Passion week is not an obligation, but an opportunity.
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John 12:12 : The Triumphal Entry
The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!”
Traditionally called Palm Sunday, Jesus makes His triumphal entry on the 10th day of the month (Nisan) during the celebration of Passover. On this day in the Jewish calendar, families would select the lamb that would be sacrificed on the 14th day of Passover. And on this very day, Jesus, the lamb of God, is riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.
JESUS IS MORE APPEALING THAN RELIGION.
He was then, He is today.
This was their Passover, when they would have celebrated the deliverance of their forefathers from the bondage of Egypt from slavery and a succession of 10 plagues.
BUT EVERY YEAR IT WAS THE SAME THING.
Same prescribed prayers. Same routes to Jerusalem.
They wanted MORE!
Jesus is in town and they spontaneously start worshipping and crying out: SAVE US NOW (Hosanna)!!
There was a clash between the old and the new here.
Some of the most worshipful beings mentioned in scripture are completely covered in EYES.
(4 living creatures)Perhaps the highest form of worship right now is us choosing to behold God’s beauty while we are surrounded by tragedy.
— Mike Signorelli (@mikesignorelli_) April 4, 2020
His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered these things had been written about Him. The crowd that had been with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet Him was that they heard He had done this miraculous thing, this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him.”
JESUS WAS MORE APPEALING THAN RELIGION.
I want my church like I want my coffee– I want it HOT.
You see a second Jesus movement happening now, it’s those who hate their life that are finding eternal life.
Religion emphasizes the outward. JESUS EMPHASIZES THE INWARD!
Religion is about what you can’t do. JESUS IS ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Religion is about prohibition. JESUS IS ABOUT DEMONSTRATION OF POWER!
Religion puts up barriers. JESUS TEARS BARRIERS DOWN!
Non-jewish people would be restricted. They couldn’t even get close to the temple. Physical walls kept people out. Jesus said come unto me ALL who are…
Religion requires working your way to God. JESUS DECLARES I AM THE WAY TO GOD!
Hosanna is spontaneously being declared. Prophetically being declared. Deliver NOW. Save us NOW.
There was another perspective happening. The religious leaders were watching and saying, “Look, the whole world is going after Him.” The spontaneous worship was a threat to their system of religion.
Ever notice that everyone has an opinion of Jesus? (Caesarea Philippi)
There’s always going to be a lot of chatter around Jesus.
There are four groups of people observing the same event, but only ONE was really following Jesus (the disciples).
- The disciples (vs. 16)- They didn’t understand, but they followed.
- The eyewitnesses of Lazarus’ resurrection
- The group of people who heard the testimony of Lazarus (vs. 18)
- The religious people, the Pharisees
They all witnessed the same event. They observed.
In the same way: Some tune into the V1 Church livestream. They hear testimonies. They experience the miraculous.
But who is going to join me in following Jesus, even when we don’t understand the events unfolding?
We are realizing that we are the religious ones. Having church in our home is awkward because we only believe it can happen in a building.
We are the spontaneous worshippers who have had these experiences with Jesus but don’t really follow Him.
We are the people who’ve heard stories of what Jesus can do for others, we’ve heard testimonies, but we’ve never experienced who He could be for us.
Accept Jesus, be like the donkey who held Jesus up so that the world could declare – Hosanna – Deliver now!
The Donkey BY G. K. CHESTERTON
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.
The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.
The prophesied messiah of Zechariah 9:9 is on my back and I’m the donkey.
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