Mark 11:1-25 Welcoming the King

Theological Proposition/Focus: The right way to welcome King Jesus is by forming a community dedicated to prayer built on the foundation of faith.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: We must determine to make prayer, faith, and forgiveness the stalwarts of God's community that we call Southview.

Introduction:

Image: An underwhelming response

Have you ever come home with what you thought was the most exciting news, funny story, or significant event only to tell the story and realize that nobody else understood the significance of the event? A couple of weeks ago Emily and I were flying and I decided to work on a particular technique that I had not trained on in almost 20 years. I flew the procedure and everything just fell into place. I was so excited but I really don't think Emily understood the significance. I told her that I nailed it and she looked at me like "it felt like every other landing." So, I got out my phone and texted my brother to tell him about my victory.

When we look at the triumphal entry we often see the grandeur and celebration but in reality, the triumphal entry is kind of a non event. Significant yes, but it seems largely lost on the rest of the people.

Setting the Stage:

As we head toward Easter today we are going to spend some time in the Gospel of Mark. Overall, the Gospel of Mark presents Jesus as the Son of God, the suffering servant, and the bringer of God's kingdom, inviting readers to respond in faith, discipleship, and allegiance to him. Mark, probably writing from the perspective of Peter emphasizes several themes in the Gospel.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes several key themes:

• The Kingdom of God: Mark portrays Jesus as the herald of the Kingdom of God, proclaiming its imminence and demonstrating its power through his teachings, miracles, and actions. The kingdom is presented as breaking into human history through Jesus' ministry, inviting people to repentance, faith, and discipleship.
• The Messiahship of Jesus: Mark presents Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah (Christ), fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and expectations. However, Mark's portrayal of the Messiah differs from popular Jewish expectations of a conquering king; instead, Jesus is depicted as the suffering servant who came to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
• Discipleship and Following Jesus: Throughout the Gospel, Mark emphasizes the call to discipleship and the cost of following Jesus. Discipleship involves self-denial, taking up one's cross, and following Jesus wholeheartedly, even in the face of opposition and suffering.
• The Authority of Jesus: Mark highlights Jesus' authority in his teaching, exorcisms, healing miracles, and power over nature. This authority is contrasted with the skepticism and opposition of religious leaders and others who fail to recognize Jesus' true identity.
• The Suffering and Death of Jesus: A prominent theme in Mark's Gospel is the prediction, foretelling, and eventual fulfillment of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection. Jesus repeatedly predicts his passion, emphasizing the necessity of his suffering and death for the redemption of humanity.
• The Messianic Secret: Mark includes instances where Jesus commands silence about his identity as the Messiah or his miraculous deeds, a phenomenon known as the "Messianic Secret." This secrecy motif serves to highlight Jesus' divine identity and the timing of his revelation as the Messiah.

The Gospel of Mark can be broken into essentially three acts. In Act II the interactions between Jesus and his disciples are largely closed door interaction away from the public eye. But Act three which picks up in Mark 11 brings Jesus into the public spotlight. Public confrontation marks Act III and culminates with the crucifixion.

Mark 11, what we know of as the Triumphal Entry is full of irony. You see, Jesus, the King of Creation, enters the capital city of his empire, riding on the Davidic symbol of authority, and in the end, nobody seems to even notice. We are reminded that those who follow Jesus are expected to recognize, follow, and receive Jesus even when nobody else notices.

Body

Pomp and Circumstance are not enough (Mark 11:1-11).

Image: After the Music Stops

Lecrae, a Christian artist wrote the following words and I think they are especially apt.

After the show, after the set

After the music stops, what's next?

Will there be fellowship, prayer, disciples?

Will you open your Bibles after the music stops?

After it's over, after it ends

After the music stops, what then?

Will you understand that Christ is King

Or will you just like the words we sing after the music stops?