"The Miracle Begins with a Welcome!"

I. Introduction

So what is today?

I’ll tell you: It’s a great day to feel the love of God!

It’s a great day to Know His Mercy!

It’s a great day to be healed and delivered!!!

This is a great day to feel the peace of God, the Government of God and to know that He truly loves you!

It’s also Palm Sunday. Some folks call it Passion Sunday, basically the Sunday before Easter or what we often call “Ressurection Sunday.”

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ’s Triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

I understand that a lot happened that week, the week of Christ’s triumphant entry.

I understand that by the end of that week, Jesus had accomplished his great sacrifice, but I’d like to point out that the miracle began with a welcome!

And that’s really my entire message!

But first, check this out:

Whenever you read some passage in Scripture and you realize that you really want to understand the passage you are reading, it is a good practice to back up and read at least one or two chapters prior to the one you are focused on as well as one or two that follow.

This helps to provide context!

By zoooming out a little, one can often see a larger and more complete picture.

I was looking at matt Ch 21 earlier, when I realized I should zoom out a little and I’m glad that I did!

You are going to like what I found!

Mat 20:29-34

Matthew 20:29–34 KJV 1900

And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

So Jesus is headed to Jerusalem. Its a big day!

And on his way, this happens!

Two blind men sitting by the side of the road, hearing that Jesus is passing nearby, cry out: “Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou son of David.”

Here are these fellas, in desperate need! And the minute they try to get help, people are pushing them down and telling them not to even try!

You know it’s kinda sad, I’ve seen folks try to hush others up in church...

I mean, Jesus is here, moving among us, we feel his presence, the preacher opens the altar and a few times over the years, I’ve even observed folks embarassed when a family member or friend came down to the altar!

Just Like the crowd, hushing the blind men!

What’s up with that?

I guess they’re just not desperate!

But when you’re the one that’s blind...

When you’re the one in trouble, pain, dire circumstances, you don’t care who’s watching or who says what!

You need healing!

You need peace!

You need someone to fix you!

And if this Jesus can do it, then you’re ready to throw all in!!!!

“Have mercy on me!!!”

Hey, I respect the man or woman who can aknowledge their need!!!

“I need help!”

And when you’re in need, the best one to ask for help is the one who is truly able to help you!!

Now this is cool, you’re gonna like this:

One Bible scholar notes that these two blind men adressed their request for healing to a political title.

I had never noticed that before!

“Thou Son of David.” This indicated that there was a common expectation that the true king of Israel would be a healer.

It may be signigicant that the historical son of David, Solomon, was the Temple builder and the last king to rule over an undivded Israel.

All other Hebrew kings since had been either “king of Judah, or king of Isreal” This for hundreds of years.

And This Bible scholar thinks that the blind man’s adress: “O thou Son of David” showed the deep and sincere the yearning of the people for healing, for spiritual insight, for reunification and a cleansed Temple!.

Oh Son of David, would you fix it?

Would you heal us please?

Would you cleanse this temple?

Would you please take over?

Would you unify us once more?

Would you fix us?

Listen folks, I think we should vote and work hard and try to help people and support good programs and all of that!

But the real fix is not a political fix!

The real fix is not a money fix!

It’s a miracle fix!

A supernatural move of God! Is the only thing that can fix us!!!!

I tell you we need HIs mercy!!!

Sonoma County needs the mercy of God!

We need his rightouseness!

Your city, your street needs the atoning power of HIs Blood!

Your family, your neighbors, we need Jesus!!!

I truly believe those men were giving voice to the longing cry of generations!

And watch how Jesus hears them!

He hears what they’re saying and he hears what they are saying.. You know?

Watch how He adresses both their most pressing need and the deep desires of their heart and generation!

Then watch the pattern: First he had compassion on them, then He touched them, healed them and they followed Him!

Folks, you and I are those blind men, aren’t we?

We were so blind!

But he was moved with compassion for you and me!

He touched us, made us new and now we too follow Him!

Jesus adresses the local, pressing problem.

This Jesus heals and alleviates the immediate suffering and then goes about providing the global need, the greater longing of so many hearts:

From here, He enters Jerusalem!

This is no mere traveller!

He is the Lord of Glory!

Soon you will see him cleanse the temple! Like in the next chapter!

I’m tellng you, Jesus hears what you are saying! What you are not saying, what you are just thinking!

The thoughts of your generation, Jesus hears it all!!!

Pretty soon, you’ll see The Son of David ministering in ways nobody else ever could.

So that next chapter is Mat 21. And this is where we read about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jersusalem.

But remember: “Scripture interprets Scripture!”

But before we read of Jesus triumphal entry in Mat 21, lets rewind a few thousand years and take a quick trip back to Genesis 49:10-11 so that we can understand exactly what is happening on Palm Sunday:

Genesis 49:10–11 KJV 1900

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, And his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes:

This is a prophecy of Jacob depicting a royal Judahite King, preparing for a triumphant celebration.

He is so wealthy, that he washes and dyes his garments with the “Blood of grapes.”

But in Jesus context, the image is inverted:

Jesus was preparing not just for a celebration, but also for His own execution and his garments would be stained red, only, in the red stain of his own blood!

What was it like for Jesus, knowing the events that were about to take place?

He knew that when he walked into that city, he carried the answer to every prayer.

He carried the healing for every ill.

The Balm of Gilead.

The perfect medicine for each broken heart.

He carries it with Him!

You oughtta welcome Jesus into your home and city ever single day!

Matthew 21:1–9 KJV 1900

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

I understand that a lot is going to happen that week, but I can’t get over the simple, historical scene of a city welcoming Jesus.

That’s my whole message today.

I mean, we look at cities that welcome sporting events. The visitors and the revenue they bring.

Cities fight to host the olympics and the superbowl and stuff like that!

“Welcome!”

Right now, parks and rec is hiring life guards for the city pools, folks are getting their sunscreen and pool noodles and tubes ready for the Russian River.

The people are welcoming summer!

I remember flying into SFO from Africa years ago and coming off the plane, into the airport, there was a recording of Mayor Willie Brown saying: “Welcome into my city.”

I remember thinking that was pretty cool.

Welcome!!!

But folks, I am overwhelmed today by the simple fact, that miracles happen, when a city welcomes Jesus!

In that time, it was expected to strew flowers and branches and to spread carpets and garments in the pathway of conquerors and great princes.

Folks, the simple fact is this: Miracles happen when a city welcomes Jesus!

Now, I have limited my remarks to just a few minutes!

Because I want us to stand in for our community.

See, they don’t get it! Not yet!

Jesus is coming! Revival is coming!

But it comes to a prepered place!

And they don’t realize how close we are to a visitation!

I don’t want Jesus to go somewhere more receptive!

Most people in our city don’t know the king is coming! They are too busy to care.

This area, full of people who do not yet recognize the King who is coming.

That’s where you and your knees come in today.

I’m telling you that the man, the woman of God stand tallest when we stand on our knees!

I am asking you, as your pastor, to open your hearts with me today and together, let us welcome the King of Glory!

The miracles, the atonement, the resurrection, it all begins with a welcome!

There is a spiritual work that needs to take place here today, and together, you are the ones to do it!

We are now going to welcome Jesus!

Let’s roll out the red carpet for Jesus!

We are rolling out the red carpet for Revival!’,

Chorazin didn’t welcome Jesus!

Bethsaida wasn’t interested!

What about you Santa Rosa? Rohnert Park?

Hey, maybe YOU need healing!

Maybe YOU need His righteouseness!

NO problem!

Go ahead and welcome him into the city!!!

Maybe there’s some area in your life that has been off limits to Jesus...

Maybe there’s a room or two in your heart that has been closed off to Him..

Let him in would ya?

Oh Lord Jesus, we welcome you!

You bring healing, you bring righteousness, deliverance, government, mercy, Love, Joy, Peace, Faith!

You’ve got it all!!!

Psalm 24 KJV 1900

A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him, That seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.