Jesus Isn't Always What We Want Him to Be

Mark 11: 1-10

English Standard Version Chapter 11

11 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

Introduction

ONE OF MY DEVOTIONS THIS LAST WEEK REMINDED ME

OF THIS MANTRA AND I SHARE IT WITH YOU THIS PALM

SUNDAY MORNING....AND I’LL CLOSE WITH IT TOO....

“WHAT JESUS DID IS FINALIZED AND FINISHED. WHAT

JESUS PAID FOR YOU IS BOUGHT AND SECURE

FOREVER. WHAT IDENTITY HE GAVE YOU, YOU NOW

HABITUALLY WALK IN.”

PALM SUNDAY CELEBRATES THAT GLIMPSE OF GOD’S PRESENCE AND COMMITMENT

TO OUR SALVATION THAT WE EXPERIENCE IN OUR DAILY LIVES ALREADY BUT NOT

FULLY REALIZED. AS CHRISTIANS WE STRUGGLE LIKE OUR RELIGIOUS ANCESTORS

TO GLIMPSE THE MYSTERY AND MAJESTY OF JESUS, THOUGH WE ARE LIMITED IN

DOING SO BY OUR FINITE HUMANITY.....

THE FIRST PALM SUNDAY WAS THE PRELUDE TO THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS.

THEOLOGIANS HAVE EXPRESSED THIS MYSTERY OF OUR HIGHEST HOLY DAY OF THE

YEAR....THAT THE HAPPINESS OF EARTHLY ENCOUNTERS ARE SOMETIMES REPLACED

BY THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN OF A DEATH.....THAT CROWN AND CROSS COMMINGLE.

THESE ARE THE ESSENTIAL MOVEMENTS OF OUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WITH CHRIST.

AND YET WE AS BELIEVERS ARE CALLED TO WALK ALL THE WAY WITH JESUS. SO

LET’S NOT SKIP THE JOY AND JUBILATION OF THIS MOMENTOUS DAY.....

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL CALLED PALM SUNDAY, “A FESTIVE

DRESS REHEARSAL FOR EASTER TRIUMPH” ....SO THERE IS NO HARM NOR SADNESS

WHEN WE HEAR THE JOY VOCALISTS INFUSE THE WORDS OF THAT MARVELOUS

SPIRITUAL THAT SAYS:

RIDE ON KING JESUS, NO MAN CANNOT HINDER ME

RIDE ON KING JESUS, RIDE ON, NO MAN CANNOT HINDER ME, NOOOO

MAN CANNOT HINDER ME.........IN THAT GREAT GETTIN’ UP MORNIN’ FARE YE WELL,

FARE YE WELL, IN THAT GREAT GETTIN’ UP MORNIN’FARE YE WELL, FARE YE

WELL.........

AND THIS GREAT SPIRITUAL WAS BASED, BELOVEDS, ON THAT PSALM, PSALM 45: 4

Psalm 45:4 ESV

In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome deeds!

AND FOR ALL THE RIGHTFUL JOY THAT INFUSES THIS HOLY SUNDAY ON THE

CHRISTIAN CALENDAR, WE NOTE THIS IS JESUS’ FINAL AND FATE-FILLED TRIP TO

JERUSALEM.....THAT JESUS WOULD NOT LEAVE JERUSALEM AGAIN UNTIL HE WAS

KILLED, BURIED, AND RISEN FROM THE DEAD......

JESUS RIDING INTO JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY: IT FULFILLED PROPHECY

THE POWER OF PROPHECY IS THAT IT SPEAKS OF THE ALREADY AND THE NOT YET

ALL AT ONCE......AND 500 YEARS BEFORE THAT 1st PALM SUNDAY, IT WAS THE

PROPHET ZECHARIAH WHO SPOKE

Zechariah 9:9 ESV

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

ST. MARK’S FOCUS, BELOVEDS, IS ON THE COLT…JESUS RODE THE YOUNG COLT

BECAUSE THE COLT REPRESENTED SOMETHING THE CROWD WOULD KNOW BUT

WOULDN’T EXPECT....MANY IN THE CROWD WOULD HAVE EXPECTED JESUS TO COME

INTO JERUSALEM LIKE A ROMAN WARRIOR ON A LARGE AND DAUNTING WAR HORSE

TO SHOW POWER AND GRACE AND MAJESTY....THE COLT REPRESENTED PEACE

AND

ANYONE WHO WOULD BE KING RIDING A COLT, JUST BY RIDING IT, WAS GIVING THE

MESSAGE THAT HE WANTED PEACE....THAT HIS WOULD BE A REIGN OF PEACE...

JESUS BEGAN HIS PALM SUNDAY WEEK DOING THE UNEXPECTED AND BEING

SOMEONE LEADING THIS KING’S PROCESSIONAL PARADE THAT NOT EVERYONE

WANTED HIM TO BE.....

AND YET THE CROWDS AFFIRMED JESUS, JESUS THE HEALER, JESUS THE ONE WHO

HAD RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD, JESUS WHO FED THE 5000, JESUS WHO

HEALED THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD, JESUS THE TEACHER WHO WOULD

SPEND TIME IN THE SYNAGOGUE DURING THE FINAL WEEK OF HIS LIFE......JESUS,

THE ONE TO WHOM FOLKS HOLLERED, “HOSANNA, HOSANNA” OR SAVE US, SAVE US

WE PRAY...

THE PEOPLE IN JERUSALEM THOUGHT JESUS WAS ABOUT TO SET UP A NEW

KINGDOM JUST LIKE KING DAVID’S.......AND JESUS WASN’T THERE TO BE WHAT

THOSE WHO WANTED A RENAISSANCE OF DAVID’S KINGDOM WANTED HIM TO BE

SO THE CROWDS’ SENTIMENTS IN JERUSALEM WOULD CHANGE AND CHANGE

DRASTICALLY BY FRIDAY........

OUR LASTING LONGING FOR JESUS

MORE THAN 2000 YEARS LATER, WE AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE CALLED TO CHECK

OURSELVES......TO CHECK OUR OWN LONGINGS FOR OUR SAVOIR JESUS......FOR

THERE ARE BELIEVERS WHO WANT THEIR SAVIOR IN A BOX, THEY ONLY WANT A

SAVIOR IF THAT SAVIOR CAN CHECK OFF CERTAIN NEEDS AND CERTAIN THINGS

LIMITED OR LACKING IN THEIR LIVES....

AND YET, IT WAS THE GREAT REFORMER MARTIN LUTHER WHO SUMMED UP

BEAUTIFULLY HOW JESUS LONGS FOR US.....HE WROTE HOW JESUS ENCOURAGES

YOU AND I IN THIS HYMN OF HIS:

STAY CLOSE TO ME, I AM YOUR ROCK AND CASTLE. YOUR RANSOM I MYSELF WILL

BE; FOR YOU I STRIVE AND WRESTLE; FOR I AM YOURS AND YOU ARE MINE, THAT

WHERE I AM YOU MAY REMAIN. THE FOE SHALL NOT DIVIDE US...

THERE ARE BELIEVERS WHO WANT JESUS IN THEIR LIVES IF AND ONLY IF HE’S THEIR

AVENGER AND THEIR TEST FOR JESUS IS ALWAYS WHETHER THEY SEE HIM VANQUISH

THEIR FOES AND THEIR ENEMIES IN THEIR TIME......THEY WANT PAYBACK AND LIKE

THE JINGLE FROM THE J.G. WENTWORTH T.V. COMMERICAL: THEY WANT IT

NOW....MESSIAH JESUS, THEY MAY SAY, I WILL FOLLOW YOU, I WILL STAY CLOSE TO

YOU IF AND ONLY IF YOU SPEND ALL YOUR TIME FIGHTING MY BATTLES.....KEEP MY

ENEMIES AT BAY....DON’T DO IT YOUR WAY, DO IT MY WAY AND DO IT TODAY.....

AND THERE ARE OTHER BELIEVERS WHO ONLY WANT JESUS, IF AND ONLY IF JESUS IS

THEIR PROBLEM SOLVER....THEY MAY SAY JESUS, “DON’T YOU SEE MY MESS? DON’T

YOU SEE IF YOU MOVE MY MESS, I’LL BE ABLE, READY AND WILLING TO SERVE YOU, TO

LOVE YOU, TO STAY WITH YOU THEN”........EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE INCLINED TO

MISS THE MANY TIMES.....CHRIST HAS ALREADY INSPIRED THEM TO TAKE A STEP

FORWARD IN THEIR LIVES, TO ACT IN THE MATURITY TO SEE A MESS AND START

PUSHING TOWARDS CLEANING IT UP....WHAT IF EVERY MESS STARTED WITH THIS

PRAYER, BELOVEDS....OR ONE JUST LIFE IT?

GOD REMIND ME OFTEN OF THE WAYS YOU’VE WORKED IN MY LIFE, HELPING ME TO

GROW, COAXING ME TOWARD MATURITY. FOR ANY POSITIVE STEP I’VE TAKEN, I GIVE

YOU THE GLORY. FOR YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS BROUGHT ME TO THIS PLACE.

AND YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WILL LEAD ME FORWARD. IN JESUS’ GREAT NAME I

PRAY. AMEN

AND THERE ARE STILL OTHERS, YOU’VE MET THEM BELOVEDS, BELIEVERS WHO

WANT TO SHOW JESUS LOVE IF AND ONLY IF JESUS IS THEIR ATM MACHINE....THEY

CAN’T WAIT ON SAVING MONEY, SO EVERY PRAYER IS A “JESUS GIMMEE, GIMMEE

PRAYER” EVERY MESS MADE WHERE FINANCES ARE CONCERNED CONSUMES THEM.

EVERY LONGING OF THEIRS IS NOT ABOUT HOW THEY CAN SERVE CHRIST BUT HOW

CHRIST CAN SERVE THEM AS FINANCIAL FIXER.....

AND AS WE LONG FOR JESUS IN OUR LIVES, BELOVEDS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE

THAT CROWD ISN’T OUR CROWD....THAT AS JESUS SEES AND KNOWS OUR LONGINGS

JESUS SEES US AS WE WELCOME HIM INTO OUR LIVES AS GOD IN THE FLESH, WE

WELCOME HIS DESIRE TO TRANSFORM US SO THAT WE ARE NOT CONFORMED TO THE

WAYS OF THE WORLD......SO THAT AS WE CELEBRATE TOGETHER THIS PALM SUNDAY

WE ARE SEEKING AND WELCOMING WAYS THE LORD WILL MAKE US MORE HOLY,

MORE FORGIVING, MORE COMPASSIONATE, MORE AWARE OF THE EVIL AT WORK

AROUND US AND EVEN IN US AT TIMES....AMEN?

OUR CHARGE IS FOR JESUS TO LEAD US TO EASTER AGAIN

ON THIS DAY OF PALM SUNDAY CELEBRATION, EXALTATION AND PRAISE FOR OUR

SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, WE APPROACH THE THRONE OF GRACE WITH THANKSGIVING

FOR THE JESUS WHO PREPARED FOR HIS LAST WEEK ON EARTH......HE PREPARED

FOR PALM SUNDAY FOR OUR SCRIPTURE THIS MORNING TELLS US, HE SENT TWO

DISCIPLES ON ASSIGNMENT AND HE COVERED THEM WITH THE GRACE THEY NEEDED

TO GET THE COLT AND THE DONKEY WITHOUT BEING ARRESTED....HE ALLOWED

THEM TO CARRY OUT THEIR ASSIGNMENT AS THEY PREPARED THE COLT FOR HIM TO

RIDE IT INTO JERUSALEM SPREADING THEIR GARMENTS AND CLOAKS ON IT.....AND

HE WENT INTO JERUSALEM WITH THE DISCIPLES AND FOLLOWERS AHEAD OF THE

COLT AND BEHIND HIM, AND VERSE 11 OF ST. MARK THE 11th CHAP. TELLS US:

Mark 11:11 ESV

And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

AS WE ENTER HOLY WEEK, YOU’RE INVITED TO RECEIVE THIS CHARGE, FOR THIS

COMING EASTER 2022......WILL YOU SOFTEN YOUR HEART AND STILL YOUR SPIRIT

FOR EASTER EVEN WITH WAR RAGING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD? WILL

YOU SOFTEN YOUR HEART AND STILL YOUR SPIRIT AS WE SEEK TO SHARE THE HOPE

EASTER BRINGS NO MATTER WHERE OUR MINDS AND BODIES ARE IN THIS STAGE FOR

THE PANDEMIC? WILL YOU SOFTEN YOUR HEART AND STILL YOUR SPIRIT AS WE ALL

SEEK THE HUMILITY WE NEED TO SERVE GOD MORE FEARLESSLY AND FAITHFULLY

KNOWING THE LONGINGS LAID OUT BY THE PSALMIST WHO WROTE:

Psalm 73:26 ESV

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE AS YOU COME INTO HOLY WEEK THIS

YEAR? LAY IT BEFORE THE LORD, OUR GOD......WHAT IS THE SADNESS OR GRIEF YOU

BRING INTO THIS SEASON......TRUST IT TO THE LORD, OUR GOD.......WHERE IS YOUR

SPIRIT SERIOUSLY SAGGING, BELOVED? GRAB ON AS YOU GIVE IT TO JESUS, AGAIN....

FOR WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO KNOW AND TO TRUST......THAT PROMISE OF THE LORD

GIVEN TO THE PROPHET EZEKIEL

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

THIS HOLY WEEK, 2022, AS WE REFLECT ON THE NOTION THAT

JESUS WASN’T ALWAYS WHAT THE CROWDS IN JERUSALEM WANTED HIM TO

BE…AND BECAUSE OF THAT, HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE WITH HIS LIFE....

AND THOUGH JESUS ISN’T ALWAYS WHAT EVERY BELIEVER WANTS HIM TO BE IN OUR

DAY AND IN OUR AGE.......JESUS, OUR MESSIAH IS ENOUGH FOR YOU AND FOR

ME....

JESUS IS ENOUGH AS HE MOLDS OUR HEARTS AND MAKES OUR SPIRITS NEW....

JESUS IS ENOUGH IN HIS DESIRE FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COMFORT US IN HIS

ABSENCE....THIS PALM SUNDAY WE CELEBRATE OUR SAVIOR WITH THAT WONDERFUL

CHRISTIAN HYMN THAT SAYS:

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,

I'd rather be His than have riches untold;

I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land,

Yes, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

I'd rather have Jesus than worldly applause,

I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;

I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,

I'd rather be true to His holy name.

CLOSING PRAYER

LET US PRAY.............