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Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN

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Main Theme: How did we go from cheering Jesus on Palm Sunday to crucifying Him on Good Friday? Seems that the ultimate reward for someone who tries to translate ideals into reality is apt to be frustration and resistance. Why did the cheering for Jesus stop? 1) Jesus began to talk more and more about commitment. 2) Jesus dared to suggest that all people are worth loving. And 3) Jesus began to talk more and more about a cross. Seems that as we discover Jesus was serious about living a lifestyle that is opposite that of the world, the less excited we are about true sacrifice, Agape love, and giving up our life to God! Jesus ended up on the cross, because we put Him there! Do we still do that today? 

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1) THE CHEERING STOPPED!  An American historian once wrote a book about President Woodrow Wilson, and called it, “When the cheering stopped.” It seems that after WWI was over, Wilson was an international hero! There was a great spirit of optimism everywhere. People actually believed that the last war had just been fought and that the world had been made safe for democracy. And on his first visit to Paris, England, and Italy, he was met by cheering mobs, and he discovered he was more popular than their own heroes. Children who had been told there would be no Christmas gifts that year because of the war and hard times, didn’t believe their parents, because they knew President Wilson was coming and everything would be alright! The cheering lasted… about a year. Then it began to stop as European political leaders began be more concerned about their own agendas than they were about lasting peace. Back in the US, Woodrow Wilson ran into opposition, and his League of Nations was not ratified. The stress caused his health to fail, and his party was defeated in the next election. So it was that Woodrow Wilson went from being hailed the new world Messiah, to end his days as a broken and defeated man. That’s what happens when the cheering stopped.

2) JESUS! This is not an unfamiliar theme, is it?  It seems history has shown us that time and time again those who try to translate ideals into reality are apt to be frustrated and defeated by a world steeped in selfish concerns. No one knew this better than the Jesus who hung dying on the cross this day!  Last Sunday we celebrated His astounding and triumphant entrance into Jerusalem, amidst cheering mobs of excited people who rallied behind a man they believed had all the amazing answers! Stories abounded of Jesus’ miracles and wisdom beyond the ages. High expectations and hope abounded! The cheering was at it’s peak. So… what went wrong? How did Jesus end up with rusty nails driven through His hands and feet, dying the excruciatingly painful death of a common criminal? What caused the cheering to turn into jeering?  What caused the cheering to stop for Jesus?

3) DIVINE IDEALS/SELFISH CONCERNS! Believe it or not, it was due to a collision between the divine ideals of Jesus, and selfish concerns of… well, us! People who have our own agenda, and whoop it up when someone looks like they are the answer to our dilemma, but who stop cheering when it turns out our “assumed hero” wants more from us than we are willing to give. There are at least three main reasons the cheering stopped for Jesus – and on a dark night like tonight, we need to evaluate our hearts in the light of the collision that occurs between the divine ideals of Jesus, and our selfish concerns:

4) COMMITMENT!  First, the crowds turned on Jesus then, (and we turn on him today), because 1) Jesus began to talk more and more about commitment. One of the reasons Jesus remains nailed to the cross in many of our lives is because we are equally turned off by the word commitment. We don’t mind getting occasionally involved in church, but that is not commitment. We don’t mind giving a little, but that’s not commitment. What’s the difference between involvement and commitment?  Perhaps I can best explain this by way of and analogy with bacon and eggs. In bacon and eggs, the hen is involved - but the pig is committed. And it’s been said that too many of our modern churches have far too much “clucking” going on and not enough “oinking”. There is not enough commitment! And when someone starts to talk more and more about it – you bet your bottom dollar that it is going to be met with uncomfortable resistence!

5) COMMITTED DISCIPLE! If we don’t say it, we may think it: “Maybe that crazy pastor, or maybe that ‘Holy Roller want-to-be-a-saint’ in the church has time to be 100% committed to God, but I have a busy life to attend to!”  What we assume is that we can be a Christian without being a committed disciple! And this causes today’s church leaders to ramp up the pressure on the masses who are not committed disciples! We have to tell, sell, or convince those on membership lists to come to church, participate in our programs, and support the Kingdom financially. When there are too many in church who know nothing of real commitment, we settled for the marginal. The leadership carries this awful burden of trying to motivate people to do what they don’t want to do: be committed disciples. Ironically, the more we ask for commitment in Christ’s name, the more resistance today’s leadership runs into.  Our fear of commitment causes us to re-nail Jesus, (and those who speak for Him), to the cross!

6) FULLNESS! Ironically, there are a lot of Christians who resist commitment because  they’ve attended church for years and still do not necessarily experience the fullness of life! We sense that there is still more out there – and so we attempt to discover what’s missing by ourselves; through our jobs, or hobbies, or forms of entertainment. Tony Compola speaks to this  when he says: “Joy in Christ requires a commitment to working at the Christian lifestyle. Salvation comes as a gift, but the joy of salvation demands disciplined action. Most Christians I know have just enough of the Gospel to make them miserable, but not enough to make them joyful. They know enough about the biblical message to keep them from doing the things which the world tempts them to do; but they do not have enough of a commitment to God to do those things through which they might experience the fullness of his joy.” He’s right: too many unfulfilled people have been attending church (having been steered there by heritage or habit), but failed to recognize that the true fullness of His joy (that they are missing) is actually a by-product of commitment. God asks for “all” of us, not part of us, and it is that commitment that brings true meaning into our life! What Jesus knew, and we resist, is that  we need to do more than attend church, we need to contribute to the Lord’s mission and purpose to discover the fullness of life!

7) RELATIONSHIP DEMANDS! William Barclay once wrote  “Faith is not only a commitment to the promises of Christ; faith is also a commitment to the demands of Christ.” Many of those people who claim a belief in God, will often resist and resent the notion of specifically commanded behaviors. People often want the benefits of having a God for personal requests or crisis interventions, and may use being a “believer” as a way to increase status, respect or trust from others. But entering into a relationship with God is not just about rewards we receive in this world or the next but rather how we show God that we are serious about our relationship with Him.  Christianity is not about religion – it’s about a relationship! And commitment to that relationship with Jesus, commitment to the will of the Lord, is demonstrated through action. Commitment is surrendering to the demands that define a relationship with Jesus Christ!

8) FURTHER THE CAUSE! We need to further the Lord’s cause!  One scholar said “True commitment will mean not only turning to something, but also turning from something, just as Paul commended the Thessalonians for turning ‘to God from idols to serve the living and true God’ (1 Thess. 1:9). For the disciple of Jesus Christ, commitment means turning from serving self to serving others, for Jesus said the one who would be first must be the servant of all.”  Marshall Shelley says, “Commitment is not simply a mental attitude; it’s developing an ability to further the cause you’re committed to.”   

9) HESITATE/DRAW BACK? John Maxwell once wrote  “Until I am committed, there is a hesitancy, a chance to draw back. But the moment I definitely commit myself, then God moves also, and a whole steam of events erupt. All manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings, persons, and material assistance which I could never have dreamed would come my way begin to flow toward me—the moment I make a commitment”. Friends, are you committed to the demands of your relationship with Jesus Christ? Or are you resisting any voice or movement of God that calls you to demonstrate your love for Him through a committed lifestyle? Are you still cheering for Jesus, or has your selfish desires caused you to hesitate, draw back, and re-nail Him to the cross?

10) ALL PEOPLE!  Another reason the cheering stopped for Jesus was when 2) Jesus dared to suggest that all people are worth loving. Now I won’t spend a lot of time here – we’re been discussing God’s Agape love in detail in our “Love one another” sermon series. But, from the beginning of time we have feared those who were different from ourselves. We find comfort in hanging out with people like ourselves. Too easily we begin to slide into prejudice and dislike concerning “diversity.” But God, the Creator of the Universe, designed EVERY person alive!  If we are to demonstrate the Lord’s Agape love living within us, we need to see ALL people through His eyes, and treat them equally as His children! The Jews to whom Jesus came, began to realize that Jesus was opening the gates of the Kingdom to all people, and they began to despise Him for it! They considered themselves the privileged people of God and were looking for a Messiah who would put them back on top! It’s easy to see why they went from cheering to jeering!

11) WORTH LOVING? I don’t know if you are aware of this, but by the year 2050, white middle class Caucasians of European descent will for the first time become a minority in the US. We only have to look at our own neighborhood to see that change!  We have Ukranians, Koreans, Latinos, and a host of immigrants from all over the world! Do you think they are worth loving? Jesus does! But there are Caucasian Christians who participate in what is called “white flight” – moving out of a changing neighborhood to find newer neighborhoods where they stay the majority. But to stay put, to accept, welcome, and cherish the diversity of people that God has made -means that it will take sacrifice, hard work, tremendous resources, and a change of heart that reflects the Lord’s! Are we willing to do whatever it takes to demonstrate that we agree with Jesus; all people are worth loving? Or are there still those we hate, refuse to care for, or fail to reach out to? If do not feel that ALL people are worth loving, then we re-nail Christ to the cross!

12) A CROSS!  The third reason the cheering stopped for Jesus was because 3) Jesus began to talk more and more about a cross. In the earlier part of His ministry He talked about the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of God. This they wanted to hear about, especially because they misunderstood this kingdom to be a restoration of Israel to the days of King David. But increasingly Jesus began to talk about sacrifice – even giving up your life.  We hear those words, but our reactions are much like the young boy who was at home plate at a pee-wee baseball game. He looked over to the coach and got the sign to sacrifice bunt. So what did he do? Took three great big swings and struck out.  The coach ran up to Him and asked, “Didn’t you see me give you the signal to sacrifice?” “Yes,” said the boy, “but I didn’t think you really meant it!” Isn’t that what we often say to God? “Yes, Lord, I heard you talk about sacrifice, but I didn’t really think you meant it!” But the cross says emphatically that He DID mean it!

13) CHEERING?  Friends, I began this sermon with the question, “Why did the cheering stop?” It stopped because 1) Jesus more and more began to talk about commitment.  It stopped because 2) Jesus opened the doors of the church and invited all people to come in. But most importantly, the cheering stopped because 3) Jesus began to talk about a cross. Friends, are our hearts still cheering? Or do we stare at the broken body of Christ upon the cross this night and understand that we too resist the one who brings us the will of God? We too resist the one who in all seriousness asks us to demonstrate our love through our actions? Committed actions! Agape love inspired actions! Sacrificial Actions! I state emphatically that had I been a Jew of that day, I would found myself yelling those terrible words, “Crucify, crucify Him!” Why do I say that? Because I still do every time I stop[ cheering and shy away from commitment, when I treat God’s diverse people unequally, and when I choose to ignore His call to sacrifice for His cause!  You see, I think we all know… deep down in our hearts… why the cheering stopped!

14) VERY SERIOUS! Friends, it seems that Jesus was, and still is, very serious about us living a lifestyle that is opposite that of the world!  He is very serious about us living a life of true sacrifice, Agape love, and dedicated service to God! And its clear; because Jesus was so very serious about this, He ended up on the cross, because we put Him there! Do we still do that today? Do we continue to resist His call? Will we continue to re-nail Him to the cross? Or will we ask Him to come into our hearts and transform them - that they may beat in rhythm with His own?  Because… Jesus was very serious!

15) THIS NIGHT! This night… this dark and lonely night… this sorrowful and empty night,  Jesus suffered, died, and was buried because His children resisted commitment, loving all people, and everything a cross represents. When the divine ideal collided with selfish concerns, the cheering stopped! Has the cheering still stopped in our hearts? Let us search them carefully and maybe someday… maybe this Sunday… we may receive from heaven the light, the understanding, the Spirit, and the power to cheer again! But then, it would take a miracle… it would take a resurrected Christ to provide that!  And after what we did to His Son this dark and terrible night, do you think God could possibly forgive and love us that much? AMEN!

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Confessional Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that we are no different than those who at first cheered you and later jeered you when they realized you were serious about a new way of living. We admit we want the rewards of heaven without becoming committed disciples. We want you near us in times of trouble but baulk at the idea of loving all people. We cry for your presence when a broken world presses in, but we are always eager to bear a sacrificial cross to further your cross. Forgive us!

Lord, we have heard your calling to join you in full commitment to divine ideals, to a new way of living, but our selfish concerns cause us to assume you really didn’t mean it. As a result, we often attend church half heartedly and miss out on the fullness of your joy in life! We are afraid Lord, that giving up our dreams and desires will leave us unfulfilled and empty. Forgive our lack of faith in you, and come change us! Do what we cannot do for ourselves– transform our hearts by living with us and filling us with your Spirit!

And now Lord, although you know us better than we know ourselves, listen as we share in a moment of silence, those other parts of our lives that need to be forgiven, washed clean, healed, and recommitted to you! (made anew.)

(Silence)

Lord, your desire is for your children to grow into committed servants. Teach us, empower us, and transform us that we live according to your life-giving will! Fill us with your Holy Spirit and teach us to serve one another in the ways of your amazing agape love! In Jesus Name We Pray. AMEN

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Assurance of Forgiveness:

Friends, listen to the good news: The Lord, who suffered, died, and was buried this night to free you from sin, Satan, and death, …that Lord has mercifully heard your confession and eagerly forgives you all your sins. Go now, and remember: you were designed and created to be committed disciples, to love all people, and to pick up a cross as He did for you! He lies in an empty tomb this night, that you may experience the fullness of life through grace and love. Praise God! AMEN

 

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Opening prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we stand before you with lowered heads and heavy hearts, because of the suffering you experienced at the hands of the children you love so much. None of us are innocent. None of us can say we have not turned our back on you. None of us can say we are always eager to abandon our selfish ways and follow you! On this dark and terrible night, we remember your pain, suffering, and death, and pray that you forgive us for the horrible ordeal you endured in loving sacrifice for a wayward people. As we once again walk this darkest part of the journey to the cross and to the grave, help us to see ourselves for who we truly are: broken and in need of forgiveness and grace. And open our hearts to receive the divine Spirit who alone can fill us with the life-giving fullness that comes from growing closer to you! In Jesus Name we pray! AMEN!