Dear Partners in Ministry,
Using Matthew 21 this past Sunday, I highlighted the following:
Jesus’ entry was triumphant because He revealed He was THE PROMISED ONE.
Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey was an exact fulfillment of the prophesy hundreds of years before in Zechariah 9:9.
Jesus’ entry was triumphant because He exposed the need for PURITY. Matthew 21:12-Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.'”
There was sin going on in the temple. Robbery. Defilement. Manipulation. Greed. Lust. Jesus got radical. He didn’t just suggest they reduce the amount of sinning going on in the temple, but He completely drove out those who were sinning.
We are the temples of the Living God (I Cor. 3:17). That means we are holy. We must be radical about keeping our temples pure!
Jesus entry was triumphant because He re-established PRAYER as foundational to the Christian life. He said in Matthew 21:13, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer.” Without the power of prayer, we will never live a holy life.
Jesus’ entry was triumphant because He demonstrated His POWER. Matthew 21:14 “The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them.” Healing was and is central to the ministry of Jesus!
Jesus’ entry was triumphant because He welcomed the people’s PRAISE.
15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. 16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”
Hebrews 1:6 tells us even all the angels worship Jesus! Revelation 5 paints a picture of our Lord who is worthy of praise and worship: Revelation 5:6-9 (NIV) 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne. . . 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
In Luke 19 Jesus even tells the Pharisees that if the people stopped praising Him the rocks would burst out in praise. He’s that worthy! Jesus will not go unpraised!
Let us live for our triumphant King Jesus on purpose every minute of this week. I hope to see you on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. for our foot washing and communion service, on Friday at 7:00 p.m. for our “Day of Darkness” concert, on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. on the Acres for our Easter Egg Hunt and on Sunday morning at 9 or 10:45 a.m. for our Easter Resurrection Celebration! Don’t forget to invite a friend to attend these special events!
Living With Great Anticipation,
Pastor Melissa
