Blessed Is the King
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
John 12:12-19
Palm Sunday has always been a special day to me.
I remember as a kid getting a palm branch to wave around in the service.
Just the idea of Jesus riding through Jerusalem midst a crowd of shouting worshippers is a thrilling thought!
But When you think that just a short time later these same people who were crying out “Hosanna”, would soon be crying out “Crucify!”
Oh how fickle men can be!
The crowd couldn’t see past the end of their own desires.
They desired a king to ride into town on a great White steed, but they would accept this Rabbi riding a donkey.
After all, this is the man who had power over death!
Some of them saw for themselves as Lazarus stepped out of that tomb.
Who better to be there king...
Now as long as he would go straight into Jerusalem and take the control from this foreign power that had seized them.
Little did they know that Jesus had His sights on a much more dangerous foreign power that was wreaking even more damage than that of Rome.
Jesus eyes were looking past the children’s songs,
past the peoples shouts of praise,
past the misguided hopes of the people,
past the fruitless tree withering,
past the money changers running,
past the scorn of the priests accusations,
past the pleading as the disciples slept,
past the coming shouts to crucify Him,
to the cry…the cry that would end the tyranny once and for all...”It is finished.”
But here he is riding this humble donkey into town, hearing the shouts of praise, but hears much more than just the shouts, He hears those Holy Spirit inspired words...
The words that if these people that were shouting them only knew what they really meant, they would follow him to the end.
Words that recognized His real purpose, His real personage.
This morning I want to take a closer look at these few simple words that the crowd shouted, and see what these inspired words recognize about Jesus.
Vs. 13
We see this morning that these words...
I. Recognized His Salvation
I. Recognized His Salvation
Hosanna - the word means “Save now”
These words proclaimed the fact that Jesus could save them.
A. The Temporal View
A. The Temporal View
Their eyes were focused on the immediate need, but God had a purpose for them to be under the oppressive thumb of the Romans.
God often has a purpose for challenging situations that come, or even stay, in our lives.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
But they were focused on the temporal…even though it was prophesied before his birth that He would be coming for the salvation from sin.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Sometimes we need to get our eyes off the trouble that is right before us, and look up!
See that God knows, but His promises are true!
he will make all things - ALL things - work together for good.
So do not be guilty like those shouting Hosanna, focusing on the temporal view, but instead see...
B. The Eternal View
B. The Eternal View
God took the oppression of Rome and used it to spread the church, and thereby the Gospel, around the entire world.
We are know Christ today because the Jews lived under the oppression of Rome.
The cry of praise that was shouted that day, “Hosanna” spoke so much more than what they thought.
Jesus was the only one who could save them.
He was the Perfect Lamb that could wash away their sin.
John the Baptist recognized it early on...
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
If you do not know 100% sure that if you died today that you would spend eternity in Heaven, today you can cry out “Hosanna!” … “Save Me.”
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
He died for your salvation, Recognize His Salvation today!
Secondly the words that they cried out...
II. Recognized His Worth
II. Recognized His Worth
This is seen in the use of the word “Blessed” - Eulogemenos - (yoo-leg-eh-men-os)
The eulogia of God is His action or intervention in men’s lives to bring them into a desired relationship with Him.
Spiro Zodhiates, a native Greek - Greek scholar said, “This joyful salutation is used to indicate that the blessing of the individual is due to God’s intervention in his or her life.”
A. Jesus Was Blessed of the Father
A. Jesus Was Blessed of the Father
The word speaks of the worth given to Jesus by God the Father.
Jesus throughout His ministry focused on honoring the Father.
But twice God the Father was so pleased with His Son that he couldn’t contain himself.
At Jesus baptism, God spoke from Heaven in a voice that was heard on Earth ...
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Later in Jesus’ ministry Jesus took three of his disciples up high into the mountain.
And for just a few moments the veil that concealed Jesus’ glory was removed.
2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
God, once again, could not contain his pleasure
5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
It’s like the father in the stands watching His boy make the touch down. I heard about a father in the stands just like that, and he was boasting about his son, just before he got brutally tackled. The father sheepishly looked at the man next to him and said, “Well maybe he’s that other one, it’s hard to see from here.”
There was no opportunity for God the Father to be embarrassed about His Son!
Jesus was blessed by the Father, but because of Him...
B. We Are Blessed of the Father
B. We Are Blessed of the Father
Because of Him, the whole world would receive the blessing of God:
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
We are brought into a right relationship with the Father because of Jesus.
We were enemies with God - But Jesus changed all of that!
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Now we are blessed by the Father through Christ!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
As they shouted those praises to Jesus on the streets of Jerusalem, the words recognized so much more than they thought.
It Recognized His Salvation, His Worth, but also the words...
III. Recognized His Royalty
III. Recognized His Royalty
The promise was made years before the birth of Jesus
2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
He is king, not because they were trying to make Him king, but because He IS King!
But His kingdom is not of this world…as he would later tell Pilate, when Pilate asked him if he was the King of the Jews...
36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
To this end He was born - to be King
For this cause He came into the world. - To be King
But, not just King of Israel…but King of the entire world!
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
The Blessed and ONLY Potentate
The King of kings and Lord of lords
He is King!
This world denies that He is king today, but one day there will be no denial!
One day ...
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Whose side are you on today?
Are you on the side of those who would mock, and ridicule and slander the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Or are you on the winning side.
Things may look dark in this world of darkness and sin!
We used to sing a song in our youth group growing up, called I’m on the winning side.
It’s an old down home country gospel song.
The third verse says...
I will never have a fear, for my Lord is ever near,
And in him so often I confide;
He's the keeper of my soul since I gave him full control,
And he placed me on the winning side
Chorus-
I'm on the winning side,yes I'm on the winning side,
Out in sin no more will I abide,
I've enlisted in the fight or the cause of truth and right
Praise the Lord- I'm on the winning side
Oh child of God today…whose side are you on?
If you are on the winning side, then get in the fight!
Tell everyone around you about the glorious gospel!
These that shouted on the street knew very little of what they were saying, but we know!
What they were saying Recognized His Salvation
It recognized His Worth
It Recognized His Royalty
But it also...
IV. Recognized His Authority
IV. Recognized His Authority
They said He “cometh in the name of the Lord.”
When an emissary or foreign dignitary would come to town they would come with all the authority of the one that they represented.
God gave Him:
A. Authority to Forgive
A. Authority to Forgive
24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.
This why He came!
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Even on the cross, He looked at those around Him who mocked Him, who spat upon Him, who nailed him to that cross...
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Today, do not leave this room, or walk away from that screen you are watching right now with out receiving that forgiveness!
today you can be the child of God!
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
God gave him the Authority to forgive, but he also gave Him...
B. Authority over All
B. Authority over All
Jesus had been given all authority...
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Everything!
The Bible says,
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
One day every tongue shall confess,
Call Him just a man today, but one day you will confess Him as Lord
Call Him a false hope today, but one day you will confess Him Lord.
Call Him just a crutch, but one day you will confess Him Lord!
What will you do with this Jesus today?
Will you Recognize His Salvation?
Accept Christ today, before it is too late!
Will You Recognize His Worth?
He is worthy to be praise!
He is worthy of our obedience!
Will You Recognize His Royalty?
He is our King
Live like He is your king!
You are His ambassador, representing Him in this foreign land!
Live like your King would want you to live!
Will You Recognize His Authority?
He has the authority to command
John the Baptist had it right
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Blessed Is the King
Yield to Him as Lord of your life!
You can’t make Him Lord of your life, He is Lord of your life!
Just yield, obey Him today!