4/5/20 John 12:12-16 “Celebration Sunday”

03 Apr 4/5/20 John 12:12-16 “Celebration Sunday”

4/5/20   John 12:12-16   “Celebration Sunday”

I think that it is really hard to believe that it is already Palm Sunday. We have had quite a spring so far if that is what you want to call it. In this area we had a lot of snow early in the winter so we had been thinking major flood.  However, since early January we have had very little snow so now we don’t have nearly as big a flood problem. That’s the good news.  The bad news is that we are now in the middle of the fight against the coronavirus.  This has hit the world very hard including many areas in this country.  During times like this we can only do the wise thing and that is to trust God.  I know I sound like a stuck record on this but trust God anyway.  He is the way out of all things including pandemics.  I think that it is about time that we finally get a little good news. And that is what we are going to look at today as we look at the Triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Maybe we can come away from this service with a more positive attitude after we have been bathed, drenched in the goodness of Christ.

Roger Matthews tells of a legend that is told of an ancient village in Spain. It seems that the king was going to come and visit. It had been centuries since a king had visited them so they decided to throw a big celebration. The village was poor and had little to offer.  However, all the people of the village made very fine wine and it was decided that everyone would bring a large cup of wine to the town’s square where it would be put into a large vat. Then the king could come and enjoy some fine wine from all the villagers.

The day before the king arrived, the villagers started to bring their fine wine to the vat and slowly they poured it into the slot at the top. Finally it was full and the people knew that the king would have some of the best wine ever. The king came and he was shown to the vat where he drew some of the fine wine from the spigot. He tasted it and it was nothing more than water. You see the villagers each decided to bring water to the vat and save their best wine for selling.   Everyone thought the same thing so the vat was filled with water. The king was dishonored and the town disgraced.  Our King, Jesus Christ, was also greatly dishonored on Palm Sunday. Here is what I mean.

But before we can get to this, we have to know what was happening and just what does a triumphal entry mean. I got most of this information from Martin Dale and Larry West. Their data seems to coincide with the experts but it was much easier to read. Sometimes experts get a little carried away with being an expert. A Roman triumphal entry was a celebration given to an important general who had won a very important battle in which at least 5000 of the enemy had been killed. The celebration lasted a whole day and was a glorious event.

Just like some things today they had to have a parade and the leaders of the Roman Senate led the way. They were followed by a band of trumpeters. This was followed by a parade of carriages hauling the spoils of the war. This would include any treasures from the conquered along with the people conquered. Imagine how these poor people felt.

Behind these people came the flute players as the music and celebration continued. Then came the animals, like the oxen, that were to be sacrificed to the Roman gods. Next came the leaders of the conquered enemy who were in chains and placed right in front of the hero general. The celebration intensified as these prisoners passed and they went up Capitoline Hill.  These conquered leaders would be taken to an adjoining prison and executed.

Then came the bodyguards and the conquering general. He rode in a gilded chariot that was pulled by white horses. These were a symbol of war. He was then crowned with a laurel wreath that symbolized victory. He wore a purple tunic, embroidered with palms under a purple toga embroidered with stars. Remember that purple was only for royalty or very special people. The general’s sons would follow and the general’s infantry brought up the rear of the parade. This was a joyful occasion that was a bit like a carnival.

This was a triumphal entry. This was a lot different than how Jesus came into Jerusalem in his Triumphal Entry. He rode in on a donkey and not white horses. While the horses signified victory, the donkey represented peace. Kings would ride donkeys in those days when they were traveling in peace, but not that often.  Also there are no captives paraded in front of Jesus who would himself soon be put to death. Jesus’ mission was to bring us life and not death. So this was a lot different than the normal entry that a king or general would make. But then Jesus was not an ordinary King.

Now that we have a little background, let’s take a look at who was at this parade on Palm Sunday.  I like how Carl Willis breaks the crowd up into 5 different groups.  I’m going to add a little to it but I like it for an outline.  The first group we have are the opposition.  I think that we could guess who they were.  They were the ruling class of the Jewish religion and the Roman officials and soldiers.  In their estimation, these people had everything to lose and nothing to gain by following Jesus.  We need to understand that if anyone, and that includes us today, is going to follow Jesus, then they/we have to make a commitment.  We have a lot to surrender in order to gain everything.  But these rulers know very little about this.

And our rulers today know very little about this.  What do you think the people who run Wall Street would say about making a commitment to Jesus?  Would they be willing to make the sacrifice in order to have a total freedom that money cannot buy?  I doubt that we could find many brokers in New York like that.  I think that maybe our Congress is even a better example.  We constantly hear about all the corruption in Washington.  We saw it a week ago or so when they couldn’t even pass a bill to help out the country from this coronavirus.  People, it took them a week to pass this bill because they all had to have their pork in it.  We hear and detest how the lobbyists are paying off every Congressperson they can find.  Unfortunately, we have this tradition in the Midwest that we think this only happens to representatives from other states.  We think our Congressmen are above the law.  Do you think any of our Congressmen would be willing to give up their power for a commitment to Jesus Christ?  They might if they could figure out how they would gain.

We can even look at our own local people.  We have just been having and are still having problems stemming from the coronavirus and the worst is yet to come.  Schools have been shut down along with businesses.  We could be heading for some hard economic times after the virus. But remember, we are our brothers’ keeper no matter where we are.  If we live in town, then we are to be helping our neighbors and the same if we live in the country.  We are to be servant leaders all the time especially during this virus.  We are to be helping others all the time.  These are our present day rulers and not those fools in Washington.

The second group of people there on that first Palm Sunday were the curious.  These people had heard about Jesus and were curious as to what sort of crazy thing He would do next.  These people didn’t believe but they were just plain curious as to what was going to happen.

We have many of these people around today also.  These are the ones who will read one or two verses from the Bible and then they get all excited trying to disprove the whole Bible.  These are the ones that get so irate when God doesn’t intervene in their lives with a cure or a miracle.  And because God doesn’t do what they want him to do, then they get mad and blame God and the church for all their woes.  They blame God because we have the coronavirus.  They fail to see that it’s Satan who causes all these bad things to happen.  God is the author of all good and He can only do good.  These are the people who see the things we Christians are doing and they laugh at us for being so naïve or just plain dumb.  I would say that we probably catch these people in church maybe twice a year.  These people are open to the Word but they are not very open.

The third group of people there that day were the pretenders.  This is a very dangerous group because they try so hard to look like the real deal.  But they couldn’t fool Jesus.  These were the ones that got all caught up in the celebration.  They were having a grand time as they   would at any triumphal entry.  They were the ones who would shout to crucify him before the week was out.

These people are just as dangerous today.  Some of these people have their own religion.  I like to call it the religion of ‘me’.  Church is fine as long as it is run the way I want it to run.  These people can be the best workers with the best ideas but if someone takes away their authority, they are gone.  These are the people who come to church thinking that they are saved when they have not yet surrendered.  I don’t want to confuse these people with the searchers.  Searchers are looking for Jesus and pretenders think that they already know Jesus.

The next set of people there were the confused.  These were the ones who just didn’t know.  They were not sure that Jesus was the Messiah.  Or they may have been the Gentiles who worship many different gods and thought that maybe they would just add Jesus to their list.

We have many people like this today.  They are confused because they think that it is their works that get them to heaven and not grace.  They may pay lip service to grace but they are sure that they do all the good works that they can just in case.

It is really sad when I think of all the younger people today who are being led by all the lies of Satan.  It is no wonder they are confused when they are told that we have the same God that they have in Islam which is false, false, false!  This is part of the reason that I did the series on different religions during Lent one year.  We don’t have the same God at all.  They have a false god of power and judgment with no love and no mercy. We have a God of love and mercy.

And finally we have the believers who were following.  Now you may think that this sermon has been a little negative today and you may be right.  We will get positive in a minute.  I would like you to also remember that just before Jesus entered Jerusalem, He wept.  He didn’t weep because of the normal reasons that we have for weeping.  No.  He wept because He knew that all these people would be at the parade and that they didn’t get it.  He wept because he had spent 3 years in ministry and His disciples didn’t get it.  He wept because there are so many people today who are no better than the people were 2000 years ago.

So my question to you today is this.  Which one of these kinds of people are you?  I would guess that there are people here who can identify with those people of so long ago.  And that is ok.  Just because Jesus wept for your being lost, doesn’t mean that He has given up.  Jesus will not give up on you until it’s too late.  That is not the case with any other religion of the world.  They are all centered on works.

But this country isn’t.  This is or was a country where Jesus reigns.  He reigns with all the love and mercy and grace of the world.  Jesus Christ knows that we are on a journey.  He knows Satan is lurking at our every move toward Christ.  All Jesus wants to do is have a personal relationship with each of us.  He wants it to be like it was in the Garden of Eden when there were no worries for us.  He would like to take all your problems away and replace them with only security and love.  This is what he would like to do for you.  And all you have to do is accept this.  Go to Jesus today and confess that you are a sinner and ask Him to live in your heart.  Jesus Christ gave us the best Easter present ever when He died and was raised again.  All you have to do is accept it.

And there wasn’t a person in that crowd so many years ago and there is not a person here today who deserves this grace.  But this is a free gift.  And here is the message for all the believers.  You are no better than anyone else.  If someone only comes to church on Easter and Christmas, then you are still no better than they are.  We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.  You are no better than the lowest person that you know.

Jesus doesn’t care who you are in this world.  He doesn’t care what you have done.  He cares that you come to Him.  And if you come to Him, He will forgive you.  He will help you and comfort you when you are in need.  Jesus will love you when no one else does.  And that was the victory of that parade so long ago and our parade today.  Jesus is the only one who will help you get through this coronavirus.

This week I would like you to invite someone to our Easter service.  If possible invite them to a meal before or after the service.  Invite them to come and have a good time.  We are going to gather next Sunday and celebrate.  We are going to be festive and happy.  So go out and invite others.  Let’s put on our Easter best next Sunday and celebrate.  Jesus Christ loves you so much that He did all this for you, for you not for us.  Jesus Christ can be your personal best friend and guide.  So let’s help Him celebrate this festive occasion.  Thank you Jesus for your love.  And thank you for first loving us.  Let’s pray.