Sermon Tone Analysis

*Who In the Crowd Are You?*

*Luke 13:22-19:27 (Lk.

19:28-48)    March 24, 2002*

* *

*Scripture Reading:* Zech.

9:9-13

 

*Introduction:*

 

In any given crowd of people there is potentially and probably great variety.

Everyone has an individual story to tell.

They have each gone through different life experiences, and yet, if they are in that particular crowd, there is something unique that has brought them together.

If you are downtown at the "Taste of Chicago" you will find many different twists and turns of life if you were to interview the people there, but there is one thing they have in common – they have come to the "Taste of Chicago."

If you go to the movie theater, or a sports event, or even to work, it is the same thing.

The lives are as individual as the numbers there but they all add up to the event at hand: the movie, the game, or the job.

Each of you here this morning have a story to tell, and I wish we had time this morning to hear yours, but there is one thing in common – we have come here to hear his (Jesus') story.

But if the truth be known about him, his story is our story because that is why he came – he wanted to bring people together in him for the glory and worship of God.

As we open our Bibles this morning to the Gospel of Luke 19:28-40 we find what might be called the first real church service.

It is the section on Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where he mentions the "whole crowd of disciples who began to joyfully praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen" (19:37).

It is because, you see, there were so many different stories there in the crowd, but they all had one thing in common: they had met and been healed either physically and~/or spiritually by the unforgettable and incomparable Christ.

They could do nothing less than praise him as he came into this city of his inheritance – the city of the throne room of the Messiah.

But he entered in a different kind of triumph than the world was used to or expected because he came as he ministered – humbly (19:28-36) and yet with undeniable confidence (19:41-48).

(Illus.: donkey~/ Presidential motorcade)

 

Because of who he truly was and is (God), he could not turn away their heartfelt and triumphant praise (19:37-40).

They were there for the main event of the Jewish year, the Passover, and they would discover as events unfolded that Jesus himself was to be the acceptable sacrifice for their sins, the perfect sacrificial Lamb.

As it would turn out, most in the city would not partake of his Passover (19:41-44) – the blood of the new covenant.

But for now the crowd that knew him and followed him rejoiced because each had met him uniquely – they had been brought together in him.

Let us then take a look at some of the actual and probably stories of those in the crowd.

The best place to start is back in Luke 13:22-23 where Jesus, according to Luke, begins to make his way toward Jerusalem and his triumphal entry.

Even then we see what will differentiate this crowd from the rest of the city.

They must not follow the majority of the people but the majority of the One True God.

Jesus puts it all in terms of direction and priorities (13:24-30).

The way is narrow and many who are first to have opportunity to find it will not.

They will be last in priority with God since he was last in priority with them.

And the last who are first refers to those who will come along that narrow way while the gate is yet open.

Best of all, we see that Jesus himself sets his heart on the narrow way (13:31-33) even though most of those to whom he would come would not (13:34-35).

But let us take a look at some of those along that narrow way.

(Illus.: narrow way~/doors and paths)

 

*Big Question:*

 

/Who could some of the people have been in the crowd that shouted praise to Jesus on the day he entered Jerusalem?/

*I.

Luke 14:1-4*

 

We see the man healed by Jesus in the Pharisee's house on the Sabbath from a severe medical condition called "dropsy."

This is where the lymph glands quit working and the body swells up.

There may be some here today whom Jesus has healed from some severe medical condition.

Imagine that you then developed faith in him, like this man probably did whom Jesus sent away.

You met the Master.

You were healed by his touch when he took hold of you, and you decided to follow him the rest of your life.

You were there when Jesus rode into Jerusalem.

You laid your cloak on the road for him as he passed one more time across the personal pathway of your heart.

And you shouted praise; and again all the more loudly, "Hosanna."

You discovered that life is all about him.

"It's all about you, Jesus."

Nothing could keep you from this great cloud of witnesses to his miracles.

*II.

Luke 14:15*

 

After Jesus finishes teaching on the parable of humility of place at the wedding feast and the imperative to invite the likes of the one he has just healed with the certainty of heavenly reward to follow, we see the man who exclaims, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

So Jesus teaches another parable about the many excuses people give who have been invited to that feast by God himself.

His offer to come is extended even unto the poorest in the streets so that his house will be full.

Do you suppose that the one whose statement of assurance regarding the blessing of that feast was in the crowd that day praising Jesus?

It could be so.

That instruction sounded like it was tailored just for him.

It just could be that his heart was humbled to see that he himself was one of the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame, and that he was convicted of his cock-sure prideful "amen" to what Jesus had said.

Have you ever tried to sound "Oh, so spiritual" in a religious gathering only to be all the more convicted of your spiritual poverty?

If so, then Jesus healed you.

A miracle was performed.

You saw your need of him and you never want to let go.

You found a freedom from yourself and you were in that crowd that day, and you are here today.

*III.

Luke 14:25*

 

We see the large crowds that followed Jesus even before he got to Jerusalem.

He tried hard to turn away the insincere.

He talked about loving him more than your family and even more than your own life.

He talked about carrying your cross and counting the cost and giving up everything you have as the price of freedom – the price of being his disciple.

No doubt some scattered, but not you.

You didn't start this journey with the Messiah because the road was downhill.

For you the spiritual challenge showed forth the worthiness of the goal, the worthiness of the Master who leads you.

And you will never stop praising him.

You were in the crowd then and you are still here today.

After all, he is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Nothing less than "forever praise" will do for you.

You will finish what you start because he would and he did and he will.

He hasn't given up on you and you won't give up on him.

*IV.

Luke 15:1-2*

 

We see the tax collectors and the sinners.

They gathered around Jesus like bees around honey.

They knew pure nourishment when they saw it.

Of course, there were the nay-sayer Pharisees and the inevitable teaching parable points from Jesus once again.

But I imagine there were many in the triumphal entry crowd that day in Jerusalem who had found compassion in Jesus and the assurance of the forgiveness of sins.

Oh, the grievous nature of our despicable sins that weigh us down and defeat our every effort at spiritual freedom!

But what a reason to praise him.

Praise him!

Praise him for his mighty acts of compassion because he let us gather around him and talk with him and hear his healing wisdom and assurance of holiness in his Name.

What a blessing to be invited to repent and then counted worthy of being found, like a lost sheep or a coin or more importantly, a son, prodigal though he may be.

Oh, Jesus, what a reason to praise you.

It's all about you, Jesus.

You saved me to rejoice in you.

Me, a sinner - who would have thought that you wanted my praise?

But you do, and I will.

I was in your crowd then and I am here in your crowd today.

But what of the Pharisee, hardened with his own brand of spiritual holiness and success?

Perhaps there were some there who had sneered at Jesus for socializing with "sinners" who later responded to the point of the parables – some who had thought long and hard about whether or not it was really them he was talking about and decided they had best face the truth or perish.

Do you have a religious history that needs cleansing?