Mountain Life Church

Transcription

1 That s My King! Mountain Life Church Life Pack Good News! Series April 1, 2012

2 That s My King! Sermon Notes April 1, 2012 I. A Humble Triumph A. Jesus mighty steed Jesus finishes like He started - humbly B. Jesus life in direct answer to prophecy Jesus is THE WORD fulfilling THE WORD Destiny and God s children Psalm 139 Acts 17: 28 Ephesians 2: 10 Write any notes from the week here II. A (Super)Natural Response A. The disciples of Jesus erupt into spontaneous praise Their coats are laid down in reverence for their King Hosanna - Lord save us! Psalm 118 B. When Jesus is King, I can t help but worship Him Worship is a volcanic eruption Worship is a response to the beautiful nature of God Such behavior is strange to unbelievers and posers III.A Vehement Reaction A. The enemy (Satan, my flesh, the world) will react immediately to worship B. Worship is a threat to the kingdom of this world C. Posers resent true worship 2 19

3 Table Talk Teens Read Luke 19:29-44 Question #1: Up to this time Jesus had not sought to be openly called Messiah, but now He allowed it and even encouraged it. Everything He did over the course of these days was designed to call attention to the fact that He is the Messiah. Describe in your own words what Messiah means. Question #2: In Luke 19:28-34, explain the importance of Jesus arriving on a donkey. Question #3: In Luke 19:35-38, explain the significance of many people spreading their clothes on the road. IV.Creation and Worship A. All of Creation lives to worship Him If we don t, creation will The rocks will cry out The earthquake when Jesus died B. Creation has made its choice Jesus open declaration that He is God Unbelievers even rage against creation V. Jesus Rains on His Own Parade A. His weeping over Jerusalem God s love for the rebellious B. Jesus holds the people responsible for their blindness The revelation of why Jerusalem was destroyed The revelation of why Jerusalem has never enjoyed peace Question #4: In verse 39-40, why did the Pharisees tell Jesus to rebuke His followers? What was Jesus response to their request? Question #5: Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem? 18 3

4 Life Group Questions for April 1, 2012 Good News! Series Message = That s My King! Ice Breaker: Tell about a brief moment of fame you experienced. In other words, when have you ever been highly celebrated by others? Read Luke 19: Tell what you observe about this passage. 2. The penalty for following Jesus in and around Jerusalem was to be excommunicated from the temple and the local synagogue. Supposing most of the crowd knew about this penalty, what does that tell you about their open worship of Jesus? 3. What do you think Jesus meant when He told the Pharisees that the rocks would cry out if His disciples didn t praise Him? 4. What part does verbal or silent singing of praise and worship songs play in your everyday life? Elementary Luke 19: Table Talk Day 1- Read Luke 19: Read it in two different versions (perhaps The Message & NLT or NIV). Why is this passage of Scripture significant (important)? Day 2- Have you ever been really excited about something and then it didn t turn out the way you thought it would? Jesus knew that He was coming to Jerusalem to die on the cross. But the people worshiping Him did not understand God s plan. They probably thought Jesus was going to set up an earthly kingdom and be a powerful leader. But that was not God s plan. As you read this passage, what do you think Jesus meant in verse 40 when He said, "I tell you...if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out"? Day 3- REVIEW QUESTIONS: What did the people lay down in Jesus path? (Coats and palm branches.) What did the people shout as Jesus passed by? ( Hosanna! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! ) Did the people understand that Jesus was going to die on a cross? (No.) What are some ways you can praise God when you re not in church? As you venture into the world this week, be mindful (think about) ways that you can praise God (encourage others, the type of music you listen to, prayer, etc.). Read Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5: Paul teaches us to sing to one another and to ourselves in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. How realistic is this? How open are you to doing this? 6. Pray for one another. 4 17

5 Table Talk Preschool & Nursery: Have any of you ever seen or been to a parade? What happens in a parade? How do people at a parade feel? Well, today we are going to talk about a parade that Jesus was in. Listen to find out what happens. Read Luke 19:29-44 with your child and talk about Jesus entering Jerusalem. How did the crowds feel? How do you feel about Jesus now? What did Jesus ride into Jerusalem upon? What event inspired many people to come see Jesus enter Jerusalem? Learning Points: To know that Jesus was on His way to be crucified and resurrected. Understand that knowing Jesus comes from spending time with Him. To know that it is good and important to praise Jesus. Bible Verse: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5 Prayer: Let us enter the city with God today. Let us sing hosanna to our king, to the Son of God riding on a donkey with the abandoned and oppressed. Let us shout for joy at Christ s coming. Activity: This is a good passage to act out with your child. Take turns acting the roles of donkey, Jesus, the disciples, and the crowd, or use stuffed toys. Personal Devotion Pages The following pages are designed to help you enjoy a regular time alone with God. We have divided up the curriculum to help us grow wherever we are at in our relationship with God and in our knowledge of His Kingdom. LEVELS: Since we are a Colorado church, we use skiing imagery to communicate the different levels of intensity and time involved in relating to God. BEGINNER: If you are new in your relationship with God, we encourage you to try the exercises under this symbol: INTERMEDIATE: If you have walked with God for some time and would like a little more challenge and more time involvement, try the exercises under this symbol: ADVANCED: These exercises are for people who have walked with God for some time and display maturity in their relationship with Him. These exercises provide a practical way to encounter God and His truth on a regular basis. There are no rules here. Please don t hurry through the process. Slow meditation and memorization seems to soak in better than cramming. Enjoy! 16 5

6 Day One 1. Take some time to praise the Lord for who He is and enjoy thanking Him for what He has done in your life lately. 2. Read Luke 19: As you meditate on the above passage, take some time to verbally praise Jesus again for who He is. 4. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to pray and pursue it for at least 15 minutes per day this week. Take 5 minutes and pray for your family for whatever comes to your mind. Memorize Philippians 4: 8. Take 10 minutes to pray for your family and 10 minutes to pray for people in your life who need the Lord. Memorize Philippians 4: 6-8. Take 10 minutes to pray for your family and 10 minutes to pray for people in your life who need the Lord. Take whatever time you have left to pray for your church leadership. Memorize Philippians 4: 4-8. But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry. I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you. ~Luke 19:41, 42, NLT Jesus rained on His own parade. Everyone was in the midst of a worship service, praising Him with their whole hearts, and He reined in His ride and stopped to cry. The mirth slowly stopped. The disciples eventually stopped their procession, too. They looked over Jerusalem, the object of Jesus grief, and got another glimpse of His loving nature. Day Five Though Jesus was thankful for this group of disciples, He was hungry for more of God s chosen people - the Jews - to know Him. The majority of the country had rejected Him. Jerusalem, the great and famous city of David, was the center of the rejection-of-jesus movement. I like to see Jesus not only looking at Jerusalem, but at my friends, loved ones, and neighbors who have rejected Him. It helps me join Him in interceding for their salvation. I hope to get in on what the disciples felt that day. Hopefully, they sensed His great love for all peoples, and joined in His grief. We are Christ s ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, Be reconciled to God! ~2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT 6 15

7 Day Five 1. Take some time to praise the Lord from your heart. Enjoy Him thoroughly before moving into a time of thanks. Thank God for all the good things He s done for you lately. 2. Meditate on Isaiah 53 today. 3. Take time to pray through the Lord s prayer today. Day One Jesus popularity has gone viral. He has just raised Lazarus from the dead, a miracle that brings Jesus popularity to its zenith. Now, one week before His resurrection, Jesus rides into the same neighborhoods on a donkey colt. I think about how silly Jesus must have looked. Donkeys are short as it is, but Jesus rides on a colt who has never been ridden. His feet probably scraped the ground, or He may have even had to bend His knees just to keep from dragging his feet. The King of the universe, riding on a donkey and being praised by none other than the am ha aretz, the rabble. It was a private party for Jesus disciples only. Though they made up a sizable crowd, they were nobodies with little social clout. Palm Sunday is about welcoming the King. It s about worship. It s about remembering the wonderful things He has done and celebrating His awesome goodness. This crowd recognizes who He is. They know He is the King of kings, and they loudly proclaim, Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven! (Luke 19:38, NLT) 4. Finish your Bible memorization today. The religious hierarchy is incensed. Their spiritually blind eyes cannot see who this man really is and they demand that Jesus silence His disciples. When I walk in hypocrisy, I dislike authentic worship, especially exuberant, authentic worship. But when my eyes are opened, my natural response is to praise Him with all that I am. Jesus, today I thank you for all You have done in my life. I praise You with my whole being! You are my King! You alone are worthy of all my praise! 14 7

8 Day Two Day Four 1. Take some time to quiet yourself before God and thank Him for all He s done in your life lately. Then praise Him for who He is. 2. Meditate on Luke 19: Jesus uses the Lord s Prayer to outline for us a great way to pray. Hallowed be Your Name - Spend time worshiping Him. Thy Kingdom Come - Ask Him what He s doing and how you can get in on it. Give us this day - Ask Him specifically for your needs to be met. Forgive us our debts - Allow Him to show you your sin and take time to forgive others. Lead us not into temptation - Help me renew my mind to truth so the enemy and my flesh cannot win over my commitment to You. 4. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring the scriptures alive in your life in such a way that you desire to immerse yourself in them daily. 5. Continue memorizing and meditating on the scriptures for this week. But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that! He replied, If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers! ~Luke 19:39, 40, NLT. We find out in the book of John that people were being excommunicated from the temple for following Jesus of Nazareth. Now Jesus has come to Jerusalem - the belly of the beast - the center of false religion, and His disciples cannot help themselves. As Jesus humbly approached on his rather absurd little donkey colt, the King of kings stirred up natural and outlandish praises from His disciples. They just couldn t help themselves. They had seen what He had done and were in awe of His humble but authoritative majesty. I find it interesting that Luke describes the crowd as His disciples. Disciples are people who discipline themselves to follow a rabbi. They have chosen to face possible expulsion from the temple and the synagogues. They can t help themselves. He is everything they dreamed the Messiah would be, and they lavish Him with worship. Jesus implies to the Pharisees that if His followers didn t worship Him, the rocks themselves would break forth with praise! All of creation joins in the adoration of the coming Creator and King. Father, I lavish You today with all the worship You are worthy to receive. Be magnified, O God! 8 13

9 Day Four 1. Take time to praise God for who He is and then thank Him with a grateful heart for all He has done for you lately. 2. Meditate on Psalm Pray for three friends who have rejected Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you His love for them. Day Two If I was that donkey colt that Jesus disciples apprehended in Bethany, I would really think I was somebody! Imagine! I have never been ridden by any person before, and my inaugural ride is with Jesus the King! As Jesus begins to mount my back, His disciples put their cloaks on me soften His ride and show Him honor. I am the vehicle for God almighty. As we begin to walk into town, the disciples bow down and worship. They throw their cloaks before me to make my steps softer, they wave palm branches - in honor of little ol me?!!! Then the singing starts. Though I cannot understand them, I can tell they are quite impressed with my ability to be steered and driven on my first ride. I am so obedient! What a godly and excellent donkey I am! 4. Continue meditating on and memorizing the scripture for this week. Little do I know that I am a picture of everyone who comes in the name of the king. I m insignificant, silly looking, and rather small for the one riding on my back. In reality, the crowds are not cheering me, but rather the one in whose name I come. They honor Him and not me. And yet, as they honor the one who rides my back, I am elevated from insignificant donkey to vehicle of the Lord. He HAS chosen me instead of a great white stallion and that in itself makes me of infinite value. Father, thank you for choosing me, valuing me, and putting me into service. Your will be done today. And I will give you all the praise that I receive from others. It s all for You! 12 9

10 Day Three 1. Take time to praise God for who He is and then thank Him with a grateful heart for all He has done for you lately. 2. Meditate on Proverbs Take some time to pray through the Lord s prayer again today, using it s natural outlines to pray specifically and personally for your own issues. 4. Take one day and fast it (go without food) this week. Use that time to pray and listen to God. (This may be tough for you if you ve not done it before, but it is a rewarding time with God.) 5. Continue meditating on and memorizing the scripture for this week. Day Three This was done to fulfill the prophecy, Tell the people of Israel, Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey--even on a donkey s colt. ~Matthew 21:4, 5, NLT Matthew s version of Jesus triumphal goes along with all the other events of His life - His every move was a fulfillment of prophecy. John called Jesus The Word. Before He was incarnated as Jesus, the Son of God spoke through the prophets about His eventual appearing. When Jesus came in the flesh, He lived out every prophetic utterance about the Messiah, giving us no doubt about whether or not He was who He said He was. 9 The integrity of God s word shines forth through Jesus. We can trust the Old Testament. Jesus fulfills the Old Covenant and the letters of the New Testament then explain Jesus to us. All of us have to wrestle with the truth of God s Word. Can it be trusted at every level? Can I walk on the truths God has spelled out in its pages? This is both an objective process and a subjective process. I can objectively prove the truth of God s Word by collaborating it with archeology and other secular history. But until the truth of God s Word becomes subjectively cemented in our hearts through God fulfilling it in our own lives, we don t tend to trust our objective findings. Father, I pray that You would nail down in me a solid belief that Your Word is trustworthy! 10 11