April 14, 2019
Morning Service

Last week we discussed how this final week of Jesus’s earthly life was planned before the foundation of the world.  It is a love story written for all of mankind, but also specifically for you.  It is God’s story but also yours, mine and ours.  We began with this scripture and ended with the next three.  It is these truths that I would like each of us to be focusing on as we journey together through this “Passion Week.”

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Joh 15:13  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

Roman 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:31-32  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  (32)  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

As we begin this week please keep in mind these scriptures and how they point to the fact of how much Jesus loves you.  He didn’t wait until you cleaned yourself up but while you were still in your sin He gave His all for you. This story is all about us.  These are the great lengths that God has went to have a relationship with us; He desires that more than we do.  As we walk through this last week with Jesus, a wide variety of emotions will overtake us. This “Passion Week” begins just as it ends next Sunday with a celebration of joy, hope, victory and praise as Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem for the last time.

 

Mat 21:1-11  Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,  (2)  saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.  (3)  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  (4)  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  (5)  "TELL THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, 'BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, LOWLY, AND SITTING ON A DONKEY, A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.' "  (6)  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  (7)  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  (8)  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  (9)  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!"  (10)  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  (11)  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

 

 

 

            Jesus riding the colt into the city fulfilled yet another prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. Immediately following that prophecy in verse 10, Zechariah speaks of the Messiah’s Second Coming where he prophesies of the Him conquering His enemies.  This certainly contributes to why the Jewish people really believed that was what Jesus was doing; setting up His kingdom right now.  “Hosanna” is a Hebrew word that means “save us now.”  The gesture of placing their clothes down before Him (verse 8) was a symbolic act and as their clothes were under His feet they would pledge to submit to their King.  The scene as a whole resembled a military victory celebration which would again make the Jews believe Jesus was about to conquer their greatest enemy, Rome and set up His kingdom right then.  Little did they know that Jesus had a bigger foe that He was fighting, sin and death.  It was a celebration of victory, but it did not end as everyone else thought it would.  God always has a different perspective than what the world has.  He is into “eternal moments” not living for this moment. 

            This is the one time that Jesus did not tell the crowd to be quiet with their open praises.  This was His time to openly shine as the One True Messiah and Savior of whosoever would believe in Him.  In Luke’s account the Pharisees told Him to quiet them and He replied this:

             Luke 19:40  But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

            Are there times that we have opportunity to speak or sing out our praises but we let the stones speak in our behalf?  When we miss these opportunities, it is our loss as we are the ones who lose the blessing for it.  I know when I have a cold and lose my voice, the song service is just not as fulfilling when I can’t sing along.  We not only come to church to receive from God, but we also should be giving our best in praise and worship to Him.  As you sing and praise focus in on what He has done for You and truly open your heart to Him and offering it as a sacrifice.  Enter these doors with anticipation that you are going to meet with your Savior in a very personal way.  When these times come let us all praise like Brittany with all that we have and let it come from our heart and not just our lips.  Let the church service fill your spiritual tank and then praise Him all week long.  Paul told the Philippian Church this:

 

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

            This seems an odd command that a man who is in prison would have to instruct a church to “Rejoice!”  This attitude of Paul’s should teach us all an important lesson; our inner attitude does not have to reflect our outward circumstances.  Despite his horrible surroundings, Paul was still full of joy knowing that His Lord and Savior was there with him.  He had great confidence that God was in total control of his life and would not let him down.  He knew he was loved and cared for by a God who has big plans for him even while in prison.

Do you have that same confidence?  When your circumstances aren’t what you want are you still able to “Rejoice in the Lord” or do you find that difficult?  In today’s world it is easy to get discouraged with what is going on in your life.  Life can be brutal at times and we can become overwhelmed with our circumstances.  But God is good all the time and all the time God is good.  Our perspective needs to always go through the fact that God is on our side and will never leave us alone to fight for ourselves.  Rejoice in that fact even when the storm is raging all around you, let Jesus be your Rock and rejoice in Him even in the midst of chaos.  He has a purpose for your struggles will use them for your good (Rom. 8:28).  It is vital that we choose to trust Him always, in the good times and the bad. 

 

Romans 8:31-32  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  (32)  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

            Rejoice in the fact that Jesus gave His all for you and He will never leave you in need.  The Jewish people rejoiced when their Messiah came into the city believing that He was going to change everything for the better.  Little did they realize that He did, only on a much greater scale than what they hoped for.  We too can rejoice in knowing our Savior and King will come again one final time to bring His Bride home for eternity.  “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!”

 

Heavenly Father thank You for the joy, hope, and love this week reveals to us.  Please help us to draw closer as we walk this week with You.