“Learning to Praise” Luke 19:28-40

“Learning to Praise” Luke 19:28-40      Luke 2:14

Today is Palm Sunday. The day we celebrate Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. His 12 Disciples plus a crowd of hundreds of people who have been following Jesus around, are joined by people from the city who have heard that Jesus is coming. The result is a joyous parade of people sure to attract the attention of Jewish leaders and Romans as well. This crowd is laying their cloaks on the ground so Jesus could ride over them. They put palm branches on the road and they wave them around. Then they are shouting a blessing reserved for the Messiah. “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” The moment is so charged that Jesus said “if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

There is a part of worship that should be filled with reverence, holiness, and the overwhelming power of God. You get ready to meet the King. You check your clothes, your breath, and your heart to be sure to are ready to meet the King.

Another part of worship is the celebration. The Palm branches waving “rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen”

I think often both are missing from worship services. People enter the sanctuary like they would enter a Walmart. Then when the service starts they talk of all God has done like they are watching paint dry. Why is it that a football play gets more cheers than Jesus on the cross, rising from the dead, or saving our soul?

They key is not in the form of worship it’s in the emotion of our worship. Last week I spoke about passion and weeping for that which Jesus wept. In the local paper was my article about Mary breaking the Jar of oil, in emotional reverence and extravagant worship of God. Today I want to talk about the emotion of praise.

In the Spirit

John4:23

Psalm 29:1&2

Psalm 100:4

Psalm 150:6

Praise for his mighty works

Luke 19:37

Acts 3:8

Ex 34:20

Joining the parade

Hebrews 13:15

Col 3:16

“One log cannot burn alone but all our coals together build a fire”

Commit to worship

Engage the Holy Spirit

Let yourself feel deeply

Will we challenge ourselves to worship in Spirit and in truth.