BIG IDEA:
WELCOMING CHRIST AS KING CAN BE A SHALLOW LIP SERVICE SPECTACLE WITH MINIMAL UNDERSTANDING AND ZERO COMMITMENT
INTRODUCTION:
Good Christmas message: look at all the hoopla surrounding Christmas. The world recognizes the connection to the coming of Christ into the world; but the world has minimal understanding of His significance and zero spiritual commitment to His Lordship. That does not stop them from putting on quite the spectacle! You don’t see people going around openly badmouthing Christ. They love the babe born in the manger. But you also don’t see people falling on their faces in repentance from sin and opening their hearts to His righteousness and His rulership.
I. (:12-13) NO COST INVOLVED IN BLESSING JESUS AS KING WITH MERE LIP SERVICE
A. (:12-13a) Passover Pilgrims Flock to the Main Attraction
“On the next day the great multitude who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees, and went out to meet Him”
B. (:13b) Mass Participation in the Hallelujah Chorus
“and began to cry out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.’”
II. (:14-16) JESUS PERFECTLY FULFILLS MESSIANIC PROPHECY REGARDLESS OF OUR LEVEL OF COMPREHENSION
A. (:14-15) Perfect Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy
“And Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’”
B. (:16) Comprehension Catches Up Later
“These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him.”
III. (:17-18) MANY IMPRESSIVE REASONS FOR THE MULTITUDES TO SHOW SOME LEVEL OF INTEREST IN JESUS
A. (:17) Different Crowd – Same Reaction
“And so the multitude who were with Him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, were bearing Him witness.”
Only highlighting the most recent and most spectacular sign miracle; but all of the sign miracles recorded by John in this gospel are in view.
B. (:18) Drawing Power of the Sign Miracles
“For this cause also the multitude went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.”
(:19) CONCLUSION: POPULAR ACCEPTANCE DOES NOTHING FOR JESUS EXCEPT FOR TURNING UP THE HEAT OF THE OPPOSITION
“The Pharisees therefore said to one another, ‘You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.’”