Dear Church Family, an update for the week of March 28, 2010…
Thank you to Eric and Lynne Kishi for the Children’s Message. Student, Sal Fish, thought his new classmate was going to be someone famous who would invite him to fancy events, instead she was Lynne. He was so disappointed that he would not gain anything from who she was and let her know it. Later, when he needed help with his math assignment, Lynne kindly offered to help Sal Fish. He was amazed that she would help him even though he was rude to her in his disappointment. Jesus was mistaken and mistreated, yet He still loved us enough to die for our sins. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Thank you to Pastor Brian Tekawa for bringing the Palm Sunday message, “The Triumphal Entry?”, from John 12:12-19.
Have you ever been misunderstood? It is difficult isn’t it? It takes courage to stand alone when you’re misunderstood especially when your intentions were well meaning. Jesus was and is the most misunderstood man in history. He was so misunderstood He was killed. Even today Jesus is misunderstood and rejected. There were three groups of people who misunderstood Jesus because of their expectations: the crowd; the disciples; and the Pharisees. “What will keep you from misunderstanding Jesus?”
1) The crowd misunderstood Jesus (or observers of Jesus). How do we know the crowd misunderstood Jesus? First, from verse 18 it reads, “For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they had heard He had performed this sign.” What sign? From verse 17 and earlier portions of scripture we understand it to mean the sign of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. The crowd was following Jesus for what He did not who He was. Also from Luke’s account of Jesus’ final week we read from chapter 23 verse 20 and 21, “Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept on calling out, saying, Crucify, crucify Him!” This is the same crowd who five days previously were shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel” in John 12:13. What happened? How could the crowd change so quickly from hailing Jesus as King, then to kill Him as a criminal? They misunderstood Jesus because of their expectation. They wanted a warrior king who would free them from Roman rule, not a servant king. The crowd turned on Jesus because they did not get what they expected or wanted. What about you? What expectations have you placed upon Jesus? Do you expect Him to make your life easier or happier? What is your faith based upon? Your desires, your expectations, your dreams or upon His? The crowd misunderstood Jesus because He was not who they expected. Don’t misunderstand and reject Jesus because your expectations are not met.
2) The disciples misunderstood Jesus (Followers of Jesus). How do we know the disciples misunderstood Jesus? Take a look at verse 16. “These things His disciples did not understand at the first but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him”. You may wonder how the twelve disciples who lived with Jesus almost 24/7 for three years could have misunderstood Jesus? The Bible tells us the disciples misunderstood Jesus until He was glorified. They experienced a life changing event when Jesus was glorified at His death, burial, and resurrection. Maybe it has been the same for you. You have let Jesus into your life but you are still unsure at times whether or not He really is who He says He is. The disciples understood Jesus after cross. It is good to recall those events in your life when Jesus became real to you so you will understand the reality of Jesus. Today we have God’s Word, the Bible. We know from the Bible, archaeology, and history that Jesus existed. We read in the Bible that Jesus taught about God and Himself. You have three choices. Either Jesus is a liar, a lunatic, or is in fact, the LORD. Jesus said many things and performed many miracles that have been documented. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but through Me.” This is a very strong statement. There is no grey area. Jesus said He is the only way to the Father. In other words Jesus is saying He is the only way to God. The only way to have an eternal relationship with God is through Jesus. The lives of the disciples were changed forever by Jesus when they realized who Jesus was when they saw Him on the cross and after He was resurrected. Keep your eyes open to what Jesus is doing in you and around you. Don’t forget those events when Jesus “spoke” to you.
3) The Pharisees misunderstood Jesus (Rejecters of Jesus). How do we know the Pharisees misunderstood Jesus?
John 11:53, 57, “So from that day on they planned together to kill Him” 57; Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.” We understand from these verses these religious leaders misunderstood Jesus and rejected Him. Their misunderstanding of Jesus was so extreme they wanted to capture and kill Him. In today’s passage verse 19 says, “So the Pharisees said to one another, You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.” It seems they were blaming one another for not being very effective in their plan to stop people from following Jesus. In their eyes the whole world was following this new leader. They were afraid of losing their control to Jesus. So fearful they were willing to kill Jesus who did not commit any crime worthy of death, yet they pursued a trial of Jesus to the highest level in the Roman judicial system. For those small groups that studied Jeremiah 7 this past week you saw that control is not a new problem. The Israelites believed that their great building (Temple) ensured their relationship with the Lord. They placed their faith in a building, not in God. They missed God’s desires and relied on their own desires to worship Him. The Israelites wanted to control how they would worship God and missed God’s desire. They misunderstood God as people today misunderstand Jesus because of the desire to control everything including how to worship Him. Be careful you don’t misunderstand Jesus because of the desire to control your life.
Conclusion: This is Palm Sunday. It is the final time when Jesus would enter Jerusalem. Hailed as King, killed as a criminal. We don’t ever want to misunderstand Jesus. I firmly believe if people would take the time to understand who He was and is they would want Him in their lives. Like the Pharisees, don’t we all desire to control our life? When we want something and Jesus doesn’t respond as we desire, aren’t we at times like the crowd who rebelled against Jesus? It is important to recall those events where Jesus “spoke” to you so you don’t misunderstand the reality of who He is. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God. Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” When you place expectations upon Jesus or are afraid of losing control, it helps to remember “Jesus” events so you don’t misunderstand Him. Meditate upon this verse and let the words sink in and think about what they mean…. What will keep you from misunderstanding Jesus? Realize it is no longer you who live, but Christ in you. Don’t expect anything more.
Have a blessed week in the Lord, knowing the real Jesus!
Stan, for SLZJCC