Jesus wasn’t doing what they expected of him. Was it because he carried himself in a meek manner, instead of a boastful proud way? Whatever the reason, the people stopped cheering the name of Christ, and that is one of the saddest things we can read in the Bible.

I want us to look back at the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem, and allow the spirit to speak to us, have we stopped cheering for Jesus.

The Reason to Rejoice

1. Jesus came with Purpose

· Now we ought to rejoice in knowing that when the Lord came to Jerusalem, he didn’t come to just visit and see the sights. He came with a purpose.

· What was the main purpose for the Lord coming? I will tell you. It was you! It was coming to die in your place.

· You mean to say Pastor, that two thousand years ago, Jesus went to Jerusalem because of me. I wasn’t even alive then. It didn’t matter, Jesus knew you.

· Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…”

· Jesus came to Jerusalem for the purpose of taking your place, for paying the price for your sin.

· Now when all those people were lining the entrance of Jerusalem, and shouting Hosanna, they had a complete misunderstanding of why they were shouting that.

· They thought Jesus was coming to sit on the throne, but their shouts were really meant for joy, for the sacrificial lamb had come.

· Now just like then, when everyone was shouting and praising Jesus, we still ought to be shouting and praising his name. Because his purpose still continues.

· Jesus came into this house today, with a purpose. A purpose of speaking to your heart. To make you realize, that he came here just for you today.

· Friend, you ought to rejoice, in knowing that Jesus is here for you today.

2. Jesus came Prepared

· Now Jesus came with purpose, but he also came prepared. Listen, Jesus knew what was going to happen when he came to Jerusalem.

· You know we are often unprepared in life. We aren’t ready for when an accident happens. I mean we aren’t ready for tragedy to strike. And many aren’t prepared for when death comes knocking on the door.

· When Jesus rode into that city on Palm Sunday, he came in prepared. His heart was already willing to go and die in the place of humanity.

· Do you know, that Jesus is never caught off guard? I mean, when Jesus came to Jerusalem, he knew what was going to happen, but he went anyway.

· Luke 9:22 “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

· When Jesus came into the city, he was prepared in his heart, to know what was about to happen.

· Now we have some serious issues in life, don’t we? I mean, there are things we are facing that we aren’t prepared for. But let me tell you, Jesus is.

· There is no problem too big or too great, that Jesus isn’t prepared to deal with it. Now, how do we prepare ourselves then?

· We have to let Jesus into our life. The only way, you can deal with the unexpected things of life, and be prepared, is by having Jesus living in your life.

· I love seeing a person who is prepared. Its like that elderly parent that isn’t afraid to die, because their heart belongs to Jesus, its like that man who isn’t afraid to be fired because he knows that Jesus will take care of him and his family, its like that person who has everything in the world going against them, but they are still rejoicing, because Jesus saved their soul. Listen being prepared with Jesus, is not living in fear!

· How do you start your day? Do you start it with Jesus? Listen, if Jesus isn’t your priority in your life, if your life isn’t prepared with Jesus, then friend you won’t be ready for that situation when it comes.

· Jesus was able to ride into that city and face death, because he was prepared by the Father.

3. Jesus came with Passion

· Now we have seen that Jesus came to Jerusalem with purpose, that purpose being you, he came prepared, he came to die in your place, but he also came with passion. He came because he loves you!

· It must have been a moving moment in the Lord’s life, to be riding into Jerusalem, and have the multitude praising his name. I mean, the accounts of this event in the gospel, tell us, that there were people ripping off branches from trees to wave them, they were taking off their coats, for the donkey that Jesus was riding to step on.

· All of these people were excited, because here was Jesus. But as much as they were cheering, and reacting to entrance of Jesus, it still can sum up the love the Lord had for them.

· I mean, here was a man that was coming to die in their place, and they didn’t even know it. A man who was passionate about them and wanted to bring them life.

· Its hard for us to love like that, isn’t it? We see people every day, faces we don’t recognize, individuals with lives we know nothing about. Some people are looking at us, and are thinking of ways to use us. That was exactly what was happening when Jesus was riding in to the city. And yet, he still loved each and every one of them.

· Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

· You know, when we cheer for a team that we love, we give it all we got, but you know, if we stop cheering for that team, it doesn’t bother them. They don’t care if you love them or not. But with Jesus, he loves us even when we aren’t cheering for him. You know why? Because he is passionate about us.

· Jesus would have still gone into that city, even if no one was at the entrance shouting hosana, even if people were not there to shout his name. Because Jesus is in love with you.

The Rebuttal of the Religious

· Now we have seen the reason to rejoice, and that was why these people were there. Rejoicing over Christ, here is the messiah. Here is the one who brings hope and deliverance. Healing and forgiveness.

· And everyone in that city should have been rejoicing. But you know there were some that were not.

· Look at verse 39 “And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.”

· Now here is a church service! Here is a congregation that is making the focus on Jesus, and yet, within the crowd, there are those, who are religious, but not religious about Jesus.

· They are religious, in trying to smother the worship, they are religious in trying to get people to be quiet, they are religious in trying to make praising God miserable. I will tell you, there are a lot of religious folks in churches. But they ain’t religious about Jesus.

· They tell Jesus, to get the people to hush all of the cheering. You want to make the world mad. Just start cheering the name of Jesus.

· You start proclaiming who Jesus is, and people will come to you and tell you to be quiet. Why? Because they aren’t interested in Jesus being king.

· Now, I will be honest, it seems like a lot of us have started listening to the so-called religious crowd, and we stop praising God. We stopped giving him glory. But we ought to be praising Jesus like never before.

· You know Fannie Crosby, by the world view, shouldn’t have had any reason to praise the Lord. Being blind early in life, she struggled with a lot of the normal things we do every day. But even through her blindness, she still saw Jesus. She saw his hand move in her life and touch her. And she wrote a multitude of hymns. One that we know:

Praise him, praise him! Jesus, our blessed redeemer!

Sing, O earth, his wonderful love proclaim!

Hail him, hail him! Highest archangels in glory!

Strength and honor give to his holy name!

Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children.

In his arms he carries them all day long.

Praise him! Praise him! Tell of his excellent greatness.

Praise him! Praise him! Ever in joyful song.

· But even as good as Christ had been to these people, how he had healed them, fed them, wept over them and prayed for them. There were still some who felt it best, that people not praise the name of Jesus.

· Listen, it is okay to praise the name of Jesus. It is okay! And if people say we need to be quiet, we just need to turn the dial up!

· There is always going to be some who want us to be quiet, we mustn’t become discouraged.

· Even when it is people in the church. Listen, some of the biggest discouragers in life can be found in the church. But we mustn’t take our eyes off the Lord. When they come, and say be quiet, just keep praising. When they come and say they wouldn’t have done it that way, just keep praising. Don’t let their criticism and their comments stop you from worshipping Christ!!

The Reaction by the Rocks

· Now we have seen the reason to rejoice, we have heard the rebuttal from the religious, now let’s hear the reaction by the rocks!

· Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, the crowds have gathered, the cheers are roaring. Some are upset about it. And they come to Jesus. Not to join in, but to get Jesus to rebuke them. And what does Jesus say?

· Look at verse 40 “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

· Listen, our God is so amazing, so wonderful, so worthy, that even if man stopped praising the Lord, that this creation would begin to praise him!

· I mean, could you imagine hearing a rock cry out! It seems crazy to say! But I will tell you, I believe it!

· Years ago, this heart of mine, became very hard! It was like a rock. I hated people. I was angry and bitter. And I had closed off my life from God.

· But a group started praying for me. A group of my peers. They started praising God. They didn’t stop. I’m sure there were some who might would have said, just be quiet. But they weren’t quiet. They continue. And you want to know what happen? This rock cried out. This hard heart that I had, it cried out to Jesus! It remembered who he was, and what he did, and how he loves me. And God heard my cry!

· Listen, there are all three groups right here right now in this congregation. There are some of you who know Jesus, you’re praising Jesus. You’re giving him the glory.

· The other group, you can’t stand how some of praising God. You want them to be quiet, you want them to worship the way you think is best.

· Then there is the third group, you’re the rock. You’re the one whose heart is hard, but I want you to know, you can cry right out to Jesus right now! He can change your situation.

· Let me ask you, have you stopped cheering for Jesus? Have you been so focused on what is going on in the world, that you quit praising the Lord? Listen between politics, pestilence, and pettiness – a lot of us have stopped praising the Lord like we should. We need to get back to focusing on God. Focusing on who Jesus is, and the reason why we should be rejoicing. He went to the cross to free you from those chains. Don’t let the despair of the world stop you from glorifying God!!