Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

A lot can happen in a week!

Even in this past week it was Margie’s, Beth’s, & Ted’s Birthdays!

This morning as many of you know today is Palm Sunday- The historical day, from the Gospels, where a whole city threw a parade for the promised Messiah, Jesus.

As Jesus rode into the city, the people threw Palm branches in anticipation of his coming- thus we get the title: “Palm Sunday”.

- It’s also known as the “Triumphant Entry Of Christ”.

This day marked a time of celebration where Jesus was the worshipped and praised.

This day is insanely interesting and bittersweet for us because even as we read of the celebration we know that Friday is coming- the death of our LORD.

The cross is coming—it is the start to the “Holy Week”.

Holy Week? or wholly weak?

We know that many in this same parade will within a few short days change tone and their words of praise will become cursings to death.

The crowd—in a very short time goes from shouting Hosanna, Hosanna to shouting Crucify Him, Crucify Him.

It seems impossible for us today to go from two extremes of praising this God to wanting Him dead— but I assure you, it is possible, and even more likely than you may first assume.

Transition:

This morning I want to focus our attention on two services both which focused upon Jesus, but with two different results.

Scripture Reading:

If you have your bibles this morning turn with me to two passages one from the Gospel of Matthew and the other from the gospel of Luke.

Turn first to Luke chapter 19 beginning in verse 30.

Luke 19:30-

It is believed that Jesus actually entered Jerusalem on 3 different occasions the week before he was crucified… on Saturday, Sunday, and again on Monday.

This passage is the second visit from just the day before, this is “Palm Sunday”.

Luke 19

Luke 19:30-

It is believed that Jesus actually entered Jerusalem on 3 different occasions the week before he was crucified… on Saturday, Sunday, and again on Monday.

This passage is the second visit from just the day before, this is “Palm Sunday”.

Keep you place there and then turn to Matthew chapter 27 beginning in verse 15 which records an event later in the same week, “The Holy Week”—an event which is the antithesis to the beginning of the week:

Matthew 27:15

What happened in between?!? What happened in the hearts and minds of those in the parade in Jerusalem, the Holy city?

How can they be so wholly weak?

The late evangelist, Billy Graham, has been quoted a few times saying, “The greatest mission field in our country to today is in our local church- the people sitting already in our churches.”

Now, I am not sure whether this statement is completely true, but one thing that I do know is that many people know what to say, How to say it, even how to act in it, but when the rubber truly meets that road, there is no personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

No salvation- just empty words and possibly even a parade charade motivated by a “mob mentality.”

We see a perfect example of this in our two passages this morning.

On Sunday, Jesus rode into the city with the people shouting praises and praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

On Friday they are shouting give us Barabas, We want him, Crucify Jesus Crucify Him.

So why the vast change?

Well there are many possible reasons, but one big reason is that their words did not match their heart.

They possessed a casual, convenient faith, rather than a committed faith.

They had a religion, but they had missed the person Jesus…

So how can we have a committed faith… How can we be real and sincere?

Consistent in all that we do… Well this morning I want to offer you some keys to just such a faith.

Transition:

The first Key is that a committed faith is not self-centered it is Christ-Centered

I.

A Christ-Centered Faith

This sounds obvious, but we often miss it!

Especially in America, we tend to say to God, “ Hey God, here is my calendar, here is my agenda!

I give it to You, not to change it, but to see where I can squeeze you in-- here or here?

What do you think?”

We are good at pulling God out or turning to God only when it is convenient or useful.

We have to get something from Him.

It is about how He might benefit us.

In our first passage, The people praised Jesus as He passed by, but many of them praised him for two reasons.

First, because of his miracles.

He had healed the sick, raised the dead…They praised Him because he was serving them.

Then second, because they saw in Jesus a way to be politically delivered from the Romans- To be set free from Rome as Israel was set free from Egypt.

Their praise was tempered with the attitude of “Jesus, what can you do for me today?”

A few days later at this trial they saw a beaten and disfigured Jesus- A man who no longer looked like a deliverer or a conqueror.

Jesus wasn’t the kind of King they were hoping for.

They wanted a King to rid them of Roman rule.

This Man, Jesus, could not possibly meet their needs.

And as words were said about him, they bought into all the lies and quickly changed their position.

For them it was all about Me, Me, Me.

There is a legend about an ancient village in Spain.

The villagers learned that the king would pay a visit!

In a thousand years, a king had never come to that village.

Excitement grew! "We must throw a big celebration," The villagers all agreed.

But, it was a poor village, and there weren’t many resources.

Someone came up with a classic idea.

Since many of the villagers made their own wines, the idea was for everyone in the village bring a large cup of their choice wine to the town square, “We’ll pour it into a large vat and offer it to the king for his pleasure!

When the king draws wine to drink, it will be the very best he’s ever tasted!”

There is a legend about an ancient village in Spain.

The villagers learned that the king would pay a visit!

In a thousand years, a king had never come to that village.

Excitement grew! "We must throw a big celebration," The villagers all agreed.

But, it was a poor village, and there weren’t many resources.

Someone came up with a classic idea.

Since many of the villagers made their own wines, the idea was for everyone in the village bring a large cup of their choice wine to the town square, “We’ll pour it into a large vat and offer it to the king for his pleasure!

When the king draws wine to drink, it will be the very best he’s ever tasted!”

The day before the king’s arrival, hundreds of people lined up to make their offering to the honored guest.

They climbed a small stairway, and poured their gift through a small opening at the top.

Finally, the vat was full!

The King arrived, was escorted to the square, given a silver cup and was told to draw some wine, which represented the best the villagers had.

He placed the cup under the spigot, turned the handle, and then drank the wine, but it was nothing more than water.

You see every villager reasoned, "I’ll withhold my best wine and substitute water, what with so many cups of wine in the vat, the king will never know the difference!"

The problem was, everyone thought the same thing, and the king was greatly dishonored.

In a similar fashion, we too hold back selfishly on our best relying on others to pick up the spiritual slack.

Today, Palm Sunday of 2019 choose to honor our great King, Jesus Christ by giving him your very best.

Withholding nothing… Giving him our all.

That is what the cloaks/coats were about in our passage:

In Old Testament times, to show their respect to a King, people would put their clothes down for the King to walk on them.

The people did this when Jehu was anointed the new King of Israel.

Transition:

The second key is that a committed faith is relationship driven.

II.

A Relational-focused Faith

Many of those who gathered to throw their coats and palm branches onto the street and who shouted praises did so because it was the popular thing to do at the time.

They were united in hating the Romans, and they were united in wanting a change.

At that one brief moment it became trendy.

Perhaps some began doing it with sincere motives, but others soon did it because others were doing it.