This morning I want to begin with a story. I want you to imagine yourself being a part of this story, so, place yourself in a small village in Judea. You are a leader of the church, or a member of his family; the Jewish Synagogue is where you worship. It is the Sabbath day. In your hand is the lead rope tied to a little lamb, the sacrifice you are to present to the priest. It is being led along the streets toward the place set aside to be offered to God, Jehovah. Your friends began to gather with you and your family as you travel, walking to the Synagogue. It is still a distance away until you get into Jerusalem, the place of the Feast. The crowd becomes denser and the travel time seems to be taking longer this time. You remember it is a special Jewish Sabbath. The Feast of Passover is coming up next week. You begin to talk with friends and family you have not seen for some time. Conversation is about all you have heard and seen since the last meeting with them.
You hear someone say, “Have you seen this man named Jesus? Could he be the Messiah?” Another says, “He is a prophet from God. I have seen his miracles. He healed a blind man down in Jericho.” Another speaks up and says, ”Do you remember Lazarus? He was dead and this man brought him back to life. I saw this with my own eyes.”
In your heart, you know this man Jesus is a prophet; yet he is not the Messiah. He cannot be. Your fellow Pharisee Jewish brethren do not see anything pointing to him as the Messiah:
• Jesus is not from a prominent family, therefore, he cannot be the King of the Jews.
• His father was a carpenter—from Nazareth of all places.
• Jesus ate with sinners and Publicans; good Jews do not associate with blatant sinners.
• He even let a harlot touch him, washing his feet with her tears. If you had only seen her behavior. She really put on a show. And this Jesus, he did not even put up a fuss. He then forgave her of her sins.
In the days Christ walked upon the earth, many people refused to believe he was the Messiah. Many refused Jesus as the coming Savior spoken of by the Prophets of old.
Let us look at a few prophecies this member of the Synagogue should have recognized.
I. The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
A. Micah 5:2. 2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
II. The Messiah would be born a member of the tribe of Judah
A. Gen. 49:8-10. 8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee. 9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
III. The Messiah would be of the seed of David, His Kingdom would be everlasting, He would be the Son of God, and David’s house would be established forever.
A. 2 Samuel 7:8-17. God speaking through the prophet Nathan--8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. (1 Chronicles 17:7-15) almost word for word
IV. The Messiah would be called Emmanuel.
A. Isaiah 7:14. 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
B. Matt. 1:23. 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
V. The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger.
A. Isaiah 40:2-5. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. 3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
B. Matt. 3:1-3. 1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
VI. The Messiah would be hated by his people without reason.
A. Ps. 69:4, 35:19, 109:3-5. David speaks of being hated by his enemies.
B. Jesus says he too is hated just like his father. Could this be in relation to David as Jesus was known as the seed of David? We believe Jesus is speaking of God, yet, perhaps, the disciples believed him to be of the seed of David. John 15: 23-25. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
As you are entering Jerusalem, you see a man riding on a colt, the foal of an ass. He is surrounded by many people; men, women, and children. They are laying their coats upon the ground before him. Palm branches are being carried rapidly before him and being placed upon the ground. As you struggle to see and hear what is happening, you hear the crowd singing, ‘Hosanna to the son of David.’ Matt. 21:6-11. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
Being a devout Pharisee, you remember the events that have happened in your life. There was a disturbance many years ago in Judea. Magi from the east had come saying a great light, a star, had shown brightly above a little stable in Bethlehem. You did not see the star, because you were not looking for anything unusual in the stars. Yet, sometime later, fear came to all in the land when Herod proclaimed a decree that all male children under the age of two be slain. You remember much crying and weeping. Then you remember the scriptures, Jeremiah 31:15. 15 Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. This still cannot be the Christ, you think in your mind.
You get caught up in the moment. Why is this crowd making such a fuss over this one riding a colt? You do not recall the scripture, Zechariah 9:9. 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
As time moves on, and you find yourself in the midst of all the happenings later in the week, all Jerusalem is in an uproar. This one who was ridding the colt is now being bound before Pilate. Word on the street is he was betrayed by his own friend, Judas; for 30 pieces of silver. Soon you are caught up in a riot with other Jews; Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees and other Jews. Even the Roman guard and many other gentiles are talking many things concerning this man called the King of the Jews. He is not your King; Herod is.
Soon a mob is formed and you become involved in it. Everyone is shouting, Crucify him! Crucify him!.
Then you see Jesus, being herded through the streets carrying a cross. This blasphemer will soon die the necessary death for one who calls himself God. No one can do this and live. You watch as the Roman guard nails Jesus’ hands and feet to a cross and drop it into the made hole where evil ones are killed. He is placed between two thieves. Hours begin to go by very slowly. Death by hanging in this manner is slow. You soon tire and go to the place you have been staying for tomorrow is the preparation for the Sabbath; a High Sabbath. John 19:31. 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
Many strange events begin to happen. Darkness encloses the land. An earthquake happens; people are in a panic. Someone comes to you and says, “Surely this Jesus was the son of God!”
You begin to weep. You and your friends and family have refused the son of God. You have killed him on a cross. Scripture begins to roll through your mind. All the prophets warned you of these events and what you would do. Yet, you did not recognize any of it until now. “What shall I do?’ you begin to cry. You have made a grave mistake along with many other Pharisees.
CONCLUSION
We live in a season where people want to recognize the birth of Jesus, the Christ and Savior of mankind. We have scripture just as our Pharisee in our story this morning. We have the rest of the story printed at our disposal. You have had opportunity to read and learn it. Do you believe Jesus is the Christ who was born into the world; who lived as a man; who had no sin; who was led as a sheep to the slaughter; who was sold for 30 pieces of silver; who was crucified for the sins of the world; who rose from the grave and sits at the right hand of God pleading for you to not refuse him as those in Jerusalem did near 2000 years ago?
Matthew 27:27-37. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there; 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, This Is Jesus The King Of The Jews.
Will you accept Jesus as your Savior today and be obedient to His commandments; believe on him, repent of your sin; confess His glorious name, and be baptized for the remission of your sins. Or, will you refuse Him too?
This song, written by a late country author a few decades ago, reads like this…
There’s a story old, that has often been told,
Of how our Savior died. As they nailed his hands,
He cried they don’t understand,
As the blood flowed from his side.
As he hung there on the tree, he prayed for you and me.
There was no one his pain to ease.
Before he died, he faintly cried,
Father for give them please.
How can you refuse him now? How can you refuse him now?
How can you turn away from his side?
With tears in his eyes, on the cross there he died.
How can you refuse Jesus now?
when we celebrate Jesus birth, let us always thank God for his birth. Without it, Jesus would not have died as God wanted. We could not have a hope of eternal life with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
This morning, will you believe in Jesus? Or will you refuse Him too?
