The Bandwagon Effect

TITLE: The Bandwagon Effect

TEXT: John 12:12-44THEME: To be on God’s side is the only way to be on the right side of history.

The fact is that there are a lot of religions or philosophies that

compete for our devotion so we must ask, “How do we know

what to pursue?”

I. The Premise: History is moving in the direction of enlightened freedom.

I. The Premise: History is moving in the direction of enlightened freedom.

A. We have observed a movement in Western Civilization from ignorance to knowledge, from discrimination to tolerance.

I. The Premise: History is moving in the direction of enlightened freedom.

A. We have observed a movement in Western Civilization from ignorance to knowledge, from discrimination to tolerance. B. Man is advancing toward a more tolerance and free society due to advancements in science and knowledge.

John Coffey

“The myth of secular neutrality.” “The myth is not that secular people can be tolerant, for they often are. Rather, the myth of secular tolerance is that tolerance comes natural to the secular person, whilst intolerance comes unnaturally to the religious person. The myth suggests that simply by virtue of being secular, one is somehow immune from the temptation to vilify and persecute “the other.”

I. The Premise: History is moving in the direction of enlightened freedom.

A. We have observed a movement in Western Civilization from ignorance to knowledge, from discrimination to tolerance. B. Man is advancing toward a more tolerance and free society due to advancements in science and knowledgeC. People who still believe in religious values are outdated and need to see the new reality that history is moving in the direction of enlightened freedom

I. The Premise: History is moving in the direction of enlightened freedom.

A. We have observed a movement in Western Civilization from ignorance to knowledge, from discrimination to tolerance. B. Man is advancing toward a more tolerance and free society due to advancements in science and knowledgeC. People who still believe in religious values are outdated and need to see the new reality that history is moving in the direction of enlightened freedomD. We must guard against religions infringement into society so advancement can proceed unhindered.

John Lennon, “IMAGINE”

Imagine there’s no heavenIt's easy if you tryNo hell below usAbove us only skyImagine all the peopleLiving for today

John Lennon, “IMAGINE”

Imagine there's no countriesIt isn't hard to doNothing to kill or die forAnd no religion tooImagine all the peopleLiving life in peace

John Lennon, “IMAGINE”

You may say I'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will be as one

John Lennon, “IMAGINE”

Imagine no possessionsI wonder if you canNo need for greed or hungerA brotherhood of manImagine all the peopleSharing all the world

John Lennon, “IMAGINE”

You may say I'm a dreamerBut I'm not the only oneI hope someday you'll join usAnd the world will live as one

II. The Problem: A vision that is grounded on reality is more likely to provide a better future overall but it may not be as attractive as one based on a myth or idealism

like we just read.

II. The Problem: A vision that is grounded on reality is more likely to

provide a better future.

II. The Problem: A vision that is grounded on reality is more likely to

provide a better future. A. Science and freedom of thought cannot have an exclusive claim to advancement

II. The Problem: A vision that is grounded on reality is more likely to

provide a better future. A. Science and freedom of thought cannot have an exclusive claim to advancementB. For secularists history must be unguided, purposeless and directionless

II. The Problem: A vision that is grounded on reality is more likely to

provide a better future. A. Science and freedom of thought cannot have an exclusive claim to advancementB. For secularists history must be unguided, purposeless and directionlessC. How do we know what the right side is, or even if that is good, unless we have objective criteria to make that judgement.

II. The Problem: A vision that is grounded on reality is more likely to

provide a better future. A. Science and freedom of thought cannot have an exclusive claim to advancementB. For secularists history must be unguided, purposeless and directionlessC. How do we know what the right side is, or even if that is good, unless we have objective criteria to make that judgement.D. Man is not particularly good at predicting the future.

Sometimes, you get more than you bargained for. What you see looks like what you want, feels like what you want. But when you get it, the results can be explosive. So it is with the

secular myth.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in Jesus on Palm Sunday.

John 12:12-1512 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,“Hosanna!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Blessed is the king of Israel!”14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:.

John 12:12-15

15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in

Jesus on Palm Sunday. – Crowds of people celebrated the entrance of

Jesus.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in

Jesus on Palm Sunday. – Crowds of people celebrated the entrance of

Jesus. – The presence of the crowds moved the Jewish

leaders to kill Jesus.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in

Jesus on Palm Sunday. – Crowds of people celebrated the entrance of

Jesus. – The presence of the crowds moved the Jewish

leaders to kill Jesus.

John 12:17-19

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.

John 12:17-19

19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” We should not be surprised that people reject Jesus now- they even did so when he was on earth doing miracles.

A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in Jesus on Palm Sunday.

– Crowds of people celebrated the entrance of Jesus.

– The presence of the crowds moved the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus.

– Some of this crowd may have joined the Temple in the trial Jesus.

John 12:37-41

37 Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:“Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:

John 12:37-41

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn—and I would heal them.”41 Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.” This is the beginning of the journey to Christ’s trial and crucifixion.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in Jesus on Palm Sunday.B. The Bandwagon Effect should give us reason for caution. – Jumping on a bandwagon can be a fickle

pursuit.

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in Jesus on Palm Sunday.B. The Bandwagon Effect should give us reason for caution. – Jumping on a bandwagon can be a fickle

pursuit– Truth should trump hype and intimidation.

John 12:42-46

42 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise from God.

John 12:42-46

44 Then Jesus cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.

A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in Jesus on Palm Sunday.B. The Bandwagon Effect should give us reason for caution. – Jumping on a bandwagon can be a fickle pursuit– Truth should trump hype and intimidation. – God alone knows where history is going- because he

directs it.

Revelation 3:1-3

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ

Revelation 3:1-3

“3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

III. The Biblical response: We should obey God because He is sovereign and

controls the direction of history.A. The Bandwagon Effect can be seen in Jesus on Palm Sunday.B. The Bandwagon Effect should give us reason for caution. – Jumping on a bandwagon can be a fickle pursuit– Truth should trump hype and intimidation. – God alone knows where history is going- because he directs

it.– History is moving in the direction of the ultimate

glorification of God.

Revelation 3:11-13

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

Revelation 3:11-13

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,for ever and ever!”

Jim Caviezel

"The awards, the hall of fame" that actors get into here on Earth, he said, don't matter to me. Jesus is as controversial now as he has ever been. Not much has changed in 2,000 years …. We have to give up our names, our reputations, and our lives to speak the truth."

APPLICATION

1. It’s something which I think about regularly – how young people, we are so easily influenced by what others tell them: parents, the educational system, and above all, the media. Think about how often we adopt opinions just because someone else holds these opinions.

APPLICATION

2. The reason for this sermon series is to challenge us to beware of bandwagons. We are being asked to get on the bandwagon of same-sex marriage, denying the miracles of the Bible, accepting modern’s views of human sexuality.

Dennis Rainey

One of the greatest lies of our day is that one man, one husband, or one dad can't make a difference. As a single man, you can protect the innocence of a single woman you are dating by being a noble man of character ….

Dennis Rainey

As a husband and father, you are the warrior who has been charged with the duty of pushing back against the evil that seeks to prey on your wife, daughters, and sons. Stepping up to courageous manhood starts here. If you don't step up, who will?