Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Intro
On Palm Sunday did the crowd really understand what they were saying and doing?
John says they did not.
Several activities.
Shouts of Hosanna!
Singing psalms
Waving palm fronds and laying them on the road.
Spreading their cloaks on the road.
All for Jesus of Nazareth.
The One they would have be their king.
Once again, we have to make connections into their world and culture to understand what’s going on.
It’s more than just a parade.
Palm fronds
Palm branches - symbol used throughout Israel’s history
Palms were a big part of everyday life.
Food, shelter, shade, etc.
National symbol for Israel from intertestamental time.
On coins, carved into the temple walls and doors.
Used regularly in religious celebration.
A sign of godliness in royalty and the faithful
They signified triumph, a victory symbol
Hosanna! - Lord save!
Traditional cry as the pilgrims entered the city.
Palm fronds were waved as Psalm 118 was sung in the temple during the feast every day.
In their context, as they waved fronds and sang this song, they expected Jesus to be the long awaited military and civilian Messiah.
But He had a different plan.
So he breaks across that expectation with His method of entering the city.
Donkey
Unlike previous kings of Israel who had gigantic stables of horses, Jesus chooses the lowly and humble.
Fulfillment of prophecy:
Jesus is King who brings peace.
Contrasted to previous kings who rode on war horses.
(Solomon, Maccabees)
Let’s bring this into our world.
Waving Palms Today
The crowd who lined the road into Jerusalem that day sang traditional songs and waved palm branches just like they had always done.
They were right to acknowledge Jesus as King but didn’t know just how right they were.
Sadly, a few days later, they repudiated their celebration with cries of anger and fear: Crucify!
We have no king by Caesar!
It’s a powerful lesson for us as we prepare for Easter to recognize the truth that seemed to escape the crowd that day:
When we “wave our palms” for Jesus.
Stickers on our cars.
Bible memes on social media.
Bible on the desk at work/school.
Do we really understand what we’re saying and doing?
We acknowledge our need for salvation.
When we choose to wave our palm branches, we recognize that we need to be saved!
We are shouting with our words and deeds “Hosanna!”
Lord, save!”
Culture tells you that a good moral life, filled with material blessing is the best you can expect.
Don’t buy that lie.
Recognize that a commitment to Christ begins when we acknowledge that all the stuff and all the good deeds don’t save.
Jesus does.
That means:
We agree that Jesus can save us.
We recognize that all the effort we can make in this life is meaningless unless we agree that only Jesus can save us.
We make Him King.
When we celebrate Jesus at this time of year, we are saying that He will be King.
He is the one I am loyal to over all others.
We don’t elect our savior.
We agree to make him Lord of life.
Pick your palm branch every day.
Recognize that:
You have salvation in Christ.
He is the only One
He must be King.
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