When Love Comes to Town

______When Love Comes To Town

When love comes to town TURN: John 12

INTRO: John 3:16 is probably the most famous verse in the Bible − It’s printed on the bottom of the In-N-Out soda cups − It’s printed on the bags from Forever 21 − During the ‘80’s you couldn’t watch a nationally televised football game proudly displaying a sign that said John 3:16 − This verse has been called the “gospel in a nutshell” − It tells us of God’s love for man and what He did about it − It tells us God’s motivation for sending Jesus – For God so loved the world that He gave − It tells us His intention for sending Jesus – that we would not perish but have eternal life − It tells us how we can receive His life – whosoever believes in Him

The Bible tells us that God is love and that Jesus is God in the flesh − God cared so much about making His love for us known that He couldn’t entrust such a personal message with anyone else… − So Jesus came – God in the flesh – and personally delivered the message of God’s love − Today we see the story of When Love Comes To Town − And Love Changed Everything

We pick up the story in John 12:12… and we will notice five groups of people that were present on this historic day − The Multitudes − The Disciples − The People Who Witnessed The Resurrection of Lazarus − The Pharisees − The Greeks − Each had their own response to God’s revelation of love

John 12:12–21 (NKJV) The Triumphal Entry 12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

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“Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!” 14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. 17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!” 20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

THE FIRST GROUP: The Multitudes − I love John’s version of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus because he captures the excitement of the moment. − Jerusalem was packed with people from all over Judea who were there to celebrate Passover − They hear that Jesus is coming to town and the buzz begins − They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him crying out − Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel − Like a FLASH MOB

Scholars tell us that palm branches were used to show respect to a war hero or a victorious King

______When Love Comes To Town

− The Word “Hosanna” is a transliteration of the Hebrew word Hosi-a-na and it comes from Psalm 118:25 which was one of the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118) − In the Hebrew Hosi-a-na is a cry for help translated “Help Now” − In the Greek it means “Save Now” − The Hallel Psalms were often recited in preparation for Passover − The people would stand around the altar of burnt offering and read the Hallel Psalms (Psalm 113-118) and as they read the Hallel Psalms they would waive Palm branches around the altar of burnt offering − While they did this, they would shout Hosanna as a shout of Jubilation – a cry for help, crying out to the Messiah – HELP US NOW

Now I want you to catch what’s happening − The crowd meets Jesus on his way into the city waiving palm branches − The crowd is literally surrounding him… in front of him, beside him, behind him − The time is Passover − Jesus is entering Jerusalem knowing that He was to be the Lamb of God that would be offered on the altar of burnt offering for the sins of the world. − While the crowd is surrounding Him – the sacrificial Lamb of God − They waive their palm branches and cry out − Hosanna – Messiah Help Us, Save Us − Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel − What a scene, you would have thought that the crowd was all over Jesus… a revival was breaking out

They were more interested in the idea of Jesus – not Jesus Himself − The Jews were expecting a conquering King who would overthrow the Roman Empire and liberate Israel from oppression − They thought Messiah had come to free God’s people − But the same voices that cried out HAIL HIM, HAIL HIM would one week later cry out NAIL HIM, NAIL HIM. − Why? Because He didn’t do what they expected Him to do − He didn’t come the way they expected Him to come − Love disappointed them

Luke records this… Luke 19:41–44 (NKJV)

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41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

POINT: They liked the idea of Jesus, but they weren’t really interested in Jesus Himself − ABC News reported that 83% of the United States claims to be Christian − Of all Christians – 37% say that they’ve been born again − That means 63% of all the people who claim to be Christians have never had a face to face encounter with Jesus Christ − They like the idea of Jesus, but they don’t really want Jesus Himself

THE SECOND GROUP: The Disciples − The disciples, you gotta love them, but they weren’t very bright − They lived with Jesus for three years − It says… He disciples did not understand what was going on at first − They didn’t get it until Jesus was glorified – meaning until after the resurrection − We are told that Jesus appeared to two of the disciples on the Road to Emmaus − Jesus is frustrated with them

Luke 24:25–32 (NKJV) 25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. 28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. 30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

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32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

− That is one Bible Study I wish could have been recorded

POINT: The reason why Jesus was frustrated was because they spent a lot of time with Jesus, but they really didn’t know Jesus

ILLUSTRATION:

THE THIRD GROUP: The People Who Witnessed the Resurrection of Lazarus − These people loved the excitement of being around Jesus − Hey man, Jesus is appearing in Jerusalem next week… I wonder what He’s going to do there? − I heard He healed this guy who was crippled from birth − I heard He healed blind Bart − Did you hear about Lazarus… dude, back from the dead − He came out like a mummy − Hey honey, can you check out Facebook and see what Jesus’ touring schedule is – let’s follow him − John says, they only followed Jesus because He had done this sign… raising Lazarus from the dead

Jesus said… Matthew 16:4 (NKJV) 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

What was the sign of the prophet Jonah? − Jonah was in the belly of a whale for three days − After three days the whale threw Him up on a beach − Some scholars believe Jonah was alive in the belly of the whale − I think they are dumb – you try surviving in the belly of a whale, underwater, no oxygen, stomach acids all around you, digested fish − Jonah was dead − When the whale threw Jonah up on the beach, God raised Jonah from the dead

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− Jesus was referring to resurrection – but not the resurrection of Lazarus, but His own resurrection

POINT: They wanted what Jesus could do for them, but they really didn’t want Jesus Himself − When the show was over, the people were gone − I know a lot of people who go to the church with the biggest and best show − Their lives are no different than the world – they don’t want to follow Jesus, they just want to be entertained − Sock it to me Jesus… show me what you can do

THE FOURTH GROUP: The Pharisees − Their biggest concern about Jesus? He’s more popular than we are − The whole world has gone after Him − He wants to be the biggest thing in our lives… who does He think He is − The Pharisees weren’t bad guys − They were highly respected, deeply religious − They were the church leaders of the day, the pastors, the elders, they knew the scriptures better than anyone − But they didn’t want Jesus to be the biggest thing in their lives

NOTE: They weren’t interested in Jesus, they were concerned about the impact Jesus would have on their lives

We see the same concern today… − Rather than orient their lives around Jesus, people want to fit Jesus into their lives − I’m super busy – between the baseball games, the soccer games, school activities, homework, my job – − I really don’t have a lot of time for Jesus − So what’s the first thing that goes? − Bible Study. I’ve got too much homework to go to Bible Study. I’ve got a busy work schedule − Then church goes − Parents, what we teach our kids when we make God second in our lives is that God isn’t important – that God serves us, we don’t serve God

ABC News says 83% claim to be Christians

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− What if the 83% in South Orange County said – we are going to make Sunday “Holy Unto The Lord.” o No sports activities until Sunday Afternoon – after church… we won’t support it o We’re going to church − What if the 83% in California said – we are going to stop supporting anything that is contrary to the Word of God… no radio program, no television program that promotes unbiblical lifestyles o But there are Christians on Real OC Housewives − What if the 83% in the US said – we are going to be ONE NATION under GOD… not a nation of many gods − What would happen if just the ones that claim to be Christians started to act like it… What would happen? − You know what I think would happen?

2 Chronicles 7:14–16 (NKJV) 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

− You know what would happen – REVIVAL − But there are so many who claim the name of Christ, but they don’t really want Jesus to be the biggest thing in their life − When love comes to town, it’s an inconvenience

THE FIFTH GROUP: The Greeks − They had one simple request… Sir, we wish to see Jesus − What a request… the simplicity of wanting to see Jesus, sit at His feet and learn from Him − Do you know what Jesus says?

John 12:26 (NKJV) 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

− Jesus says, you want to see me? Follow me and you’ll see me

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− You want to see Jesus? Surrender your life to Him completely and you will see Jesus

POINT: They wanted Jesus and when He arrived nothing else mattered

When you’re facing death and someone rescues you – you have a total view of life − When you’re given a second chance on life – you are a changed person − I know those who have fought and won battles with cancer and they have a totally different outlook on life − They’re more generous with their love, more patient with others, more willing to stop and enjoy the people they care for

You and I were on a collision course with destruction when love came to town and rescued us − When love comes to town, nothing else matters

CLOSING: − The rock group U2 recorded the song “When Love Comes To Town” on their Rattle & Hum tour of America. − It’s a classic song that talks about shipwrecked lives and shipwrecked romances… but it ends with a surprising picture of hope.

In the words of Bono… I was there when they crucified my Lord I held the scabbard when the soldier drew his sword I threw the dice when they pierced his side But I've seen love conquer the great divide

When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that train When love comes to town I'm gonna catch that flame Maybe I was wrong to ever let you down But I did what I did before love came to town

This week we celebrate the greatest event in the history of mankind – When Love Came To Town − How are you going to respond to Him? − Like the multitude that cried Hail Him one week and Nail Him the next?

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− Like the disciples who spent three years with Jesus and didn’t know Him? − Like the people who saw Lazarus raised from the dead and only wanted Jesus for what they could get out of Him? − Like the Pharisees that were inconvenienced by Jesus − Or like the Greeks who simply wanted to see Jesus