Michael Youssef - Palm Sunday, The Road to Obedience
It never ceased to amaze me how there's a fascination among Americans with the British royal family. The reason I'll say this is because I know that most Americans detest absolute monarchs. It sort of goes against our grain. We fought a war over it. We are fiercely independent folks. We value our independence, and we're proud of our independence, and we detest those absolute powers over us. We loathe the absolute dictators. Nonetheless, we love watching the manifestation of splendor and colorful pageantry. All of that just highlights the majesty and the splendor of days gone by. In fact, history records that Queen Victoria, on the day of her coronation, she wore a crown that was encrusted with giant rubies, and sapphires, and surrounded by 309 carats of diamonds. And her scepter, it was capped with even a larger diamond that was cut from the start of Africa. It's about 516 carats.
You say, "Michael, we got up in the morning to come here on Palm Sunday so you could give us a history lesson on the British royal family"? No, relax, that's not what I'm really gonna be talking about. I want you to contrast this with the true sovereign King, the King over all kings, the King that's above all kings, on his earthly coronation day, which we celebrate today what we call Palm Sunday. You see, while this was the true earthly coronation of the King of all kings, the King that's above all kings and yet on this coronation day, there was no pomp and ceremony.
Now, there was no splendor or extravagant opulence. Maybe that's why, perhaps, people don't take Jesus seriously because we're very impressed with appearances, and we don't take him seriously as the King of all kings and the King over our lives as sovereign power over us. Maybe that is why. Oh, listen, I understand we all love that helpless babe in Bethlehem, and we get very soggy around Christmastime. I know that. We can even get emotional looking at the helpless body hanging on a cross. Yes, we love a Jesus who is not absolute ruler and power over our lives and in control of our lives. All we might not an acquaintance to him, maybe twice a year or possibly six or twelve times a year. We just make sure that he still remembers us. "Hey, we're here. I came to church. I did my thing".
We do that, not acquaintance with him. And yet, Palm Sunday is the day of Jesus's coronation as King here on earth. And it was an extremely important Sunday, why? Because his coronation, in few days' time, was gonna take him into fulfilling the will of his Father and his own will to die on the cross for our salvation. It is the first day of the week that brought the week that changed the whole world, only one week and the world has never been the same. King Jesus intended for his own coronation as King over all kings to be very public. For years, he told people that he healed. He told people that he touched. He told people that he raised from the dead. He told people that he blessed in every way and fed.
And so, don't go talk about it. You don't have to 'cause he's afraid that they will misunderstand his kingship, they'll misunderstand what it means for him to be the King of all kings. The Hebrew word for king means he's the one who can or the one who's able. Say that with me, "The one who..." Able to do what? Able to deliver anyone and save anyone who comes and submit to his rule, able to give power to the defeated soul, able to liberate the oppressed spirit, able to defend the harassed and the weak, able to break the chains of addiction and bondage of addiction of any kind, able to overrule the circumstances regardless of how desperate and discouraged we may get, able to give faith to the fearful, able to lift up the anxious and the worried, able to give eternal life to whomsoever are willing to come to him and declare him to be King Jesus, amen?
Beloved, there can be no doubt, at least in my mind, that many of the people in that crowd on that first Palm Sunday, I'm not saying all of them, but many of them, there's no doubt they have misunderstood what kingship of Jesus is all about. Some of them, in fact, the majority of them didn't really understand what that means. Just like many churchgoers today, they will go to church and they will tip their hat to Jesus, but they don't understand what it means to live under his authority. Millions of churchgoers today in America are misguided as to the reason why he is to be crowned the King of all and the King of life. They shouted, "Hosanna," which means save now, but they were only interested in what Jesus can do for them now in this life. They are not interested in what Jesus can give them eternally. They only want what he can give them now. They're not interested in being saved eternally from hell, and damnation, and condemnation. They were not interested in that. They want to receive political liberation. They want to receive economic liberation from Rome.
They cared about, "What can Jesus do for me now. I mean, what has he done for me lately"? Have you heard that? They were interested only in political relief from Rome. Even the disciples, they were wondering why cannot use his supernatural power. He raised the dead, healed the sick, and did all these supernatural things. And they said, "Why can't he use that in order to overthrow Rome from the bondage"? And that is why when Jesus did not deliver what they wanted, a few days later they said, "Crucify him, crucify him". Oh, it never ceases to amaze me how fickle people are. Millions of people today are like that crowd in Jerusalem. They're interested in Jesus for what he can do for them. They're only interested in Jesus if he can deliver on physical healings. They're only interested in Jesus if he can deliver them and give them economic prosperity. That's why so many preachers today, all they preach is prosperity.
Let me tell you something, if I become a trillionaire and I end up my eternity in hell, they can keep all their trillions. They were interested in Jesus if he gives them temporary happiness, make them happy now. While the true desperate need, which they did not know, was for eternal salvation, eternity with him forever. Their desperate need was for peace and joy here and now in the midst of the darker circumstances. Their true desperate need is to have victory over sin. Their truly desperate need was for conquering of death and the grave. Their truly desperate need is for Jesus to rule and reign over their lives, but they're willing to trade it all, trade it all for a few moments or even few years of liberty from Rome just like Esau. He was hungry and he trades his birthright for a bowl of soup. All of us who are living at the end times, not unlike those who lived the beginning of times, the beginning of the 1st century.
Back then, as it is now, they wanted a Messiah on their own terms. Are you with me? They wanted a Messiah king who agrees with them. They wanted a Messiah who would destroy Rome but not their cherished sin. They wanted a Messiah who would not question the religious hypocrisy. They wanted a Messiah who would give them political liberation, not spiritual liberation. Nothing changed in 2,000 years. The Bible said, "Nothing new under the sun". A multitude of people today, they want a Jesus who appeals to their self-interest. They want a Jesus who would not question them as guided notion about him. They do not want a Jesus who condemns their sin. They want a Jesus who's milquetoast Jesus. We're gonna come to that in a minute. Sadly, those very people who said, "Hosanna," which save now and many of them said, "crucify" a few days later, sadly had they read their Bible, had they read their Bible, that's why I tell people, "You're looking for a church, you're gonna find a church that upholds the Word of God as infallible inspired Word of God. The rest will fall in place. Don't worry about all that junk," amen?
Okay, well, had they read they Bible, they would have known all about the Messiah King is gonna be very different from the king they imagined in their head because in Genesis 12:1 to 3 said that Jesus is the only King who would bless them eternally, not just for few years. In Genesis 49:8 to 10, they said Jesus is the only King whose scepter will not depart from him. In the Book of Numbers, they have would have read that he is the King whose eternal dominion is unquestioned. In the Book of 2 Samuel chapter 7, verse 16, they would have read that Jesus is the only King whose kingdom is forever, not just for few years. Psalm 2, verse 6, which I preached on couple of weeks ago, Psalm 2, if they read Psalm 2, they will have discovered that only King Jesus is anointed by God the Father. In Psalm 144:10, they would have read that only King Jesus to whom all kings shall bow.
If they read Isaiah 2, verses 1 to 4, they would have read that King Jesus is the one who reigns in true righteousness without boundary. They'd have read Jeremiah 23:5 and 6, they would have read that only King Jesus who is all wise. If they read Ezekiel 32:29, they would have read that only King Jesus, who rules over all kings. In Daniel 2:34, they would have read that only King Jesus at whose feet empires are gonna crumble. In Micah 5:4, they would have read that only King Jesus with supernatural strength, and power, and majesty. And in Zechariah 14:9 they would have read that King Jesus is king all for all the earth. But they didn't read the Bible. They didn't read their Bible and therefore they were confused. Nothing is gonna keep you on tracks as reading the Word of God and feeding on the Word of God, not on occasions, but every day.
This is not by accident that King Jesus's inauguration address. We always talk about Abraham Lincoln and the short address, Jesus's inauguration address is a very short one. It's only two verses and it's found in Mark's gospel chapter 1, verses 14 and 15, "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. For the kingdom of God is here. Repent, so that God may rule and reign over your hearts". Beloved, the Bible makes it very clear that the first coming of Jesus will be followed by his second coming. It's something we really get so busy with this life we don't think about, which it will usher his total and complete rule, and dominance, and dominion. In the Book of Revelation, God deliberately took John the revelator from the Isle of Patmos and privileged him to see with his own eyes to have a glimpse of what's gonna be like when that reign and rule of Christ will be eternal, when Christ is be glorified as King and that is why John tells us that his crown represents his constitutional monarchy and that diadems represent his absolute power and the many crowns speak of his conquering of sin, death, and Satan.
And the many diadems speak of having no rival. Only see a glimpse, only see a glimpse. Well, here's the big problem for us today. Here's the big problem. Listen and see if I'm telling you the truth. Just because Jesus's first coming was in humility, many people dismiss him, ignore him. Oh, but in his second coming, those who are indifferent toward him, they're gonna weep blood. Let me assure you that God's Word is very clear, and God's Word said that while his first coming was in humility, his second coming will be in power and might.
While his first coming in his body was broken and torn on the cross to save everyone who will take him seriously and bow to him, his second coming will be full of splendor. In his first coming, he was led like a sheep to the slaughter but in his second coming, he will lead victorious parade of his faithful soldiers. In his first coming, his feet and his hands were nailed to a cross with an iron nails, but in his second coming, he will rule with an iron scepter in his hand. In his first coming, he wore a crown of thorns, but in his second coming, he will be crowned with many crowns. In his first coming, people spat on him and they still spit on him, but in his second coming, all the kings of the earth will be terrified of him that they will not be able to look him in the face. In fact, the Bible said, "They run from mountain to mountains and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne".
In his first coming, he was pierced for our transgressions, but in his second coming, those who pierced him are gonna mourn with no comfort and no comforter. In his first coming, they whipped with him whips that tore his flesh, but in his second coming, his eyes are gonna be like fire and his voice will be like many waterfalls. But that's just the beginning. I haven't got going yet, amen. There's great news. Whether you're watching around the world or you're here in this sanctuary, I don't know, it's between you and God. The great news is this, come to him now. Come to him now and receive him as your Savior and King and escape facing him as your just judge. Come to him now and receive his peace and joy that can be with you and in you regardless of your circumstances and that same peace will be with you for all of eternity.
Please, please, please, please, please don't misunderstand the nature of the kingship of Jesus like those people in the first Palm Sunday and the millions of people of professing Christians today, don't misunderstand it. He is the King of all kings who the only one who can enrich your life with purpose and direction. He is the King of all kings who will exercise mercy and grace with you again and again and again. He is the King of all kings whose love is incomparable. He's the King of all kings whose beneficence indisputable. He is the King of all kings who will never, never, never, never, never leave you nor forsake you. He is the King of kings whose grace is greater than all of your sins. He is the King of kings when you submit to him and to his authority, you will never, ever, ever, ever regret it or have a second thought, amen?
You have everything to gain and nothing to lose except your shame, and guilt, and pain. For decades now, for decades, there are many preachers in many a church who have been preaching a false Jesus, who have preaching a spineless Jesus, who have been preaching a milquetoast Jesus, who have been preaching meek and mild Jesus. But listen to me please, who wants to submit to such a milquetoast Jesus? Our generation needs to capture the true biblical Jesus of today where he is now, the Jesus after the resurrection, and the ascension, and glorification. And that is why the Apostle Paul said, "We know Jesus after the flesh no more". He is no longer on that cross. He is no longer in that manger. He is the glorified Jesus. He's in heaven ruling and reigning right now. I believe with all my heart if there's a message to the faithful, the believers of this day, genuine believers, is that we need to recapture the awareness of King Jesus who's even now sitting in power and glory on the rim of the universe.
Even now as we're speaking, as I'm speaking to you, the King of kings who is superior in his nature, we need to recapture the vision of the King of kings who's infinite in his wisdom, the King of kings who's mighty in his sovereignty, the King of kings who's perfect in his knowledge, the King of kings who is complete in his power, the King of kings who is pure in his character, the King of kings who is righteous in his personality, the King of kings who is just in his judgment, the King of kings who is matchless in his sympathy, the King of kings who is magnanimous in his forgiveness, the King of kings who's gracious with his children, the King of kings who is glorious in his splendor, the King of kings who is impeccable in his reasoning, the King of kings who is unsurpassing in his resurrection. And I have people tell me that all the way lead to God, I said, "Tell me who rose from the dead". And the day is coming when Mohammed, and Buddha, and Krishna, and every one of those jokers gonna bow to him. He is King from everlasting to everlasting, amen.
See, when the crowd on that very first Palm Sunday cried out, "Hosanna save now," they did not know that they were actually prophesying of the one prayer that God, not may, or possibly, or can, but will answer. Every time a person looks up to heaven, they say, "Jesus, save me," or, "Jesus, save me now," that Jesus the King of kings will answer that prayer. If you're genuinely praying, "Lord, save me, I'm a sinner," The Holy Spirit comes in and dwells in you and you become a new creation. And then you grow every day in the knowledge and love of Jesus. That's one prayer that they prophesied that God will answer. And don't take my Word for it, it's the promise of God and his Word. Today, you can receive him as Savior King and friend, or risk facing him as your judge. The choice is yours.