March 16, 2008 Palm Sunday

"The King of the Jews"

John 18: 33- 19: 6; John 19: 19- 22; Psalm 22: 22- 31 

Words mean different things to different people.  The words "good deal" mean something different to the car salesman than to the potential buyer.  The word "later " means something to different to parents than it does to children.  After having had persistent fevers of between 101- 103 degrees and not being able to sleep for almost two full nights for fear of drowning in the fluid that was filling my lungs, the words "touch of pneumonia" no longer means having a light case of pneumonia to me;  they mean having a brush with death.

Our scripture says,

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

I would especially like to focus on those last few words King of the Jews.  These words also had a different meaning to the different persons in our story.  That is very clear from the conversation we read between Jesus and Pilate.  Pilate couldn't understand what Jesus was talking about-- a kingdom not of this world?  truth?   The words king of the Jews also meant something to Jews of that day-something Pilate certainly would have understood.  For it was a direct threat to the interests of Rome. 

Now these different meanings and understandings have their parallels today. I am especially referring to how people react to Jesus and his kingdom.  Some people laugh at the idea that such a kingdom exists or feel a sense of "moral outrage" against any who proclaim it.  Some simply ignore it.  Others welcome it.  Some feel that it fits rather nicely with their own self interest.  What do the words Jesus is king mean to you? This morning, for a few minutes, we would like to first examine how both Pilate and the Jews understood the words "king of the Jews" and how those understandings find parallels today.  And then we would like to hear what God's Word has to say about Jesus' kingdom.

What did Pilate understand by "king of the Jews?"  At first he was undoubtedly alarmed.  For someone to proclaim themselves king over the Jewish people would have indeed been a threat to Roman rule.  But then again, all he needed to do was to look at Jesus to realize that he was no threat at all.  How could he be?  This beaten shackled man, a king? 

The Roman soldiers shared this assessment.  And that's why they made sport of Jesus?

The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face."

Yet, Pilate's reason for putting the placard above Jesus head, was not so much to mock Jesus personally as it was to mock the Jews.  He wanted to show them what lowly contemptible lot they were how foolish their hope for independence was.  Here's your king-a naked, bleeding, pathetic man near death.  And here's his court, a couple of common criminals.  I'm going to announce that for you and the entire world to see-I'll write it in Aramaic (your language), Greek (the language of culture and trade), and Latin (the language of your masters).  Clearly, the Jewish leaders knew what Pilate intended. They tried to get him to change what he had written.  But, probably with a wry smile on his face, he refused.

People of God, we live in a time and in a society where many feel similarly about King Jesus and his kingdom.  They do not see Jesus as a king or lord of anything, certainly not of their lives.  He just is not that important to them.  Sometimes on Sunday evenings before bed Brenda and I watch the local news.   Often they show people attending different activities that Sunday: spring and summer festivals, community fundraisers, marathons, sporting events.  One time I remarked to my wife, "Their lives are certainly different than ours."  That Sunday our lives had revolved around church.  We had been in church, morning and evening, and taught Sunday School.  .I doubt that many these of people had been to church in months.  They just didn't do church.  "I'm not all that religious."  That's what one of the guys I used to work with would tell me.  Any idea that Jesus demands anything more of them than just to be nice person seems ridiculous to them.  And the people who act like he does seem strange-almost as if they are from another world--  and certainly not the real one.

The Jews had their own ideas on what the "king of the Jews" meant.  To many of them it meant freedom from Rome.  It meant utopia-living in an abundant land of milk and honey, where they would be prosperous and happy.  As Jesus pointed out to the crowd in John 6: 26,

I tell you the truth, you are looking for me [to make me your king], not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

Because you ate the loaves-because you thought there was something in it for you-that is why you wanted to force me to be your king.  And it was with such thoughts in mind that many shouted, "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday.  Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead.  Surely he should have no problem with the Romans.

Now, it was true that some of the religious leaders, who had accommodated themselves to Roman rule, were probably not even looking for the promised king.  At best their religion was all about ceremony and ethics.  They had a relatively good life under Rome and they just didn't want to upset the apple cart.  In fact, that's why they viewed Jesus as threat.

But, I wonder, do many of us in the church today view things that differently?  What do you say about those who are becoming millionaires by peddling the gospel on TV?  Jesus becomes just another angle to achieve their financial goals.  But, such folk are an easy punching bag.  What about the rest of us.  When do most of us think about Jesus?  We or a loved one gets sick. A loved one dies.  We are having problems in our homes.  Then sometimes we start coming to church more, pray more, talk about God more.  But what happens when the crisis is past or if God doesn't answer right away?  Do we continue to have the same zeal for God? 

Some years ago there used to be an evangelistic technique which compared believing in Jesus with a life insurance policy.  The pay-off of this eternal policy was not financial security for our relatives, but eternal life in heaven.  Now maybe that sounds pretty good.  But, what do you do with a life insurance policy?  I put mine in one of those fire proof boxes in my closet or under my bed.  And I don't think about it much except to pay the annual premiums.  For how many in the church is the kingdom merely a guarantee of heaven when they die?  All it takes to keep it in force is to be a good person and go to church.  Other than that Jesus' kingdom makes no demands on their busy lives.

But, what of King Jesus himself?  What did he say about his kingdom?  What does his Word teach us?

"Are you a king?" asks Pilate.

"Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

Basically, Jesus wants Pilate to express what he means by his question.

And when Pilate can't answer Jesus gives this brief explanation about his kingdom,

""My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

My kingdom is not of this world.  It's not about the silly ambitions of this earth's inhabitants.  My kingdom has nothing to do with what Caesar wants or what the Jews want. It's not even about what I in my human nature want.  It is from another place.  It is from heaven.  It's about Truth-about what really matters and what life is really all about. My kingdom all about what my heavenly Father wants. 

What the Father wanted was for his Son the King to die on the cross to redeem his world.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

  But how do we understand Jesus suffering and death in terms of the kingdom of God?  I would like you to turn Psalm 22.  Look at the first words of this Psalm-verse 1.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

These were same words Jesus cried out from the cross.  From there, suffering as he was, our Lord could not preach a sermon.  So, he used these words from Psalm 22 to preach to the people for him.  He wanted the people to see what was happening on the cross in light of this Psalm. 

I don't have time to go through it very carefully.  But, if your Bibles are open, you'll note that verses 1- 21 are graphic descriptions of suffering.  Here we certainly see similarities to what Jesus suffered.  That's no accident.  But, interspersed among these descriptions, the Psalmist cries to the Lord for help.  Clearly, he continued to realize that the Lord was ruling and that he was in control.

These are followed by a song of praise to God for his kingdom (his rule over this world) and for the salvation that this rule will bring.  Especially look at verses 27- 28

                All the ends of the earth

            will remember and turn to the LORD,

            and all the families of the nations

            will bow down before him,

                for dominion belongs to the LORD

            and he rules over the nations.

Jesus wanted the people to understand that his suffering and death were all about bringing God's rule to ends of the earth. 

"But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me." (John 12: 32)

As King of the Jews his mission is bring about the rule of God.  And this is what he was doing on the cross.  Unless he did what he did, the world would come under the rule of evil one and the Lord would have to destroy it.  But, by making salvation possible Jesus broke Satan's hold on the world and made a new redeemed heaven and earth a forgone conclusion.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Beloved in the Lord, that rule, that kingdom, that new heaven and earth is the only hope there is for all who suffer in this world.  And we trust that our suffering king who paid such a price to give us that hope will not fail us.  Because he was obedient unto death, he reigns today, guiding our world to that end.

King Jesus demanded that all who follow him must be similarly committed to the kingdom.  In John 6, he explains it this way,

The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Tulu was the fifth eldest child of eight, but suffered from an unidentified disease that made him physically weak and a slow learner. During July 2001, Tulu accepted Christ and experienced God's healing hand. Tulu's health improved to such an extent that he was able to attend secondary school in a predominantly Muslim area in southern Ethiopia.

Because of his conversion Tulu experienced intense persecution from Muslim extremists.  But his devotion to Jesus eventually was the tool the Lord used God to save 50 people, including his father and mother. But, on February 2, 2005, a young extremist name Mohammed confronted Tulu at a secondary school and killed the 19 year old Christian with his machete

Instead of being embittered against Mohammed for killing their brother in Christ the church in that community reached out to him in love.  Two local church leaders visited Mohammed in prison.  Though at first he was not receptive, the leaders continued to demonstrate God's unconditional love...As the leaders persisted in inviting him to follow Christ, he began to show interest. Because of their patience in sharing the gospel and their reassurance that they held no grudge against him, God's grace broke through and Mohammed accepted Christ as his Lord.

The two church leaders discipled Mohammed and three other Muslim-background believers while in prison. On March 5, a little more than two years after the murder, Mohammed was baptized in the name of the God whose people he once persecuted and murdered.

Do you wonder what the kingdom of Jesus meant to Tulu or what it means to those Ethiopian pastors?   I doubt it.  For like their Lord, they showed what kingdom meant by what they did.   I wonder what our lives show?  What does the kingdom mean to you and me?  This morning our Lord calls us with these words from Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Today he calls us to be like him.  For if we endure-making his kingdom the priority of our lives, even to the extent that we are willing to suffer for him, we will also reign with him. (2 Timothy 2: 12) Beloved of the King, how will you respond to his call?  What does his kingdom mean to you?

AMEN!