JOHN 12:12-28
Palm Sunday Lesson # 25
GLORY = DEATH = MORE GLORY
I.? Greetings:
II.? Introduction:
Q What celebrations does your church have on Palm Sunday?
Q What is the purpose of Palm Sunday, what does it mean?
An = Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was a great public event.? Thousands of people in the capital city of Israel became aware of the special importance of Jesus of Nazareth.? It was quite an event and it has proved to be so important that it will be celebrated all over the world, no doubt in every time zone of planet earth.? Palm branches will be used in every state of the Union and this day will be remembered as it has been for centuries.? Every year more people will celebrate it and until planet earth, as we know it is terminated, it will continue to be celebrated.
RQ? What was the day like??
RQ? Did those present that day understand its importance?
RQ? How did they react?
An = We are going to briefly look at five reactions to Jesus’ Triumphal entry.? In a sense, to five interpretations of that day.? Only one proved to be crucial.? It is the perspective of God, and it so easy to be part of the other four reactions and miss the central understanding of Palm Sunday.? Let us hear the Word of the Lord…
III.? Five Responses To Jesus’ Triumphal Entry.? John 12:16-26.
?? A.? NUMBER ONE:? The Disciples Understanding:? They Did Not Understand
>>>> Have someone read John 12:12-16.
Q? Did the disciples understand the event in verse 16?
An = They did not at first!? Isn’t that amazing.? Jesus’ key men did not understand.? But later they understood, later.? Many of you here today are truly Jesus’ disciples, just as the apostles were truly Jesus’ disciples, but we do not always understand what we are really involved with.? Be patient, you will.? The key is in verse 16:? when Jesus is glorified then they began to understand the Scriptures.
Q What does that mean, that Jesus is glorified?
An = We have seen that it refers to Jesus’ death.? Jesus seemed to be glorified right then!? He had glory now with the crowd!? However, true glory, was through another way than public acclaim, it was through death.
B.? NUMBER TWO:? The Multitude’s Reaction:? Amazed at the Spectacular:? Amazed at the Miracles of Lazarus.? John 12:17-18.
>>>> Have someone read John 12:17-18.
Q Why were the multitudes there according to verse 18?
An = They had seen Jesus perform a sign, a miracle.? They were responding to the miracle.? They were not believers yet, just attracted to the amazing event of Lazarus being raised from the dead.
>>>> Have someone read John 12:9-11.
Q Did the crowds understand the significance of the day?
An = No.? Crowds then are much like crowds today.
C.? NUMBER THREE:? The Reaction of the Religious Leaders:? Angry at His Popularity.? John 12:19.
>>>> Have someone read John 12:19.
Q Were the religious leaders of Jesus’ day happy?? Why?
An = The Pharisees were upset.? They were not happy because they resented His popularity for His views threatened theirs.?
Q? Are there people of prominence today that are upset when Jesus Christ draws any attention in the media??
An = It was true then and it is true today.? Some people would love nothing more than to put down of true Christianity.? Hostile leaders will say nice things until His power is revealed.? Talk about Jesus’ deity, about His being the Lord and center of the universe, and sparks fly.
Q? Are some of the Christian leaders of today about as insightful as the Pharisees were then?
An = If you read church history, often the greatest opposition to a revival comes from the established church leaders.? It has happened every century and every decade this century.
Q? Have you seen examples of this?
D.? NUMBER FOUR:? The Reaction of Certain Foreigners:? Seeking, Wanting to See Jesus.? John 12:20-22.
>>>> Have someone read John 12:20-22.
Note:? These Greeks were foreigners, gentles, those who had never heard or seen Jesus.? They are like the unchurched of today.?? We do not know their motives and what they were expecting.
Q How do people get to Jesus?
An = They approach the disciples.? Just like today, people seeking God often approach us.? Folks outside of church often feel quite intimidated with talking directly to Jesus themselves (i.e. prayer), so they come to us.
Q Have you ever had this experience?? Have people come to you who were seeing God?
An = They do not know God, so they seek understanding from us.? Often the only Jesus many will see is in us.
E.? NUMBER FIVE: The Interpretation of Jesus:? Glory Requires Death to Self.? John 12:23-25.
>>>> Have someone read John 12:23-25.
????? Q Did Jesus grant these Greeks an interview?
????????????? An = No!, and this is so uncharacteristic of Jesus.? He talked to prostitutes, to arrogant religious leaders, to children, to lepers, etc. but here He did not grant an interview.? I think the answer to this is that the Gentiles will not see Jesus until He is glorified.? They will only see the glorified Jesus, the crucified and resurrected Jesus.
Q Why will non-believers (non-church goers) only see the glorified Jesus?? What does this mean?
An =? This is Jesus’ will, His choice, for Jesus’ view of Glory and ours is totally different.? He sees glorification as tied to death.? This is not our choice, our viewpoint.
Q According to 12:25 how does one lose their life or gain their life?
An = Eternal life is tied to choosing to die to our selfish now on earth.
Q Is death an option?? Can we refuse to follow Jesus and still be part of Him?
An = If we stay in our selfishness:? we remain alone (12:24).
If we are willing to die to our selfishness:? we can bear much fruit in our lives and in the lives of others (12:24).? If we choose to follow in Jesus’ steps, die as Jesus died, then we will truly see Him.? “Walk a mile in a man’s shoes…”
This seems to be the prerequisite to true spiritual perceptivity.? It is not tied to our background (growing up in church, like Jews did with the Scriptures), of even tied to being involved in full time ministry (the disciples at this time were clue-less).
Q? Do a lot of people who grow up in church, in the church youth group miss this entirely?
Q? Are those who do not die close to God?? Are they satisfied with the Lord?
An = So many are no longer walking in the faith after growing up in the church because they are spiritually clue-less and they are clue-less because they never died.
>>>> Have someone read John 12:26-27.
Q If we follow our Lord’s pattern how will the Father regard us?
An = If we follow Jesus’ pattern of willing sacrifice:? God the Father will reward us.? If we wish to follow Jesus Christ then we must be willing to die to self.? If we desire to live eternally then we need to die to self now, in this life.? To enter Christian glory is to die now.? To die is to live and to be glorified.? The choice is ours!
Q How do we practically die to our selfish desires?? What things can we do today to show that we are truly His followers?
An = Perhaps give an example from your own life. ?Then point out that from 12:27 we realize that this is not an easy choice to make.? Even Jesus was troubled in having to die.? However, Jesus knew that to draw back from this task was to draw back from the central task of His life.
Q Is the most important task we have today that we must die to self?
Q Is the best interests of the world, and what we can give to it, our family, our friends, dependent on that choice?
>>>> Have someone read John 12:28.
Q? What does Jesus ask?
An = That God, not Him, is gloried.
Q? What does that say about Jesus’ view of ministry?
An = We should be intend on His Name receiving glory.
Q? How does God respond?
An = With a voice from heaven.? “It has been and will be glorified”.?
Note:? What a response to have to our ministry!? However, it will not happen, if we want the glory for ourselves, we have to want His glory and we have to be willing to die.
>>>>? Have someone read John 10:17.
Note:? Encourage them that if they realize their priorities are wrong, they can ask Him to change them.? Remind them that if they pray, He will hear them.
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