  |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pastor Harold's Sermon Sampler
When They All Felt Like Shouting
Today we come together to celebrate an event that was the beginning of the
end of Jesus life on earth as he had known it for some 33 ½ years.
This day we remember the time Jesus entered into Jerusalem and
presented himself as the King of kings.
This is known as the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
But I would like for us to examine this passage from a different
angle this year. I want to
examine it from the viewpoint of the people themselves.
Why did they feel like shouting?
What was their motivation?
Why were they even doing this?
Look
at the passage with me would you?
“1As they approached Jerusalem and came to
Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying
to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey
tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If
anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will
send them right away." 4This took place to fulfill what
was spoken through the prophet: 5"Say to the Daughter of
Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a
colt, the foal of a donkey.' " 6The disciples went and did
as Jesus had instructed them. 7They brought the donkey and
the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8A
very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches
from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds
that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son
of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in
the highest!" 10When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole
city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" 11The crowds
answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
Hosanna? What’s that mean?
This word comes to us from the Hebrew word hoshianah;
הושענא; meaning possibly save now or Savior.
It appears in Psalm 118:25 where it reads; “25Save
now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.”KJV.
Therefore, as we come to this particular passage and time frame the
word was being used as a praise word as well as it has been now for some
2,000 years. However, a literal
translation of this word can be ‘save, now, we pray.’
It can be noted that this was a declaration for salvation, but in
this particular context the people of the time were not looking for a
spiritual Messiah, but a military deliverer in Messiah.
They were crying out for salvation from the occupying forces of Rome.
You see the why they got caught up in this whole thing was because
they felt like it. They were a
part of a mob…..it spread like wild fire.
Probably most of the people had heard about Jesus and the things that
he had done and said. But today,
Jesus was making a public statement about himself.
Many times he had performed a miracle and told the people to say
nothing about it, but they did anyway.
For instance in Mark 7:36 we find this passage following Jesus
healing the man who was deaf and could hardly speak; “36Jesus
commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they
kept talking about it.” Another
example of this is in Mark 8:30 following Peter’s great confession of the
faith, Jesus told them, “ 30Jesus warned them not to tell
anyone about him.” Heck, he even
told his mother this at the wedding of Cana,
“4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do
with thee? mine hour is not yet come.”
Because of this, his entry that day into Jerusalem was very significant and
it carried with it a lot of meaning that was understood by the populace.
In fact, Zechariah 9:9 is
quoted here in our focal passage, 9 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.”
Why a donkey and why a colt?
Jesus' instructions are clear that the donkey must be one that has
never been ridden. It is set apart,
consecrated for a specific use -- for the Master's use. There was a
rabbinical tradition that no one should use the animal on which a king
rides. When Jesus indicates to his
disciples that he should ride on a donkey that no one had ever ridden
before, he is initiating a public, kingly act. He is revealing openly that
he is the Messiah.
The
symbolism has been controversial in Christendom some say that a warrior
coming in to proclaim his kingship road on a white horse, a steed of war.
Others say no, that many times a king would ride into a conquered
city on a donkey signifying his pledge of peace as the new ruler of the
area. Whatever the case, Jesus
is riding in on a donkey and they are crying out for salvation.
Save, now, we pray! This
was just five days before Jesus would be crucified.
Five days before they are welcoming him into the city as their
Messiah-King. Five days ahead of
the dark hour when they would be crying crucify him, crucify him.
Seems kind of odd does it not?
But let me ask you this question this morning:
Have you ever done anything that would seem the direct opposite of
what you said you believed or said you would NEVER do?
We all have a problem in that area.
We all are sinners by nature and as such we have a strong tendency to
do things we don’t want to do or opposite of our belief system.
These folks felt like shouting for Jesus on Sunday and they felt like
shouting against him on Friday.
People: we are very fickled are
we not? James addressed this in
his letter when he wrote, “8But the tongue can no man
tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9Therewith
bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made
after the similitude of God. 10Out of the same mouth
proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to
be.” I have know many church folks
who would sing Oh How I Love Jesus on Sunday and on Monday cursing fellow
church members at home or at work.
I bet the folks around them like co-workers or family really want to
be a Christian just like them, don’t you think?
Probably not. It is real
turn off to hear such things.
But you know we have all done it.
James tells us “My brothers and sisters, this should not be so in
your life.”
Ever
do that? Sure, we all have.
It is easy to get caught up in things.
These folks got caught up in the moment.
They were celebrating the potential deliverance of the Jewish people.
They were excited to think that this might just be the moment and
this just might be the man to do it.
People were asking who is this guy?
Who is coming into town?
The whole city was stirred up the scripture says and people were asking
about it. They were saying, It
is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth.
Hmmm…prophets figured prominently in the history of Israel.
Highly respected and in their opinion he was a prophet…not a
Savior……not the Messiah…..a prophet.
How
ironic that the very mouths that shouted hosanna, “save, now, we pray” were
among those shouting for his execution on Friday.
Blessings and cursing. Oh
they went through the motions.
They were excited. They jumped
on the band wagon. They even
welcomed him by throwing their cloaks on the ground and were cutting the
branches from the trees and laying them in the roadway….a sign of welcoming
a king or dignitary. But just a
few short hours later……they were crying out for his death.
They wanted him crucified.
What changed? What caused
this complete reversal of public opinion?
The human dilemma which has plagued humanity from Adam and Eve.
Sin and its instigator Satan.
He didn’t want Jesus to come and do what he came to do.
Thus he tried on many occasions to eliminate the threat.
But his plan was riddle with flaws and the very thing he thought was
going to eliminate the Son of God backfired on him and the very death of
Jesus was the very thing that purchased our salvation.
By his blood we are saved.
Hebrews 2:14, “ 14Since the children have flesh and
blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy
him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”
Jesus came that day declaring to you and me his divinity, his power,
his love, his forgiveness, his overwhelming desire to secure our salvation
and restore us to a living relationship with our Creator.
Hebrews 9:15 reports that “15For this reason Christ
is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the
promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them
free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
Christ presented himself that day as the King of Peace fulfilling the
announcement of the angels who declared on the night of his birth, “10And
the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you
is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12And
this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger. 13And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
For more
information on how to become a Christian and accept
|
