Grounding Emotions in Truth: A Palm Sunday Reflection
Summary
In John chapter 12, we explore the profound relationship between emotions and truth, particularly in the context of Palm Sunday. Our culture often prioritizes feelings over beliefs, creating environments that make us feel good temporarily. However, true devotion should be rooted in the truth of God's Word, not fleeting emotions. Palm Sunday was an emotional day for many, as people anticipated the fulfillment of prophecies and liberation from Roman rule. Yet, their emotions were misguided, as they sought a political savior rather than understanding Jesus' true mission.
Emotions are a God-given part of our humanity, and they play a significant role in our spiritual experiences. However, they should not be the driving force of our faith. When devotion is based solely on emotion, it fades quickly. Instead, our emotions should be activated by the truth of Scripture, leading to a deeper, more enduring devotion. The crowd on Palm Sunday cried "Hosanna," seeking immediate salvation from Roman oppression, but they missed the deeper spiritual salvation Jesus offered.
The story of Lazarus highlights how emotions can draw people to Jesus, but not always for the right reasons. Many were curious about the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection, yet their belief was superficial. Similarly, during Holy Week, many celebrate without a true understanding of Jesus' sacrifice. Emotions can lead us astray if not grounded in truth. The disciples themselves initially acted on emotion, but later, with the Holy Spirit's guidance, they understood the deeper truths of Jesus' mission.
As we approach Passion Week, it's crucial to reflect on our relationship with Jesus. Our emotions should be informed by a growing understanding of His love and sacrifice. This week, let your emotions be stirred by the truth of the cross, not by a manufactured environment. Seek a deeper appreciation of Jesus' sacrifice and let it transform your devotion.
Key Takeaways:
- Emotions are a natural part of our spiritual experience, but they should be grounded in the truth of God's Word. When emotions drive our faith without truth, devotion fades quickly. True devotion is sustained by the enduring truth of Scripture. [13:51]
- The crowd on Palm Sunday sought a political savior, missing the deeper spiritual salvation Jesus offered. Our emotions can lead us to misunderstand God's plans if not aligned with His truth. [26:06]
- The story of Lazarus shows how emotions can draw people to Jesus, but belief must be rooted in understanding, not just curiosity or spectacle. Superficial belief lacks the depth needed for true transformation. [30:34]
- As we approach Passion Week, reflect on your relationship with Jesus. Let your emotions be stirred by the truth of the cross, leading to a deeper appreciation of His sacrifice. Seek a fresh understanding of His love and let it transform your devotion. [26:06]
- Emotions should not be the driver of our faith. Instead, they should be informed by a growing understanding of Jesus' love and sacrifice. This week, let your emotions be stirred by the truth of the cross, not by a manufactured environment. [30:34]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Emotions vs. Belief
[02:15] - Palm Sunday Reflections
[04:00] - The Role of Emotions in Faith
[06:45] - The Story of Lazarus
[09:30] - Misguided Expectations
[12:00] - The Power of Truth
[14:30] - Emotional Worship
[17:00] - The Danger of Superficial Belief
[19:45] - Passion Week Reflections
[22:30] - Seeking Deeper Understanding
[25:00] - The Importance of Truth
[27:30] - Emotions and Devotion
[30:00] - Closing Thoughts
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 12:9-19
- Zechariah 9:9
Observation Questions:
1. What were the emotions of the crowd during Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and what were they expecting from Him? [13:51]
2. How did the story of Lazarus' resurrection influence people's emotions and beliefs about Jesus? [13:51]
3. What was the significance of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, according to the sermon? [26:06]
4. How did the disciples' understanding of Jesus' mission change after His glorification? [26:06]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might the crowd have been emotionally driven to seek a political savior rather than understanding Jesus' true mission? [13:51]
2. How can emotions both positively and negatively impact one's faith journey, as illustrated by the sermon? [26:06]
3. In what ways did the sermon suggest that emotions should be informed by the truth of Scripture rather than being the driving force of faith? [30:34]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of the Holy Spirit in transforming the disciples' understanding of Jesus' mission? [26:06]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your emotions led you to misunderstand a situation. How can grounding your emotions in Scripture help prevent this in the future? [13:51]
2. The sermon suggests that emotions should be stirred by the truth of the cross. What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your understanding of Jesus' sacrifice? [30:34]
3. How can you ensure that your devotion to Jesus is not based solely on emotional experiences but is rooted in the enduring truth of Scripture? [30:34]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you might be seeking immediate solutions rather than understanding God's broader plan. How can you align your expectations with His truth? [26:06]
5. The sermon mentioned the danger of superficial belief. How can you cultivate a deeper, more meaningful faith that goes beyond curiosity or spectacle? [13:51]
6. As you approach Passion Week, what practical ways can you reflect on and appreciate Jesus' love and sacrifice more deeply? [30:34]
7. Consider a time when your emotions were the driver of your actions. How can you allow the truth of God's Word to guide your decisions instead? [26:06]
Devotional
Day 1: Emotions Anchored in Truth
Emotions are a natural part of our spiritual experience, but they should be grounded in the truth of God's Word. When emotions drive our faith without truth, devotion fades quickly. True devotion is sustained by the enduring truth of Scripture. [13:51]
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent situation where your emotions led you to a decision. How might grounding that decision in Scripture have changed the outcome?
Day 2: Misguided Expectations of Salvation
The crowd on Palm Sunday sought a political savior, missing the deeper spiritual salvation Jesus offered. Our emotions can lead us to misunderstand God's plans if not aligned with His truth. [26:06]
"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: Consider an area in your life where you have expectations of God. Are these expectations aligned with His truth, or are they based on your desires?
Day 3: Superficial Belief vs. Deep Understanding
The story of Lazarus shows how emotions can draw people to Jesus, but belief must be rooted in understanding, not just curiosity or spectacle. Superficial belief lacks the depth needed for true transformation. [30:34]
"Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God." (Hebrews 6:1, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on your current understanding of Jesus. What steps can you take to deepen your knowledge and move beyond a superficial belief?
Day 4: Passion Week and the Truth of the Cross
As we approach Passion Week, reflect on your relationship with Jesus. Let your emotions be stirred by the truth of the cross, leading to a deeper appreciation of His sacrifice. Seek a fresh understanding of His love and let it transform your devotion. [26:06]
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally focus on the truth of the cross this week to deepen your appreciation of Jesus' sacrifice?
Day 5: Emotions Informed by Understanding
Emotions should not be the driver of our faith. Instead, they should be informed by a growing understanding of Jesus' love and sacrifice. This week, let your emotions be stirred by the truth of the cross, not by a manufactured environment. [30:34]
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ." (Philippians 1:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one area where your emotions have been leading your faith. How can you seek a deeper understanding of Jesus' love to guide your emotions in this area?
Quotes
John chapter 12, and I really love how the Lord kind of piggybacks on something when we talk about emotions here. And we're going to talk a little bit about how our feelings can never be more important than what we believe. You know, we live in a culture today that wants to create, and there are churches that do this. They create an environment so that you can feel good, okay? And then when that environment is gone, people say, well, I don't feel good, okay? But you can because truth today should activate your emotions. [00:00:00]
How many think that that was a very emotional day? Okay. Now, it was emotional for several reasons, okay? They were ruled by Rome for years, and they treated them rotten here, okay? The government was terrible here, and they were under bondage. It was emotional because they did know some of the prophecies here and Scripture here, and they thought, man, this is going to come true the way it is here. [00:03:29]
I hope in a church service I hope you feel something amen I when you come to a church service whether it's song whether you pray with somebody whether you got something from Collins I hope you feel something how many how many believe you ought to feel something when you when you come together amen but how many realize that the church don't create that feeling okay there are churches today that try to create a feeling here and so whenever that feeling is gone the emotions is gone and whenever you devotion is based on emotion devotion fades quickly. [00:10:54]
Because this Bible, when you memorize it, when you meditate on it, it don't leave you. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against God. You hide the word of God in your heart. Now, look at John 12 very quickly here. And I want you to notice here, Jesus had become very popular here. And the Jewish families always came to Jerusalem for the Passover. And it's Passover and you have all kinds of visitors here. [00:12:45]
Now, are there curious people this time of year that they're curious and they want to check things out and they want to see, I want to see the real deal. I don't want to see an emotional thing here. Now, what happens here, Jesus had become very, very popular. How many of you see this? Okay. He'd become very, very popular and a lot of people are seeking him, but not everybody is seeking him for the right reason. [00:14:10]
they'll have whatever that's another subject okay and they will get excited about it but a lot of people do not really really know the Lord Jesus Christ and you know what we're going to see here a lot of people also celebrate this holiday with just I always do it it's it's become normal to me here and they've never had a fresh discernment of who it's about I was in Sunday school today and I learned something new Lee amen that was phenomenal to talk about the blood of Jesus Christ here. [00:15:00]
Now, can you imagine here emotionally they are not celebrating. Now let me ask you a question here. Is everybody this week emotionally celebrating with heartfelt worship or are some people angered about the cross this week? You realize the cross will offend people. And if it offends you, so be it. Amen? Okay. But do you realize, how many realize here, a church should always put up a cross? [00:17:58]
timetable and if you don't understand god's timetable you're going to be emotionally let down how many believe that if you don't understand god's ways god's power here you're going to be emotionally let down do you say preacher how do you know that the same people that said save us later on changed their emotions and said crucify him now the why why why are our emotions so very powerful here because they were accurate right were they accurate look what he says right here what were they saying blessed is the king of who israel that cometh in the name of the lord here. [00:21:51]
behold thy king come sitting on an ass's coat here now he comes riding in on a donkey now why david rode in on a donkey okay how many realize david was a king what was symbolic of riding in the donkey very humble very peaceful here now can you imagine the roman soldiers their kings and pontius and all those people when they came into town it was the white horses it was the chariots it was pomp circumstances it was like man okay it was very different from the way that jesus came in. [00:23:31]
contrast with your emotions who do you listen to your emotions your heart or do you listen to scripture how many times i've ever heard this statement listen to your what ever hear people say that before no no no i'm not gonna listen to my heart because my heart sometimes doesn't want to love my enemies anybody's heart want to love your enemies here okay anybody's heart uh want to do some things that i'm glad our heart you know i had my little two -year -old granddaughter this weekend at my daughter we were talking as a two -year -old sometimes even the terrible twos come out amen. [00:26:51]
When they're flaunting, save us, do what we want to do here. And they realized here, later on, when the Holy Spirit, when Jesus died, buried, resurrected, and he gave them the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit started showing them, you must always act on truth. Because your emotions, your emotions here, will guide you wrongly. Your emotions will not tell you the biblical way to do things here. And what happens right here, later on, did they get it here? [00:28:34]
You understand, when we take communion next week here, the best revival you can have is when you stop playing church and you stop playing Holy Week. Okay, and you stop doing these things because you know these things, and you stop, I want you to have your emotions, right? But I want you to understand why we do what we do here. Now, as I'm done here, I challenge you to have a set time where your understanding can grow deeper of Jesus Christ. Your appreciation of the cross can grow deeper here. [00:30:34]
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