BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES

Mark 11:1-11

Sunday March 28, 2010

Many moons ago, back in the mid-1990's, there was a Jesus movement that took the nation by storm. Maybe you were a part of that or maybe you saw it on the evening news. When it came to Mecosta County our church jumped on board with many other churches, got the necessary permits and set a date for a third Saturday in May of 1996. What was it? The "Jesus Parade."

Yeppir. While others marched for civil rights, gay rights, human rights and all other rights, we marched for Jesus. Our youth and children made signs that the men fashioned with wood and nails into banners. The women packed lunches and water. We loaded up our vans and cars and headed to Big Rapids.

All 300 or so of us began on the southern end of the city just north of the Ferris state campus, hiked through downtown Big Rapids and ended up at the river park. We sang songs along the way, shouted Jesus chants and handed out tracts to any that would take one. We passed the downtown restaurants and coffee shops, the supermarket and Dunkin Donuts (and I didn't even run in!).

Wow, what a day! I was so wore out and hungry I didn't think this thing would ever end. But finally we arrived to our destination and celebrated by breaking open out lunch baskets and feeding ourselves.

Now maybe you heard about that and felt guilty that you didn't go and march somewhere. That's alright, because we really didn't grow the kingdom of God by much. But what we did do is get some much needed exercise and fresh air.

I am reminded of this when I think about the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem the week before he was killed. There was great celebration at our event though I can't say it compared with the real one in Jesus day. But the day that Jesus made his grand entrance into Jerusalem there was fervor among seemingly everyone.

What I see of this great victorious entrance of Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem that day was something of an event that points our eyes to a greater understanding of whom Jesus was then and who Jesus is now. Truly Luke heard right: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Jesus brings a newness to everything in a person's life and this certainly was demonstrated when Jesus entered into Jerusalem. There was excitement in the air not because Jesus was a

1. Jesus bringing a new kingdom.
   

The scripture tells us that when Jesus sat upon the young donkey that the others with him spread their coats on the ground in front of him. This was a symbol there homage to his royalty. They began to see Jesus in a new light. Jesus did not come to refit an old kingdom with new ideas. He brought something greater than a revolution. Jesus came to establish something greater than any kingdom of this world.

What kind of kingdom did Jesus come to establish?

a. The Kingdom of God.

Jesus did not ride into Jerusalem on a war-horse representing himself as a man of military means but instead chose a simply donkey that was commonly used. Donkeys are sturdy animals, not much speed but are able to weather the uneven roads and do a variety of agricultural needs.

Something else this represented was Jesus as someone holy. The holy men of that time would ride proudly on a donkey. You actually see this in the movie "The Passion of the Christ."

What Jesus ushered was not just another super power. Our world has been overrun by military and economic super powers at one time or another. Most of them selfishly driven. During Jesus earthly lifetime the world was over powered by the powerful Roman Empire.

For those who suffered under the Roman rule they saw in Jesus a different kind of kingdom. The Kingdom that Jesus came to establish was the Kingdom of God- not separated from this world but yet separate from this world. This was…

b. A Kingdom not of this world.

Jesus taught values of living that was different than those of this world's thinking. Power, money and charisma are the things that people hunger for yet Jesus taught that these values were valueless in his kingdom because here "the first shall be last and the last shall be first." In this world you build your house upon the sand. In the Kingdom of God you build your house upon the rock of confession in Jesus as Lord. This is…

c. A Kingdom that transcends our daily life.

Who we are is now different. Jesus shows us what it means to be truly human, that we can live out the holiness that we were created for and that we are set free from the sinfulness that traps men and women into despair.

This Kingdom of God transcends this world's significance and importance. No longer do we fear death because we have an eternal home in the presence of our Savior and Lord and King, Jesus Christ. No longer do we fear Satan because we are now a child of the King. The enemy can't touch you! No longer are we worrying and fretting because we can approach the King's throne of grace.

We are truly a part of a kingdom that is a living, breathing and unshakeable kingdom of God.

What do we discover in this new kingdom? We discover that…

2. Jesus Brings a New Peace.

Palm branches represented not only national pride but victory. Furthermore, by laying down these branches for our Lord, they represented honor and recognition of their submission to Jesus. This had to simply gall the Jewish leaders as they saw this. Here they saw people actually showing off that they believed Jesus to be at the very least the Savior of Israel.

Luke says that as Jesus was approaching Jerusalem he began to weep and said, "If you had known on this day what would bring you peace- now it is hidden from you." (Luke 19:42) He knew that the crowds were seeing something but his own people- especially the Jewish leadership- were not seeing Jesus for who he was. He was the one who would bring a true peace that they longed to have. But instead they trusted in their own little kingdom instead.

Jesus was not simply bringing in a whole new kingdom but he also brought peace to the hearts of those who chose to follow him.

The Hebrew word for peace has some interesting connotations. Its first and more common understanding is that of peace. When I was in Junior High we used to sing a song at the end of our concert that said, "Shalom my good friend, shalom my good friend." It signifies peace with either God or another person

The other sense of shalom has to do with paying a debt. When a debt is unpaid something is incomplete and unsatisfied. And so to pay a debt is to complete something that was incomplete. When I was lost in my sins I owed a debt for my sins when I came to God for forgiveness. Jesus' death on the cross completed the transaction for my salvation. I could not earn it or work for it because salvation is by grace. So by faith I trusted Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Now the transaction is complete and nothing is left undone. In other words, shalom is now present.

The kind of peace that Jesus brings is central to living:

a. Peace with God- no longer a child of wrath or hell, but a child of God.

This is incredible! By my confession of faith in Jesus Christ, by my salvation from sin through Jesus Christ I am now a part of this kingdom of God.

Now to be a part of a kingdom you have to have peace with the King. This peace with God takes me out of the clutches of hell and put beneath the wings of our heavenly Father.

b. Peace with self- no more guilt, shame or condemnation.

Romans 8:1- "There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." No longer do we live under a guilt complex; Jesus has paid the price for our sins. No longer does God condemn us to hell because we are now a child of his kingdom.

Romans 5:1- "Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

c. Peace with neighbors- learning to love others with the compassion of Christ.

As Christians who now have peace with God we learn that we have a new peace with those around us. We are called to give cold cups of water to those who are thirsty. We are called to clothe the naked and feed the hungry. We are called to a whole new sense of how we are to live our lives.

Hebrews 12:14- "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

This verse links holiness with peacefulness with others. Do you want to serve your King with all of your heart? Then you will love others just as Jesus first loved you.

Besides a new kingdom and a new peace, Jesus does something else.

3. Jesus brings new life.

The crowds shouted: "Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

It has been suggested by one scholar (I don't remember who) that the crowds were likely led by children singing. These children would have been young boys celebrating their bar-mitzvah.

What see though, is not just the singing and the celebration of our Lord coming in holy power with a new kingdom at hand but by entering into this kingdom, by receiving his offer of peace you are given a new life.

2 Corinthians 5:17- "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come!"

What does this new life in Christ supposed to look like?

a. A new life better than the old life.

Very rarely- if ever- you will find someone at the end of their life regretting that they served their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all of their life. What you might hear is regret that they serve him more diligently.

This new life in Christ is better because you are not a child of hell any longer but a child of God. You no longer live with guilt, shame and condemnation but you are now filled with God's Spirit and have a joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Again I have to refer to Romans 8 and this time verse 6- "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Let Jesus have full control of even the wrong thoughts that come through your mind. Stamp those things out so that you can live in the fullest of significance in Christ Jesus.

Furthermore, there is…

b. Significance through Christ's life.

My way of doing things have been a failure. But God's way of doing things don't simply bring success to my life but better yet, I receive significance. In the world, I may be somebody by their standards or I may be nobody by my standards or vice versa. However, in Jesus Christ I am now somebody. I love Romans 8:14- "those who are led by the Spirit are sons of God."

As I had explained in a Christmas sermon at Hart Wesleyan, the idea of being a son of God in this context is not about male or female. The truth of that word "son" signifies inheritance. In a few verses later it says, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ…" (v. 16)

We are important to God. I am important to God. You are important to God. He wants you to have such a significance as his child through Jesus Christ that he will give you an inheritance that outweighs any earthly inheritance. This means that there is…

c. An eternal life with God forever.

When you became a Christian the very eternal life of God was put into your heart. This life is the life of Christ. No longer is the air I breathe my own but my Lord's. If I should die before I wake I know that I will be in heavenly glory with my Savior.

Conclusion: Has Jesus come into your heart?

Jesus came into Jerusalem that day to usher in a whole new way of living. He brought peace then and today he offers his peace to you. Do you long to have peace in your life? Do you long to have a new life that gives you freedom to truly live without guilt and shame? Do you long to be loved for who you are not for what you do?

Then Jesus is the answer for your soul.

Do you know Jesus Christ personally? Have you accepted him as your personal Lord and Savior?

Admit that you are a sinner. This is important. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All have walked their own way. However, Jesus gives you an opportunity to receive forgiveness of your sins and begins by admitting that you are a sinner.

Believe that Jesus died for your sins. Yes, all of your sins. By admitting that you are a sinner you admit that you have committed sins. Jesus died on the cross so that you can be forgiven and receive a new life.

Confess Jesus as Lord. This is a huge step that changes everything. This means that you recognize Jesus as the one who died for your sins and that he also was raised from the dead. Since Jesus is alive, you are now made alive spiritually by his life.

Do you wish for Jesus to come into your heart today?

"I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." 2 Corinthians 6:2