1 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,000 How do you know if somebody is filled with the Holy Spirit? 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,480 How do you know if a church is a church that is filled with the 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:15,520 Holy Spirit? Well, I can tell you one thing 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,360 for certain. They make much of Christ because 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,880 he was sent to glorify, to glorify Him. 6 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,960 And that is what we have come to do in the word of God today, to 7 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:30,520 glorify the Son of God. And so I invite you to join me 8 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,960 on that quest in Mark Chapter 11, beginning in verse one 9 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:41,040 together. And as you're turning there, 10 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:48,600 allow me to make a few remarks. There are very few events that 11 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,880 are shared in all four gospel accounts concerning the life and 12 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:59,880 the ministry of Jesus Christ. The major ones include what you 13 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,160 and I have studied a few months ago, and that is the miracle of 14 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:08,120 multiplication of bread and fish and the feeding, particularly of 15 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:09,720 the 5000. That is something that you will 16 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,680 see in Matthew. That is something you'll see in 17 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:13,480 Mark Lutke. That's something you'll see also 18 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,840 in John. And then there are the obvious 19 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,720 events. The events of Christ's passion. 20 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,640 His betrayal, his arrest, His trial. 21 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,240 His death. His burial, His resurrection. 22 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,440 All gospel accounts have records of Christ, final mission on 23 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:35,400 earth. We also have in all gospel 24 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:41,640 accounts, the denial of Peter. Every single writer sought to 25 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:46,360 capture that and what we have before us in this text today. 26 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,000 This particular occurrence is no small event. 27 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:54,400 It is paramount. It is significant, and it is 28 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,960 significant for many reasons. And evidently it was significant 29 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:02,960 enough for all these four witnesses to give us a detailed 30 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,200 report of what took place at this juncture of the ministry of 31 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,440 Jesus Christ. It is commonly known as the 32 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,280 triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem. 33 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,240 And as you would expect, each of these gospel writers have their 34 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,400 unique inputs and they have their unique insights. 35 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,200 And when we compare each of them, they just provide an even 36 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,560 more full picture of what took place in that parade. 37 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,200 But I want us to read this, and I want you to read it with 38 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,160 excitement because you were just told, again, that this is shared 39 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,880 between all four writers, and we have reason to believe that 40 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,480 there's something that the Lord wants to say to us in it. 41 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,000 And so let's begin in verse one and conclude in verse 11 before 42 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,880 we see what God has to say to us. 43 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:55,880 Now. When they drew near to 44 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:01,200 Jerusalem, to Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, 45 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,840 Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, Go into the 46 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,160 village in front of you, and immediately as you enter, as you 47 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,720 enter, you will find a cult tide on which no one has ever sat. 48 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,960 Untie it and bring it. Anyone says to you, why are you 49 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:19,840 doing this, Say the Lord has need of it, and we'll send it 50 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,480 back here immediately. And they went away and found a 51 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:27,040 colt tied out of door outside in the street, and they united it. 52 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,840 And some of those standing there said to them, what are you doing 53 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:34,680 untying the colt. And they told him what Jesus had 54 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:39,120 said, and they let him go. And they brought the colt to 55 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,480 Jesus and threw their cloaks on it. 56 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,920 And he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on 57 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:48,320 the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut 58 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,040 from the fields. And those who went before and 59 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,960 those who fall were shouting Hosanna, Blessed is you, comes 60 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,480 in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming Kingdom of 61 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,920 our father David Hosanna in the highest. 62 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,560 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. 63 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,640 And when he had looked around at everything as it was already 64 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:15,920 late, he went out to Bethany with the 12 Lord, bless the 65 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:21,000 proclamation of your word, bless the hearts who will receive it. 66 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:28,040 We are eager to hear from you. Be glorified in this moment in 67 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,640 Jesus name. Amen. 68 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,520 This is a very familiar story. We tend to hear it once a year 69 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,320 at least, but we don't have to wait for that time of the year 70 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:38,040 to explore what the scriptures have to say. 71 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,200 And we should believe that there are practical insights and 72 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,080 charges and comforts in this text. 73 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,360 Though deals with a particular unrepeated moment in history. 74 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,480 When we look at this text, I'm not sure if you caught on to it, 75 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:55,680 but there are three particular groups that are mentioned on the 76 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:01,240 scene, many actors on the stage, and we can easily group these 77 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:06,760 different actors into 3 three different categories, 3 78 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,000 different identities. The first one is a group that 79 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,360 you are very familiar with, the disciples. 80 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,040 We've been following them throughout this journey and mark 81 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:21,800 the second group is unique. The group I'm Speaking of are 82 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,200 the owners of this cult that Jesus requested. 83 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,880 And lastly, another group of people that we are familiar with 84 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,240 pertaining to the ministry of Christ is the crowd. 85 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,320 The crowd. And this is how we're going to 86 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:39,240 approach this text together. I want us to look at each of 87 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,920 these groups because they are mentioned clearly to us, and we 88 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,800 should prayerfully expect that the Lord has something to teach 89 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,280 us about them and through them, with the specific highlights 90 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:53,120 that He's provided from them. And so it's a very simple 91 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,120 approach today. Let's begin by looking at the 92 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,760 first group that is mentioned, the disciples. 93 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:02,680 We have learned so much from the disciples. 94 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:04,920 We've learned so much about the disciples. 95 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:06,920 We have learned so much through the disciples. 96 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,160 And sometimes what we've learned from them are repeated truths to 97 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,480 our benefit. And sometimes when we come 98 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,160 across them, we come across fresh principles that we can 99 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,200 apply to ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ in 2024. 100 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,520 And what we can draw from the first few verses of Mark, 101 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,520 Chapter 11 is a simple observation, but one that should 102 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:28,720 comfort our hearts if we pay attention closely. 103 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,200 We read here that when Jesus was approaching the city in verse 104 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:37,040 one, he sent two of his disciples. 105 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,440 He had how many? You know, 12, But at this time 106 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,240 in the specific task, he recruits 2 out of the 12 and he 107 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,600 sends them out to perform the specific mission. 108 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,920 And again, this may be a simple thought, but it's worth chewing 109 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,160 on. Here's the thing that we can 110 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,760 take from this all of the apostles, all of the disciples 111 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,480 were called to serve God. But with this specific 112 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,560 illustration, we are reminded that not all of God's disciples 113 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:09,240 serve God in the same way. God has designed, and God has 114 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,680 determined, specific missions and ministries for each of us. 115 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:19,160 And that's what we see here with just a glimpse. 12 were chosen, 116 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:21,960 12 were called, 12 were to be trained and used for the glory 117 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:23,960 of God. And at this time, not all 12, 118 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,520 but two out of the 12 we do something in helping prepare for 119 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,800 prophecy to be fulfilled. And I hope that comforts you, 120 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,040 because it's a reminder of the activity of the Lordship of 121 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,840 Jesus Christ over his disciples then, and it has not changed 122 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:42,600 concerning how he manages the gifts and the callings of his 123 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:48,120 disciples at this time. Some will be sent, some will 124 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:56,080 remain, some will serve, others will speak, some will be made 125 00:07:56,080 --> 00:08:01,800 more known, others for the whole lives will be made hidden, all 126 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:05,760 for the glory of Jesus Christ. And your response in mine is 127 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,600 very simple. Understanding how the CEO of the 128 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,440 Church operates, you receive what he has given you, you obey 129 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:16,320 it faithfully, rejoice in the callings that he has provided, 130 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:19,840 and also rejoice in how he works through fellow disciples of 131 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:24,320 Jesus Christ. But the scene of obedience and 132 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,880 the Lordship of Jesus Christ is even more profound when we 133 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,040 consider what John says about the very same disciples at this 134 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,000 time. So look at John 12A parallel 135 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,440 account and look at the commentary that John gives 136 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:50,360 concerning his fellow Apostles to be In John 1216 we read after 137 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,280 describing the triumphal entry from his spirit LED perspective. 138 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:59,800 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when 139 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,520 Jesus was glorified then they remember that these things had 140 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,960 been written about him and had been done to him. 141 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:10,960 No surprise. How many sayings, how many 142 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,080 teachings, how many events did the disciples miss the 143 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,760 significance of, And it is no different here in the final week 144 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:22,600 of Jesus time on earth, John tells us that the disciples did 145 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,800 not understand these things at first. 146 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,800 They couldn't comprehend it. They didn't interpret it 147 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,160 correctly. They viewed it through the 148 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:31,880 personalized lens of what the Messiah should be and what he 149 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,720 would do. And so they missed it. 150 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:38,920 So although they are operating here in obedience to the 151 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,640 commands of Christ, they are still plagued by ignorance. 152 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,360 So yes, let's beat up on the disciples again. 153 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:48,600 No, no, no, no, no. You're supposed to be comforted 154 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,920 by this truth when you connected with what we just read in Mark 155 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,040 Chapter 11. In what way? 156 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,520 Here's the value. Here are these disciples who are 157 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:02,080 blinded even at this moment, partially seeing and yet still 158 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,520 the Lord Jesus was willing to use them to fulfill prophecy. 159 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:10,480 Isn't that wonderful? So you have these guys who have 160 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,600 not yet been able to surrender their skewed perspective. 161 00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:19,400 You have these guys who are slow to learn from the best teacher, 162 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,440 preacher, expositor in the world. 163 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,840 You have these guys who again, would be the ones laying the 164 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,720 foundation of the church, and they have in many times 165 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,920 attitudes of the flesh flare up way more than you would expect 166 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:39,760 for guys of such caliber. And with all of that, Jesus 167 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:46,080 Christ doesn't disqualify them. He still invites them and sends 168 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,760 them. He still utilizes them, you say. 169 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:51,000 Well, what does that mean for me? 170 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:56,000 Well, you haven't caught on yet. Should you not also rejoice in 171 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,000 knowing that even when you and I haven't fully grasped the 172 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:04,360 significance of serving Jesus, of knowing his truth, even when 173 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,560 you wrestle with the truth, Christ doesn't put you on the 174 00:11:07,560 --> 00:11:09,880 shelf. He's still willing to be 175 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,600 glorified through you. He's still willing to use you to 176 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,560 touch other people for his name's sake. 177 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:20,680 He's still willing to show His Majesty in you and show others 178 00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:25,320 His Majesty through you. He's still willing to position 179 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:27,920 you in particular places and moments and with people. 180 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,800 Though you're a weak, and though you are feeble, and though you 181 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:35,040 are distracted like these were, you were supposed to take 182 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,280 comfort in seeing Jesus sending these two out of the 12 and 183 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:42,520 using these 12 as a whole, even though John tells us they were 184 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:47,800 ignorant. And so we see here that Christ 185 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,480 again in his compassion. What do you see here even in 186 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,760 this? The grace of Jesus Christ. 187 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,440 But not just his grace. You see his omniscience? 188 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:01,240 He gave them instructions, right? 189 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,080 Look at verse two and said to them go into the village in 190 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,440 front of you and immediately as you enter it you will find a 191 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,480 cult tide on which no one has ever SAT. 192 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:11,360 Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you while 193 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,760 you're doing this, say the Lord has need of it and we'll send it 194 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,040 back here immediately. Some would say, well the Lord 195 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,280 made pre arrangements concerning this and the disciples just 196 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:26,040 needed to fill in the rest of the equation so that this can be 197 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:29,080 successful. But we have every right to be 198 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,840 persuaded that this is not Jesus making pre arrangements and 199 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,280 making those plans known. This is Jesus operating in his 200 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:38,560 omniscience, knowing all things, knowing exactly where things 201 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:41,120 are, knowing exactly what needs to be said, knowing exactly 202 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,920 what's about to transpire. This is Christ and his all 203 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,200 knowing power, demonstrating it to his own and to us. 204 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:51,440 Do you know why that's important to see Christ in control here? 205 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,560 Because he's about to enter a week where he is going to be 206 00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:59,480 betrayed, arrested, tortured, nailed to a tree. 207 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:03,560 And from the early settings of that time, we're already being 208 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:05,920 proven that Christ was in complete control. 209 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:12,920 Christ wasn't taken by surprise. Christ wasn't arrested outside 210 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,720 of his will. Christ here, even from the 211 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:20,080 beginning of the entrance here, is showing I have this all under 212 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:23,160 control. This is going according to the 213 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:27,120 script that I myself have written concerning my faith and 214 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,800 the faith of humanity. You want to know how in control 215 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:32,920 he is? Notice the type of Colt that 216 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,040 would be united and used. We read here the last part of 217 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,720 verse 2 on which no one has ever sat. 218 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:43,280 Nothing's random in the Bible. Yeah. 219 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:45,720 Oh, OK Never. Nobody ever sat on it. 220 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:46,800 No. Think about it. 221 00:13:48,560 --> 00:13:51,640 What would happen with an animal that is untrained, that doesn't 222 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:53,880 know what it's like to have a human on its back and steering 223 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,800 it and guiding it? We have every reason to believe 224 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,160 that it wouldn't be a graceful ride, a very difficult one. 225 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:04,760 And yet with that you have this unbroken cult, unused cult, 226 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,840 inexperienced cult, and Jesus summons it and rides it 227 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:15,480 perfectly, showing what again His Lordship, his sovereignty, 228 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:21,160 even this beast would submit to his authority and would walk 229 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:24,560 exactly where he needed to be taken and would not interfere, 230 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:29,680 interrupt with his plans. This is Christ fully in control. 231 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,920 And so in control is he that he anticipated some witnesses of 232 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,360 these disciples trying to take this cult. 233 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,520 How do you modernize that? Imagine two guys coming into 234 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:44,280 your driveway and trying to get into your car, knowing that 235 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,600 there would be some potential witnesses. 236 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,960 He gives them and equips them with the right statement that 237 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:54,400 would ease any tension. And this is where we come to the 238 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,360 second group that we're going to learn from, not just the 239 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:58,960 disciples, but the owners of this cult. 240 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,640 We're not told hereby Mark, that they were their owners were told 241 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:05,680 by Luke and Luke 1933, if you want this for a reference and 242 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:07,760 see it with your own eyes, you can turn there, Write it down 243 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,080 for later. And Luke 1933, we read. 244 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:14,440 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, 245 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:20,640 why are you untying the colt? You have every right to ask. 246 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,520 That's your car. Is there anything to learn from 247 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,040 these owners? You better believe it primarily 248 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,960 in their response to what the disciples relayed from Christ to 249 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,320 them. Again, the Lord anticipated 250 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:36,920 this, and so He gives them the key phrase that would resolve 251 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:42,320 it. The Lord has need of it, and 252 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,040 we'll bring it back immediately. And in Mark 11-6, you see the 253 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:50,560 result of that declaration? They let him go. 254 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,520 They let him go. You know, we don't know who 255 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,520 these owners are. We don't know their names. 256 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,360 We don't know their backgrounds. We don't know their ties to 257 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,320 Christ. But what they did in this moment 258 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,040 speaks volumes about them, doesn't it? 259 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:11,240 It does because they surrendered. 260 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:13,520 They surrender their possessions. 261 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,400 They surrender their will. They surrendered their rights to 262 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,320 the simple understanding of the knowledge of the wishes of 263 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:26,720 Christ. All these owners needed to hear 264 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:28,880 this. Jesus needs it. 265 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,000 Then let him have it. Let him take it. 266 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:37,360 This could indicate that these guys were believers. 267 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:39,640 But I want to take it beyond that. 268 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,680 Not just believers. A certain type of believer, 269 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,240 saturated and totally consecrated to the Lordship of 270 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:57,280 Jesus Christ, swiftly, readily, joyfully surrendered all they 271 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:00,000 needed to hear. The Lord has need of it. 272 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:02,600 What about you and I with the commands of Jesus? 273 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,880 We're a little bit more hesitant with some of them, are we not? 274 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:09,280 There's no debate from these guys. 275 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:12,960 There's no questioning, There's no negotiation. 276 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,319 They threw the keys into their hands, so to speak. 277 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,280 And I'm moved by these unnamed servants because this is the 278 00:17:22,280 --> 00:17:25,960 type of worship that the Lord Jesus Christ deserves, that the 279 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,480 moment you understand His will, it's made known to it's clear to 280 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:33,320 you that your heart is unreserved and giving yourself 281 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:37,760 to what His wishes are. That is what it looks like. 282 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,040 And let me help you make it easier. 283 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:44,560 If you are one who feels tension in your heart, imagining the 284 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:49,920 thought that if Christ were to ask anything of you, it belongs 285 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:53,880 to him anyway, it's all his anyway. 286 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,720 He's the rightful owner of it. Everything you have, the the 287 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:01,360 nice shirts you guys have on right now. 288 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,680 You guys look beautiful today. The colors and all that and how 289 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:06,880 you got you in your car and the the warm house that you're going 290 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:10,320 to return to. All of those things, my beloved 291 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,040 brothers and sisters, are borrowed. 292 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:15,320 I know your name is on the contract. 293 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,160 I know you worked hard for it, but even the strength to work 294 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,960 hard for it and the intelligence to save up for it came from God. 295 00:18:23,120 --> 00:18:27,280 It's His. And the more you rehearse that 296 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,280 and the more you ask God to open your eyes that the more liberty 297 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,040 you will know in the place of radical obedience. 298 00:18:33,360 --> 00:18:35,400 The Lord has neither. Well, it's His anyway. 299 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:39,760 Let him take it. But just meditate longer on this 300 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:41,800 with me. Sometimes you just need to read 301 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,080 slow and let it simmer on your heart. 302 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:54,240 The Lord has need of it. The Lord has a need. 303 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,360 He's the all sufficient one. He is the great. 304 00:18:59,360 --> 00:19:03,200 I am, I am that I am. How is it that we read here that 305 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,800 the Lord has a need? Well, I can tell you right off 306 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,480 the bat that this is not the Lord explaining that He's needy. 307 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,880 He is not needy, nor is He lacking in anything as some 308 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,160 would assume, and only will. No completion or fulfillment 309 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,200 from getting something from us. He doesn't need anything. 310 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:26,600 He's not lacking anything. He's complete and whole and 311 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,960 holy. So what does this mean for the 312 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,280 Lord to say? I have need of it? 313 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,960 I think about it even further. This is the Lord who created all 314 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,520 things, who out of nothing, brought everything. 315 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:42,440 I have no doubt in my mind, and neither should you, that if God 316 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,840 really wanted a donkey, he could have called it into existence 317 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:47,680 and its maturity. All right, there we go. 318 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:48,680 We have it. Now let's go. 319 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,880 Could he have done that? Absolutely. 320 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,360 But he has need of it. In what sense? 321 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,880 I argue here that this is, this is an example of the Lord and 322 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,600 his character expressing what his desires are. 323 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,680 He doesn't need anything, but he has desires. 324 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:12,680 He's a person He loves and he hates. 325 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,360 He takes pleasure and there are things that cause him to recoil. 326 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:21,480 And in this moment we learned that the Lord takes pleasure in 327 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,200 seeing His servants express their trust and their love to 328 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,400 Him by giving what He asks of them. 329 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:35,160 The Lord has need of it. The Lord requires it from you. 330 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:39,960 He requests it, not because he is lacking again, but because he 331 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:43,640 is longing. And I think you and I at this 332 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,640 point can pause and ask my delaying and obedience and 333 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:48,960 anything. Let me just speak to you as a 334 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:54,000 brother to a fellow brother to a fellow sister. 335 00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:58,160 Are you delaying this afternoon? Has God been pressing your heart 336 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,320 on something? And you know it's from God and 337 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,320 you know you saw it in God's word and you know that it 338 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,920 pertains to a particular situation in your life, But 339 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:09,160 you've been delaying learn from these owners. 340 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:14,240 They did not miss a beat. They did not reserve anything. 341 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,120 They gave it freely and gladly and urgently. 342 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,880 So let this be a reminder, perhaps to some. 343 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,040 I don't know what's going on in your life, God knows. 344 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,600 But here we are with this text and this point, and maybe it 345 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:27,400 will point at something in your life. 346 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,680 Do not delay any longer. Get to it. 347 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:33,480 God's been speaking to you about it. 348 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,440 Why are you delaying? The Lord has native it. 349 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,800 The Lord requires it from you, and He is worthy to receive it. 350 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,520 But Mark does something interesting here in talking 351 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,720 about this cult. He he he doesn't do something 352 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,400 that Matthew and John do. He doesn't give us the 353 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,680 explanation why Christ really wants this cult. 354 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,400 What's the big deal? You know it. 355 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:03,600 You've been through enough Easter services and Passion Week 356 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,120 services to understand why this is happening. 357 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,280 But let me remind you and read the two things that Matthew and 358 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:12,200 John write concerning the fulfillment of this moment. 359 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,360 Matthew 21 Turn with me there in verse 4. 360 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:27,760 Matthew 21, verse four, in Matthew's account we read this 361 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:32,240 took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet saying, 362 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,920 say to the daughter of Zion, behold, your king is coming to 363 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:40,560 you humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foil of a 364 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:44,120 beast of burden. This is prophecy being 365 00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:48,800 fulfilled, Matthew says, and John echoes that you read it in 366 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:51,000 John chapter 12, verse 14 and 15. 367 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,600 You need to turn there because we're going somewhere with this 368 00:22:55,160 --> 00:23:03,120 in John 1214, and Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it just 369 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:05,840 as it is written. Fear not, daughter of Zion, 370 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,800 Behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt. 371 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:12,480 This is prophesied. This was something that was 372 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,840 declared hundreds of years ago. Tell me who the prophet was. 373 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,000 Anybody know? Zechariah? 374 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:24,080 Zechariah declared this, that Israel's king will come on a 375 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:29,240 colt, lowly humble, a colt signifying peace, not a horse 376 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:33,280 signifying war. But what's interesting is when 377 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,960 you look at these prophecies and compare them with the original 378 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:39,040 writing from Zechariah. So as you're turning there, go 379 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,880 to Zechariah 99 and maybe you'll observe something that is worth 380 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:44,920 mentioning. And as you're turning there, 381 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:46,800 think about this. Why didn't Mark include the 382 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,000 prophecy? You may disagree with me, but I 383 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,920 believe there's a strong case for this point that although 384 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,600 Mark is not shy in portraying Christ as the Messiah, as the 385 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,880 Son of God, as being divine, his preoccupation is not like 386 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:06,480 Matthew and John in wanting to portray Jesus as a king. 387 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,200 You've heard this week after week. 388 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,280 What is Mark's goal in his writings? 389 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,640 To portray Jesus as what? A servant. 390 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,960 A servant? So perhaps that's why he omits 391 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,480 this prophecy, though not denying the significance of the 392 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:20,000 moment. Here's what the prophet 393 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,600 Zechariah says, and hopefully you remember what Matthew and 394 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:27,320 John wrote. Zechariah 99 Rejoice greatly, O 395 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,920 daughter of Zion, shout aloud. O daughter of Jerusalem, Behold, 396 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,120 your king is coming to you righteous and having salvation. 397 00:24:34,120 --> 00:24:37,760 Is he humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt the full of a 398 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:45,920 donkey. Matthew and John don't record 399 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,440 the prophecy word for word, and some would be satisfied to say, 400 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:52,920 well, this is just because they're paraphrasing, and that 401 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:54,760 happens in the Gospels on many occasions. 402 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:58,840 They're paraphrasing this prophecy, but perhaps they 403 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:01,600 omitted something on purpose because they both do it. 404 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,280 The thing that they remove is the first words of Zechariah 99 405 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:11,840 Look at it again. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of 406 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,440 Zion, shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. 407 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,280 Matthew doesn't say rejoice greatly. 408 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:20,240 John doesn't say rejoice greatly again. 409 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:22,920 We can just be content to say this is paraphrase. 410 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,880 Or if not, it makes sense why they did not include that part. 411 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,840 The reason why they would not write concerning this audience 412 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:38,240 rejoice greatly in describing this moment is because they 413 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,560 could not rejoice greatly as long as they rejected Jesus 414 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:46,880 Christ as their King. In other words, the command to 415 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:51,400 rejoice does not apply. The experience of true shouting 416 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:56,800 from the heart is not part of this because they have not yet 417 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,960 truly repented and received Jesus Christ as the Messiah that 418 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:06,480 he truly is. So yes, Matthew and John say 419 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:12,000 this is the one that Zechariah promised and prophesied at the 420 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:14,080 same time. It's a sad thing to see that the 421 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,840 rejoicing was not included because the people did not 422 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:21,960 receive him as such. Now let me make this as a side 423 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,840 note. You can't know true joy without 424 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:30,160 repenting and receiving Christ. He will know superficial, 425 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,480 superficial shouting. You'll get excited by trivial 426 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,320 trinkets of this world. But this rejoicing from the 427 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:43,360 soul, the shouting from your gut, so to speak, can only truly 428 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:47,000 be experienced when you recognize him, when you repent 429 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,400 of the sin that separates you from him, and when you receive 430 00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:53,480 him as the king on his terms, not your own. 431 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,200 Because they're shouting. Are they not Hosanna? 432 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,280 They're rejoicing, yes, but for what reason? 433 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:01,440 We're going to find that out in a moment. 434 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,360 But while you're there in Zechariah 99, look at Zechariah 435 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:08,680 910. You know why many Jews would 436 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:12,000 discredit this moment and this prophecy being fulfilled in the 437 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,920 person of Jesus Christ? Because Zechariah did not 438 00:27:14,920 --> 00:27:16,720 complete his prophecy in verse nine. 439 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,760 He continues it in verse 10 and the Jew today, who knows their 440 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,440 Hebrew scripture would say you Christians missed it. 441 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:27,840 How can you say that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he 442 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:29,960 hasn't fulfilled verse 10? Look at verse 10. 443 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:34,080 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the War Horse from 444 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,840 Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall 445 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,520 speak peace to the nations. His rule shall be from sea to 446 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:45,520 sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. 447 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:50,160 You believe Jesus the Messiah? Oh Zechariah 99 and Mark 11. 448 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:51,640 Matthew 21. John 12. 449 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:55,400 Where is his rule from sea to sea? 450 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,800 Where is the peace to the nations? 451 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,880 And so they write this off. But you're a studied servant of 452 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:08,360 God, are you not? And you understand how even 453 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:13,040 prophecy works in many places, that you can have a prophecy 454 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,440 declared in one breath and in the very next breath. 455 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,600 It speaks of a different time, a different Advent. 456 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,040 Zechariah 99 is the first coming. 457 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,600 Zechariah 910 is the second coming. 458 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:27,480 We still believe it's Jesus, just another time. 459 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:29,200 There's a pause between those verses. 460 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:34,240 Jesus does that himself when he quotes from Isaiah 61, where he 461 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,240 talks about this being the year of the Lord's favor. 462 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,720 Then he stops there and he closes the scrolls in the 463 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:39,520 synagogue. Why? 464 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,840 Because the next part is what talking about the vengeance of 465 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:45,280 our God. He stopped the prophecy there 466 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,520 because it wasn't time for the vengeance of our God that is yet 467 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,040 to come. And the same principle, the same 468 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:53,080 rule applies here. Zechariah 99. 469 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:55,920 He's coming on a colt. Well, where's Zechariah 910? 470 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:59,760 Hold on tight. It's still coming. 471 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:03,720 And when he comes that time, he ain't coming on a donkey. 472 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,600 He's coming on a horse. And he will speak peace to the 473 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,280 nations and he will extend his scepter and he will have rule 474 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,640 from sea to sea. So you learn something from the 475 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,200 disciples. You learn something, I hope, 476 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:20,040 from the owners. But now we come to the final 477 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:24,080 group of people, the crowd, Speaking of the Jews. 478 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:27,080 Let's read here again verse seven of Mark 11. 479 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,360 And they brought the cult to Jesus and threw their cloaks on 480 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:32,960 it. And he sat on it. 481 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,800 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread 482 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:39,720 leafy branches that they had cut off from the fields. 483 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:42,800 And those who went before those who follow were shouting 484 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:46,360 Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the 485 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,880 name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming Kingdom of 486 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,120 our Father David, Hosanna in the highest. 487 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,320 So you just heard that this is not true. 488 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:58,640 Rejoicing. It looks like it. 489 00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:01,280 This is electric. This is jubilant. 490 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,640 More than that, this is not empty praise, though really is. 491 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,040 There's some substance to it because they're declaring 492 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:12,880 scripture and they are ascribing Christ to Messianic 493 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:18,680 declarations. Psalm 1, Psalm 118, verse 25 and 494 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:20,640 verse 26 is what they're quoting from. 495 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,640 And some would say, well, no, Those verses speak about the 496 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,640 pilgrims who would come to the temple during the feast. 497 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:29,720 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 498 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,360 This is not really messianic. Well, OK, when you go to 499 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:37,000 Matthew, you know what it says? Hosanna to the son of David. 500 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:41,960 OK, now you can't say anything. They're crowning Jesus with 501 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,280 messianic accolades. This is the son of David. 502 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,640 This is the one who's going to usher in the Kingdom of our 503 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:52,880 Father David. And we think, well this this is 504 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,560 what we've been hoping for in the ministry of Christ. 505 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,760 Isn't this what Christ himself longed for from his own people, 506 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:06,720 the people of Israel? No, because you you got to 507 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,800 question why they are getting excited. 508 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,760 You got to question why they are rejoicing. 509 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:15,840 Like the disciples, they had a skewed understanding of what the 510 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:19,640 Messiah would do, and they got all excited about the the 511 00:31:19,640 --> 00:31:22,720 miracles of Christ. And this is the best prospect 512 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:25,480 that we've had in centuries. This is, this is the best 513 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,520 candidate for the Messiah that we've ever seen. 514 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:30,680 Yet. And here's what they're hoping 515 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,800 as Jesus is entering into the city on a cult, before them is 516 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:37,920 that side, and behind them is the surveillance and the 517 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:42,600 oppression of the Romans. And so in these poor minds, what 518 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,280 they believe is about to take place is Christ now is making 519 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:48,360 his way into the city and he's going to overthrow this 520 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,280 government. He's going to take over. 521 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:55,520 He has the power to do it. He can command sickness to 522 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:57,160 leave. He can command demons to go. 523 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,080 He's raised the dead, surely, by the word of his own mouth. 524 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,640 He can relinquish and Vanquish these enemies before us. 525 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:10,360 And so they're shouting, they're declaring, they're quoting, but 526 00:32:10,360 --> 00:32:15,000 from a wrong understanding, from a skewed understanding. 527 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:20,680 And how we know that the same crowd here that is hailing 528 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:23,840 Jesus, crowning him with their praises, are going to condemn 529 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:25,600 him in a few days. Do you know why they're going to 530 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,120 condemn them? Because they learned that Jesus 531 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:28,480 didn't fulfill what they desired. 532 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,920 And when they learned that Christ did not overthrow the 533 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:37,400 government, he did not attack. He did not use his disciples to 534 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,680 advance the purposes of God with the sword. 535 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:43,040 And now they see him as a poor, pitiful man on trial, arrested. 536 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:46,440 So let's get rid of this guy. We're done with him. 537 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:55,560 He didn't meet our expectations. And so Christ here is willing to 538 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:57,440 absorb this for a reason. But before we get to that 539 00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,920 reason, let's think about this truth Today. 540 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,800 You know, you have many people who look at even believers or a 541 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:05,680 group of believers or ministries, and what do they 542 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:07,200 see? They see what they saw here. 543 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:16,800 Excitement, shouting praises even things from scripture being 544 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:20,280 proclaimed. Excitement is not the evidence 545 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:23,520 that people are understanding or operating in the truth. 546 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:31,360 Yeah, it's not. Don't measure that to equate to 547 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:33,320 these people understanding truth. 548 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:37,000 Now, if it is fueling the truth, is fueling that excitement, that 549 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:40,160 joy, then praise God, he's he's worthy of that zeal. 550 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:45,280 But zeal in itself can be empty. Passion in itself can be 551 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:50,080 misguided. And so sometimes you look out 552 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,600 and you see that too. And you wonder, what are these 553 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:54,280 people even getting excited about? 554 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:56,440 What are they hearing week after week? 555 00:33:56,720 --> 00:33:59,000 How are they living in this way? How do they have such a poor 556 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:01,360 grasp on the truth? But they can see more passion 557 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,400 than those who have the truth. I can tell you this, it's not 558 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:06,480 foreign. You have the same thing here 559 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:11,120 with these people, all the hoopla and the packed place. 560 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:17,960 And they didn't get it, didn't have a true grasp on the truth. 561 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:20,199 You know what's so amazing about this? 562 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,679 It's not just what they're saying, but how Jesus is willing 563 00:34:23,679 --> 00:34:27,560 to tolerate it, You know, for so long. 564 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:31,719 Jesus in the ministry and the gospels suppresses this kind of 565 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,080 stuff. How many times have we read 566 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:36,880 Jesus not wanting those to spread the news of who he was 567 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:41,920 and what he did? Christ wasn't prone to allowing 568 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,679 things to be advertised unless he commanded it for a specific 569 00:34:44,679 --> 00:34:47,600 reason. And now you come here and you 570 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:51,920 see Jesus not only willing to tolerate it, but he almost 571 00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:56,199 provokes it. He invites it, he absorbs it, 572 00:34:56,199 --> 00:34:59,800 and he refuses to deny it. What? 573 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,600 What changed here? How is this so public? 574 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:05,840 And how is Christ actually allowing this? 575 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,200 I mean, you even read in a different gospel accounts where 576 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:11,200 the Pharisees says Teacher rebuke your disciples. 577 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:12,640 Do you understand what they're saying? 578 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,200 And he You remember what he said? 579 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:16,160 Hey, if they don't cry out, the rocks will. 580 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,280 So this is the Lord now allowing this, not just allowing this. 581 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:26,240 He's prepared for this. He's in charge of it. 582 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:29,920 And I believe there are two reasons why. 583 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,960 There's a shift now in how Christ deals with the praises 584 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:36,440 and the Messianic hailing of the Jews. 585 00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:46,440 One, it's time the Lord Jesus is ready to be arrested, to be 586 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:50,560 betrayed, to be put on trial, to die, to go into a tomb and to 587 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:53,040 raise from it. This is the Father's will. 588 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,200 And we know that every time these kind of things were done, 589 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:01,480 it only fueled the hostility of the religious leaders, and it 590 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:05,760 would be no different now. And Christ is ready for the 591 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:09,320 hostility of his enemies to reach a boiling point through 592 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,640 this, because this is the moment that we've been all been waiting 593 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:14,680 for. Christ is ready to surrender His 594 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,640 life. And so, in perfect Providence, 595 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:22,240 this parade was necessary. It was permitted. 596 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:27,440 But there's a second reason. I mean, at all the times that 597 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,720 Christ could have done this, he does it during the time of 598 00:36:30,720 --> 00:36:33,080 feast, specifically the feast of Passover. 599 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,800 We're going to learn that Jesus himself dies the same time when 600 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:39,480 these lambs would be sacrificed in Jerusalem. 601 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,000 Everything is going according to the prophetic calendar. 602 00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:47,640 And so the Lord chooses to go public in this way. 603 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,960 When you have thousands of Jews in the city, when you have 604 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:55,880 thousands of people from around the world pilgrims coming to 605 00:36:55,880 --> 00:37:00,880 honor this feast, and here Christ is willing to be 606 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:05,000 proclaimed as such and to confirm His identity from the 607 00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,480 lips of these people, including the lips of babes. 608 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:11,200 You know why? Because this is his final 609 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:16,880 massive public testimony of himself to this people. 610 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:21,440 It would eliminate absolutely all potential doubt or 611 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:25,080 misunderstanding of what people thought Christ thought of 612 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:28,120 himself. There's no questioning now. 613 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,960 Everybody's hailing him as the Messiah, and he is riding on a 614 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:37,240 donkey with a smile on his face. He believes this about himself, 615 00:37:38,240 --> 00:37:41,440 and that would only be accounted to their actions when they would 616 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:48,280 kill him. You saw me receive these praises 617 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:50,640 as the Messiah, and you're still willing to kill me. 618 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:54,840 So this is now going to just add to the guilt of the unbelief of 619 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,360 these religious leaders and the Jewish people as a whole. 620 00:37:58,840 --> 00:38:01,480 This is very strategic, what the Lord is doing here. 621 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,200 And so here it is. You have the praises, you have 622 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:06,440 the leafy branches, you have the coats, you have the shouts, you 623 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:11,320 have baby singing, you have boiling red faced Pharisees on 624 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:14,680 the sidelines. What we're told in another 625 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:17,200 gospel account where they say to one another, look, the world has 626 00:38:17,240 --> 00:38:22,880 gone after him and with all of this something happens. 627 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:31,000 Verse 11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the 628 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:36,960 temple and we had looked around at everything as it was already 629 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:39,640 late. He went out to Bethany with the 630 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:43,040 12. I don't know about you, but 631 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:48,720 that's pretty anticlimactic. You just feel like things are 632 00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:50,200 being built up. You feel like there's going to 633 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:54,520 be this crescendo. And what you read here is almost 634 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:59,720 something of a mystery. Jesus comes through the city and 635 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:06,000 then in one verse everything is hushed and you get the picture 636 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:11,680 of Christ almost being alone as he enters into the temple. 637 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:18,480 And there's no follow up to the hosannas. 638 00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:23,200 There's no again on the side of the people. 639 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:26,120 There's no confrontation with the Romans because you didn't 640 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:30,640 come to do that. There's no response from Christ 641 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:33,200 to these crowds. It's just Christ now appearing. 642 00:39:33,640 --> 00:39:36,280 No people around, no word being said. 643 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:39,440 And if you can, this is what you would see from this verse. 644 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:47,440 Christ in the temple doing this. I don't know how long he was 645 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,680 doing it for, but Mark is very descriptive in saying that he 646 00:39:50,680 --> 00:39:56,160 looked at everything in the temple that stirred me. 647 00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:00,560 What is he doing here? Why is he looking at everything? 648 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:04,640 Can I tell you why? He's inspecting, see? 649 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:08,240 What do you mean, he's inspecting? 650 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:11,440 He comes into the House of God, and he's evaluating the 651 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:16,080 condition of the place that pointed to him, at the place 652 00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:19,240 that was supposed to host the glory of God, at the place where 653 00:40:19,240 --> 00:40:22,360 the priests were supposed to serve the people of God. 654 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:26,600 And he's looking, and he wants to make sure things are the way 655 00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:29,040 they're supposed to be. And if they're not, he's going 656 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:30,040 to do something about it, he said. 657 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:31,440 What do you mean? We'll Scroll down here in the 658 00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:36,800 same chapter in verse 15. And they came to Jerusalem and 659 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:40,120 he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and 660 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:43,400 those who bought in the temple. And he overturned the tables of 661 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:46,880 the money changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 662 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:52,080 So when Christ came there in verse 11, that's what he learned 663 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:57,120 with his investigation. They're making my father's house 664 00:40:57,120 --> 00:41:01,880 into a business, into a money making scheme. 665 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:04,600 And you know what's so powerful about that? 666 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:08,240 I can imagine this thought running through his mind because 667 00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:10,160 this is not the first time he cleansed the temple. 668 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:12,360 He did it in John Chapter 2, near the beginning of his 669 00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:13,280 ministry. You remember that? 670 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:17,320 Looks like my temple needs to be cleansed again. 671 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:22,160 Why didn't you do it right there? 672 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,000 And then why didn't you do it in verse 11? 673 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:29,480 He had the power he could have. It's a picture of how Christ is 674 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:35,520 slow to bring judgment and before he does bring His 675 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:42,960 justice, he investigates. It reminds me of what we read 676 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:46,000 with Abraham when the Lord. The Lord came to Abraham with 677 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:49,120 the two angels and we're told that the Lord went to go to 678 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:52,840 Sodom and he expressed this to see if the evil that has reached 679 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:57,560 the heavens is so. Did God need to come down to 680 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:00,000 earth to see if the evil of Sodom was so? 681 00:42:00,920 --> 00:42:02,280 No. But he chose to come down, 682 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:06,360 manifest himself in the flesh, and to walk and make his way to 683 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:08,880 the city and make a final conclusion. 684 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,480 Not because he is not omniscient, not because he's not 685 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:16,360 all present, but because he wants to express and explain his 686 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:18,480 character to us in a way we would understand. 687 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:26,240 He is slow to judge, and his judgment is absolutely perfect. 688 00:42:27,040 --> 00:42:32,960 It is calculated. And this is how we learn as 689 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:35,840 people who have been commanded to judge. 690 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,640 No, we haven't been commanded. No, you are commanded to judge. 691 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:42,520 Well, Jesus said judge not lest you be judged. 692 00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:45,080 Yeah, he told you how to judge rightly in that teaching not to 693 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,960 not judge at all. But as people who are prone to 694 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:50,800 make judgments, as people who are prone to make assessments 695 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:53,640 and make conclusions about people learn from Jesus. 696 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,840 He was very slow before he made a judgment. 697 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:04,680 He's very careful, intricate, mindful, before he executed. 698 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:10,360 And so here's Jesus at this temple looking around and verse 699 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:13,840 15 is the verdict. But I see something else here, 700 00:43:14,480 --> 00:43:16,920 and if you're willing to go with me on this brief little journey, 701 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:19,200 it will be worth it. Because there is, I believe, a 702 00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:23,120 deeper message here, and it's connected to a sequence of 703 00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:26,920 events in the Old Testament that many people are unfamiliar with 704 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:29,680 because they're intimidated by this book as a whole. 705 00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:34,600 Jesus in this snapshot ends in the Temple. 706 00:43:34,600 --> 00:43:37,000 Where did he begin? Look back at verse one of Mark, 707 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:38,560 Chapter 11. Now, when they drew near to 708 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:43,200 Jerusalem to Beth Age and Bethany at the Mount of Olives 709 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:47,280 and another account we're told that he descended the Mount of 710 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:49,720 Olives. So he starts at the Mount of 711 00:43:49,720 --> 00:43:53,680 Olives and he finds his way in the Temple. 712 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:59,960 It reminds me of a series of events that took place in the 713 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:04,760 days of Ezekiel. Ezekiel is a profound book, and 714 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:08,840 in this particular part in Ezekiel, God shows the prophet 715 00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:14,240 the climactic consequence of the idolatry of the nation of 716 00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:17,160 Israel. You know what it was the glory 717 00:44:17,160 --> 00:44:20,200 of God would be removed from their midst. 718 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:24,120 They were removed. The great part of the people of 719 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:28,520 Judah were moved into exile. But Ezekiel receives this vision 720 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:31,640 that not only are my people going to be removed from the 721 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:35,920 land, I myself am changing my address. 722 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:39,920 Where did God's glory abide for hundreds of years? 723 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:43,160 In the most holy Place? In the Holy of Holies, where 724 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:45,960 only one man, one time a year could enter. 725 00:44:46,720 --> 00:44:49,560 But the presence of God being in that very place, though it was 726 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:52,680 concealed and hidden, it was enough for the people to 727 00:44:52,680 --> 00:44:55,280 understand. God delights to dwell with us, 728 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:58,080 and God's presence is here is what marks us and makes us 729 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:00,800 distinct from all the nations. Remember what Moses said. 730 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:04,240 If your presence does not go with us, how will we be 731 00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:09,240 identified as your people? Everything centralized around 732 00:45:09,240 --> 00:45:11,320 the presence of God, the glory of God. 733 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:16,560 And that glory represented, yes, his intimacy, his power, his 734 00:45:16,560 --> 00:45:20,240 favour, his willingness to walk in the midst of those who are 735 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:25,160 sinners. And God says to Ezekiel, I'm so 736 00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:30,360 grieved, I'm so fed up with, after centuries of profits being 737 00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:34,080 sent and my people violating my laws, that would ultimately 738 00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:38,720 violate my heart, that I'm going to remove my glory from my 739 00:45:38,720 --> 00:45:42,640 house. And here's what's so amazing, 740 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:45,360 the sequence of events of how God does it. 741 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:48,320 You would think that for God to do that, he would remove his 742 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:50,040 presence and it would evaporate in that moment. 743 00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:52,560 Not so. And the only way you're going to 744 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:54,680 see it is if you go with me in this final passage of Scripture 745 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:57,600 for today in Ezekiel chapter 10. Look at this with me. 746 00:45:57,600 --> 00:46:00,680 There are three verses I want you to see in Ezekiel 10 and in 747 00:46:00,680 --> 00:46:12,100 Ezekiel 11. Look at verse four of Ezekiel 748 00:46:12,100 --> 00:46:20,610 chapter 10. If you have been paying 749 00:46:20,610 --> 00:46:22,810 attention so far, let me give you a hint. 750 00:46:22,810 --> 00:46:24,450 This is a good place to pay attention. 751 00:46:26,080 --> 00:46:30,240 And the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the 752 00:46:30,240 --> 00:46:35,480 threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, 753 00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:38,600 and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of 754 00:46:38,600 --> 00:46:41,960 the Lord. So the glory of God resided 755 00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:46,440 between the cherub that was upon the ark of the covenant. 756 00:46:47,040 --> 00:46:49,920 But we're told here that the glory of the Lord went up from 757 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:53,480 the cherub to the threshold of the House of God. 758 00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:57,880 So it leaves the most holy place, the glory of God, and it 759 00:46:57,880 --> 00:47:00,720 parks at the entrance of the house. 760 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:05,160 And then you come down and you read verse 19. 761 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:10,640 And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the 762 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:15,840 earth before my eyes as they went out, and the wheels beside 763 00:47:15,840 --> 00:47:18,920 them. And they stood at the entrance 764 00:47:18,920 --> 00:47:21,680 of the Eastgate of the House of the Lord. 765 00:47:22,120 --> 00:47:25,400 And the glory of the God of Israel was over them. 766 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:29,120 So it leaves the Most Holy Place. 767 00:47:29,360 --> 00:47:32,760 And now it arrives to the threshold, the entrance into 768 00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:36,360 that sacred house. But in verse 19 we read here 769 00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:40,120 that it now leaves the threshold, and it comes into the 770 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:42,400 entrance of the complex as a whole. 771 00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:46,400 What are you seeing here? Yes, the glory of God is being 772 00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:50,640 removed, but in stages. Why is this happening? 773 00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:53,400 Because God is reluctant to remove his favour from his 774 00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:56,840 people. God is not quick to turn his 775 00:47:56,840 --> 00:48:00,920 back on his people. God does not delight in removing 776 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:05,160 his hand from his people. And the fact that this vision is 777 00:48:05,160 --> 00:48:09,760 being portrayed is to explain that God will lift his hand off 778 00:48:10,080 --> 00:48:13,480 slowly so that you would realize it and realizing you would 779 00:48:13,480 --> 00:48:15,440 repent. And you say, no, Lord, keep your 780 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:21,560 hand on my life. Keep your hand on this ministry. 781 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:27,240 Don't let your glory be removed. But what happens so often is 782 00:48:27,240 --> 00:48:30,000 like Samson, people don't even realize what's happening. 783 00:48:30,320 --> 00:48:34,400 They play sport with their sin. They they tempt themselves and 784 00:48:34,400 --> 00:48:36,640 they try to see how close they can come to the line. 785 00:48:37,520 --> 00:48:39,520 God is so patient with that man, Samson. 786 00:48:39,720 --> 00:48:43,000 On an individual basis, the Lord is so slow to remove himself and 787 00:48:43,080 --> 00:48:46,040 allow yourself to be exposed to the elements of this Dark World 788 00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:49,720 and your flesh. And we see here on a corporate 789 00:48:49,720 --> 00:48:52,000 level with the nation of Israel, he goes from the most holy 790 00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:54,080 place. This is God I'm talking about. 791 00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:58,600 This is God the one who has every right that every time you 792 00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:00,680 and I sin and do wrong to say you know what, I'm done with 793 00:49:00,680 --> 00:49:03,000 you. People, even Christians, are 794 00:49:03,000 --> 00:49:04,840 willing to do that so quickly. Not God. 795 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:09,680 From the most Holy place to the threshold of the house to the 796 00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:13,080 entrance of the east. But that's not the final place 797 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:15,760 you come to. Chapter 11, verse 23. 798 00:49:20,680 --> 00:49:23,040 And this is the final place that we read about the departing 799 00:49:23,040 --> 00:49:29,920 glory of God, Ezekiel 11/23. And the glory of the Lord went 800 00:49:29,920 --> 00:49:33,560 up from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that 801 00:49:33,560 --> 00:49:37,160 is on the east side of the city. You know what mountain that is? 802 00:49:37,720 --> 00:49:41,760 The Mount of Olives. It's from the Most Holy Place to 803 00:49:41,760 --> 00:49:46,080 the Threshold to the entrance of the Eastgate, and then it goes 804 00:49:46,080 --> 00:49:49,680 to the top of the Mount of Olives. 805 00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:55,320 And you don't read about the departing of the glory anymore. 806 00:49:55,560 --> 00:49:57,600 It ends there. And there's no indication if it 807 00:49:57,720 --> 00:49:59,320 removed itself from there or not. 808 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:03,160 But what you do read is later on in Ezekiel 43 that the glory of 809 00:50:03,160 --> 00:50:04,960 God will return to this new temple. 810 00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:07,720 A temple that we have not seen in history yet, A temple that is 811 00:50:07,720 --> 00:50:11,040 for a future time, a temple that will come when Christ comes. 812 00:50:11,040 --> 00:50:12,200 But here's what's so interesting. 813 00:50:12,360 --> 00:50:16,000 You have the glory leaving the House of God, going to the Mount 814 00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:18,520 of Olives. And I'm reminded of something 815 00:50:18,520 --> 00:50:20,080 concerning the person of Jesus Christ. 816 00:50:20,080 --> 00:50:23,200 According to Hebrews One, He has been described as the radiance 817 00:50:23,200 --> 00:50:25,040 of what? The glory of God. 818 00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:29,040 And what do you see about the radiance of the glory of God in 819 00:50:29,040 --> 00:50:32,360 the person of Jesus Christ? In Mark 11 he starts on the 820 00:50:32,360 --> 00:50:39,600 mount of Olives and he descends back into the House of God. 821 00:50:42,680 --> 00:50:47,160 So God, in his grace and mercy, in the glory of the person of 822 00:50:47,160 --> 00:50:52,640 Jesus Christ, returns to where Ezekiel said he left from. 823 00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:57,320 And here he is the glory of God in the temple. 824 00:50:57,800 --> 00:51:05,160 And the people missed it again. Did they honor the glory of God 825 00:51:05,160 --> 00:51:08,360 and the person of Jesus Christ? Did they recognize him as such? 826 00:51:09,880 --> 00:51:11,880 No. They performed the most gross 827 00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:14,760 act of idolatry and apostasy. They killed him. 828 00:51:16,520 --> 00:51:19,640 What happened to this glory in the person of Jesus Christ? 829 00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:23,080 The same thing that happened to the glory of God in Ezekiel. 830 00:51:24,080 --> 00:51:26,200 They rejected the glory of God in Christ. 831 00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:28,640 Where does Christ find himself after his death, Burial. 832 00:51:28,640 --> 00:51:30,760 Resurrection. Acts One? 833 00:51:31,840 --> 00:51:33,760 Let me remind you, go to Acts One and we're ending it. 834 00:51:34,960 --> 00:51:40,640 Maybe. Look at Acts 1. 835 00:51:43,120 --> 00:51:50,720 Jesus in his resurrected state, he ascends into heaven. 836 00:51:51,720 --> 00:51:55,520 A cloud took him from their sight, and in verse 10, And 837 00:51:55,520 --> 00:51:58,000 while they were gazing into heaven as you went, behold 2 men 838 00:51:58,000 --> 00:52:00,760 stood by them in white robes, and said, men of Galilee, why do 839 00:52:00,760 --> 00:52:03,800 you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from 840 00:52:03,800 --> 00:52:06,880 you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go 841 00:52:06,880 --> 00:52:09,800 into heaven. Then they returned to Jerusalem 842 00:52:09,800 --> 00:52:13,560 from the mount called Olivet. That's where he was. 843 00:52:16,200 --> 00:52:19,680 So in the same way that the glory departed from the temple 844 00:52:19,920 --> 00:52:22,960 up to the Mount of Olives, in Ezekiel, here we see the glory, 845 00:52:23,040 --> 00:52:26,200 the grace of God in Jesus Christ starting on the Mount of Olives, 846 00:52:26,200 --> 00:52:28,840 coming back into the temple. They rejected the glory of God. 847 00:52:29,000 --> 00:52:31,560 And where do you find him now? On the Mount of Olives again. 848 00:52:31,560 --> 00:52:35,480 And what's going to happen? Is that it? 849 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:38,840 No, no, no. Zechariah 14 four says that the 850 00:52:38,840 --> 00:52:43,200 feet of him will come and plant them on the Mount of Olives. 851 00:52:43,600 --> 00:52:46,240 The glory of God in Jesus Christ will return again. 852 00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:48,680 And here's the best part. He's not going to leave after 853 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:50,600 that. No, no, no, no, no. 854 00:52:50,760 --> 00:52:54,920 Those who would reject his glory at that time will not be able to 855 00:52:54,920 --> 00:52:58,320 remove the glory. They will be removed by his 856 00:52:58,320 --> 00:53:01,080 glory. And you and I will enjoy his 857 00:53:01,080 --> 00:53:08,160 glory forever and ever and ever. If you belong to him, if you 858 00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:11,240 know him, are you like the crowd today? 859 00:53:11,600 --> 00:53:14,120 You like the Christian songs and you like the Christian people 860 00:53:14,120 --> 00:53:16,520 and you like the Christian conferences, but you don't know 861 00:53:16,520 --> 00:53:19,920 Christ. You have this idea of Christ. 862 00:53:19,920 --> 00:53:21,840 He's this fluffy teddy bear up there. 863 00:53:22,600 --> 00:53:25,200 He's a grandfather in the sky that you can just plop on his 864 00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:27,440 lap whenever you need something, and you ignore him for the rest 865 00:53:27,440 --> 00:53:29,040 of the year. But he's there, the smiley 866 00:53:29,040 --> 00:53:31,000 grandpa whenever you come back with treats. 867 00:53:32,040 --> 00:53:35,440 No, he's king. He is ruler. 868 00:53:35,760 --> 00:53:38,400 He is Lord. He is a bridegroom. 869 00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:42,200 He's a shepherd of your soul. He wants what you say with your 870 00:53:42,200 --> 00:53:45,840 lips to come from a heart that has been washed in his blood. 871 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:49,040 Are you surrendered? Are you a spectator? 872 00:53:50,760 --> 00:53:53,880 Are you a follower? Are you a conference attender? 873 00:53:54,720 --> 00:53:59,560 Which one are you? He wants you today and He wants 874 00:53:59,560 --> 00:54:02,760 you today because he loves you. And in loving you, he prayed a 875 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:06,440 prayer in John 17 that those who would belong to him would be 876 00:54:06,440 --> 00:54:12,400 with him forever, that they may see His glory, Because in seeing 877 00:54:12,400 --> 00:54:17,040 his glory you will know true fulfillment, you will know true 878 00:54:17,040 --> 00:54:19,200 satisfaction, and you will know why you were created. 879 00:54:19,840 --> 00:54:23,520 Lord, we thank you for this time in Mark 11, we thank you for the 880 00:54:23,520 --> 00:54:25,880 depth of the word of God. We thank you of how rich it 881 00:54:25,880 --> 00:54:28,920 really is. And Lord, we thank you that we 882 00:54:28,920 --> 00:54:32,040 can from redeemed hearts say Hosanna. 883 00:54:33,040 --> 00:54:35,000 Blessed is he who comes. In the name of the Lord. 884 00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:40,600 We can say you have saved us. And as Hosanna means, we can 885 00:54:40,600 --> 00:54:44,040 say, save us now. Save us from our temptation. 886 00:54:44,040 --> 00:54:46,880 Save us from our troubles. Save us from our flesh. 887 00:54:47,400 --> 00:54:50,520 Save us from our unbelief. And so let at this time we 888 00:54:50,520 --> 00:54:54,200 rejoice in you, knowing that you are the one who will come back 889 00:54:54,200 --> 00:54:57,680 in his glory. And we will share in that glory 890 00:54:57,680 --> 00:55:01,480 and enjoy it forever. We bless you and we worship you 891 00:55:01,480 --> 00:55:03,360 today. In Jesus name. 892 00:55:03,800 --> 00:55:05,280 Amen. Amen. 893 00:55:06,400 --> 00:55:08,400 The praise team can come as we worship the Lord. 894 00:55:08,400 --> 00:55:10,240 And I want to invite you. If you're a person here who 895 00:55:10,240 --> 00:55:12,360 doesn't know Christ on a personal level, this is how 896 00:55:12,360 --> 00:55:15,200 glorious He is. That even during this time of 897 00:55:15,200 --> 00:55:19,040 singing, you can engage with him and you can confess with your 898 00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:21,200 mouth that he is Lord. And you can believe in your 899 00:55:21,200 --> 00:55:23,000 heart that God raised him from the dead. 900 00:55:23,200 --> 00:55:26,880 And from doing so, you will know justification, you will know 901 00:55:26,880 --> 00:55:29,600 redemption, you will know forgiveness, and I'm telling you 902 00:55:29,880 --> 00:55:32,840 it will change you. It will restore you. 903 00:55:33,200 --> 00:55:36,880 It will be what the Bible says, a born again experience where 904 00:55:36,880 --> 00:55:39,560 you feel like you've just come to life for the first time. 905 00:55:40,400 --> 00:55:43,480 You can't choose whether you're born or not in the physical. 906 00:55:43,480 --> 00:55:46,840 You can choose if you get to be born again spiritually, that's 907 00:55:46,840 --> 00:55:49,400 up to you. And I hope that you would want 908 00:55:49,400 --> 00:55:53,000 to take advantage of a message like this to see the absolute 909 00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:55,840 brilliance of God's mind in his word and say I want to follow 910 00:55:55,840 --> 00:55:58,160 this God, and more than the brilliance of this word, the 911 00:55:58,160 --> 00:56:01,760 brilliance of his humility and his love in his sacrifice and 912 00:56:01,760 --> 00:56:05,080 saying, I want to serve this God who has graciously given his 913 00:56:05,080 --> 00:56:08,720 life up for me. That's your opportunity today. 914 00:56:09,200 --> 00:56:11,520 You can leave here more than just an exciting experience in a 915 00:56:11,520 --> 00:56:13,160 building. You can leave here with life in 916 00:56:13,160 --> 00:56:15,600 Christ. And as they sing, you can cry 917 00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:19,520 out to this God, and he will answer if you do so from faith.