ADVENTURES IN MISSING THE POINT
(Stories from John and Luke)
Palm
Sunday - March 16, 2008
►INTRODUCTION: Last 3 months; 3
events; “He came to His own and His own missed the
point!” 3 lessons for us: Experience is the best (and
worst!) teacher; there’s a familiar key to getting the
point, and, missing the point has consequences.
Phrases we use
to describe missing the point: “I just don’t get it!”,
“He knows better than that”, “He can’t see the forest
for the trees”, “Clear as mud”,
Deal or No Deal:
No way to know what’s in your case; odds don’t matter;
Banker: “There are ‘risk players’, and ‘smart players’”.
►VIDEO
Blonde in the Library
►THE
PHARISEES (protectors
and interpreters of THE LAW)A
man born blind (John 9:14-16; John 10:19-21
Disciples: “Who sinned?”
Jesus: “Not the point: :This happened so that the
work of God might be displayed in his life!”Pharisees:
Couldn’t be the work of God, it happened on the Sabbath
Couldn’t be the work of God, WE DON’T EVEN
KNOW WHO THIS MAN IS!
Blind man: “Now that’s
remarkable: You big shots don’t know who this guy is,
but yet he opened my eyes: Once I was blind, now I see!
(all the proof I need!)Jesus threatened with stoning in
Jerusalem:
“If you are the Christ, tell us
plainly?”
“I and the
Father are one!”
Pharisees: We’re not stoning you for the miracles,
but for saying you are the Christ
►THE
POINT: JESUS MIRACLES
WERE PART OF THE PROOF (including healing blindness)Luke
4:18, 19
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the
poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to
release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the
Lord's favor." ►Luke
7:22
Go … and tell John what things you have seen and heard;
how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the
poor the gospel is preached.
►CAIAPHAS
AND THE SADDUCEES
(Religious leaders, no resurrection)John
11:47-53
Lazarus raised; if true,
threatened their whole temple systemNews gets to the
Jewish leaders; call a meeting of the Sanhedrin
"What
are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man
performing many miraculous signs.
48
If we let
him go on like this, everyone will believe in him (AS
KING), and then the Romans will come and take away
both our place
c
and our nation."
49
Then one of them, named Caiaphas,
who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know
nothing at all!
50
You do not realize that it is
better for you that one man die for the people than that
the whole nation perish."
Acknowledged the fact and
abundance of Christ’s miracles; in spite of claiming to
“look for Messiah” and in spite of overwhelming evidence
for Jesus, they move to protect their leadership
positions with the Romans and their source of income; If
the whole nation is drawn to Jesus, the Romans will be
drawn against us, take away our power and privilege, our
temple, our nation.
►THE
POINT:
Jesus would die not only for them but for all children
of GodHe
did not say this on his own, but as high priest that
year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish
nation,
52
and not only for that nation but
also for the scattered children of God, to bring them
together and make them one.
53
So from
that day on they plotted to take his life.”
Caiaphas prophesied: Sanhedrin decided it was their
responsibility to kill Jesus - TALK ABOUT MISSING
THE POINT!
T/O: They had nothing to fear from
the Romans – Jesus taught
to give tribute to Caesar, not to resist evil but to
“take up their cross.” Pilate (A ROMAN!) could “find no
fault in Him.”
►JESUS’ CLOSEST
DISCIPLESJohn
12:1, 12 Luke 19:37-44
– Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany; John
12:12 – “The next day…”
T/O: Rewind
Exodus 12:1-15: Lamb selection
day; First month of their year, 10th through
the 14th day; 5 days later was Passover.
KEY PART OF THEIR
SCRIPTURE; PRACTICED FOR CENTURIES ANNUALLY!
Luke 19:37-44 -
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!" 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."
Political deliverance: “Hosanna! palm branches
Conquering king versus suffering servant
►THE
POINT:
Political freedom was not why He
came – 2 comings: “window of mercy for the nations)41
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept
over it 42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known
on this day what would bring you peace-but
now it is hidden from your eyes.
►OBSERVATIONS►1.
Experience is the best (and worst!) teacher; Hindsight
is not always 20/20
►2. To
get the point, THINK PURPOSE! (Glory of God, community,
discipleship, ministry and mission: what perspective on
our current circumstances best fits that strategy?)“Whole
counsel of God”
►3. Missing the point has consequencesLuke
19:43 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. 44 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."
My Spirit will not always strive with man; “He gave them
up…” It is appointed…judgment
IMPLICATIONS FOR USHow
have we recognized Messiah? What are our expectations of
His value to us? How does He IMPACT us?
Forgive our
sins and cleanse us; guarantee heaven Meet our pain
and suffering with relief and healing Solve our
problems; clear up our confusion Provide a basis
for our fellowship and mutual care Provide a badge
of identity (holier than thou)
FOLLOW JESUS: SEEK PEACE HIS WAY (Thomas; “Gates of Hell
will not prevail…;” No reputation, form of a servant,
obedient; “If I wash your feet, you should wash one
another’s feet…;” “Take up your cross and follow me;”
“If you have done it to one of the least of these…;”
SILENCE TO WRITE PERSONAL
IMPLICATIONS(FILL
IN THE BLANKS)
Proverbs 1:23-3323
If you had responded to
my rebuke,I would have poured out my heart to youand
made my thoughts known to you.
24 But
since you rejected me when I calledand no one gave heed
when I stretched out my hand,
25 since
you ignored all my adviceand would not accept my rebuke,
26
I in turn will laugh at your
disaster;I will mock when calamity overtakes you —
27
when calamity overtakes you like a
storm,when disaster sweeps over you like a
whirlwind,when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28
"Then they will call to me but I
will not answer;they will look for me but will not find
me.
29 Since
they hated knowledgeand did not choose to fear the Lord,
30
since they would not accept my
adviceand spurned my rebuke,
31 they
will eat the fruit of their waysand be filled with the
fruit of their schemes.
32 For the
waywardness of the simple will kill them,and the
complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 but
whoever listens to me will live in safetyand be at ease,
without fear of harm."
