THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
LUKE 19:28 40
I grew up in Northern Cambria. It was known for having some pretty good football teams. But there was one particularly memorable game against our arch rivals Cambria Heights that was very non typical.
In the closing minutes of action the score is 31 0 and there is little hope left for victory. Yet our cheerleaders don't give up. And they got the home crowd chanting, "Go Team Go, Go team Go!" I've never seen anything like it.
I can't help but compare that situation to the Scripture passage I just read. Jesus and His disciples were approaching Jerusalem for the last days and hours of His ministry.
Three times along the way He had told them of His need to suffer and die on a cross. What despair must have come over the group as they neared the city of Jerusalem. I don't think they fully comprehended the situation but they had resigned themselves to the fact that something bad was going to happen.
But all of a sudden someone started shouting, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord." Others began to join in and pretty soon the whole crowd is shouting out the praises of the Lord. And I want you to note some words found there in verse 37... !joyfully„Ç...!loud„Ç and this in public...out there for all the world to see and hear.
Why who ever heard of such a thing? Why respectable, righteous, mature Christians like us would never allow such a public display to go on. Look at the spectacle they made of themselves. They were acting like a bunch of fanatics...no shame or sense of decency at all.
And some good Church of God man stood up and said to Jesus, "Rebuke your disciples." But what did Jesus...that quiet, meek, reverent, Son of Almighty God reply?...... He said, "I tell you, that if they keep quiet, if they hold their peace...the stones will cry out."
No doubt, most of you have heard quite a few Palm Sunday sermons, and good ones I imagine. And I attempted to come up with a sermon on the triumphal entry of Jesus myself...but I kept getting hung up on the particular part of the story. So I want to share with you what I feel the Lord has laid on my heart and that has to do with praise.
Once the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray...but there is never any record that they ever asked Him to teach them how to praise. Yet praise is something that has a very important place in the Scriptures. And it is something that we had better get acquainted with if we are figuring on living in heaven.
Look quickly with me at Revelation 7:9 12 Rev.19:1 6
As I mentioned, Jesus was never asked to show the disciples how to praise, but if He had been asked, I can think of no better reference than Psalm 103:1 5 (READ) This is a manual for praise...one that I think we need to look very closely at.
Now I realize that this is a touchy issue with many people...maybe some of you. And right here at the beginning I want you to understand what I am trying to get across. I am dead set against emotionalism... but praise has nothing at all to do with that. So ask the Lord to give you an understanding...to let the true message come forth in all it's glory.
I honestly believe that this is the one element that is most lacking and is most hindering to the sincere, seeking Christian. It is something mentioned at least a few times in Scripture...in fact, I found 304 references to praise just briefly examining the word.
But what exactly is it? Here we see the multitudes involved in it, including the disciples...and Jesus strongly supports it. But what is it? And why were the Pharisees so upset over it?
First of all, Praise is not some mumbo jumbo... it's not some vain repetition. Praise is inwardness...it is a condition...a flow. It is not something done from script, like a form that we follow.
It employs the outward, "a loud voice" or as in Psalms the timbrel, harp, organ...these are only instruments. It is the !heart„Ç that originates praise. And there must be spontaneity...there must be desire.
The disciples had been told three times by Jesus that He was going to die...on the cross. They knew the religious leaders were out to get Jesus...so what in the world did they have to motivate them to such a level of praise and worship?
I believe it was those rivers of living water that Jesus spoke about...that come from a recognition of who He is...they knew, from deep inside, that He was not just a good man, a powerful man who could do amazing things...he was not just a competent teacher...HE WAS THE KING...WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!
This was an avenue of communication. They recognized who He was and wanted not only Him, but all the world to know. And this was such a reality that had to be shared that Jesus said if they don't shout it out, the stones would do it.
For many in the crowd this was just an emotional exercise. You remember what 95% of this crowd would do later on that same day...they would walk away ashamed of the one whose praises they were shouting.
But Jesus not only didn't stop them, he encouraged them...because what they were saying was true...even if it wasn't a reality for them individually.
But don't let that distract us from the heart of this whole matter. The disciples offered up praise that was not only true, but it was a reality...it came from a heart that was touched and changed by the hand of the Master.
I'd like to look back at Psalm 103 because I believe that here we'll find six things for which we are to praise the Lord...six things that the disciples could relate to...things that I believe are what prompted the spontaneous praises that echoed through that valley that lead down from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem.
„ªThe first is found in vs. 3..."who forgives all your sins.„«"
How appropriate that this is listed first. The people shouted "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord...and why did He come, and what was He to do in the name of the Lord?
Right from the very beginning it was clear why this king had come. John the Baptist said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
These disciples had come to realize that the Messiah had come...He had come to bring them life, not only abundant life here but eternal life. And that eternal life only comes as we are forgiven of our sins.
But it isn't just a one time deal. It says He forgives...which is a continual act...He is still forgiving, as we repent of the sins we continually commit. And isn't this something that should keep us shouting for quite some time???
Maybe some of you have reached a higher plane where you are beyond this...but for me, I have to say I fall way short. And as much as I'd like to sweeten it up and say "I may have a few shortcomings and faults" the fact of the matter is that I sin.
Whether sins of omission or just plain sinful acts I do commit...I have the assurance that if I confess and repent that they will be taken away forever...never to be remembered again. And for that I can truly thank and praise the Lord.
„ªThe second...he heals all your diseases.„« Now this is one that we could spend months on. I had to look this one up in my Hebrew English Interlinear Bible...just to see if that is what it really said. And sure enough...it's in there just like I read it.
Now, there is probably few areas any more controversial than physical healing. We give mental ascent to this statement of fact, but we many times limit it to what can be done through so called natural means... like doctors...or the natural healing process of the human body.
But I am here to tell you that Jesus Christ is still a miracle working God...and to strip Him of that aspect of His nature and ability is nothing short of blasphemy.
I don't presume to know why some are healed and others not...but that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it is by His stripes that healing virtue flows...today just as surely as it did nearly 2,000 years ago. If He didn't not one of us could survive 24 hours.
„ªThird...He redeems us from the pit„«
So many times we get to feeling pretty good about ourselves. Oh, we may have our faults but look at all we do for the Lord. (pat pat). In reality the best we could ever do as human beings falls so far short that the only thing we deserve is HELL!
But Jesus came to redeem us from the pit. (Song by Jimmy Swaggart...) And it gets even better.
„ªFourth...He not only redeems us, but He crowns us, or bestows upon us love and compassion.„« Not because we deserve it...He's always far better to us than we deserve...
And what greater honor or crown could be given us, than to be advanced into the love and and favor of God. And where would we be without that love and compassion? How many times I've needed someone to talk to...someone to hear me out and love me in spite of myself...and the only one that is always there for me is Jesus...Praise His holy name!!
„ªFifth...He satisfies your desires with good things.„«
This is one area that really blows me away at times. We have all read the Scripture that says, My God shall supply are your NEED...but He goes far, far beyond that.
So many times He's given me the desires of my heart...as long as those desires don't violate the nature and character of a Christian. Even little things that seem so unrelated to anything we would term "spiritual." He blesses each of us in ways we often take for granted.
„ªSixth...Our youth is renewed like the eagles.„«
The eagle lives a long time. Naturalists used to say that the eagle, when it is older than anyone in here, will lose all their feathers and fresh ones will come in, so that it becomes young again.
I guess it's kind of like the Scripture that says when we find Christ we become a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come. And when Christ comes into your life...he will make things new.
And then even long after, as we wait upon Him Isaiah says, He'll renew our strength. Most all of us can testify of ways and times we've been renewed in spirit...even to the point where we feel young again, at least inside.
I breezed through these six things because of time...but there is one thing I want to point out. Each of these things are always given in the present tense... That supply of grace and mercy and goodness never fail.
He keeps forgiving...He keeps healing...He keeps redeeming...He keeps bestowing...He keeps satisfying...He keeps renewing. And our praise never overtakes His supply.
Palm Sunday is remembered for the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. Yet today I focused on just one event that happened during that journey.
And that is because we all need our Palm Sunday experiences. We need to see the veil of despair lifted...at least for a time. We all need to shout the acclaim of Jesus and praise Him for His mighty works.
But we are so familiar with the account of His donkey ride that it is little more than another nice story reserved for one Sunday each year. And that is to miss much of the importance of what happened that day.
And often our lives reflect this. In our heads we know the story, but where is the reality of the declaration that was made? If we would truly recognize Jesus for who He is...could we do any less than to boldly, unashamedly shout His praises...
