Why Bother With Worship? Series

INTRODUCTION: In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man arrive at the legendary Emerald City to meet with the Wizard. The Wizard is reputed to hold the power to solve each of the travelers' problems. But to enter his presence, they must first traverse a long, dimly lit, gothic hallway. The Lion is not alone in his cowardice as they enter the large inner sanctum. They are greeted with an explosion and billows of fire and green smoke. When the smoke finally clears, a giant, menacing, bodiless head shouts, “I am Oz, the great and terrible! Who are you?” Dorothy attempts a response, but the Wizard booms, “Silence! The great and powerful Oz knows why you are here! Step forward, Tin Man.” The Tin Man approaches this ominous-looking figure with great trepidation, only to hear the Wizard say, “You dare come to me for a heart, you clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk?” The other travelers are met with similar greetings. To the Scarecrow, he shouts, “You have the effrontery to ask for a brain, you billowing bale of bovine fodder?” To the Cowardly Lion, Oz shouts, “And you, Lion?” The poor Lion is overcome and faints dead away!

TRANSITION: I believe the wizard’s presentation is similar to the unflattering caricature imagined by many when they think about God. The wizard puts on a show of power & might, but there is no love, no mercy, no grace—and at the end of the day, the whole deal turns out to be a sham! Why would you worship that kind of God? Maybe deep down, that’s part of that image that you grew up with—a God who is powerful, unapproachable, and maybe angry or frightening. In several places, Scripture gives an awesome picture of the holiness of God and the reverence He rightly inspires. To Moses, Isaiah and Ezekiel, God manifests himself with fire and smoke and authority. That is who God is—we do worship that kind of God. But that’s not all that God is. For Palm Sunday, I’d like us to read a passage that presents a very different image of God, and answers the question, “why bother with worship?” [READ Luke 19:28-38]

Why bother to worship Jesus? The short, easy, Sunday school answer is:

I. WE SHOULD WORSHIP JESUS BECAUSE JESUS IS WORTHY OF OUR WORSHIP (28-38)

A. Jesus is King

1. Jesus is consciously making preparations to enter Jerusalem in the style of Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

2. He gives his disciples instructions that they follow.

a. He tells them to enter a nearby village

b. He forecasts they will find a colt tied up, never yet ridden

c. He instructs them to untie it and bring it to him

d. He gives them an answer in case they are questioned

1) Not only do Jesus’ disciples follow his instructions, but the owners of the donkey do as well.

2) Perhaps they know of Jesus by reputation; perhaps something supernatural is going on (Jedi mind trick, perhaps?)

3) “The Lord needs it.” Jesus is the true Lord, King, & Master, not only of the donkey but of all people’s property, which he can rightfully demand any time.

3. The crowd paves the road with their cloaks and palm branches, making a festive carpet. The whole picture conveys celebration and honor, reminiscent of victory parades with which triumphant kings and generals were welcomed.

a. Luke doesn’t mention palm branches (that's in John's gospel), possibly because palm branch imagery is decidedly Jewish. Normally they wouldwave palm branches at the Feast of Tabernacles, but this is Passover.

b. Tabernacles looked forward to the end times, while Passover pictured the sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and the final deliverance.

c. Interesting combination there, for Jesus brings both!

B. Jesus is humble

1. In The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Gandalf the wizard tells another character: “When the king comes, he is likely to come in a way no one expects.” (Not like the Wizard of Oz!)

2. An unarmed, plainly dressed civilian riding a donkey contrasts sharply with an armed soldier astride a war horse. This Messiah comes in humility, gentleness, and peace.

3. The use of a humble entrance blunts his threat to Rome, since he neither seizes power nor shows power. A man riding a donkey is not looking for war—clearly he is innocent of the charge of rebelling against Caesar.

4. Jesus’ entry is a major statement about God’s plan and the nature of his kingship—he is simultaneously the greatest yet most humble of kings.

C. Jesus is worthy of worship.