United In Christ · Growing In Grace · Reaching Out In Love

Sunday Morning Sermon Summary

►WHAT’S HE CRYING ABOUT? (Luke 19:37-44)
April 5, 2009

 ►The familiar story

Luke 19:37 - When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

           Put yourself in the scene.  You were just at Lazarus funeral, Jesus cried with you (silently),

          Lazarus raised from the dead…WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT JESUS?

           Now you’re coming into the city, big crowd for Passover, palms, “Hosanna” (“save us”)

          WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

 JEWS LOOKING FOR A CONQUERING KING - Disciples and especially the Pharisees were aware of the significance of the time, place, and characteristics:

 ►Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

           ►Matthew 21:6-9 (What they said)

          Last time the nation had been free: Palm Branches - Hosanna

 ►The rest of the story

          39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." 

          Lots of Messiahs. Romans in the Antonia to put down rebellions

►41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 

 Jesus is sobbing! You’ve been a follower for up to 3 years: WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? You’ve waited 3 years for this moment; all the conditions of Zechariah’s prophecy are coming true.  All the previous “Messiahs” are dead and gone.  Now finally one who fits all the requirements.  SO FAR, NO ROMANS!

          THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE DROPS INTO PLACE AND THE PICTURE IS COMPLETE!

          AND JESUS STARTS SOBBING!

►42 "If you, even you, had only known on this day WHAT WOULD BRING YOU PEACE”)

Why is this guy crying?  Why would He say ”if only…” “…peace is hidden from your eyes.” 

     THINK ABOUT IT! HOW DO YOU FEEL? IMAGINE YOU’RE PETER, JAMES, OR JOHN (the inner circle). 

     You’ve just declared Jesus KING.  You’ve got the crowd all pumped up.  All the people who know their OT                    get it! OR DO THEY? THEN JESUS MAKES IT WORSE!

►The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

       The people wanted victory over Rome through conflict and military conquest

       Jesus offered a relationship with Himself  (“I am the way, truth, life…”)

       ROME NOT THE RIGHT ENEMY!  ENEMY IS SIN (SIN IS…)

          Anything that OBSCURES a clear view of God as He really is

            Anything that REPLACES God as “Lord and King”

            Anything that PREVENTS intimacy with God

►SO WHAT? TO WIN A WAR YOU NEED TO FIGHT THE RIGHT ENEMY

►John 16: 33 ‘These things have I spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have (past tense) overcome the world.’

►1) Jesus’ PURPOSE for coming is still the same

     To open the door to relationship (reconciliation) that frees us from the CONSEQUENCES of sin

Sin messes things up, Jesus has won the battle over sin

A relationship that will bring “peace of mind and heart, not the peace the world gives…

Jesus cries because He we can’t see – we don’t recognize - what He sees

►ILLUSTRATION: (Doctrine taught by our hymns) “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL” vs 1

►2) Jesus’ TERMS are still the same

     By grace alone, through faith alone in Christ ALONE

     We look to our own resources, the government, the leaders and staff of the church, leaders, etc.

     Jesus cries because we miss HIS TERMS FOR PEACE!

     ►ILLUSTRATION: “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL, vs. 2

 ►3) JESUS WILL COME AGAIN!

      Then “He will wipe ALL tears from our eyes, there will be no more death, the enemy (SIN) will be destroyed (not just defeated)

     ►ILLUSTRATION: “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL, vs. 4

 In the meantime His promise is ►“He will never leave us or forsake us” (He empowers our warfare when we FIGHT THE RIGHT ENEMY)

 ►WHAT NOW: THE KINGDOM: Disciples missed it all the way up to the moment of His ascension

     Zechariah’s Perfect picture = not a mighty horse or chariot – a donkey (ridden by common people)

     Not an adult but a foal, more likely to disgrace the rider than honor him

      ►Matthew 20:28 “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for              many”

      ►John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do      even greater things than these… (What were things Jesus was doing? What ENEMY was He fighting?)

      ►Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

MISSION: GLORIFY GOD – EXTEND HIS KINGDOM – Which results is a world RECONCILED TO GOD

► TO WIN A WAR YOU NEED TO FIGHT THE RIGHT ENEMY

      The KINGDOM will be distinguished by the absence of sin

      To EXTEND the kingdom is to “mitigate” the effects of sin

     Contemporary crises; threats to our way of life;  

     JEREMIAH’S EXPERIENCE (Exile): same “sins”; ONLY SO MUCH GOD WILL TOLERATE IF WE CONTINUE TO MISS IT. JUDGMENT IS COMING IF WE MISS IT

►2 Corinthians 6:1-2 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says,

"In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. DON’T MISS IT!

Kimberly:  “Open your eyes and watch me work!”

►Title Slide           461: “Open My Eyes That I May See”

Legend:

Green: Mission and Vision
Blue: Illustrations and quotes
Red: Scripture

Note to the visitor:  These are Pastor Paul’s sermon notes from Sunday Morning.  They probably won’t make much sense if you weren’t in the service.  Feel free to contact Pastor Paul if you’d like more detailed information.
For past sermons, please visit the Sermon Archive. 

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