“Worship Passionately”
(Luke 19:28-44)
I trust you have been praying about where you can serve…where and how you can give [hold up the “I’m Ready to Give” worksheet]. Eric will be standing by the ‘Serve’ banner after our services, so feel free to stop by and get connected to one of our ministry teams where you can give willingly.
When we give, whether it’s of our time or treasure or talents, you know what we’re doing? Worshipping! That’s right – because worship is, at its core, giving to God because HE is worthy. It may mean our money, it may mean our time, it may mean our possessions, it may even mean our words and praises…but there is never a time in the Bible when worship occurred without giving involved.
In fact, Romans 12:1-2 teaches us this very principle: “Offer your bodies to God, for this is your reasonable act of worship.”
So as we approach this topic today, don’t disconnect from last week. These two topics are related. And it’s true even in our text today. I invite you to turn to Luke 19:28-44, would you, and let’s look at the only time that Jesus permitted a public demonstration of worship on his behalf – the triumphal entry!
With your Bible open, I want you to circle two words which are keys to understanding this passage: the word "comes" in Luke 19:37-38 (“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”) and the word "coming" in Luke 19:44 (“You did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”)
What these verses/words indicate is that when Jesus came, people responded in one of two ways: Either WORSHIP STARTED UP or WALLS WENT UP!
If you’re wondering what it means for worship to "start up," here’s what it meant for about 40 students at a Christian college in Indiana (Hyles Anderson). Yes, worship definitely started up one Saturday on their bus as they began to sway and sway to some songs they were singing. So much so that eventually the bus tipped over! That’s what the police found on I-94 – an accident from too much swaying! The interstate was closed, several kids were injured, and there were no doubt some modifications to the school’s travel guide! While you don’t want an accident, at least worship started up! (News You Can Use by Mikal Keefer)
For others, though, walls go up. That’s what happened with the religious leaders all through Luke – they continually said “no” to the coming of Jesus. In fact, that is what lays the background of this text – the rejection of the coming of Jesus! Yes, this entry comes on the heels of a bold judgment upon those who are the enemies of our Lord (19:11-27). And what is that judgment: to not take full advantage of the offer of God (his kingdom) is to invite judgment and destruction upon yourself. In saying this to the rulers and leaders of Israel, Jesus was making sure they knew that saying ‘no’ to his kingdom was equivalent to saying ‘no’ to God. He had come, and was about to go away (though they didn’t perceive this). Not recognizing him as from the Father had eternal implications. As T.W. Manson said, “The coming of Jesus to the world puts every man to the test and compels every man to a decision. And that decision is no light matter. It is a matter of life and death.” (Taken from Luke, by Leon Morris)
So let’s look at the two responses:
Luke 19:28-38 indcates the first response was sacrificial (“they brought it to Jesus” and other acts of giving), celebrative (“joyfully”) corporate (“all”), and prompted (“to the miracles”). In essence, they REJOICED that he had come!
Luke 19:39-44 indicates the second response, however, was cynical (“rebuke your disciples”) and destructive (“the days will come upon you”) – very prohibitive. Essentially, they RETREATED at his coming!
You see, First Family, I learn something from this story: When Jesus shows up, worship starts up or walls go up!
In fact, which of these responses most describes you today – Worship or walls? I submit to you today that one of these responses occurs every time you enter God’s presence (which is all the time): Either worship starts up or walls go up! There is no middle ground or neutral area – we either give worship or build walls! This is how each of us responds to the coming of the Lord – we allow it to prompt us towards worship, or we prohibit the work of God and throw up walls. We either rejoice or retreat!
Let me illustrate your choices by showing you two symbols: a cup and a brick. See them? They represent what I want you to remember about worship today – you can either respond to the presence of Jesus with your “cup up” or you can respond by “bricking up” the walls of your life so that God doesn’t penetrate. Best choice? “Cup up!” In fact, would you say that with me – “Cup up!” That’s what you have to do weekly – even daily – as you encounter Jesus. Otherwise, you’re only left with this option: the brick! People who live with their “cup up” are the ones who find that it is overflowing, even spilling over to others! Why? Because it is ready to receive – it is open to the work of God and the presence of Jesus Christ. Then in turn, we use that same cup and serve others! Isn’t it amazing how closely related our worship and our serving is. And rightly so!
Some people, however, feel that they can’t get their cup up – can’t worship – because they’re not in the right building, the temperature isn’t right, there is stress at work, they’re not feeling well, or other factors that seem to really affect their ‘cup.’ Guess what? That’s false thinking. You can worship, even in the middle of difficult circumstances or personal stress. Yes, you can keep your ‘cup up’ even when people and things around you want to throw a brick on it. So let me show you from our text just how tough your cup really is.
Notice how worship started up even though…
1. There were inferior resources.
Do you see what they used to bring honor to our Savior? A donkey for transportation (also called a colt), coats as a saddle, palm branches as banners, and more coats as pavement. Not your usual array of kingly attire.
Yet, worship broke out; it started up. Why? Because it came form the heart as a response to who God was and what he had done.
So it is today – worship can break out anywhere when we focus who God is and what he has done!
In fact, we’ve put this to the test, haven’t we? Remember when we only met as small groups in homes? Remember when we met once a month in a park or at Northwest? Remember Neveln? Now here at Parkview…in the gym of all places! And it looks like we’ll be here through at least the end of the year (ugh!). But have no worries – God isn’t concerned about our physical address; he is looking at our spiritual attitudes – our hearts!
That’s why this action point is so important here…would you say it with me?
“I won’t let what I have or don’t have prohibit my worship.”
Of course, it won’t always be this way. One day God is going to give us our own place on the land we’ve purchased, amen? And what will that look like? Well, take a look at what some of our Lighthouses have developed as plans for our first church building
(show slides of the Edible Church)
If these come true, we’ll definitely have to worship with inferior resources!
Next, notice how worship started up even though…
2. There was external pressure.
No doubt there was much pressure to avoid Jesus. The rulers were trying to kill him, and the religious leaders were making it very difficult for people to follow. There were behind-the-scenes schemes of betrayal going on, and with Passover just days away, the pressure was mounting.
Guess what? The disciples didn’t worry about who thought their celebration was kosher. They broke out in praise anyway, in spite of the pressure to keep quiet.
Which brings me to this action point…would you say it with me?
“I won’t let what’s around me prohibit my worship.”
What are some things around you that are trying to turn your cup upside down? Your job? Other people? Pressure from family? My suggestion is to let the pressure raise the cup upwards as air lifts a plane towards the sky! May our difficulties drive us closer to our great God!
Finally, notice how worship started up even though…
3. There was internal pain.
As if the outside pressure wasn’t enough, there was no doubt internal pressure in this scenario brought about by the prospects of the future. That’s right – just days ahead was the Passover, the day in which Christ would lay down his life as the perfect Lamb of God. He was fully aware of what lie ahead, and he was trying to reveal this to his disciples. They didn’t quite get it, but he knew what was coming. And beyond that, Christ was dealing with the pain of rejection by his own people, the nation of Israel. Yet, amid all the pain of what was going on and coming up, Christ allowed the worship to proceed uninterrupted. WOW! That let’s me know something…would you say this with me?
“I won’t let what’s within me prohibit my worship.”
You see, sometimes we allow our own pain and hurt to interfere with our worship, when in reality it should immerse us in worship. God desires to shepherd us through our hurt and pain.
Recall Job? When everything around him and everything within him seemed to scream, “Give up!”, Job instead turned his cup up and proclaimed, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21) Yes, in Job’s life, worship started up!
And that’s exactly what happened here in Luke 19 – the disciples broke out in praise and worship in spite of what was around them, within them, and regardless of what they had or didn’t have. You know why? Because they recognized it was the Lord! He had come, and he must be worshipped!
By the way, this is strikingly similar to his first coming (i.e., his birth) in that there was inferior resources (stable), external pressure (political instability and threats), and internal pain (pregnant without being married). Some responded in worship (shepherd and wise men), others put up walls (Herod).
And guess what? It is strikingly similar to his final coming (i.e., the second coming to the earth at the end of the tribulation) in that there will be inferior resources (famine), external pressure (persecution and martyrdom), and internal pain (Israel will be crying out, “How long, O Lord?”). And there will still only be two possible responses – Worship or walls!
You see, it’s always been true and will always be true…say it with me, would you?
When Jesus shows up, worship starts up or walls go up!
So which are you doing today – Giving worship or building walls? (Show two objects again)
Let’s keep living with a ‘Cup Up’ mentality, worshipping passionately every day!
