Welcome to our Palm Sunday service. Today, we have put together a dramatic way for us to walk through the events of Holy Week that began on Palm Sunday with Jesus' Triumphal Entry and concluded with Jesus' Resurrection Easter morning. Today, we are going to end our service with the events of Good Friday and we invite you back next week for our special Easter Sunday service where we will celebrate the Resurrection of the Living God
Near the end of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, Jesus was very direct with His followers telling them that He must go to Jerusalem to be handed over to be crucified.
Jesus know His mission on earth was to walk the straight path towards His destiny and be the final atoning sacrifice for all of humanity's sin--to be the Savior of the world! On Palm Sunday, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as the Perfect Passover Lamb in order to bear the burden of our rebellion so that in the Father's love through the Son's sacrifice, we can each have eternal life through faith! Jesus Christ did not blindly walk towards Jerusalem, Jesus entered as the conquering King knowing that price He must pay for our freedom!
The Scriptures declare from John 12:1-3 and 12-15, "Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume [Mary was inspired to anoint Jesus body to not only honor Him, but to also unknowingly to her prepare Jesus' body for his death and burial]. . . . "The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!" Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."
Chloe enters shouting: "Have you heard? Jesus is coming…the Messiah! He deserves a grand welcome!”
Non Choir/Kids enter center isle, waving palms.
-Choir enters center stage to sing “Save Us (Hosanna)”
-Roman Soldiers raise up green (life)/yellow (radiance) cross during song.
Pastor: The religious leaders of Jesus' day were blinded with jealousy because of the response of the people and they were blinded with pride because Jesus would not play their religious games or follow their man-made rules. Jesus did not cow down to them instead He continued forward resolutely toward the Cross.
Luke 19:39-40 describes, "Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
Jesus would not restrain the people from shouting Hosanna and declaring that He was the chosen one of Israel to bring eternal life to all of humanity. Jesus continued His ministry with passion during the Holy Week. He did not hide out!
Luke 19:45-48 dramatically records, "Then [Jesus] entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words."
From this dramatic event the plot thickens as Judas agrees to betray Jesus Christ and on that fateful Maundy Thursday night Jesus is apprehended in the Garden of Gethsemane and brought through trial after trial throughout the night and into Good Friday.
From the Gospel of John 18:28-32, "Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you." Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But we have no right to execute anyone," the Jews objected. This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled."
On this day we call Good Friday, the most insane act of brutality occurred! The innocent Son of God who came to demonstrate the love of the Father was brutalized, humiliated, and scorned because of jealousy, pride, and blind rage.
The people could not see God because they were blinded by their own motives.
The Gospel of Luke 23:17-25 records of the final court scene the blood lust of the people as Jesus stood before them beaten and bloody only wanting their own way now. In a final appeal to get Jesus released and set free because he knew that Jesus was innocent of the trumped up charges, Pontius Pilate offered to release Jesus Christ and to put to death a known criminal named Barnabas. This is how the people reacted.
"With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him." But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will."
PHARISEE: Did he think he could overthrow the Romans or just ignore the Sanhedrin? We were put in charge of this ignorant, greedy nation by GOD! And here he is calling himself the “Son of God”?! Liar!!! We have charges against him, but Pilate wants to release him. But our law says this man should die because he has proclaimed and made himself out to be the Son of God…..
He should be crucified! (incites crowd)
We have no King but Caesar!
Away with him….Crucify Him!
-Roman Soldiers put up Red (sin) & Black (death) cross starting at “…Liar!”
show video of walk to Golgotha "Via Dolorosa"
DISCIPLE: There was nothing any of us could do but stand and weep, and watch them put Jesus to death. They marched him thru the same streets where he had entered in triumph only a few days earlier…but they changed their cries from “Hosanna” to “Crucify Him”-Roman Soldiers put up third cross-When I saw him there, it was almost more than I could bear. Most of the disciples were hiding, but could not leave the one I loved. As I approached the cross, I wondered…Would he speak to me? Or even look at me? Would he spit on me? Do you know what he did? He asked me to care for His Mother!
Pastor: Jesus was not crucified alone on that day we call Good Friday, which is an event that changed all of history! An event that we cannot even full understand until it is put in relationship to the miracle of the Resurrection in 3 days...on the day we call Easter Sunday!
The Gospel of Luke 23:32-43 gives us this historical account, "Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
My friends, this morning we are confronted with the same choice that each of these criminals had. This is the essence of the Gospel message. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took on our death penalty. As the one criminal declared to the other, "We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." [and then he turned to Jesus and he said], "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "
Jesus Christ willingly took the straight path to Jerusalem and then walked the windy path up to the place called the Skull (Golgotha) so that upon the Roman tool of execution called the Cross he took on the penalty of a criminal. That is the penalty for our sin, our rebellion against God. According to the ancient covenant established by God between humanity and God only a blood sacrifice was able to pay the price for the guilt of our sin. Only a perfect unblemished sacrifice could atone for your sins and mine. Jesus Christ fulfilled the mandates of this ancient Covenant, the Law, so that we each can be confronted with the same choice that these criminals were confronted with when they faced their eternity.
Are you in right standing with God through faith in who Jesus Christ is and what He did for you on this Cross?
Do you live your lives proclaiming the glory of the coming King (Hosanna) or do you cry out with your own ambition and your own agenda (Crucify Him!)?
The choices we make every day align us with the crowd that proclaimed "Hosanna" or the lustfulness of mob that shouted "Crucify Him!"
It is true that we make a decision in faith at one point in our life, like the thieves on the Cross that will determine our eternity, but unlike these thieves, we must continue to live in the Shadow of the Cross each and every day of our lives. The choice is yours everyday on whether you are declaring "Hosanna" or "Crucify Him!" by your words and actions! I am not talking about your eternal destiny as that has been secured through your faith decision to accept Jesus Christ, but does your life proclaim sin and death or life and glory.
(left) This thief denied Christ even at the point of death and the Scriptures are clear that without Jesus Christ you cannot be with God ("for the wages of sin is death!")....As we see the cloth wrapped around his cross: the red represents his sin and the black his death, eternal separation from God called Hell.
(right) This thief humbly confessed a deep faith in who Christ declared Himself to be and His reliance upon the grace of God for His eternal destiny. The Scriptures are clear that through Jesus Christ we have eternal life with God ("the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus"). As we see the cloth wrapped around his cross: the green represent life and the yellow represents the glory of God.
[Sam starts playing acoustic guitar]
On the third Cross, the Cross of Jesus Christ we see that the purple cloth is wrapped over the other colors indicating that the Conquering King--Jesus Christ--has covered a multitude of sin and placed His righteousness over us. The new life of Christ defeats death and the glory of God covers the blemish of our sin! Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross we were bought at a price. "It is finished!"
As we respond to this dramatic presentation, I pray that you will not leave here without making a choice on which thief you will join ranks with. Will you live in the shadow of the cross of the thief who ridiculed God's Son and only wanted His help for His own selfish gain without submitting to His lordship. OR Will you live in the shadow of the cross of the thief who through faith in Jesus Christ received eternal life and was ushered into Paradise for all of eternity?
I plead with you today, that you do not leave this place without first and foremost making the decision to live in the shadow of the Cross of Jesus Christ where you receive forgiveness and grace because of God's love and sacrifice.
The choice is yours...let us pray.
Sam leads "Jesus paid it all"
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