"YOU’RE BEING FOLLOWED"

PSALM 16:11 NLT

You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Psalm 23 ESV

23 The Lord is my shepherd;I shall not want.2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;He leads me beside the still waters.3 He restores my soul;He leads me in the paths of righteousnessFor His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil;For You are with me;Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You anoint my head with oil;My cup runs over.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow meAll the days of my life;And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

SURELY: ak

indeed, surely (emphatic), certainly, emphatically, howbeit, nevertheless, notwithstanding, truly, verify

GOODNESS: tobe

 pleasant, agreeable, excellent (of its kind), rich, valuable in estimation, appropriate, becoming, glad, happy, prosperous, a good thing, benefit, welfare, prosperity, good things (collective), good, benefit

MERCY: ḥeseḏ

goodness, kindness, faithfulness, lovingkindness, favour

SHALL FOLLOW ME: raw-daf'

to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after, chase

ALL: kole

the whole, the whole of, any, each, every, anything, totality, everything

DAYS: yome

chronicles, time, daily, ever, year, years, lifetime, today, yesterday, tomorrow, continually, always, whole

OF MY LIFE: khah'-ee

alive, flowing, fresh (of water), lively, active (of man), reviving (of the springtime), revival, renewal, lifetime

JESUS MADE DECLARATIONS AT THE BEGINGING AND THE END OF HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY

1. WITH WORDS:

Luke 4:14-30 NIV

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,    because he has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners    and recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,19     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

23 Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”

24 “Truly I tell you,” He continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. 25 I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.27 And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

28 All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. 30 But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

2. WITH SYMBOLISIM:

Luke 19:28-42 NIV

28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.

Matthew 21:8-11

8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[c]

“Hosanna[ in the highest heaven!”

10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

1. The Donkey

Jesus' sacrifice and humility as a model for Christian living. Jesus' riding a donkey on his triumphant entry to Jerusalem is a model of humility and selflessness. Donkeys are symbols of humbleness, and by choosing one instead of a horse, Jesus showed his humility.

2. The Palm Branches

Palm branch to symbolize the victory over enemies.

3. The Shouts of Praise

Hosanna means “save us.” It is a prayer, it is a plea for help, it is a declaration of the need for salvation, and it is a request for freedom.

Our King comes to us, and is in pursuit of us,  we must therefore receive Him in truth and whole heartedness.