DON'T WANT NO ROCKS - PALM SUNDAY - LUKE 19:28-40

JESUS SAVES. WE PRAISE.

I REMEMBER BEING A YOUNG MAN IN CHURCH WHEN THE CHOIR, VERY SUBTLY BEGAN TO CHANT: IF I DON’T PRAISE THE LORD, THE ROCKS ARE GOING TO CRY OUT (REPEAT)...I don’t want, don’t want no rocks - Rocks crying out in my place

I COULDN’T COMPREHEND THE MEANING. ROCKS CRYING? WHY? HOW?

THEN IT DAWNED UPON ME: IF I MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE AND HONOR THE LORD, THEN HE COULD SUPERNATURALLY EMPOWER INANIMATE OBJECTS (HIS CREATION) TO PRAISE HIM...

BELOVED, WHILE OUR PRAISE IS APPRECIATED, IT AIN’T NEEDED!

NATURE CAN TESTIFY. ROMANS 8 AFFIRMS THAT GOD’S CREATION IS GROANING WITH LABOR PAINS...

AND ACCORDING TO JESUS’ OWN WORDS, “STONES CAN SHOUT!”

THE BIGGER ISSUE IS: WHY WOULD YOU NOT PRAISE HIM? WHY WOULD YOU MISS ANY OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE GOD YOUR BEST?

ESPECIALLY DURING THIS SEASON...

WE CAN NEVER ALLOW THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE… OR THE SHORTCOMINGS OF OUR VISION - MAKE US WITHHOLD PRAISE DUE OUR LORD!!!

AWWW, IT’S PALM SUNDAY! HOLY WEEK IS UPON US...

THE DAY WHEN WE COMMEMORATE JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM...

THE CROWDS HAVE GATHERED FOR FESTIVALS...

JESUS COMES TO PRESENT HIMSELF AS THE PROMISED MESSIAH...

THERE HAVE BEEN RUMBLINGS ABOUT HIM…HIS MIRACLES HAVE PRECEDED HIM…NOW HE ENTERS. THE HOUR HAS COME...

LUKE 19: 28 When he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples 30 and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

32 So those who were sent left and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 “The Lord needs it,” they said. 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their clothes on the colt, they helped Jesus get on it. 36 As he was going along, they were spreading their clothes on the road.

Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Lk 19:32–36). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

WE DISCOVER WITH THIS COMMAND THAT:

PREPARATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE:

I’VE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE ANIMALS AVAILABLE FOR USE DURING THESE SEASONS OF CELEBRATION CONVERGING UPON JERUSALEM...

JESUS’ NAME HAS CLOUT: TELL THEM I NEED IT...

WHILE THIS SOUNDS MAKE-SHIFT, WITH COATS STREWN ATOP, THINGS ARE FALLING INTO PLACE...

JESUS MOUNTS UP, READY FOR ENTRANCE....

OTHER ACCOUNTS RECORD THE USE OF PALMS BEING THROWN ON THE GROUND - PALMS BEING WAVED…WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPECTACLE.

LUKE HAS A NARROWER FOCUS THAN THE OTHER GOSPEL ACCOUNTS - HE FOCUSSED ON THE PRESENCE AND WORDS OF JESUS’ DISCIPLES...

LUKE 19: 37 Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen:

38 Blessed is the King who comes

in the name of the Lord.,

Peace in heaven

and glory in the highest heaven!

NOT ONLY PREPARATIONS BEING MADE, BUT PROPHESIES BEING FULFILLED!

JESUS IS RIDING...

THE CROWD (DISCIPLES) IS WAVING...

EVERYONE IS CHANTING...

THE SYMBOLISM IS MOST PROFOUND…THIS IS PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT: ZECH. 9:9-10 - 9 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.

THE MESSIANIC KING WOULD COME RIDING ON A COLT…JESUS HAD TO COME IN “RIDING!” HE HAD TO MAKE PREPARATIONS… THEY HAD TO WAVE THE PALMS...

PROPHECIES ARE BEING FULFILLED...

BUT NOT JUST WITH JESUS RIDING, ALSO WITH THE PEOPLE CHANTING

PS. 118: 26 He who comes in the name of the Lord is blessed.

From the house of the Lord we bless you.

THEIR WORDS AFFIRM HIS IDENTITY: HE IS THE KING! THE MESSIAH! THE PROMISED ONE!!!

I REALIZE YOU CAN’T SEE HIM RIDING WITH YOUR PHYSICAL EYES, BUT USE YOUR SANCTIFIED IMAGINATION AND PICTURE HIM: FULL OF MAJESTY AND SPLENDOR - ENTERING THE CITY WITH HUMILITY - FEET NOT TOUCHING THE GROUND - PALMS FALLING - CROWDS CHANTING!

THE HOUR HAS COME...

AND WITH ALL THINGS RELATIVE TO GOD’S KINGDOM EXPANSION, THERE WILL BE OPPOSITION:

PREPARATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE!

PROPHECIES ARE BEING FULFILLED!

NOW, PLOTS ARE BEING FORMED!

LUKE 19:

39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

40 He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.”

I HAD TO TAKE US THROUGH THAT CONTEXT TO GET US TO OUR MOTTO TEXT...

NOTICE THE BLATANT DISRESPECT OF OUR MESSIAH: THEY CALL HIM TEACHER (NOT MESSIAH)!

THEY CALL HIM TEACHER (NOT KING)!

THEY DISREGARD THE CHANTS, AND REFUSE TO RECEIVE THE SYMBOLISM WHICH IS EVIDENT!

SOME PHARISEES TELL JESUS TO REBUKE - TO CORRECT (THE ERROR) OF HIS DISCIPLES!!!

THEY’RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING: YOU’RE NOT WHO THEY’RE SAYING YOU ARE! SO SINCE THEY’RE YOUR DISCIPLES, YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE THE CORRECTION!!!

HERE IS WHERE WE’LL SPEND THE BALANCE OF OUR TIME...

JESUS SAYS (IN ESSENCE), I DON’T NEED THEM OR THEIR PRAISE!!!

IF THEY FAIL TO PRAISE....

IF THEY REFUSE TO PRAISE...

IF THEY THINK TOO HIGHLY OF THEMSELVES, AND CANNOT MANUFACTURE A PRAISE....

((((STONES WILL CRY OUT))))!

BELOVED, JESUS AFFIRMS THAT STONES CAN SHOUT!!!

THE WORLD (TODAY) IS TRYING TO REBUKE US!!!

THEY’RE TRYING TO GET US TO STOP CALLING HIM MESSIAH!

THEY’RE TRYING TO GET US TO STOP PRAISING HIS NAME...

LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND DECLARE: I DON’T WANT NO ROCKS!!!

SO, IN OTHER WORDS, GBBC, IT’S TIME TO RAISE OUR PRAISE!!!

IS THERE A WITNESS IN THE HOUSE THAT WILL JOIN ME IN LIFTING UP THE NAME OF THE MOST HIGH!!!

NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT HE’S DONE, BUT BECAUSE OF WHO HE IS...

WE ARE TO RAISE OUR PRAISE BECAUSE IT’S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO (((REHEARSE FOR HIS SOON RETURN))))!

THERE’S COMING A TIME WHEN EVERY KNEE WILL BOW AND EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS…WHEN THAT OCCURS, PRAISE WON’T BE OPTIONAL!!!

HIS FIRST ENTRANCE WAS ON A DONKEY...

BUT HIS SECOND WILL BE ON A WHITE HORSE...

HIS FIRST ENTRANCE WAS LIMITED TO JERUSALEM..

BUT HIS SECOND WILL BE WITH THE PARTING OF CLOUDS...

HIS FIRST ENTRANCE PRECEDED HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.

HIS SECOND WILL COMMAND THE DEAD IN CHRIST TO RISE FIRST - AND THEY THAT REMAIN WILL BE CAUGHT UP…AND WE WILL RETURN WITH HIM....

IS THERE A WITNESS IN THE HOUSE THAT’S PREPARED TO REHEARSE NOW, FOR WHAT IS TO COME?

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MAJESTY!!

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS SPLENDOR!!

PRAISE HIM FOR HIS GOODNESS!!!

I DON’T WANT NO ROCKS....