A few weeks ago, we went to a concert by the Columbia High School Jazz Band. It was great! Those young people did a wonderful job - especially since their conductor was sick and unable to be there. At the end of the show, the crowd applauded loud and long, so the group played another number . That often happens. We have been to many a concert over the years, both school and professional groups. When the audience is pleased and the applause continues, they will do an encore number or two. But eventually, the applause dies down, the cheering stops, and the crowd goes home. The hero, the performer, the group packs up and goes back to their routine or on to the next town for a repeat performance.
It's the same in any situation. Rudy Guiliani was hailed as a hero for his leadership in New York City after 9/11/2001. In time, the cheering stopped. In the past few months, he tried to get the crowd to start cheering again and make him the Republican nominee for President, not very many came to the party. That scenario plays out in all sorts of ways all the time. Mylie Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, is drawing record crowds at over one hundred dollars a ticket. But in a short time, when those nine and ten year olds, as well as Mylie get a little older, that will change.
When Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem the last time before His arrest, the crowds were cheering. A number of factors all came together to create the conditions that made that happen. For one thing, Jesus' reputation no doubt preceded Him. After all, He had been teaching and performing miracles in that region for three years. People had been healed of their sicknesses. He even restored life to a few folks like His friend Lazarus. His miracles were clearly God-inspired. People knew who He was and what He was capable of. For this reason, many were convinced that He was the Messiah.
Another reason the crowds were cheering was the simple concept of "mob mentality." I suspect you have all been a part of those things before. I remember when I was a kid growing up in Maryland, my parents would take my brother and me to see the Fourth of July fireworks at the Washington Monument. The grounds would become a sea of people. As the fireworks began, everyone cheered and oohed and aahed and gasped at the beauty of those colorful displays. At the "Grand Finale," everyone applauded loud and long and then we headed back to our cars and went home. The cheering stopped and nothing had changed.
But for those folks back there in the First Century, it was different. It was the annual Passover celebration. Many people had gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the "passing over" of the Angel of death and the final release of the Jewish captives from Egyptian slavery. This was indeed a happy time. Not only that, but each year at Passover, the people speculated about when the Messiah would come and set them free. You see, they had been set free from Egypt those hundreds of years before, but now they were living under a very oppressive Roman government. They were anxiously awaiting that Messiah's return to free them once and for all.
There was a third factor contributing to all the fuss over Jesus that day. In addition to the fact that people knew His background, His teaching, His miracles and the fact that people were always looking for the Messiah to appear at Passover, Jesus fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy that made them even more sure that He was who they thought He was. He sent His disciples to bring a donkey colt for Him to ride. Zechariah, a prophet from about 500 years before the time of Christ, wrote: "Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey--riding on a donkey's colt." (Zechariah 9:9 NLT) But Jesus came with a small band of men, not an army. While people celebrated His coming and honored Him by spreading palm branches and coats in the street before Him, He came with no army. There was no heavily armed throng of men following along nearby or awaiting His signal just outside the city gates.
Yes, the King had finally come, but they missed what He was saying and what He stood for. We do that all the time don't we? You hear someone say something, maybe even something profound and deep, but you hear what you want to hear, don't you? It is especially likely to happen in this presidential campaign. The candidates make very carefully worded statements that each of you will hear, and each one of you will interpret what you hear to your own liking. Political pundits will claim to tell you what they think the candidate really said and what they think he/she really meant, but you won't necessarily believe them.
You see, the people were looking for a warrior king who would overthrow the Roman government and set up a new kingdom - ruled by that wonderful Messiah sent from God. Jesus came and set up a new kingdom all right, but it was not the political kingdom as the people wanted. It was a spiritual kingdom. Since the people did not get what they wanted, they stopped cheering pretty quickly. As a matter of fact, the joyful cheers soon turned into jeers and shouts of "Crucify Him, Crucify Him."
Before we think about why the people turned on Jesus, let's look back at another aspect of that processional to the City of Jerusalem. In Luke 19, we read, "As they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to weep. "How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation." (Luke 19:41-44 NLT) You see, Jesus knew that they would not understand or accept His spiritual Kingdom. He also knew that in less than 40 years, the city would be destroyed.
As we look at the events of that exciting day, let's try to see what was really happening. As we do, I believe you will discover the reason the crowd turned on Him so quickly. You might look for yourself in the crowd, as well. There are three things to recognize that are as applicable today as they were in that day nearly 2000 years ago.
First, Jesus said, "How I wish you would understand the way to peace." (Vs. 42) But He wasn't thinking about the same thing they were thinking about. They wanted someone to set up a new kingdom, and that's what He came to do. As a matter of fact, He had already told them that. In Luke 17, we read, "One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be detected by visible signs. You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you." (Luke 17:20-21 NLT) You see, they were aware of His claims to be the Son of God. They had seen the miracles He performed. They saw Him raise people from the dead. But they could not understand what He was saying because they were more concerned with their immediate circumstances than they were with their real needs.
We are the same way today. When you experience trials, certain hardships, or you suffer through various difficulties, you get your eyes on your circumstances. When your focus is on everything around you that is wrong, then something happens. You don't even realize it, but your prayers start to change. Your prayers shift from your relationship and trust to your immediate need. As a result, your prayers become, "Lord, deliver me, help me, fight for me, uplift me," instead of, "Lord, mold me, use me, grow me through these things, change me, and help me give You the glory." Too often, the desire is for God to change the circumstances, instead of God changing the person in those circumstances. Sadly, it has an effect. In time, the cheering stops. You loose sight of God and His purpose, and your worship of Him becomes a ritual instead of a celebration. You go through the motions of service, and praise Him for what you want Him to do, instead of praising Him for who He is.
The people desired deliverance from oppression. Jesus came to deliver them from the bigger problem of sin. In their desire to escape their immediate circumstances, to have their brand of peace, they missed the fact that they walked in the very presence of the Prince of Peace. And they stopped cheering. Don't let that be what causes your cheering for Him to stop. Don't loose sight of the fact that through any circumstance, you are in the presence of the Prince of Peace. Jesus said, "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16: 33 NLT) It's hard to find peace in the world when it is clear that it is full of tribulation. With Jesus, you can have peace, even in the middle of your trials and temptations.
The second thing to note in Jesus' comments is this. He said, "It is too bad that today your people don't know what will bring them peace!" (Luke 19:42 CEV) We can tell from the Greek, the "know" He uses there, is not one which means to understand. Rather, it is one that means to accept what you have been told because you fully understand it. Earlier, Jesus had told them what it would cost to follow Him. He said you would have to bear your cross. (Luke 14:27) He said that He had to be the first in line to be loved - ahead of family, friends, work, school, etc. He spoke about counting the cost before making the commitment to Him. He said, "Who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?" (Luke 14:28 NLT) Then He spoke of making sure you can handle the cost of doing battle with the enemy. He summarized it all saying, "Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:33 NKJV)
The people of that day were no different than we are today. They wanted to set the terms for peace. They wanted peace as a result of conflict. Jesus wanted to give them peace in the midst conflict. Jesus had said it earlier in His ministry: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me." (Luke 13:34 NLT) He came to offer peace, but they would have none of it. They wanted to have it their way.
Think for a moment, how often do you as a Christian do the same thing? You want peace, and you want blessings, but at the same time, you want to do things your way in order to get them. In essence, that attitude is saying, "God, I want peace and blessings, and I'm going to do this, and that, and the other, because that's how I want to handle it. And Lord, your job it to just bless me in my actions and decisions."
How about those who have not accepted Christ as their savior? There are a lot of people who want to set the terms themselves. "Oh, I'm going to get to Heaven one day, but I'll get there on my own terms." Listen, Jesus was clear when He said, "I am the way, and no man comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6) But, time and time again you have refused His terms. "There is a way that seems right to a person, but eventually it ends in death." (Proverbs 14:12 GW) Why? Because you refuse to accept His terms. Jesus is the only way; the only provision for salvation has already been made, there will be no other. The blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary is the only means whereby you can be forgiven of sin, and it is the righteousness of Christ that must be applied to you if you desire to be in Heaven for eternity.
The people did not recognize Jesus' purpose. They refused to accept His terms. And the third thing they failed to do was realize that their refusals would bring judgment. Near the end of Luke 19, Jesus says, "Now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation." (Luke 19:42b-44 NLT) You see, there will come a time when a person who refuses to hear and understand and accept the Gospel message, will no longer be welcomed into God's House. The opportunity will be withdrawn.
Now I know that is a harsh statement and many people get upset when I say something like that. But, friends, I am simply quoting Jesus. You see, there are many people in this world, and I'm sure you know some, who take the attitude that says, "I'm a pretty good person and I am confident that I will go to Heaven when I die." You read all the time about celebrities who say that. What Jesus said about Jerusalem came true soon after. In 70 A.D. the Roman emperor, Titus, fulfilled Jesus' prophecy. Titus marched against the city and totally destroyed it. According to the secular historian, Josephus, over one million Jews were killed. He recorded that the blood flowed down the steps leading up to the temple, just like water. The temple was destroyed.
The people had their chance, but they wanted to come to God on their own terms and in their own good time. What Jesus said was, "Sorry, you've got to do it God's way." When they choose to do it their way, they suffered the judgment. Now, I know some of you are probably saying, "Wait a minute. God wouldn't do that." Look again at the end of verse 42 in Luke 19: Jesus says to the people of Jerusalem, "Now it is hidden from your eyes." (Luke 19:42b NIV) They knew His claim. They knew His terms. But they would have no more opportunity to accept God's way.. They wanted it to be their way, and so the cheering stopped with one final silencing blow- judgment. The writer to the Hebrews summed it up this way: "Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people." (Hebrews 9:27-28 NIV)
So, what does that have to do with you, here in the 21st Century? You cannot approach God on your own terms; you must come through Jesus. You cannot come to Him in your own time. Jesus reminds us, "No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6 NLT) When you come to Him you must accept His claims. Jesus is the Son of God. He is the sacrifice for sin. He is the Lord and Savior. If you refuse these things, you may be signing off on your opportunity to live with God now and for eternity. All that will be left for you to hear is, "it's too late." You will have nothing left to cheer about. All that will be left for you is destruction, just as the people of Jerusalem experienced so long ago. There is a "too late" in dealing with God.
If you are a Christian, if you have heard and accepted the claims of Christ on your life, ask yourself: Am I still cheering for God? Have my desires been self-centered instead or God-centered? You may belong to God, but perhaps you have never accepted His terms of service to Him, and you have been doing things on your own, and in your own strength. I believe it is important to accept what God would have you do, and serve how He would have you serve. And that includes cheering for Him daily for the blessings He gives you.
Prayer:
Gracious and loving God, we apologize for being head-strong. We want to do things our way
and on our time table. Forgive us, we pray, and help us to seek Your will and Your way in every
aspect of our lives. May those here today who have not let you into their lives take that step now,
before it is too late. And may those who already claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, accept
Your Lordship and serve You in every way they can. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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Sermon September 30, 2007
Sermon October 7, 2007
Sermon October 14, 2007
Sermon October 21, 2007
Sermon October 28, 2007
Sermon November 4, 2007
Sermon November 11, 2007
Sermon November 18, 2007
Sermon November 25, 2007
Sermon December 2, 2007
Sermon December 9, 2007
Sermon December 16, 2007
Sermon December 23, 2007
Sermon December 24, 2007
December 30, 2007 - Guest speaker, transcript not available
Sermon January 6, 2008
Sermon January 13, 2008
Sermon January 20, 2008
Sermon January 27, 2008
Sermon February 3, 2008
Sermon February 10, 2008
Sermon February 17, 2008
Sermon February 24, 2008
Sermon March 2, 2008
Sermon March 9, 2009
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If you have questions about this message or wish to contact Dr. Kile for further information, feel free to e-mail him at pastor@gulf-prairie.org