The beginning of the Chapter gives us the time frame of
these events!
Then,
six days before the Passover, Jesus came to
We
are going to look at the events that happened in
A)This brings
us to the final week in the life of our Lord.
B) The setting
in the beginning of the chapter is quaint a quiet time at the house of
friends
C) As we come
to v.12 the setting changes dramatically.
1) Moves from
the quiet quaint house to out in the open - - Crowds triumphal entry.
D) Lets pick
up the Story in v.9
Now a great many of the
Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that
they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief
priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many
of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
What a bummer for Laz people
wanted him to die so quickly really no threat
A)From his
perspective nothing to lose and everything to gain.
B) Notice also
it says many of the Jews many following
the religious leaders idea many believed because of Laz.
C) This is signaling a shift in the crowds the popularity
of Jesus is growing
1)But so is the Jealously
and of the religious leaders.
Plotting the death of JESUS
The next day a great
multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to
"Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' - The King of
This
event is known as Palm Sunday:
Johns gospel
is the only one that tells us they put palm branches
in the road where the name Palm Sunday comes
.
Here Jesus is
making his triumphal entry into
This is during the feast of unleavened bread and Passover.
A)A feast
where a lamb is slain for every 10 family members
B) Josephus tells
us that at this time they were sacrificing on average 200,000
lambs at Passover
1)That tells us that the
population of
C) The day
that Jesus is riding into
1)That is the day that
families would bring their sacrificial lamb to the temple for inspection
D) Priest would search to see if there was any
spot or blemish
1) Later in the week the lambs
would be brought back to be sacrificed.
E) It is here
on that same day Jesus is presenting himself public ally
1) He arranged the whole event only time
accepts a public display of affection
14 Then Jesus, when He had
found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 "Fear not, daughter
of
Behold, your King is
coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt."
It is interesting that the rabbinical tradition said that
when the Messiah came if
A)If they were
not ready to receive Him He would come riding on a donkey.
B) Here comes
Jesus riding on a donkey
C) And it is
the very day Prophesied by Daniel in
D) Artaxerxes March 14 445 BC count 173,880 days April 6th
AD 32
Amazing Prophecy and they missed it entirely
A)Luke 19
tells us that Jesus wept as He road in word for wept is convulsing
B) Loud cries
what a scene crowd is Chanting Hosanna Jesus
is convulsing
"If you had known,
even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But
now they are hidden from your eyes. 43
For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you,
surround you and close you in on every side,
44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they
will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time
of your visitation."
He is thinking about what is going to happen in AD 70 37
short years Titus and Romans
A)Nation would
be dispersed for 2000 yrs
B) Jesus is
weeping the Crowd is chanting
1) Matthew says the city was shaken
C) Uses a term
from which we get our English word Seismology from - = Earthquake
1) The idea is
the people in the city were visibly shaken by this
16 His disciples did not
understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they
remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done
these things to Him. After the Rez they put the picture together
17 Therefore the people,
who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from
the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because
they heard that He had done this sign
D) Jesus is
weeping the Crowds are Chanting and what are the religious leaders doing?
Luke in his gospel tells us that some of the Pharisees
called from the crowd teacher rebuke your disciples -
Jesus responds if they were silent the Rocks would cry out!
A)Go to
B) So some of
the Pharisees were protesting, the rest were stewing V.19
19 The Pharisees therefore
said among themselves,"You see that you are
accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!"
C) Their
resistance was only fulfilling Prophecy -Stone that the builders rejected has
become the chief cornerstone Psalm 118
V.20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up
to worship at the feast.
A)These men
were grks or gentiles who converted to Judiasm Hellenistic -
called proselytes of the gate
B)Because
technically they were only allowed into the gates of the temple out court
21
Then they came to Philip, who was from
C) Note that
is always the true heart of Worship
True worship
is always about seeing Jesus.
They come from the Greco Roman Empire they have been exposed
to all of the luxuries / philosophies
All of the teachings of
A)They have
converted to Judiasm but they still havent taken a
hold of what they are really after
B) They hear
about Jesus raising the dead blind see lame walk common people drawn
1) Hear about
the amazing teachings and they want to see Jesus
C) Best form of Church growth Jesus working in the
lives of His people Your marriage
1) Your family
Your transformation
D) So they
come to Philip grk name We wish to see Jesus
22 Philip came and told
Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus. 23 But Jesus answered them,
saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a
grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it
dies, it produces much grain.
Now
this is the 1st time Jesus has ever said the hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified
A)He is talking about His
death He is talking about His Sacrifice.
B)
That is where His glory is going to be revealed is in the cross.
C) Now He uses an
illustration from nature Seed being planted and in order for that seed to
produce
1)It needs to die Death is being planted in the dirt
D)Jesus knew that the way to
fruit was in death
1) He would be the lamb
slain
E) He
would be the lamb slain Rise
But Jesus is not just giving
an illustration He is setting an example
25 He who loves his life
will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal
life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My
servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Now
this is something He says in every gospel-
38 And he who does not take
his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he
who loses his life for My sake will find it.
"Whoever desires to
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will
lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
"If anyone desires to
come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his
life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
This is a recurring theme Calling take up your cross
A)This is a recurring theme take up the cross
B) Cross?
Mother in law Job
1) Cross was
an instrument of death in order for someone else to live
Lets go back
to the analogy of the seed. If it remains alone no fruit
How
we are like SEEDS
A)A
Seed is small & insignificant but there is life in it/ That seed has the potential of becoming a
tree / flower
B)You & I are small & insignificant but we have life in us
Gods Life
C) Now if the life that is
in the seed is going to be manifested it has to be buried / planted symbol of
death
E)The
same thing holds true for us if the Life of the Lord is going to be
manifested in our lives
1)
We need to be Planted / buried /
F)
There is a death that needs to take place Death of self / My plan/ My ambition/
My desires / and aligning myself w/ His Plan
Now think about if
that seed could talk - I
dont like
it down here
It is Dark/ Cold / Dirty /
Water is Cold
A)But in order for the life in the seed to come forth all of that is
Necessary
B) Diamond
becoming Coal Pressed
C) God has put His life into you HS / but in
order for him to get his life out of You /
1)You need to be buried
D)Note Jesus said if the seed remains alone no
fruit
1) That is our natural tendency Stay alone
guarded isolated- that is safe
E)
But the example of Jesus is to love reach
out be vulnerable.
D)
Note the contrast: loneliness or fruitfulness,
losing your life or keeping your
life:
1)serving
self or serving Christ Pleasing self or
receiving God's honor
A)Self
Will disposition to want our own way !!!! Phrases I want, I will I need,
B) Self Seeking: We seek after Adulation & Admiration
Marked by that craving to be the center of attention /
1)
It Parades its achievements &
accomplishments
C) Self
Indulgence : Self is motivated by desire & not Principle {
1) It wants to be gratified
no matter what the Cost
D) Self
Pity: Self loves to excite pity & draw out sympathy
Constantly is complaining about circumstances or relationships
1)
It is always feeling sorrow for itself &
looking for listening ears/ shoulders to cry upon
Self
Consciousness: Self
can never forget itself not even for a moment
I am always on my mind Crippled
by always wondering others thinking
Self
Love : Self finds that the supreme object of
affection is itself
1)
Pride Person thinks they
have it all together
F) Self Confidence : I can do it I can make it
happen / I can fix this mess
..
Now
everyone single one of us has the potential for any or all of those things to
be evident in our lives
A)Our biggest struggle is w/
ourselves
B)And the only way for the
Life of the Lord to be manifested in our lives is for us to be Buried / Self
dies
1)
Death to self We need to decrease so that He can increase
C) Our
very flesh rebels against this !
So
how do we do this Again look at Jesus
27 "Now My soul is troubled, and
what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came
to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.
A)What we have here is Jesus wrestling in his
humanity Not w/ Self like us but in his soul
1) My soul my spirit is
troubled
B)
Why He knew what He was about to go thru
1)
Later in the week sweat drops of blood let this cup pass
C) Beaten
Bruised battered forsaken
1) Most of all He would
feel separation from His father
D) Fullness of Sin upon
Him Full arm of Gods wrath
1) Father
watched in silent Didnt respond
Jesus
is wrestling in his humanity His flesh
A)We wrestle in the flesh
too for different reasons
B) Lord I dont want to be
Vulnerable I dont want to be exposed
1)I
dont want to give to people who might not appreciate it
C) We
wrestle in the flesh
D) What can we learn from
Jesus His aim His purpose Father Glorify your name
C) Jesus made
a Choice Seek the Fathers glory & the Fathers will above his own Comfort
1)
Choice that every man has to make Love myself , glorify myself or
Love God & Glorify God { Cant have it both ways
So if our desire is to Glorify God Like the
seed we need to be planted! But Where?
A)the soil we are to be buried
in is Christ Himself / water we are to receive is the water of His word !
B) Our desire needs to be like that of John the B. when
he said I
must decrease that He might increase !
1) John the Man 1st Prophet in 400yrs pointed his disciples
to JESUS
Now
When the seed is buried in the ground it
is covered / no longer seen
A)Covered
by the dirt / watered & receives nutrients from the dirt & the
combination of the watering & the dirt causes the seed to sprout roots
B) After some more watering stem comes
out / later grows into a tree / later bears fruit / now here is what is really intriguing to me
1)The seed is never seen again / only the
fruit which resulted in the seed being planted in the ground !
C)
That is the work that
God is seeking to do in each one of us as He seeks to
conform us into the image of His own Son ! Rom. 8:29
1)
that any good that comes forth from my life / any love / any compassion/ isnt
because I am a great person
D) But because Jesus is living
in me / I died / buried in Him / watered by his word / get
into word / word gets into me
1)
The result will be fruit that reflects Him!
BEING PLANTED
Are you in a Tough Job God
has planted you there for a reason
Difficult marriage ? He
wants to be Glorified in your Trial
B) Realize that the Lord is
seeking to do something in & Thru your life
right now that He couldnt do if You were married
C)That is the place that He
has You planted in presently
D)Are You sick ? Wants to be
glorified in your Sickness / Show His Grace is Sufficient
Power perfected
in weakness
Jesus says that is the
person my father will honor!
In
Then a voice
came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it
again."
Glorified Son in your
obedience
29 Therefore
the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said,
"An angel has spoken to Him."
30 Jesus
answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your
sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this
world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
32 And I, if I
am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." 33 This He said, signifying by what death He
would die.
34 The people
answered Him,"We have heard from the law that
the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted
up'? Who is this Son of Man?"
35 Then Jesus
said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you
have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not
know where he is going. 36 While you
have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."
These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
NKJV