The Grace Hour. Series

How is our praise today? I noticed in our church that many of us wouldn’t sing. Some just come and stand and does not want to praise Jesus, they do not want to involve in the worship. I’m sure many of those people would say, “Well, I’m not a very good singer. If I sing loudly what others might say. This is how I am. I am reserved, timid, shy.” That may be, but we cannot keep quiet in the presence of the King of Kings and Lord or Lords in our midst.

Worship should involve outflow of expression. It involves making a joyful shout to the Lord, lifting up holy hands, clapping hands, speaking in tongues, being free to move, dance, being undignified in the presence of God. It is time we lose all inhibitions and praise God in the sanctuary. Acknowledge Jesus by worshipping him. Matthew 10:32-33 Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my father in heaven.

Another thing to be noted in the Triumphal entry passage is that as Jesus was riding on the colt people laid down their cloaks and palm branches and praised God. Mark 11:7-8 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Laying down shows surrender.

c. Praise includes complete surrender. The text says the people laid down their cloaks and branches from the fields before Jesus. A cloak is a loose outer garment worn over inner clothing. Palm branches were carried by the Jews for temporary shelters and also waved in festive celebrations. Nehemiah 8:14-15 14 They found written in the Law, which the LORD had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.

As people were worshipping probably their big cloaks and the palm branches in their hands prevented them to worship Him. The people surrendered everything that inhibited their praise and praised God using the palm branches. Key question is when you come to the presence of God in your homes and at church what is it that is inhibiting you to praise God that you need to surrender? Is it our sin, possessions, burdens, worries, or fear that is inhibiting our praise to Jesus? Let’s lay it all before Him today.

As we follow the text further, Jesus rides down toward the gate of the city, the crowds are growing, & there is a festive air, for it is Passover & pilgrims are gathering from far & near for this greatest of all Jewish holidays. Even before Jesus arrives, the news of Jesus has spread that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. You can imagine the excitement that prevails. "Have you heard the news? Lazarus died, & was buried in a tomb so long that his body was starting to decay. But this teacher from Nazareth called out, ‘Lazarus, come forth’ and Lazarus came forth alive.”