Title: Easter Praise

Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the kingdom of our father David – Hosanna in the highest! Welcome to Haven Today, I’m Charles Morris. These words were shouted with joy to Jesus as he road into Jerusalem on a donkey just days before his crucifixion. Ironically the word Hosanna means “save us”. Although the people didn’t know it, they were making a plea for salvation, the very thing the King was coming to do. There were many ironic words spoken during the last few days leading up to the death of Jesus and then his resurrection. People were always saying things that were true about Jesus without realizing what they were saying. During the entire shameful spectacle of his suffering there was an unintentional tribute offered. You see, God sovereignly arranged for the King of Kings to receive honor even in his hour of humiliation, he ordained praise for him. May we offer praise right now to the music of “Handle”.

Song: Hallelujah Chorus

Welcome to Haven Today and this is a program called Easter Praise. That is the music of Handle “The Hallelujah Chorus”. As you read the account of Jesus last few days in Jerusalem up until his death it's amazing how often people speak words that are full of meaning without realizing what they're saying. The crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” was just using a cry, a slogan that had come to mean something like “God Save the Queen” in England today. It was a thing to say when you wanted to honor your monarch. When the crowd welcomed Jesus with shouts of hosanna, they didn't mean to be saying “save us” (the literal meaning of the word) but this is exactly what they should have been shouting. And God in his mysterious sovereignty arranged for them to say more than they meant to say. Psalm 8 says; “from the lips of children and infants you've ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence your foes”. God ordained praise for Jesus even the children shouted hosanna to the son of David when he was teaching in the temple days before his death. They probably had no idea what they were saying but when the Pharisees expressed their outrage Jesus quoted Psalm 8 to them, he understood that God ordained praise for him. Even his enemies said true words about him without knowing what they were saying. Caiaphas, the high priest thought Jesus was nothing more than a troublemaker who was attracting too much attention and that he was putting Israel in jeopardy with Rome. Getting rid of him seemed like the obvious solution so he told a meeting of Pharisees and high priests; “it is expedient for you but one man die for the people rather than having the whole nation perish”. Caiaphas didn't know he was saying something profoundly true about the death of Jesus. As the apostle John tells us he didn't say this on his own initiative but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation. The soldiers too, when they twisted the foreign branches together to make a crown and jam it down on the head of Jesus and draped a purple robe over his shoulders they meant ridiculed his royalty. But when they came up to him and slapped them and said; “hail King of the Jews”, what they said was true. Pilot did the same thing when he had the charges against him displayed over his head on the Cross he had “The King of the Jews” written in three languages; Latin, Greek, Aramaic. Even the use of the languages carried a meaning that Pilate could never have known. This man was indeed the King of the Jews, but according to prophecy the promised heir of David's throne would draw men, women and children from every nation into his kingdom. Metropolitan opera singer Jubilant Sykes sings the music of Easter and I was talking with him a few days ago about one song he's recorded that has a jazz sound to it that speaks of what Christ came to do. Jubilant, on your album “Jubilant” there is a song that has a jazz sound to it and it relates so much to Easter and Christ being crucified for his people. Tell us about that and then we need to listen to it too. (Jubilant speaking) It’s a great tune, it’s called “They Led My Lord Away”, it is so interesting because as a kid my father was a jazz triumphant player so I grew up hearing jazz and again from a Christian family I never thought it was odd because lyrically there were just instruments. There were no lyrics except for when Ella Fitsgerald would sing. But there were these sweet tunes to me, I mean this particular piece “They Led My Lord Away…tell me, I don’t know where they put him” is very meaningful. It’s just a wonderful piece.

Song: They Led My Lord Away

This is Haven Today and the program is called Easter Praise. That was Jubilant Sykes singing from his album “Jubilant”. On the album you will find many songs of Easter like; At the Cross, Were You There and other hymns of the faith like; Blessed Assurance, also spirituals that I think you would like as well. God sovereignly arranged for true words to be spoken about Jesus by people who had no intention of honoring him who in fact intended to dishonor him. Even when the whole world turned against him and his followers scattered to the winds even when he himself refused to open his mouth in his own defense but went to his death like a lamb to the slaughter God ordained praise for him. The crowds who welcomed him and then turned against him, Caiaphas the high priest who trumped up charges against him, the Roman soldiers who mocked him and pilot who condemned him… “If they hadn't done it” Jesus said, “the stones themselves would have cried out”. This ironic tribute continued even while he was on the cross. Matthew tells us that the rulers came by to sneer at him while he was nailed their. They said, “He saved others, he cannot save himself”. Little did they know, little did they even dream that he could not save himself if he was going to save others. Only two men, as far as we know, intentionally honored him with their words while he was there on the cross. One was a criminal crucified beside him the other criminal crucified that day had started slinging abuse at Jesus saying, “Aren't you the Christ, save yourself and us too”. But then there was the one who turned to Jesus and said these beautiful words, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”. The condemned man, the criminal, was one of only two people who spoke words of honor about Jesus and meant them. He knew that he was the king, he knew that his kingdom was in no way limited to this earth. He believed Jesus could save him, and Jesus promised to do just that. He said, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise”. The other man who honored him was the Centurion in charge of the execution squad the one who had ordered his men to carry out the crucifixion itself. This man also spoke a tribute to Jesus that was wrenched from his heart as he watched him die and heard what he said. As he watched in amazement he said, “Truly this man was righteous, he was the Son of God”. I am deeply touched by how God the Father honored Jesus during those terrible days and hours of his suffering. By a sovereign will even people who hated Jesus unintentionally spoke words that honored him, God ordained praise for him. You see this was his finest hour, a perfect righteous life full of power and mercy. That's what he lived up until this moment - but the cross was his triumph, his hour of glory and God would not let it pass without a word. I think heaven simply couldn't have stood by and watched if there had been no absolute silence, God made sure that there would be testimony to Jesus even when he himself turned his back and abandoned him to the justice our sins deserve. The cross is the wisdom of God it reveals to us wonderful saving things that we cannot in any other way have or know. The cross reveals to us the glory of Jesus like nothing else, he is the King of Kings and his cross is his crowning glory because on the Cross he saved his people from their sins. The cross was an emblem of shame in the Roman Empire. Roman citizens considered it beneath their dignity to even speak of this means of execution but Jesus has turned the cross into triumph. It's like a flag, a standard raise high. And for 2000 years people have been rallying to it and to the King who died there to save them. It’s the Cross that leads to the empty tomb and then the resurrection and then knew life for us in Christ alone.

Song: My Jesus I Love Thee

When we look at the Cross we see the glory of our King and we also see the destiny of humanity. Let me explain what I mean; people who do not know the Bible wonder what the human race is destined for. Will we be wiped out by a meteor? Will nuclear weapons being created by Iran take their toll? Will we have colonies in space? Will there ever be world peace? What is the destiny of the human race? The answer is; the Cross. God has ordained that the cross will be the centerpiece of all creation. The human race divides at the point of the Cross. Those who refuse to recognize its glory will pass into judgment. Those who see its glory will praise it forever. In the end of final book, the book of Revelation, tells us that there will be a multitude from every nation and the Cross will be the rallying point. God has ordained praise for him, praise for his death on the Cross, praise for his resurrection because it's “on the Cross” that he purchased men, women and children for God out of a fallen human race. The cross is our reason to praise him forever. This is Haven Today and the program is called Easter Praise. We have been blessed by the Hallelujah Chorus written by Handles and sung by Haven. We have been blessed by the music of Metropolitan opera singer Jubilant Sykes. Jubilant has an amazing album out, a CD called “Jubilant”. His CD contains spirituals and hymns and it's all related to Easter music that we all need to hear all year long. I'd like to send it to you as a thank you for your financial support of Haven Today. You can go online at Haventoday.org and read all about this album Jubilant. Or you can call us at 1-800-65-HAVEN, that’s 1-800-654-2836. This Easter may we hear from you? When you do get in touch with us, would you send us your prayer request? Easter is a great time to get reconnected or connected for the first time with Jesus Christ who went to the Cross, went to the tomb but was raised from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty in heaven and is preparing to return for his own. Are you ready? If you are then join me in giving Easter praise. I’m Charles Morris, thank you for being with me. Come back again next time when we get to share The Great Story; it’s all about Jesus here on Haven Today.