On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
John 12:12-13
One of the themes I hoped to reveal during my series of Lenten sermons was John’s subtle emphasis on resurrection. It is everywhere in the gospel of John. He gently leads us chapter by chapter with the under current of pending crucifixion and resurrection.
The triumphal entry recorded by John is also primed to cause us to think about the coming miracle. John skillfully employs the miracle that only he recorded, the raising of Lazarus. He inserts the witnesses of Lazarus into the crowd of the triumphal entry.
I love the four things that John points out about this group. “The people therefore that was with him when:
- He called Lazarus. We too are dead in trespasses and sins when we hear the call. We can no more get up and seek for Jesus than Lazarus could. What wonderful power there is in his call.
- Out of his grave. It’s Lazarus’ grave. We all have one, we are all going to one. The grave describes our weakness and failure better than anything. It is one of our making. The good news is that we don’t have to stay there.
- And raised him from the dead. Lazarus is raised from something to something. This is other than nature. It is super nature. Only a work that God can do. Paul put it this way, “. . . that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4)
- Bare record. They were the ones to tell what Jesus did. Let’s make much of Jesus as well.
Music: Tenor Philip Webb and the Grace Community Choir and Orchestra.
Sermon: Today I jump in the way-back-time-machine for a sermon preached on April 15, 2018. Happy Palm Sunday!
Prayer Requests: Please pray for our missionary, J. D. Fasolino.
Catechism: The Principles of the Christian Religion.
- Question 49: Why must Christ be man?
- Answer: Because the Godhead could not suffer. And, it was further requisite that the same nature which had offended should suffer for the offence; and that our nature, which was corrupted in the first Adam, should be restored to his integrity in the second Adam, Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Question 50: What is the office of Christ?
- Answer: To be a mediator between God and man.
“Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.”
All my best.
The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
John 12:17-18
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