Faces of a King

John 12:12-19 (NIV)

12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the King of Israel!”

14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,

15“Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion;

see, your king is coming,

seated on a donkey’s colt.”

16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

I.                    Introduction: Jesus is many things to many people.

II.                  Jesus Is Regarded As A Hero

A.                  Praised As A Conquering Champion

B.                  Proclaimed A Coming King

III.               Jesus Is Regarded A Mystery

A.                  A Mystery Recorded In The Old Testament

B.                  A Mystery Misunderstood Apart From The Cross

IV.                Jesus Is Regarded A Wonder

A.                  Being A Miracle Worker

B.                  Becoming A Curious Attraction

V.                  Jesus Is Regarded A Threat

A.                  Regarded As A Threat To Authority

B.                  Regarded As A Threat Because Of Popularity

VI.                Conclusion: We never have a complete picture of Jesus apart from the cross. Unless we see Jesus as a Savior, we really do not see the real Jesus.