SCRIPTURE: John 12:112-16
TEXT: 16His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. THEME: The power of God’s love is in our world. INTRODUCTION Our world is not perfect, but can you imagine what it would be like if Christ hadn’t come? Christ rules the hearts of many. Sometimes admittedly our faith is narrow and selfish, but God is not finished with us yet and the work of the Holy Spirit continues. Jesus’ entering into Jerusalem for the Passover is an insurrection movement against more than just the Roman Imperialism it is against evil. Evil attempts to squelch this movement, but it ultimately results in Jesus’ inaugural event. SCRIPTURE The Israelites have not fared well, since their Babylonian Captivity. Their unfaithfulness to God resulted in God standing by, while the adulterous gods they worshipped did nothing to protect them against a Babylonian invasion. The People of God were captive in Babylon for 70 years until the Babylonians were defeated by the Persians who allowed Israel to return back to Judea. This didn’t mean that they were free, as Persia ruled over them for the next 200 years. Alexander the Greek defeated the Persians who in turn were conquered by their current oppressors the Roman Empire. Jesus enters Jerusalem and a crowd gathers, the people are filled with anticipation, as this is a culmination of his ministry, teaching, healings, and forgiving sins. The setting of the Passover revives memories of salves in Egypt being delivered by God and escaping Egypt. They were formed and shaped by God in the wilderness. Then re-inhabited their homeland by one successful battle after another. The Passover festival brings back this memory each year, so Pilate, Rome’s governor always makes it a point to be in Jerusalem during this holiday, to make sure no one gets any ideas of revolting. King Herod couldn’t stay away either. If Pilate, the Roman Governor was going to be there in his city, then he, as the king of the Jews, had to be there too. Each had their own motorcade with streets lined with their admirers greeting them as they arrived. A great crowd gathered when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They began shouting “Save”. Finally, Dear God, save your people from this line of oppression and deliver your people out of the Roman Pharaoh’s hand. The Rule of God, Jesus as king, blessed are we, blessed is Jesus, blessed is God. Hosanna! This quote form Psalm 118, which is a Psalm of victory. Jesus found a donkey’s colt and rode it into Jerusalem. When Persia defeated Babylon, they allowed Israel to return home. Jesus is enacting this prophecy of Zechariah, “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!” This is an apocalyptic vision of encouragement to those who under an evil oppression. Your king is coming. Palm branches wave like flags of insurrection in this Far East corner of the Roman Empire. The disciples didn’t understand things as they were unfolding, but later, after experiencing the resurrection, they realize that a rule of a different kind, and a kingdom of a different sort. APPLICATION How does this message of the rule of God in our world give the oppressed hope? The rule of God is not limited to physical boundaries but spans the world as belief in Jesus gathers citizens across boundaries, in a wide range of countries as citizens of the Kingdom of God. The insurgent work of the church brings clean water to villages, advocates for equality, speak up at the injustice. Challenge’s voter suppression laws that target certain segments of our population to make it harder for them to cast their votes. In Myanmar the military have taken over the government, and arrested the candidate who won the election by a landslide. The people have taken to the streets in protest and many have been killed. It is to this kind of injustice that our prayers are lifted towards. Shooting have become more common place. There is no reason for a civilian to be in position of an assault rifle. This is where the protection of human lives is more important than an evil perception of rights. Jesus does not become the king over a physical landscape, but is an apocalyptic king. Carr and Conway in their book “An Introduction to the Bible” gives a description of the Apocalyptic. The world is in the grip of evil. The world needs God to intervene in a supernatural way to punish the evil doers and reward the righteous. The evil is stopped and God’s reign begins. This is not to scare us into action but to give us hope to keep on following God. Jesus is our apocalyptic King. Not in the usual sense, but battling evil and creating the rule of the kingdom of God made up of citizens from all over the world. CONCLUSION The events of the last week of Jesus’ life, reveals the kind of rule God ushers in over evil in a supernatural way. God intervenes to defeat evil. Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet, Jesus foretells Peter’s denial and predicts his arrest and death. Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment to love. Jesus talks to his disciples about the Holy Spirit. Jesus prays for them. This is the rule of the King coming into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. He is arrested, tried, and evil nails him to a cross to die. Evil seems to have prevailed but the story isn’t over yet.
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