BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!
Sunday, April 05, 2009
“Now a great crowd of the Jews heard
that He was at Bethany, and they came there, not only because of Jesus
but that they also might see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
10 So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also, 11
Because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [were
withdrawing from and leaving the Judeans] and believing in and adhering
to Jesus. 12 The next day a vast crowd of those who had come to the
Passover Feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And as
they went, they kept shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is He and praise to Him
Who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! 14 And
Jesus, having found a young donkey, rode upon it, [just] as it is
written in the Scriptures, 15 Do not fear, O Daughter of Zion! Look!
Your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt! 16 His disciples did
not understand and could not comprehend the meaning of these things at
first; but when Jesus was glorified and exalted, they remembered that
these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him. 17
The group that had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the
tomb and raised him from among the dead kept telling it [bearing
witness] to others. 18 It was for this reason that the crowd went out
to meet Him, because they had heard that He had performed this sign
(proof, miracle).”
John 12:9-18 AMP
The crowd praised and glorified Jesus as He entered into Jerusalem and
He was indeed worthy of all their praise. However, they did not praise
Him for the right reasons - because of who He was or because of His
message - but because of the signs and wonders and miracles. The people
who had been at the tomb were telling everyone that He had raised
Lazarus from the dead and they all wanted to see Jesus and Lazarus.
Even today, you can draw a crowd with sensational news of miracles.
However, just a few days later when He was arrested, everyone abandoned
Him. Not one came to His defense. The atmosphere was so negative that
even Peter was too scared to admit his
association with Jesus.
“But when He was in Jerusalem during
the Passover Feast, many believed in His name [identified themselves
with His party] after seeing His signs (wonders, miracles) which He was
doing. 24 But Jesus [for His part] did not trust Himself to them,
because He knew all [men]; 25 And He did not need anyone to bear
witness concerning man [needed no evidence from anyone about men], for
He Himself knew what was in human nature. [He could read men’s hearts.]”
John 2:23-25 APM
Jesus knew the fickle nature of man and He was well aware that He was
only popular with these people because He performed miracles to meet
their needs. He did not resent all the good things He did for them;
because He loved them and He came to save, heal deliver them. It is His
nature and His purpose to do good and heal all. However, He also had a
message to bring them that they were not as interested in.
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you,
Bethsaida! For if the mighty miracles performed in you had been
performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting
in sackcloth and ashes.”
Luke 10:13 AMP
“So when the Samaritans arrived, they
asked Him to remain with them, and He did stay there two days. 41 Then
many more believed in and adhered to and relied on Him because of His
personal message [what He Himself said]. 42 And they told the woman,
Now we no longer believe (trust, have faith) just because of what you
said; for we have heard Him ourselves [personally], and we know that He
truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ”. John 4:40-42 AMP
Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and miracles happen, you [people] never will believe (trust, have faith) at all.” John 4:48 AMP
The Samaritans believed on Jesus because of His message, but He was
expected to do signs and miracles before the Galileans would give Him
the time of day. They were hard-hearted and cynical.
In John 6:1-70, the crowd came looking for Jesus because He healed
their sick. Then, after He fed the multitude with only five loaves and
two fish, they wanted to make Him their king! Jesus had to walk back
across the Sea of Galilee to get away from the people, but they still
followed Him to the other side. Jesus knew why they were there. He told
them, “You have been searching for
Me, not because you saw the miracles and signs but because you were fed
with the loaves and were filled and satisfied.” (Verse 26 AMP)
You can tell what their priorities were - their belly! Jesus told them
that they needed to believe on Him for the right reasons – because God
had sent Him.
Right away they asked Him to do another miracle so they could believe –
like bread from heaven! Jesus told them that He was the true Heavenly
Bread. He said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
(John 6:35 NKJV) He also told them that if they believed on Him, that
He would give them eternal life, but all they did was get mad at Jesus,
find fault with Him and grumble and murmur. Then when Jesus began
talking about them eating His flesh and drinking His blood, they
totally lost it! At that point, everybody got up and left Him, even
many of His own followers. They passed up on eternal life, because they
did not like to hear the truth. The truth is not always welcome, but it
is always essential.
It is time to worship, glorify and serve Jesus for Who He is and not just for what He can do!
Recent:
Defeating Strife
These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 AMP
Faith Facts
Faith is persistent
Luke 11:9-10 AMP
So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
John 16:24 AMP
Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as presenting all that I AM]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.
Faith is single-minded
James 1:5-8 AMP
If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the