Sermon: Prepare Yourself

Palm Sunday service.
Beaconsfield Methodist Church.
17 April 2011.
Rev Kevin Zondagh.
Theme: PREPARE YOURSELF

Psalm 118:19-29
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD
through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 the LORD has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 The LORD has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 LORD, save us!
LORD, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
From the house of the LORD we bless you.[a]
27 The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up[b] to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

Sermon: Prepare Yourself
Have you ever been in a situation where an opportunity presented itself and you've missed it? After that opportunity, you looked back and thought, "how did I miss this? I should've been prepared." No matter what we say afterwards, the fact is we have missed that opportunity – and there is no getting it back. It only way not to have missed it, was to be prepared for it.

We've heard the saying, "Be prepared for anything!"
WHAT THINGS DO WE PREPARE FOR?
• Exams
• Work
• Food
• Retirement

– WHY DO WE PREPARE FOR THOSE THINGS BUT WE DO NOT FOCUS ON PREPARING OUR SOULS?
PREPARATION IS VERY IMPORTANT!

PREPARE YOURSELF

Hulettes Sugar has a quote on one of their packets, "Life happens when you make other plans."
As human beings, we are led to believe that we are in control. We project what will happen in the next day, week, month, or year. We would like to believe we have everything under control. The truth is we do not! We do not know what is going to happen - even in the next 5min.

(Play Video: accidents)
As we have witnessed in this video, these people believed they were in control but we can see that they were not.

When life happens, will we be prepared?

Recently, I received an e-mail from a friend of mine. She was freaked out. This IS what she got.

There has been a long e-mail going around quoting scripture after Scripture, pointing to sign after the sign, piecing together a picture concluding that Judgement Day is on the 21 May 2011. If this is true, we have 35 days left before our time will come to be judged. In addition, the end of the world will happen on 21 October 2011. If that were true, we have exactly 187 days left on this planet. How does that make you feel?

If this were true, what are some other things you need to fix up before this happens?
Will you be prepared?

Let me put your mind at ease before we carry on into sermon. We are told in Matthew 24:35 – 36.
35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
36) "but concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

This is straight from Jesus mouth. And not once in that e-mail about Judgement Day and the end of the world was this text included. Jesus says plainly, only God knows. Not even, he knows. Therefore, we can be rest assured that Judgement Day will not happen on 21 May 2011.
But if it does, will you be prepared?

"It's better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared." Young Jr., Whitney

Like in that video, we do not know what will happen next.
This morning we are going to look at two readings. Reading them together will give us a more colourful picture into the same event.

Context:
The whole Jewish nation were converging on Jerusalem at this time. They were coming from everywhere to celebrate the Passover festival to remember how God freed the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and spared Israel's firstborn children.
In short, they were remembering when God saved them.

This is Jesus' last journey before he is crucified in Jerusalem.
He knows this, and he is PREPARED for it!
Jesus has been teaching and moving around for about three years.
Word had gotten out about him and people are familiar with his teachings, healings and miracles.
He is well-known.

I cannot help but see God brilliance in his plan.
Everyone who was everyone came to this festival in Jerusalem.
They hear Jesus is coming and they prepare themselves.

They were VERY excited! But here's the catch; they expected a mighty king to ride in and nationalise the Jewish nation. They were expecting Jesus to overthrow the Roman Empire, and once again establish the rule that they feel was rightfully theirs. And they were prepared for Jesus!

With that in mind, let us have a look at two readings of this event:

Luke 19:28 – 40
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them,
30 "Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' say, 'The Lord needs it.' "
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them.
33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34 They replied, "The Lord needs it."
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Psalm 118:25,26)
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

John 12:12 – 19
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem.
13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
"Hosanna! " (Save)
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Psalm 118:25,26)
"Blessed is the king of Israel!"
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: (Zech 9:9)
15 "Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey's colt."
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word.
18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.
19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!"

In this text we read that Jesus sent his disciples to go and fetch him a colt. The question many people ask is, "is Jesus a donkey thief?" After all, there was no bartering or exchange of money for the colt. Was Jesus a donkey thief?
The answer very plainly is 'no'.
The people had they prepared themselves.

They had dressed up. They were wearing cloaks. They went into the fields and brought back palm branches to lay down for the entry of the King. In modern-day terms, this is like the ultimate red carpet entrance.
You have the rich who had cloaks and branches, you had the poor with branches – because they wouldn't have cloaks. Either way, the Jewish people prepared themselves for the coming of the King.
The laying down of cloaks and branches symbolised submission to the King - Declaring his rule over the people.

These people heard from all over that the Messiah was coming. He was coming to save his people. They heard it, they believed it, and they prepared themselves for it! And you know what happened, he pitched up!

Today, on Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, preparing to face death and we also remember that he died, and was resurrected from the dead and he will come again. Today we declare that Jesus' will come again.
Rev 22:7
"And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

This morning I want to ask you, this church, when Jesus comes again will you be prepared? We do not know what is going to happen next 5 min. It is important for us to live our lives prepared for when Jesus comes.

Jesus tells parable of what it would be like for those who are prepared for him to come again and for those who are not.
Mat 25:1-13
(1) "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
(2) Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
(3) For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,
(4) but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
(5) As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
(6) But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
(7) Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.
(8) And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
(9) But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'
(10) And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
(11) Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'
(12) But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
(13) Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Here He says it again. We will not know… but will we be ready?
As Jesus illustrates in the parable;
Those who were prepared – went with him.
Those who weren't – missed it.

The Apostle Paul, never subscribed to a specific date or time in which Jesus would come. He encourage to all the people to BE PREPARED ALL THE TIME.
Are you prepared?

Do not believe for one second, that you are in control of your life and you will start preparing tomorrow, Because tomorrow might be too late.

If your life is not right with God - I suggest you start sorting it out.

God has let it be known that Jesus IS coming again.
Judgement day is real.
The world will end.
He has told us because He wants us to be prepared and ready to go with him.
Out of his love – he tells us.
Out of his wisdom – he doesn't tell us when.

The parable tells us to be wise and not foolish.
We must prepare ourselves.

Do you want to know how to be prepared?
Read your Bible. It's all in there.
All the answers, all the guidelines, all the directions.
Read your Bible, why? So you don't miss it.
Start with the Gospel of John.

JESUS PREPARED HIMSELF FOR YOU, WILL YOU PREPARE YOURSELF FOR HIM?

Keep the SON in your eyes!

Taking the back seat

We are taught almost every day of our lives that we need to be in control of our own destinies. That is up to us to either make it in this life or not.Whenever we go, the pressures there.In fact,this is the attitude that is passed down from generation to generation.So from a very young age we are encouraged to take full control of our lives.In that we become driven and maybe even obsessed in trying to control everything.

I have recognise this in my own life and over the Lenten period I have decided to take a backseat. Often we have to realise that we control our lives so much that we stop living by faith. We want to control everything! This can be profoundly destructive in our lives. So over the Lenten period I decided to give up image. In short, it's all about elevating Jesus more whilst I become less. And in doing so, take the back seat of my life and allow Jesus to take the reins.

John the Baptist got this right. He was a master of putting Jesus above all. When Jesus really started rolling in his ministry, John started moving to the backseat. He worked his butt off proclaiming the way of Jesus, and then, when Jesus started gaining momentum, John faded into Jesus a shadow. This was a great attitude.

Just like John, we must work hard and know, we must become less and Jesus must become more. John 3:30, “He (Jesus) must become greater; i must become less”.

I am 10 days away from the end of my Lenten journey. In 10 days time my fast will end and I will shave off my beard. But over the past 37 days I have come face-to-face with my own self absorbed image and I was able to consciously except that I am less and Jesus is more. Not shaving my head and my face was a trivial thing, but it gave me powerful teachings and lessons into myself and into allowing Christ, to live more in me and through me. The objective of my fast as for people not to see me but rather to see Jesus in me (which might have been easier seen that I had a beard like him). To be honest it was very difficult for me to grow beard as well as my hair. The temptation was there to take full control, justify why I can accept defeat by saying things like, “well, I'm not Jesus so for me to fail in Lent is okay. Just as long as I can shave the stuff of my face.” But my conviction in Lent was to give up control of my own image and so I have not shaved - even though it feels like ants crawling all over my face. And, truth be told, on many occasions I would feel self-conscious but that and I would remind myself that it's not about me it's about Jesus. And so I took the backseat.

My encouragement is this, don't allow yourself to be god of your own lives, but rather take the backseat and allow Jesus to drive. Don't fall into the temptation of trying to control everything, but rather, in faith allow Jesus to rule over everything.

Keep becoming less and allow Jesus to become more.

Keep the SON in your eyes!

Ministry survival not–so–secret, secret

There is a children's song which tells us to "cast your burdens unto to Jesus". (It even has actions of casting and everything). But as a kid, what burdens do you really have? We should sing this song in "big" church. That is where we need to be reminded.

Psalm 55:22, "cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."

I need to know I can cast all my cares onto God. I do feel overwhelmed with all the pressure as most times, but I don't have to be. I can get help from God! God even offers to help me.

To think about it, most of my burdens are ministry related. I sometimes feel exactly like David where he says, "if I had wings like a dove – I would be outta here! I would go to a place where I could find peace." (Paraphrased verse 6). He felt so burdened he was willing to go live in a desert.

Imagine that? Being so run down that an empty wasteland looks attractive and inviting – just to get away!

Sometimes this is how I feel about my calling. This thing gets HEAVY! And I start wondering about life outside of ministry, in a perceived environment that is less stressful.

But now, reading the Psalm, I have discovered that this is not a new feeling when it comes to people in ministry (or other Christians). David found the key to 'ministry survival'. It's in verse 22 – Be righteous!! Be in right-standing with God. Be close to God!

Why? Think of it this way;
the easiest time to offload a burden is when you are closest to someone (physically). All you have to do is just pass it over. The most difficult time is when you are farther away, then you will use a lot more energy and strength to give the same sized burden over. I.e. the further you are, the heavier the burden. Eventually, you are so far away, you realise how difficult it will be to unburden yourself, that you feel hopeless, you disengage, to eventually quit.

The secret is to stay as close to God as possible. The Psalm says, "he WILL sustain you".

Oswald Chambers says this:
"if we set out to serve God and do his work, but get out of touch with him, the sense of responsibility we feel can be overwhelming and defeating."

"Many servants set out to serve God with great courage and with the right motives. But with no intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, they are soon defeated." (Satan is going to destroy you if you don't stay intimately involved with Jesus).

This Psalm tells us that when we are righteous, God will NEVER let the righteous be shaken.

God will carry our burdens, carry us, help us, protect us/me. We must make sure we stay righteous. God will take care of the load he placed on us, as long as we stay close to him. I.e. my ministry: I must constantly give it back to him. All of it! Then I will not only survive, but flourish!

So, like David, I will trust you!

Romans 8:28

1 year ago today; my heart was ripped out of my soul, my future destroyed, my hopes and dreams wrecked! But Thanks to Jesus I have new hopes and dreams, a restored heart, repaired soul, and a new future! He can resurrect anything!

Romans 8:28. " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose"
Keep the SON in your eyes!