1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,960 He is glorious. 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:13,760 Behold the one who has come to us. 3 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:15,760 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 4 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:17,760 To get connected or to give online, 5 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:20,560 you can go to connect.hcv.church 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,640 or give.hcv.church. 7 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:25,640 If at any time during this message 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,280 you feel called to make a change in your life, 9 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:33,000 text changeme to 970-00. 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:35,000 Thank you and enjoy the message. 11 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,000 Hey, good morning everyone. 12 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:39,000 How's everybody doing? 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,000 Did you notice anything different? 14 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,000 No screen. 15 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,000 No announcements. 16 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,000 So I get to do your announcements. 17 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Good morning. If you're joining us from home, 18 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,000 thank you for welcoming us into your space. 19 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:57,000 If you're new here, there's normally the Sky Bible, 20 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:01,000 but we're having some technical difficulties 21 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,000 with that today. 22 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,000 And we're believing that God's going to miraculously 23 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,000 perform a miracle before Easter. 24 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,000 Is that good enough with you? 25 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,000 I think that's the best answer I can give. 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,000 So just pray for wisdom as we try to fix it. 27 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,000 But just real quick on your announcements, 28 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,000 there is a foot washing service tonight at 6.30. 29 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,000 We'd love for you to come and be a part of it. 30 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,000 Even if you have dirty toes, it's all good. 31 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,000 We'll clean them for you, okay? 32 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,000 We're just going to have buckets of hand sanitizer 33 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,000 that you just rub all over your feet. 34 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:31,000 I'm just kidding. 35 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,000 No, we're going to actually wash your feet. 36 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,000 Next week is Easter. 37 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,000 We're going to have three different opportunities 38 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,000 for you to be a part. 39 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,000 Friday night is our worship night in baptism. 40 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,000 It's always a great night to gather on Good Friday, 41 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,000 worship together, celebrate what Jesus did actually do 42 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,000 on the cross, and we have over 40 people 43 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,000 being baptized on Friday. 44 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,000 Yeah, that's cool, isn't it? 45 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,000 If you're one of those people that are ready 46 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,000 to make that declaration and come out 47 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,000 and make that commitment, please just sign up 48 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,000 at baptism.hcv.church. 49 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,000 Saturday is our egg hunt. 50 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,000 It starts at 10 a.m. 51 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,000 We still need lots of candy to fill over 2,000 Easter eggs. 52 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,000 And we would love for you to be a part of that. 53 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,000 Bring your kids, invite your neighborhoods. 54 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,000 Invite the whole town of Williamsport. 55 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,000 I don't care. 56 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,000 We have plenty of candy, plenty of eggs to give away. 57 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,000 That's at 10 a.m. on Saturday. 58 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:29,000 And then Sunday, we have four gatherings. 59 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,000 Everyone say four. 60 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000 For all of you early birds that love to get up before dawn, 61 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 we're doing a 7 a.m. sunrise service in the pavilion. 62 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,000 So if you want to be outside in your winter coats, 63 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,000 singing Jesus songs and hearing about the empty tomb, 64 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:48,000 please join us in the pavilion for a sunrise service. 65 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,000 And then we're going to go eight. 66 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,000 Everyone say eight. 67 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,000 945. 68 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,000 And 1130. 69 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Plenty of opportunities for you to invite people, 70 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,000 include, and allow them to celebrate that the tomb is empty. 71 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,000 Amen? 72 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,000 All right. 73 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,000 So if it's okay with you, I'm just going to open in prayer 74 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:13,000 because I am a little thrown off by this not having my sky Bible. 75 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:14,000 I miss it. 76 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000 And I just believe that God can still use this 77 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,000 and that his kingdom can break in and change lives. 78 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:21,000 Amen? 79 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,000 So Holy Spirit, come. 80 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:23,000 We know you're here. 81 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:27,000 Even with no words, we know you are here, 82 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,000 that it's the cries of our heart that matters. 83 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,000 So God, I just pray for lives to be changed, 84 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,000 hearts to be open, and we welcome your presence here, God. 85 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,000 And we're just thankful for all that you're doing 86 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,000 in our community of faith, in our midst. 87 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,000 And we give this time to you now in Jesus' name. 88 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,000 Amen. 89 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:46,000 All right. 90 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,000 So today is the start of Holy Week. 91 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:49,000 If you didn't know that, 92 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,000 which is the final week of Jesus' life on earth, 93 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:58,000 Holy Week, of course, is considered one of the most sacred seven days 94 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,000 in all of Christianity. 95 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,000 And let's be honest about what can happen in a week's time. 96 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:07,000 Is it not true that all weeks are not the same? 97 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,000 I mean, how do you not know this week you could lose your job? 98 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,000 Right? 99 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,000 We could get in a car accident. 100 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,000 We're not promised tomorrow. 101 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,000 And there have probably been a few weeks in your life 102 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,000 that stand out from all the rest, true or false? 103 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:22,000 Thank you. 104 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,000 Many of you may have heard, you couldn't see, 105 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:30,000 but we had a testimony of Brad and Amanda King and their son, Eddie. 106 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:34,000 They had an accident at their house this past year, 107 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:39,000 and they were sharing the story of how they almost lost their son. 108 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,000 What started as a normal day 109 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:45,000 suddenly turned into a life or death situation 110 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,000 because of an accident with a window. 111 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,000 Eddie would end up being flown to Johns Hopkins 112 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:55,000 to have immediate surgery that would save his arm and his very life. 113 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:00,000 But Amanda would go on to say that prior to the surgery, 114 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:05,000 the individuals that donated blood actually saved her son's life 115 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,000 because he had lost that much blood. 116 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:08,000 So I'm going to encourage you, April 2nd, 117 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,000 we're having another blood drive here. 118 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,000 If there's an opportunity where you can sign up to give blood, 119 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:17,000 it is well needed and much appreciated. 120 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,000 This past Friday night, we did our final marriage course 121 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,000 for 16 different couples. 122 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:27,000 I had an older gentleman show up at our front door at about 6 o'clock. 123 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,000 Our class normally starts at 6.30, 124 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,000 and I noticed something different about him 125 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,000 because he wasn't a part of our class. 126 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:38,000 And as he walked up, I also noticed that he was carrying our Easter mailer, 127 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,000 which you may or may have not gotten recently. 128 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,000 As he was walking in, he asked to speak with the pastor, 129 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,000 and I generously walked over and introduced myself, 130 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:48,000 and he looked at me and said, 131 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,000 is it okay if we go somewhere else and chat? 132 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,000 We walked into the A-frame. 133 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,000 He sat down as he sat down. 134 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,000 Tears began to stream from his eyes. 135 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:00,000 And he looked at me and he said, 136 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,000 Chris, I lost my wife two days ago. 137 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,000 She died of cancer. 138 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,000 And he went on to tell me the story that eight short years ago, 139 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,000 she had been diagnosed with cancer. 140 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,000 She had immediate surgery. 141 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,000 The doctors promised her seven years. 142 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,000 She ended up living for eight. 143 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,000 So he was celebrating that time with her, 144 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,000 even saying that he was holding her hand and watched her take her last breath. 145 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,000 With tears streaming down his face, he said, 146 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:33,000 I am coming from a funeral home where I was preparing for her memorial service. 147 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,000 And he said, as I was driving home, I just felt this urge. 148 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,000 I needed to get back into church. 149 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,000 So I visited a couple different churches in downtown Hagerstown, 150 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,000 but their parking lots just didn't feel right. 151 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,000 The buildings didn't feel right. 152 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:49,000 And as I pulled into my driveway and opened my mailbox, 153 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:58,000 your mailer inviting me to come home was on top. 154 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,000 Not all weeks are the same. Amen. 155 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,000 And their people say to us that those mailers do nothing. 156 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:09,000 He even looked at me and said, is it okay if I join you for service this Sunday? 157 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,000 And sure enough, 9 a.m., he was sitting right back there, 158 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,000 and I high-fived him and gave him a big hug. 159 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,000 Maybe for you. 160 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:19,000 It's a second or third job interview that you're about to have 161 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,000 that could change your life forever. 162 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,000 Maybe for you, right? 163 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:27,000 You're about to have a newborn or just recently had a newborn baby. 164 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,000 And if you don't know anything about kids, 165 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:35,000 your firstborn child turns your life upside down. 166 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,000 It's a week like you've never had before 167 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,000 where you begin to question the very existence of a God 168 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,000 because you don't sleep, right? 169 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:48,000 But then you come to appreciate your children and how beautiful they are. 170 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:56,000 A lot of things can happen in one day, and you give it a week, everything can change. 171 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,000 Not all weeks are created equal. 172 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:05,000 And because of events that you don't expect or imagine could never happen to you, 173 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,000 you can find yourself and your life being turned upside down. 174 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:12,000 And listen, friends, that's as true for Jesus as well. 175 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:16,000 Holy Week is the final week of Jesus' life, 176 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,000 and it takes place in Jerusalem from Sunday through Friday. 177 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:25,000 Jesus will enter the city on a Sunday and be executed on a Friday. 178 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:29,000 It is the week that literally changed the world. 179 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,000 Jesus would suffer, die, and be resurrected out of love for you and me. 180 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:39,000 Now, all four Gospels or biographies, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 181 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:42,000 record the final week of Jesus' life. 182 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:47,000 And today we will look at several different sections from the Gospels 183 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,000 to get a full picture of Palm Sunday, 184 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:54,000 but primarily we will be focused in the Gospel of Mark. 185 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:58,000 Now, if you were to start reading chapter one of Mark 186 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:03,000 and read the first 10 chapters of this Gospel, you literally would be out of breath. 187 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:08,000 Mark is probably my favorite Gospel because it's action-oriented. 188 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:13,000 This is by far the most action-packed Gospel, 189 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:17,000 and its pace is like you're in a twister. 190 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,000 As you begin to read, suddenly you realize Jesus healed someone. 191 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Then he's in a boat crossing a lake. 192 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,000 Then he feeds a bunch of people, over 5,000, 193 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,000 casts out a demon, jumps back in the lake, 194 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,000 is back to the other side where a man with leprosy is healed. 195 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,000 Now he's in a fight with the Pharisees. 196 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:36,000 He's on to another town where he'll raise someone from the dead. 197 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:42,000 This Gospel is like driving through Jesus' life at 90 miles per hour, 198 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 at least the first 10 chapters. 199 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:51,000 Then suddenly, when arriving at chapter 11, everything slows down. 200 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,000 It's like you're driving in the fast lane down 81 South, right? 201 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,000 And you're cruising along at a cool 90. 202 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,000 Well, for some of you, 78, because you don't want to get pulled over. 203 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:05,000 But as you're driving down 81 South, you realize you've got to get off at halfway Boulevard. 204 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,000 You want to make it to HTV on time. 205 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:12,000 But to get off, you have to pump the brakes hard because you know that turn to the right, 206 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,000 you're going to spin out if you're not going 20 miles an hour, 207 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:21,000 only to find yourself cruising by the Valley Mall at a cool 25. 208 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,000 Right? That's like the Gospel of Mark. 209 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,000 You're at fast pace, and then it just stops. 210 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:32,000 In Mark's Gospel, the first 10 chapters, check this out, 211 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,000 cover three years of Jesus' life, 212 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:40,000 while the final six chapters are devoted to eight days. 213 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,000 Eight days. 214 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,000 And please understand this last week of Jesus' life. 215 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,000 It's totally disproportionate to the amount of ink that it receives. 216 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,000 Three years in 10 chapters, eight days in six. 217 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:54,000 Everything slows down. 218 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,000 And I personally believe this is done for a reason. 219 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:03,000 Because Mark wants us to slow down during this last week of Jesus' life 220 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:10,000 and allow it to shape us into Jesus' followers that are making a difference. 221 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:15,000 So we also must remember that the disciples walked into Jerusalem with Jesus 222 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:21,000 as the final week of his life started, and God is inviting us to do the same. 223 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:25,000 And this morning I woke up early, I was preparing, praying, 224 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,000 and I sent a very early text to Rudy. 225 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,000 I said, Rudy, we need to challenge our community of faith 226 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,000 to go through this final week of Jesus' life together. 227 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:39,000 Okay, so Rudy went online, he picked out a devotional for us. 228 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:43,000 Okay, it's gonna be blasted all over our social media pages this afternoon. 229 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,000 Kelsey has sent in an email to our entire email list. 230 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:51,000 Okay, today after this gathering, so you can check your emails, 231 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,000 you can go to our social media pages. 232 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,000 I want to challenge you. 233 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:00,000 Join the community in reading through Jesus' final seven days together. 234 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,000 Because I believe there's power in community, amen? 235 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,000 And if we're focused on reading these truths together, 236 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,000 then we will see God do amazing things in our midst. 237 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:14,000 Today, we will be looking at the beginning of Jesus' journey home 238 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:22,000 as we discuss his triumphal entry on what has become known as Palm Sunday. 239 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:27,000 Today we are celebrating Palm Sunday as our homecoming series continues. 240 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,000 If you missed any of the talks in this series, I want to encourage you. 241 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,000 Go to our YouTube channel, subscribe and listen in. 242 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:40,000 Now to get us in the mood for Palm Sunday, we ordered palm branches for everyone to have. 243 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:45,000 If you have a palm branch, hold it up in the air and wave it like you just don't care. 244 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,000 If you need one, put both hands up. 245 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:49,000 We want to give you one. 246 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,000 We want to give you a palm branch. 247 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:54,000 So put your hands up if you need a palm branch. 248 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:57,000 We are gonna use these later in our gathering. 249 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,000 They're gonna prove a point to us. 250 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:03,000 So you need a palm branch and listen, take it with you. 251 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,000 First service was putting them back in. 252 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,000 No, they're for you to have. 253 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,000 Okay, take it with you. 254 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,000 All right, if you know anything about Catholicism, you can burn them 255 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:16,000 and then put ashes on your forehead if you want, but you don't have to. 256 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,000 So anyway, make sure you get a palm branch. 257 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,000 I'm gonna use it later. 258 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,000 I'm gonna use it later in this talk, but all of that, 259 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,000 okay, remember we're going old school here, so get a pen out too, 260 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,000 leads us to our first talk. 261 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:34,000 So you can write it in the blank, it's in your outlines that you can have 262 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,000 if you want to follow along. 263 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:41,000 Our first talk this morning, Jesus can be misunderstood. 264 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,000 Jesus can be misunderstood. 265 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,000 Mark chapter 10, verses 32 to 34. 266 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:52,000 They were now on the way up to Jerusalem and Jesus was walking ahead of them. 267 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:56,000 The disciples were filled with awe, but notice the people following behind 268 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,000 were overwhelmed with fear. 269 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,000 Taking the 12 disciples aside, he pulls them aside. 270 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:06,000 Jesus once more began to describe everything that was about to happen to him. 271 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:11,000 Listen, he said, we're going up to Jerusalem where the Son of Man 272 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,000 will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. 273 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,000 They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. 274 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:23,000 They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, kill him, 275 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:27,000 but after three days he will rise again. 276 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:32,000 So please understand, friends, Jesus didn't suddenly fall into some kind of trouble. 277 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:37,000 He knew exactly what was going to happen to him during this final week. 278 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:44,000 Three times, in fact, Jesus told his disciples that he was going to Jerusalem 279 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:49,000 to suffer and die, which is kind of ironic because the name Jerusalem 280 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:53,000 actually means or is translated into the city of peace. 281 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:57,000 Jerusalem was anything but peaceful for Jesus. 282 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:02,000 See, this was a clear description of what was going to happen to him during the week. 283 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:08,000 Now, if Jesus was to pull you aside and tell you the things that were going to happen to him, 284 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:14,000 I believe that we heard he was going to suffer, hang on a cross, die, and rise on the third day. 285 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,000 True or false? 286 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:20,000 But the disciples, they didn't seem to get it. 287 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:26,000 They weren't listening or they weren't paying attention, whichever it was. 288 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:29,000 The reality is Jesus had become a celebrity. 289 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:35,000 See, with every miracle Jesus performed, he raises Lazarus from the dead, he feeds the 5,000. 290 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:38,000 Jesus actually became a celebrity. 291 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,000 Remember, the Bible tells us crowds followed him. 292 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:45,000 And when they say crowds, it means thousands of people followed him. 293 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,000 He was popular with the people. 294 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:52,000 Many believed he was the promised king or Messiah, the savior that Israel would be waiting for. 295 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:58,000 So the disciples believed they were walking into Jerusalem for a coronation. 296 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,000 They were rolling into the capital city essentially to take it over. 297 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:05,000 They would have been saying to Jesus, hey man, you're going public. 298 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,000 We're going viral. 299 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,000 We got all the people behind us. 300 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:16,000 And the religious leaders are all afraid because Jesus was at the height of his popularity and his power. 301 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,000 But we also must remember Jesus' words. 302 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,000 What was he going to do? 303 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:26,000 He was going to Jerusalem to suffer and die. 304 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:32,000 They were going to arrest him, condemn him, beat him, torture him, murder him. 305 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:35,000 Anyone want to follow now? 306 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:42,000 See, it suddenly was a line drawn in the sand where the disciples, they didn't want to hear those truths. 307 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:48,000 But then Jesus did say, peace will come upon you because after three days I will rise. 308 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,000 The disciples didn't get it. 309 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:54,000 They believed they were going to be into Jerusalem and Jesus is going to be crowned king. 310 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,000 It was a high point of his ministry. 311 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:02,000 And even though he predicted his death, burial and resurrection three different times, they didn't understand. 312 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:07,000 And friends, I believe if we're not careful, we can make the same mistake. 313 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:08,000 We can go somewhere. 314 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:09,000 We can gather here on a Sunday morning. 315 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,000 We only hear what we want. 316 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:13,000 Oh, I'm only checking a box. 317 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,000 I'm making myself feel good. 318 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:20,000 Oh, I'm here for my wife, for my husband or my girlfriend, whatever it may be. 319 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:24,000 And you're not hearing the truth of what Jesus is challenging us to. 320 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:29,000 See, when Jesus makes statements like the one in John 14 when he says Jesus told him, 321 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,000 I'm the way, the truth and the life. 322 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,000 No one could come to the Father except through me. 323 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:39,000 Now, many people consider that verse divisive, right? 324 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,000 Very divisive, oh, that's division. 325 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:42,000 What about the other religions? 326 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:43,000 What about this? 327 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,000 Jesus wasn't trying to cause division. 328 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:51,000 He was simply making a statement because if you continue on in the verse, he says, 329 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:55,000 if you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. 330 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:59,000 From now on, you do know him and have seen him. 331 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:00,000 See, it's not about being divisive. 332 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Jesus is simply saying, if you've seen me, you've seen God. 333 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:10,000 If you've connected to me, you know God personally. 334 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:11,000 It's an invitation. 335 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,000 It's not a divisive comment. 336 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:17,000 It's an invitation to experience God in a real way. 337 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,000 And see, this was part of God's plan from the very beginning. 338 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,000 God the Father would send his Son into our world to what? 339 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:28,000 To love, to lay down his life, to heal our broken lives. 340 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:33,000 But first, it meant that Jesus had to be rejected, condemned, killed, 341 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:37,000 hung on a cross to pay the price for our sins. 342 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,000 So let's set the scene for Sunday morning in Jerusalem. 343 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,000 Passover, it's about to begin. 344 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:48,000 Everyone is gathered from all over the known world for a week-long religious festival. 345 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:54,000 They were celebrating Israel's most important story, the Exodus from Egypt. 346 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:58,000 Remember, they were in slavery in Egypt and God liberated the people. 347 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:02,000 So please understand, this was like the Super Bowl. 348 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,000 All the Jews from all over the world would pour into Jerusalem, 349 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,000 celebrating their Exodus from Egypt. 350 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,000 Scholars estimate that the city, just its inhabitants, 351 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:18,000 but 200,000 more pilgrims would journey into the city. 352 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:26,000 So this city was busting at the seams, looking to celebrate this festival, 353 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:28,000 which leads us to our next song. 354 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:34,000 Jesus then enters Jerusalem clothed in royalty and humility, Mark 11, 1-2. 355 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,000 As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, 356 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:42,000 notice they came to the towns of Bethpage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. 357 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,000 Jesus sent two of them going ahead. 358 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,000 He says, go into that village over there, he told them, 359 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,000 and as soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there 360 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,000 that no one has ever ridden. 361 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,000 Untie it and bring it here. 362 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,000 Now, if you think about it, this is kind of a rear request, 363 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:01,000 because remember, the disciples thought Jesus would enter as a king. 364 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:06,000 And here he is requesting to enter the city on a donkey. 365 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,000 Now, they would have looked at this request as being a little odd, 366 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,000 because all throughout the Gospels, if you read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 367 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Jesus walked everywhere he went. 368 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,000 There was no Ubers in Jerusalem back then. 369 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,000 He had to walk everywhere. 370 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:25,000 In fact, Jesus had just walked 90 miles from Galilee to Jerusalem. 371 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:31,000 And now he's requesting a donkey, and he's only a half a mile from the temple. 372 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,000 But see, Jesus is trying to make a point. 373 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,000 He's trying to show us, his disciples and the people gathered, 374 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,000 what kind of king he really is. 375 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:44,000 500 years, this is amazing, before Jesus was even born, 376 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:48,000 the prophet Zechariah made a promise to the Jews in the Old Testament 377 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,000 when he recorded these words, Zechariah 9.9, 378 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,000 rejoice, O people of Zion, shout and triumph, O people of Jerusalem, 379 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,000 look, your king is coming to you. 380 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:04,000 He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey, 381 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,000 riding on a donkey's coat. 382 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:12,000 So please understand, everyone in the city would have known this prophecy. 383 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:17,000 For Jewish people, especially boys, since age eight, 384 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,000 they would have memorized those exact words. 385 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:23,000 The Jewish Messiah, the Savior, the King, 386 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,000 would one day ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. 387 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,000 And the people believed they would then be liberated from Rome. 388 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:37,000 And Jesus is intentionally sending a signal that I am the long-awaited King of the Jews. 389 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,000 This is Jesus going public. 390 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:45,000 He's saying, people, you've been waiting your whole life for this very moment, 391 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,000 I am the Messiah. 392 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:53,000 And remember, Zechariah prophesied that the Messiah would be riding on a donkey. 393 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,000 So what kind of king is Jesus really? 394 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,000 Well, the donkey says it all. 395 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:04,000 He is royalty and humility all in one. 396 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:07,000 Because we must realize in the first century, 397 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,000 that is not how a king would have entered the city. 398 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,000 If you were a victorious king who conquered a nation, 399 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:18,000 the king would ride in on a white stallion, a warhorse, 400 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:23,000 bigger than any of any other horses pulling golden chariots. 401 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,000 The king would then be flexing his muscles, making a statement, 402 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,000 saying, I'm in control now. 403 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,000 The crowds would be cheering, celebrating the entrance of this king. 404 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,000 I mean, it still happens today in England. 405 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:38,000 Right, think about royal weddings, royal funerals, right? 406 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:44,000 It's a big parade, it's a big procession of horses and elegance and power, 407 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,000 but not Jesus. 408 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,000 And what is he trying to say to us today? 409 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:53,000 He's saying, my kingdom is not of this world. 410 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,000 Is my kingdom about wealth? No. 411 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Is my kingdom about military power? No. 412 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,000 Is my kingdom about prestige? No. 413 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:06,000 It's about humility, peace, and humble servant. 414 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:11,000 So he rides in on a humble donkey to tell the people, 415 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:15,000 I'm the servant king here to serve you. 416 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,000 Which leads us to our next thought. 417 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,000 See, the people then welcome Jesus as king. 418 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,000 Look at Mark 11, 7 through 10. 419 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:27,000 Then they brought the colt to Jesus, and he threw their garments over it, 420 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,000 and he sat on it. 421 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,000 Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, 422 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,000 and others spread leafy branches. 423 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,000 He was cut in the fields. 424 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,000 Jesus was in the center of the procession, 425 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:42,000 and the people all around him were shouting, praise God! 426 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,000 Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 427 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,000 Blessings on the coming kingdom of our ancestor David. 428 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,000 Praise God in the highest heaven. 429 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,000 Now everyone grab out your palms. 430 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,000 Okay, these palms you're holding in your hands 431 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:03,000 would have actually been the exact things that the people would have thrown along the road. 432 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,000 Take a look at your palm. 433 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:07,000 These palms, the people would go out to the palm trees, 434 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:09,000 they would rip off the large palms, 435 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,000 and then they would tear them like this, 436 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,000 and as they tore them, they would then throw them on the ground, 437 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:19,000 so that the king would have something to ride on. 438 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:25,000 In the ancient world, this is how the people welcomed a victorious king or war hero. 439 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,000 And as the king entered the city, they would strip these palm branches, 440 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,000 they would lay them down, and essentially they would be laying out the what? 441 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,000 The red carpet. 442 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:38,000 For them, this was the red carpet, 443 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:42,000 and they would welcome home the victorious king. 444 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,000 And as Jesus was entering the city, 445 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,000 he's riding down the Mount of Olives on a donkey, 446 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,000 thousands of people, they're waving their palms, 447 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,000 they're praising God, they're throwing them on the ground, 448 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,000 they're throwing their garments on the ground, 449 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:58,000 and they're saying, thank you, our king has come. 450 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:03,000 They're welcoming Jesus as their savior, as their king in this royal possession. 451 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:08,000 The people are shouting, long live the king and his kingdom. 452 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:11,000 But in their minds, and even in the disciples' minds, 453 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:15,000 they're thinking, finally, someone to deliver us from Rome. 454 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:19,000 This was a victory parade, a royal celebration, it was a party, 455 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:24,000 but wait, something was wrong. 456 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,000 Which leads us to our next thought. 457 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,000 Jesus wept for Jerusalem. 458 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:30,000 Mark 11, 11. 459 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:33,000 So Jesus came to Jerusalem, went into the temple, 460 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,000 after looking around carefully at everything, 461 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:38,000 he left because it was late in the afternoon. 462 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,000 So imagine, imagine you're a disciple. 463 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,000 And imagine you're walking along beside the donkey with Jesus riding on it, 464 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:50,000 seeing all these people celebrating him as king, welcoming into Jerusalem, 465 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,000 and suddenly you turn over, you look to your left, 466 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,000 and you see Jesus sobbing. 467 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:01,000 Tears are rolling down his face, and suddenly, as a disciple you're confused. 468 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,000 Jesus, why are you crying at your coronation, at your celebration? 469 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:09,000 Luke describes it this way in Luke 19, 41 and 42. 470 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:15,000 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 471 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:20,000 How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way of peace. 472 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:25,000 But now it is too late and peace is hidden from your eyes. 473 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:33,000 And that word for weeping is not a gentle alligator tear that you see from a young child when they cry. 474 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,000 It's uncontrollable sobbing and sorrow. 475 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:44,000 So here we find Jesus weeping as the disciples are so confused because everyone is celebrating. 476 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:47,000 Why is the king crying? 477 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:52,000 Because he knew that the whole world can change in a week. 478 00:26:52,000 --> 00:27:00,000 Jesus knew that in five short days the same crowd who is now shouting praise God and celebrating will shout, 479 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:04,000 crucify him, crucify him. 480 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:10,000 And we all know people are fickle, and Jesus knew that everything could change in a week. 481 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:14,000 Jesus knew the hearts of men, knew the hearts of women. 482 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:20,000 He realized that as soon as the crowds recognized that he wasn't bringing political revolution, 483 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:26,000 he wasn't bringing military victory, that's what they wanted, he knew they would reject him. 484 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,000 Why? Well that leads to our final thought. 485 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:33,000 See God's kingdom is upside down. 486 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:38,000 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, not everyone was happy. 487 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:42,000 The Pharisees, the religious leaders in fact, were threatened by him 488 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,000 because Jesus condemned their hypocrisy. 489 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:49,000 Jesus called out the religious leaders for taking advantage of people, 490 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:54,000 for not living what they taught and making friends with the Roman authorities. 491 00:27:54,000 --> 00:28:01,000 Many of us know that Jesus called them snakes, hypocrites, a brood of vipers. 492 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,000 So the Pharisees, they got offended. 493 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:11,000 And we read this by Tuesday in Mark 14, it was now two days before Passover and the Festival on Leavened Bread. 494 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:18,000 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 495 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:24,000 But not during the Passover celebration, they agreed or the people may riot. 496 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:29,000 See the Pharisees, the religious leaders, they didn't want to risk a riot at Passover 497 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:35,000 because the Romans, they may rush in, crack down, and take away all their power. 498 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:42,000 Now I know this sounds absolutely crazy, but toxic politics were a part of the ancient world too. 499 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,000 Right? Why are the Pharisees so jealous? 500 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:47,000 Because he called them out. 501 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:54,000 But also because God's kingdom is like no other. It's a kingdom about other people. 502 00:28:54,000 --> 00:29:00,000 It's about focusing on others and serving others. Mark chapter 12, Jesus replied, 503 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:06,000 the most important commandment is this, listen, O Israel, the Lord your God is the one and only Lord. 504 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:12,000 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. 505 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:16,000 The second is equally important. Love your neighbors yourself. 506 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:20,000 No other commandment is greater than these. 507 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:24,000 You know, so Jesus challenges people. He says, no, lay down your life. 508 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,000 Serve others. Put other people first. 509 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:31,000 And then he even takes it a step further, which the religious leaders couldn't handle. 510 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:38,000 He says, love your enemies. He challenged us. He says, love them, Luke 6. 511 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,000 But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. 512 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:48,000 Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 513 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:55,000 See, Jesus, he wasn't a conquering king who fit into these political expectations. 514 00:29:55,000 --> 00:30:01,000 I hate to break it to you, friends. He wasn't left. He wasn't right. He wasn't red or blue. 515 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:05,000 He was the prince of peace who models a different way to live. 516 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:10,000 And that way is self-sacrifice. It's putting others first. 517 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,000 Luke chapter 9, then he said to the crowd, if any of you wants to be my follower, 518 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:19,000 and this is for all of us today, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily and follow me. 519 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:24,000 That means we take up ourselves and die to self so that we can love our enemies, 520 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:31,000 and encourage our enemies. Even when it seems impossible, that's the way of following Jesus. 521 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,000 But Jesus also knew of Jerusalem's future. 522 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:39,000 See, the people, they wanted to make Jerusalem great again, so they were celebrating his king. 523 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:44,000 But Jesus knew that 35 years after he entered the city, 524 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:51,000 Rome would send 60,000 soldiers to storm the city and kill over 1 million Jews, 525 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,000 tearing down the temple in 70 AD. 526 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:58,000 Now do we understand why Jesus was weeping? 527 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,000 He knew that temple was going to be destroyed. 528 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:09,000 He knew that people were going to die, but he also knew that he was going to lay down his own life. 529 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:15,000 He was weeping for Jerusalem's destruction and his coming crucifixion. 530 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:23,000 See, Palm Sunday was a day of celebration for most, but it was a day of bitter sweet sorrow for Jesus. 531 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:30,000 He felt the pain of a week that would change his world and would change our world as we know it. 532 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:36,000 It would end not with a coronation, not with a celebration, but it came dying on a cross for our sins, 533 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,000 for sins he didn't commit. 534 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:47,000 Jesus' journey home begins with a parade on Palm Sunday and ends with his crucifixion on a Good Friday. 535 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:52,000 It's just a simple reminder that a lot can happen in a week. 536 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:59,000 And I want to encourage you, Jesus is here this morning, desiring to be in relationship with you, 537 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:04,000 which leads us to our action steps, daily welcoming God's kingdom. 538 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:09,000 See, when Jesus taught the disciples to pray, he taught them a simple prayer that said, 539 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:16,000 may your kingdom come, may God's kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven. 540 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:23,000 And he desires that we daily welcome his kingdom every single day. 541 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:25,000 And what does that look like? Four simple steps. And the first one's this. 542 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:29,000 We have to cry out. We have to cry out to God. 543 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:35,000 John chapter 12, the next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. 544 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:40,000 A large crowd of Passover visitors took Palm branches, went down to the road to meet him. 545 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:45,000 They shouted, praise God, blessings to the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 546 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,000 Hail to the King of Israel. 547 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:53,000 Remember, this is the first time that the people of Israel has declared Jesus as king. 548 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:58,000 And in so doing, they are saying, he is the Messiah. He is the Savior. 549 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:06,000 In fact, when they're shouting this way, they are quoting a Messianic scripture from Psalm 118 that reads this way. 550 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:12,000 Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success. 551 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:17,000 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. 552 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:23,000 See, the people are saying, crying out, Jesus, save us now. 553 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:26,000 We need your intervention. We need freedom from Rome. 554 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:29,000 We need this. 555 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:36,000 But another set of verses from the book of Psalms that speak to our daily need for God's intervention in our life, 556 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:40,000 as we read them, and this is a good section of scripture that I'm going to read to you, 557 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:44,000 but I feel it's pertinent and it applies to our life. 558 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:51,000 And I want you to listen to how God repeats his desire for us to cry out to him on a daily basis. 559 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:55,000 Psalm 107, and it starts in verses 4 through 8. 560 00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:01,000 Some wandered in the wilderness, lost and homeless, hungry and thirsty. They nearly died. 561 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,000 Lord, help! 562 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:07,000 They cried in their trouble and he rescued them from their distress. 563 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,000 He led them straight to safety to a city where they could live. 564 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:12,000 Now listen to these words. 565 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:17,000 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 566 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:21,000 Then down in verse 11, they rebelled against the words of God, 567 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:26,000 scorning the council of the Most High. That is why he broke them with hard labor. 568 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,000 They fell and no one was there to help them. Lord, help! 569 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:32,000 They cried in their trouble and he saved them from their distress. 570 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,000 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom. He snapped their chains. 571 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,000 Number two, listen to this. The second time he says it. 572 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:43,000 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 573 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:47,000 Now verse 18. They couldn't stand the thought of food and they were knocking on death's door. 574 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,000 Lord, help! 575 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,000 They cried in their trouble. He saved them from their distress. 576 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,000 He sent out his word and healed them, snatching them from the door of death. 577 00:34:55,000 --> 00:35:03,000 Again, the third time. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 578 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:08,000 And now down in verse 26, we read their ships were tossed to the heavens and plunged again to the depths. 579 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:13,000 The sailors cringed in terror. They reeled and staggered like drunkards and were at their wits end. 580 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:18,000 A lot of people don't realize that that term, wits end, actually is in the Bible. 581 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,000 Lord, help! They cried in their trouble and he saved them from their distress. 582 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,000 He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. 583 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:29,000 What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into the harbor. 584 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:35,000 And again, the fourth time. Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 585 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:40,000 And listen, I want you to understand God is not upset or angry with the people. 586 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:45,000 He's not frustrated with them for crying out for help. He wants us to cry out for help. 587 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:52,000 God doesn't get upset when we look to him for advice and we look to him to meet our needs. 588 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:56,000 But he is saying, I want this to become a lifestyle for you. 589 00:35:56,000 --> 00:36:01,000 I want you to give thanks all the time, not just when you need something. 590 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:09,000 And as people, quite often, the only time we turn to God is when we're in crisis, when we need something from him. 591 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:14,000 But God says, no, cry out not just when you're in trouble or you need something. 592 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:17,000 I want to hear from you every single day. 593 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:20,000 Why can't we daily be thankful? 594 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:26,000 So many of us don't realize we have so much to be thankful for, but we don't focus on that. 595 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:28,000 We only focus on the negative. 596 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:39,000 And I believe if we develop a lifestyle of thankfulness, it will overcome our stress, anxiety, worry, and fear that so many Americans struggle with. 597 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:43,000 That so many Americans deal with on a daily basis. 598 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:53,000 But as followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to cry out for God's kingdom to come and his will to be done now on earth as it is where? 599 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:54,000 In heaven. 600 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,000 And we know in heaven, right, there is no fear. 601 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:58,000 There is no tears. 602 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:02,000 There is no mourning or crying or grief or pain for the old order of things. 603 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:03,000 They what? 604 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:04,000 They passed away. 605 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:10,000 And that's available to us today when we cry out, which leads us to our next step. 606 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,000 We fear not. 607 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:15,000 John 12, 15, don't be afraid people of Jerusalem. 608 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:18,000 Look, your king is coming riding on a donkey's colt. 609 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:24,000 And I want you to realize this is the most frequently repeated command in the entire Bible. 610 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:28,000 The command, fear not, is not a negative command. 611 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,000 It's a positive command. 612 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:34,000 God is telling us not to fear, to fear not. 613 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:39,000 And it's a direct command that's quoted over a hundred times in the Bible. 614 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:46,000 And there's some form of this command in the Bible, 365 times or one for every day of the year. 615 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:52,000 In other words, put your trust in God and do not be afraid. 616 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:57,000 It's a command from God that communicates to us, hey man, just relax. 617 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,000 You're stressed out for no reason. 618 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:02,000 I got this. 619 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,000 If you're in a relationship with me, you are covered. 620 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:10,000 And it's what allows us to experience joy every single day. 621 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:19,000 1 John chapter 4 tells us this, dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 622 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:23,000 Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. 623 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,000 If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment. 624 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:31,000 And this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 625 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:36,000 God is inviting us to experience a love that many people just don't understand. 626 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:41,000 But the enemy, our enemy, the devil wants to distract us and cause us to worry. 627 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,000 Be overwhelmed. Be stressed out. 628 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:51,000 He wants us to take our focus off of others during this season where people are searching for God. 629 00:38:51,000 --> 00:38:55,000 I mean, I know last week Rudy gave out the little Jesuses, right? 630 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:59,000 Yes. Did everybody, if you got one, did you leave it with your server? 631 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:02,000 Or your gym or wherever? Right? 632 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:05,000 It's such a great idea. Well, we have a ton of cards left. 633 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:11,000 If you want to order some more little Jesuses off Amazon, go to the Welcome Hub, grab some cards, 634 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:14,000 leave it at your gym, leave it with your server, whatever, 635 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:19,000 and invite people to experience new life as we celebrate Easter next week. Amen? 636 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,000 So our first two steps. What was number one? 637 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:25,000 Cry out. What was number two? Fear not. 638 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:30,000 And our third, not as we expect. Not as we expect. 639 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,000 John chapter 12, don't be afraid, people of Jerusalem. 640 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:36,000 Look, your king is coming riding on a donkey's coat. 641 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:39,000 Your king is coming not as you expect. 642 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,000 Remember Zechariah's words. 643 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:45,000 500 years before Jesus was born, your king is coming. 644 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:50,000 He is victorious and righteous. He is humble, riding on a donkey, riding on a donkey's coat. 645 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,000 What is Zechariah saying? 646 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:56,000 Your king is coming not as you expect. 647 00:39:56,000 --> 00:40:01,000 Remember, at this point in history, a king would have rode in on what? 648 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:05,000 A white horse, a war horse. 649 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:10,000 Now I learned this this week. I didn't know this, but horses are actually measured by human hands. 650 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:17,000 So horses, their height, people count hands to see how tall a horse is. 651 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:26,000 Now if you're a conquering war hero, they would want to ride in on a white stallion that was at least two hands taller than any other horse. 652 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:34,000 But a king, a king, when he rode into the city, he wanted four hands taller than any other horse. 653 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:40,000 But there's something written in the Gospels that I believe a lot of people miss. 654 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:44,000 And let me read it for you in Matthew 21, 2. Listen to this. 655 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:48,000 So into the village over there, he said, this is Jesus telling the disciples, 656 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:53,000 as soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there with a coat beside it. 657 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:56,000 Untie them. Everyone say them. 658 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,000 And bring them to me. 659 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:08,000 So in other words, these verses are saying that the donkey's mother was present with the coat as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. 660 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:10,000 Why? 661 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:15,000 Because the coat would have been much calmer with its mother riding beside. 662 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:20,000 But yet if you look at paintings or renderings of Palm Sunday, 663 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:25,000 there's no rendering that's correct because it only shows Jesus on a donkey. 664 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:33,000 When in reality, the correct rendering would have showed the donkey, the mother with the coat beside it. 665 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:36,000 Jesus would have been riding on the coat. 666 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:40,000 And many scholars believe, and I want you to picture this in your mind, 667 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:50,000 Jesus riding into Jerusalem, right on a donkey's coat, and his feet are literally dragging on the ground. 668 00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:52,000 Why? Why? 669 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:56,000 Because he was trying to express that he's a humble king. 670 00:41:56,000 --> 00:42:00,000 And see, the people, the people, they wanted relief. 671 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:08,000 They wanted Jesus to save them from their temporary circumstances while Jesus was bringing a permanent solution, connection with the Creator. 672 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,000 When Jesus was being who they wanted him to be, what did they do? 673 00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:16,000 They praised him, the Savior. 674 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:25,000 But when Jesus was being who they needed him to be, a Savior, what did he desire from them? 675 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:27,000 A crown. 676 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:30,000 He didn't need their praise. 677 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:37,000 He wanted the crown because he knew that was the step that needed to be taken so that we could reconnect with the Savior, 678 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:39,000 which leads us to our final step. 679 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:41,000 And it's an invitation to all of us. 680 00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:43,000 We need to respond. 681 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:47,000 Many in the crowd spread their garments, waved the palms in the air, 682 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:52,000 and Jesus was in the center of the procession, and they were shouting, praise God! 683 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,000 Blessing on the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 684 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:58,000 Blessing on the coming kingdom for our ancestor David. 685 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:00,000 Praise God in the highest heaven. 686 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:05,000 And today, this morning, I believe Jesus is riding into towns. 687 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:08,000 He's riding into people's stories. 688 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:10,000 He's riding into circumstances. 689 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:16,000 He's riding into your life today to break addictions and chains and fear, 690 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:18,000 whatever may be happening in your life. 691 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:22,000 And the question this morning is, will you respond? 692 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:24,000 Will you worship? 693 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:25,000 Will you praise? 694 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:27,000 Will you humble yourself and allow others to serve you? 695 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,000 Like I said, come back tonight and get your feet washed. 696 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:33,000 Humble yourself. Get over yourself. 697 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,000 And realize that it's about serving others. 698 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:39,000 Will you stand with me this morning? 699 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:46,000 You know, I am so thankful that even in the midst, 700 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:50,000 even in the midst of technology that doesn't work, 701 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:53,000 I believe God's truth and his gospel goes forth. 702 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:55,000 Amen? 703 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:59,000 And I believe that Jesus is riding into this room this morning, 704 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:02,000 desiring to ride into people's hearts. 705 00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:05,000 And it's a choice that you have to make, and I would be amiss 706 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:08,000 if I did not give you that opportunity. 707 00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:12,000 So as we do every Sunday here at HTV, we're going to pray a simple prayer. 708 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:14,000 I'm going to invite you to pray it with me, 709 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:19,000 either in the quietness of your heart or out loud as we all pray it together. 710 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:23,000 Because it's an opportunity to reconnect with your Creator. 711 00:44:23,000 --> 00:44:24,000 Let's pray together. 712 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:27,000 Jesus, I'm broken. 713 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:34,000 I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, anger, sin. 714 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:36,000 Change me. 715 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,000 I believe you're God's son. 716 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:42,000 I believe you died for me. 717 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:44,000 Make me new. 718 00:44:44,000 --> 00:44:46,000 Set me free. 719 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:48,000 Fill me with your Spirit. 720 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:56,000 Give me the ability to praise you and celebrate what you did for me. 721 00:44:56,000 --> 00:44:59,000 In Jesus' name, Amen. 722 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:02,000 Now listen, if you prayed that prayer for the first time, 723 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:08,000 you said those words, see me, high five me, give me a hug, send me a text. 724 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,000 Whatever you need to do, because I'm going to challenge you, 725 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:13,000 get baptized on Friday. 726 00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:16,000 Take the next step and begin that journey with Jesus 727 00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:18,000 that will radically change your life. 728 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:23,000 Now before we end, I felt like I needed to pray a prayer over you 729 00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:25,000 that comes from number six. 730 00:45:25,000 --> 00:45:27,000 Number six, verses 24 to 26. 731 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,000 I actually pray this prayer over my son, Phoenix, 732 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:34,000 every single night I'm wearing the prayer on my back. 733 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:39,000 And it says this, may the Lord bless you and protect you. 734 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:43,000 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. 735 00:45:43,000 --> 00:45:47,000 May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.