Praise Parade
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Praise Parade
Scripture: Mark 11:1-11 “As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’ ” The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it. Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God…”
WILL YOU GIVE HIM YOUR BEST?
There is a legend about an ancient village in Spain. The villagers learned that the king would pay a visit. In a thousand years, a king had never come to that village. Excitement grew. "We must throw a big celebration!" The villagers all agreed. But, it was a poor village, and there weren’t many resources.
Someone came up with a classic idea. Since many of the villagers made their own wines, the idea was for everyone in the village bring a large cup of their choice wine to the town square. They said, “We’ll pour it into a large vat and offer it to the king for his pleasure! When the king draws wine to drink, it will be the very best he’s ever tasted!”
The day before the king’s arrival, hundreds of people lined up to make their offering to the honored guest. They climbed a small stairway, and poured their gift through a small opening at the top. Finally, the vat was full! The King arrived, was escorted to the square, given a silver cup and was told to draw some wine, which represented the best the villagers had.
He placed the cup under the spigot, turned the handle, and then drank the wine, but it was nothing more than water. You see, every villager reasoned, "I’ll withhold my best wine and substitute water. What with so many cups of wine in the vat, the king will never know the difference!" The problem was, everyone thought the same thing, and the king was greatly dishonored.
Palm Sunday is all about a day when the King of Kings was greatly honored because people gave the very best, they had – a gift of praise.
Text: Mark 11:1 - 11
Mar 11:1-11 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage* and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; (2) and He said to them, "Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. (3) And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it,' and immediately he will send it here." (4) So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. (5) But some of those who stood there said to them, "What are you doing, losing the colt?" (6) And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go. (7) Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. (8) And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (9) Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' (10) Blessed is the kingdom of our father David That comes in the name of the Lord! [51] Hosanna in the highest!" (11) And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Introduction
This begins the week of Holy Week or Passion Week. It is the beginning of the Journey to the Cross for Jesus.
1. Sunday(Palm): Entry into Jerusalem and return to Bethany Mk. 11:1-11
2. . Monday: Cursing of the fig tree and cleansing of theTemple Mk. 11:12-19
3. Tuesday: Parables, controversy stories, and other
teachings Mk. 11:20-13:37
4. Wednesday: Anointing at Bethany and the treachery of
Judas Mk. 14:1-11
5.Thursday: Passover preparation, Last Supper, Gethsemane, arrest, and ecclesiastical trial Mk. 14:12-72
6. Friday: Trial before Pilate, condemnation, crucifixion, burial. Mk. 15:1-47
7. Saturday: Jesus in the grave
8. Sunday: (Easter): Resurrection Mk. 16:1-20
Prophecy Fulfilled
Some five hundred years before, the prophet Zechariah had prepared the people for a coming King: "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."
The week begins with a Praise Parade. The people gathered together and laid out their clothes for a path and celebrated with palm branches. Shouting and singing praise to Jesus.
I. Why do we praise him?
A. Because of what they had seen
They had seen the miracles of Jesus and they rejoiced.
Can you imagine who was in the crowd that day. Blind Bartimaeus. The lame man who was stuck at the pool of Bethesda. The woman healed after having 12 years of infirmity.
B. Because of what they were seeing
There was euphoria of people who had gathered that day. It was a Passover celebration and people came from all over. Maybe some got caught in the crowd and just joined in.
Sometimes our praise can be a catalyst to others.
This happened to Paul and Silas who created a Praise Parade in the prison. The prisoners were so caught up in the moment they didn’t want to leave.
C. Because of what they were about to see
They did not know this, but this was a setup. Jesus was preparing for the cross. The words “Lord save us” was going to be fulfilled. Just not the way they expected it.
You have heard me say this a lot. God may not always answer our prayer as we expect it but He has a plan and He will bring the victory. You must learn to praise Him before the victory.
1 Corinthians 10: 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
Other Praise Parades in Scripture
Jericho
Praise March
Joshua 6:7-8 And he said to the people, "Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord." (8) So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.
Then he gave orders to the people: “March around the town, and the armed men will lead the way in front of the Ark of the Lord.”
After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind them.
Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 20:20-22 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Belief in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper." (21) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever." [48] (22) Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the Lord;
his faithful love endures forever!”
At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.
Paul and Silas
Acts 16:22-26 While in prison they were found praising God and singing hymns and as a result, there was a great earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison.
A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!
It is oftentimes in the OT that the people would lead with the ark and lead with praise.
II. We are called to be a people of Praise
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
Psalms 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
Isaiah 61:1,3 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me... to comfort all who mourn, {3} to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
As Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the crowds were celebrating. They were laughing. They were cheering. They were having a great time. And what was Jesus doing? He saw the city, and He wept over it. Here was the crowd, whipped into a frenzy, and Jesus was weeping. The crowd was rejoicing, and Christ was sobbing.
Why did Jesus’ weep when He saw Jerusalem? Being God and having omniscience, Jesus knew these fickle people who were crying out, "Hosanna!" would soon be shouting, "Crucify Him!" He knew that one of His handpicked disciples, Judas, would betray Him. He knew that another disciple, Peter, would deny Him. He knew that Caiaphas, the high priest, would conspire with Pilate, the Roman governor, to bring about His death. And, He knew the future of Jerusalem. Looking ahead 40 years, He saw the destruction that would come upon the city at the hands of the Emperor Titus and his Roman legions.
Jesus also wept because His ministry was almost over. Time was short. He had healed their sick. He had raised their dead. He had cleansed their lepers. He had fed their hungry. He had forgiven their sins. Yet for the most part, He had been rejected. John 1:11 says, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." And so He wept. This broke His heart, and it still does.
He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
Unbelief and rejection breaks God's heart, because He knows the consequences. But when the door of the human heart is shut, He refuses to enter forcibly. He will only knock, wanting to gain admittance. He has given us the ability to choose. But when we choose the wrong thing, He knows the repercussions that will follow—in this life and the one to come. And His heart is broken.
I WILL NOT OFFER ANYTHING THAT COSTS ME NOTHING
Matthew Rogers writes:
When I consider the story of that first Palm Sunday, I am struck by the thought that…
A coat might not be worth much after a donkey walks on it. In a crowd like that there was no guarantee that once you laid it down you were ever going to get it back.
For some reason, the text leads me to believe those people probably weren’t real interested in coats at that moment when Jesus rode by. No, these people, many of them probably very poor, weren’t as concerned about coats as they were about praise.
For the people on Palm Sunday, praising Jesus might have cost them something. That sounds a little bit like a sacrifice.
The Bible speaks of a sacrifice of praise.
Fitting, isn’t it, for someone who saved our lives by sacrificing his own?