Sermon Tone Analysis
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Story of the Europe Trip.
We did a ton wrong on that trip.
Transportation
When arrived at day-break
We drove from Florence to Pisa in a bus in order to catch a flight to Dublin to get back to USA.
We missed our flight, had to take a train to ROME to fly to Dublin.
Then sleep in the airport until our flight to US.
Lovely lady in Edinburgh who saved us a ton of frustration and trouble.
She asked our plans.
She asked how we were getting there.
She arranged for us to have a cab to get where we needed to be at the right time.
She asked the right questions!
I think many of us ask a lot of the right questions about our future.
Young people, what do I want to do with my life after high school?
Is the married life for me?
Do I want children?
When do I want to retire?
What do I want my legacy to be?
We ask the right questions to plan for a good life, but too often, we miss some of the most important questions.
Today, I want to give you four questions to consider that aren’t just important as you look ahead at your future, but are also important for a good present.
I’m just curious.
Has anyone ever experienced a point in their life where you just wanted something different, but you were not exactly sure what different should look like?
Sometimes, in our rush to experience or feel something different—we forget to ask the right questions to find the right kind of change or direction for our lives.
We’re in such a hurry, we move quickly to a new activity, a new plan, a new action, and start doing instead of taking time to pause and reflect.
Today we’re going to look at the story of Palm Sunday—an event described in all four Gospels where Jesus makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem during the last week of His life.
As we do, we’ll take a little time to pause and think about our own answers to some very important—I would say life-changing—questions.
The ‘Palm’ in Palm Sunday refers to the Palm Branches that the crowd laid down along Jesus’ path as a symbol—a tribute—to Jesus.
This act shouted, “This is someone special!”
I’d love to know the story of the donkey’s owner.
Did he willingly give the donkey to these two disciples?
What would you say if two guys walked up to you and said, “Give me that bike!” and when you said, “But it’s my bike.”
they said, “The Lord needs it!”
Would you just say, “Oh, okay, here you go”? I’m not sure I would.
I know… it’s an interesting question, but it’s not one of the 4 that I want to share with you today.
That prophecy is the actual quote from Zechariah 9:9.
The Jews who were listening, who had studied the Old Testament their whole lives, would have recognized Jesus saying this as a fulfillment of that Old Testament prophecy.
We might think, “why did Jesus ride a donkey?
A horse is so much cooler!”
Well, in that culture, in the ancient near east, a donkey was a symbol of peace.
A horse was an animal of war.
Jesus rode in to town on a donkey to show that he’d come in peace.
“Hosanna” is a Hebrew expression that is translated, “Save Now.”
This act: laying down their garments and waving the branches is something that was reserved for high royalty.
They recognized that Jesus is who He said He was… He is the Savior.
This Palm Sunday event brings us to the first question:
1.
A QUESTION OF IMPORTANCE: Who is this [Jesus]?
For life to have real meaning, this question has to be answered.
Unlike the Scripture we just read, the crowd can’t answer it for you.
You’ve got to answer this question for yourself.
Unlike other religions, you’re not born into faith in Jesus.
A lot of people think because they were born in America that it makes them a Christian.
It's no more true than if you’re born in Starbucks that it makes you a Frappuccino.
Who is Jesus to you?
Is He a good teacher?
Is He a con who has fooled people for 2000 years?
Or, is He who he said He was, “God in the flesh.”?
I would guess 75% of us have this answered.
Not everyone.
Maybe you are visiting or investigating church, faith, Jesus.
Some of you might be sitting here thinking, “I’m not religious, I can’t even believe I said “yes” to coming here today!
I was tricked into being “Jesus-ed!”
If that’s you, relax, we’re not trying to be religious either.
The question, “WHO IS THIS?” is still being asked 2,000 years after His death.
Jesus is the most revered person to have ever lived and He is worth your investigation.
If you haven’t answered it yet, I encourage you to give it some considerable thought and we’re here every week to help you on that journey.
It’s a very important question.
In fact, I would say, that the good life you want to live hinges on the answer to the question “Who is Jesus?”
2. A QUESTION OF DESIRE: Am I really drawn to something different?
In your heart-of-hearts, are you really drawn to live differently?
Do you think differently?
What about loving differently?
That’s what Jesus requires.
Jesus calls His followers to be different.
I would understand if you said, “no” to being different.
Different is scary.
Different takes courage.
Being the "Same" is comfortable.
Same is warm and safe.
The desire I’m talking about is that gut-feeling deep within you that says, “I want something different for my life, for my faith, my relationships, for my future.”
Story of Howard
I don’t even remember/know what he did.
He loved to duck hunt.
He loved his family.
He loved Jesus/the Bible.
He loved me.
Howard cared enough to meet with me regularly.
When you want your life to matter, it won’t happen by accident.
It begins with DESIRE!
It begins with a desire to be different.
I think one of the reasons we don’t consider Jesus’ call to follow Him as wild is because we consider Jesus to be so tame.
We see Jesus as mellow or weak.
[Leader Note: show sheep photo] Jesus is cute, handsome has a great smile and is nice to animals.
Or, maybe we think He acts weird like this
Jesus is attractive, magnetic, winsome, challenging, transforming.
Jesus isn’t weird.
Christians are weird.
It’s why I like the bumper sticker that says, “Jesus, please protect me from your followers.”
I’d like a bumper sticker made that says, “Don’t blame Jesus for my bad driving.
He’s God and I’m an idiot.”
Don’t be fooled, Jesus isn’t weak or wimpy with a message that is easy to follow.
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