Summary: To experience the Victory of the King and live a life triumphant you need to make Jesus the center of your attention, you need to worship with abandon, and you need to teach and mentor your children.

Living Triumphant

This Sunday is a day Christians all over the world call Palm Sunday. At the beginning of the last week of Jesus life, before his horrific torture and execution, throngs of people came out of their homes and businesses to honor their messiah as he entered the city of Jerusalem. They were hoping that Jesus was the one promised in the Scriptures who would deliver them from Roman rule. You can blame the people for the misunderstanding I guess, but, the fault really belongs with their teachers who just had it all wrong. There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the messiah. Here are some: Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Psalm 132:11 and there are many, many more.

But, Jesus rode a donkey. It was a tongue in cheek move. When a king rode into a city in triumph he would choose the best, biggest, most pranciest and handsome horse available. The King of kings chose a donkey. It's funny. Jesus is also making a subtle point. He's not the conquering messiah, the people are making him out to be.

But they don't get it. They are overcome with emotion in the moment. Palm branches and coats are laid out in front of Jesus as he rides through the street. Jewish people did this back in the day of Jesus, laying out palm branches and coats and waving them all around was the symbol of celebrating triumph and victory. And the crowds quoted Psalm 118:25-26 They chanted, "Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord."

Over a thousand years before the first Palm Sunday there was another triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:15-17) This time it's the ancestor of Jesus, David, who is bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the city of Jerusalem for the first time.

As we look at these two triumphant and victorious parades there are some significant comparisons:

Both Jesus and David are kings. Both are the center of attention. There are those who are celebrating with the king, and those in the crowd suspicious of his motives. Both kings are celebrating a defining truth that God seeks to live with His people. David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. (the Ark of the Covenant was designed by God as a meeting place for him and the High Priest in the inner room of the tabernacle.) Exodus 25:22 And Jesus was bringing himself into the city as the ultimate lamb of atonement for all the people. 1 Peter 1:19 And both stories mention the faith of children in their king. 2 Samuel 6:22; Matthew 21:16

Let's put ourselves in these triumphant parades and ask ourselves some important questions.

1. Is the King the center of your attention?

For everyone who was present in Jerusalem on each of these occasions the king demanded their full attention. For Jesus they were shouting "Hosanna!" which literally means "Save us!" For David they were celebrating with him as the Ark was being brought to Jerusalem for the first time. For Jesus they were praising him and shouting his name, for David they were shouting with joy and blowing horns. Of course we are fickle by nature. Those who were praising Jesus and begging for him to save them, would in a week be crying for his execution. This is the power of public opinion. It's always been this way. We hardly ever wait for the facts, we just assume if everyone else is thinking one way, then it must be the right way to think.

Is God the center of your life? Even if it means that others, including friends and family, may not understand your passion to serve Jesus Christ, do you serve Him faithfully?

1 John 4:17

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

1 John 2:5-6

But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

James 4:4

You adulterers![a] Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

Matthew 6:24

No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

2. Do you respond in worship with abandon or suspicion?

In both of these stories, it was those who should have known better who were suspicious of the kings motives of celebrating. Sometimes we are suspicious of the motives of those who worship around us. Have you ever caught yourself watching someone who was really "enjoying" a worship experience? Did you think that maybe that person was trying to bring a little too much attention to themselves? David's wife Michal was suspicious that he was just trying to impress some servant girls with his dancing, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!” And the teachers and church leaders were indignant, they asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” Mike Cope, minister of the Highland Church of Christ said "Christians need to learn to mind their own praise."

In every crowd there are the critics, the curious, and the core. The critics are suspicious and angry. They don't want to have anything to do with the king and they don't want you to have anything to do with him either. Michal of David and the teachers and religious leaders of Jesus were the critics. The curious were those on the fringe of the crowd asking questions. "Who is this man?" asked the curious as Jesus paraded through Jerusalem on a donkey. And although the story of David doesn't say people were curious, I have to think that when your king is dancing half naked through your city there would've been some curious as to what was going on. But then there were the core in these crowds. Jesus had a core group of followers who he called his 12 apostles. David's core were the priests who carried the Ark and took the burden of responsibility to take care of it the way God told them to. The core were willing to die for their king. Which one are you. The critic? the curious? or are you the core. Do you worship with abandon or do you remain suspicious of your King, or others, who worship with abandon around you?

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.

Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him

Psalm 69:30-31

Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. For this will please the LORD more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.

Philippians 2:1-5

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Psalm 34:3

Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

3. What do your children say about your faith?

In each one of these stories what is most interesting to me is the response of the children. As you reflect on the parades of these kings, I would like to ask you, what would your children say about you? The children acknowledged Jesus as the "Son of David." These were children who had paid attention in Saturday School. The messiah, according to prophesy, would be an ancestor of David. The children identified Jesus as the messiah. David was convinced as he responded to his wife's criticism, "But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!” Would your children identify you as a church/worship critic, a curious seeker, or as a core believer willing to lay your life down for your king?

Proverbs 22:6

Direct your children onto the right path and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

2 Timothy 3:14-15

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

Deuteronomy 4:9

But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.[a] 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Psalm 78:1-8

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

My prayer is that everyone will move from critic or curious to a core sold out believer in Jesus Christ. To experience the Victory of the King and live a life triumphant you need to make Jesus the center of your attention, you need to worship with abandon, and you need to teach and mentor your children. We're all in this journey together. You were created for this journey. You were made to live triumphant!