Introduction

Good morning, dear friends. Welcome to this gathering of hearts and hands, of faith and fellowship. Isn't it wonderful that we can come together in this way, bound by our shared love for the Lord and our desire to understand His word more fully? I am grateful for each and every one of you, and for the opportunity to share in this exploration of Scripture.

Today, we turn our focus to a passage from the Gospel of John, a moment of great significance in the life of Jesus and in the journey of faith we all share. John 12:12-13 reads, "The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!'"

This is a scene of celebration, of recognition, but also a moment of profound truth and purpose. It's a moment that invites us to reflect on our own faith, our own understanding of who Jesus is, and how we respond to His call.

Our sermon today is divided into three main points: Following the Crowd, Facing the Truth, and Fulfilling the Purpose. These points, drawn from our Scripture, will guide us as we seek to better understand our own role in the story of faith, and how we can live out that faith in our daily lives.

Following the Crowd

In the passage we're studying, we see a great crowd gathering, drawn by the news that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They had come for the festival, a time of joy and celebration, and now they found another reason to rejoice. They took up palm branches, a symbol of victory and joy, and went out to meet Jesus, shouting praises and blessings. It was a spontaneous, joyful response to the presence of Jesus. But was it a thoughtful, considered response? Did they truly understand who Jesus was, and what He was about to do?

Often, we can find ourselves in a similar situation. We're part of a crowd, going along with the flow, caught up in the excitement and energy of the moment. We're shouting praises, we're waving palm branches, we're celebrating. But do we really know why? Do we understand who we're following, and where He's leading us? Or are we just following the crowd?

The crowd in our passage was shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!" They recognized Jesus as a king, but did they understand what kind of king He was? Jesus was not a political or military king, as many of them might have hoped. He was a spiritual king, a servant king, who came not to conquer by force, but to love and to serve. His kingdom was not of this world, but of the world to come. Did the crowd understand this? Do we?

The crowd was also shouting "Hosanna!" which means "Save us!" They were looking to Jesus for salvation, but did they understand what kind of salvation He was offering? Jesus did not come to save us from political oppression or economic hardship, as important as those issues are. He came to save us from our sins, to offer us forgiveness and reconciliation with God. This is a deeper, more profound salvation, but it's also a more challenging one. It requires us to acknowledge our sins, to repent, and to commit ourselves to a new way of life. Did the crowd understand this? Do we?

Finally, the crowd was waving palm branches, a symbol of victory and joy. They were celebrating Jesus' arrival, but did they understand what He was about to do? Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified. His victory would come not through power and might, but through suffering and sacrifice. His joy would come not from worldly success, but from obedience to God's will. Did the crowd understand this? Do we?

Facing the Truth

As we delve deeper into our Scripture, we find ourselves at a crossroads of sorts ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO