Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Today is Palm Sunday
- Marks Holy Week
- It is at the heart of the Christian Calendar and belief
- Without the resurrection Christianity is nothing
- All Jesus' ministry leads towards Holy Week
- The events of Holy Week have such an impact on humanity
- Christian's are to celebrate Holy Week
- Title: "The Triumphant Entry and the Transgressors Exit"
- A broad brush stroke of the events of Holy Week
- 3 headings:
- The Heart of Man
- The Heart of God
- The Heart of our Hope
The Heart of Man
- Today's world says we should trust/listen to our heart above all
- We are told our hearts are wise and right
- But God says "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked" - Jer 17:9
- Whose insight is truer - Man's or God's?
- The Crowds
- Filled with joy and excitement
- All pushing for a view of Jesus
- They though Jesus would liberate them from the Romans
- But then turned to a riotous mob
- How fickle they were
- From calling 'Hosanna' to 'Crucify Him'
- From shaking palms to shaking their fists
- From laying coats to hiding their faces in shame
- Is this not true today?
- They chose Barabbas (Matt 27:21)
- Do people not chose wickedness rather than Jesus?
- The crowd would have rather a tyrant (Caesar) rule over them, rather than Jesus - John 19:15
- The same rebellion is in the heart of all of us
- Many vow that they were not allow Christ to rule over of the hearts
- The leaders - the Pharisees
- Matt 26:3-4
- They were jealous and envious of Jesus
- They were quick to shed innocent blood
- They were happy with false testimony
- What it is in their heart is in our heart
- The leaders - Pilate
- John 19:12
- The Jews pressured Pilate
- People deny Christ for fear
- The disciples
- Judas betrayed Jesus
- How many people reject and betray Jesus because He does not bring them what they expect
- Peter's misplaced pride
- Peter strenuously asserted he would not deny Jesus
- Yet he denied Jesus three times
- Is this not the same of our hearts?
- Examples of our heart
The Heart of God
- We know the power of contrast
- Examples
- It can be contrasted against the heart of man
- The Heart of God
- Jesus cleanses the temple
- He restored it to His proper function
- Jesus' humility
- He knelt down to washed His disciples feet
- He prayed for His disciples
- He healed those who would arrest Him
- He blessed those who cursed Him
- He was silent before His accusers (Isa 53:7)
- Jesus' love
- Towards His enemies - "Father forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:24)
- Jesus' selflessness
- Towards His mother (John 19:26-27)
- Towards the criminal crucified with Him (Luke 23:43)
- The love of God is magnified when we consider the heart of man
- If you need a sign of God's love - it is seen in Holy Week
- "Behold what manner of love" - 1 John 3:1
- You cannot find an equal of this in society!
- There is no other Person worthy of devotion
The Heart of our Hope
- What could ever bridge the chasm between the heart of man and the heart of God?
- We turn to the events of Holy Week
- Romans 5:6-8 - Christ died for us
- Jesus was the Messiah to deliver the Jews from oppression
- Not from the Romans
- But from sin
- Jesus would be the fulfilment of the original Passover
- Jesus took God's wrath and judgment upon Himself
- Jesus came to forgive our sin
- 2 Cor 5:21
- Jesus took our place upon the cross
- An innocent Man taking the place of guilty man
- Our hope is not in the heart of man but the heart of God
- Jesus died and was resurrected - as proof of this
- We can be adopted into His family and eternal life
- We can have new hearts in Jesus