A RELEVENT PALM SUNDAY MESSAGE
HOW DOES APRIL 3, 30AD RELATE TO MARCH 24, 2002?
LUKE 19:28-48
INTRODUCTION: Though the date is debatable, most scholars believe that Jesus entered Jerusalem on His “Triumphant Entry” around April 3, 30AD. A greater challenge exists beyond the date. Most people in our society want to know what is the relevance of that day to our day. Today’s message is to relate April 3, 30AD to March 24, 2002.
I. WE STILL HAVE TO ALLOW THE SHEPHERD TO LEAD FROM IN FRONT (Verse 28)
ILL- A husband’s wife was sick so he stopped by the store to pick up some items, when he quickly noticed another father with a 4 year old in the buggy whining for a candy bar. The dad said, "be patient Billy we’re almost finished." The two men passed on another isle and the little boy was getting louder, "I want a candy bar." We’re almost done Billy be patient. At the check out the little boy was really showing out. The dad said calmly, "hang on Billy we’re almost to the car." The husband followed the dad to the car and commended him for his great patience. The dad said, "you don’t understand, I’M BILLY!"
a) We are an impatient people. We have to be patient with God. Let Him lead from in front.
b) So many times we get in a hurry and want to jump out in front of God.
c) When we get out in front of God we get ourselves in trouble.
d) Notice that Jesus stays out in front of His disciples to lead as a shepherd.
II. BEING A DISCIPLE STILL REQUIRES OBEDIENCE (V. 32)
ILL- An author once wrote that there was a bully in his class that took advantage of him because he was smaller. Each day the bully would take his milk money, so he decided he would take karate lessons to defend himself. At his first lesson the karate instructor told him the cost for lessons was $5. He said $5?! It was cheaper just to give away my milk money! So he quit and went back to giving the bully his milk money.
a) So many believers today cop out and give in to their bullies, rather than doing what is right.
b) Notice the disciples didn’t make any cop outs or excuses. They just went and did what Jesus said to do.
c) You don’t hear them saying, “Sunday School starts too early” or “I can’t witness, I’m too nervous.”
“I can’t teach. I was a bad student, much less a good teacher.” or “I couldn’t make it, my wife had a corn on her foot.”
d) EXAMPLES FROM THE BIBLE - (NOAH, ABRAHAM, JOSHUA, GIDEON, DAVID, ELIJAH, PAUL PETER)
e) THEY DIDN’T POUT, WHINE, AND DOUBT - GOD SAID IT AND THEY DID IT
f) Today we need to spend less time worrying about what others think, whining and complaining and get to doing!
III. JESUS IS STILL SUFFERING FROM MISTAKEN IDENTITY (Verses 37-38)
ILL- Have you ever saw someone you thought was someone else? Spoke them and realized it was mistaken identity?
a) The people were praising and shouting. They were proclaiming Kingship.
b)THEY WERE LYING! THEY WERE GIVING LIP SERVICE!
c) They were mistaking Jesus to be one to fulfill their desires to overthrow the Roman empowerment of their territory and return to the glory days of David. Later that week they discovered they had mistaken Jesus’ identity and were the very people crying CRUCIFY HIM!
d) Many people today identify with Christ as one that will save them from hell as long as He only requires them a couple of hours on Sunday each week.
IV. THERE WERE DEAD RELIGIOUS PEOPLE THEN TOO (V.39)
ILL- A woman in Arkansas just knew she had to be dead. She had just finished her shopping and gotten into her car when she heard a loud bang and a sharp penetration into the back of her neck. By reflex, she screamed and reached to grab the back of her neck and felt the gooey feeling of what felt like brain matter. A man heard her scream and ran to her assistance. "Ma’am are you ok?" She said, "No! I just got shot in the neck and I’m holding my brains in." The man said, "Ma’am that’s not brains that’s a biscuit!"
a) There are people today that just know they have to be dead. (Spiritually)
b) The spiritually dead feel that if we are reverent enough we will bless God. And they are simply dead.
c) You don’t have to be dead! God doesn’t expect you to be dead! He fills us with life.
d) Dead worship isn’t appealing at all to God.
V. JESUS IS MEANT TO BE PRAISED (Verse 40)
PSALM 48:1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. (KJV)
MARK 10:48 (Blind Bartimaeus) Many rebuked him but he shouted all the more, “Jesus, ...have mercy on me!” NIV
a) If we don’t cry out the rocks will cry out in our place.
b) Who has a reason to cry out? Football fans? Race fans? JESUS FANS!
c) DON’T LET SOME PHARISEE KEEP YOU FROM PRAISING JESUS
VI. A WEEPING SAVIOR (Verse 41)
a) Why was Jesus crying? He knew what He was about to have to do - HE KNEW HE WOULD BE REJECTED BY
THOSE HE LOVED SO MUCH, - HE KNEW PEOPLE WERE PLAYING GAMES.
b) Today we break the heart of Jesus every time we are disobedient, every time we play games.
c) Every time someone rejects the Savior I can see a tear roll down the cheek of our Savior.
VII. BLINDED EYES AREN’T BOUND BY TIME (Verse 42)
ILL- A preacher went to visit the 6th grade Sunday school class one Sunday so he thought he would ask the class a simple question based on last Sunday’s lesson. He said, “kid’s who tore down the walls of Jericho?” The children unanimously agreed that they weren’t sure but it wasn’t them. The preacher asked the teacher what she thought. She said, “preacher I’ve known these kids a long time and if they said they didn’t do it, then they didn’t do it. The preacher shamefully left the class and met the education director in the hall and told him what had transpired. The director said, “preacher, let’s don’t blow this thing out of proportion. If the walls need fixed we’ll approve it at the next business meeting and take it out of the building fund."
a) It’s sad but so many people are blind to the truth of God.
b) Hearts that are calloused can’t see REASON.
c) Blindness isn’t limited to the lost.
VIII. IMPENDING JUDGEMENT AND DESTRUCTION HAS BEEN PROPHESIED (Verse 44)
a) Jesus was telling these Pharisees that their fame and fortune wouldn’t last much longer.
b) In 70AD (40 years later) Rome utterly destroyed Jerusalem. Jews were scattered throughout the world until 1948.
c) But there is another prophesy here. YOU DID NOT RECOGNIZE GOD’S COMING TO YOU. God has given signs of his return and the world is ignoring His warnings.
d) Whether CNN believes it or not, Jesus’ prophecy will come true. Whether someone rejects God or not, it’s happening. HE WILL RETURN SOME DAY.
e) Will your house be in order? Are you ready for His return?
IX. WHAT MADE JESUS MAD THEN, STILL MAKES HIM MAD TODAY (Verses 45-46)
ILL- One day a man was cleaning out some brush from his backyard and found an old lamp. He rubbed on it to try to clean it off and a genie appeared and told the man he got three wishes, but there was a catch. His wife would get twice of whatever he wished for. He said, "well I’ve always wanted a Mercedes, so if she has to get two for me to get one so be it." The genie said “poof!” There’s your Mercedes. The man said, "did my wife get two?" Genie said, “yep.” The man said, "well I’ve always wanted to be a millionaire." POOF! The man said, “well did she get $2M?” Genie said, “yep.” The man said, "then I know what my final wish is." The genie said, “your wish is my command.” The man said, “beat me half to death!”
a) Anger can make you do bad things, but anger isn’t always bad.
b) Anger causes us to take action against things that aren’t right.
c) Jesus was angry but he didn’t sin. He took action for what was right.
d) It still makes Jesus mad when people do things against His children, against the place of worship, against things that defile the temple. Some things will never change, and Jesus’ anger against these things remain today.
X. HE’S STILL A PERFECT SAVIOR (Verses 47-48)
a) IT IS A REAL TRAGEDY THAT THESE PEOPLE DIDN’T SEE JESUS FOR WHO HE WAS.
b) THE PERFECT SAVIOR WAS PASSING BY THEM THAT DAY.
c) THE PERFECT SAVIOR IS PASSING BY THIS MORNING, WILL YOU MAKE A MOCKERY OF HIM? WILL YOU SUBMIT TO HIM?
CLOSE: Jesus was marching into the Jewish capital. What is your reaction to the Savior marching into the capital of your heart?
