palm sunday - jesus models servanthood to his followers

“Avoid fast cars and ride a bike instead”

Series – ‘Follow my Leader’

Today

‘Jesus models servanthood to His followers’

John12:12-19

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that

went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!"

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"

Matt 21:8-9

‘Jesus models servanthood to His followers’

To fulfil prophecy

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and

riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey

Zech 9:9

‘Why did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a colt?

To demonstrate humility

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and

humble in heart

Matt 11:29

‘Why did Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a colt?

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is He who

comes in the name of the LORD

Ps 118:24-26

So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how

the whole world has gone after Him!"

John 12:19

Develop a Christ like servant mind

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

Phil 2:5

Jesus is the true model of humility – Phil 2

Develop a Christ like servant motive

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit

Phil 2:3a

Jesus is the true model of humility – Phil 2

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself;

it is thinking of yourself less”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Develop a Christ like humility

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but

made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness … he

humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!

Phil 2:6-8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and

to walk humbly with your God

Micah 6:8

"Humility is powerful, for it is based on the sense of being absolutely dependent on the

grace of God ... Humility is not worried about ‘face’. It is prepared to own a fault, a mistake, make an apology, or make restitution if it has

wronged anyone."

Eric Liddell from ’The Disciplines of a Christian life’

3 groups of people?

1. ‘What’s in it for me?’

2. ‘I’m just here to enjoy myself’

3. ‘I’m just following the crowd’

“Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done

to me … It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to

have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of

calmness, when all around and above is trouble”

Andrew Murray