Palm Sunday 2001 The King Who Comes in the Name of the Lord

Reading: Luke 19:28-44
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Luke 19:38 (NIV)

I.   The King comes as our Messiah

     A.  He comes as the son of David

           1.  What’s all this about a donkey?

                 a.  Jesus usually walked.

                 b.  Isn’t a donkey a little undignified?

           2.  As Solomon came into Jerusalem.

                 a.  1Kings 1:38-40
So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David’s mule and escorted him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” And all the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.

     B.  He comes fulfilling Prophecy

           1.  Psalm 118: 25-27
O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

           2.  Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

     C.  He comes Humbly

           1.  Not on a horse

                 a.  Horse=symbol of military might.

                 b.  Horses are faster, but not as strong.

                 c.  Horses were the Cadillacs, BMW’s

           2.  An everyday animal–a King for everyone

                 a.  Donkey’s were the Fords & Chevy’s

                 b.  Stronger, slower, lower to the ground

II.  The King affirms our Praises

     A.  We must Exalt Him

           1.  He comes humbly, we lay down our coats

                 a.  He humbles Himself, so we exalt Him

                 b.  Don’t even let the donkey’s feet touch the ground!

           2.  If we don’t, the stones will!

                 a.  Creation itself praises its Maker!

                 b.  The stones of the temple? (v.44)

                 c.  Jesus must be praised!

     B.  We must Receive Him as King

           1.  He comes as King–we accept Him as King

                 a.  They quote the messianic Psalm

                 b.  We see Him coming as King!

                 c.  We are glad He is the King!

           2.  We proclaim He is the King!

                 a.  King of what. As opposed to whom?

                 b.  Jesus is King, NOT Caesar

                 c.  Jesus is King, Not us, the world, Satan

           3.  We proclaim Him our King.

                 a.  We welcome Him as our King.

                 b.  We put our coats under our King

                 c.  We praise our King

     C.  We must be Joyful before Him

           1.  Joy is the right response to Jesus coming!

                 a.  Joy is not reserved for the non-spiritual

                 b.  How can we welcome without Joy?!

           2.  The King comes to free us from tyranny!

                 a.  He frees us from ourselves

                 b.  From our times, our enemies,

                 c.  From Satan, the power of sin & death!

           3.  How can we praise Him without joy?(!)

                 a.  Is there praise without Joy?

                 b.  Praise & Joy are together in the Bible

                 c.  They’re together everywhere!

III. The King weeps for our Suffering

     A.  Because we are Blind to peace

           1.  But they do see that He is King!

                 a.  This is what the coats and palms say!

                 b.  Even Jesus said they were right!

           2.  But not the King they/we expect/want

                 a.  They just don’t follow–not really

                 b.  What good is a King if He doesn’t . . .

                 c.  We want a King on our terms

           3.  This peace isn’t political, but spiritual

                 a.  We’d settle for political peace

                 b.  Do we really want peace with God?

                 c.  Is the peace Jesus gives really enough?

     B.  Because of our impending Destruction

           1.  Jerusalem fell in 70A.D.

                 a.  The city and temple were destroyed

                 b.  It was a horrid siege, a horrid war

           2.  Destruction is just over our horizon too.

                 a.  All in this world will be destroyed.

                 b.  If it isn’t China, or drought, or a meteor, it’ll be something else.

                 c.  This world will end in fire.

     C.  Because we don’t notice the Time

           1.  This day God came to Jerusalem.

                 a.  God entered, but they missed it.

                 b.  They didn’t know what time it was.

           2.  This day God comes to us.

                 a.  He comes humbly (like always)

                 b.  He comes as King.

                 c.  Is He your King?

           3.  Do you welcome Him as your King?

                 a.  If so Praise Him!

                 b.  Give Him your Joy

                 c.  Recognize the Peace our King brings.

The Bottom Line:

R#249 All Glory, Laud and Honor, v.1