Journey to the Cross: Kingdom and Power

My Palm/Passion Sunday sermon. All I have is an outline and the audio. It consisted mostly of scripture reading.
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Journey to the Cross: Kingdom and Power

·       Different – scripture doing the preaching.

·       Today is interesting. We have triumph and a celebration, almost victory celebration.

·       Then we have despair, suffering, and death.

·       First Jesus making his final trip into Jerusalem.

·       Mark 11:1-11

·       During Passover Jerusalem 50,000-200,000

·       Romans wanted to maintain order. Soldiers.

·       Jesus on opposite side of town greeted with jubilation instead of fear.

·       Entry is juxtaposition. Palms vs. colt. Palms – victory, majesty. Maccabees. Capture fortress rededicate temple. Wave palms.

·       Joy and celebration would not last.

·       Mark 14:12-15:39

·       Story marked by internal struggle. Peter, Pilate, crowd, Jesus, Judas?

·       Bigger struggle. External. Cosmic. God’s kingdom, God’s power vs. world’s kingdom, world’s power.

·       Kingdom through death, not conquering. Power through suffering and death.

·       Lent, our own internal struggle.