Why This Praise - Palm Sunday 2009 April 15 - Like 19:28-40

Why This Praise - Palm Sunday 2009 April 15 - Luke 19:28-40

The Palm Sunday story

we we see what we have, praise is the natural response.
The people on Palm Sunday saw what they had in Jesus
The Pharisees did not...they were focused on something else...themselves

Praising God...does this seem weird to you?
Do we Methodists praise?
When do we do this?
Ask the average church member: I guess when we sing, but I don't know.
Emphasis on I don't know.

The joke: a fellow from a more demonstrative church visited the mainline
At a good point of the sermon, he would shout out "praise the Lord"
Sir, we don't do that here

Why this praise? Why did they praise Jesus that day?
Reason #1 You praise what you love...
what you love probably is you God - idolatry is alive and well on planet earth

and everyone is praising, exalting something...
It is what we do. We see something that we like and we call it good.
We make choices of what we will exalt: our self, sports, money, God
If we are fixated on the wrong things, we do so at our peril
The result of such living is predictable.

We praise what we love
For what it does, and for who it is
For what is does, we praise the dog
What who it is, we praise those special people

A man gave his wife the most beautiful compliment: "Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you."

Authentic praise of God acknowledges what is true about God; it responds to qualities that are "there" and not simply "there for me..." In other words,God is to be praised because God is God, because of what God is and does, quite apart from what God is and does for me.

Reason #2: Why did they praise Jesus that day?
It is what we are made for...boy does that sound weird.

We are not our worn! This is a difficult lesson to hear and to get across in a culture-our lives are not simply our own to live. Genuine life is found in relationship to God.

It empowers us, it lifts us up as we life up God
You Praise me up...song
It brings us joy

Samuel Goldwyn said, when someone does something good, applaud! You will make two people happy--

When you choose a selfish life, you can feel the unhappiness
When you open your heart in joy with an outward focus, and look for God in every moment, do you feel the joy?
this is what we are made for, to see the good and give thanks to God

Praise must be relevant
Waving palm branches anymore-any adults want to try this?
People joke about rolling in the aisles ...swinging from chandeliers
The pastor that handle the snakes
Associated Press/april 15, 2004-Jonesville, VA--a preacher who refused medical treatment after a rattlesnake bit him during the serpent-handling part of Easter service has died, authorities said.
The Rev. Dwayne Long, 45, of Rose Hill in far southwestern Virginia just across the state line from Kentucky's Harlan County, was holding a rattle-snake when it bit him on the back of a finger. Lee County Sheriff Gary Parsons said.
Parsons said the congregation prayed for Long, but no one sought medical treatment. Long died Monday at this home. Long was pastor of a Pentecostal church where members interpret serpent-handling as a form of obedience to God. Snake-handlers believer that when people die of a snakebite they receive during a church service, it was simply their time to go. Long leaves a wife, five children and two grandchildren.

Maybe you have watched a church a TV where they raise their hands
I believe that we can praise God 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

Jackie Best began the litany with the soft voice she saves for leading morning prayers with her sisters in faith: "We thank you, Lord, for this day. For mending families. For Healing broken hearts..."

Her volume and eloquence rising, Best and the circle of seven women around her began to shout, sing and sway. Their voices rose to a climax--"Amen, Hallelujah!" Then Best yelled even louder: "To you be the honor and glory, Lord! Guide our steps, Lord! Amen, Lord!"

Tears trickled down one woman's face as she bellowed a cascade of praises in toungues. With that, the group fell silent. The circle broke. Each said amen and drifted away. Worship was over. Now it was time to do hair.

So there is praise, and then there is hair cutting.
I reject this. We cannot separate our lives into the spiritual and the unspiritual.

Can I not praise God by how I cut my hair? Can I not praise God by how I treat the people I come into contact with during the day?
You can praise God, Anytime you just by being aware of His presence with you. It is not something that you do to begin the day, and then go about your life
A spiritual awareness of God is available to you anytime you stop to take notice.
And the moment that you take notice of God's work, you are praising.

Sayting thanks, offering affirmation, appreciation

All of life is praise
Rob Bell one of my fav preachers - everything is spiritual
There is not word for spiritual in Hebrew. Everything is spiritual.
Ask Jesus, How is your spiritual life...

One of our bands sings a song;
All the world....to be your voice

17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

Praise is not a response to seomthing...it is the core of what our life is...

An old jewish legand gives the origin of praise this way: After God created the world, God asked the angels what they thought of it all. "Only one thing lacking," they said. "It is the sound of praise to the Creator." So, the legend goes, God created music of birds, the ehispering wind, the murmuring ocean, and polanted melody inthe hearts of men and women.

Conclusion

I hope to get this idea off the pages of the Bible and make it real for you

praise will not end, because we keep leearninf about God; not so much in the great theological truths, but in becoming more aware of the amazing small things around us.

Close with Psalm 150 - Jeff Brinkman version
1Praise the LORD. Praise God in this sanctury; praise hin when you are outside.
2Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his acts of kindness and love.
3Praise him on the basketball court, praise him by the way you drive your car,
4Praise him with kind words to family members, praise him by prioritizing your life
5Praise him by being aware of His simple gifts, praise him with a thankful heart.
6Let everthing that has breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Lyrics: You Raise Me Up

When I am down and, my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
The, I am still and wait here in the silence withme.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up; To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
but when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
you raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulder;
You raise me up; To more than I can be.

All the World

All the world is a story
All the world is a stage
All the world is a canvas
All the world is a page
All the world is a horizon
All the world is a field of dreams
All the world is an open doorway
All the world is a place for me

To be Your voice
To be Your touch
To give an answer
to show Your love
To hold out hope
To offer peace
To shine Your light for everyone to see
In all the world

All the world is a someone
All the world is a dance
All the world is a moment
All the world is a chance

You are amazing mercy
You are undying grace
i want the world to see how wonderful you are
Upon my face