Aligning Our Will with God's Sovereign Plan
Summary
In my sermon today, I delved into the profound significance of Palm Sunday, emphasizing the importance of aligning our will with God's and not allowing our challenges to overshadow His plans for us. I began by painting a vivid picture of the events leading up to Palm Sunday, starting from Jesus' time in Bethany with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, to the moment He was welcomed into Jerusalem with shouts of "Hosanna!" This was a fulfillment of ancient prophecies, a moment where the crowd recognized Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, yet their expectations were not aligned with God's plan.
I highlighted the stark contrast between the crowd's initial celebration of Jesus as king and their swift turn to crucify Him just a week later. This serves as a cautionary tale of the fickle nature of human adoration and the danger of placing our desires above God's will. I urged the congregation to reflect on areas of their lives where they might be resisting God's will, whether it be in their faith, relationships, or personal ambitions.
I also touched on the importance of understanding that God's timing is not our timing. His perspective is eternal, and when He says "not now," it is not a simple delay but a part of a grander plan that we may not immediately comprehend. I encouraged the congregation to trust in God's wisdom and to surrender their control, acknowledging that our understanding is limited compared to God's infinite knowledge.
The sermon concluded with a call to recalibrate our lives, to focus on the cross, and to lay down our own will in exchange for God's. I invited the congregation to physically lay down their palm leaves at the cross as a symbolic act of surrendering their personal agendas and embracing God's sovereign plan.
Key Takeaways:
- The events of Palm Sunday remind us that God's plans are not always in line with our expectations. As we celebrate Jesus' triumphant entry, we must also prepare our hearts to accept His ways, even when they diverge from our own desires. This requires a posture of humility and trust in God's perfect wisdom. [31:02]
- Our challenges and desires can often become idols that we place above God's will. It is crucial to examine our hearts and identify areas where we are unwilling to yield to God's sovereignty. True discipleship involves a willingness to let go of our control and allow God to lead, even when it means setting aside our dreams and plans. [32:34]
- God's timing is not bound by our earthly timelines. His eternal perspective encompasses more than we can see or understand. When we face delays or unanswered prayers, it's an opportunity to grow in faith and patience, trusting that God is working out His purposes beyond our immediate view. [33:08]
- Jesus' obedience to the Father, even unto death, serves as the ultimate example for us. His willingness to lay down His will for God's plan, despite His divine knowledge, challenges us to do the same. Our obedience is a testament to our trust in God's greater wisdom and love. [33:52]
- The act of laying down our palm leaves at the cross is a powerful symbol of surrender. It represents our commitment to put Jesus at the center of our lives, relinquishing our grip on the things we hold dear in exchange for His will. This act of surrender is the first step toward true freedom and fulfillment in Christ. [34:37]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Zechariah 9:9 - "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
2. Psalm 118:25-26 - "Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you."
3. Matthew 21:1-11 - The account of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
#### Observation Questions
1. What significant event does Zechariah 9:9 prophesy, and how is it fulfilled in the New Testament? ([02:01])
2. In Psalm 118:25-26, what are the people asking for, and how does this relate to the events of Palm Sunday? ([02:35])
3. According to Matthew 21:1-11, what actions did the crowd take to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, and what were they shouting? ([13:22])
4. How did the crowd's perception of Jesus change from Palm Sunday to the events leading up to His crucifixion? ([17:23])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 reveal about the nature of the Messiah, and how does Jesus embody this prophecy during His entry into Jerusalem? ([02:01])
2. How do the cries of "Hosanna" and the actions of laying down palm branches reflect the crowd's expectations of Jesus? What were they hoping He would accomplish? ([13:22])
3. Why is it significant that Jesus chose to ride a donkey into Jerusalem, and what does this symbolize about His kingship? ([12:46])
4. How does the swift change in the crowd's attitude from celebrating Jesus to calling for His crucifixion serve as a cautionary tale about human nature and expectations? ([17:23])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when your expectations of God did not align with His plans. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? ([31:44])
2. In what areas of your life might you be resisting God's will? How can you begin to surrender these areas to Him? ([32:34])
3. How can you cultivate a posture of humility and trust in God's perfect wisdom, especially when His timing does not match your own? ([33:08])
4. Jesus' obedience to the Father, even unto death, is a powerful example for us. What steps can you take to follow His example of obedience in your daily life? ([33:52])
5. The act of laying down palm leaves at the cross symbolizes surrender. What personal agendas or desires do you need to lay down at the cross, and how can this act lead to true freedom and fulfillment in Christ? ([34:37])
6. How can you ensure that your challenges and desires do not become idols that overshadow God's will in your life? ([32:34])
7. Consider the eternal perspective of God's timing. How can you grow in faith and patience when facing delays or unanswered prayers? ([33:08])
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God's Unexpected Path
The celebration of Palm Sunday serves as a reminder that the divine narrative often unfolds in ways that defy human expectations. The crowd that once hailed Jesus as the Messiah with palm branches would soon be swayed to call for His crucifixion. This pivot from adoration to rejection illustrates the unpredictable nature of God's plan and the need for believers to remain open to the unexpected turns in their spiritual journey. It is a call to humility, to recognize that the fulfillment of prophecies and the unfolding of redemption may not align with personal desires or societal norms. Believers are encouraged to trust in the wisdom of God's overarching story, even when it leads down a path that is difficult to understand or accept.
"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered," (1 Chronicles 16:11-12, ESV).
Reflection: In what ways have you struggled to accept God's plan when it diverged from your expectations, and how can you cultivate a more trusting heart? [31:02]
Day 2: The Idolatry of Personal Desires
The fickleness of the human heart is evident in the way the crowd's adoration of Jesus quickly turned to demands for His death. This serves as a stark reminder of the ease with which personal desires can become idols, overshadowing the will of God. Believers are called to examine their hearts and identify where they might be prioritizing their own ambitions over divine sovereignty. True discipleship requires the willingness to relinquish control and submit to God's guidance, even when it means setting aside deeply held dreams and aspirations. This process of self-examination and surrender is not a one-time act but a continual practice of aligning one's will with that of the Creator.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you," (Matthew 6:33, ESV).
Reflection: What personal ambitions or desires might you be placing above God's will, and how can you begin to surrender these to Him today? [32:34]
Day 3: Trusting in God's Eternal Timing
Understanding that God's timing operates on an eternal scale, beyond the confines of human schedules, is crucial for spiritual growth. When prayers seem unanswered or divine promises delayed, it is not a sign of neglect but an invitation to trust in God's perfect timing. His perspective spans eternity, and His plans are often more complex and interconnected than one can comprehend. This realization calls for patience and faith, as believers learn to wait on the Lord and trust that He is working all things for good, even when the immediate circumstances suggest otherwise.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts," (Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV).
Reflection: Can you identify a time when you felt impatient with God's timing, and how can you practice trusting in His eternal perspective today? [33:08]
Day 4: The Ultimate Example of Obedience
Jesus' submission to the Father's will, culminating in His death on the cross, stands as the ultimate example of obedience for all believers. Despite possessing divine knowledge and authority, Jesus chose to lay down His will in favor of the Father's plan. This act of surrender was not a sign of weakness but the highest expression of trust and love. Believers are called to emulate this example, demonstrating their faith through obedience, even when it requires personal sacrifice. This commitment to God's will over one's own is a testament to the believer's trust in God's greater wisdom and love.
"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross," (Philippians 2:8, ESV).
Reflection: How does Jesus' obedience to the Father challenge you to reevaluate your own willingness to submit to God's will, and what steps can you take to follow His example? [33:52]
Day 5: Surrender as the Path to True Freedom
The act of laying down palm leaves at the cross is a symbolic gesture of surrender, representing the believer's commitment to place Jesus at the center of their life. This act signifies the relinquishment of personal agendas in favor of embracing God's sovereign plan. It is a powerful declaration that true freedom and fulfillment are found not in the pursuit of individual desires but in the wholehearted pursuit of Christ. As believers lay down their wills, they step into the liberty that comes from living in alignment with the divine will, trusting that God's plans are ultimately for their good and His glory.
"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it," (Matthew 16:25, ESV).
Reflection: What does laying down your palm leaves at the cross symbolize in your life, and what are the practical steps you can take to surrender to Jesus' lordship today? [34:37]
Quotes
1) "Palm Sunday was one of the most significant days to ever happen, the most significant week in all of history by none, and our job today is to not obsess over our challenges enough that we miss out on what God has for us or we place our challenges and all the things that we have over him." [32:34]
2) "There is a call, there is a design, and sometimes when it happens outside of our timeline we can get so despondent. But God lives with us here, but he exists outside of this too, and he works through it all." [33:08]
3) "Even Jesus had to do that, not my will God but yours be done. The man that knew more than any of us could ever know, not my will he said but yours be done." [37:55]
4) "Today we're going to take some time to recalibrate and commit ourselves to not squeezing Jesus down to our meager understanding or how we think he should be king or how we think he should rule the nation or how we think he should rule the church or how we think he should rule in our lives or how we think our faith walk should go." [34:37]
5) "I'm good if you don't see me and all you see is this. I'm good. I don't need anybody just, I'm good just chilling at home with the blessings God's given me. None of us need platform; it comes with more weight than you'd imagine. But when this is at the center of it all, nothing else matters." [35:57]
6) "Every single person know that song, it's like, 'This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it,' right? That song in itself, like we sing those songs and we teach our children those songs, and you know, sometimes when we're singing that song, it's like, 'This is Monday, this is Tuesday, this is Wednesday, this is Thursday, this is Friday, every day is the day that the Lord has made.' Sunday, but that song, did you know, was actually written about Palm Sunday." [20:57]
7) "Jesus reveals himself on the exact day that Daniel prophesied that Christ would come. Now the Jews were expecting it, they knew what was coming. Yes, and so when they were singing 'This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it,' hosanna, save us, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, they knew it wasn't any ordinary day." [28:06]
8) "The biggest mistake we can make is fall into the same trap the Jews did. We want Jesus on our terms, we want salvation on our terms. We've got our own worldview, we've got this thing that's just ailing on me right now. I need this physical healing, I need this, this thing, you know, we've got so much going on right now." [29:30]
9) "Christ's existence has so much more meaning than the fleeting issues that we face in our day-to-day lives. They come and go, our immediate worldview is overshadowed by Christ's wisdom and absolute knowledge, and so we need to, when Jesus comes with a word of obedience to us and we don't understand it, instead of scratching it and living as if it's just not what we need right now." [30:14]
10) "Here is a Jesus that comes in on a donkey to seek and save the lost, seeing the physical, the spiritual, and everything in between, and he's saying my will ain't yours. And even his will, even in his own divine wisdom, he could submit under God's authority and say not my will but yours be done." [18:48]
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