WEBVTT 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:16.019 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. To get connected 00:00:16.019 --> 00:00:20.059 or to give online, go to connect .hcv .church 00:00:20.059 --> 00:00:23.839 or give .hcv .church. If at any point during 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:26.000 this message you feel called to make a change 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:30.920 in your life, text CHANGEME to 9700. Thank you 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:33.240 and enjoy the message. Hey, good morning everyone. 00:00:34.259 --> 00:00:37.740 How's everybody doing today? Well, I am just 00:00:37.740 --> 00:00:40.520 thankful that you are here and joining us. If 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:42.799 you're watching from home, thanks for welcoming 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:46.619 us into your space. Now, I know if you're anything 00:00:46.619 --> 00:00:50.259 like me, all of us have experienced unexpected 00:00:50.259 --> 00:00:54.320 moments throughout life. Sometimes they're as 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:58.439 simple as finding money in your pocket when you 00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:00.719 put on your jeans. Isn't that the best feeling 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:03.450 in the world? Especially when it's like 50 bucks. 00:01:03.810 --> 00:01:06.709 You think, man, what can I go spend this on? 00:01:07.290 --> 00:01:10.370 Or how about when you wake up an hour and a half 00:01:10.370 --> 00:01:14.390 early, just subconsciously, only to look at a 00:01:14.390 --> 00:01:17.909 clock and realize, I can go back to sleep. I 00:01:17.909 --> 00:01:20.010 mean, that's the best ever. Or maybe it's finding 00:01:20.010 --> 00:01:22.510 a parking spot right up front, even though the 00:01:22.510 --> 00:01:26.049 lot is completely full. Other days, we may experience 00:01:26.049 --> 00:01:30.609 the joy. of the unexpected when a friend takes 00:01:30.609 --> 00:01:34.549 us out to lunch. Or maybe it's coming to a Sunday 00:01:34.549 --> 00:01:37.810 at HCV and you run into a friend you haven't 00:01:37.810 --> 00:01:41.530 seen in a few years. In life though, unfortunately, 00:01:41.590 --> 00:01:45.689 we also experience the negativity of the unexpected. 00:01:46.370 --> 00:01:49.989 Maybe it's an illness to your pet that suddenly 00:01:49.989 --> 00:01:52.909 you're spending thousands of dollars on so he 00:01:52.909 --> 00:01:56.620 survives. Maybe it's a death in the family. And 00:01:56.620 --> 00:02:00.879 in all of these situations, they come at us very 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.099 different. But they have two things in common. 00:02:04.260 --> 00:02:08.139 They cause anxiety and they have a way of throwing 00:02:08.139 --> 00:02:11.939 us off course. It's like suddenly life is spinning 00:02:11.939 --> 00:02:15.400 out of control. So we've all experienced these 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.280 unexpected moments. Sometimes they're embarrassing. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:21.800 Sometimes they're gross. While other times they 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:26.199 bring us nothing but joy. Maybe you're here this 00:02:26.199 --> 00:02:29.319 morning and you walked into this space and you're 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:33.319 currently living in the unexpected. Maybe it's 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:36.780 a medical report, a relationship that's in turmoil, 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:41.919 a financial crisis, a death in the family. But 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:46.000 there's good news to all of us. Jesus can relate 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:50.120 to the unexpected. The tension that we experience 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:53.539 in the unexpected simply comes down to our response. 00:02:54.379 --> 00:03:00.439 How do we respond to the unexpected? How do we 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:03.879 or our life change when the unexpected happens? 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:07.199 Well, today marks Palm Sunday on the church calendar. 00:03:07.379 --> 00:03:10.479 And Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week. 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:14.800 And it commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:18.340 Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The week following, 00:03:18.379 --> 00:03:21.080 of course, is a time of remembrance and reflection 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:25.949 on his suffering, death, and resurrection. Last 00:03:25.949 --> 00:03:28.310 Sunday, we kicked off our Easter series, The 00:03:28.310 --> 00:03:32.469 Unexpected, with a talk on the unexpected invitation. 00:03:33.349 --> 00:03:36.569 An invitation given to Zacchaeus that he, of 00:03:36.569 --> 00:03:39.530 course, received from Jesus to have dinner together 00:03:39.530 --> 00:03:43.289 at Zacchaeus' house. This morning, we will continue 00:03:43.289 --> 00:03:46.590 our series with a talk on the unexpected king. 00:03:47.310 --> 00:03:50.830 See, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that donkey, 00:03:53.500 --> 00:03:56.740 of that event. Everything that happened, in fact, 00:03:56.819 --> 00:04:00.180 was unexpected to the people that was gathered. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:03.500 So as we jump into that story, I want to open 00:04:03.500 --> 00:04:06.159 in prayer and invite God's presence to change 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:08.979 us and to mold us this morning. Holy Spirit, 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:12.060 come. God, we're just so thankful that we can 00:04:12.060 --> 00:04:15.979 gather together, that we can worship. We invite 00:04:15.979 --> 00:04:19.279 you to change us. Open our ears and our minds 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:23.560 to receive all that you have for us, God. Allow 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:26.339 us to be different when we leave this place. 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:31.480 In Jesus' name, amen. Which leads us to our first 00:04:31.480 --> 00:04:34.100 thought this morning. You see, Jesus was and 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:38.339 is unexpected. Matthew 21, 8 through 10, a very 00:04:38.339 --> 00:04:41.680 large crowd spread their cloaks on the road while 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:44.279 others cut branches from the trees and spread 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.500 them on the road. The crowds that went ahead 00:04:46.500 --> 00:04:49.259 of him and those that followed shouted, Hosanna! 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:52.980 To the son of David, blessed is he who comes 00:04:52.980 --> 00:04:56.180 in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest 00:04:56.180 --> 00:04:59.279 heaven. And when Jesus entered Jerusalem, the 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:03.959 whole city was stirred and asked, who is this? 00:05:05.420 --> 00:05:11.319 Who is this? See, Jesus lived an unexpected life. 00:05:11.660 --> 00:05:15.180 Long before this event took place, God's chosen 00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:17.819 people, the people of Israel, had been waiting 00:05:17.819 --> 00:05:21.779 for a Messiah. longing for a promised redeemer 00:05:21.779 --> 00:05:25.000 from God to restore the people back into a relationship 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:29.120 with God, a connection with him. As a nation, 00:05:29.180 --> 00:05:31.360 they have been waiting for hundreds of years 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:35.779 in total silence, total darkness, hearing nothing 00:05:35.779 --> 00:05:39.000 from God regarding the fulfillment of this promised 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:42.519 Messiah. And throughout the Old Testament, you 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:45.420 and I, we can read today the different prophecies 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:48.339 the people have received regarding this Messiah. 00:05:49.069 --> 00:05:52.610 But for more than 400 years, the people of Israel 00:05:52.610 --> 00:05:56.569 received no direct revelations from God and found 00:05:56.569 --> 00:06:00.189 themselves under the control of the Roman Empire, 00:06:00.269 --> 00:06:03.930 no longer a free people. And see, when the Messiah 00:06:03.930 --> 00:06:08.209 came and was born a baby named Jesus in a small 00:06:08.209 --> 00:06:12.129 town of Bethlehem, this was completely unexpected. 00:06:12.709 --> 00:06:16.069 See, the people expected a king to come in glory, 00:06:16.290 --> 00:06:20.589 to redeem Israel. Instead, they got a baby born 00:06:20.589 --> 00:06:24.509 of a virgin named Mary. The people expected their 00:06:24.509 --> 00:06:28.629 Messiah to glorify the law, their precious Ten 00:06:28.629 --> 00:06:33.269 Commandments, and to reestablish its importance 00:06:33.269 --> 00:06:37.470 in society. Instead, they got the fulfillment 00:06:37.470 --> 00:06:40.449 of the law through the person of Jesus who brought 00:06:40.449 --> 00:06:44.310 grace and truth. See, what they were looking 00:06:44.310 --> 00:06:47.310 for, they did not get. They expected freedom 00:06:47.310 --> 00:06:50.550 from Rome's oppression and tyranny. Instead, 00:06:50.709 --> 00:06:53.350 they got a king who brought freedom that was 00:06:53.350 --> 00:06:56.029 so much more than political. It was freedom from 00:06:56.029 --> 00:07:00.910 sin and death. Jesus was unexpected. They were 00:07:00.910 --> 00:07:03.029 expecting one to come and judge all the sinners, 00:07:03.230 --> 00:07:06.029 to challenge them to change and live righteous 00:07:06.029 --> 00:07:10.389 lives. Instead, they received the friend of sinners 00:07:10.389 --> 00:07:13.389 who extended grace, forgiveness, and love to 00:07:13.389 --> 00:07:16.920 individuals. who were not worthy of it. Jesus 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:21.339 was unexpected. When a person would touch the 00:07:21.339 --> 00:07:23.980 hem of Jesus' garment, they would experience 00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:27.000 healing. The outcasts and forgotten of society 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:31.079 received invitations to dinner with Jesus. Jesus, 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:35.240 of course, was the unexpected Messiah. See, Jesus 00:07:35.240 --> 00:07:38.839 did not fit into the religious boxes. And if 00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:41.139 we're honest with ourselves today, quite often, 00:07:41.870 --> 00:07:45.689 Jesus does not fit into our religious box. He 00:07:45.689 --> 00:07:50.269 is as unexpected today as he was back then. And 00:07:50.269 --> 00:07:53.209 for many of us, he is much more than we could 00:07:53.209 --> 00:07:57.829 ever expect. See, this unexpected birth to preaching 00:07:57.829 --> 00:08:01.350 an upside -down kingdom where those who are great 00:08:01.350 --> 00:08:05.529 are those who serve. To be significant in God's 00:08:05.529 --> 00:08:10.420 kingdom, we have to learn to wash feet. And all 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:14.360 of that leads us to today. Jesus riding into 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:17.939 Jerusalem on a donkey one last time with the 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:21.139 people not fully understanding the significance 00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:24.519 of what was taking place. But we must realize 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:29.279 God did. Jesus knew he would ride into Jerusalem 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:32.980 on a donkey, but he would leave a risen Savior 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:37.559 and King. Ascending into heaven, establishing 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:41.779 hope. healing, and freedom in his name for all 00:08:41.779 --> 00:08:46.100 of us that are gathered here today. Jesus was 00:08:46.100 --> 00:08:49.159 unexpected, which leads us to our next thought 00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:51.960 as we break down Palm Sunday and the different 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:56.139 meanings that was happening in this event. Jesus 00:08:56.139 --> 00:09:01.220 rode in on a donkey, which means he brought unexpected 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:06.600 peace. Jesus's entire life had been leading up 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:11.179 to this very moment. Remember, for three years, 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:14.340 he was teaching his disciples. He was sharing 00:09:14.340 --> 00:09:17.019 the good news of the kingdom. But quite often 00:09:17.019 --> 00:09:19.419 during that time, he would always tell people 00:09:19.419 --> 00:09:23.379 that were healed, don't tell anyone. He didn't 00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:25.460 want the news to get out because it wasn't yet 00:09:25.460 --> 00:09:30.860 time. But now was the time. He was ready to ride 00:09:30.860 --> 00:09:34.779 into Jerusalem to launch this kingdom of God 00:09:34.779 --> 00:09:37.940 that he'd been teaching about. And this is what 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:41.000 we read in Matthew 21, 1 through 5. As Jesus 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:44.139 and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they 00:09:44.139 --> 00:09:46.679 came to the town of Bethpage on the Mount of 00:09:46.679 --> 00:09:50.500 Olives. And Jesus sent two of them ahead. Go 00:09:50.500 --> 00:09:52.720 into the village over there, he said. And as 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.379 soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied 00:09:55.379 --> 00:09:58.820 there with his colt beside it. Untie them and 00:09:58.820 --> 00:10:01.779 bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:04.700 doing, just say, the Lord needs them. And he 00:10:04.700 --> 00:10:07.289 will immediately let you take them. This took 00:10:07.289 --> 00:10:10.649 place to fulfill the prophecy that said, tell 00:10:10.649 --> 00:10:13.649 the people of Jerusalem, look, your king is coming 00:10:13.649 --> 00:10:16.909 to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey, riding 00:10:16.909 --> 00:10:20.610 on a donkey's coat. And as I was reading these 00:10:20.610 --> 00:10:25.570 verses this week, I reflected on how simple this 00:10:25.570 --> 00:10:30.789 entrance was. Think about it, riding on a donkey. 00:10:31.820 --> 00:10:34.100 And as I thought about this truth, it would have 00:10:34.100 --> 00:10:37.960 been so much more impactful, more powerful if 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:42.080 Jesus was riding in on a chariot of fire, being 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:45.919 pulled by a white stallion. It's as if I pictured 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:50.720 Katniss riding into the Hunger Games on her fire 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:54.740 -blazing chariot. And I just began to think, 00:10:54.980 --> 00:11:01.299 why not? He is God. Why a donkey? Why not make 00:11:01.299 --> 00:11:06.100 it impressive? After all, Jesus was God. And 00:11:06.100 --> 00:11:08.779 if he's a real king, he should have known that 00:11:08.779 --> 00:11:13.919 real kings don't ride on donkeys. And what about 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:18.419 the simple fact that this donkey was stolen or 00:11:18.419 --> 00:11:22.340 borrowed? Did you catch that in that verse we 00:11:22.340 --> 00:11:24.940 just read? It's like they just jumped off the 00:11:24.940 --> 00:11:28.299 page at me this week. Oh, just go untie the donkey 00:11:28.299 --> 00:11:30.519 and the colt. Bring them to me. And if anyone 00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:34.399 asks, say the Lord needs them. Now just imagine 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:38.659 tonight you wake up to your car being broken 00:11:38.659 --> 00:11:43.840 into. You run out the front door, and as they're 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.080 backing out your driveway, they put the window 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:52.879 down and say, the Lord needs it. I believe that 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:57.039 many of you would quickly call 911 and report 00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:02.399 your car as stolen. But we must realize that 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:06.639 donkeys were for the common person, the everyday 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:10.440 working class citizen that could only afford 00:12:10.440 --> 00:12:14.870 a lowly donkey in life. Now, historians will 00:12:14.870 --> 00:12:17.429 tell us that during this same exact week that 00:12:17.429 --> 00:12:20.269 Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, on the other 00:12:20.269 --> 00:12:23.809 side of town, there would have been another entry 00:12:23.809 --> 00:12:26.250 taking place, and it would have been Pilate, 00:12:26.250 --> 00:12:29.909 who was the governor of Rome. And when Pilate 00:12:29.909 --> 00:12:32.769 entered town, he would have been riding on a 00:12:32.769 --> 00:12:36.269 war horse with soldiers marching beside him and 00:12:36.269 --> 00:12:39.590 instruments playing, declaring Rome's glory and 00:12:39.590 --> 00:12:42.960 power for all the people to see. So you have 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:46.399 on one side of the town, Pilate arriving on a 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:49.080 large war horse, and on the other side, Jesus 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:53.799 riding in on a donkey. Why? You know, for so 00:12:53.799 --> 00:12:55.899 many people, we read this and we just assume 00:12:55.899 --> 00:12:59.639 it's just a part of the religious story. Well, 00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:03.799 I just need to believe it. But a horse symbolizes 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:10.220 power. A donkey symbolizes peace. And at this 00:13:10.220 --> 00:13:15.470 moment, Jesus was doing the unexpected. Remember, 00:13:15.590 --> 00:13:18.710 the people expected the Messiah to bring freedom 00:13:18.710 --> 00:13:21.870 from Roman oppression through power and strength, 00:13:22.149 --> 00:13:25.649 while Jesus was simply fulfilling the Old Testament 00:13:25.649 --> 00:13:31.330 prophecy that he would bring peace to the world. 00:13:31.450 --> 00:13:34.269 Zechariah 9, 9. Rejoice, O people of Zion. Shout 00:13:34.269 --> 00:13:36.929 in triumph, O people of Jerusalem. Look, your 00:13:36.929 --> 00:13:40.409 king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious. 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:45.299 Yet, notice, he is humble, riding on a donkey, 00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:48.639 riding on a donkey's coat. And for us, Jesus 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:51.379 was declaring that the peace he was bringing 00:13:51.379 --> 00:13:55.500 to the world, no one could take away. Not even 00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:59.120 the power of Rome, or for us, not even the powers 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:03.259 that want to steal away our peace and our joy. 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:06.720 John 16, 33, I've told you all this so that you 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:11.200 may have peace in me. Here on earth, You will 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:14.639 have many trials and sorrows, but take heart, 00:14:14.820 --> 00:14:18.799 I have overcome the world. Ephesians 2, verse 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:24.740 14, for Christ himself has brought peace to us. 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:31.259 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. Jesus 00:14:31.259 --> 00:14:37.019 has brought us unexpected peace. Unfortunately, 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.080 though, we're currently living in a world full 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:43.159 of anxiety and depression. 41 % of all Americans 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:46.679 report that they struggle daily with untreated 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:50.779 mental illness. This untreated mental illness 00:14:50.779 --> 00:14:54.679 begins as early as 12 years old. And there's 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:57.039 not a day that goes by that if we're honest, 00:14:57.100 --> 00:14:59.639 that we do not read through the news or listen 00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:02.379 to the news and hear about wars and sickness 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:05.080 and disease and political strife and division 00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:08.440 and financial ruin. Right? It's like the world 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:12.360 is constantly spinning out of control. And with 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:16.799 all of this constant information bombarding our 00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:20.200 lives, it can be real easy to find ourselves 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:25.779 struggling with fear and worry. Anxiety or depression. 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:30.399 Friends, this morning I'm here to say there's 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:35.340 good news in Jesus riding on a colt on this Palm 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:38.419 Sunday. He is reminding us that a relationship 00:15:38.419 --> 00:15:43.000 with him is abundance. Because it's abundant 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:47.940 in peace. So that we don't have to strive or 00:15:47.940 --> 00:15:52.360 strive for more in this world. John 14, 27. I'm 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:55.840 leaving him with a gift, peace of mind and heart. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.039 And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:04.320 give. So church, do not be troubled or afraid. 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:09.200 And this isn't a theoretical peace. This isn't 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:12.799 a religious peace. It's not a one -time encounter 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:16.820 peace. It's a peace that we can experience every 00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:21.149 single day. Philippians 4, 6 through 7. Don't 00:16:21.149 --> 00:16:23.389 worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. 00:16:23.850 --> 00:16:26.210 Tell God what you need. Thank him for all he's 00:16:26.210 --> 00:16:31.149 done. Then you will experience God's peace, which 00:16:31.149 --> 00:16:33.450 exceeds anything we can understand. His peace 00:16:33.450 --> 00:16:36.210 will guard our hearts and minds as you live in 00:16:36.210 --> 00:16:41.730 Christ Jesus. Jesus riding in on a donkey speaks 00:16:41.730 --> 00:16:45.330 to the peace that Jesus brings to our lives. 00:16:45.809 --> 00:16:48.850 And if you're here this morning, And you're not 00:16:48.850 --> 00:16:51.149 experiencing peace. You're overwhelmed with anxiety 00:16:51.149 --> 00:16:56.389 and worry and doubt. Does it matter your circumstances? 00:16:57.649 --> 00:17:01.129 Does it matter if it's financial or relational? 00:17:01.669 --> 00:17:04.130 Does it matter if it's your job or health issues? 00:17:05.569 --> 00:17:10.069 I believe. I believe Jesus wants to release peace 00:17:10.069 --> 00:17:13.410 into your heart this morning. Which leads us 00:17:13.410 --> 00:17:18.049 to our next song. The Garments. The garments 00:17:18.049 --> 00:17:21.609 that the people removed and threw down is God's 00:17:21.609 --> 00:17:24.690 unexpected love. Because see, as Jesus was riding 00:17:24.690 --> 00:17:27.329 into town, notice the people's response. Matthew 00:17:27.329 --> 00:17:30.470 21, 6 through 8. The two disciples did as Jesus 00:17:30.470 --> 00:17:32.450 commanded. They brought the donkey and the colt 00:17:32.450 --> 00:17:34.569 to him. And they threw their garments over the 00:17:34.569 --> 00:17:37.609 colt. And he sat on it. Most of the crowd spread 00:17:37.609 --> 00:17:41.250 their garments on the road ahead of him. Now 00:17:41.250 --> 00:17:44.150 garments or cloaks are referring to the outer 00:17:44.150 --> 00:17:47.599 garments that the people would have worn. While 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:49.720 they were living their everyday lives in Jerusalem 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:52.480 at this time. It would have been similar to you 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:55.279 and I wearing a raincoat for the last three days 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:59.220 because it's been pouring down rain. Or a winter 00:17:59.220 --> 00:18:02.259 coat during the cold months of the year. The 00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:05.259 people wore these garments or cloaks because 00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:08.099 they lived in a desert. It would protect them 00:18:08.099 --> 00:18:11.819 from the sun and the harsh wind and the sand 00:18:11.819 --> 00:18:15.670 that blew across the desert. And though it was 00:18:15.670 --> 00:18:18.470 sun beating down on them during the day, at night 00:18:18.470 --> 00:18:21.829 it could get very cold. So these cloaks, these 00:18:21.829 --> 00:18:24.230 garments would protect them from the elements. 00:18:24.789 --> 00:18:27.390 And often within this culture, the people would 00:18:27.390 --> 00:18:30.529 lay down their garments as a means of honoring 00:18:30.529 --> 00:18:34.410 or paying allegiance to a leader or a king that 00:18:34.410 --> 00:18:38.250 would come into town. So the people are symbolically 00:18:38.250 --> 00:18:41.470 saying that they're laying down their lives or 00:18:41.470 --> 00:18:45.960 their allegiance and respect. To this king. And 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:49.420 just imagine this scene. Jesus is riding in on 00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:52.720 a donkey. And here you have the people symbolically 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.759 laying down their garments for him. Giving him 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:58.920 the same honor. That normally was reserved for 00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:03.079 men like Caesar or Pilate. Or generals that had 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:07.319 conquered people. The people. They didn't even 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:11.599 realize. That their symbolic actions. Were actually 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:15.750 the very reason. that Jesus was riding into Jerusalem. 00:19:16.329 --> 00:19:20.190 See, Jesus was ultimately coming into town to 00:19:20.190 --> 00:19:24.049 lay down his life for them. And this would have 00:19:24.049 --> 00:19:27.869 been completely what? Unexpected. Because in 00:19:27.869 --> 00:19:31.049 their culture, leaders, they didn't lay down 00:19:31.049 --> 00:19:33.069 their lives for the common person in society. 00:19:33.710 --> 00:19:38.509 The common person were the warriors. You know, 00:19:38.529 --> 00:19:40.470 those that were without were the ones in the 00:19:40.470 --> 00:19:43.940 army. They had to lay down their lives for their 00:19:43.940 --> 00:19:48.619 leaders. But Jesus taught and lived in an upside 00:19:48.619 --> 00:19:52.720 down kingdom. John 15, 13. There is no greater 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:56.259 love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. 00:19:56.759 --> 00:20:00.160 1 John 3, 16. We know what real love is because 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:04.220 Jesus, he gave up his life for us. So we also 00:20:04.220 --> 00:20:06.039 ought to give up our lives for our brothers and 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:09.859 sisters. See again, Palm Sunday is a reminder 00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:13.670 to us. That Jesus was riding into Jerusalem to 00:20:13.670 --> 00:20:18.670 lay down his life for you and for me. This was 00:20:18.670 --> 00:20:23.789 a sacrificial, intentional decision by God to 00:20:23.789 --> 00:20:28.710 send his son to die for us. And one thing I want 00:20:28.710 --> 00:20:30.730 you to reflect on this morning if you're in a 00:20:30.730 --> 00:20:34.390 relationship with Jesus. God challenged me this 00:20:34.390 --> 00:20:37.859 week as I was reading these verses. In this scene, 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:41.180 we see two different responses from the people 00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:45.279 involved. Notice the disciples. They took their 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.539 garments off and they put them on the donkey 00:20:48.539 --> 00:20:52.619 for Jesus to sit on, to ride on. While the crowd, 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:55.359 they took off their garments and laid them on 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:58.460 the ground as the donkey would walk over them. 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:03.440 But see, once Jesus passed by, the people in 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:06.500 the crowd, They would have picked up their garments 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:11.599 and walked away, not knowing that in a few days 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:14.640 they would be the ones that yell out, crucify 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:21.359 him, crucify him. While the disciples, they followed 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:26.339 Jesus for the whole procession. Every turn of 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:30.200 the donkey, every step of the donkey, they would 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:34.460 have followed. They would have given their lives 00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:38.400 to the unexpected. And then we know their lives 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:41.200 were turned upside down by the death of their 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:45.680 Messiah. And though many of them wavered, they 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:49.539 remained committed to the cause once they experienced 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:52.720 the resurrected Savior. Because that resurrected 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:55.859 Savior would send them on mission to change the 00:21:55.859 --> 00:22:00.779 world. So reflect on that this morning. Are you 00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:04.109 living on mission? In a vibrant relationship 00:22:04.109 --> 00:22:08.569 with God? Or are you walking through life in 00:22:08.569 --> 00:22:12.230 your own strength? With the crowd picking up 00:22:12.230 --> 00:22:17.410 your garments and going in your own direction? 00:22:19.089 --> 00:22:21.349 Which leads us to our fourth thought, the palm 00:22:21.349 --> 00:22:25.390 branches. It's Palm Sunday. In most churches, 00:22:25.450 --> 00:22:28.150 they give out palms and they ask the people to 00:22:28.150 --> 00:22:31.670 wave their palms. And in reality, did you ever 00:22:31.670 --> 00:22:34.950 realize that the Bible never tells us the people 00:22:34.950 --> 00:22:40.089 waved palms? The Bible tells us that the people 00:22:40.089 --> 00:22:42.990 cut off palm branches and did what with them? 00:22:43.549 --> 00:22:47.329 Laid them on the ground. Now, I'm not saying 00:22:47.329 --> 00:22:49.769 they didn't wave them. I'm just saying that in 00:22:49.769 --> 00:22:53.740 the Bible, it doesn't say they did. Matthew 21, 00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:56.240 8 through 10. Most of the crowd, of course, they 00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:58.119 spread their garments on the road ahead of him 00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:00.920 and others. They cut the branches from the trees 00:23:00.920 --> 00:23:04.119 and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the 00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:06.160 center of their procession and the people around 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:08.779 him were shouting, praise God for the son of 00:23:08.779 --> 00:23:10.839 David. Blessings on the one who comes in the 00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:13.700 name of the Lord. Praise God. In the highest 00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:16.819 heaven, the entire city of Jerusalem was in an 00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:21.960 uproar as he entered. Who is this? They asked. 00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:26.299 And I believe God is asking us the same question 00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:32.819 this morning. Who is Jesus to you? Because see, 00:23:32.819 --> 00:23:34.859 in this culture, the people would honor and welcome 00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:38.519 a person, especially, again, a king or a figure 00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:42.000 of prominence as a sign of joy and celebration. 00:23:42.480 --> 00:23:44.599 They would cut off these branches. They would 00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:48.319 throw them on the ground as a symbol of victory 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:52.359 and triumph. Now as they laid down the palms, 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:55.900 they were saying, Hosanna in the highest. And 00:23:55.900 --> 00:24:00.859 that word Hosanna means save us. And many in 00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:04.259 the crowd were crying out for freedom from Roman 00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:07.000 tyranny and oppression. They were tired of it. 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.799 And they desired Jesus to be the Messiah that 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.940 would bring them salvation from Roman oppression. 00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:21.220 But see, Jesus came to do so much more. He desired 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:25.359 to bring them freedom from sin, hell, and the 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:29.539 grave. Again, Jesus was bringing the unexpected. 00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:33.079 The Jewish people were all coming into Jerusalem 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:36.319 during this time of year to celebrate Passover. 00:24:37.059 --> 00:24:40.779 And each family would bring along with them a 00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:44.099 lamb that would be sacrificed for their sins. 00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:47.299 So I want you to imagine this scene in your mind. 00:24:47.339 --> 00:24:51.670 You can picture it. Quite often when this story 00:24:51.670 --> 00:24:54.369 is taught and when we read it, we see the people 00:24:54.369 --> 00:24:57.990 doing all of the actions. But as Jesus was riding 00:24:57.990 --> 00:25:01.109 into town on this donkey, the people laying down 00:25:01.109 --> 00:25:04.210 the garments, the palm branches, as he was riding 00:25:04.210 --> 00:25:07.289 by us, the people were crying out, Hosanna, save 00:25:07.289 --> 00:25:11.809 us. It wasn't just the people. See, historians 00:25:11.809 --> 00:25:15.170 tell us that this road would have been full of 00:25:15.170 --> 00:25:18.440 lambs running everywhere. Remember, each family, 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:21.920 and we're talking millions of people here, would 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:24.480 have been coming into Jerusalem, bringing along 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:28.240 a lamb with them to be sacrificed for their sins. 00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:30.940 Remember, this is the Old Testament sacrificial 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:34.680 system. See, the people, they were crying out 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:37.980 freedom from Roman oppression because that's 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:40.200 what they thought they needed. The lambs that 00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:44.160 were with them running all around the road, that 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:47.480 was for their sins. So in their mind, their sins 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:50.640 were taken care of by the Lamb. Jesus was their 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:55.200 way to freedom. But Jesus' mission wasn't just 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:59.519 for the people of Israel. It was for all of humanity. 00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:03.140 John 1, 29. The next day, John saw Jesus coming 00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:07.140 toward him and said, Look, the Lamb of God who 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:12.019 takes away the sins of the world. I mean, here's 00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:14.240 the reality that many of us miss on this Palm 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:19.640 Sunday. As Jesus is riding on this donkey and 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:23.700 he has all these lambs around him, Jesus, right, 00:26:23.839 --> 00:26:26.759 is the lamb of God. He was the one that would 00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:29.299 be sacrificed once and for all, for all of us. 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:34.200 Eliminating the Old Testament system. Because 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:37.579 without Jesus, our world and the people in it, 00:26:37.619 --> 00:26:42.559 they're lost. But Jesus rides in bringing salvation 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:48.140 to all people. John chapter 3 verses 16 through 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:52.460 17. For this is how God loved the world. He gave 00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:54.799 his one and only son so that everyone who believes 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:57.799 in him will not perish but have eternal life. 00:26:58.380 --> 00:27:00.759 God sent his son into the world not to judge 00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:04.900 the world but to save the world through him. 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:14.039 Who is this? The people asked. Who is this? See, 00:27:14.059 --> 00:27:19.039 on Palm Sunday, we learn Jesus riding in on the 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:23.660 donkey reveals God's peace that's available to 00:27:23.660 --> 00:27:27.700 us every single day. The garments laid down reveal 00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:32.960 God's sacrificial love for all of humanity. And 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:36.740 the palm branches thrown down reveal God's salvation, 00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:41.660 right? A triumphal entry, if you will, for all. 00:27:42.269 --> 00:27:44.730 people, which leads us to our final thought. 00:27:45.450 --> 00:27:50.210 See, Jesus isn't always what we expect, but he 00:27:50.210 --> 00:27:58.009 is what we need. See, he is what we need. The 00:27:58.009 --> 00:28:01.470 next day, Monday, we find Jesus in the temple, 00:28:01.529 --> 00:28:04.849 Matthew 21, 12 through 13. Jesus entered the 00:28:04.849 --> 00:28:08.329 temple and began to drive out all the people 00:28:08.329 --> 00:28:11.359 buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:13.539 knocked over the tables of the money changers 00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:16.819 and the chairs of those selling doves. He said 00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:21.240 to them, the scriptures declare my temple will 00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:23.819 be called a house of prayer. But you have turned 00:28:23.819 --> 00:28:28.180 it into a den of thieves. And see, at this time, 00:28:28.180 --> 00:28:33.160 there was a hierarchical system established in 00:28:33.160 --> 00:28:36.269 the temple courts. with different barriers in 00:28:36.269 --> 00:28:39.329 place that prevented people from experiencing 00:28:39.329 --> 00:28:45.230 all of God. Women, outcasts, the unclean, Gentiles, 00:28:45.230 --> 00:28:48.710 they were not permitted to enter into the temple. 00:28:48.730 --> 00:28:50.950 They had to stay on the outside, on the outer 00:28:50.950 --> 00:28:54.289 courts. I mean, now think about this. Only the 00:28:54.289 --> 00:28:58.609 chosen priests could enter in to the inner courts 00:28:58.609 --> 00:29:02.029 of the temple, and only one chosen priest could 00:29:02.029 --> 00:29:05.109 enter the Holy of Holies, which is God's presence, 00:29:05.289 --> 00:29:12.269 in one year. Jesus overthrowing the tables, clearing 00:29:12.269 --> 00:29:18.029 the temple, was a sign that he had come to remove 00:29:18.029 --> 00:29:24.869 all the barriers. between God and humanity. See, 00:29:24.970 --> 00:29:29.029 Jesus was establishing a new system with full 00:29:29.029 --> 00:29:33.509 access to the Father. And how do we know that? 00:29:33.630 --> 00:29:37.349 Well, in Matthew 27, 51, we read, at that moment, 00:29:37.529 --> 00:29:42.009 the curtain in the sanctuary of the temple was 00:29:42.009 --> 00:29:45.950 torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook 00:29:45.950 --> 00:29:50.490 and the rocks split apart. And again, please 00:29:50.490 --> 00:29:55.609 understand this temple veil, right, which separated 00:29:55.609 --> 00:29:58.690 the outer courts from the Holy of Holies. And 00:29:58.690 --> 00:30:00.970 again, reminder, Holy of Holies, it's just God's 00:30:00.970 --> 00:30:05.849 presence. Picture this. It was 60 feet long, 00:30:06.049 --> 00:30:11.069 30 feet high, and it was described as being about 00:30:11.069 --> 00:30:16.690 four inches thick. Therefore, when this veil 00:30:16.690 --> 00:30:21.460 was torn in two, It was completely unexpected. 00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:26.519 And why? Why was it torn in two? Well, Hebrews 00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:29.519 chapter 10, verses 19 through 20 answers this 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:33.720 question for us. Dear brothers and sisters, we 00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:38.980 can boldly enter heaven's most holy place because 00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:43.799 of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened 00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:46.759 a new and life -giving way through the curtain. 00:30:47.529 --> 00:30:53.269 into the most holy place. Now think about this 00:30:53.269 --> 00:30:59.130 today, friends. With this free access, with this 00:30:59.130 --> 00:31:04.109 ability to walk in to God's presence at any moment 00:31:04.109 --> 00:31:07.910 that we choose, do you take advantage of it? 00:31:08.990 --> 00:31:14.230 Would people describe your life as a person That 00:31:14.230 --> 00:31:16.569 is walking in and experiencing God's presence. 00:31:16.670 --> 00:31:20.410 Because see, for many of us, we live our lives 00:31:20.410 --> 00:31:26.490 with a veil. We try to hide ourselves from God. 00:31:27.130 --> 00:31:30.730 Just like last Sunday when I shared about Adam 00:31:30.730 --> 00:31:36.009 and Eve hiding. Where? In the trees. But Jesus, 00:31:36.069 --> 00:31:40.329 right, clearing the temple courts. Jesus' death. 00:31:43.100 --> 00:31:47.980 destroying, ripping the veil into, look at this, 00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:53.460 all of the barriers that we placed before God 00:31:53.460 --> 00:32:00.259 are gone. They're gone. See, Jesus did all the 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:07.819 work for us, but why is it that with him doing 00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:10.920 all the work, we don't take advantage of what 00:32:10.920 --> 00:32:14.460 has happened? Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice. 00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:18.359 He removed all the barriers. But today, unfortunately 00:32:18.359 --> 00:32:23.799 for many of us, there's still barriers. But please 00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:25.960 understand, these barriers, they're not from 00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:30.619 God. They're self -imposed barriers that keep 00:32:30.619 --> 00:32:33.339 us from experiencing all that God has for us. 00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:38.779 You say, Chris, barriers like religion? Well, 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:42.619 you don't do it right. Barriers like unforgiveness, 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:48.920 they hurt me. Barriers like anger, not being 00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:52.160 able to control our feelings and emotions, our 00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:59.279 pride, our doubt, our habits. Dare I say our 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:07.869 unbelief. And today, Palm Sunday 2025. will you 00:33:07.869 --> 00:33:10.450 choose to remove those barriers from your life? 00:33:11.210 --> 00:33:13.910 Because when we remove those barriers from our 00:33:13.910 --> 00:33:17.849 life, then we can walk into God's presence and 00:33:17.849 --> 00:33:21.589 experience the abundance that he promises, which 00:33:21.589 --> 00:33:25.349 leads us to our four simple action steps entering 00:33:25.349 --> 00:33:29.269 into God's presence. And I want to encourage 00:33:29.269 --> 00:33:33.789 you, sometimes we make this harder than what 00:33:33.789 --> 00:33:37.210 it really is. When I say enter into God's presence, 00:33:37.349 --> 00:33:38.990 for many of you think, well, how do I do that? 00:33:39.250 --> 00:33:41.630 Is that even possible? I'm not sure I've ever 00:33:41.630 --> 00:33:44.049 experienced God's presence. To which I want to 00:33:44.049 --> 00:33:46.210 say to you, believer or not, if you've been in 00:33:46.210 --> 00:33:48.369 part of our Sunday gatherings, you've experienced 00:33:48.369 --> 00:33:54.490 God's presence. Pretty simple. If you walked 00:33:54.490 --> 00:33:57.690 into this space before, on a Sunday morning, 00:33:57.769 --> 00:34:00.170 on a worship night, during community dinner, 00:34:00.369 --> 00:34:07.400 you've experienced God's presence. But the struggle 00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:09.920 for many of us is not walking into this place 00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:12.940 and experience God's presence. It's leaving this 00:34:12.940 --> 00:34:18.159 place and doing it outside of these walls. But 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:22.099 I want to encourage you. So many people I hear, 00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:26.800 you know, Sunday after Sunday, I just can't wait 00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:28.500 to get back on Sunday. I just can't wait to get 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:30.480 back on Sunday. I just can't wait to get into 00:34:30.480 --> 00:34:32.780 God's presence. Oh, it just means so much to 00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:39.070 be here on Sunday. Make Monday Sunday. Like just 00:34:39.070 --> 00:34:42.429 take what happens here to tomorrow when you wake 00:34:42.429 --> 00:34:46.030 up. Like when you walk through these doors, you 00:34:46.030 --> 00:34:47.869 have this expectation you're going to meet God. 00:34:48.010 --> 00:34:51.269 Tomorrow when you wake up, have an expectation 00:34:51.269 --> 00:34:56.550 you're going to meet God. And when you have this 00:34:56.550 --> 00:34:59.210 expectation as you wake up, begin to then what? 00:34:59.530 --> 00:35:04.719 Worship. We worship. We pray. We read the Bible. 00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:09.360 We study. We learn. We grow. We pray for one 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:13.059 another. Do you see where I'm going with this? 00:35:15.460 --> 00:35:19.480 It's not that hard. We just take what we do here 00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:22.980 and what we so look forward to every single week 00:35:22.980 --> 00:35:25.860 and we do it tomorrow. And then we do it on Tuesday. 00:35:26.119 --> 00:35:28.119 And then we do it on Wednesday. Then we do it 00:35:28.119 --> 00:35:31.679 on Thursday. And suddenly, we are experiencing 00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:36.780 the presence of God. Step one, just talk to God. 00:35:37.860 --> 00:35:40.039 Just talk to God. Don't even use the word prayer. 00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:45.599 Just talk to God. The Lord is close to all who 00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:49.159 call on Him. Yes, to all who call on Him in truth, 00:35:49.260 --> 00:35:51.260 He grants the desires of those who fear Him. 00:35:51.340 --> 00:35:54.199 He hears their cries for help and rescues them. 00:35:55.800 --> 00:35:59.920 Right? And it sounds easy, but why do we forget 00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:03.989 to do it? I know for me personally, there's days 00:36:03.989 --> 00:36:07.170 that go by, me pastoring a church, leading a 00:36:07.170 --> 00:36:10.329 church, that I spent my whole day and now I'm 00:36:10.329 --> 00:36:14.550 going to sleep and I think, did I really talk 00:36:14.550 --> 00:36:19.010 to Jesus? Did I talk to God today? It's like 00:36:19.010 --> 00:36:22.909 it hits me that I wasn't doing it enough. And 00:36:22.909 --> 00:36:25.630 here's the reality. Jesus wants us to talk to 00:36:25.630 --> 00:36:29.699 him. He wants us to tell him those details of 00:36:29.699 --> 00:36:31.840 our life that we try to hide that's already been 00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:40.340 removed. How do you come into his presence if 00:36:40.340 --> 00:36:46.380 you don't talk to him? Not only do you talk to 00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:48.519 him, but you've got to be real with God. Give 00:36:48.519 --> 00:36:51.340 your burdens to the Lord and he will take care 00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:54.139 of you. He will not permit the godly to slip 00:36:54.139 --> 00:36:58.119 and fall. And see, we hold things back. We put 00:36:58.119 --> 00:37:01.739 barriers in front of our lives. And God, He already 00:37:01.739 --> 00:37:05.980 knows our lives. He knows our heart. He knows 00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:08.320 what we struggle with. He knows our sins, our 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:10.260 anger, our mistakes. He knows what we look at. 00:37:10.340 --> 00:37:13.099 Just be real with Him and come clean. It's a 00:37:13.099 --> 00:37:17.360 lot easier. It's like when the Holy Spirit convicts 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:19.139 you, fall to your knees and say, God, forgive 00:37:19.139 --> 00:37:24.739 me. Talk to Him. It's one thing to experience 00:37:24.739 --> 00:37:29.659 his presence here at church. But I tell you, 00:37:29.699 --> 00:37:32.420 it's so much better when you experience it outside 00:37:32.420 --> 00:37:34.739 of this place in your everyday life. And you 00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:37.880 realize you're not alone. Philippians 4, don't 00:37:37.880 --> 00:37:39.739 worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. 00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:42.139 Tell God what you need. Thank him for all he's 00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:45.739 done. And you will experience God's peace, which 00:37:45.739 --> 00:37:47.500 exceeds anything we can understand. Did everyone 00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:49.699 hear that? Our next thought, practice gratitude. 00:37:50.340 --> 00:37:53.269 Notice what that verse said. You will experience 00:37:53.269 --> 00:37:55.969 God's peace, but what, the notice the sentence 00:37:55.969 --> 00:37:59.070 before, tell God what you need and thank him. 00:38:02.030 --> 00:38:05.710 We gotta practice gratitude, church. Be thankful 00:38:05.710 --> 00:38:07.849 in all circumstances, for this is God's will 00:38:07.849 --> 00:38:11.090 for you who belong to Christ Jesus. You know, 00:38:11.110 --> 00:38:16.510 I did a celebration of life yesterday for Charlie, 00:38:16.510 --> 00:38:18.869 who was a part of our community of faith for 00:38:18.869 --> 00:38:24.309 years. Got baptized when I was blowing up pools 00:38:24.309 --> 00:38:31.570 on Bower Avenue every Sunday because God told 00:38:31.570 --> 00:38:35.510 us to fill a pool full of water and to watch 00:38:35.510 --> 00:38:38.110 people be baptized. Remember I told you guys 00:38:38.110 --> 00:38:41.449 I do things when God tells me to do them? Every 00:38:41.449 --> 00:38:43.789 Saturday I would blow up a pool, fill it with 00:38:43.789 --> 00:38:48.389 water, and those that have been here for a while, 00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:52.000 would attest that every Sunday there wasn't a 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:55.719 person that did not be baptized. It was an exciting 00:38:55.719 --> 00:38:58.340 time. Well, anyway, Charlie was one of those 00:38:58.340 --> 00:39:01.199 people. And unfortunately got cancer and passed 00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:03.599 away. But what was so heartbreaking about the 00:39:03.599 --> 00:39:06.739 celebration of life is that his daughter passed 00:39:06.739 --> 00:39:13.099 away two weeks later from an overdose. So I had 00:39:13.099 --> 00:39:16.400 to do a celebration of life for a father and 00:39:16.400 --> 00:39:21.389 a 22 -year -old daughter. And do you know what 00:39:21.389 --> 00:39:23.849 that makes me feel like when you're leading a 00:39:23.849 --> 00:39:29.150 service like that? I'm grateful for what God 00:39:29.150 --> 00:39:34.230 has done in my life. It makes you realize how 00:39:34.230 --> 00:39:38.170 important tomorrow is when you wake up and you 00:39:38.170 --> 00:39:41.570 take your first breath. It makes you want to 00:39:41.570 --> 00:39:46.889 worship and connect and talk to God. Which leads 00:39:46.889 --> 00:39:49.860 us to our final step, church. you have to pursue 00:39:49.860 --> 00:39:53.719 his presence. Don't be drunk with wine because 00:39:53.719 --> 00:39:55.920 that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled 00:39:55.920 --> 00:39:59.539 with the Holy Spirit. Now notice how we are filled 00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:02.440 with the Holy Spirit. We sing psalms and hymns 00:40:02.440 --> 00:40:04.539 and spiritual songs amongst ourselves, making 00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:07.219 music to the Lord in your hearts and give thanks 00:40:07.219 --> 00:40:09.440 for everything. There's that gratitude again 00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:13.019 to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus 00:40:13.019 --> 00:40:16.809 Christ. See, it's easy to get frustrated when 00:40:16.809 --> 00:40:19.550 things don't happen the exact way that we expect 00:40:19.550 --> 00:40:23.250 them to. But here's the reality. You can't rush 00:40:23.250 --> 00:40:29.550 the Holy Spirit. We have to learn to wait. We 00:40:29.550 --> 00:40:33.710 have to learn to expect his presence to overwhelm 00:40:33.710 --> 00:40:36.309 us. Okay, so this is how we're going to close 00:40:36.309 --> 00:40:38.989 this morning. I'm going to invite you to stand. 00:40:42.900 --> 00:40:45.219 And I asked Stacey to come out and play on the 00:40:45.219 --> 00:40:50.139 keys for us. Because I want to put this verse. 00:40:51.739 --> 00:40:54.099 Could you put Ephesians 5 back up on the Sky 00:40:54.099 --> 00:40:58.989 Bible for me? Notice what it says. Don't be drunk 00:40:58.989 --> 00:41:01.210 with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead, 00:41:01.309 --> 00:41:03.289 be filled with the Spirit. How are we filled 00:41:03.289 --> 00:41:05.429 with the Spirit, church? Let's read it together. 00:41:05.530 --> 00:41:10.369 We sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 00:41:10.369 --> 00:41:14.090 amongst yourself. We make music to the Lord. 00:41:15.070 --> 00:41:22.349 Right? Right? So I just wanted the keys because 00:41:22.349 --> 00:41:28.510 I wanted the church to hear. The church, God's 00:41:28.510 --> 00:41:34.409 people, sing. Can we do that? All right, so I 00:41:34.409 --> 00:41:36.230 believe we're doing King of My Heart, right? 00:41:36.550 --> 00:41:38.469 All right, could you put those words up for us? 00:41:38.489 --> 00:41:45.269 Because some of us don't know these words. So 00:41:45.269 --> 00:41:48.769 we're going to sing a portion of this song. And 00:41:48.769 --> 00:41:52.909 I want to encourage you to just sing out boldly 00:41:52.909 --> 00:41:56.900 and loudly, okay? Stacy, could you start for 00:41:56.900 --> 00:41:58.760 us? Because they don't want to hear my voice. 00:42:01.079 --> 00:42:03.159 Oh, you don't have a microphone. Oh, they got 00:42:03.159 --> 00:42:07.420 to hear my voice. See, she planned that. She 00:42:07.420 --> 00:42:11.219 planned that. All right, you ready? Here we go. 00:42:15.400 --> 00:42:31.969 Good. Oh, you are good. You are good, good, oh. 00:42:33.670 --> 00:42:49.690 You are good, good, oh. Yes, God. Oh, you are 00:42:49.690 --> 00:43:18.420 good. It's beautiful. So if you're here this 00:43:18.420 --> 00:43:23.300 morning and you're experiencing any type of worry, 00:43:23.500 --> 00:43:29.920 doubt, frustration, I want to pray for you right 00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:32.940 now. Can we do that? If you're here and you're 00:43:32.940 --> 00:43:35.679 in some kind of anxiety or depression, just slip 00:43:35.679 --> 00:43:38.380 your hand up. I just want to pray for you. Yep, 00:43:38.420 --> 00:43:40.960 you're just overwhelmed with life. The unexpected 00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:44.530 has happened in your life. Is that you? The unexpected. 00:43:45.190 --> 00:43:49.670 Well, Holy Spirit, come. You see the hands. You 00:43:49.670 --> 00:43:54.429 know the issues. You know the hearts. Come now 00:43:54.429 --> 00:44:00.650 and release your peace. Release your joy. Overwhelm 00:44:00.650 --> 00:44:04.710 us with your sacrificial love. We're just thankful, 00:44:04.849 --> 00:44:10.050 God, for all that you do. In Jesus' name. And 00:44:10.050 --> 00:44:14.139 we said together. Amen. God bless you guys. Listen, 00:44:14.340 --> 00:44:18.179 hold on. My prayer team or our prayer team is 00:44:18.179 --> 00:44:20.900 here on the right. If you have any deep, desperate 00:44:20.900 --> 00:44:25.480 health issue, relationship issue, care, concern 00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:27.579 in the world and you need prayer, get up here 00:44:27.579 --> 00:44:30.579 and get some prayer before you go. Next week 00:44:30.579 --> 00:44:36.039 is Easter, right? Take some cards and invite 00:44:36.039 --> 00:44:40.760 your family and friends. Why? Why? Because I 00:44:40.760 --> 00:44:44.400 believe the unexpected is going to invade people's 00:44:44.400 --> 00:44:46.960 lives next week. There's never been a Sunday 00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:50.539 where people are not going to say yes to an invitation. 00:44:51.079 --> 00:44:53.139 When it's Easter, they're going to want to come. 00:44:53.320 --> 00:44:56.400 Amen? So take some cards, invite some friends, 00:44:56.599 --> 00:45:00.960 pack this place. I'm so expecting for God to 00:45:00.960 --> 00:45:03.179 move next Sunday. I'm going to that door, Frank. 00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:05.980 So keep it shut for me so I can say goodbye to 00:45:05.980 --> 00:45:07.840 everyone. God bless you guys. Thank you for joining 00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:10.480 us online. We love you. God bless.