Jesus...Our King ... Comes to Us (CC)
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PALM SUNDAY MARCH 24, 2013
PASTOR DAVID BOSTEDT WELS
ZION EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA WWW.ZIONTORRANCE.INFO
LET US RISE FOR THE READING OF
THIS MORNING'S SERMON TEXT RECORDED FOR US
BY THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 9,
VERSES 9 AND 10:
REJOICE GREATLY, O DAUGHTER OF ZION!
SHOUT, DAUGHTER OF JERUSALEM!
SEE, YOUR KING COMES TO YOU, RIGHTEOUS AND HAVING
SALVATION, GENTLE AND RIDING ON A DONKEY,
ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.
I WILL TAKE AWAY THE CHARIOTS FROM EPHRAIM AND THE
WAR-HORSES FROM JERUSALEM, AND THE BATTLE BOW WILL BE BROKEN.
HE WILL PROCLAIM PEACE TO THE NATIONS.
HIS RULE WILL EXTEND FROM SEA TO SEA
AND FROM THE RIVER TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. LET US PRAY:
GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS
OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDIATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS
BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE
OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN.
[TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, 1973, 1978, 1984,
USED BY PERMISSION OF ZONDERVAN BIBLE PUBLISHERS]
DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR,
JESUS CHRIST:
I ALWAYS HAD DIFFICULTY RELATING TO
THE PERSON OF ZACCHAEUS.
DIDN'T REALLY LIKE THE LITTLE SONG ABOUT THE WEE LITTLE MAN
DIDN'T GET IT! NEVER WAS A
WEE LITTLE MAN MYSELF. I WAS ALWAYS THAT
PERSON WHO WAS SAYING: GET THAT BIG GUY OUT OF
THE FRONT ROW. AND MY MOM WOULD SAY: HE IS IN
SIXTH GRADE.
YOU KNOW, GOTTA PUT THE TALLEST IN THE BACK.
SO I KNEW WHERE I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE.
I HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING ZACCHAEUS
AND HIS NEED TO SEE JESUS.
THE FACT THAT JESUS HAD COME TO JERICHO.
HE WANTED TO SEE HIM.
HE WANTED TO GET A GLIMPSE OF
THE PERSON THAT EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THE BUZZ CONCERNING HIM AND EVEN THOUGH ZACCHAEUS WAS A
TINY MAN, HE WAS GOING TO SEE JESUS.
AND NO BIG PERSON, NO TALL PERSON
WAS GONNA STAND IN HIS WAY. HE RAN
AHEAD OF THE CROWD AND CLIMBED UP A SYCAMORE FIG TREE ...
SO THAT HE COULD
SEE JESUS.
ARE WE THAT EXCITED
AND THAT FOCUSED TODAY
TO SEE JESUS?
TO SPEND TIME
WITH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR?
OR ARE WE ALREADY NOT
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HOLIEST OF HOLY WEEKS AHEAD
OF US? BECAUSE FOR US IT'S
MORE OF A BURDEN. YOU REALIZE THAT THERE IS CHURCH ON
THURSDAY. THERE'S CHURCH AGAIN ON FRIDAY, THERE'S
TWO SERVICES ON SUNDAY. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND
IS GONNA GET UP TO BE AT CHURCH AT
7 A.M. ?
ARE WE EXCITED
ABOUT THE FACT THAT JESUS
CAME TO BE OUR LORD
AND SAVIOR? THAT HE IS THE ONE
WHO IS OUR KING!
HE IS THE ONE WHO RULES OUR LIVES.
AND RULES THE WORLD ON OUR BEHALF.
WE SHOULD HEAR THESE WORDS OF THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH
AND TAKE THEM TO HEART. TO REJOICE!
TO REJOICE GREATLY!
BECAUSE OUR KING COMES AND OUR KING REIGNS!
WHAT WONDERFUL NEWS THAT IS!
THAT JESUS KEPT THE PROPHECY
THAT ZECHARIAH FORETOLD. THAT GOD'S KING
WAS GOING TO RIDE INTO JERUSALEM. RIDE INTO
JERUSALEM NOT IN SOME GOLD CHARIOT.
NOT BEING CARRIED BY ATTENDANTS.
BUT IN TRUE HUMILITY.
ON THE COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.
RIDING INTO JERUSALEM AMID THE PRAISE
AND WORSHIP OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAD GATHERED THERE.
SHOUTING THOSE HOSANNAS IN THE HIGHEST.
GLORY IN THE HIGHEST. PEACE IN HEAVEN.
SO MUCH SO THAT THOSE WHO WERE
NOT HAPPY WITH JESUS AND OPPOSED HIM
WANTED HIM TO SILENCE THEIR PRAISE.
WANTED HIM TO SILENCE WHAT THEY
WERE SAYING. THAT CROWD THAT HAD GATHERED THERE HAD COME TO
SEE JESUS. AND TO REJOICE
IN THE FACT THAT GOD WAS KEEPING HIS WORD.
THEY WERE EXCITED THAT THERE WAS THIS
IDEA THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS NEAR.
THEY HAD HEARD JESUS PROCLAIM TO THEM
AND SPEAK TO THEM ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS THE SAVIOR.
THE ONE WHO WAS GOING UP TO JERUSALEM
TO SUFFER AND TO DIE AT THE HANDS
OF EVIL MEN. TO DIE AND THEN TO
RAISE TRIUMPHANTLY IN THREE DAYS.
THE KING HAD COME TO THEM
WHO WAS GOING TO LEAD THEM AND
GUARD THEM AND PROTECT THEM AS HIS OWN,
AS HIS PEOPLE, AS HIS SUBJECTS.
AND THEY WERE TO REJOICE
AND TO BE GLAD BECAUSE THEY WERE NO LONGER
HELD OUTSIDE OF THE KINGDOM.
THEY WERE NO LONGER CUT OFF FROM THE FAMILY OF GOD
AND ITS BLESSING BECAUSE OF SIN.
BECAUSE JESUS CAME TO TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.
HE WAS THE ONE WHO OPENED THE DOOR TO GOD'S PARADISE
FOR THEM. THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER LIVING
OUTSIDE OF GOD'S LOVE AND GOD'S PROTECTION AND
GOD'S CARE. THAT THEY WOULD BE
HIS SUBJECTS. HE LOVED AND CARED
FOR THEM SO MUCH THAT HE
OFFERED HIS LIFE TO SAVE THEM FROM THE
HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES. THAT IS
OUR KING. JESUS IS OUR KING
WHO HAS ALSO COME TO US THROUGH THE PAGES
OF THE WORD. THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS CREATED FAITH
IN OUR HEARTS TO KNOW AND BELIEVE
AND TO TRUST IN JESUS
AS OUR KING. THE ONE WHO RULES OUR LIFE.
THE ONE WHO IS THE AUTHORITY OVER EVERY
SINGLE THING THAT WE DO. AND FOR THAT WE REJOICE!
WE SING HIS PRAISES.
OUR HEARTS ARE FILLED WITH GOD'S LOVE.
AND IT IS FILLED WITH JOY AND IT OVERFLOWS
IN OUR WORDS AND OUR ACTIONS.
THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS DONE IN THANKS AND
PRAISE FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE. FROM THE MOST
MENIAL OF TASKS IN OUR LIVES TO THOSE THAT WE CONSIDER
TO BE A GREAT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO DO.
THEY ARE DONE OUT OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD.
AND WANTING TO BE WITH HIM.
THE ONE WHO RULES AS OUR KING.
THE ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY OVER OUR LIFE.
THE ONE WHOSE THRONE WILL ENDURE
FOREVER; WILL EXTEND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
AS THE PROPHET TOLD US. WE WAIT
AND LONG FOR THAT DAY WHEN CHRIST WILL TAKE
THAT THRONE OVER EVERYTHING ON THAT LAST
AND GREATEST DAY. AND EVERYTHING WILL BE
UNDER HIS AUTHORITY AND HIS
CHURCH WILL BE WITH HIM. AND WE WILL REJOICE
FOR ONCE AGAIN WHAT GOD HAS DONE.
BUT WE ALSO HEAR THOSE WORDS
OF THE PARABLE. THE PARABLE OF THE MINAS
FROM LUKE'S GOSPEL ... REMINDING US THAT NOT EVERYONE
LIKES THE KING. NOT EVERYBODY
WANTS TO BE UNDER THE KING'S AUTHORITY.
AND THAT IN OUR SINFUL NATURE SOMETIMES
IS THE WAY WE LOOK TO GOD.
WE DON'T WANT GOD TELLING US WHAT TO DO.
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S INCONVENIENT.
OR IF IT'S DIFFICULT. WE WANT TO GIVE GOD
THE PARTS OF OUR LIFE THAT ARE EASY FOR HIM TO CONTROL
AND YET HOLD ON TIGHTLY TO THE FACT
THAT WE ARE THE ONES WHO SECURE
OUR LIFE. WE ARE THE ONES WHO HOLD OUR FUTURE IN OUR HANDS.
IT'S UP TO US ... UP TO US TO
MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR US.
SOMETIMES WE TRUST MORE IN OUR BANK ACCOUNT,
WE TRUST MORE IN OUR DOCTORS THAN WE PLACE OUR FAITH
IN GOD.
THAT HE HOLDS OUR FUTURE IN HIS HANDS.
THAT HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
HE HAS ARRANGED WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. HE KNOWS THE DAY
THAT WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE THIS EARTH TO BE
TAKEN TO BE WITH HIM.
HE KNOWS THE VERY NUMBERS OF HAIRS ON OUR HEAD.
WHAT AN INSIGNIFICANT
THOUGHT FOR ANY ONE OF US.
YET JESUS KNOWS THAT
OF ALL OF US.
HE IS OUR KING. HE IS THE ONE WHO RULES
SO PERFECTLY FOR OUR GOOD AND
FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH.
AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SUBMIT
TO HIS AUTHORITY. TO SURRENDER OUR PRIDE;
TO SURRENDER OUR OWN SELFISH
IDEAS; TO SURRENDER WHAT WE
THINK IS THE CONTROL THAT WE
HAVE OVER WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR LIFE.
TO PLACE IT IN GOD'S HANDS.
AND TO TRUST HIM THAT HE WILL BLESS US
BEYOND WHAT WE CAN IMAGINE.
TO TRUST HIM TO ACCOMPLISH
HIS WILL IN US.
AND TO REJOICE IN THE FACT
THAT HE DOES THAT. TO BE GLAD IN HIS LEADERSHIP
IN OUR LIFE. TO REJOICE IN HIS AUTHORITY.
TO WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME TO HIM AND
SPEND TIME WITH HIM IN WORSHIP AND PRAISE.
HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED WHAT NONE OF US COULD DO.
HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED
OUR SALVATION. AND THIS MORNING WE RAISE OUR
HOSANNAS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE IN JERUSALEM.
BUT WE'RE TO RAISE THOSE HOSANNAS EVERY DAY.
WE ARE TO COME WITH HEARTS THAT ARE
REJOICING GREATLY
FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE! TO PUT
HIM FIRST AND FOREMOST IN OUR LIFE.
TO LOOK AT THIS WEEK AHEAD AND SAY:
WHERE IS GOD # 1?
AND THEN ... I LOOK AT THE REST OF MY LIFE
AND CHANGE MY SCHEDULE TO MEET
WHAT GOD WANTS FROM ME.
AND WHERE I KNOW I WILL HEAR HIS WORD
AND BE BLESSED.
TO COME TO HIM IN HUMILITY ...
WITH JOY AND PRAISE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO PUSH HIM INTO
THE POCKETS OF OUR LIFE WHERE WE HAVE THIS
LEFTOVER LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
WE DON'T ACCEPT THAT FROM OUR SPOUSES.
WE DON'T ACCEPT THAT
FROM OUR CHILDREN.
THOSE PEOPLE IN OUR LIFE THAT WE CARE ABOUT
AND MATTER TO US ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO
SPEND TIME WITH; WE LONG TO SPEND TIME WITH AND
WE MAKE EFFORT TO DO THAT.
CHRIST PUT IN TREMENDOUS
EFFORT ... IN MAKING US
HIS OWN ... BECAUSE
HE ... LOVED ... US.
HE WANTS TO SPEND
TIME ... WITH US.
LET US BE LIKE ZACCHAEUS
MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO SEE JESUS.
LET US HEED THESE WORDS OF THE PROPHET
ZECHARIAH AND TO REJOICE
TO REJOICE GREATLY
FOR OUR KING
HAS COME. AMEN.
LET US RISE.
NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH
GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS
AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE
FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.