Triumphal Entry of the King of Kings

Setting: Triumphal Entry of the King of Kings Matthew 21:4-9; Mark 11:7-10; Luke : 19:35-38; John 12:12-19
Jesus had sent out two of His disciples to commandeer a donkey foal that He sat on to enter the city. John only mentions that Jesus found the young donkey but if you read the other accounts of the event they seem rather spectacular.
Evidently, these men had no idea, prior to Jesus sending them on the mission to find the donkey, of who the owner of the donkey was or how they would be received. Remember horse stealing was just as illegal then as it is now.
That being what it is, my real focus today is on the possibility of what the people were singing and chanting as they welcomed Jesus to the Passover Feast at Jerusalem. For the main passage let us read John 12:12-19.
The Triumphal Entry
12The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13They 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!" 14Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, 15"Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."
16At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him. 17Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him. 19So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"
1. By shouting "Hosanna!" the people were recognizing Jesus as the son of David according to the prophesy concerning the Messiah.
Several of the psalms that were sang in services include the word "Hosanna!". Its direct meaning is "oh save". By directing this shout to Jesus, the crowd was honoring Him as the son of David that had been prophesied to come and deliver them form their sins. They were in actually saying, "Jesus Son of David, save us!" He was a bent on doing just that even though it would not happen quite like they had imagined.
There is more that can be understood about the statements that were made that day if we review the psalms that they chanted and sang as they marched toward Jerusalem.
Just a little caution about getting too harsh in criticizing those people in the crow that day. I have even mentioned that this day they would honor Jesus with their songs or praise and in just few days they would be ridiculing Him in His death.
We often sing songs that we love to sing in the church and our actions later betray the fact that the words we sang did not come from our heart. The songs we sing direct us to make a stand and follow the LORD. However, we are too often spineless disciples of Christ who back down when adversity comes. We normally desire to have everything our way rather than the LORD’s way. We attempt to justify our sin rather than turn from it. We are no different than those people who marched with Jesus that day.
2. Psalm 118 was no doubt one of the psalms that were sang that day. I won’t go through it all but I would like to scan it for you and get some of the highlights that are mentioned here. They are all emphatic statements!
Remember what Dolly told P.J. in the cartoon, "Family Circus". When you are reading and see an exclamation mark, it means you should have shouted what you just read!
1-4 Give thanks to the LORD! His mercy endures forever!
5 He set me free!
6-7 He is with me, I will have victory!(positive attitude)
8 You can really trust in the LORD!
14 The LORD is my strength! The LORD is my salvation!
15 The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! (They were giving this place to Jesus.)
17 I will tell what the LORD has done!
18 He has chastened me severely for my growth and good!
20 This is the Gate! (Jesus of Nazareth, The Son of God)
24 This is the day the LORD has made! (Make my day!)
25 Hosanna! LORD save us!
26 He is blessed!
27 He has made His Light shine upon us! (Jesus) Come and join the procession! (Accept Him)
28 You are my God (Jesus) and I will give You thanks! You are my God (Jesus) and I will exalt You!
29 Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His love endures forever!
3. Last of all let’s look at Zechariah 9:9-13.
9 Rejoice greatly! Shout! (This is prophecy fulfilled)
10 No chariots (vehicles of war), no horses to pull them, no weapons (God will proclaim peace over all the world.)
11 The blood of my covenant refers to the blood of Jesus shed for our sins.
12 Restoration and multiplication taking place in the family of God
13 Unity of Ephraim and Judah could refer to unity of Israel or the unity of the godly.
Against the sons of Greece could refer to the Gentiles or the ungodly.
It seems more logical that this would apply to the unity of the godly in combating the sinfulness of the ungodly.
Conclusion:
1. It is time for us to open up the gates of our hearts and make Jesus the absolute ruler of our lives.
2. It is time for us to live with a positive attitude that shows the assurance of victory against the forces of sin and death.
3. It is time that we shout and proclaim that the King of Glory has come in.
4. It is time to let Jesus be the LORD of our lives.
Come to Him today!

My Part in the Body

My Part in the Body Romans 12:3-8
Verse 3: How important am I in the body?
Paul warns us not to think of ourselves more highly that we are in actuality. However, we also must recognize that we each serve a function in the body of Christ that can best be fill by each individual member.
Hold up your hand in front of you and try to move any single digit; if you can your doing better than me. I find that when I try to move any one of my fingers one or more others on that hand will move, even if it is ever so slightly. Now, grip your seat and try to lift yourself with only one hand. If your made like me, when you create stress for one side of your body the other side responds in turn.
My point is that God had made the body of Christ similar to the human body. When one part of the body functions, the other parts assist it in support.
For these reasons alone each of us is intricately important to the entire body of Christ.
Verse 4: What is my God given function in the body?
Each of us need to determine what function we serve in the body of Christ and then fulfill that particular function to the very best of our ability. How we blend together may depend on whether the body that we are attached to is a highly successful and active athlete of an overweight couch-potato.
Verse 5: Where do I fit in the body?
Think about how devastating it would be to have an ear on your hand and a finger where your ear belongs? I will often tell someone their right ear is lower than their left one, but think how it would be if someone literally had no part of their body in the place where it normally is attached; it would either be funny looking or very scary.
Now, think about this being a picture of the body of Christ, the Church. Think about a kneecap or an elbow being the spokesman for the body, or the smallest toe on my left foot telling my right hand what to touch or pick up?
We all need to find out what our gifts and talents are and then do them all to the best of our ability to, not only do them but also get better at doing them.
Verse 6: What can I do to benefit others in the body?
Verse 7: Am I doing what God has given me to do?
This might inter-connect with what has just been said; but be sure that you and I are not trying to take over an area of influence where we are not to be functioning. Often we might do so by becoming critical of others efforts in a particular area of the body. I can recall serving in one church where a number of elderly women desired to cease leading the Vacation Bible School. Three younger ladies who had children in their homes decided to take care of planning and overseeing the Bible School. We had a marvelous attendance and follow-up with families resulted in the church starting to grow until those older ladies became critical about how the younger women were not controlling their children. Ultimately, when things got around to the younger ladies they started to leave the church to go to other congregations that were more inviting and accommodating to their children.
These older women did not wish to carry on with the ministry to children; they lacked the energy to do so, but they didn’t want anyone else to do it either.
Remember, criticism kills growth in the body of Christ.
Verse 8: Do I rejoice that I have found my purpose in fulfilling my calling in Christ?
If you do not wish to get better at doing what you do in the body, or if you get frustrated easily, you may be filling out a position in the body that you were not meant to fill. It may not be possible for you to make an immediate change, but how about taking on someone to train who would like to serve in that particular capacity.
Verse: 9 Do I, as a member of the body of Christ, cause hurt to other members of the Body?
There are various ways that the body of Christ gets wounded, sometimes, all too often, it occurs because of another member of the body of Christ. We are either insensitive to the feelings of others or overtly critical of dress, or behaviors they exhibit.
We need to understand that not everyone has grown in a church family atmosphere. Some people might be searching for belonging and Christian love that we talk about so often but so seldom exhibit in our lives.
Remember "We Are the Body."

CONSIDERING THE WILL OF GOD

CONSIDERING THE WILL OF GOD

What is His perfect will?
Romans 12:1-16
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual
act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
What should my attitude be?
Philippians 2:5-16
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature
God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature
of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out
the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
How should I display my love for God?
1 Thessalonians 5:12-24
12Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.19Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil.23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
Where is the example?
Hebrews 10:5-10
5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, O God.' "
8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
What kind of caution should I exhibit?
James 4:13-15
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
What does the final result look like?
Revelation 4:11
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

People of Faith Pray

1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
Trials and Temptations
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.
I. Consider it pure joy? How? James 1:1-9
1. It is an opportunity for God to display His greatness.
2. It is an opportunity to learn and grow in your spiritual walk.
3. It is an opportunity to gain godly wisdom.
Conclusion: Do not permit your faith to waiver.
The Prayer of Faith
13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
II. Christian life in the Spirit James 5:13-20
1. When in trouble - pray.
2. When happy - sing songs of praise
3. When sick - call the elders of the church to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord.
4. When there is national conflict - pray
5. When there is spiritual downfall of a brother or sister - do restoration