Sermon Tone Analysis
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Peace is one thing for which everyone seeks.
In our world it is desired by all, but elusive.
What is peace?
1: a state of tranquillity or quiet: as
a: freedom from civil disturbance
b: a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom 〈a breach of the peace〉
2: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
3: harmony in personal relations
4 a: a state or period of mutual concord between governments
I would simplify this to:
A state of tranquility due to:
Harmony in relationships
Inner calm, free from disquieting thoughts and emotions
Why don’t we have peace?
Because in this world we have:
Disharmony
There seems to be no peace in the world.
There are international conflicts in the news with Iran, North Korea, China, Russia, Syria, etc.
Division is rife with no apparent hope in our own government and society.
The rhetoric is ‘tolerance’, but if you do not agree with them, there is not tolerance, but rather vitriolic hatred, which seems to grow by the day!
In our homes there is no peace due to financial strain, or disagreements over how to handle all of the activities of life, or the raising of children, or the way we spend our time.
Inner turmoil
Inwardly, we have no peace as we struggle with our own failures.
Do you struggle like I do with “I wish I hadn’t…,” “I wish I had…,” “I shouldn’t have…,” “I should have…,” and “If only...”
Then there are the fears and anxieties of life: finances, physical health and well-being, death...
Everyone longs for peace, but we don’t have it.
And our own actions to bring about peace torment us and rob us of the very peace we want… Right?
Have you every blown up at someone, “Just give me some peace and quiet!!”
Then, we don’t have peace because the way we tried to get it destroyed our relationships...
When will we learn what will give us peace?
It reminds me of Kung-fu Panda.
In that movie the teacher, Shifu, is constantly trying to find inner peace, but he keeps getting interrupted by the Panda.
No matter where he goes, or how hard he tries, he just cannot find inner peace.
Have you found it?
Or, are you like me, still trying to find it?
The big question today is:
How can I have peace?
Let’s pray and ask God to speak to us, and show us how we can have peace today.
Prayer
Our passage for today is John 12:12-19.
Some Bibles have this passage labelled as the Triumphal Entry, or Jesus Enters Jerusalem.
Let’s read it together.
What does this have to do with Peace?
At first glance, you may wonder what in the world this passage has to do with peace.
More than we may think at first glance.
When doing Bible study, one thing we have to do is keep in mind the setting, or the situation of the time period when this occured.
Then, we need to read the passage in its context, and look at any references to other passages.
That is what we will do this morning.
Join with me in studying...
The Setting
Centuries before, Israel had stopped worshipping God alone, and turned to worshipping idols.
So God allowed them to be ruled by others.
Currently, they were under Roman rule.
Being ruled by another country was burdensome.
The people had no peace.
They had to pay a lot of their income in taxes.
They had to give produce from their land to the Romans.
If a Roman soldier told them to, they had to carry burdens for the soldier for miles.
They could be treated cruelly by a Roman, and have no recourse.
Romans troops were all around to squelch any suspicious activity.
The people had no peace.
However, they knew from the prophets that God promised to deliver them, to save them, and bring them peace.
Now, they were on their way to the festival.
What festival?
The Festival
Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Of what is Passover a reminder?
Passover is a reminder of how their ancestors were oppressed as slaves in Egypt.
They had no peace, but then God came and brought them out from under the oppression of the Egyptians.
So, now, being under the oppression of the Romans, they were waiting for God’s promise to redeem and restore them.
They were waiting for the Messiah, the promised King who would free them and bring them peace!
And into this setting came Jesus.
Palm branches were part of the Feast of Tabernacles according to Leviticus.
But they were by this time used for other festivals, and to celebrate victory.
What were they celebrating?
The King Comes
John records the people singing, “Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the king of Israel!”
“Hosanna” means “O save!” and both this and the next line of verse 9 come from Psalm 118:25–26.
That Psalm is a part of a group of Psalms sung at Passover, Psalms 113–118, called the Hallel.
These words were fresh in everyone’s minds; hopes for the restoration of the Davidic kingdom ran high at this time of year.
And, now, here is Jesus!
The one who teaches with authority!
The one who fed the 5,000, and then the 4,000.
The one who cast out Demons!
The one who raised the dead!
This was surely a fulfillment of God’s promises to send a Messiah!
This was surely the descendant of David, the King who would establish Israel as the Kingdom above all other kingdoms!
The One who was coming to save them from Rome, and give them peace!
That background is important for our theme.
Because we will see that Jesus indeed was coming to bring peace… But not necessarily the way they expected.
Look again at the passage.
He came...
Riding on aYoung Donkey
Matthew, Mark and Luke give us more details than John.
Technically, Jesus sent a couple of disciples to ‘find’ the donkey.
Why would John say Jesus found the donkey?
When we read those passages, we see that Jesus didn’t go out looking, and then find a donkey.
No, He, demonstrated His divinity by telling the disciples exactly where, and in what setting they would find the donkey and its mother, and how people would ask about their taking it.
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