Were You There When He Entered The City?
INTRO: Today is what we call Palm Sunday. The Sunday before Easter. It is found in the Bible in all of the Gospels. I am going to use Mark to tell the story and read several versus from Luke and then John to add to the story.
I want to see all of the players that were there on that day. Identify them and see where we fit. Who was there that you identify with. Who would you have been if you were there.
Mark 11:1-19 KJV 1And when they
came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he
sendeth forth two of his disciples,
2And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you:
and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never
man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the
Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door
without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
5And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do
ye, loosing the colt?
6And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they
let them go.
7And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments
on him; and he sat upon him.
The Lord had just raised Lazarus from the dead. John tells us in Chapter 12 He had a nice fellowship supper with his close friends. Martha served and Lazarus was the guest of honor. Mary was up to her usual self and was anointing Jesus’ feet with a pound of ointment of spikenard (about 12 ounces of pure nard) that was worth almost a year wages.
It is kind of funny in a way, but here we see a man raised from the dead and the chief priests planning to kill him to hide Jesus’ miracle and reduce His popularity.
Okay, this is part of the “they” we see in verse 1.
The Lord was there.
Reluctant to face the hardship
Respectful of His place in obedience
Beholders of His miracles
Blessed to be by His side
Basking in His love to the end
Steadfast staff
Profitable part of His small group
Dutiful duo – Lord used pairs- 4
Place of opportunity – there
Point of reason – why do you this?
Purpose sustained in their life - 6
Cast their garments - 7
Opportunity of moment
Servitude can bring personal blessings
Giving of simplicity – even self
May be ever so small
Blessing to be had
Honoring His worthiness
8And many spread their garments in the way: and others
cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9And they that went before, and they that followed,
cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord:
10Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that
cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
11And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple:
and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was
come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was
hungry:
13And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves,
he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he
found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee
hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
Many spread their garments – 8-
Others cut down branches off trees - 8
Willing to work to glorify Him
Went the extra mile (so to speak)
It is here (Verse 9-10) we see different kinds of worship taking place…
They that went before &
They that followed
Both did their part
They worshiped Him
They praised Him
They followed Him
He was worthy of it all and is worthy of our praise
The twelve - 11
Walked after Him
Learned from Him
Observant of Him
Obedient to Him
Witnesses for Him
Separated
Able
Empty
Lost
15And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the
temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple,
and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them
that sold doves;
16And would not suffer that any man should carry any
vessel through the temple.
17And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall
be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of
thieves.
18And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and
sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the
people was astonished at his doctrine.
19And when even was come, he went out of the city.
Luke 19:37-44 KJV 37And when
he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole
multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a
loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
38Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name
of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
Them that sold and bought - 15
Moneychangers - 15
Cheats in God’s house
Them that sold doves - 15
Dishonest
Any man - 16
He wants us to be here honestly approaching Him
Den of thieves - 17
We know not today the corruptness existing
“Church” is not the “cure”
“Church” is not the deciding element
Scribes and chief priests - 18
“Above” God’s touch
Evil dressed in religious “garb”
All the people - 18
Everyone needs Him
Everyone can have Him
I want to spend some time looking at Luke’s account and see the glimpse of different worship. We need to understand that just because it is different, it is not necessarily wrong -–or better!
Corporate (Whole multitude) Luke 19:37
Happy (began to rejoice) - 37
Accurate – lifted up the Christ - 38
39And some of the Pharisees from among the
multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these
should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Now we get to see just the opposite of worshipful followers. They wanted to
stop the worship. These were not in it for the Lord, not in it to be right, not
in it to be happy. They were just religious and just meeting a quota or list of
requirements. They looked the part, walked the part, but inside they were
rotten.
The Lord was tough on them…
Matthew 23:25-32 KJV 25Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the
cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
26Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is
within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like
unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within
full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye
are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build
the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
30And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not
have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the
children of them which killed the prophets.
32Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Self-righteous
“Transparent” to the Lord
Unable to dissuade the people (even the stones and rocks would have cried out)
NOW THAT IS THE KIND OF SERVICES WE NEED!
Are you like them (Pharisees)? Or
Are you like the crowd that was worshiping the Lord?
41And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and
wept over it,
42Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in
this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are
hid from thine eyes.
43For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a
trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within
thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou
knewest not the time of thy visitation.
I have included some of John’s account because it tells what is coming and shows us some other characters…
John 12:20-48 KJV 20And
there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at
the feast:
21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida
of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and
Philip tell Jesus.
23And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of
man should be glorified.
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall
into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit.
25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life
in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am,
there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father
honour.
27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father,
save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying,
I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it,
said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but
for your sakes.
31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this
world be cast out.
32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men
unto me.
Okay, here in verse 41 we get a
glimpse of the Lord and how He cares for us. He hurts for us.
He knows our very hurt today!
We are about done. Let’s look at John and see some more characters that were there.
All need to worship
Philip - 21
Opportunity to help
Are you available for others?
Are you too busy?
Are you not agreeable?
Andrew - 22
Up to his old “tricks” (sharing Jesus)
We can help/support each other.
We need to die out to Jesus – 24-
Without Him we are alone
We need to have fruit
If we loose our life for Him we gain it
We need to follow Him – 26
Does His Spirit speak to your heart today?
He wants all of us to be His servants and receive His blessings
33This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ
abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is
this Son of man?
35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with
you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that
walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the
children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself
from them.
37But though he had done so many miracles before them,
yet they believed not on him:
38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he
spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord
been revealed?
39Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they
should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart,
and be converted, and I should heal them.
41These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
42Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on
him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue:
43For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of
God.
44Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth
not on me, but on him that sent me.
45And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me
should not abide in darkness.
47And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not:
for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the
last day.
Okay I am almost done. Reading down to verse 42 we again see other characters.
They were still clinging to their religion - 42
Self-indulgent
Cared more for man’s praise than God’s
Cared more for religion than truth
Jesus told them His mission – 44-48
Came to give us God the Father
We must believe on Jesus
He brings us “light”
If we reject Him we do not have Him
Without Him we will be judged and lost
Which character are you?
The friend of Jesus?
A worthy, obedient, trusted worker?
Are you just a curious bystander?
Are you one who sacrifices for the Lord?
Do you go the extra mile?
Do you try to worship Him well?
Are you like a lonely tree, and fruitless?
I trust none of you have hearts like those in the temple…
Cheats, heartless, corrupt, etc.
Are you like the religious scribes and chief priests?
Are you like those found in Luke:
Worshipers of the Lord?
Together, happy, loud, right?
Are you like the Greeks aware that God loves you, no matter your ethnic background?
Are you like Philip and Andrew, witness for Him?
Have you died out to Jesus – the only answer?
Do you believe in Him and are you willing to stand with Him?
Do you know Jesus?
Are you with Him or not?
Are you willing to serve Him no matter what?
Are you doing your best for Him?
Are you happy with the individual you are for the Lord this day?
Gary Marcum – New beginnings Church – 040509am