"WHAT WERE YOU ASKING WHEN YOU ASKED GOD TO SAVE YOU?" (Matthew 21:1-17)

Recently I attended a high school graduation ceremony. Four of the faculty members stood to encourage the graduates as they moved on with their lives. *One teacher spoke of his knowledge of the Hebrew language. It consisted of just two words...."Selah"-(meditation) and "Hosanna"-(save now). How many of you here today have ever asked the Lord to save you? -(TOPIC)

 (John 18:36-"Jesus answered, My kingdom is NOT of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but NOW is my kingdom NOT from hence.")

*The people may have CRYED HOSANNA....but they didn't MEAN A WORD OF IT"!!! Jesus told Pilate that day that if they truly were his servants, he wouldn't be standing there! Simply put, because the people didn't MEAN what they asked for, apparently they never GOT what they asked for! Certainly they weren't saved from Roman oppression, and many that day continued to live on in lostness!

They were like many today who ask God to save them, while having NO INTENTION of ever repenting or changing the direction of their life! *A pastor recently preached on the "10 signs of genuine salvation" recorded in the book of 1st John....(among which are "loving the brethren", "disturbed when sin is in your life", "an active prayer life", "Keeping his commandments", etc.) I'm convinced that the problem with churches (including Mt. Nebo) is that we are preaching to a bunch of GOATS who think they are SHEEP!

(2 Corin. 5:17-"If any man be in Christ he is a NEW CREATURE, old things are passed away, behold ALL THINGS are become new.")

(Psalm 55:19-"Because they have NO CHANGES, therefore they FEAR NOT GOD.")

(2 Peter 2:22-"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the DOG is turned to his own vomit again; and the SOW THAT WAS WASHED to her wallowing in the mire.")

*As we review this word "HOSANNA", we see:

(1)-THE LORDSHIP IN THAT REQUEST-("save")

This word "save" suggests a TOTAL TAKE OVER!

(2)-THE LONGING IN THAT REQUEST-("now")

What ever happened to the sense of urgency that sinners once had? These people had " ALTERIOR MOTIVES" in asking for salvation!-(parents will leave them alone/member of a group/burial plot/caught in their sins with no way out)

(3)-THE LEVEL OF THAT REQUEST-("in the HIGHEST")

Being "saved" is a MUST! It truly is the highest request that CAN be made by anyone!.... (Hebrews 7:25-"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.")

(4)-THE LIE IN THAT REQUEST-("crucify him"!?)

(Luke 23:21-"But they cried, saying, crucify him, crucify him.")

Pastor Brian Eades