JOURNEYING WITH JESUS TO THE PARADE

Sermon Notes, March 29, 2015

Rev. Dick Guizar

            Rev. Guizar’s message was titled “Journeying With Jesus to the Parade,” and his scripture basis was Luke 19:28-42, the story of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  Pastor Guizar spoke of different kinds of parades he’d been involved in: military parades at the end of training; the parade in his hometown in Pennsylvania celebrating fall color, the Flaming Festival; and the Christmas Parade in Manassas, where he was pastor for 30 years. 

The parade in this sermon, however, was a little different.  It marked the beginning of the end of Jesus’ physical life.  In the scripture passage we see what happened before, during, and after the parade, and we’re invited to join the parade.

Before the parade, Jesus sent two of his disciples to bring a colt.  They found things just as Jesus said they would, and brought the colt to him.  They “saddled” the colt with coats.  People lined the streets—wherever Jesus went, he drew a crowd.  Perhaps Lazarus was there, and the widow of Nain and her son who Jesus raised from the dead, along with Jairus’ daughter, Peter’s mother-in-law, and Zaccheus.  (verses 28-36)

The crowd was yelling and screaming, praising God for the miracles they’d seen: “Hosanna to the King!” “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”  The people were looking for a leader: they thought Jesus had come to free them from the bondage of Rome.  The disciples didn’t understand or recognize what was going on.  Jesus came to set them free from inner bondage.  The Pharisees, worried about the commotion, told Jesus to rebuke his disciples.  Jesus said, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out!” (verses 37-40)

After the parade, Jesus wept over Jerusalem. (verses 41-42)  He knew that soon the cheerers would be jeerers.  Some people were upset because Jesus was leading a parade.  Why do we go to church every week?  Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but to bring us back into a relationship with God.  God’s grace is why we’re here. Hebrews 11 traces our spiritual genealogy.  God makes demands.  He wants to change people.  We need to see Jesus through the eyes of the Roman centurion at His crucifixion, who said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”