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Do you know what Palm Sunday is? Have you ever wondered what Hosanna means? Hosanna is a word that has two meanings; one meaning fulfills the other meaning.
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Welcome to Redemption Church! It is a special day in Plano Tx!
I have a question for you to consider. Can your Faith save someone?
Palm Sunday
Today – Palm Sunday, is a special day in the church.
It is the day that Jesus enters triumphantly into the city of Jerusalem. He enters as a King. He is welcomed as a King.
It was prophesied that Jesus would come as a servant.
There is also prophecy that He will come as King, and on this day, Palm Sunday, Jesus was received as a King in Jerusalem.
Everyone felt on this day that Jesus had come to save… But the way Jesus would save would be a surprise. Jesus is going to save in an unexpected way…
They thought that an earthly king had arrived who would overthrow the Romans through bloody warfare and would then set up his own government. But this is not how Jesus saves. Jesus taught us that if we live by the sword we die by the sword.
Jesus has come to save, but he would save through a different means – the cross.
On this day Christ was received as King.
Large crowds gathered as he came into the city riding on a colt… a donkey. The prophet told them in advance of this day…
Zechariah 9:9 (NIV) Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
They recognized this moment! This was their King… their salvation.
Why the donkey? Riding in upon a Donkey symbolized that he was coming in Peace… Not war, which riding in on a horse would have symbolized.
Jesus Christ has not come to conquer you, but to save you. Not to wage war on you, but to liberate you! How important is this knowledge Redemption?
And here is why we remember this day as PALM SUNDAY. They cut down palm branches and laid down cloaks in front of Jesus. This was an amazing moment. A time to Rejoice!
Mark 11:8 (NIV)Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.
Mark 11:9-10 (NIV) Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
<Hosanna> – A Hebrew Phrase Yaw-shah naw
The word Hosanna holds 2 uses. Both uses can be found in Psalm 118:25-26.
Psalm 118:25-26 (NIV)
O LORD, save us;
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
Hosanna means;
- A Rescuer has come.
- A cry for rescue.
A RESCUER HAS COME – RESCUE US
Hosanna isn’t a sweet lyric to rock yourself to sleep with. IT IS A DESPERATE CRY “SAVE ME NOW” and also a declaration that a savior has come and that your captors days are numbered.
Hosanna is an urgent cry that a rescuer has come and that we need rescue.
Do you need rescue? Cry Hosanna!
The Nation of Israel needed rescue. They were under the tyrannical rule of Rome.
They thought Jesus was there to Rescue them from Rome. After all isn’t that what Moses did?
Jesus wants to do more than what you think you need Him to do…
Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Your preconceived notions can actually limit all that Jesus wants to do in your life.
They were looking for a political savior…. He did more.
We are looking for a worldly savior… He wants to do more.
This Jesus came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey… He had come to save.
Jesus to the rescue!
TO THE RESCUE
He has heard the Cry of Hosanna… The Cry of SAVE US NOW!!!
HE WANTS TO RESCUE YOU! He knows how to
This is the same problem that was in the heart of the crowd that cried Hosanna 2000 years ago. They thought they knew how Jesus should rescue them.
HE WANTS TO RESCUE YOU! He wants to rescue you better than you know how you need to be rescued.
He wants to Rescue you from Depression! You may be surprised with how he does it.
Isaiah 61:3 (NIV) (He will) provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
He wants to rescue you from sickness
Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
He wants to rescue you from your guilt and shame
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
He’s a rescuer! He knows how to rescue! TRUST HIM!
Noah, Joseph, Israel, David, Daniel, 3 Hebrew Children, Peter, Lazarus, The woman with the issue of blood, Blind Bartimaeus, The woman caught in the act, The Leper… He rescued them all! Hosanna! Jesus to the Rescue!
TO THE RESCUE
Jesus to the rescue!
Jesus Heard their cry of HOSANNA! He hears your cry. He is a rescuer.
When was the last time you just cried out Hosanna?
Can you relate to the joy of those people as they saw the rescuer entering their world?
Not only is Hosanna a cry for rescue… but it is a declaration that the rescuer has come!
Jesus the Rescuer is <In the House>
Mark 2:1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. (NIV)
Mark 2:2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. (NIV)
Mark 2:3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. (NIV)
Mark 2:4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. (NIV)
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”(NIV)
Mark 2:11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”(NIV)
Mark 2:12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”(NIV)
QUESTION – Can your Faith save someone?
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”(NIV)
If you know where the rescuer is… you should bring people to Him!
We don’t know much about these people… We know there where 4 of them… It doesn’t say they were friends with the paralyzed man… We don’t know if they actually knew Jesus… what they did for a living…
All we know is they brought this guy to Jesus.
He could never have come on his own…
You know someone who needs rescuing… It could be that they won’t ever get to the rescuer unless you bring them.
IN THE HOUSE
All four of those guys new that Jesus was in the house.
The house was so full that they couldn’t get the paralyzed man to Jesus…
This is a problem…
The people around Jesus can sometimes be an obstacle to those who need Jesus. We can be an obstacle as well if we are not careful.
Mark 2:4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on
The rescuer is in the House… But if we can’t bring people into the house we are willing to DISMANTLE THE HOUSE…
It’s great that Jesus is in the House right now… But don’t forget there are people outside this house that need Rescuing! THIS WORLD IS SHOUTING HOSANNA!
We are willing to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to get people to the Rescuer!! If that means we dismantle the old paradigms of Church we will do it… All that matters is getting someone in need of Rescue to the Rescuer!
Hosanna is a cry for rescue.
- Do you need rescuing? He is in the house.
Hosanna is also a declaration that the rescuer has come.
- Do you know someone who needs rescuing? Come pray for them. Come commit that you are going to declare the rescuer to them.