Weekend of April 12 & 13, 2014

2. Weekend of April 12 & 13, 2014

3. Introduction • I am fascinated with royalty, and love reading about them, maybe because I am so far from royalty myself. • Remember the hoopla surrounding the birth of baby George, the next heir to the British throne, last summer? • The Palaces, the servants, the untold wealth at their command is unbelievable.

4. Introduction • When Queen Elisabeth visited the United States several years ago, the newspapers reported how lavishly she travelled. • 4,000 pounds of luggage, containing two outfits for every occasion and one outfit in case someone died; • They brought 40 pints of blood plasma, in case the Queen would need an emergency surgery and blood transfusion; • Her own hairdresser, two valets and a host of other attendants; Cost? - $40 Million

5. Introduction • The people Kenya have an expression for such important people of our world. They call them “WaBenzi.” • The name comes from the luxurious cars they often ride in like the Mercedes Benz. • When Kaiser Wilhelm II visited the Holy City of Jerusalem, they had to enlarge the Jaffe Gate so that his over-sized carriage could pass through.

6. Introduction • After Kaiser Wilhelm’s parade had ended, someone put up a sign that read: A better man that Wilhelm came through this gate, and He rode on a donkey!

7. Introduction • Jesus did not ride in a Mercedes Benz, a royal carriage or on some impressive white stallion. • No! He rode on a humble donkey! • I think this is what separates the King of Kings from all the other royalty of this world – wouldn’t you agree?

8. Prelude to the Passion • There is something about donkeys that invites ridicule. • It is interesting that this event of Jesus entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey appears in all four Gospels. • It all started out in the little city of Bethphage, on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives.

9. Prelude to the Passion • I doubt the Disciples had any idea of what was coming that week: • The reception Jesus would receive in Jerusalem; • The subsequent rejection; • The mock trial that would occur; • Jesus’ crucifixion and then resurrection; • It was truly the week that changed history. • Watch this little video clip.

10. Prelude to the Passion • Later, Matthew will write, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, ‘See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey’” (Zechariah 9:9). • Thus, the drama begins, the drama we know as Holy Week. • Palm Sunday is really the prelude to Christ’s passion and His resurrection. • It is a day on which we wave palm branches and sing joyful songs of praise.

11. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He entered Jerusalem. • He knew the passion He would stir among the people. • He also knew this was the end of His earthly ministry. • After 3 years of telling people not to tell anyone who He was, now was the day of the “Big Reveal.” • Jesus also knew that would challenge the established religious order – you saw that in the little video clip. • Jesus was declaring Himself the King of Israel, the long-awaited Messiah.

12. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • The Sanhedrin could not tolerate Jesus’ assertion that He was the Messiah. • The Romans could not tolerate that He was a King, which would rival Caesar. • Jesus also knew how this would play out and finally end, with His death.

13. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • Jesus came to take all the evil in human hearts upon Himself. • Jesus knew the Isaiah passage, “He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him and by His wounds we are healed” (53:5). • Everything that happened during Holy Week, displayed all the evil that human beings could dish out. • Jesus knew all that evil would be laid on Him.

14. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • Are you familiar with Marco Polo the famous missionary and explorer? • In the Far East, Marco Polo was captured by the dreadful conqueror Genghis Khan, and was told speak and then he will be killed. • Marco Polo told him the story of Holy Week: Jesus’ betrayal, trial, scourging, crucifixion and death. • With that Genghis Khan became very agitated and shouted, “What did the Christian’s God to do then? Destroy them all?”

15. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • Marco Polo explained, that this was God’s plan to save people by punishing His own Son, Jesus. • Genghis Khan was clearly disappointed and unfortunately remained unconverted. • Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. • He know that He came to take all the evil of human hearts upon Himself.

16. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • With Palm Sunday, Jesus was ushering in a New Kingdom of Love. • Jesus turned the world upside down; • The King comes in humility; • This King becomes the sacrifice for others, in fact for all; • The foundation of this Kingdom is NOT power, but love; • In the Upper Room in Jerusalem there is a replica of a Pelican. • If food was limited for its young; • The adult pelican would tear out its own heart, so that the young could eat and survive. Why?

17. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • Humanity had never before been exposed to a God who would go to a cross for them. • Mankind had never been exposed to a God who would tear out His own heart for His people. • Fran Geddes tells of a tragic story of how his six year old son died. • He was coming home on the school bus that day and was the last to exit the bus.

18. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • As he exited the bus, his coat got caught in the closing door. • Before anyone knew what happened, the bus pulled away, sweeping the boy under the bus and killing him instantly. • Fran and his wife were in terrible dark grief at the loss of their son. • He says, we couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and didn’t know how they could ever pick up life again.

19. What Can We Learn from Palm Sunday? • Then one night as he was struggling to go to sleep, he had this image of Jesus on His cross. • In that moment, he knew there was no pain, no loss that God had not already felt on the day He lost His only son, Jesus. • That’s why we can walk into this Church, look up at that large cross above our altar and say: God loved us that much!

20. Comments? -or- Questions?