WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.600 Thank you, men, for sharing that challenging 00:00:02.600 --> 00:00:06.339 song with us about being found faithful. I want 00:00:06.339 --> 00:00:08.199 to call your attention to the fact that this 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:11.599 evening we'll be concluding our study in the 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:14.199 book of Jude, and as a part of our service here 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:17.420 in the Worship Center, the New Life Academy will 00:00:17.420 --> 00:00:20.300 have a singing group that will take 25 minutes 00:00:20.300 --> 00:00:22.160 for a concert. So we encourage you to be here 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:24.000 not only for the teaching of the Word, but for 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.980 that opportunity from the New Life Academy as 00:00:26.980 --> 00:00:31.350 well. Undoubtedly, you've heard the expression, 00:00:31.570 --> 00:00:37.390 the lull before the storm. That expression describes 00:00:37.390 --> 00:00:41.950 that brief period of relative calm that precedes 00:00:41.950 --> 00:00:47.509 the fury of a squall line. You can see it approaching, 00:00:47.750 --> 00:00:51.049 the menacing clouds boiling and racing toward 00:00:51.049 --> 00:00:54.670 you, but where you stand, at least for the moment, 00:00:55.210 --> 00:01:00.039 there is tranquility. And then, Then the quietness 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.380 is suddenly overtaken by a tempest as the storm 00:01:03.380 --> 00:01:08.799 strikes. John writes of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:11.719 for his final week in the twelfth chapter of 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:17.879 his gospel. The conflict and the cross loom before 00:01:17.879 --> 00:01:22.939 him like a hurricane. But first, there is a lull 00:01:22.939 --> 00:01:26.280 before the storm. I invite you to look with me 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:29.650 in that twelfth chapter of John. where I'm going 00:01:29.650 --> 00:01:34.010 to begin reading in verse 1. Jesus therefore 00:01:34.010 --> 00:01:37.670 six days before the Passover came to Bethany 00:01:37.670 --> 00:01:41.709 where Lazarus was whom Jesus had raised from 00:01:41.709 --> 00:01:45.769 the dead. So they made him a supper there and 00:01:45.769 --> 00:01:49.329 Martha was serving, but Lazarus was one of those 00:01:49.329 --> 00:01:53.349 reclining at the table with him. Mary therefore 00:01:53.349 --> 00:01:57.530 took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.840 and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:05.579 feet with her hair. And the house was filled 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:09.759 with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:13.039 Iscariot, one of his disciples who was intending 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:17.599 to betray him, said, Why was this perfume not 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:21.159 sold for three hundred denarii and given to the 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:25.990 poor people? Now he said this, not because he 00:02:25.990 --> 00:02:28.509 was concerned about the poor, but because he 00:02:28.509 --> 00:02:33.729 was a thief. And as he had the money box, he 00:02:33.729 --> 00:02:39.349 used to pilfer what was put into it. Jesus therefore 00:02:39.349 --> 00:02:43.370 said, let her alone, in order that she may keep 00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:46.509 it for the day of my burial. For the poor you 00:02:46.509 --> 00:02:50.050 always have with you, but you do not always have 00:02:50.050 --> 00:02:53.490 me. The great multitude, therefore, of the Jews 00:02:53.490 --> 00:02:56.490 learned that he was there, and they came not 00:02:56.490 --> 00:03:00.189 for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also 00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:04.250 see Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead. But 00:03:04.250 --> 00:03:06.389 the chief priests took counsel that they might 00:03:06.389 --> 00:03:09.590 put Lazarus to death also, because on account 00:03:09.590 --> 00:03:12.550 of him, many of the Jews were going away and 00:03:12.550 --> 00:03:16.550 were believing in Jesus. On the next day, the 00:03:16.550 --> 00:03:19.460 great multitude who had come to the feast When 00:03:19.460 --> 00:03:21.979 they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 00:03:22.580 --> 00:03:24.840 took the branches of the palm trees and went 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:29.360 out to meet him, and began to cry out, Hosanna, 00:03:29.860 --> 00:03:32.500 blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, 00:03:32.900 --> 00:03:37.460 even the king of Israel. Jesus, finding a young 00:03:37.460 --> 00:03:41.620 donkey, sat on it. As it is written, fear not, 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:44.900 daughter of Zion, behold your king is coming 00:03:44.900 --> 00:03:49.979 seated on a donkey's colt. These things his disciples 00:03:49.979 --> 00:03:54.960 did not understand at the first. But when Jesus 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:58.560 was glorified, then they remembered that these 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:01.080 things were written of him and that he had done 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:04.620 these things. They had done these things to him. 00:04:05.900 --> 00:04:08.699 And so the multitude who were there with him 00:04:08.699 --> 00:04:11.560 when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised 00:04:11.560 --> 00:04:14.659 him from the dead were bearing him witness. For 00:04:14.659 --> 00:04:17.360 this cause also the multitude went and met him, 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:19.920 because they heard that he had performed this 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:23.459 sign. The Pharisees therefore said to one another, 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:28.000 you see that you are not doing any good. Look, 00:04:28.779 --> 00:04:34.360 the world has gone after him." We have in this 00:04:34.360 --> 00:04:39.860 text a contrast between a private reception and 00:04:39.860 --> 00:04:44.279 a public presentation. of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:49.160 And in that contrast, we observe two divergent 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:54.899 ways to relate to Jesus. In verses 1 through 00:04:54.899 --> 00:04:58.600 8, we find a record of a private reception of 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:03.300 Jesus in Bethany. It was the lull before the 00:05:03.300 --> 00:05:07.220 storm, an evening of quiet retreat with his close 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:12.410 friends. In verses 9 -11 we have recounted how 00:05:12.410 --> 00:05:16.410 a large crowd was attracted by him and by Lazarus. 00:05:17.430 --> 00:05:20.050 There was a great sense of anticipation on the 00:05:20.050 --> 00:05:23.949 part of the gathering thousands at the temple 00:05:23.949 --> 00:05:27.170 in Jerusalem who were there to celebrate the 00:05:27.170 --> 00:05:31.550 Passover and the feast of unleavened bread. And 00:05:31.550 --> 00:05:34.230 then we come in verse 12 and following to the 00:05:34.230 --> 00:05:37.569 description of the entry of Jesus into the city 00:05:37.569 --> 00:05:41.189 of Jerusalem as he publicly presented himself 00:05:41.189 --> 00:05:47.970 as the King Messiah of Israel. And then the storm 00:05:47.970 --> 00:05:55.089 hits. In the text, as I say, there are two divergent 00:05:55.089 --> 00:05:58.569 ways presented to us as to how we may relate 00:05:58.569 --> 00:06:04.339 to Jesus Christ. First, there is that way of 00:06:04.339 --> 00:06:09.259 genuine worship, in which we give Him what He 00:06:09.259 --> 00:06:14.300 deserves. And then there is that way of relating 00:06:14.300 --> 00:06:21.360 to Him that is false enthusiasm, in which we 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:26.519 seek to realize from Him our own expectations. 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:33.339 The first reflects the peace that comes from 00:06:33.339 --> 00:06:38.019 a personal relationship with the Savior. The 00:06:38.019 --> 00:06:44.019 second, the tumult of a popular kind of religion. 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:49.220 Think with me first about the private reception 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:54.560 in verses 1 through 8. Jesus comes here to a 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:59.600 favorite retreat of His, to Bethany. where he 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:04.220 is among close friends. A dinner is prepared 00:07:04.220 --> 00:07:08.420 at the home of Simon the leper, according to 00:07:08.420 --> 00:07:11.740 the synoptic gospels, a man who had apparently 00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:16.620 been healed by Jesus as well. It was served in 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:19.379 its customary manner with the guests reclining 00:07:19.379 --> 00:07:23.519 on cushions or on couches on their left sides 00:07:23.519 --> 00:07:28.339 with their heads toward the center table. from 00:07:28.339 --> 00:07:32.500 which they would take food to eat, their legs 00:07:32.500 --> 00:07:37.560 and feet being stretched out behind them. Here 00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:41.800 we see a setting of friends, friends who believed 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:49.399 on Jesus. Martha is doing her thing. She's helping 00:07:49.399 --> 00:07:54.339 get the food ready. We see Martha as a busy and 00:07:54.339 --> 00:07:58.600 wonderful person. But again we see Mary doing 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:03.300 something different than Martha. In the church 00:08:03.300 --> 00:08:07.420 there are Martha's and there are Mary's. And 00:08:07.420 --> 00:08:11.779 Mary here again is doing something in personal 00:08:11.779 --> 00:08:17.519 ministry to Jesus. What she does is out of place 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:21.199 according to the etiquette of that time, according 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:26.439 to the culture of those days. But Mary understands 00:08:26.439 --> 00:08:33.559 something that the rest do not. In what she does 00:08:33.559 --> 00:08:39.320 for Jesus, she provides to us an example of the 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:46.000 nature of true worship. In the first place, true 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:54.360 worship requires our costliest treasures. Mary 00:08:54.360 --> 00:09:01.519 brought out her best gift. It was an alabaster 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:09.440 container in which was a pound of pure, not dilated 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:16.379 or adulterated, but pure nard. A nard was a fragrance 00:09:16.379 --> 00:09:20.779 from an aromatic herb grown in the Himalayas 00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:25.960 in northern India. It was transported the thousands 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:30.899 of miles from the Himalayas across what is today 00:09:30.899 --> 00:09:37.419 India and Afghanistan and Arabia into Palestine. 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:43.200 It was carried by caravans. We are told that 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:48.279 the cost of this container and its contents amounted 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:55.299 to 300 denarii, which was about one years of 00:09:55.299 --> 00:10:01.080 wages for a common laborer in Palestine. A full 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:06.600 year of wage for a common laborer. Mary gladly 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:10.200 brought out this costliest treasure that she 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:13.960 owned in order that she might minister to Jesus 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:19.500 and in doing so worship Him. Ladies and gentlemen, 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:27.019 worship that is genuine, calls for our costliest 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:33.340 treasures, our very best. It means giving to 00:10:33.340 --> 00:10:40.019 Jesus what we hold most dear, what we cherish. 00:10:42.179 --> 00:10:45.799 It means that we love the Lord our God with all 00:10:45.799 --> 00:10:50.700 of our heart, with all of our soul. with all 00:10:50.700 --> 00:10:58.460 of our might, with all that we are. It means 00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:00.659 that if we're going to worship Him with true 00:11:00.659 --> 00:11:04.440 worship, that we must allow nothing to come before 00:11:04.440 --> 00:11:10.480 Him. We must be willing to give Him our time. 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:17.519 We must be willing to give Him our family. We 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:21.720 must be willing to give Him our friends. We must 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:25.860 be willing to give Him our money. We must be 00:11:25.860 --> 00:11:29.740 willing to give Him our possessions. We must 00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:33.299 be willing to give Him our plans. We must be 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:38.159 willing to give Him our desires. Whatever it 00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:46.500 is that we hold precious to ourselves, must belong 00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:51.120 to Jesus if we are genuinely going to worship 00:11:51.120 --> 00:12:02.120 Him. There is a second observation that I make 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:05.000 here regarding true worship and what Mary did. 00:12:06.740 --> 00:12:10.840 True worship releases a conspicuous fragrance. 00:12:12.330 --> 00:12:16.429 John tells us that it filled the whole house. 00:12:18.450 --> 00:12:22.470 The fragrance of her worship, her perfume that 00:12:22.470 --> 00:12:26.549 she put on Jesus, rested on all of the guests 00:12:26.549 --> 00:12:30.649 who were there. And because she anointed his 00:12:30.649 --> 00:12:39.049 head, his hair, his neck, his feet, that fragrance 00:12:39.049 --> 00:12:44.379 stayed with Jesus for days. It had to, as he 00:12:44.379 --> 00:12:48.179 went here and there in this final week of his 00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:53.399 life. This reminds me of what Paul says to us 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:58.720 in 2 Corinthians. And it is that when we worship 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:04.940 Him, that act of our lives becomes like a sweet 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:12.279 perfume, a savor that comes up to God. and which 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:18.580 also marks others around us. It cannot help but 00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:22.620 have a difference in their lives. Because true 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:26.039 worship cannot be contained in a bottle. It cannot 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:30.500 be contained in an auditorium of a church. True 00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:35.899 worship releases a conspicuous fragrance so that 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:40.330 others... bumping into us can tell that we have 00:13:40.330 --> 00:13:46.509 been with Jesus. A third observation of true 00:13:46.509 --> 00:13:54.629 worship is that it reveals camouflaged sin. What 00:13:54.629 --> 00:14:00.809 Judas said sounded very reasonable. In fact, 00:14:00.870 --> 00:14:03.370 it would fit in very well into the arguments 00:14:03.370 --> 00:14:09.129 being heard these days in Washington DC. It sounds 00:14:09.129 --> 00:14:12.269 very spiritual what he said. Why are you wasting 00:14:12.269 --> 00:14:15.450 this? It could be sold and the money given to 00:14:15.450 --> 00:14:22.070 the poor. Can you imagine such a socially conscious 00:14:22.070 --> 00:14:28.710 person as this? We applaud him. He was utilitarian. 00:14:29.330 --> 00:14:33.389 It was the practical thing to do. Not to waste 00:14:33.389 --> 00:14:40.460 it. But Mary's act of true worship revealed the 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:45.500 camouflaged sin in Judas' life. Though he used 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:49.399 those words, they did not represent his heart. 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:56.159 For there was a cloak in his heart that concealed 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:03.700 lesser motives of greed and covetousness. That 00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:08.279 sin that he was able to hide successfully was 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:13.779 provoked by Mary's lavish generosity to Jesus. 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:21.600 And true worship reveals camouflaged sin. The 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.840 worship of God often brings disclosure of sin. 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:31.639 In the worshipper, as in the case of Isaiah, 00:15:32.540 --> 00:15:36.159 who being in the presence of God cried out, woe 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:44.799 is me, I am undone. He saw his sin. And he was 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:50.200 the best man in the whole nation. Or consider 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.620 Peter, who being in the presence of holiness, 00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:57.639 of deity itself, said, depart from me, O Lord, 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:06.710 for I am a sinful man. When we worship God and 00:16:06.710 --> 00:16:10.110 there is no conviction of sin in our lives, there 00:16:10.110 --> 00:16:14.629 is no humiliation for the failures that we all 00:16:14.629 --> 00:16:19.110 have. When there is no prick of guilt, when there 00:16:19.110 --> 00:16:22.629 is no consciousness that we have failed God, 00:16:23.090 --> 00:16:29.129 our worship is not genuine. When we are not broken 00:16:29.129 --> 00:16:35.379 before God, our worship is not authentic. because 00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:44.019 real worship reveals camouflaged sin. Articles 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:46.279 are being written about revival breaking out 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:50.840 on campuses across America. And this last week 00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:54.440 in two of the local colleges there was an expression 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:58.740 of this as chapel went on from the scheduled 00:16:58.740 --> 00:17:01.580 time to encompass the whole day and into the 00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:07.900 night. as students stood up before their peers 00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:13.940 with tears acknowledged their sin in their lives. 00:17:19.240 --> 00:17:27.079 Sin was exposed because somehow God had touched 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:32.440 that chapel, had touched that student body. My 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:36.779 friend, whenever God touches us, there will always 00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:42.740 be the result of brokenness in our hearts and 00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:51.220 confession of sin before God. And finally I noticed 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:54.420 that true worship receives Christ's approval. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:59.339 Jesus actually commended Mary for this lavish 00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:06.150 sacrifice. He says, let her alone. It was in 00:18:06.150 --> 00:18:12.289 order that she may keep it in anticipation of 00:18:12.289 --> 00:18:16.069 the day of my burial is what he's saying. She 00:18:16.069 --> 00:18:18.890 didn't sell it. She was keeping it in anticipation 00:18:18.890 --> 00:18:22.210 of this act and of what's coming in just a few 00:18:22.210 --> 00:18:28.230 days. Jesus commends Mary. He says, for the poor 00:18:28.230 --> 00:18:31.970 you always have with you. Jesus is not there 00:18:31.970 --> 00:18:35.609 being calloused toward the poor. He is not saying 00:18:35.609 --> 00:18:39.529 we have no responsibility for the poor. He is 00:18:39.529 --> 00:18:41.869 simply pointing out the fact that soon He would 00:18:41.869 --> 00:18:44.609 be gone and there was a priority of worshipping 00:18:44.609 --> 00:18:49.650 Him at this point. You see, Mary understood exactly 00:18:49.650 --> 00:18:53.369 what she was doing. Mary understood something 00:18:53.369 --> 00:18:56.210 that the others had missed, although Jesus had 00:18:56.210 --> 00:18:59.309 told them time and again that He was going up 00:18:59.309 --> 00:19:01.859 to Jerusalem that He would suffer, that He would 00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:07.640 die. And Mary understood somehow that the time 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:13.140 had come and Jesus was about to die. And so she 00:19:13.140 --> 00:19:19.220 offered to Him this worship. What we give the 00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:24.539 Lord in worship is never, ever wasted when we 00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:30.000 offer it sincerely. Therefore, never hesitate 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.980 to express your worship to God in lavish, surprising, 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:41.680 extravagant ways. The head as well as the feet, 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:47.559 as Mary did, pouring out all of it before the 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:54.119 Lord. Ken Geyer in his book Intimate Moments 00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:59.630 writes in his unique way of this moment, He says, 00:20:00.309 --> 00:20:02.970 for the disciples the ministry was fast becoming 00:20:02.970 --> 00:20:06.049 a business to be budgeted rather than a savior 00:20:06.049 --> 00:20:09.990 to be served. What a stab in the heart this must 00:20:09.990 --> 00:20:13.549 have been to their honored guest bickering about 00:20:13.549 --> 00:20:17.390 the poor when one sits in their midst famished 00:20:17.390 --> 00:20:21.390 for a crust of human understanding. They are 00:20:21.390 --> 00:20:25.069 the most intimate confidants, yet none has a 00:20:25.069 --> 00:20:28.470 clue to the gnawing hunger inside of him. Peter 00:20:28.470 --> 00:20:34.109 doesn't, James doesn't, John doesn't. But Mary, 00:20:35.109 --> 00:20:39.309 she does. She sees the melting tallow of emotions 00:20:39.309 --> 00:20:42.829 in Christ's eyes. So beautiful the flame, so 00:20:42.829 --> 00:20:46.470 tender the wick, so mercenary the hand that seeks 00:20:46.470 --> 00:20:51.829 to extinguish it. For this brief candle she weeps. 00:20:52.910 --> 00:20:56.069 And as she does, she anoints him with perfume 00:20:56.069 --> 00:20:59.890 to prepare for his burial. Mingled with tears, 00:21:00.049 --> 00:21:03.150 the perfume becomes, by some mysterious chemistry 00:21:03.150 --> 00:21:06.490 of heaven, not diluted but more concentrated. 00:21:07.509 --> 00:21:10.450 Potent enough to behind the ears of each century 00:21:10.450 --> 00:21:14.250 for the scent to linger to this day, a fragrant 00:21:14.250 --> 00:21:18.230 reminder of her extravagant love. On the cross, 00:21:18.549 --> 00:21:21.440 stripped of his clothing, Jesus would wear only 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:24.500 the perfume that Mary had lavished upon his hair. 00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:27.920 It was that perfume which filled his nostrils 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:30.980 and covered the stench of mockers rambled around 00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:36.259 the cross. And maybe, maybe when he took a deep 00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:39.500 breath, it was that perfume which gave him the 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:43.140 strength to say, Father, forgive them, for they 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:46.700 do not know what they are doing. Soon the body 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:50.250 of Jesus would be broken. Blood would spill from 00:21:50.250 --> 00:21:52.910 the whip, from the thorns, from the nails, and 00:21:52.910 --> 00:21:56.690 finally from the spear thrust in his side. A 00:21:56.690 --> 00:22:00.069 perfume more precious than nard, so pure, so 00:22:00.069 --> 00:22:04.210 lovely, so truly extravagant. The Savior had 00:22:04.210 --> 00:22:08.029 come to earth to break an alabaster jar for humanity, 00:22:09.089 --> 00:22:12.509 and Mary had come that night to break one for 00:22:12.509 --> 00:22:16.809 Him. It was a jar He never regretted breaking. 00:22:17.769 --> 00:22:28.869 Nor did she. True worship. True worship changes 00:22:28.869 --> 00:22:34.970 us forever. But in contrast to this true worship, 00:22:36.490 --> 00:22:40.170 there is the account of what happened on the 00:22:40.170 --> 00:22:44.690 first Palm Sunday. Word was getting out. There 00:22:44.690 --> 00:22:47.410 was great expectation in the city of Jerusalem. 00:22:49.329 --> 00:22:51.710 The storm that was in the distance during the 00:22:51.710 --> 00:22:55.289 lull began to blow with the triumphal entry of 00:22:55.289 --> 00:23:00.210 Jesus. Tension was growing as the throng anticipated 00:23:00.210 --> 00:23:04.750 Jesus coming to this feast. The atmosphere of 00:23:04.750 --> 00:23:08.650 the whole city is electric with conflict, intrigue, 00:23:08.890 --> 00:23:14.319 and messianic fever. Normally 25 ,000 people 00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:16.480 lived in the city of Jerusalem, but during the 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:21.380 feast, 100 ,000 were there. Because all of them 00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:24.859 wanted to stay in the city of Jerusalem, the 00:23:24.859 --> 00:23:28.000 rabbis declared the border of Jerusalem enlarged 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.400 during the feast days. All the way out to Bethphage, 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:35.359 the border would be extended so that everyone 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:40.019 could be in the city of Jerusalem. And many of 00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:44.319 those who came were from Galilee. The Galileans 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:51.900 were in particular eager to have Jesus lead a 00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:56.299 revolt against Rome. For Galilee was the place 00:23:56.299 --> 00:24:02.180 of insurrection. It was noted for a man by the 00:24:02.180 --> 00:24:10.549 name of Judas who in the year 6 AD began a movement 00:24:10.549 --> 00:24:15.269 of revolt in Rome. That was about 24 years before 00:24:15.269 --> 00:24:21.410 this. Judas was from Galilee. This Judas. He 00:24:21.410 --> 00:24:24.190 is mentioned, by the way, in Acts chapter 5 verse 00:24:24.190 --> 00:24:28.910 37. The Roman government had demanded a census 00:24:28.910 --> 00:24:32.490 of the people. Quirinius was governor in Syria 00:24:32.490 --> 00:24:36.839 again and was enforcing this census. Judas and 00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:40.740 his followers said never. And so he, along with 00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:43.700 the Pharisee, began a revolt against Rome, which 00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:46.819 in itself was short -lived, but it began a movement 00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:51.440 that was called the Zealots. One of the major 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:55.619 streams of influence in Israel in that day, along 00:24:55.619 --> 00:24:59.059 with the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the 00:24:59.059 --> 00:25:04.500 Essenes, were the Zealots. The Zealots hated 00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:10.250 Rome. The zealots carried daggers in their robes 00:25:10.250 --> 00:25:12.950 so that they might assassinate Roman officials 00:25:12.950 --> 00:25:16.710 that they might happen by. Their saying was, 00:25:17.009 --> 00:25:21.529 no tax but the temple tax. No God but God, no 00:25:21.529 --> 00:25:26.890 friend but zealots. They mixed their faith with 00:25:26.890 --> 00:25:34.869 a strong nationalism. And in that crowd, on that 00:25:34.869 --> 00:25:38.299 Sunday, As Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem, 00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:42.059 there were zealots whipping up the fervor of 00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:45.920 the people because here was another Galilean 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:50.619 who could lead revolt against Rome. I wish we 00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:53.579 had time to go into each of the stages as Jesus 00:25:53.579 --> 00:25:58.059 came over the Mount of Olives, saw the city of 00:25:58.059 --> 00:26:01.460 Jerusalem and broke out into tears. Loud sighs 00:26:01.460 --> 00:26:07.039 and sobbing and cries. Not a quiet whimper, but 00:26:07.039 --> 00:26:13.700 a loud crying out to God, oh Jerusalem, he said, 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:17.339 if only you had known the day of your visitation. 00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:22.119 And in those prophetic words he sees Jerusalem 00:26:22.119 --> 00:26:27.619 40 years later through his eyes being destroyed 00:26:27.619 --> 00:26:32.279 by Rome because of its unbelief and rejection 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:37.119 of Him. On that day, that Palm Sunday, Jesus 00:26:37.119 --> 00:26:40.819 intentionally acted to force the issue of his 00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:44.259 claims upon the nation of Israel. He knew that 00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:46.660 what he was doing was going to be misunderstood 00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:51.740 by some, that it would enrage his enemies. By 00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:54.599 the way, his enemies had planned to kill Jesus, 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:58.880 but they said after the feast, when the Galileans 00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:02.700 have gone home and the crowd is down to normal 00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:08.029 in Jerusalem. Jesus forced them to change their 00:27:08.029 --> 00:27:13.410 timetable by what He did on Palm Sunday. Palm 00:27:13.410 --> 00:27:16.849 Sunday was His plan. By the way that He entered 00:27:16.849 --> 00:27:20.130 the city, He intentionally stimulated Messianic 00:27:20.130 --> 00:27:23.369 expectations. He knew that among the Jews in 00:27:23.369 --> 00:27:26.670 that day, there was the idea that Messiah was 00:27:26.670 --> 00:27:30.470 going to come with the clouds to Israel if the 00:27:30.470 --> 00:27:33.950 people were ready. But if they were not ready, 00:27:34.109 --> 00:27:36.710 He was going to come riding on a donkey from 00:27:36.710 --> 00:27:40.769 the east. That was the general expectation of 00:27:40.769 --> 00:27:45.470 the people of Israel in that day. And Jesus acted 00:27:45.470 --> 00:27:51.869 upon that very rumor, that very idea. And presented 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:55.130 Himself in the manner that they were expecting 00:27:55.130 --> 00:27:59.549 and yet in a manner that was unexpected. Because 00:27:59.549 --> 00:28:02.769 He came not as a Messiah to lead a revolt against 00:28:02.769 --> 00:28:06.289 Rome. but as a messiah who came to bring peace 00:28:06.289 --> 00:28:12.470 with God. And what happened that day, no one 00:28:12.470 --> 00:28:15.589 understood fully until after the events of the 00:28:15.589 --> 00:28:19.769 resurrection. John tells us then they understood. 00:28:21.809 --> 00:28:24.490 And we understand through their eyes what happened. 00:28:25.549 --> 00:28:28.529 He presented himself as a king to his people, 00:28:28.869 --> 00:28:32.190 but he knew already they would reject him for 00:28:32.190 --> 00:28:36.819 who he was. And though they cried out, Hosanna, 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:40.619 blessed be the one who comes in the name of the 00:28:40.619 --> 00:28:45.980 Lord, the King of Israel. Within days they would 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:51.119 turn against him. What we see on Palm Sunday 00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:58.720 is popular religion. The kind of religion that 00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:03.140 is so common in America. The kind of religion 00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:10.539 that wants Jesus for its own agenda. It will 00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:15.359 shout His name enthusiastically as long as He 00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:22.380 conforms to religion's goals and desires. This 00:29:22.380 --> 00:29:25.039 is the religion of those Christians who acknowledge 00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:28.380 Jesus with their lips, but who are looking for 00:29:28.380 --> 00:29:33.250 Jesus to meet their needs. and what they want. 00:29:34.190 --> 00:29:39.509 That's the Palm Sunday crowd. It's not the crowd 00:29:39.509 --> 00:29:44.150 that will enter Jesus' Kingdom. Those who enter 00:29:44.150 --> 00:29:47.769 the Kingdom are those who worship Him in truth 00:29:47.769 --> 00:29:54.089 and in spirit. Those who recognize their sin 00:29:54.089 --> 00:29:59.049 and confess it. Those who give Him their very 00:29:59.049 --> 00:30:07.049 best. That's the kind of a worshiper I hope that 00:30:07.049 --> 00:30:13.410 you are, that I am. That as we stand on the threshold 00:30:13.410 --> 00:30:16.089 of the time when the King is going to come again, 00:30:17.369 --> 00:30:21.670 and I believe we're in those days, those days 00:30:21.670 --> 00:30:25.829 spoken of in the Bible as the last days, that 00:30:25.829 --> 00:30:27.930 we are standing literally on the threshold of 00:30:27.930 --> 00:30:32.369 the King coming again. Let us not be caught up 00:30:32.369 --> 00:30:37.609 in the popular religion of our day, but let us 00:30:37.609 --> 00:30:40.750 be caught up with him in a personal relationship, 00:30:43.009 --> 00:30:45.869 where we are trusting him as our Lord and Savior 00:30:45.869 --> 00:30:48.849 and worshiping and serving him with all that 00:30:48.849 --> 00:30:54.829 we have, so that when he comes to establish his 00:30:54.829 --> 00:30:59.369 kingdom, he may say to us, enter into the joys. 00:31:00.349 --> 00:31:05.470 of what I've prepared. Let's bow together in 00:31:05.470 --> 00:31:12.029 prayer. Thank God there is a Redeemer. He has 00:31:12.029 --> 00:31:16.089 come not to make us happy. He's come to save 00:31:16.089 --> 00:31:22.130 us from our sin. He has not come to meet our 00:31:22.130 --> 00:31:26.150 needs as we think of them. He's come to meet 00:31:26.150 --> 00:31:31.670 our essential need, that of forgiving our sin 00:31:31.670 --> 00:31:38.869 and giving us life with God. How do you examine 00:31:38.869 --> 00:31:41.289 your own heart? Are you caught up in popular 00:31:41.289 --> 00:31:47.410 religion? Are you looking for Jesus to meet your 00:31:47.410 --> 00:31:54.210 agenda to do what you want Him to do? Or are 00:31:54.210 --> 00:32:01.970 you today like Mary in quietness? pouring out 00:32:01.970 --> 00:32:06.089 your best, giving yourself to Him in gratitude 00:32:06.089 --> 00:32:12.109 for what He's done for you. Father, break our 00:32:12.109 --> 00:32:15.869 hearts for the kind of worship that we so glibly 00:32:15.869 --> 00:32:24.970 bring to church. And today, humble us to be like 00:32:24.970 --> 00:32:33.539 Mary and to offer to you our very best, what 00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:39.380 cost us the most, thus proving that our faith 00:32:39.380 --> 00:32:46.339 is genuine, that we truly believe. And as we 00:32:46.339 --> 00:32:50.880 enter into this week of remembrance, may there 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:59.539 be within our hearts true, genuine worship. Amen.