This Week's Sermon
“The Coming of the King"
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Submitted to the church website due to Coronavirus outbreak
Bible lesson: John 12:12-19
John 12:12-19 NKJV The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (13) took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' The King of Israel!" (14) Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: (15) "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SITTING ON A DONKEY'S COLT." (16) His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. (17) Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. (18) For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. (19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
Introduction:
Imagine yourself in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. There was a great crowd there that day that had come to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. I can imagine it was something like what we see in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
Flavius Josephus, the notable Jewish historian, estimated that over two million people were involved in the great Passover Feast at the time of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. It is known that roughly 256,500 lambs were slain at one Passover and that each lamb represented at least ten worshippers. Teeming thousands from all over the world were flooding into the city to observe the Passover. The mass of people and the necessary housing and food arrangements to handle such a mass of people is difficult to imagine.
An excitable carnival-like atmosphere was bound to prevail over such a mob of people. There were lots of people jamming the streets of the city, getting ready to celebrate. But as they prepared to observe one of the most important feasts that the Jewish people celebrated all year, word came that Jesus was on His way into the city.
It’s a rare thing that all four gospels record the same event in Jesus’ life. Sometimes one or two gospels record an event; some events in Jesus’ life are recorded in three gospel accounts. But the events of this day (the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem) are recorded by all four of the gospel writers. For that reason alone, we should consider what happened here to be important.
The crowd gathered as Jesus rode into the city on the colt of a donkey and they began to wave palm branches and shout their welcome to Jesus. But who were the faces in that crowd that day? If we could somehow be transported back in time, who would we see? What events would demand our immediate attention? What would we be thinking about?
I believe that as we examine the people who made up the crowd that particular day, we may find ourselves and some of those around us.
I. The skeptics – Those who Were Unimpressed
The first group of people was represented by the Roman soldiers who were stationed there.
As the crowd began to honor Jesus, I’m sure their cheers about a deliverer got the attention of the Roman soldiers. There were probably a large number of soldiers who gathered to see what was going on because these soldiers were charged with keeping the Jewish people under control. After all, the Romans were the ones in control of this country.
What did this demonstration mean to the Romans? Nothing is written about this particular Passover festival from the Roman viewpoint, but it’s certain that they kept a close watch as events were unfolding that day. During the annual Passover feast, it was fairly common for some of the Jewish zealots to try to arouse the people to fight back against the Roman occupation of their city and their country. Maybe they thought this parade was that kind of an event. Maybe they were expecting to have to put down a riot or maybe even a political rebellion.
But then Jesus came riding into town, riding on a donkey’s colt. I imagine that some of the Roman soldiers must have smiled or maybe even pointed and laughed at the “Triumphal Entry,” because it was nothing at all like their own triumphal celebrations back in Rome. They’d probably seen this type of tribute before.
Whenever a Roman general was victorious on foreign soil, killing thousands of the enemy, and gaining new territory, he was given a “Roman triumph” celebration when he returned to the city. It was the Roman equivalent of the American “ticker-tape parade,” only with much more splendor.
The general would ride into the city in a gold-covered chariot with white stallions pulling it – the symbol of a warrior. The general would display the trophies he had won. The enemy leaders he had captured would be paraded in chains down the street behind the general. The parade ended at the arena where some of the captives entertained the people by fighting wild beasts.
I think some of these soldiers probably laughed at the antics of the crowd in Jerusalem that day, and at the sight of this so-called King. After all, what real king would ride on a dumb donkey? What powerful leader would stoop so low? They probably found it amusing. Compared to a “Roman triumph,” Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was not impressive at all.
Isn’t that how some people treat Jesus today? They are amused by the stories about Him. They laugh at Him and at people who worship Him. How could sophisticated people be so ignorant, they say? After all, what educated person would believe some of the things that people said He did? Could He really make the blind to see, the lame to walk, or the deaf to hear? Can anyone really believe that Jesus could walk on water or stop a storm just by saying a single word? And seriously – feed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish? Who in their right mind would believe such things? So they just laugh at Christians who have faith in this Jesus of Nazareth.
There were probably some of those in the crowd that day.
II. The Bored – Those Who Were Seeking Entertainment
And then there was probably another group of people there that day. If we go back to some earlier verses in John 12, we see those people.
John 12:9 NKJV Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
Before Jesus had come to Jerusalem, He spent some time with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. And we see another large crowd there. But John says they were there, not just to see Jesus, but to see this man Lazarus who, as the story goes, had been raised from the dead.
This crowd wanted to see what was going on there. These people were there to see the show – to see the man who used to be dead up and walking and talking. They weren’t there to see Jesus. The crowd came to see something spectacular, that is, to see Lazarus, the man rumored to have been raised from the dead. They were anxious to see someone who had experienced such a phenomenal event and to see if a resurrected man was any different.
And the crowd came to a social occasion, a festive atmosphere. They came to the banquet. Wherever Jesus appeared spectacular things happened. These people wanted to see Jesus perform miracles. They wanted to see the show.
Isn’t that why some people go to church today, to see the show and join the party? They don’t go to worship the King, but they go to see who’s singing. They go because their friends are there. They go to socialize. They go to see if they, like Lazarus, can get in on the good stuff. And look out if there’s food. Don’t get in the way or you might get knocked down if there’s a meal. They’re there to get what they can, not to worship the King. They’re there to see the miracles, or at least to be impressed or entertained. They’re not going to church to see the King.
John 12:17-19 NKJV Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. (18) For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. (19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
You know, I think, sadly, that’s why some churches are becoming megachurches. They’re drawing the crowds. Lots of people are attending. But people are coming because of the great concerts that are available. They’re there because of the professional musicians. They come for the sing-along. They come for the show. They come so they can say they go to that big church that always has its name in the paper because of some event that’s taking place. They come because they are easily influenced. They come for the events and the exciting atmosphere. And if that’s missing, or if there’s something they don’t like, they don’t show up.
How many sitting in the presence of the Lord and His church today are only half-sincere? How many come to church just because it’s the thing to do, the place to be, the place where everyone else is? How many seek the spectacular signs only?
John 6:30 NKJV Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?
That’s the attitude of some. What will You do for me, Jesus? What will You give me?
Mark 7:6 NKJV He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME.
Matthew 23:27-28 NKJV "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. (28) Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
How many want the miracles, but miss the Master? There were probably some of those in the crowd that day.
III. The Religious – Those Whose Worship Is Empty
And then there was another group of people there that day. The religious leaders were there.
John 12:19 NKJV The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
Wherever the power was, that was where you’d find these Pharisees. Wherever the prestige was, you could be sure they would be there. They wanted the praise from the crowd. They wanted to be the center of attention. They wanted to be looked up to and they wanted to be the ones who had all the influence. They were fine as long as all eyes were on them. But look out if someone else upstaged them.
People were beginning to come to Jesus and follow Him. And the Pharisees knew that this meant their own powerful political positions were in jeopardy.
How tragic it is...
•that religious positions sometimes become political.
•that men reject Christ for the things of this world.
•that men swap eternity for social and political gain.
These preachers and teachers, these church leaders, were only interested in themselves. They were only interested in the prestige of their positions. And they were going to oppose anyone and anything that threatened their power.
God isn’t pleased with that kind of leadership. Do you remember the prophecy from Ezekiel condemning this kind of religious leadership?
Ezekiel 34:1-3 NKJV And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, (2) "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (3) You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock.
There are many in the church today who want the visible positions and the praise of everyone else. They want the power. They want to be the movers and shakers. And to gain a following, they’ll say anything that’s popular and that makes them popular. They’ll preach the prosperity gospel. Come to Jesus and all your cares and troubles will be over. Come to Jesus and He’ll give you everything that you want.
They’ll say anything to gain a following. They’ll preach what the crowd wants to hear, not what the Bible says. Rather than pointing men and women to Jesus, they draw people to themselves. They want people to follow them rather than God. They want to say they were the ones who produced the big churches. They were responsible for the big crowds. They point people to themselves, not to Jesus.
Isaiah 56:11 NKJV Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.
Yes, there were some of these bad shepherds in the crowd that day. And they even went so far as to plot to do away with Jesus.
These were the people in the crowd that day.
•The ones who were amused and laughed at Jesus.
•The ones who wanted to join the party and get what was in it for themselves.
•And there were the ones who wanted the power and the prestige.
IV. The Seekers – Those Who Want to See Jesus
There was one more group there that day.
John 12:20-21 NKJV Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. (21) Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
“We would like to see Jesus.”
That should be our desire today. We should desire His presence – to glorify and honor Him. What a difference it would make in our lives if we would say, “More than anything else, we would like to see Jesus.”
When we see Jesus, God is glorified. When we recognize that Jesus is the fullness of the love that God has for us, a love that would send Him to the cross to die for us, we can be changed. When we come to the realization that God gave His only Son to die for you and for me that we might not perish but have everlasting life, it changes our perspective. When we see and believe this glorious truth; then we really begin to worship Him. We begin to surrender our whole beings to God. We begin to follow and obey Him, to honor and praise Him for all He has done and is doing for us. When we really seek Jesus, that’s when the name of God is glorified. That’s when real worship happens.
I’d like to leave you with some thoughts written by Kristen Heir:
“I start every day with the same thought regardless of what I am going through in life. Even when I have been confined to a hospital bed, in a serious car accident, jobless, hurting, scared, I have started the day the same way:
Psalms 118:24 NKJV This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
“Today started like every other day. It was a beautiful fall day. The sky was clear and bluer than I have ever seen it. I went to church this morning and heard a lesson about the giants we face in life and felt better than ever when I left.
“My kids were with their dad today and I got some time to myself. One of my favorite things to do is hike around Lake Crabtree and this was the perfect day for it. Time without my kids gives me is time to think. That can sometimes be a dangerous thing, but not today.
“When I got to Lake Crabtree, I was in awe of the beauty. I have a strong faith in God and experience Him daily and am glad to share my perception of God with people if they ask. My simple hike around the lake became a very spiritual experience for me. One quote mentioned in church sticks in my mind:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
“As I walked, I compared the hike to my journey through life. I recognized so much imagery in a simple hike. I could also understand why so many famous writers got away to nature for inspiration. It was amazing. I felt enlightened to say the least and it had nothing to do with the abundance of beautiful sunshine.
“Whenever I hike, I always take the longest path. At the lake, it is the blue path and is not clearly marked. I found my way by keeping my eye on the lake and knowing where it was at all times. I also followed in the footsteps of many who went down the same path before me.
“Occasionally I would stray from the path and do one of two things. Either I would make my own path, or I would easily find my way back to the path I needed to be on. Every now and then, I would come across a small blue sign pointing me in the right direction. The sign would always point back to the lake. I would go long periods of time without seeing any signs. I would have never seen the signs if I had not been looking for them.
“There were also things in my path at times like trees and rocks. As I was walking, I took the time to notice every ounce of beauty around me from the colorful leaves to the lake sparkling like diamonds in the sun. Some areas were too wet to walk, but someone had put in small planks and bridges to keep me from sinking. There were also larger bridges, if I didn't feel like crossing the river on foot and getting a little wet.
“You may be wondering, how in the world this could have anything to do with life, so let me explain.
“Jesus Christ is my lake. When I don't keep my eye on Him, I am lost. No matter where I was on the path, I could see the lake. Sometimes I had to look harder to see the lake through the trees, but it was still there.
“As we go down our path in life, the Lord is always there and is not contained in one place. Sometimes He may be harder to see, but if we look hard enough, we will find He was there all along.
“We may not always have a clear path to go down in life. If we look hard enough for the signs, we will see them. I know I have missed a lot of signs in my life. Instead of worrying about the signs I have missed, I focus on not missing the ones ahead.
“One thing that would never help me on this hike, was looking back. I had nothing to gain from looking back and everything to gain from looking forward. Occasionally I would lose sight of the lake and get off the path. That did not mean my hike was over or I was lost. I was always able to find my way back to the original path.
“On this path, I could take the hard way and not take advantage of the help I found along the way. That would sometimes make the journey harder. The devices in place were there to help me, and there was no reason not to take advantage of them, especially when I did not want to sink in the mud.
“Sometimes I can be very stubborn and insist on doing it on my own. I end up sinking sometimes. Taking advantage of the help around me does not make me any less of a hiker nor does it make me any less of a person in real life.
“The path I took today was beautiful in every way. It was not the easiest, but definitely the most worthwhile. In my life, I have not always taken the easiest of paths, but when I have kept my eyes on Jesus Christ, have always found my way. Just because this path was somewhat marked, there were no guarantees. Taking the path, I chose did not mean I was on the safest path, nor did it mean I would not get hurt.
“Sometimes I had no choice on which way to go, due to a rock, a tree, or a washed out bridge along the way. It took a little risk and some faith to keep on and get to the end. The objects in the path are similar to the difficulties I have faced in life. We all face difficulties and there is always a way to get around or through them.
“When I have kept my focus on the Lord, I have triumphed over even the biggest of stumbling blocks. That was due to God’s faithfulness.
“The reason the quote stuck in my head was simple. All He was saying was that cold and timid hearts will never know victory or defeat simply because they never try. This is why I never give up no matter what I face.
“Just as I was stronger when I finished my hike today, I am stronger for having endured the hurts and risks along the way. The walk was beautiful and very worthwhile. So has my life been so far. I can only imagine what may be ahead. I am looking forward to it. I know with God all things are possible.”
Those people in the crowd that day were shouting something that was far more significant than they realized.
“Hosanna,” they shouted. “Hosanna.”
This Hebrew word means “save us.” They were welcoming their King.
But this was not a king that would reign over Israel. This King was far more important, far more powerful than any king on earth.
As we worship Jesus Christ today, we also cry out to Him, “save us.” When we were lost in sin we cried out, “Lord Jesus, save us!” When we have no strength to resist the temptations that beset us, we cry out, “Lord, save us!”
Although the crowd didn’t realize it, they were honoring the King of heaven. They were honoring the King of kings and Lord of lords. They were honoring the King that would triumph over death. They were singing praises to the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world. Shouldn’t we be doing the same thing today?
Sunday, April 5, 2020
Submitted to the church website due to Coronavirus outbreak
Bible lesson: John 12:12-19
John 12:12-19 NKJV The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, (13) took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: "Hosanna! 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!' The King of Israel!" (14) Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: (15) "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SITTING ON A DONKEY'S COLT." (16) His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. (17) Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. (18) For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. (19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
Introduction:
Imagine yourself in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. There was a great crowd there that day that had come to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. I can imagine it was something like what we see in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
Flavius Josephus, the notable Jewish historian, estimated that over two million people were involved in the great Passover Feast at the time of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. It is known that roughly 256,500 lambs were slain at one Passover and that each lamb represented at least ten worshippers. Teeming thousands from all over the world were flooding into the city to observe the Passover. The mass of people and the necessary housing and food arrangements to handle such a mass of people is difficult to imagine.
An excitable carnival-like atmosphere was bound to prevail over such a mob of people. There were lots of people jamming the streets of the city, getting ready to celebrate. But as they prepared to observe one of the most important feasts that the Jewish people celebrated all year, word came that Jesus was on His way into the city.
It’s a rare thing that all four gospels record the same event in Jesus’ life. Sometimes one or two gospels record an event; some events in Jesus’ life are recorded in three gospel accounts. But the events of this day (the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem) are recorded by all four of the gospel writers. For that reason alone, we should consider what happened here to be important.
The crowd gathered as Jesus rode into the city on the colt of a donkey and they began to wave palm branches and shout their welcome to Jesus. But who were the faces in that crowd that day? If we could somehow be transported back in time, who would we see? What events would demand our immediate attention? What would we be thinking about?
I believe that as we examine the people who made up the crowd that particular day, we may find ourselves and some of those around us.
I. The skeptics – Those who Were Unimpressed
The first group of people was represented by the Roman soldiers who were stationed there.
As the crowd began to honor Jesus, I’m sure their cheers about a deliverer got the attention of the Roman soldiers. There were probably a large number of soldiers who gathered to see what was going on because these soldiers were charged with keeping the Jewish people under control. After all, the Romans were the ones in control of this country.
What did this demonstration mean to the Romans? Nothing is written about this particular Passover festival from the Roman viewpoint, but it’s certain that they kept a close watch as events were unfolding that day. During the annual Passover feast, it was fairly common for some of the Jewish zealots to try to arouse the people to fight back against the Roman occupation of their city and their country. Maybe they thought this parade was that kind of an event. Maybe they were expecting to have to put down a riot or maybe even a political rebellion.
But then Jesus came riding into town, riding on a donkey’s colt. I imagine that some of the Roman soldiers must have smiled or maybe even pointed and laughed at the “Triumphal Entry,” because it was nothing at all like their own triumphal celebrations back in Rome. They’d probably seen this type of tribute before.
Whenever a Roman general was victorious on foreign soil, killing thousands of the enemy, and gaining new territory, he was given a “Roman triumph” celebration when he returned to the city. It was the Roman equivalent of the American “ticker-tape parade,” only with much more splendor.
The general would ride into the city in a gold-covered chariot with white stallions pulling it – the symbol of a warrior. The general would display the trophies he had won. The enemy leaders he had captured would be paraded in chains down the street behind the general. The parade ended at the arena where some of the captives entertained the people by fighting wild beasts.
I think some of these soldiers probably laughed at the antics of the crowd in Jerusalem that day, and at the sight of this so-called King. After all, what real king would ride on a dumb donkey? What powerful leader would stoop so low? They probably found it amusing. Compared to a “Roman triumph,” Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was not impressive at all.
Isn’t that how some people treat Jesus today? They are amused by the stories about Him. They laugh at Him and at people who worship Him. How could sophisticated people be so ignorant, they say? After all, what educated person would believe some of the things that people said He did? Could He really make the blind to see, the lame to walk, or the deaf to hear? Can anyone really believe that Jesus could walk on water or stop a storm just by saying a single word? And seriously – feed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish? Who in their right mind would believe such things? So they just laugh at Christians who have faith in this Jesus of Nazareth.
There were probably some of those in the crowd that day.
II. The Bored – Those Who Were Seeking Entertainment
And then there was probably another group of people there that day. If we go back to some earlier verses in John 12, we see those people.
John 12:9 NKJV Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
Before Jesus had come to Jerusalem, He spent some time with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in Bethany. And we see another large crowd there. But John says they were there, not just to see Jesus, but to see this man Lazarus who, as the story goes, had been raised from the dead.
This crowd wanted to see what was going on there. These people were there to see the show – to see the man who used to be dead up and walking and talking. They weren’t there to see Jesus. The crowd came to see something spectacular, that is, to see Lazarus, the man rumored to have been raised from the dead. They were anxious to see someone who had experienced such a phenomenal event and to see if a resurrected man was any different.
And the crowd came to a social occasion, a festive atmosphere. They came to the banquet. Wherever Jesus appeared spectacular things happened. These people wanted to see Jesus perform miracles. They wanted to see the show.
Isn’t that why some people go to church today, to see the show and join the party? They don’t go to worship the King, but they go to see who’s singing. They go because their friends are there. They go to socialize. They go to see if they, like Lazarus, can get in on the good stuff. And look out if there’s food. Don’t get in the way or you might get knocked down if there’s a meal. They’re there to get what they can, not to worship the King. They’re there to see the miracles, or at least to be impressed or entertained. They’re not going to church to see the King.
John 12:17-19 NKJV Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. (18) For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. (19) The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
You know, I think, sadly, that’s why some churches are becoming megachurches. They’re drawing the crowds. Lots of people are attending. But people are coming because of the great concerts that are available. They’re there because of the professional musicians. They come for the sing-along. They come for the show. They come so they can say they go to that big church that always has its name in the paper because of some event that’s taking place. They come because they are easily influenced. They come for the events and the exciting atmosphere. And if that’s missing, or if there’s something they don’t like, they don’t show up.
How many sitting in the presence of the Lord and His church today are only half-sincere? How many come to church just because it’s the thing to do, the place to be, the place where everyone else is? How many seek the spectacular signs only?
John 6:30 NKJV Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?
That’s the attitude of some. What will You do for me, Jesus? What will You give me?
Mark 7:6 NKJV He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME.
Matthew 23:27-28 NKJV "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. (28) Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
How many want the miracles, but miss the Master? There were probably some of those in the crowd that day.
III. The Religious – Those Whose Worship Is Empty
And then there was another group of people there that day. The religious leaders were there.
John 12:19 NKJV The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
Wherever the power was, that was where you’d find these Pharisees. Wherever the prestige was, you could be sure they would be there. They wanted the praise from the crowd. They wanted to be the center of attention. They wanted to be looked up to and they wanted to be the ones who had all the influence. They were fine as long as all eyes were on them. But look out if someone else upstaged them.
People were beginning to come to Jesus and follow Him. And the Pharisees knew that this meant their own powerful political positions were in jeopardy.
How tragic it is...
•that religious positions sometimes become political.
•that men reject Christ for the things of this world.
•that men swap eternity for social and political gain.
These preachers and teachers, these church leaders, were only interested in themselves. They were only interested in the prestige of their positions. And they were going to oppose anyone and anything that threatened their power.
God isn’t pleased with that kind of leadership. Do you remember the prophecy from Ezekiel condemning this kind of religious leadership?
Ezekiel 34:1-3 NKJV And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, (2) "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? (3) You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock.
There are many in the church today who want the visible positions and the praise of everyone else. They want the power. They want to be the movers and shakers. And to gain a following, they’ll say anything that’s popular and that makes them popular. They’ll preach the prosperity gospel. Come to Jesus and all your cares and troubles will be over. Come to Jesus and He’ll give you everything that you want.
They’ll say anything to gain a following. They’ll preach what the crowd wants to hear, not what the Bible says. Rather than pointing men and women to Jesus, they draw people to themselves. They want people to follow them rather than God. They want to say they were the ones who produced the big churches. They were responsible for the big crowds. They point people to themselves, not to Jesus.
Isaiah 56:11 NKJV Yes, they are greedy dogs Which never have enough. And they are shepherds Who cannot understand; They all look to their own way, Every one for his own gain, From his own territory.
Yes, there were some of these bad shepherds in the crowd that day. And they even went so far as to plot to do away with Jesus.
These were the people in the crowd that day.
•The ones who were amused and laughed at Jesus.
•The ones who wanted to join the party and get what was in it for themselves.
•And there were the ones who wanted the power and the prestige.
IV. The Seekers – Those Who Want to See Jesus
There was one more group there that day.
John 12:20-21 NKJV Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. (21) Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
“We would like to see Jesus.”
That should be our desire today. We should desire His presence – to glorify and honor Him. What a difference it would make in our lives if we would say, “More than anything else, we would like to see Jesus.”
When we see Jesus, God is glorified. When we recognize that Jesus is the fullness of the love that God has for us, a love that would send Him to the cross to die for us, we can be changed. When we come to the realization that God gave His only Son to die for you and for me that we might not perish but have everlasting life, it changes our perspective. When we see and believe this glorious truth; then we really begin to worship Him. We begin to surrender our whole beings to God. We begin to follow and obey Him, to honor and praise Him for all He has done and is doing for us. When we really seek Jesus, that’s when the name of God is glorified. That’s when real worship happens.
I’d like to leave you with some thoughts written by Kristen Heir:
“I start every day with the same thought regardless of what I am going through in life. Even when I have been confined to a hospital bed, in a serious car accident, jobless, hurting, scared, I have started the day the same way:
Psalms 118:24 NKJV This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
“Today started like every other day. It was a beautiful fall day. The sky was clear and bluer than I have ever seen it. I went to church this morning and heard a lesson about the giants we face in life and felt better than ever when I left.
“My kids were with their dad today and I got some time to myself. One of my favorite things to do is hike around Lake Crabtree and this was the perfect day for it. Time without my kids gives me is time to think. That can sometimes be a dangerous thing, but not today.
“When I got to Lake Crabtree, I was in awe of the beauty. I have a strong faith in God and experience Him daily and am glad to share my perception of God with people if they ask. My simple hike around the lake became a very spiritual experience for me. One quote mentioned in church sticks in my mind:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
“As I walked, I compared the hike to my journey through life. I recognized so much imagery in a simple hike. I could also understand why so many famous writers got away to nature for inspiration. It was amazing. I felt enlightened to say the least and it had nothing to do with the abundance of beautiful sunshine.
“Whenever I hike, I always take the longest path. At the lake, it is the blue path and is not clearly marked. I found my way by keeping my eye on the lake and knowing where it was at all times. I also followed in the footsteps of many who went down the same path before me.
“Occasionally I would stray from the path and do one of two things. Either I would make my own path, or I would easily find my way back to the path I needed to be on. Every now and then, I would come across a small blue sign pointing me in the right direction. The sign would always point back to the lake. I would go long periods of time without seeing any signs. I would have never seen the signs if I had not been looking for them.
“There were also things in my path at times like trees and rocks. As I was walking, I took the time to notice every ounce of beauty around me from the colorful leaves to the lake sparkling like diamonds in the sun. Some areas were too wet to walk, but someone had put in small planks and bridges to keep me from sinking. There were also larger bridges, if I didn't feel like crossing the river on foot and getting a little wet.
“You may be wondering, how in the world this could have anything to do with life, so let me explain.
“Jesus Christ is my lake. When I don't keep my eye on Him, I am lost. No matter where I was on the path, I could see the lake. Sometimes I had to look harder to see the lake through the trees, but it was still there.
“As we go down our path in life, the Lord is always there and is not contained in one place. Sometimes He may be harder to see, but if we look hard enough, we will find He was there all along.
“We may not always have a clear path to go down in life. If we look hard enough for the signs, we will see them. I know I have missed a lot of signs in my life. Instead of worrying about the signs I have missed, I focus on not missing the ones ahead.
“One thing that would never help me on this hike, was looking back. I had nothing to gain from looking back and everything to gain from looking forward. Occasionally I would lose sight of the lake and get off the path. That did not mean my hike was over or I was lost. I was always able to find my way back to the original path.
“On this path, I could take the hard way and not take advantage of the help I found along the way. That would sometimes make the journey harder. The devices in place were there to help me, and there was no reason not to take advantage of them, especially when I did not want to sink in the mud.
“Sometimes I can be very stubborn and insist on doing it on my own. I end up sinking sometimes. Taking advantage of the help around me does not make me any less of a hiker nor does it make me any less of a person in real life.
“The path I took today was beautiful in every way. It was not the easiest, but definitely the most worthwhile. In my life, I have not always taken the easiest of paths, but when I have kept my eyes on Jesus Christ, have always found my way. Just because this path was somewhat marked, there were no guarantees. Taking the path, I chose did not mean I was on the safest path, nor did it mean I would not get hurt.
“Sometimes I had no choice on which way to go, due to a rock, a tree, or a washed out bridge along the way. It took a little risk and some faith to keep on and get to the end. The objects in the path are similar to the difficulties I have faced in life. We all face difficulties and there is always a way to get around or through them.
“When I have kept my focus on the Lord, I have triumphed over even the biggest of stumbling blocks. That was due to God’s faithfulness.
“The reason the quote stuck in my head was simple. All He was saying was that cold and timid hearts will never know victory or defeat simply because they never try. This is why I never give up no matter what I face.
“Just as I was stronger when I finished my hike today, I am stronger for having endured the hurts and risks along the way. The walk was beautiful and very worthwhile. So has my life been so far. I can only imagine what may be ahead. I am looking forward to it. I know with God all things are possible.”
Those people in the crowd that day were shouting something that was far more significant than they realized.
“Hosanna,” they shouted. “Hosanna.”
This Hebrew word means “save us.” They were welcoming their King.
But this was not a king that would reign over Israel. This King was far more important, far more powerful than any king on earth.
As we worship Jesus Christ today, we also cry out to Him, “save us.” When we were lost in sin we cried out, “Lord Jesus, save us!” When we have no strength to resist the temptations that beset us, we cry out, “Lord, save us!”
Although the crowd didn’t realize it, they were honoring the King of heaven. They were honoring the King of kings and Lord of lords. They were honoring the King that would triumph over death. They were singing praises to the Lamb of God, who would take away the sins of the world. Shouldn’t we be doing the same thing today?