Title: How Can I Keep From Singing?"
Gospel Idea; Jesus is our king who rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and conquers kingdoms by dying on the cross.
Luke 19: 28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, `Why are you untying it?' tell him, `The Lord needs it.' "
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 34 They replied, "The Lord needs it." 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."
45 Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. 46 "It is written," he said to them, " `My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it `a den of robbers.' "
47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
"My house shall be a House of Prayer - and a house of worship!
Situation: King Jesus is coming to town...on a Donkey?
Have you ever seen a coronation? The queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II became Queen on June 2, 1953 (59 Years ago). Too long ago for most of us to remember¡ Did you know the Queen¡¦s main residence, Buckingham Palace boasts 775 rooms and 78 bathrooms.
But many of us remember the pageantry of the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles¡ and now another prince, William, son of Diana and Charles and future King of England is about to be married on April 29th to Kate Middleton¡ England is all a flutter. Kate¡¦s dress (surprise) and her ring (Val has a replica¡ see her after service) are drawing much attention. The handsome prince is no slouch either. Harry is the best man¡ The wedding will occur at Westminster Abbey¡ there will be Two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will perform the music at the Wedding Service of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29th. During the ceremony at the 1000 year old Westminster Abbey ¡Trumpeters from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force (RAF) will accolade Prince William and Catherine Middleton once they have signed the register making them husband and wife. William and Kate plan to take over London's exclusive Goring Hotel for their reception. The 100-year-old hotel is intimate, luxurious and private, and has its own royal pedigree: During the queen's coronation, many of the royal families of Europe stayed at the Goring. Its kitchen was actually the command center for the Chief of Allied Forces during World War I.
As for the royal Coach¡ there are two options; one for rainy weather, the Glass Coach built in 1881, will be used and if the sun is shining, the open roof 1902 State Landau carriage. No detail is left to chance.
Now contrast this with Jesus coronation in Jerusalem -also known as Palm Sunday.
Read text here: Luke 19: 28ff
As Luke recounts the arrival of Jesus for his coronation¡ Jesus rides not in a royal limo or coach but on a humble colt--- or donkey. The Donkey of course is a humble beast of burden¨ and as this donkey carries Jesus, Jesus may have been feeling extra heavy because he is entering Jerusalem to die on the cross., bearing the weight of the world and all of its sins¡ not to mention its hopes and dreams for freedom. This particular donkey is a virgin donkey¨ never having been ridden upon symbolizing the innocence of Jesus-- the man who has never sinned.
The ride begins on the Mt of Olives---which according to the prophet Zechariah has heavy eschatological significance ( I love that word ---simply put it refers to the second coming of Christ)¡Jesus mounts the donkey on the Mt of Olives in a gesture pregnant with meaning and foreshadowing¡ listen to these dramatic words from Zech 14:1ff¡K1 A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7 It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime--a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light. 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea n and half to the western sea, n in summer and in winter. 9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.
As Jesus descends the road from the Mt of Olives into the Kidron Valley, a crowd gathers, joyfully praising God for all the miracles Jesus has performed says Luke. But Jesus has bigger designs¡ the miracles were the flexing of his muscle and merely a sampling of his kingly reign. Now, he makes his way into the city where he will face the evil of Satan¡¦s kingdom, the duplicity of the Pharisees and the opportunism of the Romans. They will conspire against him and will think they have won. But he will conquer them by his death and three days later, his triumphant resurrection. Behold the King who is also a lamb---the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The suffering God who bears our sins in his own body on the tree.
And while the crowd hasn't grasped all of that, they have more than enough miracles to celebrate Jesus as their hero and champion. And so the crowds begin to celebrate; Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the lord! Hosanna! Peace in heaven and Glory to God in the highest! We see here a picture of the triumphant reign of God and the overflowing joy that comes when God rescues us from sin and oppression of all kinds¡ political and demonic both. It reminds me of the church gathered-- on any given Sunday in any given community¡ singing, celebrating¡ praising the lord who has saved us and washed us and set us free¡ the one who has worked miracles in our lives---yes, even us! We Christians have a lot to celebrate and we need not be ashamed and apologetic about our worship¡ as I said last week, we have the best news in the world¨--- someone suggested I place that statement on our new digital sign¡ I like those kind of suggestions because it tells me that the people have grasped the glorious truth of the gospel.
But then along comes the religious types in Jesus day they were called Pharisees ¡K ¡§Teacher, rebuke your disciples. They are too emotional, too fanatical, too deeply in love with youth don't need to be that extravagant in there is meant to be measured and respectable¡ keep the lid on things, Jesus!
Of course, this was an ironic comment coming from Pharisees---since a Pharisee is obsessed with legal compliance ¡even to the point of finding fault when someone is healed on the Sabbath--- such a scandal. Imagine doing a miracle on the Sabbath. Miracles must only happen on Monday, between 9 and 5. (!) The Pharisees show their jealousy of Jesus in this comment¡ ¨rebuke your disciples for their worship!
Jesus doesn't concede to their intimidation tactics. Instead he raises the stakes even higher by saying¡ Well, we can put a stop to this and simply have the stones begin cheering and praising¡ the (NLT renders the verse this way---) ¡If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!¨in other words, Would you like the rocks to rock and roll?¡would you like the stones to become ¡rolling stones¡¨?
I find it interesting that in this comment, Jesus is echoing the thoughts the Psalmist had 1000 years earlier, which we find recorded in Psalm 98¡ Would you like the rivers to clap their hands? Would you like the mountains to sing? Would you like the trees of the forest to sing for joy? Would you like the heavens to declare the glory of the Lord? Because somebody or something has to praise the Lord¡ it just not reasonable to expect silence when it comes to worship¡ Hosanna! Hallelujah! are perfectly normal expressions.. singing only happens when there is a song in our heart. He has put a new song in my heart¡ even praise unto our God!
So the people sing and shout and dance and celebrate the coming of the King¡ I can imagine someone starting a up an improv solo¡ and I can imagine it went like this ¡
My life goes on in endless song: Above earth's lamentation, I catch the sweet, tho' far-off hymn That hails a new creation. Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul-- How can I keep from singing?
The contemporary song writer, Chris Tomlin inspired by this hymn¡ put it this way¡
There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring
And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling
How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing
The ancient psalmist, while in captivity (Exile) in Babylon wrote these words¡ By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; in taunting voice they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? The answer comes in the very next verse¡K5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. 6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.
Christian people have something to sing about¡ he has placed a new song in our hearts even praise unto our God¡ he has brought us from death to life¡ from despair to hope¡ from self-interest to compassion¡ from fear to faith¡ from momentary happiness to everlasting joy.
70 years after the Babylonian captivity, the people returned home and out of that experience of victory and hope they wrote these words¡(Psalm 126) 1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
What a silly thing to ask of Jesus¡¨tell your disciples to be quiet.¨of course this is just another hint of the rising opposition to Jesus and the coming plot to kill him.
Complication: Out of the joy and celebration of that brief and fleeting moment, Jesus approaches the city---Jerusalem¡ City of David¡ City of Promise and HOPE¡ Jerusalem. The city that anticipates the New Jerusalem¡ Jesus knows what awaits him there and he faces it with determination and resolve¡ but for a brief verse, Luke slows down to observe Jesus weeping over the city. As if talking to himself and talking to the city all at once, he voices this lament; If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."
What a picture Luke paints. A heart-broken Jesus.
It’s been 3 years now since Jesus started preaching the good news of the kingdom¡3 years of healing the sick¡3 years of casting out demons¡ 3 years of teaching people to love your enemies¡¦s fed the 5000 and he's raised Lazarus and others from the dead¡ bit still the city refuses to accept him as their Messiah¡ the son of God. What more can he do? He will die on the cross¡ surely that will convince them of his overwhelming love. But Jesus knows that even his death will not convince everyone---few, in fact will follow him all the way to the cross. If only you knew what would bring you peace¡ Jesus knows what the future holds for himself, but he is more concerned with the plight of Jerusalem and he knows what they really need. I wonder if our community is living under this same delusion? How do we convince our neighbours that Jesus is the answer? Judgement day awaits us all. Jesus died for our sins. If only people would believe. If only people would trust him. If only people would worship Jesus!
As for Jerusalem, In a few short years (AD 70) its gates will be stormed and its walls breached and the Romans will destroy the city and burn the temple to the ground¡¡¨not one stone will be left upon another,¨ Jesus prophetically declares. Not one stone left upon another¡ that was then - what about now? Consider at Japan? Look at the upheaval in the Arab world. Look at the floods in Australia and Manitoba. Look at Haiti. Why do we reject such deep, sincere and sacrificial love from Jesus? So, Perhaps the better question is ¡ why do I find it so hard to receive his love? Will it be any different for us?
Why do I continue to reject him and doubt him and insist on my own agenda? It's a mystery of doubt as much as it's a mystery of faith. Maybe because it¡¦s too good to believe and we have trouble believing. We are suspicious. We think there must be some catch, some fine print that ruins and tarnishes the good news. But again, and again he loves us and shows us his love in particular ways; he blesses, he forgives, he delights in us¡ he blesses us with children, and friends, and talents and creativity. We produce something that surprises us and we know it came from Him and yet we still doubt his love and trust him only so far. We must break his heart. Too many times. Does he weep over me? Does he weep over you? Yes. I think so. And rather than walk away from us because it’s too painful for him, he hangs in there. O love that will not let me go.
The love of God is greater far, Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.
Refrain: O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure The saints and angels song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.
This love of Jesus is sometimes a dangerous love it is a passionate love for the holiness and majesty of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and now, having wept over the city Jesus enters the temple---the place loaded with history and promise¡ and Jesus sees the corruption and the abuse. He sees that the temple has been hijacked by profiteers and salesmen. And he refuses to weep. He begins to exert his divine authority. "
`My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it `a den of thieves.'
Did you notice what he said? He called the temple “my house” - he didn't say our house, or even as the Jews were prone to saying, the Temple.¨ He called it what it was its my house.¨ When Jesus was a boy he visited the temple and felt so at home there his parents had thought they'd lost him only to find him at the temple talking with the teachers. When Mary and Joseph arrived with both panic and then relief, Jesus simply stated what he thought was already obvious, didn’t you know that I had to be about my Fathers business?¨
This temple was preceded by the Tent of Meeting or “Tabernacle¨ that Moses and Aaron carried through the Sinai wilderness, next came Solomons Temple¨ that was filled with the glory of God¡Kin 586 BC it was destroyed by the Babylonians. After the return from Exile, it was re-built by Zerubbabel and then expanded by Herod¡ hence it became known as Herods Temple¨.
What an odd name for the temple - ¨Herod’s temple¡¨Jesus declares it’s my house, it doesn't belong to any roman dictator or any government for that matter. It belongs to God himself! The temple housed the Holy of Holies¡ which is behind the veil of the temple. Jesus had difficulty separating the temple from himself---for he was the temple, the dwelling place of God. in one place, he declared destroy this temple and in three days I will rise again. The Gospel of John tells the story this way¡ 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." 20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
But even beyond identifying the temple with himself, by extension, Jesus identifies the temple with his church¡in other words if the temple is where God dwells, then the church is the temple¡ because the church is the dwelling place of God. Saint Paul catches this insight in his letter to Corinth;
3: 16 Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (1 Cor 3:16-17)¡
So when Jesus sees thieves in the temple¡ it stirs him up like few things can¡ (Paul again, now in his letter to Ephesus…
ch 2: 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit
My house shall be a house of prayer! He declares.
My house shall be a house of worship!
My house shall be where I meet with my people¡
my house shall be a foretaste of heaven¡
my house shall be holy,
my house shall be pure,
my house will not tolerate injustice and exploitation and hypocrisy.
My house shall be a house unlike any other.
How far we fall short of this glorious vision! And that’s why we need Palm Sunday and that’s why we need the cross and that’s why we need the love of God. Church, the temple needs to be cleansed again...
Two weeks ago we talked about Moses at the burning bush¡ take off your shoes, Moses. Come Lord Jesus, and cleanse us as you cleansed the temple¡ Come Lord Jesus, and cleanse your church¡ cleanse me. We pray with King David, create in me a clean heart, O God¡ may your temple be holy¡ we are your temple¡ may your people be holy¡ may your church be holy - overturn the sin in our lives like you overturned the tables of the moneychangers. Overturn the pride, overturn the things that give the devil a foothold in your holy temple¡ Expose sin to the light¡ May your blood cleanse us and wash us¡ we are prone to sin¡ heal us¡ redeem us¡ sanctify us for your service.
When we begin to grasp what the church is---his holy temple¡ merely attending church seems so insufficient¡ we stand on holy ground¡ we gather with holy people, to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
You know the best things that have ever happened to me, happened in the temple¡ when I was a little kid my parents took me to church and my tender heart received the tender love of Jesus and my life changed forever. Over the years, church or temple have been the place that is most comfortable and most like heaven. It's the safest place and the truest place. Not yet perfect. Not yet fully taking hold of the power and glory. But still the best place to be in all the world. By place I don't just mean a physical space---though it includes that---I mean the place where God dwells. Its where God's people meet to worship. Its where the gospel is proclaimed¡ it’s the place where truth is found more than anywhere else¡ more than any university, more than any professor, more than any government leader it is the place where hope is found, more than anywhere else¡ more than any politician can offer¡ more than any scientist can offer, more than any electronic advancement or smart phone can provide. It's the place where love is found and lives are changed by Christ.
During my teen years our church had a pastor that I didn't connect with¡ I always felt he didn't understand me or appreciate me. Years later, maybe 20 years later, now a pastor myself, we spoke on the phone and I told him how much I appreciated his ministry. He had contributed to my spiritual growth. God had used him¡ even when I couldn't see it.
That's the church too---the place where God is at work despite our flawed limitations.
And so when we gather, we have to sing, we have to shout, we have to praise him! In the words of Chris Tomlin:
You and I were made to worship
You and I are called to love
You and I are forgiven and free
You and I embrace surrender
You and I choose to believe
You and I will see who we were meant to be
And even the rocks cry out
And even the Heavens shout
At the sound of His holy name
So let every voice sing out
And let every knee bow down
He is worthy of all our praise
Conclusion: This is Palm Sunday - the beginning of Holy Week. On Good Friday we will gather to remember his suffering. On Resurrection Sunday, we will gather to celebrate his victory over death. Palm Sunday begins this holy and special week. Worship him! Worship him as king of kings and lord of lords. The next time he enters Jerusalem he will not be riding a donkey. Revelation tells us he will be riding a white horse.
Rev 19: 11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written - KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
