Palm Sunday

Are You a Big-Godder or a Little-Godder?

Mark 11:1-10

PSBC, 4/16/00

In a nutshell: Are we willing to let God be God? When He visits us and speaks to us in unexpected ways, are we ready and willing to listen? When His agenda for doing Kingdom work is different from ours, are we willing to change our agenda? When we know what breaks His heart, do those things break ours as well? These are some key questions raised in the Triumphal Entry story that need answering by us.

I. Introduction

A. Big-godder vs. Little-godder

Dr. Robert Wilson, was a great professor of preaching at Princeton Theological Seminary many years ago. One of Dr. Wilson's students had been invited back to preach in the seminary Chapel twelve years after his graduation from the school.

So, Dr. Wilson came in and sat down near the front of the chapel to hear his former student preach. At the close of the meeting the old professor came up to his former student, extended his hand, and said, "If you come back again, I will not come to hear you preach. I only come once to hear my students. But I'm glad that you're a big-godder. You see, when my boys come back, I always come to see if they are big-godders or little-godders, and then I know what their ministry will be like."

His former student asked him to explain, and so he replied: "Well, some men have a little god, and they are always in trouble with him. He can't do any miracles. He can't take care of the inspiration and transmission of the Scripture to us. He doesn't intervene on behalf of his people. They have a little god and I call them little-godders.

Then there are those who have a great God. He speaks and it is done. He commands and it stands fast. He knows how to show Himself strong on behalf of them that fear him. You, young man are a big-godder, and that God will bless your ministry."

B. Ask the question

Well, friends, based on that story, I have a question to ask you this morning, on Palm Sunday. Are you a big-godder or are you a little-godder?

To help you answer that, I want to look at the account of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem that we celebrate today. And while we do that, we are going to look at three scenes in the story and use those to help you determine if you are a big-godder Christian or a little-godder Christian.

II. What About When He Does Things in Unexpected Ways? (P. 1572 in Large Print)

Mark 11:1-7
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,
2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
3 If anyone asks you, `Why are you doing this?' tell him, `The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'"
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,
5 some people standing there asked, "What are you doing, untying that colt?"
6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go.
7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.

A. The Stage is Set for Going to Jerusalem

This sets the stage for Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem. During the past nine months, He had traveled throughout Galilee, Samaria, Perea, and finally, Judea. He had ministered during that time in at least thirty-five different places; and now he would end up in Jerusalem for the Passover.

Verse 1 says that He was approaching Jerusalem from the side of the Mount of Olives, going through Bethany and Bethphage. This was significant because of what He had done in those places. Everywhere Jesus had gone in that area, He had performed miracles, and healed people who had been terribly sick. In fact, you can bet that people were remembering that in the town of Bethany, He had raised Lazarus from the dead. So, they were anticipating something really great–they were anticipating the coming of their King.

B. Strange Command

Now, it's in this context of events and expectations that Jesus issues a very strange command. Jesus asks His disciples to go into the village and find a colt on which no one had ever sat, untie it and bring it back to Him. Now, inquiring minds want to know..., "Why did Jesus want to ride into Jerusalem on a colt?"

The reason had to do with His character and the character of His Kingdom. Humanly speaking, this was an unusual way for a king to approach a city. Most kings, when they entered a city, were trying to project an image of a mighty warrior.

And in Jesus' day, mighty warriors rode on mighty stallions–strong horses.

Illustration: Years before Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, Alexander the Great, Son of King Phillip of Macedon, rode his fiery steed, Bucephalus into city after city as he conquered them.

But Jesus didn't use a war horse for His Triumphal Entry. Because Jesus was coming, proclaiming the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of man.

So by the very nature of what He rode into Jerusalem, Jesus surprised people. And by the very nature of what He rode, he said that the Kingdom He came to establish wasn't one of power and might, but one of humility and meekness.

Now, my question, from this section of Scripture for you is this, Are you willing to let God be God in the way He chooses to work in your life?

Illustration: For the past several weeks, I have been getting re-acquainted with Jesus during my personal devotions through reading in the Gospel of John. I've been looking for things in that book that I had never seen before. And sure enough, I've been finding some. One of the real big things that jumped out at me last week were these verses...

John 14:12-14
12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Now understand... those verses are spoken in the context of Jesus desiring to give glory back to the Father... but He wants to do it thru us! In other words, God the Father, receives glory through what Jesus is doing in the life of someone ...
1. ...who is desiring the character of Jesus to be seen in his or her life, and
2. ...who is desiring the advancement of God's Kingdom to take place here on earth through what that person says or does.

Last Sunday night, I shared with you something that God has been leading me to begin–to lead a prayer offensive against the powers of darkness in the cities of Palm Springs and Cathedral City–Friends, I'm basically trusting God to start a revival in these two cities. A key vision that God keeps planting in my brain is that in the future, in these two cities, Christians will be considered the norm, and non-believers will be considered the exception.

But friends, listen to me. Because here is a practical application of this first question...
Am I willing to let God be God in the way He chooses to work in this prayer offensive?...
...even though my motives are pure in this, and my impetus comes from understanding what God is saying to me, I have to ask...
Am I willing to let God do this in His way and in His time?

You see, a Big-godder lesson from the Triumphal Entry is that I had better be willing to let Him work His way, and not my preconceived way, otherwise all who follow me in this prayer effort will be settling for second best. And the evil that pervades these two communities will continue to grow, and things will not get better!

A Big-godder believes that God's way is always the best way. And God's timing is always the best timing.

ARE YOU A BIG-GODDER OR A LITTLE-GODDER?

III. Are we Willing to Follow God's Agenda, Rather than Ours?

Here's the second big-godder/little-godder question this account asks us... Are you willing to follow God's agenda, rather than your own?

Mark 11:8-10
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.
9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
10 "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

A. The Crowd wanted salvation from Rome

As Jesus rides into Jerusalem, He is met by a shouting and a praising crowd. They were giving Him the reception for a King. The people who gathered along the way were looking for the Messiah. They were looking for a deliverer.

But, listen to this...the salvation for which they were looking was a very limited salvation. So they missed what God wanted to give them... which was a very unlimited salvation.

Their limited view of salvation was that they wanted someone to deliver them from Rome. So, as Jesus mounted the colt and began His ride towards Jerusalem, the people spread their garments in the road. Some spread palm branches. And still others cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Parenthesis)

Illustration: By the way, the significance in the palm branches and "Hosanna's" are found in Jewish history about one hundred fifty years earlier. A hero, by the name of Simon Maccabaeus had delivered Jerusalem. On that occasion, which is known as the Second Maccabaen Revolt, a great celebration was held with praise, palm branches, and musical instruments. So, the palm became a symbol of the Jews' desire for deliverance.

In fact, that is what "hosanna" really means. Literally, "hosanna" means save us. So, as Jesus was riding along the road, the crowds were shouting, "Save us! Save us!"

Save them from what? In their limited view, it was from Roman oppression. But because they were so self-absorbed they failed to see that Jesus had salvation to give–but it was a far different kind of salvation than the limited salvation that the Jews thought they needed. His salvation would run far deeper than just getting rid of Roman rule–His salvation would provide deliverance from sin, and death, and Hell!.

But here's the kicker...As long the people limited Jesus' delivering abilities to be only from Rome, they would receive Him with shouts of jubilation. As long as He fulfilled their expectations their way, they would follow Him.

But, as soon as they found out that Jesus' arrival was on His terms, not theirs, just a few days later, their shouting would be very different–on Friday of that week, it turned to..."Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

B. MY disappointment

Friends, when you think about it, this isn't very far from what we do.

Illustration: Since we got our motorcycles, Darrin and I had planned to ride them up to Big Bear, to Pine Summit camp, two weeks ago. We were both looking forward to that ride. Even when Darrin's bike needed some repair, we thought there was plenty of time to get the parts sent here to Cathedral City, so he'd be able to fix his bike for the ride up there. Even when the parts didn't come, and didn't come, I was saying, "I trust you, Lord." But finally, after having the promise of the parts dealer that they would be delivered before the weekend we were to leave, and they still didn't come..., it became painfully evident that we wouldn't be able to ride together up to the camp. I was very disappointed, as I know Darrin was, too. Now, I don't know about Darrin, but I have to be honest with you..., in my disappointment, my words of, "I trust you, God," turned into something I can't repeat from the pulpit.

And haven't you done that? Things don't turn out the way that you think they should in a given situation, who do you blame? You get angry at God; or you worry; or you try to punish God by excluding Him from your thoughts; or you run away from Him, rather than run to Him.

In essence that's shouting, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!" "Get out of my life. Leave me alone. You didn't follow my agenda, God. I wanted to be God. I know what's best! I'll show you, I'll turn my back on you and I won't trust you for anything. Life's in my hands now!"

But the Triumphal Entry shows us that the scope of God's plans are so much more than just what we can see at a given time. Big-godders have to trust God's agenda and His timing–not theirs. Big-godders have to let God be God, and not demand that right for themselves.
-Little-godders have to have their own way.
-Big-godders trust in God's agenda and God's timing.

ARE YOU A BIG-GODDER OR A LITTLE-GODDER?

IV. When We Know What Breaks His Heart, Do These Break Ours Also?

Now, I want to move to another account of this same event, this time it's from Luke's gospel. And there he describes what happens next... (on the screen)

Luke 19:41-44
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42 and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes. (LITERALLY, YOU'VE MADE A CHOICE TO BLIND YOURSELVES).
43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.
44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

A. What Made Jesus Weep at Jerusalem?

Illustration: There was a section of a road near our house in Missouri where the road climbed at such an angle that when you come to the crest of that rise, and if you were not going too fast, the front of your car dipped down and for a brief moment, you could the panorama of the beautiful little valley out in front of you.

Well, that's what's happening to Jesus. The road He traveled took him through the tiny "burg" of Bethphage. The road crested upward, just outside that little town, then dipped down into the valley and the plateau just beyond it became visible. And on that plateau was the beautiful city of Jerusalem.

The walled city of Jerusalem seemed to rise out of the ground. The glistening golden Temple occupied center stage. From this vantage point, Jesus could see the entire city - the
Temple with its courts, the magnificent city behind, and the gardens and suburbs a little further back on the western plateau.

He could also see the thousands of travelers who were camped out on the hillside surrounding Jerusalem. They were there for the Passover celebration. As many as three million people would gather for this feast each year. It is estimated by historians that almost half of the population of Judea and Galilee would have been there at this time. And seeing all this–the sites and the people--Jesus wept, and said the words on the screen.

He wept because those people were choosing to be blind...
--blind to the coming of their King,
--blind to the significance of that coming,
--blind to the message of the Kingdom,
--blind to the consequences of their actions,
--blind to the actions of their leaders against the Messiah.
And because of that blindness, they were going to suffer a tragic consequence. Jesus said that not one stone would be left upon another, that a tremendous enemy would come and invade them and destroy the city.

This is, in fact, what happened just 38 years later, when the Roman legions under Titus invaded Jerusalem and laid it low. Listen to what one historian wrote of what happened...

Titus appeared with 80,000 men and laid siege to the city. After several initial assaults and the Jews' refusal to surrender, Titus built a wall around the city, determined to starve them out. The Romans captured almost all of those seeking to smuggle food in. Titus ordered all who were captured outside the city to be crucified. About five hundred were crucified every day. Every tree in the area was cut down for wood, including those on the Mount of Olives.

Famine hit hard. People were dying in the streets of Jerusalem. Dead bodies were everywhere. When the people no longer had the strength to bury their dead, they threw them over the wall.

Finally, the city fell. And in August of AD 70, the city and the Temple were destroyed. The
Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us that 97,000 people were taken captive and that 1,100,000 people were killed during the entire siege. What made for such a massive loss of life was that there were multitudes who had been trapped during the Passover in Jerusalem. Based on the records of the number of lambs sacrificed at that particular Passover, the number of people trapped in Jerusalem totaled over 2,700,000.

The Jewish historian, Josephus, records the final destruction. He says,

Caesar gave orders that they should demolish the entire city and Temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as a memorial to Rome's attack. The rest of the walls and buildings were so thoroughly laid even with the ground that those who came along in later years could discover nothing outside of those towers that were left as symbols of Rome's might and valor, that could make them believe this land had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to, by the madness of those that sought to destroy it.

This was the horrible and tragic end of Jerusalem. This is what Jesus saw as the judgment of God because they "chose not to know what would bring them peace." They had missed their "day." They had not received Jesus for who He was–their Savior and their Messiah. Their hearts were hard. So, Jesus' heart was broken.

B. What Breaks Jesus' Heart Today

Friends, what do you think Jesus is doing when He looks at the United States of America today? This nation that was given riches and individual wealth and prosperity and strength and technology that enabled the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be brought to more people in our 224 year history than at any other time in the history of the world. A nation founded "Under God".

Yet today we are going blind.
--We pass laws that embrace lifestyles that are in direct contradiction to what God's Word says is the way to live.
--As a nation we demonstrate, through the polls, that we care more about our comfort that we do about the integrity of those who lead us.
--Our law system compartmentalizes sin and argues that if an action doesn't infringe on anyone else's life, that there is nothing wrong with it.
--We have made decisions based on convenience rather than convictions.
--We put more stock in short-term feelings than we do in long term values.
–San Francisco, a city that records some of the highest number of abortions of any city in the United States, passed laws two years ago to limit pro-life protesters' access to abortion clinics, while it is actively trying to raise money to purchase bullet-proof vests to protect police dogs.
–The news seems to be full of stories about trusted adults who have been found to be molesters of children, spousal abuse is on the increase, and children shoot their classmates in school.
–The American Civil Liberties Union, wants TV producers to be free to produce whatever they want–regardless of content, and saturate the airwaves with it–yet they put considerable time and effort and money into blocking attempts to teach the morals that are needed to guide people's choices in public schools.

I'll tell you friends, Jesus is weeping when He looks at us right now. And a third key question that the Triumphal Entry raises is, "Does your relationship with God cause you to weep about the things that break the heart of God?"

V. Conclusion

Let me conclude by calling your attention to the quote on the front of your bulletin this morning. A. W. Tozer sums things up very well when he said...

Every soul belongs to God and exists by His pleasure. God being who and what He is, and we being who and what we are, the only thinkable relation between us is one of full lordship on His part and complete submission on ours. We owe Him every honor that it is in our power to give him.

Friend, are you a big-godder or a little-godder?
–Are you willing to let Him work in unexpected ways?
–When His agenda for doing Kingdom work is different from yours, are you willing to change your agenda?
–When you know what breaks His heart, do those things break yours as well?

These are some key questions raised in the Triumphal Entry story that need answering by you and me, today.

You see, there is a reason why our nation and specifically the cities of this Coachella Valley are mired in the evil that they are. The reason is, there are too many little-godders in our churches today.

Now, I can't do much to change anything in any other church. But I would like to find out what God could do through about 350 people who are Big-godders in this church. Wouldn't you?

If you said "YES", then understand the implication. The Big-godder faith demonstrated in this church, needs to start with you. Are you ready and willing to follow a Big God?
Amen.