2. From Vision to Victory Palm Sunday 2018

3. Keeping your Eyes on the Prize
Matthew 21:1-5
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at
once you will find a donkey tied there, with a colt beside her. Untie them and
bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell them that the Lord needs them,
And he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet:
“Say to the Daughter of Zion
See, your King comes to you,
gentle, and riding on a donkey,
On a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech 9:9, Is 62:11)
Zech 9:9
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!     Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you,     righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey,     on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Is 62:11
The Lord has made proclamation     to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion,     ‘See, your Saviour comes! See, his reward is with him,     and his recompense accompanies him.’”
They will be called the Holy People
And the Redeemed of the Lord
And you will be called Sought After,
And the City no longer Deserted.”

4. God’s plan, Jesus’ mission
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was for purpose He only ever did what He saw His father do His purpose was to follow God’s plan His focus was on His God-given mission The disciples tended to get distracted! Opportunities for distraction were many Staying focused is vital to reaching the objective
Jesus did not “happen” to do anything! Gospels show Jesus to be 1) Messiah to the Jews; 2) Saviour to the Gentiles 3) Word made flesh 4) the fulfilment of God’s promises to the Jews and, through them, to all humanity and all of creation
Jesus’ sole focus was to carry out His Father’s wishes
His life was dedicated to the mission that God gave Him
He constantly had to re-focus his disciples on the mission! And He did not waste time where His energies would be wasted – e.g.
When Joseph & Mary found Jesus in the Temple, He told them, “Did you not know I must be about my Father’s business?”
in sending out the disciples, told them, if they do not receive you, shake the dust off your feet!
When Peter cut off the temple guard’s ear, Jesus restored the guard and rebuked Peter
Jesus knew Peter’s capacity for betrayal; Peter was blown off course, lost his focus even when forewarned.

5. Staying focused
Jesus stayed focused through: Prayer Knowing scripture Aligning His thoughts with His Father’s Constant focus on God’s plan and His mission “Leaving all else behind” “Not my will, but Yours” Surrender. Absolute, selfless dedication.

6. People’s praise v God’s approval
The “Hosanna!” of the crowd feeds human need People project their own ideas and agendas Ambition, pride, power easily distract Crowds can turn ugly when not pleased Disciples desert when the going gets tough When the going gets tough … only God’s strength is enough You cannot distract God, you cannot obstruct God, you cannot prevent God

7. Keeping focused – Church / Personal Goals
Pray for God’s direction; His will, not yours Pray for wisdom in all your thinking Assess the situation – opportunities, energies, responsibilities, gifting, heart Exercise your faith muscles! Decide on your goals; test against scripture Order your priorities; cut out distractions Marshall your resources; pray for provision Keep praying, assessing, testing, prioritising

8. Things to think about this Passion Week
Do you have a vision for your life? Is it God-given, or man-made? Does it fit with you, your circumstances and your lifestyle? Have you set goals in line with your vision? How do faith and realism figure in your goals? How do your own goals sit within your context – how do you get from where you are to where God wants you to be?

9. .....................C o m i n g s o o n t o R e d h o u s e