The Three Parades - Palm Sunday

The Three great Processions.

Everyone loves a procession.

A few years ago all of New Zealand celebrated and the Team New Zealand members triumphantly paraded down Queen street in Auckland to a tumoltuous welcome as they bought honme the America’s cup.

But the cabinet is now empty.

This week the American troops were welcomed by many as conquering heroes into Baghdad the capital of Iraq = But the hard yards still lie ahead of them.

A few years ago floats with woman and men paraded through Auckland in what was known as the Heroes parade but the problem was they were not heroes = simply people celbrating their sin caused by their rebellion - there inclination or some distortion.

Three parades but all of them have more questions than answers.

We are moving towards Easter and easter is a great celebration for Christians because what we are celebrating is the liberation of the human race -

Through Jesus Christ you have come into an incredible inheritance in Christ - you can achieve great things in God because of what Jesus has done.

Bill Subritzky was sharing something of his conversion in th\\\his book On the cutting edge.

He said "Harry Greenwood was praying for people. As he moved along and laid hands on them, some wept and others made strange sounds. I wanted to get out and run but Maria was looking at me. The preacher said, "Brother, in the name of Jesus Christ be baptized in the Holy spirit. Open your mouth, brother, and speak out." Without thought I did so and an unknown language poured out of me.

As this happened, Harry Jumped in the air, his hands almost touching the ceiling, and shouted the loudest hallelujah I have ever heard. I am sure that he thought God had cracked the toughest nut in New Zealand.

When it was time to go, I walked down the stairway and Maria approached me and said, "Dad you must feel different." I vagualy said, "Yes." But I was really quite bewildered.

The next morning I arose early and looked out of my bedroom window. I could not believe my eyes. I had never seen the grass so green, the trees so beautiful, nor heard the birds sing that way.

I ate breakfast, then drove down to the office. As I looked at the sky, I realised I had never seen it so blue.

Then the words that my Mother used to say to me came to my ears, "Except a man be born again he shall not enter the kingdom of God." I suddenly realised I was born again and was looking on the world as though I had entered it for the first time. My Mother had died praying for me and now, 25 years later, her prayers were being answered.

Some years ago Stan Clark an elder of this church was sharing with me his testimony which shared many features of this one - He too was talking about how the next morning after he gave his life to Jesus the grass and trees all looked different. Something had radically transformed his life.

Of course Stan has since gone on to be with the Lord.

But this morning I want to talk about three great parades that we need to take part in in order to be effective as christians

The first parade is the parade of Mordecai. EST 6:1 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

EST 6:3 "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked.

"Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered.

EST 6:4 The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him.

EST 6:5 His attendants answered, "Haman is standing in the court."

"Bring him in," the king ordered.

EST 6:6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"

Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?" 7 So he answered the king, "For the man the king delights to honor, 8 have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. 9 Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, `This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’ "