Sermon – “The Turning of the Tide”

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. 37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

This morning my message the titled The turning of the tide. And I added a little subtitle to mine. They went from shouting Hosanna. To crucify him. In a matter of five days. And that’s going to be our focus this morning. What caused them to go from. Praising him and shouting Hosanna. To shouting crucify him in a matter of five days and that’s what we’re going to focus on the small my scripture comes from Luke Chapter nineteen verses twenty eight through forty four. Here the word of the Lord. When he had said this. He went on ahead going up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass. When he drew near to Bethpage. And Bethany. At the mountain called all of it. That he sent two of his disciples saying. Go into the village opposite you were as you enter. You will find a coat tied. One which no one has ever set loose it and bring it here. And if anyone ask you why are you loosing it. Thus you sell say to him. Because the Lord has need of it. So those who went. Those who were sent went their way and found it jest as he said to them. But as they were losing the cold. The owner of it said to them. Why are you losing the coat. And they said. The Lord has need of him. Just because the Lord. They although had to say was the Lord has need of. Need of it so it’s OK. That’s all needed to be said. He is in absolute complete control the Lord had already touched that man’s heart. Probably already spoken to him someone comes the Barger culture is going to learn to take it no question that was the only question. Who had. You know why you moved in it. Jesus needs it. OK. He can have it. Then they brought him to Jesus and they threw their own clothes on the colt. And they said Jesus on him. And as he went many spread their clothes on the road. Then as he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives. The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice. For all the mighty works that they had seen. Saying. Now this passage in Luke doesn’t have Hosanna in there but the other gospels. Has before this. Says Hosanna blesses a king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest. And some of the fair seas called to him from the crowd teacher. Rebuke your disciples. But he answered and said to them. I tell you that if these to keep silent. The Stones would immediately cry out. Now as he drew near he saw the city and wept over it. Saying if you had known. Even you. Especially in this your day the things that make for your peace. But now they are hidden from your saw. From your eyes. For days will come upon you. When your enemy. Will build an embankment around you. Surround you and close you in on every side. And level you and your children. Within you. To the ground. And they will not leave in you one stone upon another. Because you did not know the time of your visitation. Jesus Christ fulfilled every single prophecy concerning the Messiah. If anyone should have recognized him it should have been. The religious leaders of that day. The ones who had studied descriptors and knew them. They should have recognized him. They should have known the time of their visitation. But they did not I asked. David if I emailed a couple slides and just a couple pictures of view from the mount of all of it. Over Jerusalem and. So there is one of them. Just to give you kind of a visual. Now there’s one item and you know it’s going to look a little different today I’m sure than it did in Jesus’ day. But just give you a little visual what it would look like to send in the Mount of Olives. Looking out over the city of Jerusalem. I’m sure that gold dome when the been there in Jesus’ day. But there’s a little visual of what it. What it would look like. You know a. User probably the same way you know. Jesus loved Jerusalem that was. Were God’s people will. And he loved this city. He loved what they were supposed to stand for. You know God chose Israel. To be the nation that would reveal himself to the rest of the world. With many times they failed with that. But Jesus loved that city. He came to them remember last week’s message when the Samaritans got jealous because Jesus said his face to go to Jerusalem because that’s his people we know we love our hometown Don’t worry. I don’t know about you but. Anytime we travel when we come back. Over Martin’s mountain or coming down every hill when you look and see. Home. You know. We don’t live in Cumberland. We live outside of Carmel in but still when we see carbon it’s like. Yes it’s good to be home. You know like home at night time you see the lights glisten and I’ll of the sea that I don’t know anybody else. But Jesus looked out over Jerusalem. His city. And he wept over it. You know some here may be old enough to remember. Times of war that. Whenever the war was over and the soldiers would come home and. They’d have great parades. The people would line the cities and welcome home the heroes loved ones. And I know that some of the younger people may not remember those things you may have seen them on. In movies or on. History Channel or something like that. But they were often times of great celebration. Whenever our heroes or our loved ones would come home. Welcome me home soldiers or dignitaries. Kings a nice kind of things. Is nothing new it’s not just something for the modern era. This happened in ancient days. This happened in Jesus’ day it happened before Jesus day. Even before Jesus’ time. Whenever Jerusalem would have a new king. Ascend the throne. There’d be a great celebration they lined the streets and they’d shout the same thing. Bless it is he who comes in the name of the Lord. They expected a king to be faithful. So it is nothing new but we know that whenever Jesus. Emerged on to the public scene. He became so popular. Everywhere he went the crowds just seem to be merged. Come out of the cracks. If you will. You remember his sermon here a while back where he. Spoke to the multitude and was teachin him and got into a boat and was going to go to the other side trying to get to a deserted place. They beating there. They got to the deserted place before he got there. So that he was so popular. The more that he told people that he healed not to tell anyone. The more they went told. Jesus touch me Jesus healed me. I mean I’d be excited too would knew you’d run and tell people. I hope you would. But he kept. He would try to go off deserted place. Find some quiet time. But he just. It was hard to do. The masses would line the streets. Just to get a glimpse of him. In Luke nineteen verses one through four. Says then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold there was a certain man named Zacchaeus. Who was a chief tax collector. And he was rich. So I want to point out he’s considered a terrible center. Than tax cut terrible tax collectors. Kind of the way we look on the day right. Sorry I just popped in there that one among those I just popped in and he sought to see who Jesus was. How did they know that Jesus was coming. Because there was people that would go before. Tell people in the towns of Jesus coming Jesus coming into your town. But he could not because of the crowd and he was of short stature say he was just a little guy. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him for he was going to pass that way. He was just so excited just to get a glimpse of Jesus. He heard so much about him. And you know the rest of the story genes combine looks up that is come down for salvation is coming to your house today. He was forgiven. You know on Palm Sunday. I think it was even a little different than that. The enthusiasm of the crowd had reached a fever pitch. They were so excited. The people thought that Jesus was finally going to be that national leader that they were looking for someone to deliver them. From Roman roll. Some want to take the thrones that they could place on the throne. It was going to be their king be the ruler. Here now in the earth that’s what they were looking for. They were tired of the room and rollers. They were so excited that they laid their clothes on the ground they laid her clothes on the donkey. They had palm branches many of them in the other passages say that they were waving the palm branches before him shouting Hosanna Hosanna bless it is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and during the highest. It’s shouting Hosanna. They were in of. In effect saying. Save us now. Jesus. That’s what they were saying. Save us now. Today there was a wave of religious expectation that. Swept the country. Swept the layer. You know the people were. As I said they were so tired of this Roman rule. They were tired of the excessive taxes. They were tired of the. Them sending the soldiers in the Guards and just bearing down on him and. Just controlling everything they did. And you know I think of. What’s going on in our nation today I’m not going to come. Get into the political. Political stuff. Too much here but I think we can see by what’s happening in the Republican Party today that the American people are speaking that they are sick and tired of the establishment. I mean. Tron. Not really to compare to but there’s a comparison. These people were tired of the establishment. Today people who had spoken. They’re saying I don’t care who it is just so they’re not part of the establishment. We do not want the establishment. They’re tired of it. And they have spoken. But the cheering. Didn’t last long. Five days. It came to the point where the tide turned against him. They’re shouting Hosanna. Then there was a great turn in the tide. You might not notice it so much at first that old Siteman started the wane the crowds weren’t as large as they had been there were still many coming to hear him but they weren’t as large as a. Been his accusers. Began to publicly attack him. Earlier they’d been afraid to attacking. For fear of the masses because they knew that the people flocked to him the people loved him because he spoke with authority. But they began to perceive that the current. They discovered that they could not discredit his moral character city began to take a more desperate measure. Before before it was all over a tidal wave welled up. That brought Jesus to his knee. Under the weight of the cross. How did this crowd. So radically turn against him. How in the world did they go from Saudi Hosanna on Sunday. To shouting crucify him on Friday. What was the root cause of this. How did that happen. One reason that the cheering may have stopped. Is because these began to talk more and more and more about. Commitments. During the last weeks of Jesus’ life. You could see it if you read the Gospels we’ve been reading. We’ve been reading through them I hope. We have. But you can see that it went away a little bit. From A is still gracious but. There was many miracles you know day after day after day there was miracles. But his teachings began to focus a lot more on. Commitment. Obligation. Shortly before the. Triumph when he spoke to this rich young ruler. You know that story the rich young ruler came running to Jesus he’s so enthusiastic and excited this is what must I do to be saved. And Jesus said to him. You know the commandments. You shall not murder. Honor your mother your father. Love your neighbor. Love God Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Revealed the others he said. Sir I’ve kept all these from my youth. He says You lack one thing. Goes So all that you have come and follow me. Come and follow me. Commitment. The people or astounded. Because they have been taught all their lives that if you were blessed with riches that God has blessed you. That’s what they thought that’s what they’ve been taught. But here Jesus turning away the big money. Well actually he didn’t turn him away just give him a choice. He turned away when he’s on but he’s turning away I wonder how many churches today would do that. We think that people who are wealthy and prominent individuals. Need to be recruited call of a cultivated. We think that their success in the world will lead to success in the church. It bothered in the sea Jesus turned this wealthy man away. Second thing that may have bothered him prior to this. Jesus message as a symbol is mostly about Grace when a five thousand were hungry. He fed them. When a four thousand were hungry. He fed them. When the sick were brought to them. He healed them. When the possessed were bought to them. Him. He delivered them. When a woman was caught in adultery about the be stoned. He came to her rescue didn’t he his message. His ministry was grace upon grace. But it seems to be dead now we say it is a time for commitment. Now is the time for commitment. It’s an interesting to note of the four gospels. That after Jesus enters Drusilla I’m under the. The shouts of Hosanna Hosanna. Only Matthew. Records. Any miracles. After the entry. Only Matthew. And that is whenever he entered into the temple. And overturned the tables of the money changers. That upset them to the religious leaders leaders were definitely upset because they were he’s run in their friends out. The ones who line their pockets. But only Matthew records any miracles. Whenever he entered the temple run them out. And then they brought some sick to them and he healed them. And then after that there’s no more miracles recorded of course there’s many events that happened that are miraculous we know. But there is a persistent call to commitment. I’m sure you remember an earlier sermon. Were Jesus was hungry one morning. That he stopped by a fig tree to see if any figs on it and found none. So what did he do to it. He cursed it. It withered up and dried away. So what does that mess what was that message to us. He demands. Fruitfulness. He demands fruitful commitment from our lives. Because that tree that Withers will be cast into the fire. Are we bearing fruit. But parables told and asked the question who is more committed. In Matthew twenty one versus twenty eight to thirty two. Says Jesus says but what do you think. A man had two sons. And he came to the first and said son. Go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said I will not. But afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second son and said. Like was an answer and said. I go sir. But he did not go. Which of these two. Did the will of the Father. They said to him the first. Jesus said TO THEM assuredly I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the Kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him. But tax collectors and harlots believed him. And when you saw it. You did not afterward relent. And believe in him. Commitment. The greatest commandment is given love God and love your neighbor. Again. It’s all about commitment. His teachings to be watchful. We do not know what hour he will return. Is also in there you know after the triumphal entry he began to teach them more about the city would be destroyed that he would be destroyed that he would die. That he would arise from the grave. He taught them about what heaven would be like he taught them all these things. But all these things were revealed to them that. He won going to be placed upon that throne in that day. On the earth. A pastor told a story that occurred several years ago. He was on the campus of Nebraska Wesley and. Talking to a group of students who expressed an interest in the ministry. When asked how many of them were definitely committed to going into the parish ministry. Only one person raised their hand. One young lady spoke up and said. I have a problem with your use of the word commitment. It sounds very binding and restricting. One person. The rest thought. I don’t like that. You know it’s restricting us friends. Jesus does not restrict us. He sets us free from that which does restrict us and bind us and asked a restriction of sin the sin that binds us and holds its captive. He sets us free from that. Bishop Kenneth Carter of Tennessee wrote recently. The church of today has become an institution in which even belief in God is optional or peripheral. Marketing techniques for a multiple option institution have replaced response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a means of membership. And list them and the basic appeal was to self the find needs. Rather than a call to radical discipleship. The church’s mission is all too often. The churches mission all too often is to meet its members. Perceived needs. Rather than to serve God’s need for a redeemed reconciled. And healed world. Or concept of consumerism have has crept into the church today. To recruit persons. And to be marketable we think that we need to be able to say Look what my church can offer you. Instead of saying what can you offer to the church. What do you have to offer to God. We’ve become selfish. All that people want today is their needs met. How can we meet the needs of God. How can we meet the needs of the church. Discipleship means knowing who Jesus Christ is. And following the revelation made known to us in his teachings. In his death in his resurrection. And his presence. Commitment means after the shouts of Hosanna we walk to God off the carena crawls it means taking up the cross and following him. It means living it daily. You know it could be we’re not rich young ruler walk away that day that he did not walk away alone. There could have been others it. Didn’t like that teaching also walked away. He was speaking of obligation. He began to talk about the obligation that rest only person who has accepted God’s grace. Another possible reason that. Cheers. May began to subside. Was that Jesus dared to suggest that all people were worth loving. You hear me. They didn’t like to hear that. He was suggesting that even tax collectors. Could be saved. He was suggesting even Samaritans could be saved. Jesus goes to the temple and draws out those money changers. But after he drove them out he invited in the lane the poor the sick the outcast the society. Because he came to save all. He dares the church to do the same. To receive in those it might be the outcast. All people have access to God through Jesus Christ. Children. There’s only one way to God and you said at the small one which is it. One way. Jesus said. I am the Way the Truth in the light. Sharing with the kids as you know when we go on vacation if we’re going to go to the beach. There’s a half a dozen different routes we can take to get there. But there’s not a half a dozen different routes we can take to get to heaven. Because Jesus said I am the Way the Truth and the life. No one comes or the Father except by me. Except by me. And all people have access. All people can get on that road needs to have by accepting Jesus Christ. The ones that seem to be consistent and making reference to Jesus as Messiah. Was a ones you would least expected. The children. When he was in the temple. The children kept crying out to them. But the religious leaders told them to be quiet. But Jesus said. Have you ever read out of the mouth of babes in nursing infants. You have perfected praise. Sometimes we need to be like the little children. Have the faith of a child. Believe as a child. Yes. We’re going to grow mature. In our faith in our relationship. But sometimes we need to look at the example the children said and just simply believe. Just simply trust. You know there’s a wonderful story. Most have probably heard of a rendition of this story. That reveals the heart of children. And it happened during the Special Olympics nine children lined up for the hundred yard dash. And as the gun sounded and they all took off. Just a few yards into it one of those children fell down. Well the other eight. Did not understand. Society’s commitment to victory. They didn’t understand it made up your competition volves down you just trample over and keep going and go and get that crown. Because all wait i’m came back to pick that little boy up with Down syndrome. Brushed him off kissed him. Took him under her had him put his arm over there are. Shoulders and. All nine went across the finish line. The same time. The child. The crowd just roared with excitement. They taught a great lesson that they didn’t. Children can show us what the came of God is like. They challenge the world’s concept that first place is everything. In the race that we’re in. Everybody matters particularly those who have fallen down or outside. The Kingdom. They need us to go and help pick them up and brush them off don’t day. We need to pick up the outcast. The center’s said because I came to say. See can say the last not the righteous. We have an obligation. Finally the cheering stopped because he started talking more about the cross. More about the cross. You know. They didn’t understand they didn’t see what was right before them. The True. Victor that he brought to them through deliverance. You know he may not deliver us from our struggles that we have in this life. He may not deliver us from our firm and as we may have to walk through them. He may. We may have to walk through our hardships in this life. But as this story today. So clearly reveals he came to set us free. He came to set us free from that which binds us. They didn’t understand that he could set them free. True freedom. Not necessarily from the Romans. But true freedom. Many today. Need to know that true freedom that we can only find through Jesus Christ through their personal relationship with them. Another lesson that we had this morning is have a school with the children. It’s not just knowing that he was someone who lived. But it’s knowing him in a personal intimate way. It’s having that personal relationship with him. Talking with him and allowing him to talk to us. And being committed. Do we have the commitment that it takes to do what he’s called us to do. Are you committed to the cause of the cross. Were you committed to sharing the love of Christ. With all. With the outcast. That’s my question today or my call today. For us as a people of God are we willing to walk. To deny ourselves. To take up our cross and follow him. I trust that we do. I just pray the person anything. Holding you back. Surrender of let it go today. And give it all to him. Amen.