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Introduction
• Nothing like a big crowd – some hate crowds – Mom – I love crowds
• When considering our text today – Crowd is an understatement.
• On one occasion, a census was taken of the lambs slain at the Passover feast. The number was 256,000. Consider that it was a minimum of 10 people per lamb and you will see that there were upwards of 3 million people there.
• So I want you to get rid of the flannel board pictures with a dozen people. The crowd I was in at the Nascar race pales in comparison to the crown that welcomed Jesus that Day.
• When Jesus entered Jerusalem there were three kinds of people in the crowd: Sightseers, Seekers, and Scoffers. He tried to show those who were seeking that day that he is a different kind of king. He is a king who conquers Satan’s strong hold rather than earthly kingdoms. To be a follower of this king we must accept him for who he is rather than what we want him to be. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Sunday, there was a massive crowd welcoming him. At the foot of the cross on Friday, you could count his followers on one hand. Where will we be on Friday? What Kind of Follower are You?
1) A PICTURE OF THE PARTICAPANTS
a) Sightseers
i) Here was a man who, as rumor had it, raised a man from the dead. Many had gone out to simply gaze on a sensational figure.
(1) There is something about seeing someone who is “famous” or “larger than life” that attracts many people.
(2) Political Figure – Actor – draw a crowd – many not fans – just was to see.
ii) It’s always possible to attract a crowd. We could easily attract a crowd next week with the right kind of sensationalism. (Might not be scriptural – Crowd)
(1) Sensationalism never lasts. Those same people who were regarding Jesus as a sensation on Sunday, were shouting for his death on Friday.
(a) File that thought away for a minute – we’ll come back to that.
b) Seekers
(1) The predominate atmosphere of the whole scene was one of jubilation.
(a) Hosanna = Save Now – “God save the king”
(b) Quoted from Psalm 118:25-26
(c) This was a familiar psalm of praise. Had deep connection with the feast of Tabernacles.
(d) It was a conqueror’s psalm. Sung when mighty warriors returned from a victorious battle.
ii) You see, they still had the wrong kind of king in Mind. They were hailing Jesus as a conqueror – which must have hut his ears. Many in the crowd that day were looking for him to be the very thing he refused to be.
c) Scoffers
i) Can you imagine how frustrated the Pharisees must have been?
(1) “the whole world has gone after him”
(2) Must have seemed like it.
ii) Even though Jesus was doing something that is a direct Prophesy of Zechariah, the Pharisees still scoff and scrutinize and construct plans for the annihilation of their competition.
iii) One more participant – save him for last – before we move to Jesus – Concerning this three categories of participants, I want you to see…
2) A PARALELL OF THE PERSONALITIES (What I mean by that, is which category do you and I fall in)
a) Sightseers – Sentimental Faith
i) Same people who praised him when he entered in, turn on him when the tables turned.
ii) I see a couple of parallels here
(1) Salvation based on emotionalism – then when life comes at you – no spiritual backbone
(2) MORE – I see people praising him on Sunday and turning their back on him on Friday.
(a) Come to worship – get our good feeling – get on with life
iii) Not faith at all – need for the sensation – God fix – Sunday
(1) Friday – whole different story
b) Seekers – Active Faith
i) Most instances, this is a good thing.
(1) Seekers recognize that Jesus is a conqueror and seek to find out more about Him. This is a good thing.
ii) Bad when we seek the wrong thing. When were seek what we want instead of what he want.
(1) They wanted someone who could free them from Roman oppression, Jesus wanted to free them from sins oppression.
(2) Jesus is not a vending machine
(a) Ear ticking preaching
(b) Health and Wealth
(c) We are trying to pigeon hole Jesus into what he can do for us instead of what we can do for him.
(i) But if we would just stop and look, we would see what he has done – and we in turn would seek not what he can do for us but what we can do or him.
(3) Scoffers – No Faith
(a) We can skip this one – wouldn’t apply to anyone here.
(b) Actually, may apply as much as the others
(i) You see, that’s my biggest problem
1. It’s not that I am into the emotion of religion, It’s that when the rubber meets the road I have a hard time saying “Jesus is enough”
2. What can I do? What can the world add?
(c) The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.
(4) In James 2, James mentions these three kinds of faith – Dead faith – Demonic Faith – Dynamic Faith (Read James 2)
(5) And when Friday rolled around, there were only a hand full of people who had Dynamic Faith. They understood something countless others didn’t. They understood Jesus was the answer.
3) A PORTRAIT OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE
a) He claimed to be the Messiah
i) Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV)
ii) Jesus Boldly does what the prophet said the Messiah would do.
iii) And they were happy to have a new king – they were oppressed and were longing for a king that would lead them out of oppression and if this man what that king – then “Hosanna!”
iv) But by being on a donkey
b) He claimed to be a particular kind of Messiah
i) The donkey suggests humility and was often the object of ridicule. Regarding humility, our Lord said: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart…” Matthew 11:29.
ii) In Bible times, the donkey was ridden by kings to convey the message of “peace”.
iii) He brought peace – not a sword! And by riding into Jerusalem that day – knowing what the outcome would be…
c) He claimed he loved us
i) John 3:16 – growing legs and coming to life
ii) Let with all of that said and done – still only had handful of people at the foot of the cross. Why?
(1) Not what they were expecting
(2) Not what they wanted in a king
So, where will you be on Friday? He we are – worshipping him – welcoming him – calling his name. But where will you be on Friday? Or Monday? Or Thursday?
I guess I’m asking you what kind of faith you have.
- Sentimental Faith – come because it feels Good - expected
- Scoffing – Just not quite sure Jesus will do what he promised.
- Seeking
Maybe a better question to ask, instead of where will you be… is where would you have been? Search your heart. Only you can answer that.
Would I have stood at the cross, where his mother stood near by
Or would I have been with Peter, Denying him by the fire
Would I have heard him tell John, take your mother home
Or would I have left him, abandoned and alone
Would the sound of the nails, have ringed inside my ear
Or would I have run and hid, overcome by fear
The answer is simple, answered by what you say
When you answer the question, where will you be this Friday?
