Combined service.
Today is Palm Sunday. Today is also our TOP AGM.
Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday leads to the holy week with Christ being nailed on the cross on Friday and resurrected on Sunday. It is a significant time in the Christian calendar and we must remember what the Lord did for us.
Mark 11:1-11
The Triumphal Entry
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this? ’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly. ’”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna! ’”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.
Palm Sunday was a joyous occasion. Palm branches was laid down as Jesus rode the colt into Jerusalem. It was a grand occasion. The people would line the streets to welcome him.
Today is April Fools day. Many of us have played pranks on our friends on this day. I did that to my friend in my school days by telling him teacher wanted to see him. Fearfully he would go see the teacher only to be told he never asked to see him. Gave us all a good laugh.
Actually some of them who came to welcome Jesus on Palm Sunday outside Jerusalem must have thought they were witnessing an April's Fool joke. They had come out to see the long awaited Messiah. They had heard about the miracles he did, healing the sick, the blind and even raised Lazarus from the dead. They have high expectations and jostle for position to see Jesus. They were expecting someone to deliver them from the Roman empire. They were under persecution so they expected Jesus was the person to come to deliver them. That kind of King to come to rule and drive out the Romans and establish the nation of Israel.
Their heart sank when they saw Jesus arriving on a colt. They would expect a king to come on a more glamorous vehicle. When the Romans enter victoriously they would parade the conquered in chains and all the soldiers would come dressed for grandeur. The people were used to seeing this.
But then they saw Jesus coming on a young donkey. Not even an adult donkey. If God can use a donkey I am sure he can use all of us. If I was Jesus I would probably have chosen a white stallion. Or maybe a big elephant with long tusk. But they saw a different picture. What kind of messiah is this? Where is his shining armour?
It didn't occurred to the people that Jesus was fulfilling scripture.
Zechariah 9:9
The Coming of Zion’s King
9 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.
Jesus knew how he should enter Jerusalem. Isn't it odd that he would walk 90 miles from Bethany and the last 2 miles he asked for a colt. He fulfilled scripture to show he is the coming king.
Many people took off their cloak to let him walk on. Back in those days your cloak is the most important clothes you have. It was a significant action. It was a representation of their status. Underneath it was probably shabby. They cut branches and waved to Him, hosanna hosanna which meant save us save us.
But we know Jesus came to establish a different kind of kingdom. He ushered in a spiritual kingdom. Blessed is He who come in the name of the Lord, the son of David. But some of them must think its a joke. How can our coming king come so lowly.
v11 showed he came to Jerusalem, he went to the temple, looked around and went home. If he entered so triumphantly there must be expectation in something more from him.
I wondered what was on Jesus's mind when he entered Jerusalem. Was he thinking about all these money-lenders at the temple? Or was he looking at the magnificent temple that would be destroyed. Or that curtain that separates men from God and how it will be torn down. Or maybe the mockery or trial he will go through, the crucifixion. We don't know what he was thinking of.
In Mark 10:32-34 some days earlier, he already predicted his death and resurrection. This was not what the disciples had wanted to hear. Jesus stood on the courtyard understanding what was going to happen. But we know he had the courage to go through it.
He was a man of courage. History says he was reserved the worst of the worst. Surely he did not deserve this, what was his crime? But no matter what, He understood this was what he needed to do.
He was not just a man of courage but also a man of commitment. At the garden, his prayer was so intense that he sweated blood. Medically, it could be he was under such intense pressure that his blood vessels broke. But I am so glad he did not end there but said "Not my will, but Your will". It was not blind courage that motivated Jesus. It was a determination to do what the Father wanted. He walked the talk. What we preach we must be able to live out in our life. Jesus walked his talk. We can live it out. Our life must reflect Jesus.
He was also a man of compassion. He laid down His life for us. No greater works than to lay down your life for a friend.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
It was not the nails that held him to the cross. It was his love for you that held him on the cross. On Friday he went to the cross and on Sunday he rose again. We don't know what he was thinking of at the temple but we know what he did. What he did for us.
I hope you know what kind of king to look for. Someone humble and meek who gave his life for you. He is our hero, a man of courage, commitment and compassion.
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| TOP's 29th AGM 2012 held after the combined service. |
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