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[00:00] So we're in Luke, you know, because we want to start thinking about
[00:03] Easter and you know specifically Jesus and his kind of the roads in and out of Easter
[00:10] You know in and out of to the cross and out of you know away from the cross kind of what that looks like
[00:14] And to help prepare our hearts and minds
[00:16] For Easter, right? It's it's it's you know the pinnacle holiday for the Christian for two Christian
[00:23] I mean, it's been a holiday for anybody who talks about Christian, but for true Christians like Christ followers
[00:29] I would say those who have put their faith in Jesus and the resurrection and the death
[00:34] And resurrection of Christ for our sins, right? It is what we look at and go walk about this is it, right?
[00:40] Easter but we don't want to just like we've done it for so many years, right?
[00:44] Do every turn we do it Easter every year and then it tends to I feel like for whatever reason we just kind of get
[00:50] Used to it and it doesn't have that deep meaning and so we hope that just looking at some of this reading some of the scripture
[00:56] That is we would consider, you know about Holy Week and maybe after even after the resurrection
[01:02] That our hearts would just be drawn to Jesus even more. All right, so let's pray and then we'll get started father
[01:08] Just thank you for another beautiful day
[01:11] Thank you for the mercy of another breath or another day that we wake up and our breathing
[01:25] Father as we look at the scripture, we would just once again are reminded of Jesus and his great love for us
[01:32] As he begins his journey to the cross and he does so with joy
[01:38] laying down his life
[01:41] For us taking our place so that we might be justified before you
[01:48] And that we can now come to you and open prayer
[01:53] Lord we love you this father teach us those things that we do not know today open our eyes to what you have a seat
[02:03] We love you and we praise you and your son's precious and holy name Jesus. Amen
[02:08] Alright
[02:10] So we are Luke 19 a couple things before we get started with that about what's happening
[02:16] Okay
[02:16] So now we're Luke 19 and if you were to look at all the different Gospels and you were to like look right before the
[02:22] Triumphal entry. There's things that are happening
[02:24] Right. There's miracles that are being performed and as such these miracles, you know are
[02:29] all miracles that Jesus God are
[02:32] You know, I don't want wild
[02:37] Amazing, you know almost unbelievable, you know, I mean you're Jesus or we believe them
[02:41] but you know just to look at him one of them is you know, he he
[02:45] He gives sight to the blind beggar
[02:48] You remember him we studied him a mark and remember he was the one that was that have mercy on me, you know, son of David
[02:53] And so before this before this this passage that we're gonna he does that
[02:58] But another big one is it found in John?
[03:01] and John gives the account of Mary Martha and their brother Lazarus, right and so
[03:09] He's sick and they Mary Martha kind of go to him or send a send somebody to him and say hey
[03:15] Your friend is sick. Our brother is sick and he's ready. So we need to come and Jesus doesn't come right away
[03:19] He holds off
[03:21] Lazarus dies and then he comes all on purpose. He doesn't have purpose
[03:26] Right and he's gonna teach them lessons and we're not gonna talk about those lessons today
[03:30] But he's gonna teach them some things about himself and about who he really is
[03:34] But at the end as he comes and everybody's weeping and he tries to you know, console Mary Martha
[03:39] You know kind of and it in a different way with the same words and odd
[03:44] But yeah, and then he he we know this is where we read Jesus weeps, right? He's what he sees everything going on
[03:50] He knows this isn't the way it was supposed to be with death this thing of death and and he weeps
[03:55] but then
[03:57] He gets up and he goes out and he says rolled, you know
[04:01] Roll this the stone away from the two whatever and he calls out Lazarus name. It says come forth
[04:05] He's been dead for a few days. All right, everybody's like
[04:09] Oh
[04:10] We don't we don't think that's a good idea, right?
[04:12] That that may not be great right now
[04:15] He's like no that's what we're gonna do. And so he doesn't he calls him out calls his name. It says come forth
[04:20] And Lazarus come forth right still in his great clothes
[04:25] And it's at that moment right now you now you have all the people watching right?
[04:30] So if people have already seen some miracles up to see that miracle right that that was like
[04:34] And so that they obviously creates a lot of buzz
[04:38] Right in that time. There's a lot of people talking about it, but a specific group is talking about it because they're not happy
[04:45] they understand now that that's gonna cause even more problems right because
[04:49] The religious leaders the Pharisees and the chief priests are like now that we can't have this
[04:55] Right people are believing in him truly as the Messiah now and that's no good. No good
[05:01] We know
[05:03] The Pharisees are saying, you know, we know that that's not the case, right? There's a rise of clothes. They can't see anything
[05:08] We know he is and people are believing so there so they plot then they say they're gonna kill him
[05:14] He must die. I really the first time but it's probably the most serious time now
[05:18] that he's got to die and
[05:21] They go forth plotting to kill him and how they're gonna kill them and you know when they're gonna find them how they're gonna
[05:26] Find all that stuff, but they don't always plot to kill him. They go. Yeah, we also need to get rid of Lazarus
[05:33] Because he's evidence
[05:35] He needs to die too. These are some great religious leaders
[05:38] I are gonna kill some people because they don't like their message. Yeah, I
[05:41] Literally was raised from the dead and they want to kill him again
[05:44] like man, right
[05:48] And so is it it it is within that kind of time frame and sometime a little time goes by but that we get to
[05:55] this passage and
[05:57] So there is a buzz. There is excitement about who Jesus is
[06:01] All right, and so let's read we're in Luke chapter 19 verse 28
[06:07] Luke chapter 19 verse 28
[06:10] And it's just we're gonna read the whole passage and it goes to verse 40 and then we'll kind of break down a little
[06:14] bit after that says this
[06:16] It says and when he had said these things
[06:18] Because he had just met with Zacchaeus remember Zacchaeus the wee little man
[06:23] All right, poor guy for the rest of his life. Everybody knows him as a wee little man
[06:27] Really? That's my nickname. This is what I got on the bottom jerks was we little man
[06:31] Because of the song but he you know, he talks to Zacchaeus and he gives a parable, you know about you know
[06:39] Basically I don't get into it cuz that's a whole I know how I am I'll start preaching about that
[06:46] So anyway, he just gives a parable you're talking about Zacchaeus and then it says so after he gives that parable
[06:51] It says here and when he had said this things meaning Jesus he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem
[06:57] And when he drew near to Bethpage and Bethany at the Mount that is called Olivet Mount of Olives
[07:02] He sent two of the disciples saying go into the village in front of you
[07:05] Where on entering you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever sat untie it and bring it here
[07:11] And if anyone asked you why are you untying it?
[07:14] You shall say the Lord has need of it
[07:16] So those who were sent away and found it just as he had told them and as they were untying the coal his owner said
[07:22] To them why are you untying Nicole and they said the Lord has need of it and they brought it to Jesus and throwing
[07:26] Their cloaks on the colt they set Jesus on it and as he rode along
[07:31] They spread their cloaks on the road and then he was drawn as he was drawn near
[07:35] Already on the way down to the Mount of Olives the whole multitude of his disciples
[07:39] Began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen
[07:44] Just talked about some of those mighty works saying blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord
[07:49] Peace in heaven and glory in the highest and some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him teacher
[07:56] Rebuke your disciples, right? They didn't like what he's saying. They didn't like what that they were calling him, right?
[08:01] He said I'm glory to the highest right blessed is the king who comes in the name of Lord and like that
[08:05] They said they said teacher rebuke your disciples and he said I tell you if these were silent my disciples were silent
[08:12] Right, they're very stones would cry out. Oh
[08:16] yeah, right
[08:18] Love it. I'm very stones would cry out. So
[08:22] Kind of broke this down into three sections. I think we're probably spend the most time at the very end
[08:27] But I do want to point out some things in the beginning and as we're talking about this, I want you to be thinking
[08:32] Jesus
[08:35] Jesus, right
[08:38] That's what I just wanted to be thinking Jesus, right?
[08:41] Who is he in my life Jesus?
[08:44] Like what does my life look like because of him Jesus, right?
[08:48] Am I a true follower of Jesus am I loving Jesus and then we're gonna ask some questions and
[08:53] You just have to answer them. They're not for you to answer out louds or for you to answer
[08:57] Kind of within within the confines of your heart
[09:00] Maybe even within you know, your spouse or your family or whatever like that, you know
[09:04] I have to really talk about because we asked right a couple weeks ago. We said what are you doing to prepare for Easter?
[09:08] It's not just off Sunday thing
[09:10] It should be kind of a kind of a daily thing as we think about Jesus and what he did
[09:14] We should repair it today is part of that preparation, but hopefully you're thinking hopefully this gets your mind thinking on this week
[09:21] Alright, so what I want to draw your attention to is verse 28
[09:25] Right, and it's interesting because I never really paid attention to this
[09:29] I just kind of glanced over and just kept going but this time it says this and when he had said these things
[09:34] He went on ahead
[09:36] Going up to Jerusalem
[09:40] And I find that fascinating right he knows now Jesus knows
[09:44] This is the final days
[09:48] Right because normally we talk about the triumphal entry right on Palm Sunday. That's Palm Sunday, right?
[09:54] That's what we usually talk about. It's a week before Easter. We're doing a little different our timelines messed up
[09:57] That's who we are. So, all right
[09:59] We do it. We do things crazy
[10:01] But he knows right because this is the week, you know, he's gonna die
[10:07] You know and really in a few short days, they're gonna be tortured. He's gonna be nailed to a cross
[10:12] He's gonna be killed on the cross and he knows this and yet knowing all that knowing all that's coming
[10:18] right
[10:21] it says
[10:23] And when he had said these things he went on ahead going to up to Jerusalem
[10:26] Jesus moves forward with a great willingness to suffer and die for us
[10:34] He goes forward to Jerusalem knowing
[10:37] the things that are gonna happen to him and
[10:40] Yet he goes before everybody else there is no delay in his step
[10:46] All right, he knows what's coming
[10:50] He knows the pain that he's gonna have to endure
[10:52] He knows the relationship between him and God his father
[10:56] And what that's gonna look like on the cross and yet he goes before
[11:04] He does not waver. He does not pause. He does not delay he moves forward
[11:10] To go into action
[11:15] And so right off the bat
[11:22] The question is then
[11:25] If our King can go forward to the cross can go forward to suffering can go forward to death
[11:33] willingly joyfully
[11:36] What is keeping you what is keeping me from doing hard things for our King
[11:43] Why do we shrink back
[11:48] When we think about doing things for our Savior for our King
[11:52] Why do we sometimes go?
[11:58] That's that's gonna be too difficult that conversation is gonna be too hard that action is gonna take too much time
[12:04] Those I I just can't do it
[12:08] Right he is a king who moves forward for us
[12:17] Even in the knowledge of death and torture and pain
[12:22] And then we when we put our faith in Christ
[12:28] Should we not then say Lord? I want to move forward to you right for you in you no matter what?
[12:35] No matter what the cost?
[12:38] If our King can go forward to the pain of death on a cross
[12:42] What is keeping you?
[12:45] I'm going forward in service to him
[12:47] Right too many times
[12:51] I think we often think okay. I'm saved and we are
[12:56] Jesus finished the work on the cross
[12:58] So please hear me when I say I'm not saying we do service to the king to earn our place in heaven
[13:04] Nothing could be farther from the truth
[13:06] Jesus paid the price. That's what we're that's where he's headed to pay this price for us to take our place
[13:12] And the work is already done. He said it is finished and we put our faith in him
[13:17] Right we are forever his
[13:22] Forever right protected forever, right glorious forever justified in front of God righteous in front of God
[13:30] Well because of that should we not then should our faith in that now draw us to service to the king
[13:39] And that kind of goes with what we're talking about James, right?
[13:41] Right, it's all service to the king
[13:43] And sometimes that's easy to say those words it's easy to say should we not be in service
[13:51] Even do hard things for our king. That's easy to say. Yes, we should right?
[13:56] There's no doubt about it. It's it's putting that action into practice
[14:02] And sometimes it's small things but difficult things I
[14:09] Think the next one that we're gonna get into is something that is very difficult for us
[14:16] But I just want to ask you again, what are you shrinking back from?
[14:21] And you think of service to your king, right? What is it? That's keeping you or what is it that you're saying?
[14:27] I'm not gonna do
[14:29] This Jesus walked a path as an example for us he went forward even knew it when he knew what was gonna happen
[14:37] And yet he is still grace
[14:41] Full of grace and full of mercy when you go to him and say Lord, I'm scared
[14:45] Well, I don't want to do this. This is too hard
[14:49] And I would encourage you this week to take inventory of your heart
[14:53] What is your heart shrinking back from in service to your king
[14:59] All right, let's keep going verse 29 let's I want to I want to
[15:06] Yeah, let's just read that through 35 says this when he drew near to Beth page and Bethany at the mount that is called
[15:12] Olivette Mount of olives, okay
[15:14] He sent two of the disciples saying go into the village in front of you where on entering you will find a cult tied on
[15:20] Tie on which no one has ever sat untied and bring it here if anyone asked you why are you untying it?
[15:25] You shall say this the Lord has need of it
[15:27] But those who were sent away and found it just as he told them and as they were untying the cult its owner said
[15:32] Why are you untying the cult?
[15:33] They said the Lord has need of it and they brought it to Jesus and throwing their cloaks on the cult
[15:37] They set Jesus on it and he rode along as they spread their cloaks on the road
[15:44] and we can even keep going as he was drawing near already on the way down the Mount of olives a whole multitude of his
[15:49] Disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty deeds that they had seen a couple interesting things here
[15:56] There's some there's some discussion among theologians about this whole
[16:01] Thing about the whole go tie untied go get a cult for me. And if anybody asked you, you know, tell them, you know
[16:09] These words and they say the words exactly now
[16:13] Interestingly enough some of you may not know in the gospel. I think of Matthew. There's actually a donkey. Edical, right? There's two
[16:20] That they grant which is even interesting. This one just shows one
[16:25] but maybe that's because what's the one he wrote and so they're just focusing on that but
[16:29] Regardless that the the argument is not even ours just kind of matter of things is that some people think that was a miracle
[16:36] Right. He he worked in the mind of the owner of the coal and said, you know
[16:41] Just say this and the owner will say this and he's kind of made him, you know
[16:44] Do that by being sovereign over everything and changing, you know, whatever you had to change to make sure that
[16:49] That's not really what I believe but I there's some who believe that's the way it was and you know, that's probably fine
[16:55] I don't think there's anything wrong with that. My thinking is that this was kind of like a modern-day password
[17:01] Right Jesus had already gone ahead and set this up and told the owner saying hey
[17:07] There's gonna become people to come by to get the coal and if you know
[17:10] You want to make sure that these are the right people that I have sent to get the coal
[17:13] You know, just ask him these words and they'll have an answer for you and the answer will be this, right?
[17:17] I mean he that was a path he would travel all the time
[17:21] He would know the people who had extra colt on hand right to be taken away and all that stuff
[17:26] So, you know just I just say that because sometimes people then get confused and I just want to put that out there
[17:32] I don't think there is a a bad way to look at that
[17:36] I believe just be based on Jesus and his knowledge of the people and of the area and the times that he went down
[17:42] That path back and forth
[17:44] He he would know these people and he would have said to them. I'm gonna need to borrow one of your donkeys. Well, don't get it
[17:52] Oh, and so then he says, you know, okay
[17:55] Anyway, you can study that I'm good
[17:58] You know, I'm not really sure so you'll study it on your own and come tell me what you think
[18:02] All right, I would love to hear it
[18:04] And so
[18:08] This whole passage what we see here and when we see him on the donkey right on the coal
[18:14] Right is prophecy coming true his prophets coming through it process as in your Bible
[18:21] You know
[18:25] That's in Zachariah 9 9 it says this
[18:29] This is Old Testament Zachariah rejoice greatly Oh daughter of Zion shout aloud
[18:33] Oh daughter of Jerusalem behold your king is coming to you righteous and having salvation as he
[18:40] Humble and mounted on a donkey a colt a full of a donkey
[18:44] Hey
[18:47] And here it is
[18:50] Coming true
[18:51] And what was prophesied?
[18:53] Hundreds of years earlier is now coming true here
[18:58] You
[19:00] Right
[19:01] So this entry into the city on a donkey is not only a fulfillment of that prophecy, right?
[19:06] It's an act that declared Jesus to be the Messiah
[19:10] And that's why the Pharisees are not too happy that they're calling out his name
[19:16] They're like now this isn't him
[19:19] Because the Messiah is gonna overtake wrong. All right, that's what they think
[19:24] And this isn't a guy
[19:27] This is definitely not the guy
[19:29] And what we see also though in this instance, this is
[19:34] Fascinating right if you really if you really start to dig into it
[19:38] Is that you have the King of Kings the Lord of Lords the ones who has always been and will always be
[19:45] Come down to earth as human in human form
[19:48] He's gonna enter his city as King and Messiah and what's he entered on
[19:56] basically a baby donkey a
[19:58] Baby donkey, right?
[20:01] There's a couple reasons for that because Jesus comes in peace
[20:05] Right, and that was known if you go back to Old Testament even Saul wrote a donkey on his coronation day, right?
[20:11] There's this idea of peace
[20:13] But there's also this great humility
[20:17] Great humility in our King
[20:21] He is the king of kings and he is gonna walk down right into Jerusalem to be crucified
[20:28] And he's riding a dog
[20:32] Doesn't like think about that and it's really like he is
[20:40] Emmanuel God with us and yet here he is
[20:47] On a donkey you ever see the pictures. I don't know like they they you know, they have pictures they draw, you know
[20:52] Whatever they think it is in it. They're all they're all hideous
[20:54] Why because you have you have Jesus who was like a full-grown man and it don't don't be donkeys. He's like real good
[20:59] You know what? I'm like, I don't know but I that's my picture means cuz I've seen it's gonna look kind of goofy
[21:05] Right because he's a baby dog, you know, it's a baby dog
[21:08] And yet
[21:12] Right. He wants this is part of the problem right that the Jews want him
[21:17] To come as a king who's gonna overcome, right?
[21:21] They're gonna they want him to come and destroy it wipe out Rome the Roman
[21:25] Occupation and you know, the Jewish people are gonna rise up with their new Messiah
[21:29] Well, if that was the case he would have rode a warhorse
[21:33] Right and he will come back on a warhorse. That's a whole different issue
[21:38] But here he rides a donkey. I
[21:41] Want to read
[21:45] Philippians 2 5 through 8 it says this
[21:49] Because I want to talk about this about our king
[21:54] Right here in your relationship. This is Philippians 2 verse 5 through 8 in your relationships with one another
[22:01] Have the same mindset of Jesus Christ Christ Jesus who being in very nature
[22:08] God
[22:11] Did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage
[22:15] Rather he made himself nothing
[22:20] By taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man
[22:28] He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross
[22:33] As we read this about Jesus his great humility
[22:41] right
[22:42] He is God and yet he takes on human likeness
[22:46] Right and he he's gonna go into drool planes
[22:49] He's gonna be crucified on a cross and you're the most humiliating death why because you're naked
[22:53] You're beaten people just get to watch you sit there suffer and laugh at you
[22:58] right spit on you
[23:00] right the radio we know the Romans are a
[23:02] Crazy bunch of people they're gonna do some nasty things to Jesus and he knows that but that's part of the crucifixion
[23:09] Humiliate you as much as possible before you die
[23:11] and so it says he's humbled himself by becoming obedient to death which in and of itself is like really and then
[23:19] Paul wants to make it even make the point even more even death on a cross the most human
[23:25] Humiliation that you could face and here our King of Kings is gonna do it and has done it
[23:31] And so
[23:37] Well, let me keep reading actually, let me go to Isaiah because I want to read this one to Isaiah 53 7
[23:42] This is also talking about Jesus. This is a prophecy
[23:46] He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet
[23:50] He opened not his mouth like a lamb that has led to the slaughter like a sheep that is before Cheers a silent
[23:57] So he opened not his mouth
[23:59] There's a lesson for us for me and that right
[24:07] Jesus came as a humble servant not as a conquering king
[24:10] He rode a donkey not a warhorse. He would die and take our place our sin our judgment and
[24:17] There say a word
[24:20] So the question I have for you and for me is do you have a heart of humility like your king
[24:27] Do you have a heart of humility like your king I
[24:36] Mean think about that right a
[24:38] Humble heart I
[24:41] mean Paul says
[24:43] He tells us
[24:45] In your relationships with one another have them same mindset as Christ Jesus
[24:51] And if he stopped there you'd have to think okay
[24:55] You know, he's powerful, you know, he was nice. He was kind. What's he point to he points to humility
[25:04] Right. That's how that's the mindset of Christ. We're supposed to have
[25:09] We're supposed to have a heart of humility
[25:14] Hard right one of those things again, all these things are easy to say
[25:18] difficult to do
[25:21] Think about it, right
[25:23] Think about the relationships you're in
[25:25] All right, especially if somebody says something
[25:30] That you don't agree with
[25:33] Hey
[25:35] I'm humble. Absolutely. If somebody says something, you don't like well
[25:41] Well, they disagree with you vehemently right in front of people and you want to be like
[25:47] No, because you know you don't want to be wrong, that's just one error man, I'm just giving the small example
[25:56] But that's a big area, right? We don't know somebody tells us it tells me Ray you got to work on this
[26:02] Right. Yeah, you have some deficiencies in this area
[26:05] scripturally speaking
[26:07] It's a hard conversation
[26:09] Proverbs is full of how we should handle that conversation how a wise person handles that part of that conversation
[26:14] Do we have a heart of humility like our king I
[26:20] Think real quick. What does that look like?
[26:25] All right, not just what somebody says you're wrong
[26:30] How we act of people how we view people that we don't agree with right are we better than them?
[26:35] But what anybody else have any other examples of
[26:41] Like what it like of areas that we need to be a show of humility and like obviously we show humility
[26:47] What we should show humility when people say we're wrong, but we don't need to be right all the time. Yeah
[26:52] But is there other areas that you know of?
[26:55] I think it goes back to what we talked about the last time we were together to that
[26:59] not to show favoritism
[27:02] that takes humility as well, right because
[27:05] Pride is usually the reason I
[27:09] Show favor, right? You're gonna get something from that for you sometimes, right?
[27:13] That's a great point
[27:15] excellent
[27:16] Yeah, I think also you mentioned about you know
[27:18] arguments and stuff like
[27:21] Disagreements, but it's even beyond that like
[27:24] Even when you're falsely accused
[27:28] Keep your mouth shut because that's what Jesus right even when somebody comes against you
[27:33] You know, you don't want to defend yourself, you know, you know, you're right
[27:37] Keep your mouth shut this heart at all. And I've been able to do the grace of God
[27:43] And then to that yes, I mean there's almost nothing
[27:50] Been accused of something that you didn't do. I
[27:52] Got I got a ticket this week and Andrew
[27:56] They're gonna enjoy this week and you know, I suppose I was turning left and this this woman thought I
[28:06] Thought I was too one too soon into the turning lane
[28:10] You know, I didn't I should have waited another car before I went up and I got stuck in the intersection
[28:16] I gotta get out of there. So I went to the left side and then there is a turning lane
[28:19] But it doesn't go all the way to the intersection. And so, you know, so she pulled me over and of course, you know
[28:25] she thought she was like
[28:27] 15 and you know, she's like
[28:29] Yelling at me like I was you know, like four-year-old, you know, I'm like, you know
[28:34] But I mean, I know that you know, I didn't really think I did anything wrong, but whatever and then she you know
[28:38] she wrote my ticket and it's just
[28:40] They can't even understand it. Like it's this and so but it's funny. Mike could barely pass me as I'm
[28:45] It was it was a local and your copy wasn't a mistake trooper
[28:50] Mike couldn't stop because you know, it's a local copy doesn't really have it if it was a trooper he would have stopped
[28:55] You know or called you know today, but but anyway all that to say right I sat in the car and I was like
[29:00] Oh cuz she's y'all and that's you know, she's just being like the worst, you know, and I'm like, let's do that. It's fine
[29:06] All right, it's fine. No, you know, she's got a tough job to do whatever
[29:09] I was on my way to Raymond never towels, you know, it was all happy
[29:13] Oh good. Oh to do to do and then she started yelling at me about you know, and
[29:17] By the way, I just I have a friend and I sent it to my friends. Yeah, we'll get it dismissed. So
[29:24] This is a couple days out. So it's all fun, but
[29:27] Anyway, um, you know, I just I mean I normally you know since and I've had it with some and my son's obviously police officer
[29:41] But even like I just don't do well with police officers who are airing it and you know
[29:46] just so I just really struggle with that and I haven't gotten to taking over 20 years like, you know,
[29:50] It's been a long time and I just said, you know, I'm just gonna bite my tongue out of this one
[29:54] You know, so yep, you're right. You're right. You know, I should know, you know, I just all right, you know
[29:58] But that's even easier because you know if you do, you know, you do too much
[30:03] They can even make it worse for you, right?
[30:05] But that's even easier than like Chris said right being falsely accused of something that you know, you didn't do
[30:11] Right and just saying you know what?
[30:14] That that I know it's not true. I'm not gonna say anything. All right, I need humility apart like my Savior like my king
[30:20] So that question remains and I want to be thinking of it this week, right? Do I have a heart of humility?
[30:28] like my king and
[30:31] That goes for all areas of our lives or a relationship with our spouse a relationship with our parents our relationship with our job
[30:40] You know our bosses our co-workers our relationship with our in-laws, right? That's a tough one, right? Sometimes you're like, uh, you know
[30:47] Yeah
[30:51] Do I have humility apart, all right, yeah, okay, let's keep going
[31:00] Um
[31:01] Where am I out here right there? Yeah, it says this so I'll go back to 37 and as he was drawing near
[31:07] Already on the way down the Mount of Olives a whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud
[31:12] voice for all the mighty works they had seen saying blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord peace in heaven and
[31:18] Glory in the highest and some of the Pharisees and the crowd said they had teacher rebuke your disciples and he answered
[31:24] I tell you even if these were silent the very stones would cry out. Okay
[31:29] so
[31:31] You know, it's interesting because they're praising Jesus
[31:34] right, they're praising the one and
[31:37] And it it it goes back if you go back to let me see. I think I have this year Luke chapter 2
[31:42] I
[31:45] Just want to read this to you
[31:46] This is when Jesus was born and angels come and says this and suddenly there was out with a shepherd, you know
[31:51] And suddenly there was an angel of a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying
[31:55] Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased
[31:59] right and
[32:01] here it says
[32:03] Blessed is a king who comes in the name of Lord peace and heaven and glory in the highest
[32:06] It's coming to the end of his life and he gets almost the same praise right as when he was born
[32:12] Well the different one is peace on earth one is peace in heaven
[32:14] And I thought about breaking that down really hard and saying whether one is people one is the PCS with angels in heaven
[32:21] And it's a whole lot of things a whole another message. So we're not gonna talk about it
[32:25] But I encourage you to study because it's fun. All right, it's a fun passage, but it's similar to Luke chapter 2
[32:30] They both agree that to give God glory in the highest
[32:35] And I just I was thinking about this passage and how the how the how he is
[32:42] Being praised and there's another interesting thing in here. I want to point out most of time. We think
[32:49] That it's just the Jewish people lined up on the streets because the other gospels don't really say but in in this gospel
[32:56] All right, the gospel of Luke he says it's his disciples whole multitude of his stuff. Not just 12
[33:02] Not just as 12 disciples like all his disciples are lined up now you take the other gospels
[33:07] There's probably other people involved too
[33:09] Not just you know people who are excited because we often say remember these same people turn on him
[33:13] You probably heard that when you heard triumph all these same people turn on it. Yeah
[33:17] Right because these are these are probably true disciples that are saying this momentum again
[33:22] There's probably people in the in the crowd that aren't and Luke is just pointing out that there's a multitude of disciples
[33:27] But I found that fascinating because I had overlooked that multiple times and I thought wow, that's really fascinating
[33:32] I just assumed it was just you know a bunch of people and and my whole life
[33:36] I've heard oh and you know these same people they turn on Jesus and then it and there's there's definitely some in that but
[33:41] most of these people according to Luke are a multitude of his disciples, which
[33:46] Luke understands what that word means like these aren't just casual followers
[33:49] These are the disciples of Jesus shouting, you know praising him
[33:54] And so the question I have and I'm there's not I mean obviously he I can go deeper into that whole talk about peace on
[34:04] Peace in heaven and peace on earth, but you know the angel said back in Luke chapter 2
[34:09] But I really just want to ask this question
[34:12] Right because I think this is this is
[34:15] Vital
[34:17] For Christ followers all of it is that we've talked about
[34:20] The question is this do you have a heart of praise?
[34:26] for your king and
[34:28] It's two parts really right because we I mean most people I know will sing some sort of praise to their king
[34:36] All right, we do it on Sundays. Maybe they listen to some music during the week. They sing in their car
[34:40] Maybe they sing in the shower
[34:42] But the the first thing is do I have a life of praise?
[34:46] Does my life reflect?
[34:48] Jesus
[34:51] Right because that is your first order of business as far as praise go
[34:54] Does my life right reflect praise and then second do my lips praise?
[34:59] If your lips praise remember, I know what the quote is or who said it
[35:03] But somebody says if your lips praise on Sunday, but your or your worship on Sunday, but your life
[35:08] Does not on Monday through Saturday. There is no praise
[35:12] Right. There is no praise and I'm I'm butchering that quote fun. It's a it's the right idea, right? Yeah, the right idea
[35:19] And what I've noticed for many Christians
[35:24] Is that a new Christian will often start with great praise?
[35:28] They understand they did get kind of new Christian often will understand especially ones that are older
[35:33] Understand where they came from understand what God has done through Jesus Christ on the cross and there's this excitement that they were saved
[35:40] And so they talk a lot about Jesus. They lived their life for Jesus
[35:45] And I saw this in youth a lot. They get saved in high school and they would just be on fire, right?
[35:50] but then
[35:52] Things would happen
[35:54] Right terrible things in their life would happen
[35:56] right hurts
[35:59] pains betrayals death
[36:02] Discouragement
[36:08] Things from the curse of this world would settle into their hearts
[36:12] Internet praise would be not you wouldn't be able to find it right? They they allow the the suffering of this world
[36:22] The impact their praise for their king
[36:28] David in Psalm 34 one
[36:34] So I will bless the Lord at all times
[36:38] His praise shall continually be in my mouth
[36:41] and this idea for David
[36:44] Right was not just I mean all the songs if you read songs, you know, there's lots of stuff about David
[36:50] praising but also, you know, there's lament all kinds of stuff, but
[36:56] His idea was not just when he says praise shall continually be in my mouth
[37:01] It's because his life wanted to where he wanted to reflect praise in all that he did
[37:06] So there was nothing else that could come out of his mouth except for praise
[37:09] Even when he was suffering when he writes this
[37:17] Saul is still trying to kill him. I
[37:21] Don't know how many of you have been hunted by somebody trying to kill you. All right
[37:25] But I'm gonna guess that it's hard to put praise on the lips when that happens, right?
[37:30] You know, I live a life of praise when you know, somebody's trying to chase you down again
[37:34] He's hiding out with some people that he probably shouldn't be at this point, but he's not necessarily doing anything wrong. He's just
[37:40] But he's he says I'm gonna I'm gonna have so much praise in my life that it's gonna continually be in my mouth
[37:48] Have you been so hurt have you suffered so much and praise is hard to find right now
[38:03] Because if it is I
[38:05] Would suggest right to refocus on your king
[38:09] Right the goodness of your king
[38:13] Because here's the deal, right?
[38:16] many of us
[38:18] Say, you know when good things happen. We praise when bad things happen. We get down and discouraged
[38:23] We praise is hard to come by
[38:26] But if Jesus did nothing else for us, this is a heart statement a lot of heart statement if Jesus did nothing else for us
[38:36] But come and die
[38:39] and take our place on judgment and
[38:42] Make us righteous before God when we put our faith in him if that was that was all
[38:48] He did
[38:50] our praise
[38:52] Should be not a never-ending
[38:55] Both in our lives and in it from our mouth
[38:58] But here's the deal. That's not all he does, right?
[39:03] He continuously pours out grace on our lives. He continually pours out mercy on our lives. He gives us breath
[39:09] He gives us nature to enjoy he gives us families to love
[39:13] And sometimes that's hard
[39:15] Alright, that might be one of the harder parts, but there's encouragement even in that
[39:22] Oh glorious grandchildren can't get enough. I mean it is right. It is a precious gift that I did not know
[39:29] I was missing out on
[39:31] If he did nothing else he would be worthy of praise but he does so much more
[39:38] And he's on his way now in his passage
[39:46] Take on the sins of the world
[39:50] This perfect holy kind gentle merciful, right humble King
[39:56] Give me nailed to a cross for our sake
[40:03] That's why when the Pharisees teacher rebuke your disciples don't let them don't let them say those praises don't let them say those things
[40:15] Says listen, I tell you even if they were silent the rocks would cry out
[40:20] Why because he is worthy of that praise and if we don't give it someone else will you won't have his praise?
[40:27] I'm reminded of a message I heard about Esther
[40:29] You know the story of Esther many of you know the story of Esther and and you know, they're gonna kill the Jews
[40:34] There's plots kill all these Jews. And so Esther's I know what better uncle or I don't know what that
[40:42] Is tells her and Esther's marriage to the King and he she's like you need to go talk to the King right?
[40:47] Cuz there's this plot going on that we're all gonna die and Esther's like well, you know
[40:51] I don't really know I could be killed and you know, I really know how to do that
[40:55] He's like listen, if you don't do it somebody else will somebody will rise up and do it
[41:01] And I remember the preacher saying don't be replaced
[41:04] Christian
[41:06] Now you have been called to do things go do them don't let it be somebody else because you didn't want to do it
[41:11] God will find a way that was his boy. Now. You will be somebody
[41:15] The same with the praise
[41:18] Don't be don't be replaced. I want to be put replaced by rocks
[41:22] Right singing praise to Jesus when I could do it when I could live a life of praise for the one who was worthy
[41:34] Are you living a life of praise? Are you?
[41:39] Singing a life of praise. Are you talking a life of praise?
[41:43] This king who is on his donkey is worth it he is worthy for our praise
[41:50] So I ask you again, what are you shrinking back from parking in service to our king
[41:57] You have a heart of humility like our king
[42:03] And is your life reflection of the praise that is worthy of our king
[42:10] This Easter as you as you go through this week, those are the three questions be asking yourself and we're all falling short
[42:18] For those things we're not we're not we're tough enough perfect in those areas
[42:23] But I remind you of the prayer of David search me Oh God and know my heart today
[42:30] Right, we can I can look like I have a heart of praise sing loud and I can talk about Jesus
[42:36] But oftentimes our hearts betray us, right?
[42:41] What's the I think I am the passage here
[42:45] right here
[42:47] Isaiah 29 13 says this Isaiah 29 13 says this and the Lord said because the this people draw near with their mouth and
[42:55] Honor me with their lips while their hearts are far from me
[42:59] The fear and their fear of me is commandment taught by men
[43:03] Isaiah 29 13
[43:08] The people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me
[43:15] True praise your heart is not far from Jesus. There's a heart that's overwhelmed with Jesus, right?
[43:26] Would it be said of you that you honor him with your lips, but your heart is far from him or
[43:31] Is it would it be true to say no, I honor him with my lips
[43:36] Because my heart is full of Jesus and all that he's done. I
[43:41] Can't help but live it out
[43:44] We're gonna
[43:49] Sing the song and most of us know what it is
[43:51] We've heard it to him, but it has a little kind of little kick on the end of it
[43:55] I got a little change may get a little hard to sing at the end because it's different. But if you can't say it's fine
[44:00] right I
[44:03] Want it didn't just let it be a prayer
[44:05] All right, well one great love there's one great law that his name is Jesus
[44:12] As we prepare for Easter, I hope this is your prayer
[44:18] Right, but I hope your prayer is also Lord as you look at this this this King this Messiah on this little donkey
[44:25] Going to the cross that you would be reminded
[44:30] Of all that he is
[44:34] That when we get to as you get to Easter your heart can't even take it anymore because you've spent time just
[44:42] Thinking about him and studying him and looking at Jesus and you get to Easter and you're one burst
[44:47] You realize this is a risen King that we're celebrating
[44:51] Let's pray and then we'll say father
[44:54] Just thank you for your work
[44:56] Thank you for this passage
[44:59] Father may we not just be hearers of the word but doers of the word
[45:09] Father may we be honest with ourselves this week and ask ourselves. What what are we shrinking back from in service to our King?
[45:17] Lord do we would be honest and would we would you search us? Would you help us know if we truly have a heart of humility?
[45:28] Lord would you search us and know us and convict us in the area of praise?
[45:38] May we pray may we live lives of praise the one who is worthy Jesus
[45:46] Then maybe sing it outward because we can't contain it
[45:52] We love you Lord we thank you for just your grace
[45:58] Your kindness is just sitting here speaking and listening to Stephen and it fills my heart with joy
[46:05] But this baby is just happy and talking Lord may our hearts be overjoyed with you
[46:14] As we move to Easter Lord, we love you in his name we pray Amen