Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2005 17:37:02 GMT
JESUS IS A KING LIKE NO OTHER KING
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Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we call the first Palm Sunday riding on the back a foal of an ass or donkey, A humble beast of burden
Not the kind of leader the Jews were hoping for.
They wanted a strong hero to declare independence and strike at the Achilles heel of the Roman Empire and destroy it's power.
Eventually He did that and long after the Fall of Rome his empire, his kingdom, rules millions of lives today.
The prophets Zechariah and Haggai centuries before warned of the rebuilding of the Temple and the coming of the Messiah. In 2nd Samuel is recorded how David saw the coming of Messiah, as a sunrise of the bright rule of righteousness.
The Temple had been rebuilt by Herod and the people yearned for a strong leader and looked for a warrior on a white horse. (He has yet to come)
In fact those prophets foretold a much later rebuilding of the Temple which has yet to take place, and the coming of Messiah in glory and invincible power.
KING JESUS is a NEW KIND OF KING.
Gentle, Humble, a servant of those he leads.
1] HIS RULE IS HUMBLE
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He did not die in the noble death of battle
He died the ignoble death of crucifixion rejected apparently by God and men
Yet it is a battle a much longer one and he will stand victor at last for what happened on the first fateful Good Friday and Easter Day
To be the greatest we have to learn to serve other people. Real leadership is serving, not reigning.
When we think of rulers we think of rank, wealth or status.
We do not expect to see our Queen on a bicycle, although in fact she can ride one and has, and did as a young princess.
Paul in his letter to the Christians at Philippi refers to Jesus, while being equally God, with His Father, he did not grasp at equality, but made himself nothing.
We too have to learn to grasp that being humble, not proud has to be our way of life, loving other people.
2] HIS RULE IS TOTAL
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Not just Israel, but the whole world
All nations will obey Him
He will rule over Jews and Gentiles,
with justice and mercy
All who were far from him will be brought close to him
His policies will be universal
He will establish harmony and co-operation
He has removed the barrier wall between
the Kingdom of Earth and the Kingdom of Heaven
and we should rejoice.
No one is beyond the saving power of God, apart from those who choose to be beyond it by not trusting and obeying Him.
3] HIS RULE IS ETERNAL
****************************
It is based on a covenant with us.
in which we agree
to trust obey and serve Him
in which He promises
to save us ,
to reconcile us,
to reunite us with God,
to give us eternal life
to give us God' the Holy Spirit
It is a new covenant sealed in the Blood of the Lamb, Christ's own blood.
Jeremiah in what we call chapter 31 foresaw this new covenant
The way to God is now open to all who trust in Him
Jesus died for each one of us
for YOU and for ME
We all stand equal, before the Cross of Jesus.
As a barrister said to a client
State Law decides whether you are innocent or guilty
God says to us
my Law says you are guilty but
my Love declares that you are innocent.
In Christ, by Christ, for Christ
God regards us as righteous, innocent, acceptable
Notes from a sermon preached on Palm Sunday 2004 by Liz Herrington from Zechariah 9
################################
Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we call the first Palm Sunday riding on the back a foal of an ass or donkey, A humble beast of burden
Not the kind of leader the Jews were hoping for.
They wanted a strong hero to declare independence and strike at the Achilles heel of the Roman Empire and destroy it's power.
Eventually He did that and long after the Fall of Rome his empire, his kingdom, rules millions of lives today.
The prophets Zechariah and Haggai centuries before warned of the rebuilding of the Temple and the coming of the Messiah. In 2nd Samuel is recorded how David saw the coming of Messiah, as a sunrise of the bright rule of righteousness.
The Temple had been rebuilt by Herod and the people yearned for a strong leader and looked for a warrior on a white horse. (He has yet to come)
In fact those prophets foretold a much later rebuilding of the Temple which has yet to take place, and the coming of Messiah in glory and invincible power.
KING JESUS is a NEW KIND OF KING.
Gentle, Humble, a servant of those he leads.
1] HIS RULE IS HUMBLE
****************************
He did not die in the noble death of battle
He died the ignoble death of crucifixion rejected apparently by God and men
Yet it is a battle a much longer one and he will stand victor at last for what happened on the first fateful Good Friday and Easter Day
To be the greatest we have to learn to serve other people. Real leadership is serving, not reigning.
When we think of rulers we think of rank, wealth or status.
We do not expect to see our Queen on a bicycle, although in fact she can ride one and has, and did as a young princess.
Paul in his letter to the Christians at Philippi refers to Jesus, while being equally God, with His Father, he did not grasp at equality, but made himself nothing.
We too have to learn to grasp that being humble, not proud has to be our way of life, loving other people.
2] HIS RULE IS TOTAL
***************************
Not just Israel, but the whole world
All nations will obey Him
He will rule over Jews and Gentiles,
with justice and mercy
All who were far from him will be brought close to him
His policies will be universal
He will establish harmony and co-operation
He has removed the barrier wall between
the Kingdom of Earth and the Kingdom of Heaven
and we should rejoice.
No one is beyond the saving power of God, apart from those who choose to be beyond it by not trusting and obeying Him.
3] HIS RULE IS ETERNAL
****************************
It is based on a covenant with us.
in which we agree
to trust obey and serve Him
in which He promises
to save us ,
to reconcile us,
to reunite us with God,
to give us eternal life
to give us God' the Holy Spirit
It is a new covenant sealed in the Blood of the Lamb, Christ's own blood.
Jeremiah in what we call chapter 31 foresaw this new covenant
The way to God is now open to all who trust in Him
Jesus died for each one of us
for YOU and for ME
We all stand equal, before the Cross of Jesus.
As a barrister said to a client
State Law decides whether you are innocent or guilty
God says to us
my Law says you are guilty but
my Love declares that you are innocent.
In Christ, by Christ, for Christ
God regards us as righteous, innocent, acceptable
Notes from a sermon preached on Palm Sunday 2004 by Liz Herrington from Zechariah 9