Palm Sunday

A picture is worth a thousand words right?  So I can describe to you the sunrise I saw over Murray 23 a few months ago.  The fog was rolling in and as the sun rose it began to burn off.  The sun reflected in the water and illuminated everything with a kind of ethereal light.

I could go on and on.  Or I could just show you.

God created us in such a way that we learn by seening and by reading, and when these two combine, we get a powerful witness in scripture.

Towards the end of Jesus' time on earth He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, showing in words what He had been preaching for several years.  The King was coming, in peace, and He brough salvation with him.

1 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. 3 "If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 "SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, 'BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.'" 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats. 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!" 10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" 11 And the crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee." - Mat 21:1-11 

The arrival of Christ to Jerusalem before his crucifixion showed the world that He was King, and it shows us how he should be Lord of our lives as well.

Christ Arose!

We make Easter about all sorts of things. Family, eggs, candy, and everything else.  But for Christians, the resurrection of Christ is about one thing only:  new life over death and payment for our sins.

Jesus didn't die to give us a re-organized life.

Jesus didn't die to give us a more focused life.

Jesus didn't die to give us new priorities.


Jesus died to give us new life.  And new life alone can come from Him.

 1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.  Luke 24:1-9

In the history of mankind, there has been some notable achievements.  The pyramids, hanging gardens, the coliseum.  In more recent times we have harnessed nuclear power, mastered flight, and video chatting across oceans.

But one invention stands above them all: Caller ID.

Now maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but if you've answered the phone and immediately regretted it, you know the power of caller id.  Or more than that, seeing the joy at who is calling you.

In our study of Abraham we've seen him answer the call of God many times.  Joyfully, cheerfully, even slowly.  But for Abraham to know God is calling him is a great joy.  When God calls in Genesis 22, I'm sure he eagerly answers, but this time the call is different.  God asks him to sacrifice his son.


Abraham obeyed, traveling the 3 days with his son to the place of his sacrifice.  Abraham trusted God with simple faith, because he had not seen God let him down.  Even when there was no evidence.  God sent a substitute for Isaac, just as he did for us.  This chapter is a picture of how we must trust God, even when the picture is unclear.  By giving us His Son, God has shown himself faithful to us, and we must never forget it.