John 12:12-26 “Where’s the War Horse?”

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What a great way to enter into this passage today.

Y'all, I'm excited to be up here. If I haven't met you, I'm Derek and looking for the clicker.

I'm one of the pastors here. Really excited about this passage today.

Okay, it's a familiar one to you, but maybe we can see some new elements to it.

It really rocked my world when I got to study it, and I'd heard it many times.

But I want to start today by discussing three different scenes that will help us.

First would be a military welcome.

July 26, 46 BC, a historic military welcome took place.

Following his decisive victory in the Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar astride,

a majestic warhorse led a triumphant procession through the streets of Rome.

Okay, and the spectacle of Caesar's triumph embodied the power and the glory of Rome's military conquests.

Scene number two, a celebrity arrival.

In February 1964, a historic celebrity arrival took place.

The world stood still as the Beatles, the legendary British rock band,

touched down on American soil for the very first time.

Amidst a frenzy of screaming fans and flashing cameras,

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr

stepped off the plane at JFK Airport in New York City,

ushering in a new era of music and a cultural revolution.

Scene three, a homecoming parade.

On January 13, 2018, a historic homecoming parade took place in, you guessed it,

Will, Clemson, South Carolina.

Tigers 44-16 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide,

which won them the 2018 College Football National Championship.

Led by Coach Dabo Swinney and star quarterback Trevor Lawrence,

the team waved to the adoring crowds,

basking in the glow of their hard-earned victory.

Well, in today's passage, another crowd is gathered for an exciting event,

a welcoming event, and with all the excitement and all the elements

of a military welcome, of a celebrity arrival, and of a homecoming parade,

there's a crowd that's followed Jesus to Jerusalem to welcome him

and to try and figure out what he's all about.

So maybe today we can join in.

They're chanting, they're praising, they're singing,

but they're also trying to figure out what he's all about.

So let's join in.

We're going to start by reading verses 12 through 16.

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast

heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out,

Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,

even the King of Israel.

And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it,

just as this is written,

Fear not, daughter of Zion,

behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt.

His disciples did not understand these things at first.

But when Jesus was glorified,

then they remembered that these things had been written about him

and had been done to him.

So the first thing we're going to look at here is the triumphal entry.

So it's Passover time.

And Passover, if you remember, this was a large spring festival.

It's at the heart of Jewish life.

And Passover celebrates when God set his people free from slavery in Egypt.

Okay?

You remember there was the lamb's blood was painted on the doorposts.

Also God parted the Red Seas that they could pass over.

So excitement is in the air.

The crowds are gathered for the Feast of Tabernacles.

It's like the Disney World fireworks show of the Passover celebration.

The grand event.

People are traveling from all over.

And instead of signs in their hands,

they're waving, holding, and waving palm branches.

And then they're laying them down on the road as Jesus enters in.

So it's a military welcome.

It's a celebrity arrival.

It's a homecoming parade.

But why palm branches?

So palm branches had been used as one of the national symbols of Judea since the days of the Maccabees.

Okay?

So in 164 BC, after Judas Maccabeus had defeated pagan invaders and had cleansed the Jewish temple,

his followers entered Jerusalem, waving palm branches in celebration.

Now this is commemorated in the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah,

when the Maccabees became the quote-unquote kings of Israel.

Now, it's not Hanukkah here in the Scriptures,

because Hanukkah is usually celebrated in midwinter.

But now Jesus' followers here in spring are waving palm branches and laying them down as he enters.

Why?

Because it's that same symbol, but now redefined in Jesus,

of victory and triumph.

The people are creating a military welcome for the conquering Messiah King,

the King of Israel.

And they're chanting,

Hosanna! Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,

even the King of Israel.

Now, why Hosanna?

Because Hosanna is referring back a bit to Psalm 118.

Hosanna means, O save!

O save!

Psalm 118 says,

Save us, we pray, O Lord.

O Lord, we pray, give us success.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

Now, why are they so excited?

Why so excited?

This is a fulfillment of Zechariah 9, 9.

Okay?

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem.

Behold, your King is coming to you,

righteous and having salvation as he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Okay.

It's 500 years later after this was written.

And the prophecy is fulfilled

when Jesus, after being welcomed as the conquering Messiah King of Israel,

in verses 14 and 15,

he finds a young donkey

and he sits on it

and he rides into town

while receiving the praises

of all the people gathered.

And they say,

Fear not, daughter of Zion.

Behold, your King is coming,

sitting on a donkey's colt.

Okay?

The words fear not

mostly, most likely are referring to this

in Isaiah 40.

Go up on a mountain, O Zion,

herald of good news.

Lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news.

Lift up.

Fear not.

Say to the cities of Judah,

Behold, your God.

Behold, the Lord God comes with might

and his arm rules for him.

Behold, his reward is with him

and his recompense before him.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd.

He will gather the lambs in his arms.

He will carry them in his bosom

and gently lead those that are with young.

It's about 700 years after this was written.

And now the one who will tend his flock

like a shepherd,

the one who's descended from the tribe of Judah,

rides into Jerusalem on a donkey

to gather his lambs into his arms.

This is a really big deal.

That is why everyone is so excited.

I want to talk about something really awesome

for a second.

The Bible.

Okay?

Among all the books ever written,

the Bible is absolutely unique.

It's not just a book.

In fact, it's 66 books.

And the Bible was written over a period

of roughly 2,000 years

by 40 different authors

from three continents

who wrote in three different languages.

And one of its most remarkable qualities

is the complete unity

of the overall message,

despite having so many different authors

writing over so many centuries

on so many different subjects.

Natural explanations

fail to account

for the Bible's unity.

Statistical impossibilities

exist for the Bible

to be so unified.

It's because it is a supernatural book.

Okay, this chart right here

is by a guy named Chris Harrison.

The bar graph that runs along the bottom

from left to right

represents all of the chapters

in the Bible.

So, starting with Genesis 1 on the left,

then the books alternate in color

between light and dark gray.

With the first book of the Old Testament

in white,

and the length of each bar

denotes the number of verses

in that chapter.

So, the one in the middle,

the longest bar,

is the longest chapter in the Bible,

Psalm 119.

Each of these lines up top

or threads

number 63,779

cross-references

that the Bible makes to itself

from Genesis to Revelation.

The length of each bar,

sorry, the length of each line

is colored

depending on how far it is

from the other reference,

and it's noted in a single arc.

So, the color corresponds

to the distance between the two chapters

creating this rainbow-like effect.

One well-known speaker has said

that the Bible can be thought of

as the first ever hyperlinked book.

It's supernatural.

How could this unity exist

across so many thousands of years

and so many different authors,

different languages,

and different continents?

The answer is

an author outside of those human beings.

His name is God.

The Bible is what we need

to instruct us today.

It's amazing.

It's absolutely amazing.

Okay, so back to the passage.

Did the disciples know

all this was coming together?

Did the disciples realize

all of these prophecies

being fulfilled?

It says they didn't.

Not at that moment.

Right?

His disciples

did not understand

these things at first,

but when Jesus was glorified,

then they remembered

that these things

had been written about Him

and had been done to Him.

So it wasn't until

after Jesus was resurrected

that they start to put

all the things together.

We get the privilege

of looking back

at the entire picture.

What are we doing with it?

Where are we putting it?

The amazing, amazing Bible

we have in our hands

and we can do something with it.

So let's talk about

the crowd now.

Who's in the crowd?

The crowd that had been with Him

when He called Lazarus

out of the tomb

and raised Him from the dead

continued to bear witness.

The reason why the crowd

went to meet Him

was that they heard

He had done this sign.

So the Pharisees said

to one another,

You see that you are

gaining nothing.

Look, the world

has gone after Him.

Now among those

who went up to worship

at the feast

were some Greeks.

So these came to Philip

who was from Bethsaida

in Galilee

and asked Him,

Sir, we wish to see Jesus.

Philip went

and told Andrew.

Andrew and Philip

went and told Jesus.

So besides the disciples,

this crowd is made up

of Jewish people

who lived in Jerusalem,

Greeks,

which could also be

referring to Gentiles,

not necessarily people

from Greece,

but God-fearing people

of non-Jewish descent

who had come to town

to worship

at the Jewish festival.

Then there's the Pharisees

who were the Jewish leaders

who interpreted

the scriptures.

And then what I'll call

the resurrection paparazzi.

Okay?

Do y'all know

what paparazzi are?

They're the people

who want to be

in the it places

taking all the pictures

because they just need

to know what's going on.

Okay?

There was a lot

of resurrection paparazzi

at this event.

In fact,

it was the bulk

of the people.

They're people

who heard about Lazarus

being raised from the dead,

which happened

right before this.

And imagine that.

They've heard about it.

They've seen Lazarus

walking around.

They want to go see

who Jesus is

for themselves.

And in fact,

we see in the verses

we just read,

they actually want

to go talk to him.

So,

because Lazarus'

resurrection occurred,

a lot of people

started to believe Jesus

and as verse 17 says,

started to bear witness

about Jesus.

And as verse 18 teaches us,

that was the reason

why the crowd

went to meet him

and why it was

such a large crowd.

But then in verse 19,

you see the Pharisees,

they're mad

because they fear

losing their power.

So,

they come up

with a solution.

And that was,

that was a,

how the verses

ended right before this text.

But here was their solution,

right?

Destroy the evidence

of the miracles.

Let's get rid of Jesus

and let's get rid of Lazarus.

Then we kill the story.

That really didn't work out

too well,

did it?

So,

then the Greeks

in the crowd,

they get word

to one of Jesus'

disciples,

Philip,

and they ask

if they can speak

with Jesus.

And Philip goes

to tell Andrew

and then they both

go to tell Jesus

and what

does Jesus say?

The hour is here.

And Jesus answered them,

the hour has come

for the Son of Man

to be glorified.

Truly,

truly,

I say to you,

unless a grain of wheat

falls into the earth

and dies,

it remains alone.

But if it dies,

it bears much fruit.

Whoever loves his life

loses it.

And whoever hates

his life in this world

will keep it

for eternal life.

If anyone serves me,

he must follow me.

And where I am,

there will my servant

be also.

If anyone serves me,

the Father

will honor him.

Jesus predicts

his crucifixion here.

Remember,

so many times

he says,

it's not yet my time.

Here he says,

the hour is here.

He calls it

the hour

for the Son of Man

to be glorified.

And then he uses

the metaphor

of a grain of wheat

needing to die

alone

in order to bear

much fruit.

So it's all

starting to come together.

This is the King.

This is the Messiah.

This is the one

who will lead us

into victory,

who will overthrow Rome

and restore

our nation to power,

rule,

authority,

and all of the prophecies

are being fulfilled

right now.

Victory!

is what they're thinking.

Victory!

Victory!

It's all making sense.

Except for one thing.

There's a very big thing

missing here.

Where is the war horse?

Where is the war horse?

Kings are supposed

to ride war horses

in the victory parade.

Okay, war horses

were bred

and trained for combat.

They symbolized strength

and power

and military might

and throughout history

they charged into battle

with courage

and agility

and they played

significant roles

in military tactics.

In contrast,

donkeys embodied

endurance,

humility,

peaceful service.

They were known

for their resilience.

they navigated

harsh terrains

and they carried

heavy loads

but they did it

with patience

and they represented

the virtue of humility

and the willingness

to serve others.

The conquering king

should be riding

on a war horse

leading his troops

to take over the Romans

and setting his people free.

but here he's riding

on a donkey.

The conquering king

should be restoring

rule and dominion

for his people

and giving them

the best life

in this world

but he's telling them

that he must die

and that they should

hate their lives

in this world

if they want to have

life that they love

in eternity.

So where's the horse king?

He's seated on the donkey.

His victory

will be realized

through humility.

The victory

that we need

then

is so much larger

than a political takeover

that the Jews

actually were seeking.

That's just a surface battle.

That's the one

that we think

is going on.

The true king

has come to fight

a much larger battle.

The true king

has come to set

his people free

from a much

larger slavery

but the lion

that they are seeking

now

must first become

the lamb of sacrifice.

The lion

is the lamb.

The war horse king

is the humble sacrifice

and he must lose

his life

in this world

in order to offer

and protect

eternal life

for his followers.

Now

why does

all of this matter?

what if strength

isn't what

you think it is?

I say

that Christ

is my king

that my life

is bowed to him

but how quick

am I

to take his seat?

I want to be

riding on the

war horse

rather than

bowing

to King Jesus

who rode humility.

I want to make

my life

about living

like a king

and asking people

to bow to my will

rather than

following King Jesus

the servant Messiah

who laid down

his life

that God's will

would be completed.

This undeserving

human

he laid

his life down

for.

You know

a few weeks ago

I was

going through

an unforeseen

week

one of those weeks

that just beats

you down

and I was like

I caught myself

praying to God

and saying

well this shouldn't

be happening to me

and I was like

and I started

actually

acting like

he owed me

something

because I had

done this

and this

and this

it's not

the gospel

how quickly

am I

to abandon

the gospel

to create

my own gospel

than to throw

it back at God

and tell him

what to do

you know

saying save me

save me

Hosanna

Hosanna

but really

trying to make

myself

the king

of the story

and holding

God in debt

to me

by using

his promises

and works

that I've done

in his name

to bow him

to my will

I'm too quick

to do that

I need a savior

to forgive me

of that

I need the

Holy Spirit

to live

the way

that he

calls me

to

and that

pathway

always involves

sacrifice

always

of our

own

wills

and our

own

comforts

and our

own

choices

what if

strength

isn't what

you think

it is

and what

if it's

found

in following

Jesus

into the

things that

are humiliating

like admitting

weakness

like making

space for

people who

you don't

like

and who

add no

value to

you

in fact

they insult

you

and annoy

you

what if

it's found

in following

Jesus

and loving

others

while looking

for absolutely

nothing in

return

you know

some of the

hands that

are waving

those palm

branches would

later be the

voices yelling

crucify them

and perhaps

even holding

crucifixion

hammers

how quick

are we

to switch

sides

what if

strength isn't

what you think

it is

let's think

about the

gospel here

what is the

gospel

how is the

gospel preached

to us

through this

so King

Jesus is

riding in

Jerusalem

and he's

saying

my triumph

is my

weakness

I'm the

lion

and the

lamb

the lamb

who must

die in

your place

and this

is a battle

that you

cannot fight

you are

dying in

your slavery

to your

sin

and I'm

the only

one who

can free

you

the only

one who

can save

you

you are

dead in

your sins

and only

I can

give you

life

but in

order for

that to

happen

I must

die

in

your

place

I must

be

sacrificed

substituting

my life

for your

life

and I'm

going to

do it

on a

cross

and that's

your only

hope of

salvation

that's how

strong I

am

what if

strength isn't

what you think

it is

we all have a

much bigger

problem

than the need

for a change

of political

management

in our

lives

that the

Jews were

looking for

and Jesus

didn't come

to get rid

of the

Romans

he came

to get

rid

of death

Jesus

didn't come

to give

us a life

that we

tell him

to give

us

he shows

us the

life that

we're really

looking for

only God

can provide

the sacrifice

that ends

death itself

we can't earn

it and that's

what grace is

God's riches

at Christ's

expense

unmerited

favor

we didn't earn

it

it's given

to us

as a free

gift

that's what

grace is

and we're

meant to

not only

receive it

but we're

meant to

give it

and that

will never

happen if

we don't

give our

lives to

Jesus

as verse

25 is

talking about

and what

happens when

we do

verse 26

tells us

we will be

where he

is

and the

father will

honor us

but it's

all because

of our

king

our conquering

king

so the

way of the

world

says this

it's always

look for

ways to

gratify

yourself

at the

expense of

someone else

the way

of Jesus

is to

give our

earthly lives

away to

him and

then ask

him to

use us

in this

world as

instruments of

his eternal

mission

sacrificially

giving our

lives to

God for

the sake of

his purposes

dying to

our own

that's the

doorway to

true life

y'all

and that's

where the

adventure that

we're all

seeking

begins

if you're

coming to

church

and you're

wondering

where's

God

so me

may

let me

let me

say something

I'll take a

risk saying

this

okay

here's the

thing I've

observed

feel free to

do what you

want with

it

20

something

years in

churches

this is a

math formula

thinking plus

thinking equals

more thinking

thinking's

going to

drive you

mad

we've done

a lot of

thinking

we've got a

lot of

information

what you're

seeking is a

different formula

and I've

discovered this

in my own

life maybe I

should say

what I'm

seeking

thinking

plus field

work

living these

things out

equals

discoveries

which goes

back and

re-informs

the thinking

which leads

to more

field work

which leads

to more

discoveries

and you

grow in

Jesus as

you do

that

the field

work is

going out

and living

this in

places that

are uncomfortable

perhaps you

only have a

friend group

of Christians

maybe the

start is to

get outside

that friend

group

perhaps you

are inundated

by non-Christians

in your

workplace

perhaps the

start is to

start talking

about your

faith there

and taking a

step out

and having a

community around

you to help

you do that

but we have

all of the

knowledge in

our minds

that we need

to go and

live but the

discipleship that

you're seeking to

become like

Jesus

what Jesus was

saying there is

it happens

through suffering

you don't go

seek suffering

but when we

live for him

we will

suffer and

we don't do

it alone as

Christians

you're not

going to find

it in a

really neatly

packaged lesson

you're going to

find it in a

very messy

life filled

with death

and suffering

that God

uses for his

glory

continuing to

give you joy

and hope and

peace in the

midst of it

and a community

of people looking

forward to a

future hope

as you walk

in this broken

world until he

makes it brand

new

that's what will

form you in the

image of Jesus

that's who you

need

we find him

in his word

we find him

in his spirit

by his people

working in our

lives and his

spirit working in

our own lives

start there

start there

only God can

provide the

sacrifice

that ends

death itself

but imagine

y'all one

day

you're in

heaven

and someone

in heaven

comes and

cross references

you in a

chapter of

your life

that impacted

their life

to say now

we're here

together

that's real

that actually

can happen

but it starts

with you going

out and living

where you are

and taking

these steps

of faith

one theologian

says the altar

is a place

of sacrifice

the altar is

at the center

of the church

and the church

is at the center

of the community

why

because sacrifice

is at the center

of community

what did God

the father

sacrifice for the

community of heaven

his only son

and Jesus is about

to win the battle

and the battlefield

is a cross

the grain of wheat

must fall to the

ground and die

in order to bear

much fruit

what does that

mean

it's a metaphor

for the end

of death

and the hope

of the resurrection

the honor

of the father

and the place

where Jesus

is

okay that

y'all that's

the hope

of salvation

that we talk

about in

Christianity

that we will

be resurrected

that we too

are going

to conquer

death

and the hope

is found

when we follow

him or we

serve him

we lay our

lives down

as living

sacrifices

as Galatians

220 says

I've been

crucified

with Christ

it's no longer

I who live

but Christ

who lives

in me

and the life

I now live

in the flesh

I live by faith

in the son of God

who loved me

and gave himself

for me

what if strength

isn't what you

think it is

and this is the

beautiful thing

that we come

to end on

our king may

have ridden in

on a donkey

but he's going

to return on

something far

more powerful

than a war

horse

he will return

on the clouds

with the army

of angels

on a mission

to make things

brand new

and to take

his servants

home

he's coming

back

and the next

time we won't

need palm branches

because the trees

themselves will be

clapping their hands

for you shall go

out in joy

and be led

forth in peace

the mountains

and the hills

before you

shall break

forth into singing

and all the trees

of the fields

shall clap

their hands

amen

amen

so what if

strength isn't

what you think

it is

here would be

my challenge

where and how

do you hold

space

for God's

strength

in your life

that's a good

question to start

to ask

before we can

serve we've got

to know who

we're serving

and God offers

us his strength

and his purpose

on this earth

until we're with

him in honor

but the cost

he says is our

life

and maybe

you've never

done that

today can be

the day that you

actually ask the

king to ride

into your heart

offering your

life to him

asking him to

be your king

and to save

you and to

set you free

and to give

you true life

by his life

giving spirit

my challenge

to you would

be make this

the day of

salvation

give your life

to Jesus

he's who

you're seeking

and watch the

great adventure

that he sends

you on as you

give your life

to him

stepping out

into the world

that's all

around you

it now becomes

something brand

new

people aren't

just passing

by

they become

opportunities for

you to share

the love of

Christ

and it happens

right where you

already are

maybe you

already know

him

my challenge

would be

this

look for the

spaces in your

life where he's

calling you to

serve others

in his

strength

maybe that

little tug

that you've

got that

person at

work you

just think

about maybe

mention it

to

maybe it's

that person

that's cutting

your hair

and you're

like I just

want to say

something

when they ask

this question

maybe it's

that neighbor

across the street

that drives you

crazy and runs

a boat

factory

does that sound

like I'm

speaking from

experience

runs a boat

mechanical shop

in the driveway

across from your

house that you

need to love

and die to

yourself to

love him

Derek

but look for

those spaces

in your life

perhaps they're

new spaces

perhaps they're

old and they're

forgotten spaces

that you need

to revisit

he's got a

purpose for you

and all those

that's why

you're there

that's why

you're there

and get ready

for what happens

when you start

taking those

steps of faith

because it

it will blow

your world

to pieces

in a great

way

and the stories

bring them

back and share

them

bear witness

bear witness

as they did

to the resurrection

of Lazarus

okay our God

is a strength

he's a strength

that you can't

find anywhere else

and he offered

his life for you

and he offers

you the opportunity

to serve him

in his strength

a life-giving

spirit that will

live in you

forever

and if he's

your king

then one day

he's going

to welcome

you

and it's

going to be

something far

greater than

a military

welcome

or a celebrity

arrival

or a homecoming

parade

he actually

will give you

an invitation

to call

what's called

the marriage

supper of the

lamb

where we sit

with him

at the table

in eternity

and joy

right next

to Jesus

so go invite

somebody

and watch him

work

and remember

that if you

are in Christ

that's your

future hope

so

only if he's

your king

though

only if he's

your king

I hope that

that encourages

you in some

way today

wherever you

are and I'd

say if you

want to talk

about any of

that kind of

stuff just

come down

front afterwards

because that's

real easy

or call us

we're here

because walking

through life

is tough

and y'all

are getting

beat down

every single

week

and you

need

encouragement

and I hope

that you

find it

here

but sometimes

it means

reaching out

and saying

hey I need

encouragement

we're here

for you

we do

too

right

this world

is a rough

place

but God

has got

something

bigger

for you

and the

hope of

the resurrection

is real

and remember

the Bible

is real

start reading

it start

spending time

with your

savior

watch what

he'll do

with you

we love

you

I'm gonna

end there

I could

talk for

hours

I'm not

going to

because you

know you're

hungry

I love

you

and let's

pray

father

oh goodness

you're amazing

thank you

that we can

stand in

freedom

we can

love you

but Lord

we can

admit

weakness

that that's

what you

say strength

is

your power

is made

perfect

in our

weakness

so God

I embrace

weakness

and I pray

that we do

too

that we don't

fear it

will you use

the people

in this place

to change

this city

will you show

them father

the love

that you

give them

as they

love one

another

will you

give us

the encouragement

from the

Holy Spirit

will you show

us this week

the people

that you've

called us

to impact

by simply

just loving

and showing

up

in your

name

thank you

Lord Jesus

I pray

this in

the holy

name of

Christ

amen

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information

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online

at

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