Get Ready!
My oldest child, Josie, graduated High School this past week. I know many of you have gone through the same thing, but wow - where did that time go? There's so much more I wanted to do and teach, but here we are - and the countdown to her 'leaving the nest' accelerates. I'm well aware that I had over 18 years to get ready, but I was not prepared.
Today is already Palm Sunday once again, a day when we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem in the days before His crucifixion and resurrection. In the Bible we read that people prepared the path that Jesus rode in on by placing palm branches on the road. And even before that day, Jesus' cousin, John, was preparing people for Jesus' coming as we read in Matthew 3:1-3 (NIV)...
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea (2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (3) This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"
The time leading up to the events of this week before the crucifixion; all the prophecies and messianic references, some made thousands of years before Jesus' birth – all of that - was in preparation for Jesus' sacrifice! God was 'setting the table' so to speak as He orchestrated everything perfectly! But let's start by looking specifically at Jesus' entry into the city. Let's look at what happened…
I. When Jesus arrived
I want to look at the account that we usually read every year, but as we read it, I want you to think about this idea of preparation. Let's look at Matthew 21:1-11 (NIV)...
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, (2) saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. (3) If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." (4) This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
(5) "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" (6) The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. (7) They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. (8) A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (9) The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" (10) When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" (11) The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
The people were preparing the road to honor Jesus by laying down their cloaks and palm branches. They knew about Jesus because they'd either seen Him perform miracles or they'd heard about His miracles or heard Him teach. Jesus was not a completely unknown factor at this point. However - no one quite understood exactly what His plans were, but they were expecting this 'prophet' to do some amazing things in God's name! But despite all of the many years of 'groundwork' for His triumphal entry into the city…
A. Many were still unprepared
Many of those who spent time reading the scriptures and teaching the law weren't prepared for Jesus. They were busy doing 'religious things', and sadly those things took precedence over recognizing and honoring the Messiah that they had read about their entire lives!
In fact, many religious people of the day were so busy following their customs and traditions that they were completely surprised and even angry with what Jesus did when He showed up. Let's pick up right where we left off from our last passage where Matthew reports the first thing that Jesus did when He came into the city…
Matthew 21:12-17 (NIV)
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. (13) "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'" (14) The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.
(15) But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. (16) "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" (17) And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
The 'religious people' weren't prepared for Jesus. He had to personally 'clean up' the Temple so that it could be used for its intended purpose! The people weren't even prepared to accept the incredible miracles that He performed. Instead of joining in with the praise, because Jesus wasn't doing things the way they expected, or wanted – they became indignant.
Now it's one thing to be completely unprepared for Jesus when He shows up, but to then argue with Him because He's not doing things your way..? When Jesus shows up…
B. Jesus expects obedience
The people in the streets prepared for Jesus and honored Him, but even after Jesus corrected the religious leaders of the day – they still rejected Him and His authority. They weren't going to allow Him to tell them how to do things. Let's jump ahead in that chapter in Matthew to Matthew 21:42-46 (NIV)...
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? (43) Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. (44) He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."
(45) When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus' parables, they knew he was talking about them. (46) They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.
So, instead of changing their ways, instead of obedience - they decided to get rid of Jesus, to arrest Him. The Savior of the world arrives, the One who can take away all their sin and take them to Heaven - and they want to arrest Him! It still boggles my mind... And it's easy to judge things in hindsight – but if we had to find ourselves in this story - are we sure that we'd have been the ones praising Jesus in the streets and not the religious ones trying to have our own way?
Easter is a time when we celebrate Jesus' death, His burial and resurrection. It's next Sunday…
II. Are we prepared?
And I'm not just talking about our plans for a big Easter dinner with family. It's easy to gloss over what Easter is truly about amongst all of the traditions and secular hype. Let's face it, as far as most stores are concerned, the main character in Easter is the Easter Bunny. Their focus isn't on Jesus rising from the dead, but on Easter baskets and eggs and candy.
And don't get me wrong – I am not against the fun traditions of Easter. I don't want to get rid of all the Easter egg hunts and candy and fun that goes along with our celebration. I just want to make sure we aren't missing out on the most important aspect of what our celebration is all about.
I expect that many of you will get together with family next Sunday afternoon. I hope you'll enjoy all of the Easter candy, but in the middle of it all - don't forget why we're celebrating in the first place! Jesus rose from the dead! Jesus conquered death! AND, Jesus is coming back! Are we prepared?
I want us to jump back to scripture, to a passage where Jesus was teaching before He made His big entrance into the city. Again, a difference is seen between the reaction of the religious folks and 'sinners'. Let's look back a few chapters in Matthew 9:10-13 (NIV)...
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. (11) When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" (12) On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. (13) But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus made it a priority to seek out the lost! Do we always reflect that same value? Or do we need to occasionally refocus our attention from what we want to what the lost need? And no matter who you are, if you want to be prepared for Jesus – it requires a growing submission to Jesus. Jesus calls everyone to…
A. Change
Jesus does accept everyone wherever they are. You don't have to look the right way or act the right way or talk the right way to come to Jesus. But notice - the tax collectors and 'sinners' came to listen to Jesus - not to tell Him how things should work. I shouldn't be, but I'm always surprised when I talk to someone about what the Bible says - and they say something like, "Of course, but what I believe is..." and they directly contradict what scripture teaches.
It's not God's Word that needs to change - it's us! Once you come to Jesus – He does expect you to learn to change; to turn from doing things your way to doing things God's way! Let's look at Romans 8:29 (NIV)...
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Jesus came to pay for the sins of the world – but He didn't expect us to stay in our sin! Are we prepared for the Easter celebration? Are we prepared for Jesus' return?
Are you ready to praise God with all of your heart, or is there something in your life that you may need to deal with; something from which you need to repent? As I mentioned just last week, repentance frequently isn't a 'one time thing'. Repentance is about changing everything in our lives, one thing at a time until we're finally made perfect when Jesus comes to call us home!
No one can really be expected to live a 'Christian lifestyle' before meeting Jesus. When you don't know Jesus - why would you value the same things that God values? But once you know Jesus - that relationship should affect everything in your life - how you view marriage and sexuality, how you view your work and family, how you make and spend your money and treat others, how you view human life and eternity...
The more time you spend with Jesus, the less you're to live like the rest of the world who doesn't know Him. We are called to change - to turn from sin and to turn to God's ways, which are always the best ways! And, God's ways always bring freedom and blessing to our lives!
Are we prepared for Jesus? We're called to change and grow, and our relationship with Jesus must…
B. Show evidence
We do not get to Heaven based on good deeds in our lives – but if we know Jesus, there will be some evidence that shows we are a people who have God's Holy Spirit in us, in our lives! There should be evidence that we are following Jesus! We just recently did a series on the fruit of the Spirit, those things that should be growing in our lives - "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." That should sound very familiar.
Once you develop these characteristics in your life because of your relationship with Jesus – then you're prepared to show more results – bringing others to Jesus! If we are to be prepared for Jesus – we need to be doing what He's called us to do.
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
To be prepared for Jesus, we need to show evidence of His Spirit in our lives! To be prepared for Jesus, we need to show evidence of changed lives that seek to bring others to find Jesus!
So What?
Unless Jesus returns soon, all of us will experience the same fate. This body of mine will continue to grow old. It will get weaker and eventually break down and it will die - and it will be buried in the ground and those in my family who are left will hopefully mourn my loss. But because of what we celebrate on Easter – none of that really matters!
Because of Jesus' death on a cross and His incredible resurrection, His defeat over death – none of that ultimately matters because I have been set free from the power of death itself! Because Jesus rose from the dead, I will rise from the dead! Because Jesus rose from the dead, those who have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior will rise from the dead!
I'm happy about Easter eggs and candy, but I'm thrilled about the resurrection! Because of Jesus – all of us in Christ will be reunited with those in Christ who have gone before us! Because of Jesus – death is just a temporary condition for a Christian! Easter is coming – are you prepared?