North Main Street Church of God Sermons

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Something to think about:

It’s interesting how something so simple can be misunderstood in a way as to completely distort the whole context of the truth.  A few misplaced letters or words in a sentence can completely change the meaning of the message, or a person’s misreading of the text can change the meaning as well.

We see this very clearly in the New Testament description of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of the week of Passover in what we call Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  In this passage, in John 12, Jesus makes His most important, and final entry into Jerusalem, as King (and as martyr).

But, before we get to John 12, let’s read a passage of scripture from the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.  This passage describes the very purpose of Jesus, and the joy in which He embraced that purpose.

Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV),

2  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Now, let’s look at how Jesus approached the cross during his final days…

Turn in your Bibles to:  John 12:1-19

The key point this morning is this…

Key Point:  “Misplaced joy comes from misunderstanding God’s purposes, and this leaves a person disillusioned and frustrated; however true, fulfilling joy comes in trusting that God’s purposes are always right.”

What can we learn from this passage today about misplaced joy and misunderstanding God’s purposes?

In the Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel there’s a story of friendship between a man by the name of David (who would become king of Israel), and another man named Jonathan (the son of the first king of Israel, Saul).  Though fraught with difficulty because Saul became David’s enemy, and sought to kill him, David and Jonathan’s friendship would thrive under the most difficult of circumstances.

This friendship was so deep, in fact, that it extended beyond the grave.  How so?  Well, Saul and Jonathan would die together in battle while David was still on the run from Saul.  After that fateful battle, David would assume the throne, while weeping over the loss of those two men.  Several years into his reign, David would continue to remember his friend Jonathan, and one day decided to do something uncharacteristic of a King.  That’s where we pick up the story today.

2 Samuel 9:1-13

The key point is this…

Key Point:  “True friendship is hard to find, but true friendship that lasts a lifetime bears the seeds of joy and restoration.”

In the Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel there’s a story of friendship between a man by the name of David (who would become king of Israel), and another man named Jonathan (the son of the first king of Israel, Saul).  Though fraught with difficulty because Saul became David’s enemy, and sought to kill him, David and Jonathan’s friendship would thrive under the most difficult of circumstances.

This friendship was so deep, in fact, that it extended beyond the grave.  How so?  Well, Saul and Jonathan would die together in battle while David was still on the run from Saul.  After that fateful battle, David would assume the throne, while weeping over the loss of those two men.  Several years into his reign, David would continue to remember his friend Jonathan, and one day decided to do something uncharacteristic of a King.  That’s where we pick up the story today.

2 Samuel 9:1-13

The key point is this…

Key Point:  “True friendship is hard to find, but true friendship that lasts a lifetime bears the seeds of joy and restoration.”

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What is the will of God and how do we discern it? How do we know what is from God and what is from something else? How can we make sense of everything in the world and still maintain a sense of hope and joy? When all hope seems lost, what should we do in the midst of distress and uncertainty?

As we continue our series today entitled, “Joy in the Promise,” we come to the continuing saga of the plight of the Israelites in the Promised Land. If you remember from a couple of weeks ago, we looked at the “Cycles of Madness” that the Israelites were going through that entailed: Sin, Slavery, Supplication (Repentance), and Salvation.

Today, we witness that same cycle under the leadership of the prophet/judge Samuel. However, in today’s passage of Scripture, we see the ending of a period of sin/slavery and the beginning of repentance/salvation.