WEBVTT 00:00:16.509 --> 00:00:20.129 sending up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, 00:00:20.149 --> 00:00:24.190 when he was come nigh to Bethpage and Bethany, 00:00:24.370 --> 00:00:27.250 at the mount called the Mount of Olives, he sent 00:00:27.250 --> 00:00:29.089 two of his disciples, saying, Go ye into the 00:00:29.089 --> 00:00:32.109 village over against you, in the which at your 00:00:32.109 --> 00:00:36.270 entering you shall find a colt tied whereon yet 00:00:36.270 --> 00:00:40.310 never man sat. Loose him, and bring him hither. 00:00:41.310 --> 00:00:43.869 And if any man ask you, Why do you loose him? 00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:47.600 Thus shall you say unto him, Because the Lord 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:51.280 hath need of him. And they that were sent went 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:54.799 their way, and found even as he had said to them. 00:00:56.219 --> 00:00:59.560 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:02.380 thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.459 They said, The Lord hath need of him. And they 00:01:04.459 --> 00:01:09.540 brought him to Jesus. And they cast their garments 00:01:09.540 --> 00:01:13.959 upon the colt, and they sat Jesus thereon. And 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:17.420 as he went, they spread their clothes in the 00:01:17.420 --> 00:01:22.040 way. And he was come nigh even now at the descent 00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:26.000 of the Mount of Olives. The whole multitude of 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.379 the disciples began to rejoice and praise God 00:01:28.379 --> 00:01:33.000 with a loud voice for all the mighty works that 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:37.359 they had seen, saying, Blessed be the king that 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:39.980 cometh in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven 00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:44.239 and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:47.099 from among the multitude said unto him, Master, 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:50.060 rebuke your disciples. And he answered and said 00:01:50.060 --> 00:01:52.459 unto them, I tell you that if these should hold 00:01:52.459 --> 00:01:57.340 their peace, the stones would immediately cry 00:01:57.340 --> 00:02:00.939 out. And when he was come near, he beheld the 00:02:00.939 --> 00:02:05.219 city and wept over it, saying, If thou hast known. 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:10.280 Even thou, at least in this thy day, the things 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:14.979 which belong unto thy peace. But now they're 00:02:14.979 --> 00:02:18.659 hid from your eyes. For the day shall come upon 00:02:18.659 --> 00:02:21.740 you that thine enemies shall cast a trench about 00:02:21.740 --> 00:02:25.300 thee and compass thee round and keep thee in 00:02:25.300 --> 00:02:29.719 on every side. And shall lay thee even with the 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:33.120 ground. And thy children within thee, and they 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.939 shall not leave. in thee one stone upon another, 00:02:37.139 --> 00:02:44.400 because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. 00:02:46.259 --> 00:02:48.580 Simple thought this morning. From last week, 00:02:48.599 --> 00:02:54.300 we're just, the countdown continues. As we're 00:02:54.300 --> 00:02:57.520 making our way from the last month of Christ's 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:01.759 life to the last day of his life on this earth. 00:03:03.210 --> 00:03:06.189 We're traveling there. We're taking a walk through 00:03:06.189 --> 00:03:09.590 Scripture. I encourage you this next week in 00:03:09.590 --> 00:03:15.789 all the Gospels, read the last of Christ's life. 00:03:16.909 --> 00:03:20.009 Get it in your heart. Get it in your mind. Put 00:03:20.009 --> 00:03:23.909 it in your soul. Amen? Because he came for you. 00:03:25.090 --> 00:03:28.449 Father, I love you today. I need your help. I 00:03:28.449 --> 00:03:31.409 need your grace. I ask, Father God, that you 00:03:31.409 --> 00:03:35.659 would just... Move upon us now, and as we continue 00:03:35.659 --> 00:03:41.699 forward, the countdown continues. I ask God that 00:03:41.699 --> 00:03:44.699 you would touch me, you would help me. Add your 00:03:44.699 --> 00:03:47.139 richest grace into our heart and life as we just 00:03:47.139 --> 00:03:52.020 speak. We speak unto you. To the body of Christ, 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:56.219 to glorify your name, that they be built and 00:03:56.219 --> 00:04:00.780 strengthened through Christ. And the church said... 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.120 Amen. Tell your neighbor the countdown continues. 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:17.220 What we've known as Palm Sunday, as we're celebrating 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:19.279 today, is one of my favorite Sundays of the year. 00:04:22.339 --> 00:04:28.000 The reason being that Christ truly received what 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:35.769 he deserved. Amen? From his humble birth until 00:04:35.769 --> 00:04:40.329 this moment, he hadn't received what he deserved. 00:04:41.930 --> 00:04:47.569 But now, being bestowed upon him is everything 00:04:47.569 --> 00:04:52.810 that he deserves. You remember, he is the Son 00:04:52.810 --> 00:04:57.430 of God. He is God in the flesh, the incarnate 00:04:57.430 --> 00:05:01.639 one, right? He who was from the beginning became 00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:05.339 flesh to walk upon this earth. And he's receiving 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:09.000 the glory from his creation that he deserves. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:14.740 It's my favorite Sunday. On this first Palm Sunday 00:05:14.740 --> 00:05:19.959 as Christ is entering in, we understand he's 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:25.079 making his way toward Calvary. And the countdown 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:27.860 to the end of his earthly walk is continuing 00:05:27.860 --> 00:05:31.139 on. We're about to embark upon what we know as 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:36.360 Holy Week. And in the city of Jerusalem, there 00:05:36.360 --> 00:05:38.920 are hundreds of thousands of people who have 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:42.680 come and gathered for the feast. They've come 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:45.420 for the celebration. They've come for the Passover. 00:05:47.639 --> 00:05:50.750 Unbeknownst to many of them, that they were going 00:05:50.750 --> 00:05:55.670 to be able to take part in what would be the 00:05:55.670 --> 00:06:03.750 fulfillment of the last Passover. Thursday night, 00:06:03.829 --> 00:06:06.069 if you sign up for the Seder meal, that's exactly 00:06:06.069 --> 00:06:08.490 what's going to be drawn out. It's what's going 00:06:08.490 --> 00:06:11.970 to be made and brought to attention. That Passover 00:06:11.970 --> 00:06:16.149 meal and what it represents. Not what, but who. 00:06:19.370 --> 00:06:23.189 It's who it represents. Every step, every element 00:06:23.189 --> 00:06:26.490 is going to be revealed that it is Christ. The 00:06:26.490 --> 00:06:30.470 type, the shadow pointing toward what he's going 00:06:30.470 --> 00:06:38.230 to do in this next week. This celebration, if 00:06:38.230 --> 00:06:43.670 you will, the grand entrance, the triumphal entry 00:06:43.670 --> 00:06:51.329 as the Son of God enters in to Jerusalem. For 00:06:51.329 --> 00:06:59.870 the climax of his life. The echoes up and down 00:06:59.870 --> 00:07:02.110 the streets of Jerusalem as they begin to cry 00:07:02.110 --> 00:07:08.870 is Hosanna, save now. Save us now. Remember, 00:07:08.910 --> 00:07:15.149 Israel is looking for their Messiah. The deliverer, 00:07:15.170 --> 00:07:19.220 the one to set them free. They're looking for 00:07:19.220 --> 00:07:23.199 him to come on the scene. And Jesus wasn't the 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:26.920 first one making the claim. There had been others. 00:07:27.980 --> 00:07:30.740 But if you read the history of the others, none 00:07:30.740 --> 00:07:34.509 of them raised the dead. You read the history 00:07:34.509 --> 00:07:36.730 of the others, none of them opened the blinded 00:07:36.730 --> 00:07:39.930 eyes. You read the history of others, they never 00:07:39.930 --> 00:07:43.889 laid hands on the lame and they walk. They never 00:07:43.889 --> 00:07:47.350 spoke to a leper and his sores be cleansed. None 00:07:47.350 --> 00:07:50.269 of those had that. None of those others were 00:07:50.269 --> 00:07:53.230 able to take some loaves and fishes and lift 00:07:53.230 --> 00:07:55.629 his eyes toward heaven and pray a blessing and 00:07:55.629 --> 00:07:58.949 feed the multitude thousands. None of the others. 00:07:59.790 --> 00:08:04.209 None of the others were born on the day of fulfillment 00:08:04.209 --> 00:08:07.170 for the prophets of old. None of the others were 00:08:07.170 --> 00:08:10.589 foretold of and the witness of the sign of the 00:08:10.589 --> 00:08:14.189 star that shone. None of the others had the verification 00:08:14.189 --> 00:08:22.009 that Jesus has. So now he's receiving the celebration, 00:08:22.310 --> 00:08:25.970 the joy -filled shouts that are being lifted 00:08:25.970 --> 00:08:30.769 to his name. And he's receiving it well. Amen? 00:08:31.709 --> 00:08:34.350 You know, he didn't receive a lot through the 00:08:34.350 --> 00:08:37.350 course of his life. They tried to bring him in. 00:08:37.389 --> 00:08:39.309 They tried to make him king. They tried to set 00:08:39.309 --> 00:08:41.610 him up and he would just disappear through the 00:08:41.610 --> 00:08:45.210 crowd because the time wasn't yet. So as he is 00:08:45.210 --> 00:08:47.889 receiving this glory, it lets us know that the 00:08:47.889 --> 00:08:52.009 time of fulfillment is approaching. As his birth 00:08:52.009 --> 00:08:55.970 signaled and his birth was signed and now his 00:08:55.970 --> 00:08:59.950 death is fulfilling in the same way. The prophet 00:08:59.950 --> 00:09:03.009 of old, Zechariah, began to say, O Jerusalem, 00:09:03.169 --> 00:09:06.110 rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout, O 00:09:06.110 --> 00:09:08.990 daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, thy king cometh 00:09:08.990 --> 00:09:12.950 unto thee. He it is, and he is just, and having 00:09:12.950 --> 00:09:16.149 salvation lowly, and riding upon a donkey upon 00:09:16.149 --> 00:09:19.289 the colt, the foal of a donkey, fulfilling to 00:09:19.289 --> 00:09:22.769 the T the word that had been prophesied concerning 00:09:22.769 --> 00:09:25.870 him. None of the others came in. If they would 00:09:25.870 --> 00:09:29.259 have got on an unbroken donkey, they would have 00:09:29.259 --> 00:09:32.360 had a rough ride to Jerusalem. They would have 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:34.940 ended up walking, but can I tell you something 00:09:34.940 --> 00:09:38.419 this morning? That creation knows the touch of 00:09:38.419 --> 00:09:42.519 its master. Creation knows the voice of its creator. 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:46.279 You go get my ride into town. You bring it here, 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:49.480 and if anybody asks, you just tell them the master 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:52.179 has need of him, and there'll be no argument. 00:09:52.259 --> 00:09:56.039 My God. As the word is being unfolded and scripture 00:09:56.039 --> 00:10:02.820 being revealed, they could not see him. People 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:05.440 laying palm branches and waving palm branches. 00:10:06.090 --> 00:10:08.129 Before him, they're taking their coats off and 00:10:08.129 --> 00:10:11.230 paving the streets with their garments and shouting, 00:10:11.370 --> 00:10:14.850 Hosanna, because many of them wanted saved then. 00:10:15.149 --> 00:10:17.870 It wasn't their soul that they wanted redeemed. 00:10:17.870 --> 00:10:20.970 It was their nation they wanted redeemed. They 00:10:20.970 --> 00:10:24.009 wanted again the prominence in the world and 00:10:24.009 --> 00:10:26.490 on the world scene. They wanted their king to 00:10:26.490 --> 00:10:30.809 rule over them, not some Roman Caesar. They wanted, 00:10:30.929 --> 00:10:33.889 it was their desire, that they be free from the 00:10:33.889 --> 00:10:36.740 bondage of humanity. But can I tell you this 00:10:36.740 --> 00:10:39.600 morning, that was not the mission and that was 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:42.360 not the ministry, nor was that the purpose that 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:45.379 Christ came in the beginning and to start it 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:47.639 all out and to finish this with. That was not 00:10:47.639 --> 00:10:50.799 why he came. He came for liberation. He came 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:53.379 for freedom, all right. But it was their soul 00:10:53.379 --> 00:10:56.120 and their heart, and it was sin that was his 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:59.679 main purpose. It was all about sin as he's coming 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:03.580 about. His mission, his ministry was spiritual. 00:11:04.620 --> 00:11:07.299 It was about the heart of man. It was the soul 00:11:07.299 --> 00:11:09.759 and the spirit of man. He could care less whether 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:12.779 we have freedom in this world so long as we have 00:11:12.779 --> 00:11:16.000 freedom in our heart and freedom from sin's grip 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:19.960 and freedom from sin's curse, if you will, and 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:23.419 the destruction that sin will bring. It was a 00:11:23.419 --> 00:11:26.039 spiritual mode for him, and it was all about 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:28.679 the spirit of man. Oh, he could have done both, 00:11:28.779 --> 00:11:31.919 but that was not the reason he came then, but 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:34.820 it will be the reason that he comes. again. He 00:11:34.820 --> 00:11:38.500 will come again my Lord. He is coming again. 00:11:38.700 --> 00:11:41.919 Know that today and his mission will be fulfilled 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:45.559 as the countdown continues. His mission and ministry 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:48.639 was spiritual intended on preaching the chasm 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:52.820 between lost humanity and his creator. It's about 00:11:52.820 --> 00:11:56.559 bringing men again into reconciliation to reconcile 00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:59.440 our hearts to the heart of the Father. That was 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:02.720 why he came and now he's receiving due glory. 00:12:03.049 --> 00:12:05.509 Now they are lifting their voices and praising 00:12:05.509 --> 00:12:08.110 him, whether they knew for the reason why or 00:12:08.110 --> 00:12:10.629 not. But they were doing so in fulfillment of 00:12:10.629 --> 00:12:13.169 the word of the heavenly father who had already 00:12:13.169 --> 00:12:16.669 spoke in time of old. Oh, Zechariah, you tell 00:12:16.669 --> 00:12:19.889 them your king's coming in. Your king's coming 00:12:19.889 --> 00:12:22.370 into Jerusalem, and you can look for him coming 00:12:22.370 --> 00:12:25.429 in meek and lowly, riding not on a donkey but 00:12:25.429 --> 00:12:28.429 on a foal of a donkey that had never been ridden. 00:12:28.450 --> 00:12:33.970 You will know your king. How so? How so? You'll 00:12:33.970 --> 00:12:36.610 know him because a star marked his birth and 00:12:36.610 --> 00:12:39.450 the angelic host from heaven declared peace on 00:12:39.450 --> 00:12:42.649 earth, on earth peace and goodwill toward men. 00:12:42.809 --> 00:12:51.690 Glory to God in the highest. Palm Sunday, my 00:12:51.690 --> 00:12:58.250 favorite Sunday. It's about reconciling humanity 00:12:58.250 --> 00:13:01.600 to God and bringing about. A heavenly kingdom. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:05.960 It's about bringing his kingdom on the earth. 00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:11.200 Amen. So his entry into Jerusalem on this Palm 00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:14.879 Sunday is a portrait of fulfillment. It just 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:19.299 lets you know that God hasn't forgotten to dot 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:24.480 the I's and to cross the T's. Amen. It wouldn't 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:27.659 have been good enough just to ride the mother 00:13:27.659 --> 00:13:32.720 of the colt. Oh, it's a donkey. No. No, he dots 00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:36.580 the I and crosses the T. It's the colt, that 00:13:36.580 --> 00:13:40.220 on which no man had ever written. You'll know 00:13:40.220 --> 00:13:42.960 it's him by the ride. Hallelujah. How many people 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:45.220 you know pull up in your driveway, you can't 00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:46.559 even see through the windshield, but you can 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:49.980 tell by the ride they come in on? Huh? Oh, that's 00:13:49.980 --> 00:13:51.980 so -and -so. They're turning in down at the foot 00:13:51.980 --> 00:13:54.299 of the hill. Oh, that's so -and -so. I can tell 00:13:54.299 --> 00:13:56.299 by their ride. They weren't paying attention 00:13:56.299 --> 00:14:00.700 to his ride. They were not paying attention to 00:14:00.700 --> 00:14:04.659 the detail. God, he pays attention to the details. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:08.899 He doesn't want to leave anything left at chance. 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:13.320 He crosses the I. He dots the T. He fulfills 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.259 the minutest of detail. There's going to be wise 00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:18.379 men come looking for him. There's going to be 00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:20.500 a star, and it's going to settle over him, and 00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:22.639 that's where you're going to find him. He's coming 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:26.440 out. He'll be born in Bethlehem. Just go to Bethlehem 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:29.440 and look for the star. My God, he's coming into 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:32.460 Jerusalem. He's coming in before the feast day. 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:36.100 He is the Paschal Lamb. The Lamb will enter in. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:40.879 Know him by his ride. My God, there's not going 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:42.960 to be a mistake in him by his ride when he comes 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:45.220 back. He's going to be riding a white horse. 00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:48.480 He's going to have a sword in his hand. And his 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.340 eyes are going to be in fire. My God, he will 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:54.240 come and establish his kingdom. Give him glory 00:14:54.240 --> 00:15:16.110 now. Getting ahead of myself. Hopefully by fall 00:15:16.110 --> 00:15:22.169 you'll know me when you see me come in on my 00:15:22.169 --> 00:15:24.070 ride. I'm working on it. I'm getting it put together. 00:15:26.830 --> 00:15:30.500 When you hear it, you'll say, oh. That's a pastor's 00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:33.440 ride. Because you'll probably hear me up at the 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:43.299 ball field before I get here, hopefully. We'll 00:15:43.299 --> 00:15:48.299 know him if you just pay attention to what he's 00:15:48.299 --> 00:15:55.190 driving. Zachariah said... O daughter of Jerusalem, 00:15:55.230 --> 00:15:58.169 behold, your king cometh unto thee. He is just, 00:15:58.289 --> 00:16:02.110 having salvation, lowly, riding upon the donkey, 00:16:02.210 --> 00:16:07.929 upon the colt, the foal. My Lord. He didn't want 00:16:07.929 --> 00:16:15.669 that point to get by. He's entering into Jerusalem. 00:16:17.289 --> 00:16:21.149 Portrait of fulfillment. By riding in on this 00:16:21.149 --> 00:16:23.929 donkey, it symbolizes they knew more than what 00:16:23.929 --> 00:16:26.389 we know about what it means by a king to come 00:16:26.389 --> 00:16:30.570 in on a donkey. They understood that if a king 00:16:30.570 --> 00:16:33.730 comes in to a city on a donkey, he's coming in 00:16:33.730 --> 00:16:38.070 peace. It's the symbol. The donkey is the meekness. 00:16:38.110 --> 00:16:42.090 He's coming in by peace. But if he comes in on 00:16:42.090 --> 00:16:46.750 his war steed, he's coming in for a different 00:16:46.750 --> 00:16:48.750 purpose and reason. He's coming in to conquer. 00:16:49.590 --> 00:16:52.149 Well, did I tell you he had a white horse in 00:16:52.149 --> 00:16:56.629 stable? I told you that, didn't I? He's got a 00:16:56.629 --> 00:16:59.809 white steed in stable waiting. I can see this 00:16:59.809 --> 00:17:02.860 thing flaring its nostrils. You've seen them 00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:05.539 where they begin to breathe. And when they understand 00:17:05.539 --> 00:17:08.079 the anticipation of what's going on. How many 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:09.359 of you have ever watched the Kentucky Derby? 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:11.640 Those horses know that when they get close to 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:13.839 that gate, honey, it's on. We're about to be 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:17.599 cut loose. I can run like I want to run. And 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:19.539 they begin to flare the nostril. They begin to 00:17:19.539 --> 00:17:22.279 prance their feet. There's a white steed in glory 00:17:22.279 --> 00:17:25.180 in the stable marked Prince of Peace. And he's 00:17:25.180 --> 00:17:27.539 there. And he's beginning to paw the ground. 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:30.000 And his nostrils are beginning to flare. They 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:33.900 didn't recognize him. but they will one day because 00:17:33.900 --> 00:17:36.880 he's coming on the ride that he's coming on. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:43.720 They will not fail to recognize what he demonstrated 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:49.319 by coming in on this foal is that his kingship 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:53.579 was not about military prowess. They wanted him 00:17:53.579 --> 00:17:57.119 to be king so they didn't have to bow to Caesar. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:18:02.299 That was all. But had they gone back and understood 00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:04.380 the prophets of old, they would have understood 00:18:04.380 --> 00:18:10.640 that the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:16.339 was to reconcile them to their father. It wasn't 00:18:16.339 --> 00:18:18.740 about their earthly prowess. It was about kingdom 00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:22.759 principle and kingdom purpose. Understand the 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:25.000 mission and the ministry and the purpose of Christ 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:28.859 on this earth was all about the will of the Father. 00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:32.420 It was about fulfilling everything that mankind 00:18:32.420 --> 00:18:37.299 could be in reconciliation and sin be abolished 00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:40.400 out of our life so that we can be in relationship 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:43.500 with the Father. You've got to understand that 00:18:43.500 --> 00:18:47.579 sin is the separator between us and God and the 00:18:47.579 --> 00:18:51.039 only one that is able to emancipate us. From 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:54.819 that sin is Christ and Christ alone. So he had 00:18:54.819 --> 00:18:58.059 to come in by order. He had to come in the way 00:18:58.059 --> 00:19:01.140 it was spoken, declared, and written. By thus 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:04.700 saith the Lord. Zechariah's words had to be fulfilled 00:19:04.700 --> 00:19:13.039 to the smallest detail. So he comes in peace. 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:22.200 They want political freedom. He came for spiritual 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:28.779 liberation. He came to orchestrate salvation 00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:34.740 for humanity. He came to secure peace while we 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:39.859 are on earth. You say, well, the world's turned 00:19:39.859 --> 00:19:45.700 upside down, but I've got peace in it. Are you 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:47.700 beginning to see? He said, I've come to give 00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:50.769 you peace, my peace. I come to give to you, not 00:19:50.769 --> 00:19:54.910 as the world gives, but my peace. Amen. Because 00:19:54.910 --> 00:19:58.769 in this world, you shall have tribulation. But 00:19:58.769 --> 00:20:03.160 be of good cheer. Don't worry. Be happy. Why? 00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:07.599 Because I have given you my peace. In spite of 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:10.099 turmoil, in spite of all hell breaking loose 00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:14.000 around you, I speak, I came, I came that you 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:17.319 might have peace and that you might have it abundantly 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:19.940 in your life. And the joy that I bring is not 00:20:19.940 --> 00:20:22.559 as the world provides for you, but it's my joy 00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:25.099 that I give unto you that in the midst of it 00:20:25.099 --> 00:20:33.329 all you can don't worry and be happy. Got a little 00:20:33.329 --> 00:20:40.809 of that reggae going in my head now. He not only 00:20:40.809 --> 00:20:43.410 come to offer a new covenant, he came to establish 00:20:43.410 --> 00:20:47.829 the covenant. Behold, I show you a new and better 00:20:47.829 --> 00:20:49.769 way, Paul said, as he began to write, and it's 00:20:49.769 --> 00:20:56.470 Christ. Better than that of the offerings of 00:20:56.470 --> 00:21:00.509 goats and bulls and rams. I'll show you a more 00:21:00.509 --> 00:21:04.009 excellent way, and that is the way of love. He 00:21:04.009 --> 00:21:07.329 came in on that. You do know, right? I mean, 00:21:07.349 --> 00:21:11.990 deep down, you understand that he could have 00:21:11.990 --> 00:21:15.829 done all that they wanted him to do. Right? I 00:21:15.829 --> 00:21:18.809 mean, you understand that, right? Can you imagine 00:21:18.809 --> 00:21:23.269 the restraint? I really can't get a good grip 00:21:23.269 --> 00:21:24.950 on the restraint because I'm not one good at 00:21:24.950 --> 00:21:29.380 restraining. Can you imagine the restraint of 00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:34.400 the Christ? Do you know why he stops and looks 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:40.859 over the central city of God's people and weeps? 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:47.519 Because of his restraint. What he wanted to do 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:52.920 then, he couldn't do. He had to restrain himself 00:21:52.920 --> 00:22:00.960 from doing. I mean. To walk on water. He lost 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.480 restraint. My disciples are in trouble. I got 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:09.839 to get out there. So he just takes off. I know 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:12.359 Peter, if he gets wet now, I'll never, I'll lose 00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:16.140 him. I've got to get out there. So he just takes 00:22:16.140 --> 00:22:21.769 off. He lost restraint. He looks over multitudes 00:22:21.769 --> 00:22:24.089 that are laid out by the hundreds, thousands 00:22:24.089 --> 00:22:29.109 they bring to him, sick, tormented, possessed, 00:22:29.529 --> 00:22:33.450 driven by the enemy. And the Scripture says he 00:22:33.450 --> 00:22:35.450 has compassion on them all, everybody there. 00:22:35.569 --> 00:22:38.450 He lost restraint. He just couldn't hold it back. 00:22:39.329 --> 00:22:45.390 So he healed them all. You do know that the volumes 00:22:45.390 --> 00:22:49.259 that are written are nowhere near. Enough to 00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:52.740 say what he did do. Let alone what he restrained 00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:57.599 himself from doing. Restraint so he comes in 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:01.819 humility. When we begin to think about how he 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:05.559 devised all the expectations. Know that they 00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:08.900 were not looking for their king to come meekly. 00:23:09.140 --> 00:23:13.359 Because they failed to understand the scriptures. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:21.559 So their expectations were unfulfilled in the 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:29.059 Messiah. So they rejected him. But deep down 00:23:29.059 --> 00:23:31.259 they knew because in John 11 they're talking 00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:33.880 about, well, you know, we need to kill him. But 00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:35.640 if we kill him, we'll have to kill Lazarus too 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:38.140 because there's too many people know he was dead. 00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:43.500 I mean, come on now. Knock yourself upside the 00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:47.390 head that we can't kill Jesus. If we do, we've 00:23:47.390 --> 00:23:49.670 got to kill Lazarus. And there were too many 00:23:49.670 --> 00:23:52.309 people there the day he called him up, and it 00:23:52.309 --> 00:23:57.190 was four days, so we have no excuse. He was already 00:23:57.190 --> 00:23:59.950 starting to decompose. The boy stunk when he 00:23:59.950 --> 00:24:04.150 come out of there. And if we kill him, we will 00:24:04.150 --> 00:24:07.750 have a revolt on our hands. I mean, the signs, 00:24:08.170 --> 00:24:10.890 we're just, I mean, it's like getting slapped 00:24:10.890 --> 00:24:12.650 in the head with a stop sign, and you just keep 00:24:12.650 --> 00:24:21.619 on going. But I think John tells us why in his 00:24:21.619 --> 00:24:25.680 rendering of this event. In verse 27 in chapter 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:29.319 12, John says, he records the words of the Lord. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:31.920 He says, now is my soul troubled and what shall 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:35.660 I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for 00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:41.329 this cause came I unto this hour. He's having 00:24:41.329 --> 00:24:43.289 another conversation. This conversation is carried 00:24:43.289 --> 00:24:45.430 on with these Pharisees, and they're wanting 00:24:45.430 --> 00:24:47.869 him to tell these disciples to quieten them. 00:24:47.910 --> 00:24:50.210 You need to tell them to hush. They're causing 00:24:50.210 --> 00:24:53.609 an uproar. Well, they should be. You should be 00:24:53.609 --> 00:24:57.069 joining them. You should be with them. I cannot 00:24:57.069 --> 00:24:59.910 tell them to quieten themselves. If they hush 00:24:59.910 --> 00:25:01.789 their mouth, the stones are going to cry out. 00:25:01.930 --> 00:25:03.910 The rocks are going to begin to scatter. You 00:25:03.910 --> 00:25:07.250 will hear a testimony from Joshua's witness stone. 00:25:07.470 --> 00:25:10.829 It will begin to testify as to who he is. If 00:25:10.829 --> 00:25:13.430 you think this is bad, you really don't want 00:25:13.430 --> 00:25:16.509 Moses' stone tablets to rise up from somewhere 00:25:16.509 --> 00:25:20.069 and begin to cry out for me. You don't want that. 00:25:20.109 --> 00:25:22.509 You don't want the 12 stones that were piled 00:25:22.509 --> 00:25:25.509 up in the middle of the Jordan when God rolled 00:25:25.509 --> 00:25:28.509 the banks back and come across on drag. You don't 00:25:28.509 --> 00:25:32.089 want those 12 stones to testify. You better just 00:25:32.089 --> 00:25:39.470 let well enough alone. Or maybe he should have. 00:25:39.869 --> 00:25:43.029 There again, there's that restraint. I said, 00:25:43.109 --> 00:25:45.529 okay, y 'all be quiet. And then let every rock 00:25:45.529 --> 00:25:47.930 in Jerusalem cry out. It would have been deafening 00:25:47.930 --> 00:25:49.490 because that place ain't nothing but one big 00:25:49.490 --> 00:25:54.529 rock. It would have been deafening to hear the 00:25:54.529 --> 00:25:58.150 stones glorifying Christ. There's a revelation 00:25:58.150 --> 00:26:01.210 that takes place at Jerusalem. There's a revelation 00:26:01.210 --> 00:26:04.450 on Palm Sunday. It reveals the difference and 00:26:04.450 --> 00:26:08.329 the contradicting will of humanity and the expectations 00:26:08.329 --> 00:26:12.710 of humanity toward that of God. They expected 00:26:12.710 --> 00:26:15.109 one thing, but God had something else in mind. 00:26:15.390 --> 00:26:18.269 How many times do we have unanswered prayer and 00:26:18.269 --> 00:26:20.990 we have expectations when we go to God and our 00:26:20.990 --> 00:26:23.730 expectations aren't fulfilled? It's because God 00:26:23.730 --> 00:26:26.230 has another plan. Matter of fact, he has his 00:26:26.230 --> 00:26:29.329 plan. You have yours. I have mine. They had theirs. 00:26:29.490 --> 00:26:31.910 They had it all laid out. When this king gets 00:26:31.910 --> 00:26:33.869 here, when the Messiah gets here, authority, 00:26:34.029 --> 00:26:37.250 power, baby, we're on our own again. But that's 00:26:37.250 --> 00:26:39.609 not what God had in mind. He wanted surrender. 00:26:39.930 --> 00:26:42.529 He wanted subjection. He wanted their heart. 00:26:42.730 --> 00:26:45.609 He wanted their trust. He wanted this. Not their 00:26:45.609 --> 00:26:48.130 expectation for grandeur and political prowess. 00:26:48.210 --> 00:26:50.730 He wanted their heart. He wanted them to surrender. 00:26:50.930 --> 00:26:54.250 So what did he do? He sent his peaceful son in 00:26:54.250 --> 00:26:56.410 peace. But you know what he's going to do? He's 00:26:56.410 --> 00:26:59.130 going to release the warrior one day. They wanted 00:26:59.130 --> 00:27:00.890 a warring king. They're going to end up getting 00:27:00.890 --> 00:27:03.650 one. It ain't going to be pretty. It ain't going 00:27:03.650 --> 00:27:06.630 to be fun to watch. He will come in that authority 00:27:06.630 --> 00:27:09.630 and power. But he came in his peace to the expectation 00:27:09.630 --> 00:27:13.009 of the father. This is the reason I've come to 00:27:13.009 --> 00:27:17.500 this hour. So y 'all go ahead and celebrate. 00:27:19.859 --> 00:27:21.859 Because this is the only one I'm getting here 00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:26.599 for right now. But you do know, right, that one 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:34.680 day every knee, even those that are stiff and 00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:37.039 locked up, there's a libereness that's going 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:40.220 to come in at the will of the Father. When he 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:43.440 presents his son to all creation and he says, 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:48.130 bow before your king, it's automatic. It has 00:27:48.130 --> 00:27:50.490 nothing to do with will. It has nothing to do 00:27:50.490 --> 00:27:53.309 with the emotion of humanity. Flesh will bow 00:27:53.309 --> 00:27:56.430 to its creator. And every tongue, I want to hear 00:27:56.430 --> 00:27:59.049 some confession out of you. You can't confess 00:27:59.049 --> 00:28:01.150 him now. Well, hold on. There's a day coming 00:28:01.150 --> 00:28:04.309 your confession will be reality. When you bow 00:28:04.309 --> 00:28:07.470 before him and he truly receives all that is 00:28:07.470 --> 00:28:10.670 worthy and due him, every tongue will confess 00:28:10.670 --> 00:28:17.259 him as Lord. I'm trying to hurry. What time is 00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:26.019 it? Oh, I got a minute or two. He set his kingdom 00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:31.839 up. His kingdom operates differently from earthly 00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:37.259 systems and powers. It's not built on physical 00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:41.539 force or by physical force. His kingdom is established 00:28:41.539 --> 00:28:50.890 by grace and love. And solidified by mercy. Again, 00:28:50.950 --> 00:28:55.650 let's go with restraint. He walks down the streets 00:28:55.650 --> 00:28:57.690 and demons say, hey, are you here to mess with 00:28:57.690 --> 00:29:02.009 us? Right? He just walks down the street. He's 00:29:02.009 --> 00:29:08.490 minding his own business. They fall down and 00:29:08.490 --> 00:29:16.480 go to screaming. Huh? Isn't it funny how... The 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:18.500 devil's got more sense than people do sometimes. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:28.579 That ain't bad right there. The devil's got more 00:29:28.579 --> 00:29:30.700 sense than some people do. They know to at least 00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:32.940 bow before him and recognize him for who he is. 00:29:34.859 --> 00:29:37.740 I mean, what have we got to do with you? I mean, 00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:39.880 we're just minding our own business tormenting 00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:44.059 these people. What are you doing here? You need 00:29:44.059 --> 00:29:56.400 to leave. Restraint. That's restraint. Palm Sunday. 00:29:59.220 --> 00:30:02.039 The countdown continuing toward his glorification. 00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:06.380 He reveals himself through grace and love and 00:30:06.380 --> 00:30:08.980 peace. You know, it's not the first time that 00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:11.259 God does something different than the expectations 00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:14.299 of humanity. You go back to when Israel wants 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:16.200 a king. They pick on one, the biggest guy in 00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:22.460 town. Mistake. His heart wasn't toward God. So 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:27.559 what does God do? He picks him one. And he's 00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:31.039 still not the one they expected. Samuel, get 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:32.559 up and go to Jesse's house. I'm going to anoint 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:35.019 myself a king. Get your horn full of oil, and 00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:37.940 I'll tell you which one it is. I can see the 00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:42.220 prophet getting into the Bedouin tent. Of Jesse, 00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:44.339 and he goes in, and he's got these sons lined 00:30:44.339 --> 00:30:47.539 up, big boys strapping young men. Schmediums. 00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:56.079 He gets in front of the eldest. It ain't you, 00:30:56.140 --> 00:31:05.859 Michael. Not Brian's, not Randy's. I ain't going 00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:08.920 to tell you which one it is, but it's the one 00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:13.720 least expected. Can you not imagine the pride 00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:16.240 of Jesse with those strapping sons standing before 00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:19.220 the prophet, knowing that one of his boys is 00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:22.599 about to be king? Right? He probably told the 00:31:22.599 --> 00:31:27.480 eldest son, brush your teeth, son. Look like 00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:31.019 something, right? Proud father. I would be a 00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:34.980 proud father knowing that God is going to choose 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:40.000 one of my boys to be the next king. But I'd like 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:41.980 to think that I'm at least proud enough to get 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:49.799 them all there. Jesse probably in his wildest 00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:51.720 imaginations and expectations thought he would 00:31:51.720 --> 00:31:53.960 never get down today. He wouldn't need to get 00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:59.180 to David. And he's standing there, shoulders 00:31:59.180 --> 00:32:03.740 back. No, it ain't you. On down the line. And 00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:06.859 then to see the prophet of God look at you and 00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:13.259 say. Is this all you got? I mean, your shoulders 00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:19.000 are back, right? You got a tent full of knotheads 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:21.900 standing there, and he says, is this the best 00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:25.819 you got? Is this it? Well, I got one more. Well, 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:32.599 we'll stand until he gets here. Well, he's, that's 00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:35.920 all right. Send for him. We'll stand. Why? Because. 00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:40.440 Samuel knew the king's coming. Because he wasn't 00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:42.859 one of them. And if he only had one left, guess 00:32:42.859 --> 00:32:44.920 who's going to be the anointed king of Israel? 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:48.880 The last one. So we will just stand until you 00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:51.200 get him in here. And when he gets in there, the 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:54.180 father said, that's him. That's the one. I've 00:32:54.180 --> 00:32:57.039 selected the one after my own heart. Uncork the 00:32:57.039 --> 00:33:03.110 horn and pour out the oil. On David. expectations. 00:33:03.110 --> 00:33:06.210 God, hey, look, don't let your expectations down. 00:33:06.390 --> 00:33:09.089 He's got something in store for you. It may not 00:33:09.089 --> 00:33:11.710 be what you think it is, but it'll be better 00:33:11.710 --> 00:33:19.349 than you can even imagine. That's why the New 00:33:19.349 --> 00:33:21.890 Testament declares he chooses the foolish things 00:33:21.890 --> 00:33:25.869 to confound the wise. I've probably even told 00:33:25.869 --> 00:33:29.069 you before, you do realize. Then when you're 00:33:29.069 --> 00:33:31.069 screaming and running from a bumblebee, you're 00:33:31.069 --> 00:33:33.109 watching a miracle right before your very eyes. 00:33:36.450 --> 00:33:38.609 He can't fly a straight enough line to catch 00:33:38.609 --> 00:33:45.190 you, so just stand still. Physics and aerodynamics 00:33:45.190 --> 00:33:48.349 says that a bumblebee is not supposed to fly. 00:33:49.809 --> 00:33:51.910 He would have been like me in January. His wings 00:33:51.910 --> 00:33:54.630 wouldn't be big enough to carry his body weight. 00:34:01.750 --> 00:34:06.569 But I'm getting there. You see a bumblebee, you 00:34:06.569 --> 00:34:10.809 see a miracle. God's creative power. Why? Because 00:34:10.809 --> 00:34:15.190 God said, bumblebee, bumble. And so he starts 00:34:15.190 --> 00:34:17.389 flopping his little wings. He gets his little 00:34:17.389 --> 00:34:27.820 fat body up and he just goes where he goes. He 00:34:27.820 --> 00:34:31.579 just goes where he goes. He'll go way over here 00:34:31.579 --> 00:34:38.300 just to get back over here. He takes things and 00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:42.320 confounds the wise. The religious rulers of the 00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:45.920 day had a perception in mind of what their king 00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:50.079 would be. They were looking for a Saul, and the 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:58.019 whole time he's sending them another David. Let 00:34:58.019 --> 00:35:01.480 that sink in. What are you looking for? What 00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:05.440 are you expecting? What is it that you need and 00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:08.559 what is it you're hoping for in life? I know 00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:11.039 life's topsy -turvy. Sometimes the things we 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:13.320 expect, it goes absolutely the opposite in our 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:17.239 life. Right? Life gets turned upside down because 00:35:17.239 --> 00:35:20.940 of our expectations. But when our trust is in 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:23.400 his will and in the power of his might, things 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:26.679 change in our life. We surrender to him and our 00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:30.699 expectations become his will. I expect what his 00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:34.260 will is for my life. It's not always easy to 00:35:34.260 --> 00:35:42.139 accept, but it's his will. Isaiah penned it this 00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:43.780 way, where the Lord spoke to him and said, write 00:35:43.780 --> 00:35:45.780 this down and tell my people, my ways are not 00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:51.349 your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts. 00:35:51.469 --> 00:35:55.210 They're much higher. You'll never be able to 00:35:55.210 --> 00:35:58.250 fathom or even comprehend why I do what I do, 00:35:58.329 --> 00:36:01.929 but know this. Behold, I'll do a new thing for 00:36:01.929 --> 00:36:04.150 you. Shall it not spring forth and shall you 00:36:04.150 --> 00:36:08.889 not know it? He said, I'll make a highway for 00:36:08.889 --> 00:36:12.010 you in the desert. When you walk through the 00:36:12.010 --> 00:36:13.829 waters, through, get it? When you walk through 00:36:13.829 --> 00:36:16.010 the waters, they'll not overtake you. When you 00:36:16.010 --> 00:36:18.369 walk through the flames, they'll not kindle up 00:36:18.369 --> 00:36:24.159 against you. Our expectations is that we don't 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:27.659 have to see the flames. We don't even want to 00:36:27.659 --> 00:36:31.199 doggy paddle. We don't even want to get wet in 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:36.340 the kitty end. But his will for our life means 00:36:36.340 --> 00:36:41.099 that sometimes we're in over our head. Right? 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:44.659 We're in over our head. Why? We have to depend 00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:51.440 on him so that we do not lean to our own understanding. 00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:55.079 stand with me I'm trying to quit I'm not near 00:36:55.079 --> 00:37:01.059 done but I'm trying to quit we struggle when 00:37:01.059 --> 00:37:06.900 life doesn't go our way when things don't turn 00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:10.519 out the way we want them we get we get bent out 00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:19.789 of shape those unexpected turns and twists If 00:37:19.789 --> 00:37:21.869 we're not careful, we'll allow the enemy to convince 00:37:21.869 --> 00:37:24.389 us of the possibility that God no longer cares 00:37:24.389 --> 00:37:28.030 about us. Anybody ever been told that one? Well, 00:37:28.030 --> 00:37:30.110 God don't love you. If he did, you wouldn't be 00:37:30.110 --> 00:37:35.190 facing what you're facing. That's hogwash. We 00:37:35.190 --> 00:37:37.809 face what we face because our faith is in him. 00:37:39.909 --> 00:37:42.869 We face what we face because it becomes a testimony 00:37:42.869 --> 00:37:47.179 to his faithfulness. So that others around looking, 00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:50.119 they see what we endure and go through by His 00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:52.440 grace. And it does matter how you endure it and 00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:58.840 go through it. Count it all joy when you fall 00:37:58.840 --> 00:38:03.280 into divers temptations. Well, what's happy about 00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:07.360 that? God is mindful of where we are. It's a 00:38:07.360 --> 00:38:11.880 perception. Our call is to that of wanting to 00:38:11.880 --> 00:38:14.130 surrender, not just... To our own expectations 00:38:14.130 --> 00:38:20.710 but to his will. There are times that his answers 00:38:20.710 --> 00:38:28.110 don't even look like. They make sense. But when 00:38:28.110 --> 00:38:34.090 it's all said and done. And his will. Is performed 00:38:34.090 --> 00:38:41.750 in our lives. He receives all the glory. He receives. 00:38:42.219 --> 00:38:48.500 all the praise that is due him as we go through 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:58.059 this life. The promise is never that the cross 00:38:58.059 --> 00:39:08.860 wouldn't be heavy. Right? It's heavy. Life is 00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:12.860 very heavy. The reality of the things that we 00:39:12.860 --> 00:39:16.900 deal with day in and day out are heavy. Some 00:39:16.900 --> 00:39:20.159 of the consequences of life are devastating, 00:39:20.440 --> 00:39:28.719 right? But he's faithful. Because of those same 00:39:28.719 --> 00:39:31.679 fulfilled promises of Zachariah, there are many 00:39:31.679 --> 00:39:40.579 others concerning you and I. Come unto me, all 00:39:40.579 --> 00:39:43.239 you that labor and are heavy laden, Jesus said, 00:39:43.420 --> 00:39:48.460 and I'll give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. 00:39:49.539 --> 00:39:58.119 It's easy. It's light. And I'll carry. We'll 00:39:58.119 --> 00:40:13.360 swap out. Take his yoke. They all saw him, but 00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:19.980 they missed him. Many missed him. They missed 00:40:19.980 --> 00:40:22.239 him because he didn't measure up to their expectations. 00:40:25.820 --> 00:40:31.320 You can be close to him, but still be far away. 00:40:33.179 --> 00:40:37.820 The Pharisees spoke with him. But could not see 00:40:37.820 --> 00:40:42.539 him for their own pride. They studied the scriptures 00:40:42.539 --> 00:40:46.840 daily, diligently. But could not see him because 00:40:46.840 --> 00:40:54.059 of their expectations. It was what they wanted. 00:40:56.039 --> 00:40:59.579 You can be close to him. You can walk with him 00:40:59.579 --> 00:41:01.900 every day. The entirety of his ministry like 00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:08.159 a Judas. And betray him. You can proclaim your 00:41:08.159 --> 00:41:12.599 love for him like a Peter, but yet end up denying 00:41:12.599 --> 00:41:22.480 him. Faith. Expectations is about trust in God. 00:41:23.800 --> 00:41:27.000 It's about having faith in him being able to 00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:31.119 sustain and fulfill everything that we want and 00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:36.449 that we need. Faith is about receiving. It's 00:41:36.449 --> 00:41:40.130 not about receiving as much as it is about believing. 00:41:45.650 --> 00:41:50.750 Faith is believing, not only receiving, but it's 00:41:50.750 --> 00:41:55.489 believing that he's able. Expectations. Father, 00:41:55.630 --> 00:41:59.610 I love you today. Lord, as we continue on our 00:41:59.610 --> 00:42:03.909 way for this countdown to the crucifixion and 00:42:03.909 --> 00:42:08.070 resurrection. I know, God, that you're able. 00:42:09.489 --> 00:42:11.269 If you're in this house this morning and you 00:42:11.269 --> 00:42:12.849 need prayer, I want you to make your way down 00:42:12.849 --> 00:42:15.210 here. I don't know what your expectations are.