1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:04,040 Hey everybody, this is Pastor John Ewart from Inglewood 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:05,920 Baptist Church in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,119 Thank you so much for tuning in to our podcast. 4 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,320 You're going to hear from God today as we share from his word 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,080 about important issues facing your life that can guide you 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:22,320 according to the Bible. Well, good morning, Inglewood. 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:25,520 Good to see everybody here this morning. 8 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:27,600 Thank you for being here on Palm Sunday. 9 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,560 And I don't want to distract us at all from what this week 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,080 means. I need to make one quick 11 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,880 announcement and update to our church family on a special 12 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:40,920 thing. It's AI think an exciting 13 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,320 announcement, but I need to go ahead and make this real 14 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:45,320 quickly. And then we're going to move 15 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,240 right on to Luke chapter 19. So if you want to be turning to 16 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,280 Luke Chapter 19, I appreciate that very much. 17 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,400 Thanks for being here. Listen, several months ago I 18 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:58,040 shared with you that we were announcing some changes to 19 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,960 King's Academy at the school that we have here. 20 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,879 And some of you may or may not have heard that, but we are 21 00:01:04,879 --> 00:01:07,120 stopping our K through 2 program this May. 22 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,160 We want to continue to reach families, continue to reach 23 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:13,080 kids. Appreciate the work that's been 24 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,200 going on. Staff and families have known 25 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,560 about this for several months, but we want, we are going to 26 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,600 just focus on our preschool for now. 27 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,160 So I just wanted to share a few exciting new steps, next steps 28 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,880 with you. The new name, we are going to 29 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:31,120 rebrand, relaunch, promote this school in a different way. 30 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,800 And so the new name is just simply the Academy at Inglewood 31 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,240 Baptist Church. This will be a true ministry of 32 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,720 the church LED as part of our children's ministry. 33 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,920 There'll be some special arrangements because of tax, ID 34 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,320 or credit and arrangements, I mean, and, and finances, but 35 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:46,840 it'll be a part of that ministry. 36 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,960 So our director of children's ministry, Laura Klontz, who has 37 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,960 extensive experience with weekday church based school 38 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:56,480 programs, is going to serve as the staff liaison and will also 39 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,640 lead the academy's leadership and administrative team with 40 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,120 Catalina still serving as the day-to-day director. 41 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,080 For those of you who know anything about a school that 42 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,520 meant something to you, but the, but the exciting part for us too 43 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,560 is that as we continue to enhance the school, we just want 44 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,760 the, the expectation between the church and the school are going 45 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:15,520 to be enhanced. This is a real ministry of the 46 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,440 church. We wanted to be consistent with 47 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,560 other ministries in the church. So we're going to relaunch the 48 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,680 school with a new name, new promotion, and I pray even 49 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,880 greater participation and support from you all. 50 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,280 And some of this will occur as early as this fall. 51 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,240 We're also forming a school board to help counsel and 52 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,880 promote and support the new school. 53 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,520 So I'm just asking you to pray as and rally around the support 54 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:40,000 as we continue to reach young children and reach families with 55 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,800 the gospel. So this will be our preschool at 56 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,120 Englewood and just wanted to give you quick up, a quick 57 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,880 update on that. So some of you who are very much 58 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,600 involved with that would know and then others who have no idea 59 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,120 what I'm talking about would know something. 60 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,800 How about that? Now let's focus. 61 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,480 It's Holy Week, and I don't know if you know it or not, but 62 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,720 Easter's here. Isn't that amazing? 63 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,400 Next Sunday is obviously Easter. Easter is interesting because 64 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,480 Easter's about the only holiday where you can talk about an 65 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,400 empty tomb and a basket full of chocolates in the same sentence. 66 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,480 And both of that works out to be good news somehow. 67 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,080 And so. But I pray that we understand 68 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,040 the real truth and the, and the priority of its eternal meaning 69 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,760 and significance. So really pay attention to what 70 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,880 Pastor Gene told you. I know it's a lot, there's a lot 71 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:29,760 going on this week. This is a special week. 72 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,800 I'm just begging you to give this week to the Lord and to 73 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,160 celebrate with us on Wednesday and Friday and of course, 74 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,560 Sunday. You know, the Greek word that's 75 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,400 used for Easter or the Greek word Easter comes from is 76 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,800 actually the Greek word is pashka. 77 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,160 And it's a combination of Aramaic and Hebrew where they 78 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:53,560 took these words that actually meant the Passover. 79 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,280 And so the, the root of the word we call Easter actually has its 80 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,680 root in the Old Testament Passover and meaning. 81 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:05,440 So this is the passing over of Jesus from death to victory and 82 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,520 then our opportunity then to Passover from sin to 83 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,920 forgiveness. And, and so we need to stop, we 84 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:12,760 need to focus, we need to celebrate. 85 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,920 Well, what all this means. This is the highest holiday of 86 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,079 the year for believers. And so I hope that we'll cherish 87 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:21,920 it, that we'll cherish it as such, and we'll remember what 88 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:26,120 Christ has done for us and his sacrifice for us and rejoice 89 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,640 over his victory for us. And so I really do hope that 90 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,360 we'll celebrate this week. And next week we'll celebrate 91 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,400 the impact of the empty tomb in a special way. 92 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:39,440 So today we're going to join him just a few days before the 93 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,880 cross. The weight or the shadow of the 94 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,200 cross must have weighed heavily upon his heart. 95 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,640 He knew what was coming. He was never surprised by the 96 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:50,080 cross. And so he arrives in Jerusalem, 97 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,080 and he knows why He's arriving in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. 98 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,360 He's arriving to die for us. Now it's Passover season. 99 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,960 And so every adult Jewish male who lived within 20 miles of 100 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,440 Jerusalem was supposed to show up, and then every Jewish male, 101 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,200 regardless of where they lived, hoped to go to Jerusalem at 102 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,720 least once in their lifetime in order to celebrate Passover. 103 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,200 So this is a big deal. In fact, 30 years after the 104 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:18,200 Passover that we're reading about today, at 30 years later, 105 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,120 a Roman general, a Roman governor, excuse me, took a 106 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:26,160 census of how many lambs were slain at Passover during his 107 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:31,720 day, and the number was 250,000. And so there was 1 lamb for 108 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,480 every 10 people. So that would mean that 109 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,440 somewhere around 2.5 million Jews, Jews are coming to 110 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,080 Jerusalem to participate in Passover. 111 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,640 So the city is packed with people that are there just for 112 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,960 the holiday. But this year that we're going 113 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,680 to read about in Luke 19, this year is going to be different. 114 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:53,320 It's going to be very different because 1 lamb, a perfect lamb 115 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,160 is going to be slain for all people so that they might 116 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:01,600 experience salvation and death might Passover us eternally. 117 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,440 This is worthy of our celebration, but before 118 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:08,320 sacrifice in a very unique moment, and I don't know how you 119 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,880 how unique you recognize this, but it's the the triumphal entry 120 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:15,680 is a very unique moment because his glory could not be fully 121 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,640 contained any longer before he sacrifices. 122 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:20,800 It was time for him to be revealed. 123 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,240 It was time for his glory to show. 124 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,000 So we see that that it was time to complete the Father's 125 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:28,400 mission. So what we're talking about 126 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:33,200 today is we're talking about how he came in fulfillment and and 127 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,360 and so this Easter we're going to walk with Luke this this 128 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,560 whole week we're going to walk with Luke and the gospel of Luke 129 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,320 through his version of Easter. Look at Luke 19. 130 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,960 We'll start in verse 28. And we had said these things. 131 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,360 He went on ahead going up to Jerusalem and when he drew near 132 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:52,120 to Beth is in Bethany at the mount. 133 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,680 That is called all of it. He sent two of his disciples 134 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:58,520 saying, go into the village in front of you, where on entering 135 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:02,200 you will find a colt tide on which no one has ever set yet 136 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,560 sat untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you why are you 137 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,840 untying it, you shall say this. The Lord has need of it. 138 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:11,960 So the first thing we're going to see, we're going to see four 139 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:13,920 things this morning about Christ's fulfilment. 140 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,040 The first thing we see is that it was planned. 141 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,360 This is not a surprise. This is not some random event. 142 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,920 This is not just haphazardly taking place. 143 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:26,080 This entire experience is is Jesus following predetermined 144 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,800 instruction, giving his disciples predetermined 145 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,000 instructions to prepare the way. This is the only time. 146 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,520 This what makes it unique. This is the only time Jesus 147 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,520 planned and promoted a public demonstration. 148 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,720 This is the only time he's planning ahead for something 149 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,840 like this. In fact, if you read the Gospels 150 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,280 carefully, you'll notice that Jesus very often hushed people 151 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:49,720 about himself. He hushed men. 152 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:54,320 He hushed demons after he would set people free from demons or 153 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,680 he would heal people. He said, now don't tell anybody 154 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,080 who I am yet. It's not time for me yet to be 155 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:01,240 revealed. It wasn't time for him to be 156 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:05,320 declared as the Messiah yet, but now it was time. 157 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:10,200 No more secrecy. Now He planned the celebration 158 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,240 himself. So the cross was at hand. 159 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:16,000 It was time for him to confront sin and Jesus knew it and He's 160 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,640 willingly going to do it. He planned it. 161 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:22,200 This is a plan, an eternal plan that was in place before Genesis 162 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,000 1, before man sinned in Genesis 3. 163 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,440 This is an eternal plan. It was time for the truth of who 164 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,920 he was to be revealed. And over these next few days, 165 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:37,960 right cheer and Rocky Mount America, I pray it's time for 166 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,480 the truth of who he is to be revealed for us too, and for 167 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:43,760 your friends and for your neighbors and for your family 168 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,680 members. So I want you to take seriously, 169 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:48,720 we got a whole bunch of these still. 170 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,080 I want you to take them by the handfuls. 171 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,480 In fact, I would normally never share this with you, but I'm 172 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,800 going to say it out loud today. This afternoon, Teresa's been 173 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:58,840 working for days. I'm preparing little Easter 174 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,960 baggy goodies for our neighbors. And this afternoon we're going 175 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,600 to try to invite 40 something of our neighbors to be here with 176 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:05,160 us. Next week. 177 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:07,920 We're going to go door to door to door to door to door to door 178 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:13,240 to door to door to 43 Four. Take a bunch of these and invite 179 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,240 your friends before you leave. Don't forget, everything he 180 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,120 planned was fulfilled perfectly. Look at verse 32. 181 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:25,080 I'll prove it. So those who were sent away and 182 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:30,000 found it, just as he had told them exactly what he said. 183 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,720 And as they were untying the colt, its owner said to them, 184 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,320 why are you untying the colt? And they said the Lord has need 185 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:37,920 of it now always find it funny right there. 186 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,840 You notice there's nothing written next where the owner 187 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:48,480 said well, so obviously he just went right along with him. 188 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,880 It was all it's almost suit. It's it's miraculously 189 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,560 supernatural in the way it's being done. 190 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:55,680 The owner didn't gripe about somebody basically taking his 191 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:58,640 donkey away. Look at verse 35 and they 192 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:02,280 brought it to Jesus and throwing their coat cloaks on the colt. 193 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,480 That's hard to say. They're cloaks on the colt 194 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,120 practice that this afternoon at lunch say that 10 times fast and 195 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,360 throwing their cloaks on the coat colt. 196 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:19,080 See, they set Jesus on it. Now Matthew tells us it was a 197 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:20,440 donkey. Luke doesn't say what kind of 198 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:22,120 animal it is, but but Matthew does. 199 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,160 And this is really significant because the donkey was actually 200 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:27,960 a royal animal of Jewish monarchs. 201 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,240 It was a symbol of peace. And so Jesus rides a donkey into 202 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,240 Jerusalem, not a War Horse. And this is really important 203 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,480 because as many of you know, the popular concept at that day and 204 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,440 time, especially of the Jewish people of their Messiah was a 205 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,120 Davidic king riding in on a White Horse who's going to go to 206 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:49,040 war and destroy Rome and set them free and set up his Kingdom 207 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,560 right there in Jerusalem. But that's not the true story. 208 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:56,640 Here we see Messianic fulfilment in the form of the Prince of 209 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,480 Peace. But, but, but listen friends, 210 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:04,880 don't worry. Next time he comes, it's going 211 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,760 to be different. Next time he comes, he's going 212 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:12,160 to come as King Jesus, sovereignly fulfilling his 213 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,440 Father's will and power and majesty. 214 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:15,840 In fact, let me just read about it. 215 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,960 Let me just read from Revelation 19 because it's that good. 216 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,680 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold a White Horse. 217 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,760 The one sitting on it is called faithful and true, and in 218 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,120 righteousness he judges and makes war. 219 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:33,360 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many 220 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,040 diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but 221 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,760 himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped 222 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,920 in blood, and by and the name by which he is called is the Word 223 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,120 of God. And the armies of heaven, 224 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:47,640 arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on 225 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:50,280 white horses. And from his mouth comes a sharp 226 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,720 sword with which to strike down the nation's. 227 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,160 And he will rule them with a rod of iron. 228 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:59,400 He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the 229 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,400 Almighty. And on his robe and on his thigh 230 00:12:02,680 --> 00:12:07,120 he has a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 231 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:13,520 Now, a lot of folks just want to kind of box God up as God as 232 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,440 this God of love. And he is that he's all that 233 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,440 more that more so than they understand. 234 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,160 But he's also a God of holiness and he will be a God of 235 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:25,280 judgement. And we need to be ready. 236 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:27,640 Are we ready? Are we ready for this? 237 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:29,440 What if he were to come this week? 238 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,800 Are you, are we ready for him to come? 239 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,320 You can prepare for that even right now, today. 240 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,600 Now, this Friday, we're going to celebrate the Lord's Supper in 241 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:40,720 our Good Friday service to remember what he's done for us. 242 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:44,400 But when we proclaim or perform the Lord's Supper, participate 243 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,840 in it together, the Bible says we're also proclaiming him until 244 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,760 he comes again. So we're making a proclamation 245 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,680 about his death. We're making a proclamation 246 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:56,200 about his second coming. Every time we have the Lord's 247 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:58,160 Supper. The Bible also says that we need 248 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:00,840 to examine our hearts and be prepared to partake in the 249 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:02,120 Lord's Supper in a worthy manner. 250 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,280 So I hope that you're actually going to prepare yourself. 251 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:06,200 Be ready. Be here for the prayer meeting 252 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:07,600 Wednesday night. It'll help prepare you. 253 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,120 We're actually going to go back and look at the suffering 254 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:14,240 servant passages in the in the in the prophet Isaiah's writings 255 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:17,800 and see how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament as he came. 256 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:19,680 It's going to be a powerful time Wednesday night. 257 00:13:19,680 --> 00:13:21,960 You want to be here, Pastor Charles, been working hard on 258 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:24,200 that. So is your heart ready? 259 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:28,120 Are we ready today? Look at verse 36. 260 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:31,800 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the 261 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:33,560 ground on the road. Sorry. 262 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,600 And he was drawing near already on the way down the Mount of 263 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,200 Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice 264 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,520 and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that 265 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:47,120 that they had seen, saying, Blessed is the king who comes in 266 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:53,120 the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. 267 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,120 Not only was this all planned, but we also see that Christ's 268 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,680 fulfillment was praised. This is a moment for his glory 269 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,920 to be recognized, His identity to be seen. 270 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,000 So they used their garments as a saddle and for a royal carpet. 271 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:09,640 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 272 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,120 Now literally the way that's written in the Greek languages 273 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,480 is they continuously spread their cloaks on the road. 274 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,120 So that means that everybody ahead was doing that. 275 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,680 It might mean that as soon as he passed by, they picked these up, 276 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:21,360 ran ahead of him and put them down again. 277 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,040 But this royal carpet, like a royal salute. 278 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:29,320 This is this is a reminder of Second Kings 9. 279 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,520 And it's like the royal salute when they gave to Jehu when he's 280 00:14:32,520 --> 00:14:37,360 anointed and declared king. Recognize and understand the 281 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,480 divine royalty of King Jesus. That's what Palm Sunday is 282 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:43,280 about. Salute him. 283 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,920 Salute him with the very shirts of self off your back. 284 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,640 Lay down the garments of your own glory, lay Him down in the 285 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,480 dust before Him and recognize who He is. 286 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,120 Crown Him and celebrate Him as the Lord of all. 287 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:58,800 And you got to do it before it's too late. 288 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,600 He's the fulfillment of the perfect plan of the Father, 289 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:05,160 designed before time began, and He deserves all praise. 290 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:09,120 We need to humble ourselves before Him, but some find that 291 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,400 difficult. It's always amazing to me. 292 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:18,760 Some people will come next week. They'll come because mom and dad 293 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,440 invited them, or Grandma invited them, and they got to go to 294 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,080 grandma's to eat lunch on Easter and have an Easter egg hunt or 295 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:29,560 whatever they're going to do. And they'll sit here in this 296 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,760 room and they'll hear all about Jesus. 297 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:34,080 They'll hear about his resurrection. 298 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:39,480 They'll hear everything that the gospel would hold next week and 299 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,400 they'll walk right out that door like nothing's happened. 300 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,760 Some find it very difficult to humble themselves. 301 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,480 Some believers are the same way. They come in and and it's all 302 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:53,480 about them and what they want or what they wish rather than what 303 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,680 King Jesus might want. Many believe that this life is 304 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,600 just for them. Many believe that they actually 305 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,640 should have the power to control their own life and manipulate 306 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:04,840 their own life. They don't understand what life 307 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:05,880 is at all. Some of them are like a 308 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:07,400 woodpecker. It's like the story of the 309 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,320 woodpecker who is pecking away on a tree. 310 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:12,320 Suddenly lightning hits the tree and splinters their trees a 311 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,920 million pieces. And as the woodpecker flies off, 312 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:17,080 he looks back and say, look what I just did. 313 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:27,200 But today, this week, this Easter, we have the opportunity 314 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,360 to be reminded of the truth. The truth. 315 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,160 I've quoted Corey 10 Boom often here. 316 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,160 I I don't really quote her as often as I feel like I have in 317 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,360 this last year. But Corey 10 Boom was once to 318 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,440 ask, is it difficult for you to remain humble with your 319 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,680 notoriety, with your celebrity? If you don't know who Corey 10 320 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,800 Boom is, you need to Google that later. 321 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,680 And and and her reply was simple. 322 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:51,800 She said this. Let me just read it. 323 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:56,000 When Jesus wrote into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a 324 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:59,400 donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing 325 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,720 garments on the road and singing praises, do you think that for 326 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,520 one moment it ever entered the head of that donkey, that any of 327 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:10,520 that was for him? If I can be the donkey on which 328 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:15,599 Jesus Christ rides in his glory, I'll give him all the praise and 329 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:18,640 all the honor. Now the other gospels tell us 330 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,599 that they saluted him with branches. 331 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:24,720 Matthew uses words for twigs or shoots young branches. 332 00:17:24,839 --> 00:17:28,119 John uses the word for palm branches, which is why we call 333 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:32,280 it Palm Sunday. Mark actually uses a very unique 334 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:35,320 term where he talked about leaves being strewn together to 335 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,080 form a bed or a carpet. So you got to have this imagery 336 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:41,240 of this green carpet being rolled out with, with plant life 337 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,040 and then garments being placed on top of that in this royal red 338 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:50,000 carpet or Colt carpet of many is literally as Jesus is entering 339 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,920 and all that's taking place. It reminds me our Uganda team is 340 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:55,560 finishing up their work in Uganda. 341 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,960 They've shared the gospel with with hundreds and hundreds and 342 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,200 hundreds of kids. I almost said 1000 and probably 343 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,240 is just short of 1000, but it's almost that high, hundreds of 344 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,360 kids. And then they've been training 345 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:09,040 church leaders who are going to lead thousands of other people. 346 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:11,320 And they've been worshiping this morning. 347 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:13,520 They're already way ahead of us. So they were worshiping this 348 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,080 morning and Palm Sunday. I bet their worship services 349 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,760 lasted 3-4 hours. Don't worry. 350 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:23,440 But they did that. And it reminds me as they're 351 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,400 coming home, they were in the mountains, way high in the 352 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,720 mountains of Africa. And it reminded me of East 353 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,200 Africa a lot. And I was reminded that in East 354 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,960 Africa, when there's a car accident in East Africa and 355 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,880 other parts of the world too, But in East Africa, they'll tear 356 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,280 off branches and they'll put the branches on the road, up the 357 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,120 road from the accident. So if you're coming around the 358 00:18:43,120 --> 00:18:45,880 corner, you're coming down the road, you'll see tree branches 359 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,000 in the road. That means there's something big 360 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,360 that's happened up there. There's an accident or there's 361 00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:53,760 something important or construction or something going 362 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,200 on up ahead. So slow down, take it easy, pay 363 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,760 attention. So here were these garments, 364 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,320 here was this Garland of praise all over the road, making an an 365 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,840 announcement that there's something really big up ahead. 366 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:07,720 There's something really significant coming. 367 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:13,200 And so as Jesus draws near, the whole multitude of disciples, 368 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:17,360 they, they broke out in praise courses believing that they were 369 00:19:17,360 --> 00:19:20,400 in the presence of their Messiah, believing that he was 370 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,400 incredible. The new king is here. 371 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:25,160 So they rejoiced. They actually imitate heaven for 372 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,880 just a few minutes and they recognize him and they praise 373 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,680 Jesus as king. Mark says it this way. 374 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,200 And Mark 11 and those who went before and those who followed 375 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,520 were shouting, Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the 376 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:41,240 name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming Kingdom of 377 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,200 our Father David Hosanna in the highest. 378 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:47,680 And again, because it was Passover, there's huge crowds 379 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,080 there. And and they wanted to see the 380 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,280 miracle Rabbi. Some, some might have believed 381 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:53,920 it was the Messiah. Others had heard about the 382 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,160 miracles that Jesus performed. His notoriety had preceded him. 383 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:58,800 And we got to go see the miracle Rabbi. 384 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:03,720 And they began to cry out Psalm 118 in praise and in fulfilment. 385 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:07,280 As they went down the road, this was a praise Psalm that was 386 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,440 connected to the Passover and also connected to the Messiah. 387 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,680 The word hosanna means save us. We pray save us. 388 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:18,360 We pray save us. We pray the King's come for 389 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:23,240 them. But this week I pray you'll cry 390 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,360 Hosanna because he's come for us as well. 391 00:20:27,120 --> 00:20:30,920 So publicly declaring Jesus as Messiah was their response. 392 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:36,640 It has to be ours too. And so I I pray that something 393 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:40,520 about Easter excites you. I pray that something about 394 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,960 Jesus excites you. I pray there's something there 395 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,520 that they get your heart stirred. 396 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:49,360 I mean, does the thought of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done 397 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:53,880 create a sense of passion in you or have we become so used to it 398 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:56,760 over the years? You know, it's March Madness 399 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:59,440 time. I've heard there's some game on 400 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:04,680 later today. People cheer, people shout, 401 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:07,480 people have parties to watch the game together. 402 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,920 They wear logos. They they, they have banners. 403 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:15,800 Last night, Teresa and I and our family were invited to the 404 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:19,480 Lenovo Center to watch the Carolina Hurricanes play their 405 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:24,360 game and and watch my son propose to his fiance on the big 406 00:21:24,360 --> 00:21:27,720 Jumbotron. And she did say yes, which was a 407 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:29,560 good thing. But thank you very much. 408 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:32,920 But we have no idea what dates or anything are yet. 409 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:37,480 But but his company owns a suite there and they were extremely 410 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,320 get gracious. They paid for this whole suite 411 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:42,040 with food and everything. And we were all hiding up in 412 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:45,040 this suite and he was down in some regular seats and he had it 413 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,160 arranged to where they would call him out and kind of play a 414 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,680 price is right kind of game on the big jumbo screen and and he 415 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,320 kneels down and he proposes. But as I was sitting there, I, I 416 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,520 don't know if you've ever been to a hockey game or not. 417 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:01,560 I don't go to to them often, but but the Lenovo Center has been 418 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,200 seriously ranked as the loudest arena in all of professional 419 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,920 hockey. And so if you ask me a question 420 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:13,520 later today and I go, huh, you just need to know I'm, I mean, 421 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,520 I've anyway, it's loud and it's passionate. 422 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,840 I was watching people. I think I was the only one not 423 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,760 wearing a hockey jersey. And, and people are screaming. 424 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:24,840 And of course, the the canes won and they were yelling. 425 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,560 And every time somebody got in trouble on the canes, they'd Boo 426 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,840 real loud and they'd scream whenever we scored. 427 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,080 And, and, and I mean, the place is not a seat in the place 428 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:43,980 packed out with people. What are we going to do this 429 00:22:43,980 --> 00:22:48,860 week for Jesus? Can we make Holy Week a 430 00:22:48,860 --> 00:22:52,340 priority? It's upon us. 431 00:22:53,220 --> 00:22:58,400 Will we cheer for King Jesus? Some never would. 432 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,960 Some are more passionate, and some will be here more 433 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:05,680 passionate about some secular version of Easter than they are 434 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,240 about Jesus. And some will dismiss again what 435 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,480 it means. How many times will they be able 436 00:23:11,480 --> 00:23:16,320 to do that? Even some who may come here next 437 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:18,720 week, they'll they'll hear, but they'll reject. 438 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,520 But this isn't new. Look at verse 39. 439 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:25,360 This is not new. Some complained back then in the 440 00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:27,480 face of God's truth and grace too. 441 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,440 Look at verse 39 and some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to 442 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:34,840 him, teacher, rebuke your disciples and he answered, I 443 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:40,400 tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. 444 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,960 So not only is it planned, not only is it do we see it's he's 445 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:47,440 praised, but this is the opposite also happens. 446 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:52,800 His fulfillment is persecuted. Matthew 2110 says that when he 447 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,120 entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying who 448 00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:58,720 is this? That word stirred up means moved 449 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,040 like an earthquake. I mean, the whole city knows 450 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:02,960 he's there. They're all aware. 451 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,640 But some, some saw this public demonstration and they were 452 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,440 disturbed by it. It was not proper. 453 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:14,360 This is not normal. We're not used to this. 454 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:20,000 It actually scared him a little. Whose city stirred up Some 455 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,200 things I'm just afraid are never good enough. 456 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,840 Some folks just tend to be critical all the time. 457 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,400 No matter what, no matter what sermon they hear, no matter what 458 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,000 God does for them, they just seem to be critical. 459 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,400 I've been studying numbers in my personal quiet time and I've 460 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:38,960 just hit that point to where they're they sent the spies into 461 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,600 the promised land and then they come back and they've seen the 462 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,240 plagues of Egypt. They watch God part of sea. 463 00:24:44,360 --> 00:24:46,600 They saw God provide quail and manna. 464 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,680 They've seen pillars of fire and cloud by day. 465 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,800 Oh Moses, how come you didn't leave us back in Egypt where it 466 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,280 was better? We would rather eat the meat 467 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:03,680 pots and the onions and the garlic and slavery then be here 468 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,120 with God. Some people, it doesn't matter 469 00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:10,520 what sermon they hear this. Their seat wasn't soft enough. 470 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:12,440 It wasn't angled the right direction. 471 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,840 Something didn't happen just right the way they want because. 472 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:16,200 Because that's all that they see. 473 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,600 Humanity's that way. I mean, even the Garden of Eden 474 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,840 wasn't good enough. How come I can't have that tree 475 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:26,760 I know I got? I just want that tree. 476 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,400 Why are we that way? The cross isn't good enough, The 477 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,680 empty tombs not good enough. Jesus isn't good enough. 478 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,760 Grace isn't good enough. Forgiveness isn't good enough. 479 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,280 And so humanity becomes bound by their own definitions, their own 480 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,880 rituals, their own control of what they thought they think is 481 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,640 proper, right, or true. And they can't see the real 482 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,200 eternal truths right in front of them. 483 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:52,400 Please hear this truth this morning. 484 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:57,640 I've been begging God that you would believe that Jesus is good 485 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,520 enough. Please believe that this week. 486 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,440 Trust that is grace. Trust that is peace. 487 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:07,160 Trust that is forgiveness. Trust that is that is, that is, 488 00:26:07,360 --> 00:26:11,000 that is sacrifice. Trust that they're good enough. 489 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,040 And celebrate them because these religious leaders were more 490 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,640 focused upon a concerned about how to condemn than they were 491 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,720 how to celebrate. John tells us that they were 492 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:23,920 actually seeking a way to put him to death and destroy him. 493 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:28,000 And they and they would soon hypocritic to think about how 494 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:32,000 hypocritical this is. They would soon cry out we have 495 00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:39,640 no king but Caesar choosing to side with the oppressing Pagan 496 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:46,240 Romans over the Messiah. This Easter you're going to have 497 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:48,280 to choose. People are going to make 498 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,160 choices. Will you surrender to his love 499 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,920 and grace? Will you surrender to the truth 500 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,480 about our King Jesus or will you ignore the truth? 501 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,320 Years ago, thinking about the mountains of Uganda made me 502 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,680 think about when we lived in Arizona and we were the plant 503 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:06,160 church planting hub of Northern Arizona in the mountains, some 504 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,760 of these tall Rocky type mountains. 505 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,960 And, and we planted a church in a little town called Wilhoit, 506 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,120 Arizona. And the only way to get to Wil 507 00:27:14,120 --> 00:27:16,320 Hoyt in those days, it's probably changed now. 508 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,400 It was a little 2 lane Rd. that hugged the side of a mountain. 509 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:22,240 I mean, you were doing this and there's a sheer Cliff down on 510 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,720 this side and you're just hugging that mountain the whole 511 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,440 way there. And, and when you're going 512 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:30,520 there, you'd encounter a dangerous curve ahead. 513 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:36,440 Signs you had to make a choice. Am I going to ignore that sign 514 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:40,640 or am I going to observe that sign and slow down? 515 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,560 You can ignore it and maintain your current speed. 516 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:47,440 You're going to defy it. Speed up. 517 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,840 But whatever response you exercise, you're not going to 518 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,240 change the truth of the sign or the road. 519 00:27:56,520 --> 00:28:01,080 The curve remains dangerous and you will fall whether you 520 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:06,560 acknowledge that fact or not. Teacher, rebuke your disciples. 521 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:09,720 Not a chance. Jesus says not a chance. 522 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,600 Even the creation knows better than you. 523 00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:16,720 Even the creation will cry out with the truth. 524 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,280 The rocks know better than you religious leaders. 525 00:28:19,360 --> 00:28:25,240 You guys are Dumber than a rock. I mean the stones of cry out 526 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,360 with the truth you reject. So will we cry out about the 527 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:32,160 Messiah this morning? Will we cry hosanna, or will we 528 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,160 rebuke and reject? We've got to celebrate the 529 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,840 greatness of the King this week. We need to allow His grace to 530 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:43,880 free us and restore us, awaken us, revive us in a new way. 531 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:48,520 Look at verse 41. And when he drew near and saw 532 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:52,800 the city, he wept over it, saying, would that you, even you 533 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,920 had known on this day the things that make for peace, but now 534 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,520 they're hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you 535 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,440 when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and 536 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:06,080 surround you, and hem you in on every side, and tear you down to 537 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:08,600 the ground, you and your children within you. 538 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:13,120 And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, 539 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:17,120 because you did not know the time of your visitation. 540 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,760 The last thing we see is that Christ's fulfilment was also 541 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:25,360 extremely prophetic. He's not only fulfilling Old 542 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:27,880 Testament prophecies throughout his entire life. 543 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,840 So he he came to fulfill the Father's will. 544 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:33,800 And this whole scene of the triumphal entry is actually a 545 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,560 fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, but it's also an event 546 00:29:37,560 --> 00:29:42,400 for future prophecy. Matthew 21 says this. 547 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:45,200 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, 548 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,800 saying say to the daughter of Zion, behold, your king is 549 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:53,040 coming to you humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal 550 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,320 of a beast of burden. This was a fulfillment of 551 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:59,680 Zechariah 99. So Jesus entered Jerusalem as 552 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,560 Israel's Messiah, but he also talked about the future. 553 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:10,920 He wept over their future. He knew that soon they would 554 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:15,920 reject Him and that ultimately they would face the destruction 555 00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:19,680 of Jerusalem and they would face the destruction of their beloved 556 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:23,360 temple in the year 8070 by the Romans. 557 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:26,560 A true fact. The Romans came in and destroyed 558 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,720 Jerusalem. God visited His people as He has 559 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,400 promised. The Messiah came to seek and to 560 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:41,200 save the lost, but but they refused to recognize Him. 561 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:45,880 They refused to see God's glory in Jesus. 562 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,080 And in just a matter of days, those people, those crowds who 563 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:55,520 praised him crowds would soon be crying out crucify him. 564 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:01,560 Even his own disciples would reject, deny, run. 565 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:07,240 That places you, that places all of us in kind of a spot of 566 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:09,200 decision this morning and this week. 567 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,320 What are we going to do right now? 568 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,480 What are we going to do this Easter? 569 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,120 Are we going to recognize him in a new way? 570 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,640 Will you celebrate the King with me this Easter? 571 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:25,400 Will you relinquish the throne of control of your life and give 572 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,960 it to him where it belongs? Or will you try to hold on to 573 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:30,600 yourself with some kind of death grip? 574 00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:33,280 And because you need to be careful, because at some point 575 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:39,760 the term death grip will be the proper one, Acknowledge his 576 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:44,560 perfect fulfilment. Acknowledge the only plan of 577 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:49,760 salvation. In the year 1715, King Louis the 578 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:55,280 14th of France died. Louis was a very powerful king, 579 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:59,320 and perhaps more powerful in his own mind than even in reality. 580 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:03,120 But he called himself great. He declared himself great. 581 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,640 He once made the statement I am the state and his court was the 582 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:09,280 most magnificent in all of Europe. 583 00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:12,960 You can still go there and see remnants of that incredible 584 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:17,680 Kingdom that he had and gold and lavish luxury. 585 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:23,720 He pre planned his funeral and to be and to be this massive 586 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:26,480 spectacle. His body lay in a solid gold 587 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:31,080 coffin and he ordered that the cathedral be very dimly lit and 588 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:35,400 that the only real light in the whole cathedral was a a special 589 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:39,040 candle sitting right above his casket, so that you would see 590 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,120 his casket and you would see him in all his glory. 591 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,720 The Bishop steps up to begin the service. 592 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,880 Thousands of people are in attendance, all hushed in 593 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,240 silence. The Bishop stands up and begins 594 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:58,840 to speak, but before he says a word, he slowly reaches down and 595 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:04,440 he snuffs out that candle and he says only God is great. 596 00:33:09,890 --> 00:33:16,970 Will we acknowledge the greatness, the triumph of the 597 00:33:16,970 --> 00:33:21,410 entry of Jesus? Will we celebrate our King this 598 00:33:21,410 --> 00:33:24,410 Easter? How well will we do that? 599 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,400 I've been praying that Easter would be a catalyst for so much 600 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,120 more, for revival, for spiritual awakening. 601 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:38,400 I pray. I pray that we respond. 602 00:33:39,280 --> 00:33:44,000 Father, thank you. Thank you for your greatness. 603 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:54,880 Thank you, Father, that that you're a patient, gracious, 604 00:33:55,080 --> 00:34:03,600 merciful God, but that, Father, you're also a God of truth and 605 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:05,720 ultimately a God even of judgment. 606 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:13,239 Father, thank you for the faithful servants that serve 607 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,159 here. Thank you for those who are 608 00:34:16,159 --> 00:34:21,199 walking closely with you, sensitive to Your will, abiding 609 00:34:21,199 --> 00:34:24,320 in You, serving you. Thank you, Father, for them. 610 00:34:24,320 --> 00:34:26,320 Help them to feel your your presence. 611 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,920 Help them to feel your pleasure. Help them to feel your blessing 612 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:31,760 upon them. Thank you for so many. 613 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,440 But Father, I also want to pray for the person who doesn't even 614 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:41,440 know you. I have to, Father. 615 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:46,000 I pray that that they'll recognize that this Easter, that 616 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:49,679 this Sunday, that right now and this very moment that they can't 617 00:34:49,679 --> 00:34:52,080 simply treat this like every other moment. 618 00:34:53,159 --> 00:34:56,719 Father, I pray that your Spirit is speaking to them and drawing 619 00:34:56,719 --> 00:35:00,200 them to you. I pray, Father, that they'll 620 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:05,280 recognize their need for you. Father, maybe they need to pray 621 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,280 some prayer sort of like this, that where they say, Father, I 622 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:11,040 know I'm a Sinner. We all sin. 623 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:13,560 Every one of us is a Sinner. Every one of us has fallen 624 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,120 short. Every one of us has said 625 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:19,000 something, thought something, done something contrary to God's 626 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:20,920 word and God's will. We're all sinners. 627 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:26,040 Father, I know I'm a Sinner and I'm sorry for my sin. 628 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,960 I want to turn for my sin. I want to repent for my sin. 629 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:37,920 So I asked Jesus to come into my heart, to be my Savior, to be my 630 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:41,280 Lord, to forgive me, to restore me. 631 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,120 And I want to serve him, the power of the Holy Spirit. 632 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:47,520 I want to serve him in the church. 633 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:54,440 Father, if anybody here needs to pray some prayer like that, I 634 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,760 pray, Father, that they'll let us know so we can pray with 635 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:02,920 them, encourage them. Father, also pray for believers 636 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,320 who just recognize they've just been kind of going through the 637 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,800 motions. And the Father, you would 638 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:14,120 forgive a spirit of complacency, a spirit of apathy, a spirit of 639 00:36:14,240 --> 00:36:17,960 selfishness. And that, Father, this would be 640 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,560 a time of renewal, a time of revival that spills over into 641 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:25,520 awakening into this community, into the state and out into the 642 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:29,440 nations. Father, help us to celebrate 643 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:33,040 you. Help us to recognize Easter. 644 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:39,360 Help us to surrender in Christ's name, Amen. 645 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:40,720 I'm going to ask you to stand with me. 646 00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:42,200 Our worship team is going to lead us. 647 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:45,760 There'll be some pastors here, but you don't have to come talk 648 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:47,280 to us. You can go straight to the next 649 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:50,440 steps room and visit with someone privately, discreetly. 650 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:51,960 This want to pray with you and encourage you. 651 00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:55,720 You can come here and pray at these steps or come talk to us 652 00:36:55,720 --> 00:36:59,280 if you need to. But what we really just pray 653 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:02,800 that you'll do is what God wants you to and that you won't wait, 654 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:05,560 you won't hesitate, you won't put it off, you won't reject it, 655 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,920 that you'll come and surrender to Him. 656 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:17,800 Thank you so much for listening today. 657 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:19,120 And I also hope that you'll go to 658 00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:22,920 ourwebsite@englewoodbaptist.com as well as our app and find many 659 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,280 other resources that will bless you and your families. 660 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:26,480 Thank you once again.