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Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661
Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org
OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”
Nobleton Community Church
Date April 13, 2025
Text Text: John 12:9-19; Luke 19:26-44
Pastor Paul Lehmann
Palm Sunday
An illustration of what took place on that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem, was when the Allied forces marched down the Champs Elise Boulevard in Paris, after World War II, and the surrender of the Nazi German Army. The French people were very enthusiastic in celebrating what the English and U.S.A. soldiers had accomplished. However, just as Woodrow Wilson’s popularity waned after World War I, which lasted only about a year after the war, the French soon forgot the help they received. In recent years there is definitely a love-hate relationship with the U.S. They love our music and films, but don’t like our assurance which they mistake for arrogance. One reason for this is the obnoxious behavior of some Americans who are very rude to French people when they don’t speak English.
Also after the Coalition forces marched into Bagdad, the people celebrated and praised the American troops, but it didn’t take long for outside terrorist forces, mostly from Syria and Iran to turn many people against the U.S.
Jesus’ followers were happy believers. They wholeheartedly accepted Him as their king. They demonstrated their enthusiasm by crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel! They waved palm branches and put their coats down in the road. They were probably called “fanatics” by curious onlookers.
The fact of the matter is, God wants enthusiasm. He has always favored people who enthusiastically praise Him. There are many examples of this in
the Bible. The Psalms are full of exclamation marks.
Psalm 47 shows this enthusiasm. “Clap your hands…shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the Lord Most High!”
There is a Praise chorus which says; “Shout to the Lord all the earth let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the King. Mountains bow down, and the seas will roar—At the sound of your name. I sing for joy at the work of your hands Forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand. Nothing compares to the promise I have in You.
The prophets were enthusiastic. Isaiah says in chapter 40 verses 6-10; “A voice says, ‘Cry out…go up on a high mountain…lift up your voice with a SHOUT, lift it up, do not be afraid–see, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and his arm rules for him.
Jeremiah is enthusiastic, even when he is warning against the judgment of God. Then in chapter 31 he gives the assurance that; “the Lord…will build you up again, and you will be rebuilt, O virgin Israel. Again, you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. Again, you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria, the farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit. There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God. This is what the Lord says; Sing with joy for Jacob; SHOUT for the foremost of the nations, make your praises heard, and say; ‘O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’”
In Acts 2:43-47, the early church was; “filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. The beggar at the temple gate after he was healed, (Acts 3:8); “went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
In II Cor. 5:13, Paul says; “If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God, if we are in our right mind it is for you.” (verse 14). “Christ’s love compels us.”
God is actually critical of those who have lost their enthusiasm. In Rev. 3:15-16 he says; “I know your works (deeds); that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot or cold, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. God prefers that we are “hot” or “enthusiastic”. His second choice because it is honest, is (antagonistic). It isn’t an option to be in the middle of these two extremes when it come to our attitude towards Christ, and ministry for the Lord.
The Christian has many reasons to be enthusiastic.
He can be enthusiastic about the past. What was evil is forgiven and what was good is not lost. We can be enthusiastic about the present. We are members of the world’s greatest team and involved in the world’s greatest cause. We are strengthened by the world’s greatest power, and led by the world’s greatest leader. Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings.
We can be enthusiastic about the future too.
We have the promise of eternal life. The final chapters of Revelation are the most enthusiastic words ever written. (Rev. 19:1). After this (the prediction of the fall of Babylon), I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. In chapter 22:12-13 the Lord says; “Behold I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Verse 17; “the Spirit and the bride say come. Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”
It is important to keep our enthusiasm for Christ alive. Some who shouted “Hosanna” may have shouted “crucify him!” five days later. Some today may not Join in with the crowd shouting crucify him, but they have lost their enthusiasm for Christ, because a vocal minority, like the Pharisees, are putting Him down.
Most who make a profession of faith do so enthusiastically. Years ago when Billy Graham held his first Crusade in England, they had a lot of “Bobbies” (as they called their policemen) surrounding the soccer field where he preached. When Billy gave the invitation people from all over the stadium began to move down towards the field where the platform was set up. The police began to club people with their “Billy clubs,” because they thought they were starting to riot. So, don’t let anyone tell you that Billy Graham made it easy to accept Christ.
But people frequently are very enthusiastic when they first make a commitment to Christ. They want to know more about the Bible. They are anxious to tell other people about the Lord. Christians who have been Christians for a long time, sometimes get upset with all the enthusiasm they show. The new Christians look around and see how others are—with their dead pan looks, and lack of enthusiasm for the Lord, and sometimes get intimidated. One time a so-called mature Christian said about a new Christian; “don’t worry—give him a few months and he’ll get normal” –How sad.
However, there are others who have kept and increased their enthusiasm. They are still faithful, active, bubbling over with enthusiasm for their new- found faith because they are encouraged by, rather than discouraged by their fellow Christians. They attract others to the faith by their spirit, and they light up a room when they walk into it, because of their sweet spirit. Many have conquered discouragements and crises and have come out very strong in their faith.
So, we see that God wants enthusiasm, but the question is; how to keep enthusiasm for Christ alive.
Begin with a genuine conversion experience. “You must be born again.”
Some who joined in shouting “Hosanna!” may have had no real commitment; they were only caught up in the excitement of the day. Some religious experiences today are superficial. Some people have experienced peer pressure or parental pressure to be a Christian and also a pastor may have wanted the young person to follow a catechism or confirmation class. Or perhaps just the emotional excitement of an evangelistic meeting. There are those who rebound from a bad experience with a cult, or they have been addicted to drugs or alcohol and have come to the end of themselves, but their hearts haven’t been changed.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE MUST DO TO ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN FAITHFUL?
We must be determined to keep enthusiasm alive. Much of our attitude is within our control. Enthusiasm takes genuine effort and self-discipline.
We must keep close contact with Christ. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. I am the vine, you are the branches, Jesus said. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. Prayer, Bible study, and worship are valuable points of contact.
We must open our lives to the Holy Spirit. Enthusiasm comes from two Greek words; –en (meaning “full of” and, theos, (meaning “full of God.”) The Holy Spirit is God as He lives within us. Every Christian believer has the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:38 we read, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Each of us has great potential for enthusiasm. We are to give the Spirit full freedom in our lives. He wants to “control” us. This is where a lot of Christians fall short. They don’t want to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. They Eph. 5:18; “Do not get drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit. “Now why would fear that will make them too “religious.” The apostle Paul tells us in he use that as an illustration? I can’t speak from experience, but, it is my understanding that when a person is drunk, you are out of control and the alcohol- the wine takes over. What Paul is saying, don’t give this control over to wine, (or in our case today any alcoholic drink), but give it over to the Holy Spirit. Let Him control you. Open every aspect of your life to His presence, His power, and His control.
We must also channel enthusiasm into an avenue of service.
“Emotionalism” seeks to be and end in itself. True emotion seeks to express itself in some concrete way and leads to action.
Today we join the crowds in Jerusalem, SHOUTING “Hosanna!” A month from now, a year from now, a decade from now, and eternity from now may you still have that enthusiasm for Christ the King.
― C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity
“I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”