Download Audio When I watch the news coverage of the conflict in Iraq, I often wonder what’s really going on there. A long time ago, a friend made this observation about the news on television: “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.” While that’s a fairly critical observation, over the years I’ve found it helpful to remember that just because Walter Cronkite, or Dan Rather, or Tom Brokaw, or Katie Couric said it, doesn’t make it true. I often wonder what the real goal of the Iraqi people is. As I listen to our politicians debate whether we ought to be there, or how soon we ought to pull out, I wonder what difference it will make in Iraq if we do leave. Will peace be closer? Is it getting closer by our presence there? I struggle with these questions and actually with the whole concept of peace, because the Bible tells us that peace is more than the absence of war. In fact, although the word “peace” occurs 342 times in the New Living Translation of the Bible, it rarely means the absence of war. Peace is a sense of inner calm, wholeness, a state of being reconciled to God.
Peace can reign in my life even when I’m standing on a battlefield, if Jesus is in my life. That kind of peace is never any farther away than Jesus, since Jesus came to bring the peace of heaven to us. In fact, Jesus is the only way we can experience the peace of heaven in our lives.
When you and I have conflict in our lives, whether it’s an inner conflict, such as happens when we aren’t living with integrity, or an external conflict such as happens between people, or even a war between one nation and another, we usually say our goal is to have peace. We say we want peace, but do we really? Do we want wholeness? Do we want a sense of well-being? Do we want to live in harmony with those around us? Do want to be reconciled to God and others? You say, “Chris, you’ve got to be kidding? Of course we want peace. Of course we want wholeness. Of course we want reconciliation” Do we? This morning we’re going to turn our attention to a dramatic reading titled, “Face of Jesus.” The reading presents an interesting struggle for peace in the life of Leonardo da Vinci. We haven’t been able to determine whether the struggle actually happened through independent sources, but whether it did or didn’t, it could have and it does happen in our lives. So, let’s listen to “Face of Jesus.”
[Worship Drama: Face of Jesus]
Da Vinci’s conflict is ours. We hold grudges. We make enemies. We won’t let go of the past. We won’t forgive. We want peace, but we can’t find it, because peace is a gift from Jesus to those who are willing to trust Him enough to obey Him. That trust includes forgiving those who’ve hurt us. That trust includes yielding control of our minds, our hearts and our wills to Jesus, and that’s not easy. We think that giving up control is a sign of weakness. We think if we admit that we need Jesus to bring us peace that we’re saying we can’t handle it. You know what, that’s right! We can’t handle it. The tension we face in our lives is we want peace, but we want to hold on to our grudges, our anger, and in some cases our “rights.” We’re like Da Vinci. We want to paint our enemy’s face in the place of Judas. But it doesn’t work. It doesn’t bring peace. That’s why Jesus had to come to the earth. All our efforts at bringing peace ended in futility.
Today is “Palm Sunday.” Today is the day we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Does anyone remember what Jesus rode? That’s right—a donkey. Not a white stallion. Not a chariot. A donkey. Donkeys symbolized peace in Jesus’ day. That ought to have been a clue to the crowd that day—and to us in our day—that the peace Jesus came to bring was not an absence of war, or a military victory over our enemies. I’m not saying that God has no concern for injustice, that God doesn’t care whether people must live in slavery, or poverty, or any condition less than abundant life. He does. But when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we call “Palm Sunday” nearly 2,000 years ago, He didn’t ride into town with the goal of creating the absence of war. He came to bring the peace of heaven to us. Jesus came to bring the peace of heaven to us.
This morning as we read the Scripture that sets the stage for the Palm Sunday parade when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, let’s stand and let’s do something we often reserve only for our days as children: Let’s pretend that we’re there. Put yourself into the story. Picture yourself eagerly desiring to catch a glimpse of Jesus, the great teacher, who everyone has been proclaiming as the Messiah. Well, nearly everyone. The religious leaders have been saying He’s a fraud, but you’ve heard that He’s performed amazing miracles everywhere He’s been. You’ve heard that when He teaches He has an authority that the religious leaders could only dream of having.
I’m going to read the background verses that set the stage, and then we’ll all read the verses that include the main event together.
Listen, now to the background: 28After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29As they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30“Go into that village over there,” he told them, “and as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘the Lord needs it.’”
32So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying our colt?”
34And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. Okay, now join me as we read what happened when Jesus rode into town:
36Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. 37As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. Wait a minute. Did you notice that there’s a division taking place here? All of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along. So if you’re a follower of Jesus this morning, or if you would like to be a follower of Jesus this morning, then let’s SHOUT verse 38 together: 38“Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven
and glory in highest heaven!” Come on! We can do better than that! Let’s SHOUT verse 38 together again:
38“Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!” That’s better. Now let’s read what the religious leaders thought of the crowd’s proclamation:
39But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” Isn’t that just like a religious leader? – “Jesus, did you hear what these people are saying? Did you hear them shouting about You? Tell them to be quiet. Don’t let them proclaim you as the Messiah.” But here’s how Jesus replied. Read it with me…. 40He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” Luke 19:28-40 NLT Let’s pray…………. Amen. Please be seated.
Do you see the conflict going on here? The crowd was proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah—God’s anointed deliverer who would bring the peace of heaven to earth. The religious leaders saw Jesus as a pretender, as a fake, as a false Messiah. The conflict was inevitable. When you and I don’t believe that someone is who he says he is, conflict inevitably ensues. Part of the reason we find peace so elusive—when we do find it elusive—is we haven’t believed that Jesus IS the Messiah. Let me make a statement that is THE point of this message: Peace in our lives—the peace of heaven--comes only when we’re following Jesus. You say, “Chris, that is not exactly a news flash.” No. It isn’t. But it’s as profoundly true as it is simple. In fact, what we find from today’s Scripture is that FOLLOWING JESUS OFTEN INVOLVES SIMPLE OBEDIENCE! What would you have done if you were with Jesus and this happened, 28After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29As they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30“Go into that village over there,” he told them, “and as you enter it, you will see a colt tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘the Lord needs it.’” 32So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. Luke 19:28-32 NLT Picture yourself as one of the two disciples to whom Jesus said, “Go to that village and bring me a colt.” Would you have said, “YES! I get to do something Jesus wants to have done!”? Or would you have said, “Why’d you pick me? Any other time You always tell Peter, James and John to come with You. Why not send them?” It was a simple command. Obedience to Jesus in simple things brings peace. It also prepares us to obey Jesus in the difficult things ahead. If you read the Gospels you know that the disciples didn’t always get it right. They argued about who was the greatest. They failed to cast out demons. They sank when they tried to walk on water. In those times peace eluded them. But when they obeyed Jesus, when they followed Jesus where He was leading they experienced peace—that sense of inner wholeness and reconciliation with God that only Jesus can bring.
What simple things are Jesus calling you to do right now? Is there a relationship in your life that Jesus is telling you to restore? Is it time to forgive that person? Is Jesus telling you to give up control of your anger, or of that “signature sin” that just keeps coming up in your life over and over again? This past month since we’ve moved into our new house, I’ve made a commitment to turn my lifelong struggle with anger over to Jesus—again. When it starts to surface--and it usually doesn’t surface over some great injustice in my life, but over some petty situation—I’ve been doing a couple of things: I’ve been reminding myself, “I belong to Jesus. He’s in charge of my life today.” I’ve been asking the Holy Spirit to fill me and empower me to live in peace, what today’s Scripture calls the peace of heaven, and when I’ve failed, I have confessed it and repented or turned from it as immediately as possible. If we want the peace of heaven that only Jesus can give, it starts with SIMPLE obedience in our daily lives. Not a news flash, but what a difference it makes!
One of the things that we can do as followers of Jesus, as we’re living out that simple obedience, and we have a heart of others to do the same comes from today’s Scripture: WHEN FOLLOWING JESUS, INVITE OTHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN NON-THREATENING WAYS! Jesus sent two disciples to go get a colt. He told them what to say if anyone asked questions. Remember what happened? 33And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying our colt?” 34And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. Luke 19:33-35 NLT Have you ever thought about the people who owned the cold the disciples borrowed? Can’t you picture it? The disciples come up to their house and start untying their young donkey. In our day, it would be like a couple guys coming into our driveway and hopping into our “work car,” you know the one that isn’t in that good of shape, but it gets us from point A to point B? Do you think you might ask them what they were doing? I would. I only have two cars, and we have three drivers. These folks may only have had one donkey. So they do the reasonable thing. They ask, “What do you think you’re doing?” One of the disciples looks them in the eye and responds, “The Lord needs it.” How would you respond to that? Riiiiight! The Lord needs it. Well then, why don’t you tell the Lord to create one? But the people apparently nodded their heads and let them borrow it. We think that when someone doesn’t know Jesus that we have to lay out the whole Gospel message to them, or we have been witnesses of His salvation. Sometimes, all we have to do is invite folks to join in that life of simple obedience, to participate with us until the opportunity comes to present the Good News fully. If we are living with the peace of heaven in our lives, then God will open doors or maybe a better image is bridges to others that we can walk over together to Him.
Sometimes we miss opportunities to let others participate in the Lord’s work, because we think that they have be dedicated followers of Jesus BEFORE they can join us. Jesus certainly didn’t take that approach. He met people where they were and then led them to where they needed to be. No biblical character is more of an example of that than Matthew. When Jesus called Him to participate in the Lord’s work, he was a tax collector. He collaborated with the Romans and cheated his own people. Yet Jesus not only asked him to participate in the work, he called him to be a disciples. What could possibly have possessed Jesus to do such a thing? Would you and I invited someone who was a known criminal, who never expressed an interest or a knowledge of God to serve as a leader in our church? No. In fact, unless we’re Jesus doing something that extreme isn’t wise. But, the principle applies to us. We can’t expect anyone to act or live like Jesus UNTIL they know Jesus. Matthew’s life was immediately transformed in at least one area—he left the tax collector’s office, left that life of extortion and followed Jesus. We don’t know how long it was before Matthew started looking and acting like Jesus, but we know he wrote a Gospel. We know that he DID participate fully in the spreading of the Good News of Jesus. Who do you know who needs the peace of heaven in their lives and isn’t experience right now? Who do you know who may seem like the least likely candidate for participating in God’s work? Are you thinking of someone? Okay, then invest some time in prayer, and ask God to show you ways to invite that person to participate in His work, and when God shows you, have the courage to say, “The Lord needs it or needs you!”
We’ve been talking about “peace in heaven” and how the peace of heaven only comes when we follow Jesus. The basic reality of Jesus coming to earth is that the things of heaven have been made available to us. We started this morning’s message talking about peace on earth—peace in Iraq, peace within ourselves, peace with others. The reality is all those kinds of PEACE ON EARTH START WITH A RECOGNITION THAT JESUS IS KING! Peace on earth is the result of the peace of heaven coming to earth. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, one of the elements of that prayer is this: “…Your will be done, your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus came to bring the reality of heaven including the peace of heaven to earth. Yes, Jesus’ ultimate goal is that each of us will go to heaven at the end of our lives, but while we are here, His goal is that we will know and live the will of heaven here on earth. The crowds on that first Palm Sunday got it. We know from the Bible that their “getting it” didn’t last, but look once again at that moment in time when they got it: 36Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. 37As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. 38 “Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!” Luke 19:36-38 NLT Can’t you picture the crowds shouting, “Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!”? Jesus sat on a donkey, a beast of burden that symbolizes peace. The people cried, “Bless the KING who comes in the name of the Lord!” The next statement, “Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven,” acknowledges that Jesus was not just any KING. He was the King who would bring the peace of heaven to us! The crowd got it right. We know that it was basically the same crowd who five days later shouted, “Crucify Him!” so their understanding didn’t last, but for one fleeting moment the crowd “got it.”
Even as the crowd was shouting its praise of Jesus, a group within the crowd started murmuring. That is ALWAYS the case. When Jesus is lifted up and recognized as King and bringer of the peace of Heaven, SOME PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS CRITICIZE THE TRUTH, AND DENY JESUS POWER TO BRING PEACE! We know the culprits in the situation, because during Jesus’ ministry they are almost always the culprits. The Pharirazzi, as Mark Batterson calls them. Here’s how Luke recorded it: 39But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”
We know the Pharisees were wrong. In fact, Jesus responded to the Pharisees request with an amazing statement: 40He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” Luke 19:39-40 NLT Jesus is the one who brings the peace of heaven to His followers. We were created to recognize that and live out that peace. Jesus told the Pharisees that if the people didn’t recognize who He was and what He came to do that the rocks along the road would burst into cheers. Jesus IS going to be proclaimed King. Jesus does bring the peace of Heaven to earth. If we won’t recognize that in our lives, then God will raise up stones to cheer. Not on our watch! The stones in Butler County are not going to be cheering any time soon, right? Right? We don’t have to leave the auditorium this morning and shout, ““Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!” all the way home, or all week long at work and school this week. But what are we going to do to show that the peace of heaven has come into our lives through Jesus? This is the beginning of what Christians call “Holy Week.” We celebrate this week by worshiping today, by worshiping on Thursday, Friday and Sunday—and we ought to do that.
But what about tomorrow? What about this afternoon? The world frankly doesn’t want to hear about another worship service offered by the church. The world wants to see changed lives. When millions of extra people flood the churches around this nation next Sunday, as they do every Easter Sunday, why will they be there? Some will be there because their family expects it. Some will be there because it’s a tradition to go to worship on Easter and Christmas. Some will go because they’ve always done it that way. But whatever the reason, what will they experience if they come here? I don’t mean will we have a good service. We’ll do our best to have a meaningful celebration of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus. But will we exude the peace of heaven in our lives in that time, and in the time from now until then?
Do you realize that Jesus’ resurrection is more easily proven than a lot of events in secular history? We’ll talk more about that next Sunday, but that isn’t what most people care about day-to-day. What most people care about day-to-day is getting through today. What most people care about is peace at some level. They may think that peace is just the absence of war—and they would take that if they could get it, whether they’re talking about Iraq, or a co-worker, or even a rival such as Da Vinci dealt with so long ago. But the peace of heaven is so much more than the absence of war. Jesus offers that to us. The great ting is once we experience it, we can offer it to others. Did you do last week’s challenge? Did you wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, “I belong to Jesus. He’s in charge of my life today? Well, here’s this week’s challenge: keep doing that, and when things come—as they surely will—that threaten to take away the peace of heaven—the wholeness, the sense of well-being and reconciliation with God and others from your life—stop. I mean stop, and immediately turn it back over to God. You can say it the same way you’ve been saying for a week now—“I belong to Jesus. He’s in charge of my life today.” Or you could add—“Jesus is the source of my peace. Jesus, fill me with that peace right now.”
Friends, we serve THE King of the universe. He is able to do more in our lives than we can even ask or imagine. He can and DOES give us the peace of heaven regardless of what’s going on around us—but only when we call out to Him. Who do you belong to, right now? (JESUS!) Who’s in charge of your life? (JESUS!) Who will bring the peace of heaven in every situation? (JESUS!) Jesus IS the right answer. Now all we have to do is turn to him no matter what the question. Let’s stand and pray, and ask Jesus to be King of all we are in the week ahead, that we may know the peace of heaven, and that through us others will as well………Amen.
Take Home Point:
The peace of heaven comes only when we are following Jesus.
I belong to Jesus. He’s in charge of my life today. Jesus is the source of my peace. Jesus, fill me with that peace right now!
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