ENTRY WITH JESUS
Palm Sunday April 1, 2007
Matthew 21:1-11
INTRODUCTION: Have you ever been in a situation where you have been all excited about going into a place, only to be disappointed once you entered? The disappointment we experience is two-fold, first from the hype we have we have built up when things are not what we hoped them to be, and second the “advertising” and promotion has “played” with the words and images and we have been or allowed ourselves to be misled. The result – what we ended up with is not what we expected, or in some cases what we wanted, or needed.
When it comes to being a Christian and living a Christian life, the world already has an opinion. Christians are, at times, perceived as a side show, or a tourist trap. Christians are out of the norm and what they have to offer looks good, but is not what we really wanted. So, from the outside looking in, there is already an expectation of disappointment.
So, in order to be effective in both our witness and testimony for and of Christ, we need to be diligent in the way we present ourselves as believers. To this end, I think we can pull a few principles from Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem!
I OUR DIRECTION FROM JESUS
A Go With Direction
1 God is all about giving direction
a 66 Books
b 8810 Promises
c 613 Laws
2 Jesus gave his disciples a direction to go – Bethphage
3 Jesus gave us a direction to go – All the world
a Not all at once
b Start small and branch out
PROBLEM IS THAT WE NEVER GET STARTED – WE ARE GIVEN A DIRECTION, BUT WE DO NOT FOLLOW THE DIRECTION WE ARE GIVEN!
WHAT IS OUR DIRECTION? Jesus said it best when answering the Pharisees
Luke 5:31 (NIV) Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
Luke 5:31 (MSG) Jesus heard about it and spoke up, "Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick?
4 A major problem with the church is we are not following directions
a If we were following directions, we would not have financial difficulties
b If we were following directions, we would not have time to grumble
c If we were following directions, we would not have empty pews
d If we were following directions, we would not have understaffed programs
e If we were following directions, we would be added to daily, trained continually and serving vigorously!
B Go With Purpose
1 We are to go with a purpose in mind
a We can go with the wrong purpose
b We can go with the right purpose
Let me give you an example: Young people, I hope that the reason you go to college is to get an education, not to party or get a mate. Now other things may happen when you are at college, but the purpose for being in college is education. SO, choose you school based on which school will give you the best education to do what God wants you to do.
Here’s another one:
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
2 When we go we need to know that EVERY mission for Jesus is important
a The mount of Transfiguration was important
b Casting out demons was important
c Walking out of town with a donkey was important
C Go With End In Mind
1 God’s direction had an end – bring the donkey back to Jesus
2 We need to make sure we have the right end in mind when we finish
a Whose end? Mine or God’s
D Go With An Answer
1 Christ’s instructions included an answer
2 The disciples were to answer any who questioned there actions
a Their answer dealt with Jesus’ Lordship
b Their answer dealt with who Jesus was
A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
Jesus did not need the disciple’s stuff to serve. In fact he did not need His stuff to serve (he is borrowing a burrow!). What Jesus asked for was not stuff to serve but people to serve
How many times are there opportunities to serve the Lord and no one to do them because they are too insignificant or menial to be bothered with?
II OUR RESPECT FOR JESUS
A By Obedience To Christ – We Honor Christ by obeying Him
B By Service To Christ – We Honor Christ by giving our best
C By Extra Effort For Christ – We Honor Christ by Giving what we have
1 They gave the clothes off their back – they gave what they had
2 In giving they took personal responsibility
3 The disciples did not leave their responsibility to others
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
• All of the activity surrounding Christ’s riding the donkey centered around the presentation of Christ as king.
• The activity of the disciples declared their belief in His kingship
• We cannot expect anyone else to acknowledge Christ ANY higher than we will, in fact, most will acknowledge him lower.
• If we do not acknowledge Christ as King and Lord of our lives, how will others we impact acknowledge Christ?
• BEFORE WE CAN PROCLAIM CHRIST AS KING, HE MUST FIRST BE OUR KING!
III OUR KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS
A Who He Is
1 Christ was deliberate in who He was and what He did
2 Christ’s entrance into the city:
a Declared the truth of prophecy
b Declared the legitimacy of Christ to reign
3 The response of the people was pointed
a Christ’s entrance “stirred or moved” the city
1 This is the same word used of the earthquake type activities that torn the veil of the temple
2 This is the same term used of the apocalyptical event of the “falling of stars” in Revelation chapter 6
3 Moved or stirred is probably too mild a word
b The cry of the people was pointed
1 Hosanna
a) Save now
b) Save us we pray
2 He who comes in the name of the Lord
a) To address our grievances
b) To bring relief
4 Christ was coming to save and forgive, not judge and punish
B Who He Is Not
1 Christ is not just some other prophet
2 Christ is not just one of many sons
3 Christ is not superseded by anyone after Him
C The Significance Of The Difference
1 THE SIGNIFICANCE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL
2 If Jesus is ANYONE but who he claimed to be we are dead in our sins
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Jesus was deliberate in what He did – knew where he was going and hat He was going to do
Everyone will be deliberate in either accepting or rejecting Him
The activities of people are fickle
Only Christ can stir the hearts of men
How are we proclaiming Christ to the world (regardless of how big our world is)
