Prelude – I AM 

I am the risen Son of God.

I am the creator of all.

I am the Savior bearing all the sins of man, 

the Alpha and Omega.

I am the spirit over the water.

I am the spirit within your soul.

I am the one who knew you before you were even born. 

I am the one you cry to for redemption.

I am the one from the line of David.

I am the king of Israel. 

I am the king of the universe.

I am the king of all who believe.

I am the risen Son of Man. 

I am the Savior and redeemer.

I am the word made flesh. 

I am the author of life and truth. 

I. The Son of David 

As the time drew near…

Jesus sent two disciples to the city telling them: “Go into the village in front of you…Bring the colt to me.”

 All must be done so that to the scriptures we adhere.

They went and found it just as he had said.

Then they entered the city, crowds ahead and behind shouted out loud: “Hosanna to the Son of David…Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…is this a man or a prophet? Should there be a crown upon his head?”

 II. The Temple is Cleansed

His eyes were wide with righteous anger.

His voice was as loud, full of authority, as he turned their tables and smashed their plunder. 

 “This is a house of prayer! What you have done here is now laid bare…You have made it a den of thieves…God in heaven covers his eyes…he grieves!”

 Before he left he turned and said with conviction,

 “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will build another…”

 They all looked back with disdain.

He exited…having felt the escalating tension!

III. Authority Challenged!

The priest came to him and asked from where his authority derived?

Calmly and deliberately, Jesus replied: “Before I answer I will ask a question of you.”

 ” When John was here doing his baptism thing was it from heaven or from men? 

 “Do you have a clue?”

 They talked to each other under their breath.

To say from man will surely bring a riot and maybe even death….

To say from heaven and he will ask why we rejected his claims…

Why did we try to bend his true aims?

So they turned and said – “We do not know – we cannot say.”

 Jesus looked them in the eye and said – “Then I will not say.” 

 And he turned and walked away!

IV. The Parables 

Jesus taught in parables.

He told simple stories,

common language to reach everyday people,

he made great truths understandable.

He spoke of the man with two sons and their inheritnace,

one who stayed and one who left,

one who squandered and one who obeyed,

until the prodigal one questioned his own competence.

Then he decided to turn around,

approach his father and beg forgiveness.

Please take me back?

I am like a ship run aground.

The father was waiting and watching with patience and compassion.

From far away he sees his broken son crawling home.

He jumps for joy and is overcome by an inspiring passion.

 “He was dead but is now alive again, he was lost but now is found…”

 he pleads, please understand son – I know that you stayed when your brother left,

but we must celebrate and be filled with joy,

praise God with upraised hands.

Your brother was dead,

but is alive again.

He was lost but he is found,

we must feast and break the heavenly bread.