Jesus’ disciples and the people in Jerusalem on that very first “Palm Sunday” misunderstood his mission as they think he has come to be a conquering king and defeat the Romans who had militarily taken over the nation of Israel. They think that he has come to defeat the Roman Army and restore Israel as a sovereign nation.
But Jesus, the Son of God (God in human form) has come to earth to be the ultimate Passover Lamb who would die for your sin, my sin, and the sin of the world by taking on himself the consequences of our sin so we could be forgiven by God when we trust Him in faith for forgiveness.
See John 3:16-18…
The story of the Passover Festival and the meaning of the events that took place when Jesus and his disciples went into Jerusalem on what was “Lamb Selection Day” – the day we call “Palm Sunday”…
Today, we understand why Jesus came from heaven to earth as the Messiah. But so often like the people in Jerusalem that day, we misunderstand what true worship of Jesus is. To understand how God wants us to worship him, let’s go back to the passage we looked at last week in our study we are doing this year on the Gospel of John. In the conversation Jesus had with a woman he meets at Jacob’s Well in Samaria, they talk about true worship.
See John 4:19-26…
Worship of God that is in Spirit and in Truth and pleases Him is: Worship that gives GLORY to God. See Romans 11:36 & 12:1…
EVERYTHING we do that brings glory to God is worship. See 1 Corinthians 10:31…
The Application of this to our life…
Worship of God that is in Spirit and in Truth and pleases him is: EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit, so we worship God from the depths of our HEART, not merely with our words. See Matthew 15:8-9…
The Application of this to our life…
Taking It Home
We encourage you to take a few minutes today and this week to process this morning’s message. These questions are designed for discussion with your family, a friend, mentor, spouse, and small group. They are also useful for self-reflection.
1. What stands out to you in these passages from the Bible? From the message?
2. What is difficult for you to understand or accept in these passages from the Bible? From the message?
3. What is God saying in these passages and through what we heard in the message about Himself? About people? About you?
4. What examples are there to follow, commands to obey, or promises to stand on from these passages in the Bible, and from what we heard in the message?
