Nipate
Forum => Controversial => Topic started by: vooke on March 29, 2015, 09:25:28 AM
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Good morning church,
Palm Sunday it is.
Count down to Jesus Passion, death and resurrection.
Of course this is another meaningless day since it is quite obvious Jesus was not crucified in April. My only memories for this day is the East African Safari Rally. I fell in love with speed over Easter, a habit my Empress has had to pray me out of when nagging, accident and even sulking failed.
Our reading comes from Matthew, something I can bet you will hear it severally today in churches.
Matthew 21:1-16English Standard Version (ESV)
The Triumphal Entry
21 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt,[a] the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
“‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”
Points to ponder
-Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing very well he would not leave there alive
- This is one instance where Jesus was readily received by multitudes as the Messiah, we are told the whole city was stirred
-He was received as a king and a prophet at the same time
-He also cleansed the temple of commercial activities and healed the sick and lame; the power of God flowed where previously perversion reigned.
- not everyone was impressed; the religious leaders was terribly envious of his reception
What motivated Jesus to endure all this suffering?
Hebrews 12:2English Standard Version (ESV)
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
He was motivated by the 'joy set before him'.
What joy?
Isaiah 53:11 (ESV)
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Our salvation, our reconciliation to God
John 12:32 (ESV)
32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
This Lord's Day, I want you to reflect on who Jesus be to you; a crazy Nazarene,a misguided fanatic and rabble rouser,a mythical figure, ONE of the prophets of God,the Son of God,the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
For vooke, Jesus, that's my KING!
Shalom
And now, let us render worship to Whom it is due, Alpha and Omega (Rev 1:8)