The Day the Shouting Stopped

As we look toward Easter, I will try to teach on the wonders of, not only the sacrifices Jesus Christ made but the accomplishments he made for us. This is my first blog, I hope it will bless you in Jesus’ name.

THE DAY THE SHOUTING STOPPED

The life of our Lord was marked by contrasts. In the beginning of His ministry, He operated in obscurity. Then, as the news of His power spread and people started talking about Him as the Messiah, people began to flock around Him being drawn by the excitement of His miracles and the uniqueness of His preaching. By the second year of His earthly ministry, Jesus was thronged with crowds of people everywhere He traveled; until He began to preach the message of extreme commitment (John 6), and then many drifted away. By the time Jesus reached the end of His ministry, the crowds were composed of those who were committed to following Him. Many because they believed and loved Jesus, but many in the crowd were not always in favor of the Lord and what He was doing and saying. Many times the crowds were comprised of those who were violently opposed to His teaching. Even among His own disciples there was Judas. Always remember, a crowd is fickle! Never allow anyone to force you to be part of the crowd. You need to be man enough or woman enough to make your own decisions.

As Jesus reached the last week of His life on earth, the crowds are still there. One of the things that strikes me about these crowds that surrounded Jesus during His last week of earthly ministry is the fact that they were engaged in a lot of shouting. Let’s travel with Jesus to three events in His life during His last week of ministry. At all three of these events, the crowds were shouting in the presence of the Lord. All of these events lead up to that day when the shouting stopped. I would like for us to focus on the events that led to The Day the Shouting Stopped.

Scripture Reading (Luke 19:29-40)

I. THE CROWDS SHOUTED AT HIS ENTRANCE

Why? – Because Jesus was exciting. They had seen the miracles and the power that He had demonstrated. Some in this crowd were genuine in their love for Him, but others were there just to see what He would do next. People are still interested in Jesus for what He can do! They want the miracles and the excitement. But, just because you love the miracles does not mean that you are saved!

They were shouting because of His message - They had experienced Enlightenment. Some were there shouting because of the radical teachings they had heard Jesus giving out. He was different and they were drawn to that. (John 6:47; Matt. 7:28-29) There is still those that flock to the unusual. Folk can hear someone who is a little different, and they act like they have heard an angel speaking to them. People are attracted to the unusual, but just because you love the message does not mean that you are saved!

They shouted because they believed that Jesus was the Messiah - They had experienced Expectation. On Palm Sunday we commemorate our Lord's triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago. For the disciples of Jesus, this was a day of great excitement and joy. But for our Lord, it was a day of disappointment and heartbreak. Because, this was the day that Jesus would make it clear to all whom saw Him, just Who He was.

All through His life and public ministry Jesus had proven Himself to be the Messiah. He had fulfilled the prophecies, performed the miracles and He had told the Jews repeatedly that He was the Savior that they had been anticipating. And they had steadfastly refused to believe His claims. This was the day when Jesus drew the line in the sand. When He appeared on the donkey, riding down from the Mount of Olives, there was no doubt as to what He was doing. He was revealing Himself as the Messiah of Israel.

At this great event, you will notice that the multitudes are shouting and lifting their voices in praise of the Lord. They know what He is doing and they are certain that He has come to deliver Israel from the bondage of Rome. Therefore, they cheer Him and shout praises to God because of Him.

Sadly, they missed the entire significance of this event. It is true that Jesus came in fulfillment of the prophecy of the prophet Zechariah (Zech 9:9). And, He also did this to force the hand of the Jewish leaders, (Matt. 26:1-5), who already planned to kill Jesus after the Passover. But, the reason Jesus came into Jerusalem was for the sole purpose of going to Calvary. These people missed it all! This man was headed to the cross! It was the sole purpose in his existence ( Isa. 50:7; John 18:37; Matt. 16:21.) Just because someone thinks He is the Messiah does not mean that they are saved!

Many people enjoy the miracles, the message and the Messiah of the church, but they miss the fact that salvation only comes through a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t come just to heal you, to feed you, to bless you, to teach you, or to fulfill a bunch of old prophecies to the people of Israel. Jesus came for the sole purpose of going to the cross and dying for the sins of man. He came to be the Savior of the world! Until you know Him in that relationship, you don't know Him at all!

II. THE CROWDS SHOUTED AT HIS EXAMINATION

John 19:13-16

The words "cried out" mean "to scream for or to demand something be done." This crowd is whipped into a frenzy that nothing but the blood of Jesus can satisfy. Here, some of that same crowd that shouted Hosanna last Sunday as he made his entry into Jerusalem are shouting for His death during His trial before Pilate. - The crowd is fickle! When this Man, Whom they supposed to be the Messiah, didn't act as they thought He should, they wrote Him off as an impostor.

But, Why the sudden change?

They Considered Him An Impostor - John 19:13-16 - He did not overthrow Rome. This was the Jewish expectation concerning the promised Messiah, (Jer. 33:14-18.)

They Considered Him An Instigator - John 11:49-52 - He defied their Rulers (Matt. 23:25-28). Jesus did not cow down under the authority of the priests and scribes. He possessed an authority that was far greater than any they hoped to have.

They Considered Him An Intruder - He spoke against their Religion. He claimed to be God – (Matt. 26:63-65; John 8:58) Whether you know it or not, Jesus is on trial in your heart today! You are either in His corner or you are one of those who lift their voice against Him. You cannot have it both ways! You are either for Jesus, or you are against Him, Matt. 12:30. If you are one of those who have not yielded to the Lord by trusting Jesus for your salvation, you are part of that crowd that cries out against Him. Jesus is on trial in your heart! Which side of the issue are you on? What is your verdict concerning Jesus?

III. THE CROWDS SHOUTED AT HIS EXECUTION

Mark 15:25-37

The horrors of His death and the indignities to which the Lamb of God was subjected! Even while the Lord Jesus hung on the cross, the crowds mocked Him; They ridiculed Him; They falsely accused Him. They walked by and wagged their heads at Him. (that is the equivalent of what children do in elementary school when they stick their tongues out at one another. It was a sign of contempt and utter hatred!) By this time, their tolerance of this strange man with the strange message had turned to pure hatred. They wanted Jesus dead and they wanted His teachings to die with Him!

(But, Why all the anger?)

They Misunderstood Christ's Mission - Again, they were looking for a man that would overthrow Rome. They were looking for a revolutionary. What they missed is that Jesus did not come for revolt, but for redemption! They were so busy looking for this Messiah Who would usher in the Kingdom, that they totally missed Isa. 53:1-12. This passage is clear in its teachings that their Messiah must die for the people! People still miss it today! Jesus did not come to this earth to be an example, a mere way-shower. He did not come as a teacher, One Who communicated truth. He did not come as a social reformer, One Who desired to lift the standard of life for people. No! Jesus Christ came to this world as THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life (John 14:6) He came for one purpose and for one purpose only: Jesus Christ came to this world to die, John 18:37!

They Misapplied Scriptures Message - When Jesus came to this world, He came to a people and a nation that was very religious. He came to a people who knew the Word of God, and who were looking for the advent of their Messiah. However, in all of their study of the Scripture, they totally missed Jesus. They were looking for a great military leader who would overthrow their enemies and lead the Jewish people to world dominance. They were looking for a King! When Jesus came as the Son of Man, as a Servant of the people, as One destined to die on a cross, they stumbled and totally missed what the Word of God had taught them. Remember what Jesus told them in John 5:39? From the time God slew the first animal in Eden to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve, through the many years and millions of animals that were slain at the Tabernacle and Temple, God was teaching His people that an innocent sacrifice had to die to take away the sins of those who are guilty. These people missed the Servant while they looked for the Soldier! Certainly, Messiah would do all the things they expected, just not when they expected. When they saw Jesus on that cross, they were finished with Him. The cross became their great stumbling block, 1 Cor. 1:18-25.

It still is to many people! Where do you stand in regard to the cross? Friend, Jesus the Teacher cannot save you! Jesus the Miracle Worker cannot save you! Jesus the good Example cannot save you. However, Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, Who shed His blood on the old rugged cross can save you! It took the death of Christ to open the way to God, 1 Pet. 1:18-19! It took the shedding of His blood to wash away man's sin, Rev. 1:5, Heb. 9:22. Have you received Jesus and His death on the cross as the atonement for your sins?

They Missed God's Methods - Jesus truly came to set them free, but not like they thought He would, John 10:10. In those 6 hours on that cross, Jesus accomplished more than any conqueror in history! He defeated Death, Sin, Satan, Hell, Eternity, etc! If those people had just understood the message of God, they would not have been reviling, they would have been rejoicing! They would have been shouting the victory knowing that their sin debt was forever being settled on that cross! But they didn't get it then, and many of us do not get it now! Salvation is not to the good, the diligent, the holy, the hard worker, or those who have turned over a new leaf. Salvation belongs to those who come face to face with their own sinfulness. To those who are willing to admit that they are sinners. To those who look to the Christ Who died on that cross and come before Him confessing their sins and calling on Him for salvation.

Finally, that terrible day ended. The lifeless body of Jesus hung dead on that cross. The blood that had poured out of His body was coagulating at His feet. The awful death He endured on that cross was mercifully over. There is silence as the crowd slowly leaves the wretched scene and heads to their homes. They aren't shouting now. The shouting stopped because the object of their anger was dead!

But If the people on that hillside had known what we know now, they would have been shouting the victory! If they could have seen that in three days, this One they had watched die would rise from the dead and conquer death Hell and the grave, they would have bowed before Him in humble submission and left that hillside shouting the victory. Yes, the shouting stopped the day Jesus died. His enemies stopped because the object of their hatred was dead. His followers lost their shout because the object of their affection was dead. But let me remind you there came a day, just three days later, when the shouting started up again! I am not here telling you a story of a dead Savior! I am telling you about a Savior Who died on the cross and Who rose again from the dead. I am telling you about One Who is alive forever to provide you with salvation if you will just believe in what he did for you on that cross. Believe with all your heart that through your faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection you have eternal life. All scripture teaches that salvation comes from believing Jesus. Believe what he said; Believe he died for your sins; Believe in his resurrection power, and you will receive eternal life, and the Holy Spirit will make you a part of His Body, the Body of Christ.