On Palm Sunday the church celebrates the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. The crowds had gathered along the road into Jerusalem waving their palm branches and laying them down before the donkey, paying homage to Jesus their King.
To make that celebration possible Jesus had to surrender his all to the work of God and that was in response to God his Father’s call on his life. Philippians 2: 5-11
We know that his calling, his mission was to die on a cross to bridge the gulf, the chasm between us and God, to unite us with God. If you can imagine the horizontal bar of the cross being a bridge between us and God. Through repentance and faith we cross the bridge to enter into God’s eternal kingdom.
Having received Jesus as our Saviour, so we enter into God’s sovereign call upon our lives.
Church Pastoral Aid Society Lent Course ‘Exploring God’s Call on our Life’ The course was led by Martin our Vicar and the local Superintendent Methodist Minister. On the first session we looked at the sovereignty of God on the life of Abraham.
Abraham believed and trusted God so therefore he responded to God’s call on his life, God spoke to Abraham saying, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land I will show you.” Genesis 12: 1.
The Methodist Minister shared a conversation that he had with his son about God being sovereign over his life. His son was taken-a-back by his words that God was first in his father’s life. His father explained to him that when he and his mum got married they agreed to put God first in their marriage as they both recognised the sovereignty of God over them. After further discussion his son understood.
Sovereignty of God over Jesus. As we read the Gospels we recognise the sovereignty of God over Jesus. For Jesus to fulfil his mission to go to the cross he had surrendered the riches of heaven, he became a servant and he surrendered his will to God.
Riches in Heaven Jesus pointed to the heavenly riches that last for an eternity which are the true riches: Wisdom, knowledge, faith, grace, love, liberty etc.
Jesus born into this world became one of us, but he taught his disciples and through them us, to abandon seeking material riches.
The rich young ruler came to him seeking how he might inherit eternal life. Jesus suggested to him that he should keep the commandments. The young man replied that he did keep them. Jesus looking upon him, loved him saying to him, “You lack one thing; go and sell and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Mark 10: 17-21
The man turned away because he had many possessions. Jesus went on to say to his disciples how hard it was for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The disciples were amazed at his words. Jesus continued, “Children how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. It was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle." verse 25. An entrance into Jerusalem was known as ‘the eye of a needle’ a fully laden camel could not go through this gate. Jesus was making the point that only the camel could enter through the gate. For us today the riches we store and carry about us have no value in the kingdom of God.
The disciples were astonished and said to him, “Who can be saved?” The disciples had given up their family life to follow Jesus.
Jesus went on to say that the Lord our God would bless them with the abundance of life in every aspect of their lives.
“”Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” Mark 10: 29, 30.
The Lord's call on Christian lives today to go where he would send us, is looked upon in love by Jesus, as this will bear the fruit of a surrendered life in Christ.
Jesus became the servant King Jesus had surrendered his expectations of being made the king of Israel during his ministry, as he knew that he had to die on the cross and be resurrected before he could take up the throne of King David. The high hopes of his disciples and followers of him being made the King of Israel were dashed as they did not know the scriptures that spoke of it that the Messiah had to die before he could redeem Israel.
Luke 24: 21
Even though on one occasion after the 5,000 the people had been miraculously fed with the loaves and fishes, the people there would have taken him by force to make him King. But Jesus withdrew himself to the mountain, to be on his own. John 6: 15.
If the people had carried out their plan to take Jesus by force to make him their king it would have been insurrection deposing the Sanhedrin, God’s ruling authority at Jerusalem.
To fulfil his calling Jesus surrendered his will in Gethsemane. After the Passover meal Jesus and his disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane. There he humbled himself and wrestled with his own will, he prayed,”Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will but thine be done.”
Luke 22: 42
Jesus chose to do his Father’s will and that meant suffering at the hands of brutal men. They beat, flogged him and they pulled out his beard. Isaiah 50: 6.
The authorities treated him as an unbeliever, a sinner and a blasphemer.
But to God, every wince of Jesus pain was a flag of victory. Every mocking gesture was an, Alleluia, our God reigns.
At the cross Satan was bowing down to Jesus surrendering all his weapons that stood against us, all of creation and the universe.
“That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2: 10, 11.
At the cross Jesus was being crowned with a crown of an indestructible life. God raised Jesus from the dead, his body being indestructible.
A Flag - Jesus Reigns We are his subjects, we bow to his name. Every generation of Christiains have to learn to surrender their all and take up the cross of Jesus’ suffering.
Surrender our all to Jesus. Knowing that Jesus has died for me and has saved me from eternal darkness, and from the distress at not knowing God. From having a constant conflict within myself over guilt and fears. From the worry over my family and their future. To surrender myself to put myself in the hands of God who loves and cares for me and all that is dear to me, yes I surrender my all, gladly. To go where he would send me by taking a step of faith has been an adventure. I have endured some persecution, but nothing compared to some Christians.
“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” Philippians 1: 29.
Paul also wrote in his letter to the Philippians that they should rejoice in their sufferings. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice.” Philippians 4: 4.
A Flag - Faith Today when we are frowned on when we reveal that we are Christians, Rejoice.
A Flag – Love We rejoice as we stand alongside those who are suffering as a result of upholding Jesus’ name in the work place. Rejoice.
A Flag – Grace We rejoice when a person is miraculously healed or come to faith, we rejoice with them.
A Flag – Serving We rejoice when we are called to serve by visiting, or working or praying or contributing by giving money.
Every Christian will rejoice in experiencing suffering, as we are drawn closer to our Lord God and the love of Jesus.
