Sermons on Psalm 118:25-26
The various sermons below interpret Psalm 118:25-26 as a significant moment in the recognition of Jesus' messianic role during his entry into Jerusalem. They commonly highlight the crowd's proclamation, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," as a prophetic acknowledgment of Jesus' kingship. The sermons delve into the meaning of "Hosanna," explaining it as a plea for salvation, which reflects the crowd's immediate desires for deliverance. This plea is seen as both a recognition of Jesus' spiritual mission and a misunderstanding of his role as a political savior. The sermons also emphasize the fulfillment of prophecy, particularly noting the precision of divine timing in Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, aligning with the prophecy in Daniel 9. This underscores the theme of God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His divine plan.
While the sermons share common themes, they also present distinct perspectives. One sermon contrasts the old religious system with the newness brought by Jesus, using the analogy of outdated technology versus modern advancements, emphasizing the appeal of a personal relationship with Christ over traditional religious practices. Another sermon focuses on the theme of embracing Jesus as Lord, not just as a savior, suggesting that true salvation requires submission to Jesus' lordship, which may involve unexpected paths. A different sermon highlights the significance of Palm Sunday as a fulfillment of prophecy, emphasizing the importance of recognizing Jesus as the prophesied Messiah rather than a political leader.
Psalm 118:25-26 Interpretation:
Aligning Our Will with God's Sovereign Plan (Elan Church) interprets Psalm 118:25-26 as a prophetic acknowledgment of Jesus' kingship during his entry into Jerusalem. The sermon highlights the significance of the crowd's proclamation, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," as a recognition of Jesus fulfilling the messianic prophecy. The sermon uses the analogy of a coronation, suggesting that the crowd was essentially crowning Jesus as king with their words, even if they did not fully understand the spiritual implications. The sermon also delves into the original Hebrew term "Hosanna," explaining it as a plea for salvation, which aligns with the crowd's immediate desires for deliverance from Roman rule, contrasting with Jesus' spiritual mission.
Embracing the New: Following Christ Beyond Religion (Lexington City Church) offers a unique perspective by comparing the old religious system to the newness brought by Jesus, using the analogy of outdated technology versus modern advancements. The sermon interprets Psalm 118:25-26 as a moment where the crowd's cry for salvation ("Hosanna") reflects a deeper longing for something beyond the stale rituals of religion. The sermon emphasizes the appeal of Jesus' personal relationship over the traditional religious practices, suggesting that the crowd's use of Psalm 118 was a spontaneous expression of their desire for genuine spiritual renewal.
Embracing Jesus: Lordship, Kingdom, and True Worship (Corinth Baptist Church New Kent) interprets Psalm 118:25-26 by delving into the meaning of "Hosanna," explaining it as a transliteration from Hebrew to Greek, meaning "God save us" or "Lord save us, we pray." The sermon emphasizes the urgency and plea inherent in the phrase, suggesting that when the crowd shouted "Hosanna," they were expressing a deep, urgent desire for salvation, which may not align with their expectations of a political savior.
Embracing Passion Week: Worship, Prophecy, and Devotion (Crazy Love) provides a detailed interpretation of Psalm 118:25-26 by connecting it to the prophecy in Daniel 9. The sermon explains that the phrases "Hosanna" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" are direct quotes from Psalm 118, used by the crowd to acknowledge Jesus as the prophesied ruler. The sermon highlights the significance of Palm Sunday as the fulfillment of prophecy, emphasizing that the day was specifically made by the Lord for this event.
Psalm 118:25-26 Theological Themes:
Aligning Our Will with God's Sovereign Plan (Elan Church) presents the theme of divine timing and fulfillment of prophecy. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was not just a historical event but a fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, calculated to the exact day. This underscores the theme of God's sovereignty and the precision of His divine plan, which transcends human understanding and expectations.
Embracing the New: Following Christ Beyond Religion (Lexington City Church) introduces the theme of the contrast between religion and relationship. The sermon highlights how Jesus' presence and message were more appealing than the established religious system, suggesting that true spirituality is found in a personal relationship with Christ rather than in ritualistic practices. This theme is expanded by discussing how Jesus breaks down barriers that religion often erects, offering inclusivity and direct access to God.
Embracing Jesus: Lordship, Kingdom, and True Worship (Corinth Baptist Church New Kent) presents the theme of embracing Jesus as Lord, not just as a savior. The sermon suggests that true salvation requires submission to Jesus' lordship, which may involve uncomfortable or unexpected paths, contrasting the crowd's expectations of a political savior with the reality of Jesus' spiritual kingdom.
Embracing Passion Week: Worship, Prophecy, and Devotion (Crazy Love) introduces the theme of prophecy fulfillment, emphasizing the precision of biblical prophecy and its fulfillment in Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. The sermon underscores the importance of recognizing Jesus as the prophesied Messiah, not just a political leader, and the significance of Palm Sunday as a divinely orchestrated event.
Psalm 118:25-26 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Aligning Our Will with God's Sovereign Plan (Elan Church) provides historical context by explaining the significance of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem during Passover, a time when Jews were expecting a messianic deliverer. The sermon details the cultural and religious expectations of the Jewish people, who were looking for a political savior to liberate them from Roman oppression. This context helps explain the crowd's reaction and their use of Psalm 118:25-26 as a cry for immediate salvation.
Embracing the New: Following Christ Beyond Religion (Lexington City Church) offers insights into the Jewish practice of selecting a Passover lamb on the 10th day of Nissan, paralleling Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on the same day. This connection highlights Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb, fulfilling the sacrificial system and offering a new covenant. The sermon also discusses the cultural significance of the donkey as a symbol of peace, contrasting with a horse, which would symbolize war.
Courageous Love: Embracing Christ's Humble Kingship (Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church) provides historical context by explaining the political significance of palm branches, which were associated with the Maccabean revolt and symbolized Jewish hopes for liberation from Roman rule. The sermon contrasts Jesus' peaceful entry on a donkey with the Roman display of power, highlighting the cultural and political tensions of the time.
Embracing Jesus: Lordship, Kingdom, and True Worship (Corinth Baptist Church New Kent) offers historical insights into the Jewish expectations of a Messiah, shaped by centuries of subjugation under various empires. The sermon explains how these expectations influenced the crowd's reaction to Jesus and their misunderstanding of his mission.
Embracing Passion Week: Worship, Prophecy, and Devotion (Crazy Love) provides historical context by discussing the prophecy in Daniel 9, which predicted the exact timing of the Messiah's arrival. The sermon explains the significance of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and its connection to the fulfillment of prophecy on Palm Sunday.
Psalm 118:25-26 Cross-References in the Bible:
Aligning Our Will with God's Sovereign Plan (Elan Church) references Zechariah 9:9 to support the interpretation of Jesus' entry as a fulfillment of prophecy. The sermon explains how the crowd's actions and words during the triumphal entry align with the prophetic vision of a humble king arriving on a donkey, emphasizing the messianic expectations of the time.
Embracing the New: Following Christ Beyond Religion (Lexington City Church) references Zechariah 9:9 and Daniel 9:26 to highlight the prophetic fulfillment of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. The sermon uses these cross-references to demonstrate the reliability of scripture over human opinion, showing how Jesus' actions were in direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
Embracing Jesus: Lordship, Kingdom, and True Worship (Corinth Baptist Church New Kent) references Zechariah 9:9 to highlight the prophecy of a king coming in peace, riding on a donkey. This cross-reference supports the interpretation of Jesus' entry as a fulfillment of prophecy and a demonstration of his peaceful kingdom.
Embracing Passion Week: Worship, Prophecy, and Devotion (Crazy Love) references Daniel 9 to explain the prophecy of the Messiah's arrival and its fulfillment on Palm Sunday. The sermon also references Zechariah 9:9 to emphasize the peaceful nature of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
Psalm 118:25-26 Christian References outside the Bible:
Embracing the New: Following Christ Beyond Religion (Lexington City Church) references General Booth of the Salvation Army, who famously said, "I like my religion like I like my tea; I want it hot." This quote is used to emphasize the sermon’s theme that true spirituality should be vibrant and authentic, contrasting with the coldness of ritualistic religion.
Embracing Passion Week: Worship, Prophecy, and Devotion (Crazy Love) does not explicitly reference non-biblical Christian authors but provides a detailed analysis of biblical prophecy and its fulfillment, which is a common theme in Christian theological discussions.
Psalm 118:25-26 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Embracing the New: Following Christ Beyond Religion (Lexington City Church) uses the analogy of outdated cell phones compared to modern smartphones to illustrate the difference between old religious practices and the new life offered by Jesus. This comparison is used to show how Jesus' message was a refreshing change from the stagnant religious system, much like how modern technology has revolutionized communication.
Embracing Jesus: Lordship, Kingdom, and True Worship (Corinth Baptist Church New Kent) uses the analogy of horses and donkeys to illustrate the difference between submission and stubbornness in following Christ. The sermon contrasts the image of a trained horse submitting to its rider with a stubborn donkey, using this metaphor to challenge the congregation to embrace Jesus' lordship willingly.