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The Jesus Parade
John 12:12-15 Jesus is now on His
way to Imagine the crowded
streets everywhere you look.
Up ‘til now Jesus has for the most part avoided the big crowds and kept
a low profile. But now He
comes front and center, and allows His disciples to announce Him as the
Messiah. Why?
He’s moving things toward His ultimate rejection by the religious
leaders, putting the wheels in motion for His ultimate sacrifice. From this point on in
the week, chaos ensues, it appears, but actually Jesus is in full
control, guiding all things.
And today those in Jesus said in John 10,
no man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down.
He wasn’t a victim or a martyr, He is the loving sacrificial
Savior!
1. The
King’s Preparation. All His earthly life
He was preparing for the events to come in this week, and it quickly
becomes evident that He is ready!
a.
He has the power to fulfill prophecy. v. 14 "as it is written" = in the
OT. v. 15 He is fulfilling the
prophecy of Zech. 9:9. Zechariah 9:9 As Jesus got dressed
on this particular morning, He looked into the mirror of prophecy, and
He knew that what has already been written is today going to be
fulfilled! One of the greatest
evidences/proofs you can give to an unbeliever are the facts of
fulfilled prophecies. No
other book in the world has ever dared to predict the future like the
Bible has...and never been wrong!
When Jesus came the first time, He fulfilled over 300 OT
prophecies. And most of them
He had no control over, such as when He would be born and where and how,
as well as the events of His death down to even minor details.
[mathematical odds illustration] Skeptical doubters
with more degrees than a thermometer say it was just a series of
coincidences. I say, so are
the diplomas hanging on their walls! This is just one more
example of how the prophecies about Jesus and His coming to earth were
fulfilled...and mark it down, just as surely as they were, the
prophecies about His second coming will come to pass just as they have
been written. Our title is
The King is Coming, and we could add, the King is Coming Again!
He’s coming
back any time on a cloud FOR His own, and following the tribulation
He’ll return again in the sky WITH His own.
b.
He has the power to control nature. v. 14 Just as God allowed a
donkey to speak in the OT, He made another unlikely situation work out,
that people would just give their property away to someone they don’t
know, for no good reason, as Matthew says.
Further, Mark’s gospel says
this donkey had
never been ridden before.
Does this tell you anything, you who know about animals? ill.--on sabbatical
last year my wife had an opportunity to ride a horse, and she was very
excited. Well, as soon as
she got on, the horse started going round and round in circles, and she
was trying to hang on but slipped and was falling off the side,
screaming, with a crowd of onlookers.
I panicked and didn't know what to do.
Just then the manager of the K-Mart came out and unplugged it! This donkey in our
text is not tame, and I can tell you you’d have to have dominion over
the animals, as their Creator, for this to work out.
Psalm 8:4-9 If you have dominion
over nature you will be able to walk on water, calm a storm, or heal
with a touch. You'll be able
to send a fish with a coin in its mouth to a friend so he can pay his
taxes!
the King's preparation...
2. The
King’s Presentation.
a. Jesus in His lowliness.
This King is on a donkey, not a chariot. The Roman authorities were
used to royalty, but not like this.
The Jews had had kings before, but none so common.
The red carpet is replaced with branches from the trees and
people’s shed clothing. No doubt some scoffed
at the Jesus parade..."Some king this is," they may have said as they
watched it go by. On the other hand, I
imagine Zacchaeus being in the parade saying, I used to be materialistic
and dishonest, but no more...and there’s the man that changed me.
Blind Bartimaeus could say I once was blind but now I see.
Lazarus could say, I was dead, and THAT man was my resurrection!
Mary Magdalene could say, I was filthy, and He made me pure!
The maniac of And our world laughs
still today at us, and what they consider a donkey circus, but I for one
am proud to be a part of the Jesus parade!
I was blind, a beggar, and outcast, but He saved me!
Like Paul I want to say out loud, I’m not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ!
You need to decide if you
want to be in the world's parade or the Jesus parade.
You can't have it both ways.
If you want to be in the Jesus parade, you'll need to be willing
to share in His lowliness. "The old rugged
cross...its shame and reproach GLADLY bear!"
His lowliness...
b.
Jesus in His loftiness. v. 12-13
"Hosanna" means "Lord, save us now!"
They are recognizing His 'Messiahship'.
Then they go on to call Him their King.
But is He truly?
These are quotes from Psalm
118. Not all of these are
dedicated followers. Many of
these are fickle crowd followers who in a few days will cheer on his
crucifixion! Even His most
dedicated followers will flee the scene then. Don’t worry about what
the crowd says. Remember,
the crowd [majority] is usually wrong.
Keep following Jesus, even if you stand alone!
[school / home / work] The crowd will
proclaim you a hero one minute and a zero the next.
But you can know who you are whether they see it or not.
And Jesus wasn’t lifted up w/ pride by this reception, any more
than He was angered by their later deception.
He knew Who He was, and that some of them would truly believe.
Jesus went from hero to zero in nothing flat...and He did it for
love! ill.--
In 1980 a young man from I'm not ashamed to be
a part of the Jesus parade! And as surely as He
came that day to purchase His kingdom, the King is coming again to bring
it all home! Recommend this sermon to others. Grace Notes Sermon Ministry:
NOTICE! Our sermons are free to download, copy and paste, edit and use as you see fit...but only our free subscribers get the newest messages, featured sermons, and some free gifts we shower on them from time to time! Help keep this service free by recommending it using the links above the sermon
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All Sermons and PowerPoint Slideshow Presentations ©Copyright Jerry Shirley and Grace Notes Ministries® unless otherwise credited. These resources are yours to use freely, but only in public worship services or private study groups and devotions. They may not be sold, republished or retransmitted in any form without written permission.