Palm Sunday
April 8, 2001
What a spectacle it must have been. A grown man on a donkey is treated to the reception of a king.
That’s how Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Surrounded by a crowd who shouted Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. They wanted to elevate Jesus and see him lifted high!
But Matthew’s Gospel tells us many people in the city asked those in the crowd, “Who is this?”
In other words, “Why carry on like this? Or even, “Why worship this guy? Who is he?”
Today we live in a land of ever-increasing diversity. Our country is a mixture of nationalities, cultures, political persuasions, tastes and ideals. With this diversity comes a variety of religious beliefs. We have Eastern mysticism, the occult, a host of world religions, as well as the blend of ingredients comprising the New Age belief system. Spirituality is very popular and widely believed to be a vital component to a healthy life. But while these are certainly religious times, they are not necessarily Christian times.
Today a person may rightly wonder…
With so many religious options before us, why worship Jesus? Why look to Him only?
Around 60th year A.D., the young Christians in the city of Colossae were wondering this too.
Some popular teachers in their city held the view that Jesus was just one of many spirit beings who bridges the space between God and humans. Many Christians were beginning to think they needed help from these other spirits too.
Paul wrote this church a letter. His approach was very much a Palm Sunday kind of thing. Paul’s approach was to once again elevate Jesus. To lift him high! He presents a rather convincing case for why Jesus is qualified to be our God.
Why Worship Jesus? Well, listen to this…
READ TEXT
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus? Well, for one…
1. He is unique (v. 15a)
Illus – Take a short trip to the B’Hai Temple in Wilmette you’ll find a variety of pictures on the walls. Pictures of Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, Mohammed and others. The message of the B’Hai faith is this: Jesus is just one of many prophets.
It’s increasingly popular to think that today, even among many who label themselves as Christians.
However, the Bible won’t let us look at Jesus that way.
“He is the image of the invisible God.”
That means…
When we look at Jesus we see God.
That’s affirmed by other Scriptures…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (John 1:1-3)
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3)
Jesus doesn’t simply point to God, He is God!
He’s the Real Thing! So we should accept no substitutes.
Many are unsure of God’s love for them – Jesus shows unconditional love – therefore, so does God.
Many people see God like some angry Father – Jesus isn’t angry Father – so neither is God
Many people see God as old and out of touch – Jesus is as fresh and relevant today as ever – so is God.
Jesus is qualified to be our God because He is God.
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus? The Bible goes on to say…
2. He created everything (v. 15b-16)
He is the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by him and for him.
We sometimes shrug off idol worship as a practice of unenlightened primitive people groups. What do we have to do with things like Golden Calves, or superstitious rituals?
Maybe more than we might like to think. We might occasionally turn to some created things to give us that little edge instead of turning first to Jesus.
ILLUS - A few years ago a friend of mine was trying to sell his house. It had been on the market awhile with no takers. Someone suggested to him that he should bury a statue of Joseph upside down in the back yard because that will make a house sell faster. I said, “You didn’t do it did you?” He said, “Yeah. And it worked! My house sold!” Who will we trust, Jesus or a statue of his earthly father?
Ever read your horoscope and hope something like what it says might come true? Who will we trust to bring about the desired results? Jesus or the stars He made and put in place?
What about these little crystals? Some people believe they give off energy needed for a well-balanced life. Who will we trust? A rock or the Rock – Jesus Christ?
If we trust Jesus, and also look to created things to give us the winning edge, think about how our prayers would have be uttered… “Jesus, please use that statue of Joseph to help my house sell.” “Jesus, I want to meet my soul-mate. Could you please make sure the stars line up so my horoscope comes true?” “Jesus, please let this crystal release the energy I need to get through this challenge.”
Jesus never asked us to pray like that. He said, “Ask me, and I’ll do it.”
Jesus is the First-born over all creation – That doesn’t mean Jesus was created by God. Far from it. Jesus is the Creator. It simply means that in Bible-times firstborn son was always the heir. It means the created order exists for Jesus.
The whole created order owes its existence to Jesus.
This was demonstrated in His miracles. Since Jesus is none other than the Creator entering creation, He only has to speak, and it is done. He created everything.
Why worship something or someone created when in Jesus you can worship the Creator Himself?
Since Jesus created all things, we owe our allegiance to Him.
Since Jesus created all things, including us, He understands us and the needs we have better than anyone possibly could.
Since Jesus created all things, nothing can separate us from Him. No power in the world is superior to His.
Since Jesus is the end of all things, we can be sure that by following Him we’re going in the right direction.
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus?
3. He holds everything together (v. 17)
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
He is not only Creator, but also sustainer. In Jesus, the universe is held together, protected, preserved and prevented from disintegrating into chaos.
He is the sustainer of the universe. He is its unifying principle.
This verse was part of a devotional time for a group I was in on a missions trip in Mexico. One of the men in our group commented… Jesus is “the glue of the universe” He’s right.
Jesus was before all things – He was around before anything was, and He now holds it all together. He truly does “have the whole world in His hands.”
Because Jesus is the sustainer of life, not one of us is independent from Him. We all are dependent on Him for protecting us, caring for us and sustaining us.
He is the goal toward whom all things are intended to move. All things are meant to serve his will, to contribute to his glory – their whole being willingly or unwillingly moves to Him.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)
We are already linked to Him regardless of our view of Him.
ILLUS – Not long ago I was meeting a friend for breakfast at a local restaurant. Out the window I saw a lady walking across the lane of traffice in the parking lot, when a car nearly hit her. She entered the restaurant, looked at me and said, “Jesus Christ! That lady almost ran me over!”
So I said, “It’s a good thing He was watching over you.”
Then again she said it, only louder, “Jesus!”
So I nodded and said, “Exactly!”
She walked away and mumbled, “It must not have been my time to go.”
The context in which we hear His name does not change the fact that He is the Supreme Lord and God. We all owe our existence and our daily breath to Him – because He holds it all together.
If Jesus sustains the universe, He can surely sustain believers from conversion to glory.
He’s presently watching over us.
Right now giving us life.
Currently caring for us – whether we acknowledge it or not.
He holds it all together.
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus?
4. He is the leader of the church (v. 18a)
If you’re not already a Christian, this may not sound like one of the more convincing reasons to worship Jesus. But let’s think about this for a moment.
ILLUS - One thing a lot of people are curious to find out when they first start attending CCCH, is who’s in charge here. Is it some leadership team like your Elders, is it Matthew, do you have a church council? The answer to that question is Jesus is in charge here. This is His church.
And that’s very important.
We find hope in Him, not some organization.
That’s not to diminish the significance of the church. God has entrusted the church with the saving message for the world. There are some 30 commands of God in the Bible that we can only be obeyed when we are active in a local church. But the hope of the church – the hope of the world is Jesus Christ.
God’s goal for humanity is not that they will simply go to church. God’s goal is for us to be in a saving love relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.
The church helps to make salvation evident, understandable and available. But the church doesn’t save people. Salvation is found in Him.
Jesus is the leader of the church.
The church is only effective when we trust His ways rather than our own. Prayer to seek answers from Him.
Only Jesus can save – so we direct people to Jesus, not our programs.
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus?
5. He is the first to be permanently resurrected (v. 18b)
He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
You might wonder, how can Jesus be the firstborn from among the dead. Weren’t there some before him who came back to life. True, Jesus did raise a few people from the dead, but each of them eventually passed away and were officially buried. Only Jesus has risen from the dead never to die again.
This is a rather convincing reason to worship Jesus. No one else has ever been able to pull this off.
Not Buddha
Not Confucious
Not Houdini
Nor Howard Hughes
Not Alexander the Great
Not Pharoahs of Egypt
Not Mohammed
Nor Marilyn Monroe
Power, wealth, wisdom, spirituality, beauty, magic – can’t do it.
Jesus was the first one to receive the resurrection body.
Jesus is the one who knows the way from death to life. He is the one who leads the way. He is the one who pioneered the path.
We can follow the trail He already blazed.
Paul thinks this is a pretty convincing reason to worship Jesus too…
So that in everything he might have the supremacy…
Jesus is supreme. There is no one above Him, no one more important. We should worship Him…we should give Him first place in our…
Thinking
Our work
Our families
Our leisure activities
Our time with our friends
Our use of our money
Our use of our time
Our relationships with others
Our ambitions
Our dreams
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus?
6. He is everything we need for eternity (v. 19-20)
We don’t need to search anywhere else.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Definition of reconcile – to exchange hostility for friendship. And that’s what Jesus did for us. He made it possible for us to be friends with God.
Absolutely everything that was necessary for us to be made suitable for gaining eternity was accomplished when Jesus died on the cross. There is nothing that needs to be added to his work. We don’t need help from anything else.
No secret knowledge
No hidden formulas
No circuit of celestial intermediaries
No energy source that needs to be channeled or tapped into
Jesus is entirely sufficient
Spirituality may be in – but spirituality without Jesus holds no promise for eternity
Religions may be in – but religions that point some place other than Jesus hold no promise for eternity
Jesus is the Way to eternity – In his own words, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
“He’s everything you want. He’s everything you need.” (Vertical Horizon)
He is everything you need to fill the ache of loneliness
He is everything you need to give you strength in the tough times
He is everything you need for guidance and direction in life
He is everything you need to overcome confusion
He is everything you need to be forgiven of your sins
He is all out, extra, super sufficient. Unequaled, unparalleled, unmatched and undeniably sovereign.
TRANSITION: Why worship Jesus? Because He is worthy to receive it. He and He alone is qualified to be our God.
CONCLUSION
Billy Sunday, in a sermon he preached called, "Wonderful," communicated with his congregation the sufficiency of Jesus Christ by saying,
Christ for sickness, Christ for health,
Christ for poverty, Christ for wealth,
Christ for joy, Christ for sorrow,
Christ today and Christ tomorrow;
Christ my Life, and Christ my Light,
Christ for morning, noon and night,
Christ when all around gives way
Christ my everlasting Stay;
Christ my Rest, and Christ my Food
Christ above my highest good,
Christ my Well-beloved Friend
Christ my Pleasure without end;
Christ my Savior, Christ my Lord
Christ my Portion, Christ my God,
Christ my Shepherd, I His sheep
Christ Himself my soul to keep;
Christ my Leader, Christ my Peace
Christ has bought my soul’s release,
Christ my Righteousness divine
Christ for me, for He is mine;
The
Christ my Wisdom, Christ my Meat,
Christ restores my wandering feet,
Christ my Advocate and Priest
Christ who ne’er forgets the least;
Christ my Teacher, Christ my Guide,
Christ my Rock, in Christ I hide,
Christ the Ever-living Bread,
Christ His precious Blood has shed;
Christ has brought me nigh to God,
Christ the everlasting Word
Christ my Master, Christ my Head,
Christ who for my sins has bled;
Christ my Glory, Christ my Crown,
Christ the Plant of great renown,
Christ my Comforter on high,
Christ my Hope, draws ever nigh.
This same Christ, Jesus Christ, wants to live inside your heart if you’ll let him in.
