Sermon Central
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The King Is Coming
Contributed by Stephen Todd on Apr 11, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a Palm Sunday message.
Palm Sunday
April 8, 2001
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Read the words of the song King is Coming
Every time we come to Palm Sunday I am reminded of the words of that song. They fit so well with the return of the king to
Jerusalem on that day. But this morning I want us to back up to the prophecy that foretold that day more than five hundred years earlier.
The King is Coming
1. The call for rejoicing 9a
rejoice and shout - vigorous and enthusiastic expression of joy
The picture conjured up is of the women coming out to greet the victorious army as it returns from victory in battle.
1 Sam. 18:6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.
7 As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."
The question for the people of Zechariah’s day is what on earth is there to rejoice about?
480 BC - the temple has been rebuilt - it is nothing near the grandeur of Solomon’s - the Shekinah glory has not returned
few Jews have returned from the exile
aliens inhabit most of the land
most of Israel is extremely poor
What is there to rejoice about?
2. The reasons for Rejoicing 9b-10
A. The return of the King 9b
this is the return of the ultimate Davidic King
HIS Character:
Just/Righteous - conformity to an ethical or moral standard
measures up to the standard of God’s nature and will
serves God, delivers poor, supports weak and obeys
God’s laws
not Athaliah, Ahaz or Manasseh
NIV Psalm 72:1 Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.
2 He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.
2 Sam 23:3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ’When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.’
Having salvation - does not = born again
= deliverance from real enemies and catastrophes.
Gentle - meek - lowly man = poor man or one brought low by affliction - one who survived by serving others
Riding on a donkey - humility and peace - not an arrogant conqueror, but one who is a lowly servant
contrast - Alexander and Busephalus
B. The Reign of the King 10
A kingdom of Peace
destruction of the implements of war
speak peace to the nations
Peace = shalom = not only the absence of strife
= fulfilment or completion
because of Jehovah’s presence the nations will enter a state of wholeness, unity and restored relationship
the ultimate fulfilment of the Abrahamic Covenant
"in you all the nations of earth shall be blessed."
A Kingdom of Sovereignty 10
reign from river to the ends of the earth
universal sovereignty
3. What application can we draw from this message?
A. A sureness to God’s word
verse 9 has already been fulfilled literally by Jesus entry into Jerusalem in Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38
trust in the rest of the message
B. A warning to be ready
C. Hope for the future
The King is Coming
