John 12:9-13
MY STORY:
when things don’t go as planned. THE Masters tournament.
1) Lottery
for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta
Georgia.
2) Tiger
Woods back surgery
3) Toe
smashed
4) THE
DAY - store, food, golf ball, siren, announcement x’s 2. Sit in car - go to
lunch host - get items mailed - go to a movie.
Things did not go as planned.
PALM SUNDAY
STORY:
John 12:9-13
Meanwhile a
large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because
of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill
Lazarus as well, 11 for on account
of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in
him. 12 The next day the great crowd
that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to
meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel.”
THIGS DIDN’T
GO AS PLANNED FOR THE CHIEF PRIESTS:
They planned
to kill Jesus & Lazarus. WHY? People were following Jesus and putting their
faith in him, not them, because he had raised Lazarus form the dead. They were unable to kill them - too public.
The large
crowd now grew to a great crowd the next day.
When people heard that Jesus was coming, they got palm branches and went
out to meet him shouting: "Hosanna!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord!" "Blessed is the King of
Israel!"
The waving of palm branches was a
common way of celebrating the victory of a great king or deliverer. This is
also why Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is commonly referred to as His “triumphal
entry.” The synoptic Gospels also tell us that the people also laid some their
garments in the way before him, which in our day would be the equivalent of
“rolling out the red carpet”. They were clearly preparing the way for the king. Along with these symbolic gestures of royal
celebration, they “began to shout, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the
name of the LORD, even the King of Israel.” The majority of that chant of
praise is from Psalm 118:25-26—a Psalm commonly sung during the Passover. The
final words, “even the King of Israel,” are added. Up to this time, the Jews
had interpreted that Psalm messianically.
That is precisely the way
the crowds seem to
take it. Without
question the great multitudes that thronged Jesus of Nazareth were hailing Him
as the promised messianic king. For them that meant the messiah was riding into
Jerusalem at passover to overthrow their Roman oppressors.
Things
did not go as planned. A king came riding upon a horse when he was bent on war
and rode upon a donkey when he wanted to point out he was coming in peace.
Jesus' entry to Jerusalem would thus symbolize his entry as the Prince of
Peace, not as a war-waging king. Jesus
had planned this event - He knew the timing was right - passover - multitudes
would be in Jerusalem - anticipation of the coming of the messiah was heighted
during this celebration - he wanted people to make no mistake about who he was
- though, who he was - was not who they had in mind - it was not going to work
out the way they had planned.
Therefore
things were not working out as planned for anyone:
1) The
chief priests couldn’t get rid of Jesus
2) The
people couldn’t get their military messiah
3)
The disciples, well, they just couldn’t get
it: John 12:16 At first his disciples
did
not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they
realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done
these things to him.
How
do you respond when things don’t go as planned? I know people who can’t handle
it, others who simply begin finding a solution to whatever problems have come
about.
CONCLUSION
As you come
to church on Palm Sunday are things going as planned? What is your plan? Are you just going through
the motions of churchianity? I will tell
you what the plan is…and it will happen as expected: Revelation 7:9-17
After this I
looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, (Super
Palm Sunday) from every nation, tribe,
people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes
and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a
loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who
sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." All the angels were standing
around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They
fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen!
Praise
and glory and wisdom and thanks and
honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
13 Then one of
the elders asked me, "These in white robes — who are they, and where did they
come from?" I answered, "Sir, you
know." And he said, "These are
they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes
and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the
throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the
throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never
again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching
heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will
lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes.”
LISTEN: When things don’t go as planned:
Prov 19:21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it
is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
Ps
33:11 The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart
through all generations.
Jer
29:11-12 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.
When things don’t go as planned:
It’s all God’s children singing glory, glory He Reigns!!!
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