The Virtuous Kingdom: Evidence of the Reign of God in the Heart
Worship
Mark Chapter 11:1-11
Sermon Objective: To encourage the congregation to inspect their hearts for the transforming evidence of the reign of God.
INTRO:
A key to playing any sport at a level that is enjoyable is the mastering the fundamentals. If you do that you can enjoy the sport at a recreational and competitive level. That usually requires some specific skills that are germane to each sport as well as some more universal ones like, practicing footwork, hand-eye coordination, and good body control. Once you become adept at these fundamentals even a “mis-play” can be effective since it will not be as egregious an error as a play where no fundamentals are used.
The same is true in your spiritual life. There are fundamentals that are very basic to a daily walk with Christ. As these fundamentals are discovered and “practiced” you grow and see fruit. Just as an infant learns balance, then walks, then runs so a believer’s spiritual walk improves with discipline, practice, and time. Also, you find that your failures are less drastic, recovering is less dramatic, and your walk with Christ is more “successful” and “fruitful.” It is called spiritual maturity.
Chapter eleven illustrates some of these fundamental “skills”. It highlights them. Sometimes it does this by showing their absence and at other times it gives us a glimpse at what can be expected when we begin to reach a moderate level of development.
We are approaching these “fundamentals of Christian growth” from the vantage point of “Evidence of the reign of God in the heart” because they do in fact reveal a walk with God.
In coming weeks we will look at the role of prayer (11:15-19), fruit bearing (11:11-14, 20-21), faith (11:22-25), forgiveness (11:20-25), submission (11:1-6 & 27-33).
But today we will look at worship.
1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3If anyone asks you, ’Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ’The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ "
4They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?" 6They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna! " "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
10"Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!"
11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
When I mention worship, we usually gravitate to public worship. When we read this passage, we also tend to think about public worship. That is appropriate but limited.
Maybe a good way to help reframe this and broaden our perspective would be to begin with verse eleven. In doing so I want you to think about “The evidence of the reign of God IN THE HEART” You see, for the Christian, worship is an ongoing act of the heart that is merely expressed throughout the week in corporate / public ways. The temple, you see, is not the church building … it is YOU. 11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Mark’s account of the Triumphal Entry is not a very high profile event. In fact, it is rather “local” if you please. It did not make a stir in the city and once they reached the city limits the people seemed to have dispersed.
This public account of worship and celebration gives us some insight into the private (i.e. local) worship that is intended to transpire within each heart where God’s reign has come. Not every personality is inclined to public expressions of exuberance but every heart is created to worship the living God with freedom, authenticity, and depth.
Maybe there are some things you can learn from this passage about evidence of God’s reign in your heart; especially as it relates to private worship.
I notice three accompaniments of worship illustrated here:
1. OBEDIENCE IS RENDERED AT THE MASTER’S COMMAND (v. 3)
"The LORD needs it."
Would anyone deny that worship spawns from a heart of love? Not me.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” and again, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14: 15, 21)
Obedience and worship cannot be divorced. Worship must be in Spirit and in truth (John 4); suggesting, among other things, that it must be done in keeping with the Father’s will.
I notice three accompaniments of worship illustrated here:
1. OBEDIENCE IS RENDERED AT THE MASTER’S COMMAND (v. 3)
2. PROPERTY IS SURRENDERED FOR THE MASTER’S USE (v. 3)
Property … a colt
The fact that the Gospel writers go into such detail to explain how the colt was obtained suggests that they attached some importance to it.
In Exodus 4:2 God asks Moses, “What is that in your hand?” The answer was Moses’ shepherd staff. The result was God asks Moses to surrender the staff to God and God’s work. The result was miraculous feats that Moses could never have anticipated.
My point is that God uses that which we have available to us. God does not ask you to give or use what you do not have – only that which is accessible to you and what you can, by your free will, offer to him.
I notice three accompaniments of worship illustrated here:
1. OBEDIENCE IS RENDERED AT THE MASTER’S COMMAND (v. 3)
2. PROPERTY IS SURRENDERED FOR THE MASTER’S USE (v. 3)
3. EXPRESSIONS ARE OFFERED IN THE MASTER’S PRESENCE
Worship ALWAYS has expression. It differs from person to person and from personality to personality but it always has expression. Worshipping God in Spirit and in truth MOVES the human heart!
Three expressions of worship available here are:
> Humility
Throwing palm branches and clothing on the ground while bowing is an indication of honor and humility, it was an overture reserved for kings and high dignitaries.
Humility is always a deportment exhibited by those who have seen God’s reign come into their lives. Whenever high-mindedness is present, God is absent.
Even in exuberant worship there is the presence of humility.
> Prayer
I cannot envision genuine worship not being accompanied by prayer.
“Hosanna!” was originally a prayer. It is the word used in our Old Testament reading from Psalm 118:25, “O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.”
“Hosanna!” means “Save Now” or “Help us!” and is also seen in 2 Samuel 14:4 and 2 Kings 6:26
“Hosanna!” It is a cry for divine help and a request for God to break in and save His people NOW!
> Praise
It is not uncommon for prayer to lead to praise. That resembles what happens here. They are asking God, anticipating that God has finally sent the one who saves, and it bubbles up into full-blown praise! "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Luke 19:37 sheds some light on what happened here. It says: the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. I think this is also notable. Many of the people following Jesus into Jerusalem had, no doubt, had personal encounters with Christ. That is what made their public exuberance possible and authentic. Their expressions of praise were directed at the works of God! It was because of what they had seen (and experienced) in Jesus that they were capable losing their “sophistication.”
I am not one who is given to outbursts of emotion in public. It is rare and even then I am guarded. It is just who I am. But privately? Well that can be a different story. On numerous occasions I have tossed aside my reserve while in private worship. As time has passed and I have become more secure in Christ and more mature in my worship it has become slightly more expressive in the public forum too.
Private worship spawns and nurtures public worship. It sets the stage for what God will do in our corporate fellowship. It provides the substance for corporate fellowship.
Ex: Think about the hymns we sing in corporate worship -- most of them were written as a response to private worship’s encounters with God.
Ex: Mike and I were talking just this week about how our private worship influenced and authenticated our public worship. It is because of his daily walk with Christ that Mike is justified to lead us in worship. Otherwise it would be hypocritical and superficial … a sham.
Private Worship sustains the soul day in and day out because that is where we daily draw upon Jesus. Private worship is the evidence of the work of God in the heart far more than what takes place in a public worship service.
WRAP-UP
I notice three accompaniments of worship illustrated here:
1. OBEDIENCE IS RENDERED AT THE MASTER’S COMMAND (v. 3)
2. PROPERTY IS SURRENDERED FOR THE MASTER’S USE (v. 3)
3. EXPRESSIONS ARE OFFERED IN THE MASTER’S PRESENCE
Our first evidence of God’s reign in the human heart is worship. Not your average Sunday morning public expressions but the worship that is expressed in your daily walk and climaxes in the public arena.
You see, following the man on the donkey expresses itself through evidence that that same man has done a deep work in your heart. That He reigns in you!
11Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Historically, this was an official visit of the King of Israel, an inspection tour of the heart of the nation.
Jesus looked at everything this fateful day. We know what he saw: commercialism, moneychangers, exploitation, corruption, and injustice. He saw dirt, filth, and squalor, pride, hypocrisy, and haughtiness. He saw religious ceremonies being carried on without any meaning whatsoever.
Jesus did not see any evidence that the reign of God had come to the city or its temple.
They did not know this was an official tour of inspection by the King. They did not know that the next day he would begin to speak words of finality and brings acts of judgment upon the temple and the Holy City.
This still happens doesn’t it? God comes into our lives that way, doesn’t he?
It is time for judgment to begin with the family of God (1 Peter 4:17).
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God looked at us only when we came to church on Sunday morning?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he would read our hearts only when we are filled with all the nice things with which we should be filled?
But he does not; he looks at us in the TV room and in the kitchen and at the computer -- and in our car! He comes in and looks around at everything. It is in the daily events that God sees the real us and … it is there that we either worship Him with our lives or mock His name.
What changes would Jesus make to the temple that is YOU?
By the cleansing and equipping power of the Holy Spirit you can live a life that pleases God.
What are we waiting for?! We either change or we will be judged (chapter 11-12).
He who has ears to hear
Let him hear!
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
