Mission: Possible

Radical Faith for Ridiculous Times

“Worship Passionately”
(Luke 19:28-44)

TRANS: I trust you have been praying about where you can serve…where and how you can
give [hold up the “I’m Ready to Give” worksheet]. Eric will be standing by the ‘Serve’ banner
after our services, so feel free to stop by and get connected to one of our ministry teams where
you can give willingly.

INTRO: When we give, whether it’s of our time or treasure or talents, you know what we’re
doing? Worshipping! That’s right – because worship is, at its core, giving to God because HE is
worthy. It may mean our money, it may mean our time, it may mean our possessions, it may
even mean our words and praises…but there is never a time in the Bible when worship occurred
without giving involved.

In fact, Romans 12:1-2 teaches us this very principle…

“Offer your bodies to God, for this is your reasonable act of worship.”

So as we approach this topic today, don’t disconnect from last week. These two topics are
related. And it’s true even in our text today. I invite you to turn to Luke 19:28-44, would you,
and let’s look at the only time that Jesus permitted a public demonstration of worship on his
behalf – the triumphal entry!

With your Bible open, I want you to circle two words which are keys to understanding this
passage:

19:37, 38 – “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

19:44 – “You did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

What these verses/words indicate is that when Jesus came, people responded in one of two ways:

Either…

WORSHIP STARTED UP or WALLS WENT UP!

(I know, I know, this is grammatically incorrect. You shouldn’t end with a preposition. But I am
more concerned that you get the point than I am with me getting an ‘A’ in English.)

ILL – For about 40 students at a Christian college in Indiana (Hyles Anderson), worship
definitely started up one Saturday on their bus as they began to sway and sway to some songs
they were singing. So much so that eventually the bus tipped over! That’s what the police found
on I-94 – an accident from too much swaying! The interstate was closed, several kids were
injured, and there were no doubt some modifications to the school’s travel guide! ☺ While you
don’t want an accident, at least worship started up! (News You Can Use by Mikal Keefer)

For others, though, walls go up. That’s what happened with the religious leaders all through
Luke – they continually said “no” to the coming of Jesus. In fact, that is what lays the
background of this text – the rejection of the coming of Jesus! Yes, this entry comes on the heels
©First Family Church 2006
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of a bold judgment upon those who are the enemies of our Lord (19:11-27). And what is that
judgment: to not take full advantage of the offer of God (his kingdom) is to invite judgment and
destruction upon yourself. In saying this to the rulers and leaders of Israel, Jesus was making
sure they knew that saying ‘no’ to his kingdom was equivalent to saying ‘no’ to God. He had
come, and was about to go away (though they didn’t perceive this). Not recognizing him as from
the Father had eternal implications. As T.W. Manson said, “The coming of Jesus to the world
puts every man to the test and compels every man to a decision. And that decision is no light
matter. It is a matter of life and death.” (Taken from Luke, by Leon Morris)

So let’s look at the two responses:

READ 19:28-38 – The first response was sacrificial (“they brought it to Jesus” and other acts of
giving), celebrative (“joyfully”) corporate (“all”), and prompted (“to the miracles”). In essence,
they REJOICED that he had come!

READ 19:39-44 – The second response, however, was cynical (“rebuke your disciples”) and
destructive because it brought about judgment (“the days will come upon you”) – very
prohibitive. Essentially, they RETREATED at his coming!

You see, First Family, I learn something from this story:

When Jesus shows up, worship starts up or walls go up!

In fact, which of these responses most describes you today – Worship or walls? I submit to you
today that one of these responses occurs every time you enter God’s presence (which is all the
time): Either worship starts up or walls go up! There is no middle ground or neutral area – we
either give worship or build walls! This is how each of us responds to the coming of the Lord –
we allow it to prompt us towards worship, or we prohibit the work of God and throw up walls.
We either rejoice or retreat!

ILL – Let me illustrate your choices by showing you two symbols: a cup and a brick. See them?
They represent what I want you to remember about worship today – you can either respond to
the presence of Jesus with your “cup up” or you can respond by “bricking up” the walls of your
life so that God doesn’t penetrate. Best choice? “Cup up!” In fact, would you say that with me –
“Cup up!” That’s what you have to do weekly – even daily – as you encounter Jesus. Otherwise,
you’re only left with this option: the brick! People who live with their “cup up” are the ones
who find that it is overflowing, even spilling over to others! Why? Because it is ready to receive
– it is open to the work of God and the presence of Jesus Christ. Then in turn, we use that same
cup and serve others! Isn’t it amazing how closely related our worship and our serving is. And
rightly so!

Some people, however, feel that they can’t get their cup up – can’t worship – because they’re not
in the right building, the temperature isn’t right, there is stress at work, they’re not feeling well,
or other factors that seem to really affect their ‘cup.’ Guess what? That’s false thinking. You can
worship, even in the middle of difficult circumstances or personal stress. Yes, you can keep your
‘cup up’ even when people and things around you want to throw a brick on it. So let me show
you from our text just how tough your cup really is.

© First Family Church 2006

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Notice how worship started up even though…

1. There were inferior resources.

Do you see what they used to bring honor to our Savior? A donkey for transportation (also called
a colt), coats as a saddle, palm branches as banners, and more coats as pavement. Not your usual
array of kingly attire.

Yet, worship broke out; it started up. Why? Because it came form the heart as a response to who
God was and what he had done.

So it is today – worship can break out anywhere when we focus who God is and what he has
done!

In fact, we’ve put this to the test, haven’t we? Remember when we only met as small groups in
homes? Remember when we met once a month in a park or at Northwest? Remember Neveln?
Now here at Parkview…in the gym of all places! And it looks like we’ll be here through at least
the end of the year (ugh!). But have no worries – God isn’t concerned about our physical
address; he is looking at our spiritual attitudes – our hearts! That’s why this action point is so
important here…would you say it with me?

“I won’t let what I have or don’t have prohibit my worship.”

ILL – Of course, it won’t always be this way. One day God is going to give us our own place on
the land we’ve purchased, amen? And what will that look like? Well, take a look at what some of
our Lighthouses have developed as plans for our first church building (show Edible Church pics)

If these come true, we’ll definitely have to worship with inferior resources! ☺

Next, notice how worship started up even though…

2. There was external pressure.

No doubt there was much pressure to avoid Jesus. The rulers were trying to kill him, and the
religious leaders were making it very difficult for people to follow. There were behind-the-
scenes schemes of betrayal going on, and with Passover just days away, the pressure was
mounting.

Guess what? The disciples didn’t worry about who thought their celebration was kosher. They
broke out in praise anyway, in spite of the pressure to keep quiet.

Which brings me to this action point…would you say it with me?

“I won’t let what’s around me prohibit my worship.”

What are some things around you that are trying to turn your cup upside down? Your job? Other
people? Pressure from family? My suggestion is to let the pressure raise the cup upwards as air
lifts a plane towards the sky! May our difficulties drive us closer to our great God!

© First Family Church 2006

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Finally, notice how worship started up even though…
3. There was internal pain.

As if the outside pressure wasn’t enough, there was no doubt internal pressure in this scenario
brought about by the prospects of the future. That’s right – just days ahead was the Passover, the
day in which Christ would lay down his life as the perfect Lamb of God. He was fully aware of
what lie ahead, and he was trying to reveal this to his disciples. They didn’t quite get it, but he
knew what was coming. And beyond that, Christ was dealing with the pain of rejection by his
own people, the nation of Israel. Yet, amid all the pain of what was going on and coming up,
Christ allowed the worship to proceed uninterrupted. WOW! That let’s me know
something…would you say this last action point with me?

“I won’t let what’s within me prohibit my worship.”

You see, sometimes we allow our own pain and hurt to interfere with our worship, when in
reality it should immerse us in worship. God desires to shepherd us through our hurt and pain.

Recall Job? When everything around him and everything within him seemed to scream, “Give
up!”, Job instead turned his cup up and proclaimed, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job
1:21) Yes, in Job’s life, worship started up even as life headed down!

And that’s exactly what happened here in Luke 19 – the disciples broke out in praise and
worship in spite of what was around them, within them, and regardless of what they had or didn’t
have. You know why? Because they recognized it was the Lord! He had come, and he must be
worshipped!

ILL – By the way, this is strikingly similar to his first coming (i.e., his birth) in that there was
inferior resources (stable), external pressure (political instability and threats), and internal pain
(pregnant without being married). Some responded in worship (shepherd and wise men), others
put up walls (Herod).

And guess what? It is strikingly similar to his final coming (i.e., the second coming to the earth
at the end of the tribulation) in that there will be inferior resources (famine), external pressure
(persecution and martyrdom), and internal pain (Israel will be crying out, “How long, O Lord?”).
And there will still only be two possible responses – Worship or walls!

You see, it’s always been true and will always be true…say it with me, would you?

When Jesus shows up, worship starts up or walls go up!

So which are you doing today –

Giving worship or building walls?

(Show two objects again)

Let’s keep living with a ‘Cup Up’ mentality, worshipping joyfully every day!

© First Family Church 2006