Palm Sunday 2017

Palm Sunday 2017

The stones will cry out

Little Johnny was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother.

His father came home from church holding a palm branch.

The little boy was curious and asked, “Dad, Why do you have that palm branch”

“You see son, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, and so we got Palm Branches today.”

Ah man --- Just my luck ---the little boy said

“The one Sunday I miss is the Sunday that Jesus shows up”

This is Palm Sunday and as we prepare for Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I would like this morning to look at this day in history from just a different perspective.

Today I want to focus on Praise

And more importantly

On

The object of our praise

Our Lord and savior

Jesus Christ

And

I want to look at the reason for our hope

Please open your bibles to

Luke 19:30-42

“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” “So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on

32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.

36 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD!

Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”[a]

39 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

40 He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

The Easter season is a time calling for praise and rejoicing and hope.

All nature sings and shouts and waves its praise to the Creator in the boldest, brightest colors it can find.

And we who are born again believers have a special reason to rejoice at Easter.

For while Christmas heralds the birth of the Messiah, our Savior, and fires the opening shot in the battle with evil, It has begun the Bible proclaims

Easter is the victory celebration- It is finished Jesus says from the cross

It is finished

The work of redemption

The path to salvation

Jesus sacrificed to complete the plan

He died

So we could live

When I look at the scripture we just read

It makes me ask why there are not more amen’s and hallelujahs in world

Why is there not more praise in the hearts of the people?

Why do we save our praise for Sunday, Wednesday?

Why do we save it for Easter and Christmas?

Jesus says---The very rocks will cry out if ----we don’t

So why are we often silent?

Pause

Let’s look at the background for today’s lesson

Jesus is on the way to Jerusalem.

Riding to the completion of his purpose here on earth

In Just a few days

His work will be finished

He will soon be crucified

His disciples pleaded with him

Not to return to the city

But

Jesus

Knew he must go

It was love that guided him

It was love for us that drove him

Along the way he stops at Bethany and gathers up a donkey

Verses 29-35

9 As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.