Preparing Hearts for Easter: Obedience, Compassion, and Sharing
Devotional
Day 1: Obedience in the Small Things
Obedience to Jesus' instructions, even when they seem insignificant, can lead to significant outcomes. The disciples' act of fetching a colt for Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is a prime example of this. They did not fully understand the significance of their actions, yet their obedience paved the way for a momentous event. Similarly, we are called to listen and act on Jesus' guidance, trusting that our actions, however small, can lead to significant outcomes. This obedience is rooted in love and a desire to fulfill our purpose as disciples, which includes loving God and others. [08:34]
"And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22, ESV)
Reflection: What small act of obedience is Jesus calling you to today, and how can you trust Him with the outcome?
Day 2: Cultivating a Heart of Compassion
Feeling what Jesus feels means cultivating a heart of compassion and empathy for those who are lost or suffering. Jesus wept over Jerusalem, not for Himself, but for the spiritual condition of its people. His tears were genuine, born out of deep love and concern. We are encouraged to reflect on our own emotional responses to the lostness around us. When was the last time we wept for a friend, neighbor, or family member who is far from God? This emotional engagement is crucial for genuine intercession and outreach. [14:38]
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight." (Romans 12:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life is experiencing spiritual or emotional pain, and how can you show them compassion and empathy today?
Day 3: Sharing the Transformative Message
Telling who Jesus is involves sharing the good news of His resurrection and love with others. The excitement and stir caused by Jesus' entry into Jerusalem were a direct result of His disciples' obedience and His own compassion. We are reminded that our cities and communities can be similarly stirred if we follow Jesus' example. Sharing our faith is not about having perfect knowledge but about demonstrating genuine care and love for others. [24:36]
"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect." (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)
Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can share the hope of Jesus with today, and how can you do so with gentleness and respect?
Day 4: The Power of Earnest Prayer
Our prayers often focus on temporary needs, but we are challenged to pray earnestly for the salvation of those around us. Genuine intercession can lead to transformation and salvation for those we care about. This kind of prayer requires a heart that is deeply moved by the spiritual condition of others and a commitment to stand in the gap for them. [20:08]
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison." (Colossians 4:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: Who is one person you can commit to praying for daily, asking God to open their heart to His love and salvation?
Day 5: Building Relationships for the Kingdom
The church grows through relationships and personal connections. We are encouraged to build relationships with those around us, creating opportunities to share the message of Jesus and invite others into a life-changing relationship with Him. This involves being intentional about reaching out, showing genuine interest in others, and being willing to invest time and energy into these relationships. [33:57]
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to build a deeper relationship with someone in your community, with the intention of sharing the love of Christ?
Sermon Summary
Preparing for Easter is an opportunity to deepen our spiritual journey and align our lives more closely with the teachings of Jesus. While we often prepare extensively for Christmas, Easter, the holiest day for Christians, sometimes receives less attention. To truly honor this sacred time, we can draw inspiration from the biblical account of Palm Sunday and focus on three key actions: doing what Jesus says, feeling what Jesus feels, and telling who Jesus is.
Firstly, doing what Jesus says involves simple obedience to His instructions, even when they seem unusual or insignificant. The story of Jesus instructing His disciples to fetch a colt for His entry into Jerusalem illustrates this point. Their obedience, despite not understanding the full significance, paved the way for a momentous event. Similarly, we are called to listen and act on Jesus' guidance, trusting that our actions, however small, can lead to significant outcomes. This obedience is rooted in love and a desire to fulfill our purpose as disciples, which includes loving God and others.
Secondly, feeling what Jesus feels means cultivating a heart of compassion and empathy for those who are lost or suffering. Jesus wept over Jerusalem, not for Himself, but for the spiritual condition of its people. His tears were genuine, born out of deep love and concern. We are encouraged to reflect on our own emotional responses to the lostness around us. When was the last time we wept for a friend, neighbor, or family member who is far from God? This emotional engagement is crucial for genuine intercession and outreach.
Lastly, telling who Jesus is involves sharing the good news of His resurrection and love with others. The excitement and stir caused by Jesus' entry into Jerusalem were a direct result of His disciples' obedience and His own compassion. We are reminded that our cities and communities can be similarly stirred if we follow Jesus' example. Sharing our faith is not about having perfect knowledge but about demonstrating genuine care and love for others. As we prepare for Easter, let's focus on these actions, trusting that they will lead to opportunities to share the transformative message of Jesus.
Key Takeaways
1. Simple Obedience: Just as the disciples followed Jesus' instructions to fetch a colt, we are called to obey His guidance, even when it seems insignificant. Our obedience can lead to significant outcomes, paving the way for God's work in our lives and communities. [08:34]
2. Cultivating Compassion: Jesus wept over Jerusalem, showing deep compassion for its people. We are encouraged to reflect on our emotional responses to those who are lost and to cultivate a heart of genuine empathy and concern. [14:38]
3. Sharing the Good News: The excitement in Jerusalem was a result of Jesus' presence and His disciples' actions. We are reminded that sharing our faith is about demonstrating genuine care and love, which can stir our communities and open doors for evangelism. [24:36]
4. The Power of Prayer: Our prayers often focus on temporary needs, but we are challenged to pray earnestly for the salvation of those around us. Genuine intercession can lead to transformation and salvation for those we care about. [20:08]
5. Building Relationships: The church grows through relationships and personal connections. We are encouraged to build relationships with those around us, creating opportunities to share the message of Jesus and invite others into a life-changing relationship with Him. [33:57] ** [33:57]
I'm suggesting that the first thing we do to prepare for Easter this year is do what Jesus says. Two of his disciples obeyed his unusual instructions. Doesn't it grab you as a bit unusual that he calls two guys, and we don't know which two he called? They're not named for us. I think that's an advantage in terms of it could be any of us, right? [00:06:02]
Their simple obedience brought glory to God. They went and did what they were told to do, and as a consequence, Jesus was mounted on a Colt, came riding into the city of Jerusalem, and the crowds erupted in praise and honor and glorification of God. Their simple obedience paved the way for the greatest day in human history. [00:08:34]
We know broadly speaking that we exist to make Christlike disciples, so we can expect that some of what he tells us will be along those lines. We know that our purpose as a local church is to love God and love others, so we can be tuned into the love channel, expecting that Jesus will tell us some things about loving God and loving others. [00:09:36]
He wept over Jerusalem. Today, on the hillside that Jesus was descending on that first Palm Sunday, stands a tiny Chapel with a tear-shaped dome that commemorates that moment when Jesus wept. The Greek word translated as wept suggests more than tears. It suggests the kind of soul-racking, gut-wrenching, teeth-gritting sobbing that a person does at the grave of a friend. [00:11:38]
He didn't cry for himself. You know, he was on his way to die. He knew that they didn't get it, but he knew that. But he wept over the spiritual condition of the people in Jerusalem, over the lostness of those people, over the fate that was coming to them. He wept for them. He had liquid compassion for the sheep of Israel. [00:14:38]
When is the last time you had a good cry over those you know who are lost and facing destruction? And again, I'm not talking about some made-up tears. I'm talking about something that comes up deep from within, a God-induced weeping because you recognize the desperate fate toward which people are heading. [00:15:58]
Our praying is consumed with things that are temporary. It's ironic that the Lord sent me to talk about this today when in Sunday school we talked about the temporariness of physical bread, right? But our passion level is on a scale of 0 to 10. It scores about a zero as far as I can tell. [00:20:08]
I do think there's an issue about how concerned we are about the lostness of people, at least concerned enough to bring it up for prayer. And I do think that some people aren't getting saved yet because they're not being prayed for enough. I'll fight about that. [00:20:48]
What do we have to tell? That we have a risen savior, that death could not hold him, that he loved us so much he died for us. Man, I'm glad I don't have to tell about Mary Baker Eddy or Joseph Smith or Buddha or Krishna. We've got Jesus to tell about. [00:22:21]
The whole city was stirred as a result of two disciples who did what Jesus told them to do. If you go back to the top, those two men went and followed those odd instructions to the T, and the end result is that the whole city of Jerusalem, a pretty significant city, was stirred. [00:24:36]
I think if you look at scripture, the answer would be yes. We've got it complicated and convoluted all over the place, but if we will do what Jesus tells us to do and we will feel what Jesus feels, I think our city will be stirred, and we'll have opportunities to tell people about Jesus. [00:29:28]
The church grows through OAS evangelism. OAS is a Greek word that means household. You go through the New Testament, you see that it was Cornelius who had gathered everybody in his household, his servants, his relatives, everybody he could think of, right? People who know people, people who know Jesus. [00:33:57]