1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Studyheadquarters dot com. 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: This morning, we're going to be taking a look at 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: Luke chapter nineteen, and we're going to be looking at 5 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: verses twenty eight through forty four and really just wrestling 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: with the thought of how is peace found? Because this 7 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: is something that I obviously, I think all of us 8 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: have thought about to one degree or another during the 9 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: course of our life. It's actually something that people throughout 10 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: this world wrestle with and have all sorts of ideas 11 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: and all sorts of solutions that they think will work. 12 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: But when you look at Luke chapter nineteen, particularly when 13 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: you read verses twenty eight through forty four, you could 14 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: see what Jesus explained when it comes to this idea 15 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: of finding peace. And to give you some context, this 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: portion of scripture took place on that day that we 17 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: typically refer to as Palm Sunday. It's the portion of 18 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: scripture that describes the trial full entry of Christ into Jerusalem. 19 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: So if you would take your bibles and turn there 20 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: with me, I'm going to read the scripture and then 21 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to come back to it multiple times and 22 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: visit it. And this is what it says, Starting with 23 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 1: verse twenty eight of Luke nineteen, it says, And when 24 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: he had said these things, he went on ahead, going 25 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethpage and Bethany, 26 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: at the mount that is called all of It, he 27 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: said two of the disciples, saying, go into the village 28 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: in front of you, where on entering you will find 29 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: a cult tied on which no one has ever yet sat. 30 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 2: Untie it, and bring it here. 31 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: If anyone asks you, why are you untying it, you 32 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: shall say this, the Lord has need of it. So 33 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: those who were sent went away and found it, just 34 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: as he had told them. Now, as they were untying 35 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: the cult, its owners said to them, why are you 36 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: untying the cult? And they said, the Lord has need 37 00:01:57,440 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: of it. And they brought it to Jesus, and throw 38 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: their cloaks on the colt. They set Jesus on it. 39 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: As he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 40 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: So he was drawing near already on the way down 41 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples 42 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice 43 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, 44 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: blessed is the King who comes in the name of 45 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: the Lord, Peace in heaven and glory in the highest 46 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, 47 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: rebuke your disciples. He answered, I tell you, if these 48 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: were silent, the very stones would cry out. And when 49 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, 50 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: would that you even you had known on this day 51 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: the things that make for peace, But now they are 52 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon 53 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: you when your enemies will set up a barricade around 54 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, 55 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: and tear you down to the ground, you and your 56 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: children within you, and they will not leave one stone 57 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: upon another in you because you did not know the 58 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: time of your visitation. Let's pray, Lord, thank you for 59 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: this portion of your word, and for the privilege that 60 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: it is to be able to look at it together. Lord, 61 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: We're just so grateful for the fact that here on 62 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: this Sunday, as we think about the triumphal entry of 63 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: your son Jesus Christ into the city of Jerusalem, we 64 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: pray Lord that we have the privilege to think about 65 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: this today and rejoice over what he was indicating and 66 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: demonstrating in his journey into Jerusalem. Father, we know that 67 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: your son is our King, our Lord, our Messiah, and 68 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 1: he was offering himself to the people that day, and 69 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: some praised him and some rejected him. 70 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: But Lord, we. 71 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: Pray that as we look at this portion of scripture, 72 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: that we would understand the words that your son communicated. 73 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: We pray Father, that you'd. 74 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: Help us to grow in our walk with you as 75 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: a result, and that we would likewise understand what your 76 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: son was trying to communicate that in him. This is 77 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: where we find peace, and we're grateful again to be 78 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: able to start off our day and start off our 79 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,239 Speaker 1: week looking at these reminders from your words. We commit 80 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: this time to you now, Lord, and we pray this 81 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: all in Jesus' name. Amen. I'd like to start off 82 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:31,840 Speaker 1: this morning with just throwing a few questions out there, 83 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 1: and I'd just love for you to just ponder them 84 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: in your mind for just a second. Really, three questions 85 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: I'm going to just throw out to our group today, 86 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 1: and that's this question. Number one is when you're stressed, upset, 87 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: or anxious? How do you deal with those emotions typically? Like, 88 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: what's your pattern when you're stressed, upset, or anxious? How 89 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: do you typically deal with those emotions? So just think 90 00:04:55,160 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 1: about that for a moment. Second question is this, when 91 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: your mind is filled with worries, what do you try 92 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: to think about instead? If you're trying to get your 93 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: mind off your worries, what do you try and replace 94 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: those thoughts with? What are you try and think about instead? 95 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: Then the third question is this what do you daydream about? 96 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: Just let those questions float around for a second in 97 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: your mind because I bring them up because I think 98 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 1: that our answers to those questions. You could answer any 99 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 1: one of them individually or collectively. 100 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 2: If you take all three of them. 101 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: But I think when we answer those questions, they actually 102 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: help us identify what we think will actually bring us 103 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: a sense of peace. You can identify what your heart 104 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: tends to lean on or go toward when you're trying 105 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:48,039 Speaker 1: to find some sense of peace. Now, I think we'd 106 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: all agree that this world is looking for peace. Ever 107 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: since humanity separated our fellowship with our creator, ever since 108 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: we severed our fellowship with the Lord we've been attempting 109 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: to find the peace that that we long for through 110 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: created things instead of through the Creator. There's an irony 111 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: to it, but it's been the history of humanity ever 112 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: since that time. That's been the struggle of the human race, 113 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 1: ever since the day when Adam and Eve rebelled against 114 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,479 Speaker 1: the Lord, and that struggle when you look at the 115 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: portion of scripture that we just looked at from Luke 116 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: chapter nineteen, it was a struggle that I think was 117 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:26,919 Speaker 1: very highly visible on the day of Christ's triumphal entry 118 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: into the city of Jerusalem, because as he entered into 119 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: the city that day, he was surrounded by all kinds 120 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: of people. So there's all kinds of people looking upon 121 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: what's happening here. They're seeing what he's doing, they're observing 122 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: the actions that he's taken. And there's people with different 123 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: motives that were in that crowd. You have some people 124 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: that genuinely trusted in Jesus, and as they praised his name, 125 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 1: they were doing so from hearts of faith. They genuinely 126 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: trusted in him, and they praised him. Others as he's 127 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: moving into Jerusalem, coming into the city, they were looking 128 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: to him to be the means by which they could 129 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: acquire the things of this world that they actually trusted in. 130 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: So there's some people that wanted him to be king 131 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 1: because they assumed that with that he would then supply 132 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: the worldly things that they wanted, because those were the 133 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: things that they actually trusted. And then there were others 134 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: in that group, and we see it from the scripture 135 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: that just openly despised Jesus and they rejected him. And 136 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: I think it's useful when we look at a portion 137 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: of scripture like this, and I possibly I think I 138 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: sometimes I think I say this almost every Palm Sunday, 139 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: but I think it's very useful to look at that 140 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: crowd and recognize that we fall into one of those 141 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: three categories where we genuinely trust in Jesus and we 142 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: seek to give him earnest praise, or we look to 143 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: him because we hope that he'll give us earthly things 144 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: that we think will give us some sense of peace, 145 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: or we just straight up reject him. We're somewhere in 146 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: that crowd. Just like that crowd of people was diverse 147 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 1: and filled with different people, different perspectives, those of us 148 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: gathered here today fit in one of those categories but 149 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: I think that regardless of whichever category we fit in, 150 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 1: I think we're all probably saying to ourselves from time 151 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: to time, even when you go back to those initial 152 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: questions that I ask, how do I actually find peace? 153 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 1: We all wrestle with that, regardless of our background, regardless 154 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: of your present spiritual persuasion, we all wrestle with that. 155 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: Well, there's a. 156 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: Few things that I think are illustrated in this scripture, 157 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: and I'm going to revisit some of the things that 158 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: we just looked at. 159 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: But one of the things that I. 160 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 1: Think is useful for us to do is to start 161 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: viewing everything that we've been entrusted to oversee and to 162 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: care for, whatever it may be, as actually belonging to Jesus. 163 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: And I want to kind of set this up and 164 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: build this up this way again. Let me reread verses 165 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: twenty eight through thirty four. It says this, and when 166 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: he had said these things, so he's talking to the disciples, 167 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 1: and he says he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem, 168 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 1: and when he drew near to beth Page and Bethany 169 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: at the mount that is called Olive, he said two 170 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: of the disciples saying, and just imagine, by the way, 171 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: if you were the you know, one of these disciples 172 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 1: being sent on this task, all right. And by the way, 173 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: if you ever had a moment in your life where 174 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: your parents told you to do something that you didn't 175 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: understand and you found yourself marching toward doing it, and 176 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:16,959 Speaker 1: you said to yourself, I don't know why I'm doing this, 177 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: Why am I doing this? Like what is the point 178 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: of this? This is going to be weird. And they 179 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: weren't given the total story, they weren't given all the details. 180 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 2: They were just told. 181 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: Do this, and to do it was actually a step 182 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: of faith that these disciples are taking because Jesus says, 183 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: I want you to go and do essentially what's going 184 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: to sound like a very weird thing. 185 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 2: All right. 186 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: So even before I reread this this section here, just 187 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 1: imagine going out. 188 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 2: You could pick any house you want in town here, go. 189 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 1: Up to that house, and if they've got a bicycle outside, 190 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: just look at it and be like, yeah, I think 191 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: I will take that and. 192 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 2: See how that goes. 193 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 1: Or better yet, take their car, right, take their car, 194 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: see how that goes for you. This portion is tells 195 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: Us he sent two of the disciples and when you 196 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: get to verse thirty, he says. He said, go into 197 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: the village in front of you, where on entering you 198 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,319 Speaker 1: will find a cult TIEDE. So why is the cult tied? 199 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: So it doesn't get away? 200 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 2: Right? 201 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: So it's not going anywhere. If they didn't care where 202 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,080 Speaker 1: it went, they wouldn't bother tying it. You're gonna find 203 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: it tied, he says, on which no one has ever 204 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if 205 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: anyone asks you, why are you untying it? You shall 206 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: say this, The Lord has need of it. The Lord 207 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: has need of it. Now imagine being the person saying it, 208 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: and imagine being the person hearing it. 209 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:47,679 Speaker 2: The Lord has need of it. 210 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 1: So those who were sent went away and found it, 211 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: just as he had told them. And as they were 212 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,560 Speaker 1: untying the cult, its owners said to them, and you 213 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: can't hear their voice inflection, but can you imagine what 214 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 1: it might be? How do you think they said it? 215 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I can guess why are you 216 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: untying the cult? Kind of like, hey, uh, what are 217 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: you doing? You showed up on my ring doorbell and 218 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: I had to come out here and see with my 219 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,959 Speaker 1: own eyes why are you untying the cult? And they said, 220 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: the Lord has need of it. Now, some of the 221 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: most influential people in my life fall into categories that 222 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: don't I would not have necessarily expected, and you wouldn't 223 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: expect either. But I have to tell you. Years ago, 224 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: I had the privilege to meet two elderly sisters who 225 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: had never married, they'd never had children, they were both retired. 226 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: They were in better health than most of their peers, 227 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: and because they had a decent amount of available time, 228 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: they volunteered to serve in many capacities in the local church. 229 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: They would dedicate a lot of their time to serving 230 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: in the local church, and they would also take a 231 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 1: lot of their time to be a blessing to other 232 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: people in their age group. And I remember it seemed 233 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: like they would spend a large percentage of their time 234 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: during the day taking other elderly people to doctor's appointments 235 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: or to the grocery store. They would do that doctor's 236 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: appointments and grocery store. Now there are two people that 237 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: I didn't know were going to be here, that are 238 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: sitting in the back over here that I just saw 239 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: you looking at each other, and yes, it is who 240 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: you think I'm talking about. I'll just say their name. 241 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: It was just Shirley and Almira. Right. They wouldn't mind, 242 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: right if you could use names if you're saying good 243 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: things about people from a pulpit. Right. But they would 244 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: take all their time. They would take so much of 245 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:32,319 Speaker 1: their time doing this. I remember, by the way, when 246 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 1: my own grandmother was in her final years, they would 247 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 1: frequently volunteer to take her to doctor's appointments and to 248 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: the grocery store. I would see them do that all 249 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: the time. It was amazing. 250 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 2: They had a. 251 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 1: Reliable car that they believed that the Lord had bless 252 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: them with, and so they said, we're going to use 253 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 1: this car to bless others for Christ's glory. And that's 254 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: literally what they would do. They would take their peer 255 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: group place to place. They said, this car doesn't belong 256 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: to us. This car belongs to the Lord, and so 257 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: we're going to use it for God's glory. Bring that up, 258 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:02,559 Speaker 1: because when you look at a portion of scripture like 259 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 1: we just read together, the thing it illustrates a principle 260 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:07,520 Speaker 1: that we would do well to examine. 261 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 2: I think in this. 262 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,199 Speaker 1: World there are many things that are going to be 263 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: entrusted to you, and many things that are going to 264 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: be entrusted to me. And you know, we may be 265 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 1: blessed with knowledge. So if you're blessed with knowledge, that's 266 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,439 Speaker 1: a wonderful thing. You might be blessed with time at 267 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: certain seasons of your life, and certain seasons of your 268 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: life you might feel like that's the one thing that's lacking. Right. 269 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: Sometimes you have time. Sometimes you don't have time. But 270 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:28,959 Speaker 1: maybe you have abilities, maybe you have finances, maybe you 271 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 1: have specific resources, maybe you have tools, maybe have a 272 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: reliable car, whatever it may be. In the context of 273 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: this scripture, we're told that Jesus sent two of his 274 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: disciples to acquire him a cult, and they followed his directions. 275 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: Tells Us here that they found the cult, they untied it, 276 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: They told the owners they are taking it because the 277 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: Lord needs it. And from what we see, that answer 278 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: was apparently sufficient for the owners of that cult to 279 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: just hear the Lord needs it, like, okay, well, if 280 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: the Lord needs it, then take it. That answer apparently 281 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 1: was sufficient for them. And here you see Jesus and 282 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: what he's about to do is he's about to utilize 283 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: this cult to demonstrate something significant and actually something prophetic. 284 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: About his eternal identity as king, but he also providentially 285 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: chose to allow the owners of this cult the unique 286 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: privilege to partner with him. And what he was about 287 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: to do not. 288 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 2: A cool thought to think, you know what. 289 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 1: They thought they were just acquiring an animal when they 290 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: got that. 291 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 2: They had no. 292 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: Idea initially that they were actually going to be partnering 293 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: with the one who spoke them into spoke creation into existence, 294 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: and fashioned them. They had no idea that that was 295 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: ultimately going to be the case. But they follow the 296 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: Lord's instruction as it comes through the disciples. They could 297 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: have said no, but they didn't say no. They didn't 298 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: chase the disciples away. They were content to treat what 299 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 1: the Lord had entrusted to them as something that belonged 300 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: to him anyway that was their mindset, doesn't belong to us. 301 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: And I think that's a helpful example for us, even 302 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 1: though we live many generations after this initial event occurred, 303 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: because I've found it to be a true principle in 304 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: life that you could either worship the things that you're 305 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: blessed with, or you could use the things that you're 306 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 1: blessed with to worship the one who gave them to you, 307 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: so we can worship the things the Lord intrusts to us, 308 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: or we could worship the Lord who entrusted them to us. 309 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: And I think that if we're selfish with anything that 310 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: the Lord entrusts to us, time, resources, relationships, anything like that, 311 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: if we're selfish with those things, I think what we'll 312 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: end up doing is we'll turn those blessings into harmful idols. 313 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 2: Now I've seen that in my own life. 314 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: Where I've chosen to be selfish in certain areas and 315 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: I've had to admit to myself, you know, you're taking 316 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 1: a blessing, something that was meant to be a blessing, 317 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: and you're turning it into an idol. And I think 318 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: that that's a struggle that in many respects, I think 319 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: I have and all of us have throughout the course 320 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: of our life to try and identify some of these things. 321 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: But the other option that we have is to just 322 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: be generous with the blessings that the Lord and trust 323 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: to us, to be good stewards of what he in 324 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 1: trusts to us, because that's the fruit of genuine faith 325 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: and everything that the Lord and trust to us, it 326 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 1: doesn't belong to us anyway. It belongs to him. And 327 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: this is something, by the way, that was like a 328 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: revolutionary concept that the early Church embraced that really set 329 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: them apart from their community. When you look at Acts 330 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: chapter four, it's a well known portion of scripture that 331 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: describes what the culture of the early Church was like, 332 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 1: and it's that all the believers were one in heart 333 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions 334 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: was their own, but they shared everything they had with 335 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: great power. The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection 336 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: of the Lord Jesus Christ, and God's grace was so 337 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: powerfully at work in them all that there were no 338 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: needy persons a mine them. Not special portion of scripture. 339 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: I probably bring it up a few times a year 340 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: because it certainly comes to mind. It's one of those 341 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: things that you look at and you say, boy, that 342 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: you know this is something that the Lord has demonstrated 343 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: to us. He inspires this to be the culture within 344 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: the early Church, and he inspires this to be the 345 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: culture in the Church at present. And here you have 346 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: the owners of this cult. All they need to hear 347 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: is that the Lord needs it, and they don't put 348 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 1: up this fight. They don't put up a fuss. They 349 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 1: don't stop the disciples from taking that cult and bringing 350 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: it to Jesus because they're learning to view everything that's 351 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,920 Speaker 1: been entrusted to them is actually belonging to the Lord. 352 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 1: And when we're thinking about finding peace in this world, 353 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what. We will never find peace through covetousness. 354 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: We'll never find peace through selfishness, will never find peace 355 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: through idolizing blessings. It's not going to come to us 356 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: that way. Now, if you've ever wondered why you're struggling 357 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: to find peace in this world, I just want to 358 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: throw a thought out there to you. And again I'm 359 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: preaching to my own heart, But I think oftentimes it 360 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: may be that we're trying to hold on too tight 361 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:10,239 Speaker 1: to things that ultimately don't belong to us. And I 362 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:12,919 Speaker 1: love this portion of Scripture for illustrating for us what 363 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: it looks like to not hold tightly to things that 364 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,919 Speaker 1: don't belong to us. Anyway. Now, there's something else that 365 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: I think is illustrating this portion of Scripture that I think, 366 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: I know it'd be valuable for us to notice as 367 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,719 Speaker 1: we think about Christ and his triumphal entry and some 368 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: of the things that were taking place, and some of 369 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 1: the things that people were saying even during that time. 370 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: And I think, I think another principle that's illustrated here 371 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: is this idea that we don't need to let a critical, 372 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: critical spirit dampen our enthusiasm for praising Jesus. If you 373 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: look again at verses thirty five through forty, says and 374 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: they brought it to Jesus. So they bring this cult 375 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 1: to Jesus, and it says, and throwing their cloaks on 376 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: the cult, they set Jesus on it. And as he 377 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: wrote along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As 378 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 1: he was drawing near already on the way down the 379 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began 380 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,199 Speaker 1: to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for 381 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,120 Speaker 1: all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, blessed 382 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,399 Speaker 1: is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, 383 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: Peace in heaven and glory in the highest. And some 384 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, 385 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: rebuke your disciples. And he answered, I tell you, if 386 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: these were silent, the very stones would cry out. This 387 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: portion of scripture I think is amazing on multiple levels, 388 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:36,439 Speaker 1: including the fact that it includes the fulfillment of a 389 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: prophecy that was made by the prophet Zechariah five centuries earlier. 390 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: When you look at what it tells us in Zechariah 391 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: nine to nine, it says, this, rejoice greatly, O daughter 392 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: of Zion. 393 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 2: Shout aloud, oh daughter of Jerusalem. 394 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation. 395 00:19:55,680 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: Is he humble and mounted on a donkey on a 396 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: cult the full of a donkey. That portion of scripture 397 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: in Zechariah, what does it tell us? So it tells 398 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: us that the king who would offer salvation would come 399 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: to Jerusalem humbly, and he would ride on the colt 400 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:19,199 Speaker 1: the fall of a donkey. This was a sign that 401 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 1: foretold what Jesus was going to do. It was a 402 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: form of confirmation to those who had eyes to see 403 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: and ears to hear, so that they would recognize the 404 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 1: coming of the Messiah. This was something told centuries earlier 405 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,400 Speaker 1: as an indicator that this is exactly what was going 406 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: to happen. 407 00:20:34,840 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 2: When they're thinking, all. 408 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: Right, how's he going to come into the city, how's 409 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: he going to emerge? 410 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: What are we going to see? Well, when he comes 411 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 2: into the city. 412 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: This is what to expect. You're going to see him 413 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: riding on the colt on the fall of a donkey 414 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 1: prophesied through the prophet Zechariah, and you have Jesus. He 415 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 1: rides that cult into the city. You have the people 416 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: spreading their cloaks on the road. It tells us, and 417 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: Mark chapter eleven, verse eight also tells us something else. 418 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: That says, and many spread their cloaks on the road, 419 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from 420 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: the fields. And so you have, you know, these leafy 421 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: branches also being spread on the road as Jesus is 422 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,159 Speaker 1: coming into Jerusalem. By the way, that's typically why we 423 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 1: we call it palm Sunday, although I have to say 424 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: I've often wondered why we don't call it cloak Sunday, 425 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: because it seemed like one of the major things they 426 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: were spreading out before him were cloaks. So when we 427 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: gave this day a nickname, why did we pick palms 428 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: over cloaks? 429 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 2: I don't know. 430 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 1: Maybe am I the only one that wonders stuff like this? 431 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: I maybe should I just continue? All right, I'll just continue, 432 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: But I'm letting you know this type of stuff I 433 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: think about. I should probably fill my time with more 434 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: more useful efforts and more useful questions. But you know, 435 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: if you called this cloak Sunday, I would get you right. 436 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: But they were both placed before him. By the way, 437 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna justify this with another portion of 438 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: scripture tewod King's nine thirteen. When you have Jay who 439 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: being recognized as king, what happened? 440 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 2: Says? 441 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 1: Then in haste every man of them took his garment 442 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: and put it under him on the bare steps, and 443 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: they blew the trumpet, proclaimed Jay, who is King? What 444 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: are they taking cloaks? Come on, it's cloak Sunday. 445 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 2: Let's start a trend. 446 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: See if we get it to catch on, it's not 447 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 1: gonna work. But one of the things that I love here, 448 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:23,479 Speaker 1: you know, is Jesus rides into the city. 449 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 2: You have his disciples. So you have people in the 450 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 2: midst of the. 451 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: Group here that truly do believe in him and truly 452 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 1: do trust in him. They call out something specific, the 453 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: scripture says, they say, blessed is the King who comes 454 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:38,679 Speaker 1: in the name of the Lord, Peace in heaven and 455 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:42,119 Speaker 1: glory in the highest. So you have them praising Jesus 456 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:46,880 Speaker 1: loudly and praising Jesus openly. They were clearly ecstatic about 457 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,880 Speaker 1: the fact that he was. You know, they're thinking, all right, 458 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: here he is. He's going to set up his earthly kingdom, 459 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 1: and he's going to bring Israel even greater prominence than 460 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: we enjoyed back in the days of King David. By 461 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: the way, we've been studying for the the past couple 462 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 1: months the life of David and looking at all these 463 00:23:03,640 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: different things. And keep in mind, you know, centuries later, 464 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: as Christ is coming into Jerusalem and people are looking 465 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: for the Messiah to be king, what they wanted was 466 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: a king like David. And the truth is, Jesus came 467 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: to say, you know what, I'm a better king than David. 468 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: I made David, and he was offering himself to the people. 469 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: And you have some people praising Jesus and saying, yes, 470 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: this is great, But then you also have others, instead 471 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,199 Speaker 1: of joining the disciples in praising Jesus, were told that 472 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,560 Speaker 1: there are people like the Pharisees. The Pharisees, if you're 473 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: familiar with them, they were the religious elite of the day, 474 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:41,959 Speaker 1: and they didn't like what they were seeing at all, 475 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,479 Speaker 1: they didn't like what they were seeing Jesus demonstrate. They 476 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: didn't like what the people were saying, and in fact, 477 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,920 Speaker 1: they sternly instructed Jesus, tell your disciples to be quiet, 478 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: tell them to pipe down, tell them to knock it off, 479 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: because in their mind this kind of praise toward Jesus 480 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: was blasphemous in nature. So as the disciples were saying 481 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: these things, they're thinking, Hey, this is blasphemy. They shouldn't 482 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: be saying this. Look at the praise they're giving. You. 483 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,199 Speaker 1: Tell them to stop. And I love the response that 484 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: Jesus gives them. Jesus, who is lord over all creation, 485 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 1: he replies to these religious leaders in a very wise 486 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: and honest and direct manner, and he tells them that 487 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: if the disciples didn't praise him, the very rocks of 488 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: the ground would cry out and praise. And what he's 489 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: saying is that even though humanity tries to squelch knowledge 490 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: of its creator, the creation still testifies to the one 491 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: who made it. 492 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 2: Fact. 493 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: In Romans, wont It tells us that one of the 494 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: most obvious signs, one of the most obvious testimonies to 495 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,919 Speaker 1: the fact that we have an intelligent designer. A creator 496 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: is the creation that he's made. Creation calls out, creation 497 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: testifies to. 498 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 2: The one who made it. 499 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: So if man, being in the image of God, would 500 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: resist the opportunity here to give praise to Jesus, the 501 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:05,840 Speaker 1: humble rocks that man thoughtlessly walks over, would joyfully accept 502 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:08,679 Speaker 1: the privilege in our place, That's basically what Jesus is 503 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,199 Speaker 1: saying here. He's using some hyperbole here to drive a 504 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: point home. He's saying, listen, Creation will do the praising 505 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: if you won't. If you won't, the very creation will do. 506 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,160 Speaker 1: So you know, while back, I was watching all right, 507 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: So I'm just gonna confess to you. You already know 508 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:25,880 Speaker 1: this about me, most of you, I watch very boring things. 509 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: I don't watch a whole lot of TV. A little bit, 510 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,560 Speaker 1: but not a whole lot. But sometimes when I've got 511 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: my computer open, I'll pull up YouTube, and there's certain 512 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: things that I watch on there. I won't go through 513 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: the long list, but one of the things that I 514 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 1: like to watch are certain financial commentators because I like 515 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:45,120 Speaker 1: to plan out my stock portfolio. Blah blah blah. Nobody cares. Right, However, 516 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 1: I was watching one. It wasn't too terribly long ago, 517 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 1: and this one particular announcer, he was like, host, really 518 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: he was reading through viewer mail and one of the 519 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,880 Speaker 1: people that had sent in some viewer mail to him 520 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 1: said this. 521 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 2: This is what they commented. 522 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,480 Speaker 1: He said, Hey, I looked at your profile online, and 523 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: I have to say, there aren't too many people in 524 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: tech who believed that Jesus was our lord and savior, 525 00:26:17,359 --> 00:26:20,879 Speaker 1: so it's nice to get some diversication. Diversification in the 526 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:23,720 Speaker 1: tech industry. I thought that was kind of cool to see. 527 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: And at that point I was like, oh, apparently this 528 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: host believes in Jesus. And I looked online to see 529 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,679 Speaker 1: what his social profile said, and he was testifying to 530 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 1: the fact that Jesus was his lord and Jesus was 531 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:33,879 Speaker 1: his savior. 532 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 2: And I thought, maybe that's why I like listening to 533 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 2: his advice. 534 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: I just thought that was interesting, and I thought, how 535 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: neat that somebody with that public of a platform would 536 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: be very intentional about giving. 537 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:46,880 Speaker 2: Praise to Jesus Christ. 538 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: And you know, during the day of Christ's triumphal entry, 539 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: there were people trying to tamp down that praise. They're saying, 540 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: just stop it, right, Jesus, tell your disciples to be quiet, 541 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 1: tell them to stop. And by the way, there's still 542 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,159 Speaker 1: critics in your day. In my day, we're trying to 543 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:10,400 Speaker 1: do the same thing to us. To you, don't let 544 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 1: a critical spirit ever dampen your enthusiasm for giving Jesus praise. 545 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: I can remember a few years ago I was telling 546 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: somebody a story about something that I was super grateful for. 547 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: This is ironic, Steve, you were part of this story 548 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 1: that I was telling. 549 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 2: I'll fill you in later. 550 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,439 Speaker 1: And I was telling somebody a story of something that 551 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: happened to you and me and when. 552 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:38,920 Speaker 2: We were teenagers. 553 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: That was a confirmation to me that the Lord was 554 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: just watching over my life and it was just, you know, 555 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: just being a blessing to me. And I remember, you know, 556 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: as I shared that, like, I was sharing it with enthusiasm, 557 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: and this was the response I got from the person 558 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 1: I was telling this story to. Eyes rolled, It's like great, 559 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,199 Speaker 1: you know, here John goes again talking about Jesus, like 560 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 1: over and over again, pick a new subject. I have 561 00:28:08,680 --> 00:28:11,439 Speaker 1: a couple other things I like talking about. I just 562 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,360 Speaker 1: like talking about him the most. But I remember looking 563 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: at that, I was like, oh, and for a moment, 564 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: you feel that awkward twinge of oh, so you think 565 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,159 Speaker 1: this is all dumb, And then the other side of 566 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: my instinct was just like a feeling of compassion, because 567 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:33,760 Speaker 1: here I was interacting with somebody that's missing the whole 568 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: point of life, and in their sarcasm and in their 569 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: judgmental spirit, would look at somebody testifying to the joy 570 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: they have in Christ and try and squash it, or 571 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: try and stain it, or try and try and dampen 572 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: it in some capacity. There will always be people in 573 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:54,720 Speaker 1: your day to day life who try to do things 574 00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 1: like that, and I just want to encourage you when 575 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: you interact with people that do that, or if you 576 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: encounter or somebody that does that. Think back to what 577 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: was taking place here on the day of the triumphal entry. 578 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: If the Phariseees saying, Jesus, tell your disciples to be quiet, 579 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,479 Speaker 1: tell them to pipe down, tell them to shut up, 580 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: and Jesus said, I will not do that. And in fact, 581 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: if they didn't say something, these very rocks would cry 582 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: out in their place. And I love his response. One 583 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 1: other thing that I think has shown to us in 584 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: this portion of scripture that's hopefully encouraging. I think Jesus 585 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: wants to show us that that what he's offering may 586 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 1: not be what we were looking for, but it's exactly 587 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 1: what we need. And if you look at verse forty 588 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: one down to verse forty four, it says this, he says, 589 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 1: and when he drew near and saw the city, he 590 00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 1: wept over it. Now there's another portion of scripture that 591 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,680 Speaker 1: takes place right in this time period where you see 592 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: Jesus brought to emotion and he weeps as well when 593 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: Lazarus passes away, right, And it's got to be interesting 594 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: to be the one who's who's fashion creation and created humanity, 595 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: and to look at people just wandering around loss not 596 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 1: knowing what they're doing, and then to offer them the 597 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: solution and watch them reject it. And the fact that 598 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: you and I have emotions, by the way, isn't something 599 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: that's a defect in our design. Keep in mind, you 600 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: and I are designed to reflect the image of our creator, 601 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 1: including emotion. And here it tells us that Jesus wept. 602 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 2: He wept. 603 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 1: Sometimes I think we think that God is emotionless, and 604 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: that's not an accurate understanding of how God presents himself 605 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: in scripture. Here it says he wept over it. So 606 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: he sees the city and he weeps over it, saying, 607 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: would that you even you had known on this day 608 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:07,520 Speaker 1: the things that make for peace, But now they are 609 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon 610 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: you when your enemies will set up a barricade around 611 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, 612 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: and tear you down to the ground, you and your 613 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 1: children within you, and they will not leave one stone 614 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: upon another in you because you did not know the 615 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: time of your Visitation's what Jesus says here. 616 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 2: Tell you what. 617 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: Every single one of us has things that were passionate 618 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: about in life. I've got things that I'm passionate about. 619 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: You've got things that you're passionate about. Some of these 620 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: things that we're passionate about. You know, we would look 621 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: at we'd sall right, Maybe to the rest of the world, 622 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: this doesn't really matter, but I guess to me it does. 623 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 1: A few years ago, I was thinking about this last 624 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: night when the storms came through and they were pretty violent, 625 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: and I thought, what's it going to look like out 626 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:53,360 Speaker 1: there after all the storms, you know, come through. I 627 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 1: remember when Hurricane Sandy came through, it ripped my fence, 628 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: apart all around my house, and I had to replace 629 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:03,120 Speaker 1: the fence, and I hired a local business to replace 630 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 1: all my fencing. And I was talking to the owner 631 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: of that business, and he was telling me the different 632 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:10,720 Speaker 1: opportunities that he had in life. But he said, you know, 633 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 1: somewhere along the way, I actually discovered that I have 634 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 1: a passion for building fences. He said, I don't know 635 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: why I like it so much, but I do. So 636 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: I've had opportunities to do other things, but I said, 637 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: you know what, I kind of like doing this. So 638 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:25,480 Speaker 1: I'm going to just start a fence business and I'm 639 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,800 Speaker 1: going to build fences and I'm going to market fences. 640 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: And he's made a very successful career out of doing that. 641 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: So he followed his passion. And I look at that 642 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: and I think, all right, well, we all get passionate 643 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: about a variety of things. You know, I get passionate 644 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 1: about things. You get passionate about things. We all get 645 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 1: passionate and excited about things. But you know, in this world, 646 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 1: there are certain things that we can get passionate about 647 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: that that can sometimes result in us losing sight of 648 00:32:55,680 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: actually what's of greatest importance. And I think we can somehow, 649 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: and somehow, meaning very easily develop a form of tunnel 650 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: vision that misses what Christ has been showing us, because 651 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 1: it really isn't what we wanted to see. We're consumed 652 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: with the things we care about. We're consumed with our passions. 653 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: We're consumed with the things that interest us in this world. 654 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 1: And so here you have Jesus riding in Jerusalem, and 655 00:33:22,680 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 1: he's looking over the city, and he's observing the people, 656 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: the buildings, the activity taking place there. And again the 657 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,239 Speaker 1: scripture tells us he wept as he's looking at this 658 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: because his heart's grieved as he watched the very people 659 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 1: he had created spending all their time and all their 660 00:33:35,720 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: energy focused on the wrong things and seeking to find 661 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,920 Speaker 1: peace in this world through their ambitions and through created things, 662 00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:47,239 Speaker 1: instead of realizing that He alone could give them what 663 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: their hearts were thirsting for. In fact, I love what 664 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 1: Jesus says in John chapter four when he talks about this. 665 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: He says, but whoever drinks of the water that I 666 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: will give him will never be thirsty again. The water 667 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: that I will give him will become in a spring 668 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:02,120 Speaker 1: of water welling. 669 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 2: Up to eternal life. 670 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: What's Christ saying you know, early in the Gospel of John, 671 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,440 Speaker 1: he makes the illustration or the explanation that ultimately he 672 00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:13,600 Speaker 1: knows that our souls are thirsty and desiring to be filled, 673 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:17,279 Speaker 1: and he's saying, listen, I'll fill your soul, I'll fill 674 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 1: your heart. 675 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:20,040 Speaker 2: I'll fill your life with something that. 676 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 1: Will satisfy that thirst forever. Well, Jesus was looking at 677 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:29,399 Speaker 1: the people of Jerusalem. He's realizing their lives are being 678 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:33,359 Speaker 1: invested in things with no eternal value, and he says, 679 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: here's what happens with things of no eternal value. You 680 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: invest yourself completely in things of no eternal value. Understand this. 681 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: Eventually those very things are going to be taken from you. 682 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:47,240 Speaker 1: It's going to be taken from you, right, And Jesus 683 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: mentioned something prophetically that took place just a few decades afterward. 684 00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 1: He said that their enemies would one day surround the 685 00:34:54,880 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: city and tear them to the ground and not leave 686 00:34:57,040 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: one stone resting upon another. Because they did not recognized 687 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:05,240 Speaker 1: the time of Christ's visitation to them, they rejected Christ 688 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: as their king because they really only wanted a political savior. 689 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:11,320 Speaker 1: They really only wanted the best of this world. In 690 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: less than forty years after Jesus spoke these words. 691 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 2: In the year a d. Seventy, the Romans besieged and. 692 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: Destroyed both Jerusalem and the Temple, just as Jesus prophesied 693 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:23,880 Speaker 1: in Luke nineteen. 694 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 2: Now here's the thing. 695 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:27,400 Speaker 1: Christ knows that, naturally speaking, you and I are not 696 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:29,879 Speaker 1: looking for him. We were not reaching out to him, 697 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:31,880 Speaker 1: nor were the people at the time that this scripture 698 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:36,760 Speaker 1: was being lived out. We weren't seeking him. They weren't 699 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: seeking him. 700 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:37,920 Speaker 2: So what did he do? 701 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:41,320 Speaker 1: He came seeking us, and he's still seeking us, and 702 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:43,919 Speaker 1: he's still trying to show us things that we were 703 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 1: not inclined to value. But here's the thing, and this 704 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: is what Jesus wanted them to know, and he wants 705 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:53,760 Speaker 1: us to know it as well. Christ offers us true peace, 706 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 1: not temporary or circumstantial peace like this world gives, but 707 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:01,480 Speaker 1: lasting peace through a relationship with him. 708 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 2: Here's something else Christ offers us. 709 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:08,359 Speaker 1: Christ offers us a real future, not a future that's 710 00:36:08,360 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 1: built on the flighty ambitions of worldly priorities, but a 711 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 1: future in his kingdom that he has secured for us. 712 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:21,600 Speaker 1: Christ also offers us life. We were dead in our sin, 713 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:25,279 Speaker 1: we were stained with our own unrighteousness. We had no 714 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: standing before our creator, and we were condemned to experience 715 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: an eternity apart from him. But then Jesus came to 716 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,440 Speaker 1: this earth and took our sin upon himself at the cross. 717 00:36:34,960 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: He defeated death when he rose from the grave, and 718 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 1: now he offers us new life. 719 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,439 Speaker 2: Through faith in him. We're cleansed of our sin. 720 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:45,839 Speaker 1: We're made brand new, just a brand new creation through 721 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:48,680 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, and were now destined to live forever with 722 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:51,799 Speaker 1: him if we trust him. And so when you look 723 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 1: at this sort of scripture and you look at the 724 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:57,200 Speaker 1: things that Jesus was observing among the people, and you 725 00:36:57,239 --> 00:36:59,239 Speaker 1: think about the things that we wrestle with here in 726 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:01,759 Speaker 1: our day as well. Well, we're still wrestling with this 727 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: thought of finding peace. We still wrestle with it. And 728 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:08,399 Speaker 1: even for us as believers, sometimes we can get off 729 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: track a little bit and think that maybe perfect circumstances, 730 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:17,040 Speaker 1: or certain resources, or just something in our life, perfect location, 731 00:37:17,239 --> 00:37:21,160 Speaker 1: perfect timing, perfect events, all that lining up, that somehow 732 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:26,799 Speaker 1: that's what's going to bring us peace. But here's the thing, 733 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:28,520 Speaker 1: if we would like to know what would really bring 734 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:30,360 Speaker 1: us peace, we find the answer in Jesus. 735 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 2: Christ. 736 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:34,239 Speaker 1: Jesus makes it clear in this passage and elsewhere that 737 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 1: the answer to the question of what will bring us peace, 738 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 1: without a doubt, is Him and him alone. That's where 739 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 1: peace is found. So don't offer the affections of your 740 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: heart to anything less than the one who created you. 741 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 1: Trust in Christ. Walk with Christ, find the peace that 742 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:54,280 Speaker 1: your heart truly needs. Welcome that peace as He offers 743 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,719 Speaker 1: himself to you and to me. We trust in him, 744 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:01,000 Speaker 1: and we're able to genuinely and sincerely give him praise 745 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,440 Speaker 1: from a heart that's filled with faith and from lips 746 00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 1: that reflect a life that genuinely trusts him. That's where 747 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:12,279 Speaker 1: we'll find peace. It's not going to come to us 748 00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:15,360 Speaker 1: in any other way. Christ wept over the city of 749 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:19,719 Speaker 1: Jerusalem on the day of that Palm Sunday, that triumphal entry, 750 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,279 Speaker 1: the day of the Triumphal Entry, because they totally missed it. 751 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:24,360 Speaker 2: He was right there. I mean, how many times have 752 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 2: you heard. 753 00:38:24,680 --> 00:38:27,160 Speaker 1: People say, you know, if God had just show up 754 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,480 Speaker 1: in person, if we could just see him, then we believe, 755 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:36,839 Speaker 1: then we believe. Well he did that, And what did 756 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:41,560 Speaker 1: the people do? Some believed, but most did not. And 757 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:43,839 Speaker 1: that's the very same dilemma that we find ourselves in 758 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:47,640 Speaker 1: culturally right now. Some believe and most do not. Don't 759 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:51,240 Speaker 1: be counted among the most who do not, be counted 760 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:55,480 Speaker 1: among those who do trust in Jesus Christ, and you'll 761 00:38:55,480 --> 00:39:00,479 Speaker 1: find the peace that your heart truly craves. Let's pray. Lord, 762 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:02,239 Speaker 1: thank you so much for the privilege to be able 763 00:39:02,239 --> 00:39:08,360 Speaker 1: to look at your word and to think about the 764 00:39:08,400 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 1: things that you revealed on the day of your triumphal 765 00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:13,960 Speaker 1: entry into Jerusalem. We thank you for the prophecies that 766 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:16,600 Speaker 1: you fulfilled. We thank you for the fact that you 767 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:19,800 Speaker 1: were demonstrating the fact that you are king of a 768 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:25,640 Speaker 1: kingdom that far surpasses any typical earthly kingdom. Lord, we 769 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 1: know that it's very easy for us to get caught 770 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:29,839 Speaker 1: up in our preferences and caught up in the things 771 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:33,279 Speaker 1: of this world that we think are so fantastic, and 772 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:36,400 Speaker 1: we think that they're going to satisfy our deepest longings. 773 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:39,240 Speaker 2: And we've all found ourselves going in that direction. 774 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 1: And then we look at a portion of scripture like this, 775 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 1: and we realize we can get busy doing all sorts 776 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 1: of things, but oftentimes it could be a diversion instead 777 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: of something that highlights the focus, and that focus is 778 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:54,839 Speaker 1: to be You. So, Lord, I pray that in our 779 00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:57,480 Speaker 1: areas of service, that you would be the one we glorify. 780 00:39:58,239 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 1: I pray that in the things that excite us and 781 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:02,799 Speaker 1: the things that we feel passionate about, that we would 782 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 1: tie those things to our opportunity to give you praise 783 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:08,719 Speaker 1: for them. I pray Lord, that we wouldn't try to 784 00:40:08,800 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 1: satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts with things of 785 00:40:12,719 --> 00:40:14,840 Speaker 1: this world that have no eternal value. 786 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:16,879 Speaker 2: Father, we pray that. 787 00:40:16,840 --> 00:40:19,400 Speaker 1: We would recognize that it's only through your son Jesus 788 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 1: Christ that we will find the peace that we seek. 789 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,839 Speaker 1: The Lord, we know that the people of Jerusalem did 790 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:29,319 Speaker 1: not receive or recognize their Messiah as he came and 791 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:32,640 Speaker 1: visited them that day. But Father, we know that your 792 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:36,920 Speaker 1: son is visiting us right now. We pray that we 793 00:40:36,960 --> 00:40:40,359 Speaker 1: would recognize him. We pray that we would see him. 794 00:40:40,360 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 1: We pray that our hearts would understand our need for him, 795 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:45,840 Speaker 1: and that we would welcome the peace that he alone 796 00:40:45,880 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 1: can supply. Thank you, Father, for the work that you 797 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:53,960 Speaker 1: accomplished on our behalf through your son Jesus Christ. Thank 798 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:55,920 Speaker 1: you for your love. Thank you for your guidance, and 799 00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:59,160 Speaker 1: thank you for seeking those who did not seek you first. 800 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 1: We love you, Lord, and we're just so grateful for 801 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,160 Speaker 1: these reminders to day. And we pray this all in 802 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: Jesus name. Amen,