Palm Sunday 2007

A King in Name Only?

TEXT - Luke 19:28-42

Being Palm Sunday, the day when Christians the world over begin Holy Week by remembering Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, our text is both predictable and familiar. It is a story of tenderness, tragic in the misunderstanding that were a part of that day, and of sorrow to come- for the people and the Lord.

And, it is a text packed with relevance to our lives today. My reading of the text raised this question –

Is Jesus the King of your life?

Another way can frame it is – Are you truly a “Kingdom Citizen?”

Those are tough questions, perhaps one you cannot honestly answer today.

Many Believers think that Christ is King, but in fact He is not. That is not to say they are not Christians.

Let me illustrate from my own life experience.

Twenty years ago I experienced the worst spiritual crisis of my life. My carefully laid plans for life fell apart as a result of cracks in the foundation that were hidden away beneath layers of denial, religiosity, and apparent success. I was morally upright, serving people in a church ministry, preaching messages that others found helpful in their spiritual development.

At the time what I did not realize was that though Jesus was my Savior, He was not my Lord and King. I believed He was the King and Creator, sang of His majesty and love, but I lived as the lord of my own life. I was still 'in charge' of the agenda! Without consciously realizing it, I was trying to make God serve me, rather than me serving Him.

The deception was a subtle one, yet from time to time, I sensed all was not well, for the struggle to live in a godly way was often a matter of gritting my teeth and ‘trying real hard to be good,’ which I thought was just ‘normal’ for Christians. Sin, not the big splashy kind, but the ones like pride, judgment, and arrogance plagued me constantly! I felt deeply conflicted because I heard about joy, but had little!

I wondered if my experience was faulty, but when those feelings arose, I brushed them back by working harder, serving more, and singing more loudly in the darkness!

Then, over a period of about two years, God allowed me to experience bitterness of disappointment that I had never tasted in my life to that point. Over time, I began to understand that my assumptions about Him, myself, and the way that life should work were flawed.

Wrong thinking was producing frustration. I was attempting, by my own abilities, what could only be done in the power of God. He loved me enough to let me know my sin! The descent into depression and disillusionment that followed was a dark period of my life but what followed, I can now say, was a grace gift of God. In the death of self and dreams, a new faith emerged, a rock solid foundation for life.

Of course, I am not perfect, but I can say with great God-confidence that Christ is, indeed, my King as well as my Savior.

Claiming Jesus as a king in name only is a failing that goes back a long, long way.

Take a look at our text - READ Luke 19:28-42

The people who greeted the Lord as He came to Jerusalem that final week before His crucifixion, thought they had found a king.

"They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!" (John 12:12-13, NIV)

Now, if you fast forward in the story to mid-week, just days later, the yells in Pilate's courtyard were much different. "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"

What happened?

Their expectations were disappointed. They expected an earthly monarch who would throw off the Roman rulers and restore the glory of David's kingdom. They wanted a king, but would not receive the King! Their plans were not the plans of God. The kingdom He brought was not the kingdom they wanted!

To Pilate, who inquired if He was, in fact, a King - Jesus declared, "My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36, NLT) His throne was the Cross where He conquered sin, Hell, and death but most could not grasp what He was doing.

Many who want Jesus to open the door to Heaven for them fall into the same error as those who would not receive His Kingdom that day so long ago. They come to Christ Jesus asking forgiveness, which is often more of a kind of expression of regrets! Do they realize that they are merely regretting past ‘mistakes?’ Often not!

Many in this category are not seeking a Revolution in their life, they only want Relief!

In their time fo need, they may have a genuine emotional response to the presentation of the truth about Jesus, and even the appearance of a life change. Habits that are causing them pain and/or difficulty are dealt with. Things like promiscuity, drinking too much, drug use, being overly materialistic are dealt with and appear to change.

So, doesn’t this mean they have moved into God’s Kingdom? Not necessarily!

Millions of people go through personal transformation using different models of behavior modification without ever even considering Jesus Christ. We have a will and our will is a powerful gift and tool. What passes for a Christian conversion can be simply a decision of the will to embrace a different kind of life.

True citizens of the Kingdom of God have an experience of God Life that goes beyond changed behaviors. Peter says this about living as a citizen of the Kingdom of God,

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 Peter 1:3-4, NIV)

He says that we become ‘participants’ in the Divine Nature! Our embrace of Christ as King goes to the core of our being, our very life defined by His will, purpose, and existence! The Holy Spirit leads us to repentance, and then into life transformation. Paul says that the way such a person lives can be described as "Let(ting) every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." (Colossians 3:17, The Message) In other words, Christ and you become indistinguishable!

Jesus illustrates the same concept with this word picture - “I am the Vine and you are the branches... those who remain in me and I in them, will produce much fruit! But, apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Such a life is impossible to create by mere behavior modification techniques based in human psychological understanding or even group dynamics, though both can be quite effective in dealing with some of our toxic behaviors!

A Christ-centered life, one where He is King, cannot be learned, or even implemented on our strength, in by those of us with the best of intentions. It is a ‘received’ life that is created in us by the Holy Spirit. That is not to imply that there is nothing for you and I to do, that we are passively waiting for the Spirit to jump on us and make us into heavenly robots!

We participate in receiving the Divine Nature, in crowning Christ as King, actively with the practice of spiritual disciplines which increasingly open our lives to the work of God in us!

One author offers this most insightful statement:

“Believers mainly think of spiritual disciplines in terms of prayer and Bible-reading.

... but this entails several dilemmas:

Scarcity - these disciplines are not practiced enough.

Practicality - these disciplines tend to operate in isolation from real life, rather like the singing of the national anthem before the ball game.” Creps, Off-Road Disciplines

Genuine spiritual disciplines are practiced in real life.

For example -

Jesus washed his disciple’s feet and said, “Now do the same thing!” What does He mean? Go serve! When we respond to the Bible’s instruction and the Spirit’s call to service, we quickly find out that we do not really care for washing stinky feet, or caring for another’s children, or listening for the umpteenth time to the same desperate tale of woe, or showing up for a nursing home outreach... or.....

What do many do when they confront themselves and the selfishness that says, “I don’t like this!”

They say, “I’m not called to do this.” And they throw off the yoke of service. Spiritual discipline leads that person to confess the sin of selfishness to the Lord, to invite Him to be the king of their emotions, and asks the Spirit to give them a willing heart to do what they do not want to do! The act of obedience OPENS their lives to an inflow of the Spirit they would not otherwise experience.

If we only practice spiritual disciplines in isolation from our lives - no real need is ever realized, nor is grace accepted that leads to transformation. Christianity is not about what we do in this building or in our private devotions (a phrase I despise because of the implications of disconnectedness from life). It is about how we live in this world!

William Law says,

“Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives the most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice. It is he who is always thankful to God, who wills what God wills, who receives all things as an instance of God’s goodness, and who has a heart always ready to praise God for it.”

When we receive the King, and allow Him to be the King in truth, and not simply in Name - the result is not just changed behaviors. The result is emergence of a new person - a transformed heart!

This was Peter’s experience!

How I love the story of Peter. He wanted so much to do right things, but acted out of his own strength.

∙ He climbed out of the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, and realized what he had done - then promptly started to sink - until caught the hand of Jesus that was offered to him in his desperation.

∙ When Jesus tried to explain that the Cross and death was His destiny, Peter stepped up to protest only to be told that he was acting as agent of the Devil!

∙ At the Passover meal, when Jesus was telling the disciples about the coming trials, warning them that they would fail him, Peter blusters, “Lord, if everyone else lets you down, I’ll be there for you!”

∙ Later that evening, at Jesus’ arrest, he pulled his sword, only to earn the Master’s rebuke! “Put it away, Peter!

∙ He alone stayed with Jesus after the Lord’s arrest. Full of fear, yet loving Jesus, he stood in the yard outside of the house where the Lord was being interrogated. When a young maid challenged him about being one of those who loved the Lord, he vehemently denied his association, swept away by fear and, in his confusion, his weakness was exposed for all to see!

Why does Peter fail so often? He simply could not be what he was not. But, here’s the word of hope.

From the rubble of his broken life, Peter looked up and found new faith in the King of Glory. He was filled with the Spirit of God and became, as Jesus had promised, the leader of the Church.

Friend, we cannot act in ways that are not supported by our genuine character, either. No amount of determination, will, or self discipline can make us into citizens of the Kingdom, who are servants of the King! But, we can be changed, if we are ‘in Christ!’

Close -

Like the Jews who met Jesus on the streets are you praising Him as King, but dealing with missed expectations and disappointment? Is life not working as you thought it would? Is confusion lurking in the darkness at the edges of your mind?

Come to Him, not just as Savior but as the Sovereign King, the Lord of Life.

Like Peter, are you trying your best to live the Christian life as you understand it, and coming up short again and again? Does it seem that you're working harder but realizing less?

Declare your bankruptcy! Throw yourself in desperation on Him, broken before Him and let the Spirit find and fill you. Perhaps you believed on Him a long time ago as Savior, but only now are coming to grips with making Him Lord and King of your life. Trust Him! He will not write you off, throw you away, or forget you. There is a new grace to be discovered at the end of the life you have planned, when He is allowed to bring into existence the eternal life He has planned. Crown Him King today. Surrender it all to Him.