So let us read the Gospel of Luke, “When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. Now as He was going, they were spreading their cloaks on the road. And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: “Blessed is the King, the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
The King is Coming! I cannot help but think about just how important this scene was over two thousand years ago. The infant child Jesus, born from the virgin birth, raised in the Jewish traditions, worked as a carpenter and then continued His spiritual growth in fulfilling His true calling to save all mankind.
I do believe each of us can vouch for the fascination that when we grew up, we would be something grand, whether being a doctor, astronaut, or whatever it may have been, but having a vision is really important. As we grew up, our careers may or may not had the outcome we expected or dreamed of, never the less, God has supplied us with all our needs. Amen. All of us are designed to work for a living, make good of the talents and Gifts God has freely given to each of us. Could you imagine what young Jesus thought He wanted to be when He grew up? Maybe a farmer, carpenter, a shepherd, fisherman, artisans, pottery maker, leatherworker—but how about a Savior or King? After all, we have to start somewhere, don’t we? But a King? Very doubtful that was on His mind, except realizing in His youth that He is indeed the only child of God which came with a heavy burden.
Scripture tells us in Luke chapter 2, Jesus knew at a very young age that He was not like other children. In verse 41 I will paraphrase here, Mary, Joseph and Jesus done as the normally would every year to take part in the feast of the Passover. They traveled by means of a caravan and Jesus was 12yo. Then they lost Jesus in Jerusalem after several days. Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”
Could you imagine Joseph and Mary’s thoughts in not finding Jesus for three days! “Oh boy, God’s chosen family to take care of His only son and now we lost him!” DHHR will have a field day with this one! Truth is friends, Mary and Joseph witnessed Jesus’ journey that has begun! The coming shepherd, the true messiah, the King of Kings is now becoming a man—fulfilling the prophecies of His father in Heaven by fulfilling His role. This morning, I would like for you to think hard and true about this coming King whom the world will know as the messiah. Marching His way into the world and into our very lives, straightway into our hearts and minds that not only changes who we are but changed all of history to date. You see friends, like it or not, accepting it or not, Jesus said Himself, “I will return!”
Now it is true, there were some people that did not really have an idea who Jesus was, except from word of mouth about being a miracle worker, and even a risen prophet of old. But regardless of the viewpoints, Jesus brought something to people that no one else can do, even today! Hope! And it is this Hope I speak to you today on this Palm Sunday!
To have Hope, one must have the mechanism of Faith in their life. And to have Faith, one must do something that no one else can do for us, and that’s to accept things of God by means of faith, through the everlasting strength that surpasses all understanding.
To go even further with this, the people saw Jesus as the Hope of the world, partly because scripture proclaimed his coming, but mainly because God is and was Emmanuel ‘God with us,’ in every sense of the word! The people of the day where well adverse in spotting out hoax preachers and prophets—proclaiming words of falsehood, walking around the neighborhoods acting out their scenes, spilling out fancy words and performing some really interesting actions to help lead people to their direction. Jesus was different, and the people knew it! There was something about Jesus that drawed these people to him, and guess what that was? Truth! Jesus was genuine from the hairs on the top of His head to His toenails, Jesus was God upside and down; and there was no mistaken it! Those who had a relationship with God, called Him Lord and Master, they cried out, Hosanna, Hosanna, which means “Save Us Now.” Blessed is the king who is coming to us today! They wanted it, and Jesus, time and time again delivered, without any reservations. He broke the mold of sin in people’s lives by eating and conversing with deep in debt sinners of all kinds; healing diseases that our Center for Disease Control would outright ban any contact with; gave instructions and direction to high level officials and caressed and welcomed the humblest child into his arms. Jesus was all over the place in the lives of so many!
On this Palm Sunday friends I would like to ensure that you realize there is hope to hold onto, but that hope is ONLY found in Christ Jesus, the living Messiah. Yes, we do live in a very sinful stricken world; yes we have so much disgust and separation; yes we have all kinds of problems to deal with, but rest assured friends, when we hear the people say Hosanna, say that with me Hosanna, it’s saying God, save us now—and He hears us. Jesus came to us to be King of our lives, our world and our everything. And although some people do not desire to know Him, God is forever faithful by waiting patiently on them. But this hope friends, I want to try and give you today in portraying not just a King, but a King that is personal, omnipresent, and always at our side. But you know what? Each of us today are holding out for a hero! Someone to solve the issues of life all the while giving each of us hope for a better tomorrow! Salvation to guarantee our eternal presence before God. This is what the Messiah is! Bonnie Tyler’s rock anthem “Holding Out for a Hero” rattles something deep in our bones when she sings:
Where have all the good men gone,
And where are all the gods?
Where’s the streetwise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, I toss and I turn,
And I dream of what I need
I need a hero!
I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night.
He’s gotta be strong, and he’s gotta be fast,
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero!
From the time we’re born until the day we die, we spend our lives crying out for a hero. The people lining the parade route on that first Palm Sunday dreamed of a hero who would deliver them from the tyranny of Rome’s boot. Their dreams drove their actions and words that day. They paved the road with their cloaks and branches from the overhanging palm trees. They shouted Hosanna in the highest. Why? Because like us today, we believe in the God of hope. There is a better tomorrow for all who call upon the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Once I was blind, but now I can see. Once I was broken, but now I am being made whole. My soul was once a devils’ den and refuge for the worst thief of them all—he who comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. My heart was a haven for bad habits and self-destructive tendencies, for corrosive bitterness and soul-consuming guilt, for fear and hate. But then, my hero came, and His name is Jesus. He cleansed, and restored me into a living temple of the living God. This is the hope we live for that there is more to life than the darkness of destruction and doom. There is life in the creator of Heaven and earth, in all things that God has blessed for His chosen people, US!
With all God’s children we can sing Since Jesus Came Into My Heart, 2140, Since Jesus Came Into My Hear First Verse Only!
And all God’s people said, “Hosanna!” The king has come to save, to fulfil, to reign and to redeem. This is why we can hold onto the everlasting Hope of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We serve and worship the one true and living God. Amen.