- Call to Worship – Psalm 93:1-5
The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting. 3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
5 Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.
- Hymn # 424 I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Hymn # 672 He Lifted Me
God's Will for our Lives – 1 Thessalonias 4:1-12
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Sermon: Entering Jerusalem
Up to this point Jesus did not promote himself. He generally told people to keep quiet or only to go to the priests.
This was the first time he was really public.
So now his people were sent to get a donkey and her colt. Jesus who up until now had walked everywhere.
Jesus knew things...like about the donkey and the response of its' owners.
So why did Jesus say get me a donkey? It's a living parable and a fulfillment of prophecy. He was pointing to the fact he was the promised king.
He was showing people the kind of king he was.
1. A king of peace. Evidenced by the use of a donkey. An animal used in peace time.
2. Not the king they expected to fight the Romans. He came to establish peace throughout the world.
3. The peace Jesus brings is at its core peace with God. This leads to peace with others.
4. He is the fulfillment of prophecy.
5. Those who follow him are called to be peacemakers.
6. He is a humble king. People in power don't ride donkeys. And Jesus borrowed this donkey. This shows a humble man, a humble king. Jesus did not come in pride. We need to do the same. Trust in Jesus leads us to this humility.
7. The people of Jerusalem didn't know who he was. They didn't see him as the fulfillment of prophecy. Some of them got it but many didn't.
8. But Christ is king. We need to call out hosanna to the Son of David.
We need to see the call to worship him and to follow him. Remembering all he has done. We need to use his power to show this truth to others.
- Hymn # 173 All Glory, Laud, and Honor
- Hymn # 132 Wondrous King, All Glorious
- Hymn # 174—4 For His Favor, Praise Forever