Thank you for reading the sermon again this week. I am thankful for the opportunity to post the message each week. We have been in a series of messages dealing with the names and titles of God found primarily in the Old Testament. This week and next, we are taking a pause from that series so that I can post messages dealing with the events of Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.
Palm Sunday was my favorite date on the Christian calendar when I was a boy. The reason that I enjoyed it so much back then is that we always had a parade with palm branches during Sunday school. My parents and I also often went to a church in the large city to my northeast where they had an Easter play that included Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. They had a real donkey bring the actor playing Jesus ride from the back of the auditorium to the stage. As a young boy, I thought that it was fun having a donkey in the church.
When we consider Palm Sunday, we most often remember that the people took the palm leaves and laid them in Jesus path as He rode into Jerusalem. We remember the shouts of Hosanna. During Palm Sunday, it is important for us to remember that Jesus is worthy of praise because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The religious leaders tried to get Jesus to stop the people's praise. Jesus told them that if the people stopped praising Him, the rocks would cry out in praise.
It is important to remember to bring praise and honor to the Lord Jesus for who He is and for what He has done. There is another part to the events that occurred on Palm Sunday that sometimes we don't think about.
After Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He went to the area of the Temple. What He saw there caused Him to become angry. He saw the moneychangers in the Temple and those who were buying and selling. Jesus drove out the sellers and overturned the tables of the moneylenders. He overturned the tables of those who were selling doves. Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers."
I believe that Jesus became angry and drove these people out because the money changers were cheating the people who were coming to the Temple to worship. I also believe that He was just disgusted with the entire spectacle of buying and selling and irreverence that He was witnessing.
I also believe that what we read in Matthew also lets us know why Jesus cleansed the Temple. After He drove out the moneychangers, the Gospel says that the lame and the blind came to Him and He healed them. Those who were sick were often excluded by the religious leaders of the day. They were looked down on as those who were rejected by God. Jesus wanted them and the religious leaders to know that everyone was important to God and God loved everyone.
What can we learn from this incident of Jesus cleansing the Temple? First of all, I believe that there is too much focus on money and material things going on in a lot of churches right now, especially in my country. You can't turn on Christian TV or radio without hearing most going into long sessions of wanting to get money. I understand that money is necessary to operate, but it has all become excessive. Also, so many are preaching in the name of Jesus and then amassing large fortunes. This is a big turn off to those who are not Christians. Even they know that this isn't what Jesus did, and this isn't something that Jesus would approve of.
I believe that we can also learn that our focus in church needs to be on worship, praise and prayer. Jesus wants His church to be a place where we commune with Him. We seek His guidance and we cast our cares upon Him because He cares for us. We need to maintain worshipful reverence in the house of the Lord.
Finally, the Lord's house is to be for all people. No one is excluded from the love, grace and mercy of the Lord. Jesus made it clear that whoever would come to Him, He would not cast them aside. He said that all who are weary and heavy laden should come to Him. Jesus made it quite clear that He loved and cared about everyone and whoever called upon the name of the Lord would be saved.
As you celebrate Palm Sunday, give praise to Jesus for all that He has done. And remember that one day, He is coming again to rule and reign. His kingdom will have no end. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I am doing some better with my health. Please pray that I will keep improving. Also, the weather service is predicting some strong winds for my area in the next few days. Please pray that it will not be bad and cause problems. Thank you.
Please continue to pray for peace in the world. Pray for peace in Israel, Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, Ukraine, Yemen, Syria and other war-torn places in this world.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Singapore and Vietnam. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, the blog will have a busy schedule. I will post the verses on Monday. I will post the next section of the Minor Prophets book midweek. We will have posts on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I will post the Easter message on Saturday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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