March 16, 2008

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 Scripture KJV

Reverend David S. Huffer

Westwood Baptist Church - 2124 Davis Road
 Waynesboro, VA

Mark
11:1    And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
11:2    And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
11:3    And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
11:4    And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
11:5    And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
11:6    And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
11:7    And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
11:8    And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
11:9    And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
11:10    Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

 

Palm Readers, Pilots, and Praises

Palm Sunday 2008

Mark 11:1-10

 

Palm Sunday – it is the “precursor” to resurrection Sunday and all the events  leading up to it - (upper room, garden, arrest, trials, whipping, nailing, dying, and burial)

·           Palm Sunday was a day of anticipation

·           As Christ had earlier: “set His face” to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51)

 

We turn this morning to the Gospel of Mark for our look at Christ’s last and final entry into Jerusalem.

·           Mark’s writing style is different than that of the other Gospel writers (Matthew, Luke, and John)

·           He wrote to a gentile audience – namely the Romans and their culture was a lot like ours – busy, self-absorbed, time-oriented and less detail oriented.

So Mark writes with a quick pen skipping details and just giving the jest of the situation to present Jesus.

 

This morning I am going to pull a “Mark” out of the hat.

·           I am going to cut to the chase and get to the point

 

PASTOR DAVE: What do palm readers and palm pilots have to do with Palm Sunday?

·           Nothing! But it does make for a good and interesting title.

 

Actually I would like ….

·           Palm Readers – to stand for all the stuff that is false and fabricated in our lives

·           Palm Pilots – to speak to the time-filled busyness of our lives

…both of which can crowd and rob us of our PRAISE of God!

 

As I said: Christ’s entry into Jerusalem was an anticipated day.

Mark 10:34 - "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

And then we read … And as they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives…

 

PALMS OF OBEDIENT PRAISES – 11:2-6

Jesus sent two of His disciples to go get His transportation and what to say if they were questioned.

·           Overt instructions – given by Jesus

·           Overt Obedience – by the two disciples

“They went” – the two found everything as it was told to them and they did everything that was instructed of them.

·           Such plans were more than coincidence

·           As they were the prepared and prophesied work of God the Father

Zechariah 9:9 – “"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

DEAR FRIENDS – God brings His word to pass – to fulfillment

·           It is truth you can stand on, count on, and call upon!

·           It is clearly fulfilled in Matthew 21:5 where Zechariah 9:9 is quoted.

·           The key to the peace that is coming is the Prince of Peace which will bring it

The riding of the colt signified Christ’s humble nature.

·           His peace-filled mission and His desire to do all His Father had told Him to do

A King would ride a colt/donkey – He is showing that He comes in peace

·           Whereas – if He were riding a horse He was showing He came to conquer.

DEAR FRIEND – Let it be known – Christ came this time for peace BUT one day He will come again to conquer!

 

Revelation 19:11-16 – “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

 

Throughout Scripture overt instructions are given to us

·           Praise the Lord – in the night, mid-day, good times and bad times

·           We are to praise the Lord

Such speaks to:

  1. What we are to do – praise
  2. Who we are to do it to – the Lord

Praise is to be an overtly obedient part of our lives

·           Obedience is the prelude to praise and worship

FRIENDS - On this “Palm Sunday” let nothing of falsehood or busyness keep us from obediently praising our God – our Savior

 

PALMS OF ACKNOWLEDGED PRAISE – 11:7-10

After receiving the colt the two disciples had acquired, those with Christ placed their coats on it as a make-shift saddle.

·           Christ began to make His descent down the mountain (2 miles) and into Jerusalem

 

From those gathered with Christ to those gathered along the roadside, they began to acknowledge Him as a King and cry out to Him as Savior.

A. Acknowledgment brings extravagant worship

·           Like the woman who would break the alabaster jar and recklessly pour it on the head of Christ (Mark 14:3) preparing Him for burial

·           Those on the road began with reckless abandoned worship and praise and threw their coats and cut palm branches (John 12:13) to prepare the entrance for Christ.

Two items of intrigue here:

1.       Learn to worship in spontaneity and anonymity (no names other than that of Jesus)

2.       Learn to praise before and after

Mark 11:9a – “Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

B. Acknowledgment Brings About Self-Awareness

·           Hosanna – has the sense of “save us we beseech thee” or “Save now”

Whether those crying out this way really understood the implications can only be speculated

·           However – God providentially saw to it that this prophecy was fulfilled in Psalm 118:25: “Save Now, I pray, O LORD…”

·           On the night Christ the Savior was born the angels cried out: “glory to God in the highest” (a Savior has been born to you” Luke 2:11)

·           And coming to the fulfillment for His coming the people cried: “Hosanna in the highest!” (v.10)

 

DEAR FRIENDS – From His birth to His death the intent of Christ was to save His people.

 

Acknowledged awareness says: “We need a Savior too!”

 

CLOSE

Let us gather our lives this Easter season, tossing aside palm readers (false and fabricated) and our palm pilots (busyness)  … and lift up our palms to Christ

·           Praising Him and acknowledging Him as our King and Savior.

 

And all God’s children said – AMEN!

 

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