WEBVTT 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:06.582 Good morning. 00:00:06.682 --> 00:00:07.243 Good morning. 00:00:07.243 --> 00:00:10.211 You glad to be in church today, phenomenal. 00:00:10.211 --> 00:00:12.163 Hey kids, why don't y'all stand to your feet? 00:00:12.163 --> 00:00:19.326 Let's give it up for our kids as they head to kids men this morning and I know y'all just sat down and you just got comfortable. 00:00:19.326 --> 00:00:25.207 But do me a favor, take a moment, stand to your feet, say hey to somebody you haven't spoken to yet today. 00:00:25.207 --> 00:00:26.389 This is your moment right now. 00:00:26.389 --> 00:00:29.073 All right. 00:00:29.073 --> 00:00:30.774 All right, you can go ahead and find your seat. 00:00:30.774 --> 00:00:40.689 That's like my favorite part of the day in church, like I just get to watch the introverts get nervous and the extroverts live their best life right there from the front. 00:00:40.689 --> 00:00:41.231 It's the best. 00:00:41.631 --> 00:00:43.524 Let me pray, father, thank you for today. 00:00:43.524 --> 00:00:47.802 God, speak to us now through your word, challenge us, convict us, change us. 00:00:47.802 --> 00:00:52.463 Have your way in our hearts In Jesus' name, and everybody says amen. 00:00:52.463 --> 00:00:58.393 So we are coming to a close today of this seven transformational habits series. 00:00:58.393 --> 00:01:04.893 We've been talking about the cultivation of intentional habits that lead us to a life with God. 00:01:04.893 --> 00:01:07.165 These are not ends unto themselves. 00:01:07.165 --> 00:01:09.331 We're not reading scripture just to read scripture. 00:01:09.331 --> 00:01:11.145 We're not praying because we're supposed to pray. 00:01:11.145 --> 00:01:14.677 We're not in community because we just need community. 00:01:14.677 --> 00:01:16.483 These are means to an end. 00:01:16.483 --> 00:01:23.401 The goal is life with Jesus right, that we would live today and forever in the presence of God. 00:01:23.401 --> 00:01:33.276 And so, because we know Jesus by grace, through faith, as followers of Christ, we want the presence of Jesus active in our lives. 00:01:33.276 --> 00:01:35.804 That's the point of this series. 00:01:35.804 --> 00:01:43.942 It's been less of a how-to and more of an invitation into a life with God. 00:01:44.042 --> 00:01:47.428 I love this quote I came across from an author this past week. 00:01:47.428 --> 00:02:01.082 What all these spiritual masters of the way are saying is that through habit you can co-create with Jesus, a mind that is fixed on God all throughout the day. 00:02:01.082 --> 00:02:05.011 You can say with the psalmist I have set the Lord always before me. 00:02:05.011 --> 00:02:08.704 Or with Paul set your minds on things above. 00:02:08.704 --> 00:02:14.274 How many of you need a mind that's set on God on Tuesday afternoon at the office? 00:02:14.274 --> 00:02:17.550 Or when you're trying to parent your children? 00:02:17.550 --> 00:02:23.332 Or when you're having to have a conversation with that person and you got to smile and be kind? 00:02:23.332 --> 00:02:27.075 And we need a mind that's set on God. 00:02:27.075 --> 00:02:36.549 And that's the point of the series that through these intentional habits, that our thought process in moments of stress and pressure would go to God. 00:02:36.549 --> 00:02:45.492 That in moments of pain and difficulty, rather than despair, our hearts and our minds will be full of the hope of Christ. 00:02:45.492 --> 00:02:52.114 And so today, since these are means to an end, we're going to end today by talking about Jesus. 00:02:52.114 --> 00:03:03.350 We're going to talk a little bit about us and the process, but the goal today is to talk about Jesus and what it means to submit our lives to his authority. 00:03:03.350 --> 00:03:05.849 This is going to be a heavy scripture day. 00:03:05.939 --> 00:03:07.044 We believe the Bible. 00:03:07.044 --> 00:03:09.069 We believe this is the word of God. 00:03:09.069 --> 00:03:10.858 This is like the best steak dinner for our souls. 00:03:10.858 --> 00:03:11.176 We believe this is the word of God. 00:03:11.176 --> 00:03:12.546 This is like the best steak dinner for our souls. 00:03:12.546 --> 00:03:14.870 We need God's word in our lives. 00:03:15.371 --> 00:03:19.942 Jesus says this in John, chapter six, verse 38. 00:03:19.942 --> 00:03:28.182 He says I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 00:03:28.182 --> 00:03:35.585 Now, if anybody who's ever walked on the planet had the right to say, hey, it's about me, guess who it was? 00:03:35.585 --> 00:03:37.444 It was Jesus. 00:03:37.444 --> 00:03:37.664 Right. 00:03:37.664 --> 00:03:43.831 If anybody had the right to raise his hand and say I'm the guy, I'm the one, it's about me. 00:03:43.831 --> 00:03:52.366 And Jesus, in John, chapter six, verse 38, says I have come from heaven not to do my own will, but to do the will of him who sent me. 00:03:52.366 --> 00:04:00.496 Now we don't have time to get in today to a deep Trinitarian discussion of what it means that God is three persons, one essence, one God. 00:04:00.496 --> 00:04:02.122 We don't have time to get into all of that. 00:04:02.122 --> 00:04:09.043 What we need to understand is Jesus is modeling for us, submission to the authority of God. 00:04:09.043 --> 00:04:13.484 And then Jesus goes on and he says and this is the will of him, who sent me? 00:04:13.484 --> 00:04:23.894 If you want to know what God wants here, it is that Jesus should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 00:04:23.894 --> 00:04:32.192 For this is the will of my father that everyone who looks on the son and believes in him should have eternal life. 00:04:32.192 --> 00:04:35.947 And I will raise him up on the last day. 00:04:37.671 --> 00:04:43.302 You could make the case that this is the mission statement of Jesus's ministry. 00:04:43.302 --> 00:04:47.349 Why is Jesus on the planet? 00:04:47.349 --> 00:04:51.436 Why did he step out of eternity and come to the earth? 00:04:51.436 --> 00:04:55.444 Why did he move out of heaven and come into time and space? 00:04:55.444 --> 00:05:14.353 To put on flesh and bone and dwell among people, so that everyone who looks on Jesus and believes in him should have eternal life, should live forever with God. 00:05:14.353 --> 00:05:18.365 And Jesus says I will raise him up on the last day. 00:05:18.365 --> 00:05:19.731 What is God's will for you. 00:05:19.731 --> 00:05:25.725 It is your salvation and your resurrection through the person and work of Jesus. 00:05:25.725 --> 00:05:33.524 What we're going to see today is that it is submission to the plan of God that makes that possible for us. 00:05:33.703 --> 00:05:36.310 So to get there, I do. 00:05:36.310 --> 00:05:39.100 I know we're going to talk about a lot of Jesus, read a lot of Bible. 00:05:39.100 --> 00:05:42.046 I do have to ask a question Is anybody not from the South? 00:05:42.046 --> 00:05:46.714 That was my guess. 00:05:46.714 --> 00:05:47.461 No, I'm just kidding. 00:05:47.461 --> 00:05:50.089 I love it, I love you, I'm so glad you're here. 00:05:50.089 --> 00:05:57.266 If you're not from the South, when you move to the South, what you realize is this place is different. 00:05:57.266 --> 00:05:57.427 Anybody. 00:05:57.427 --> 00:06:07.174 Everything's fried, right, we don't drive real well, right, a little slower pace, maybe A lot of smiles, and you know God bless you is that type of thing. 00:06:08.358 --> 00:06:12.625 There's another interesting component to living in the South and maybe you've experienced it. 00:06:12.625 --> 00:06:15.121 If you're from the South, you probably don't even know that it's happening. 00:06:15.121 --> 00:06:18.070 If you're not from the South, you probably got here and you're like that's weird. 00:06:18.070 --> 00:06:19.983 It's called a Southern goodbye. 00:06:19.983 --> 00:06:26.081 Anybody, some of you know right, a Southern goodbye is when it takes you an hour and a half to leave. 00:06:26.081 --> 00:06:31.009 And the way a Southern goodbye works you're in the living room, right, and you're talking. 00:06:31.009 --> 00:06:37.786 You finish dinner, somebody started to clean up and you stand up and that begins the process of a Southern goodbye. 00:06:38.508 --> 00:06:48.906 Nobody's going anywhere yet, but you might say something like well, I guess it's time for me to be going, and that marks the shift into the closing conversation. 00:06:48.906 --> 00:07:01.550 It may take a few minutes, may take half an hour, may take an hour in the living room, and then somebody who's in the process of trying to leave says something like if they're from the South, well, y'all go with us. 00:07:01.550 --> 00:07:04.747 Which doesn't mean y'all come with us. 00:07:04.747 --> 00:07:07.924 They're trying to leave, they don't want you to come with them, they're trying to get out. 00:07:07.924 --> 00:07:10.529 It just means now's really the time that I have to leave. 00:07:10.529 --> 00:07:16.965 And so they leave the living room and they go to the front door, where they are stopped again, where they choose to stop again. 00:07:16.965 --> 00:07:18.525 And what happens at the front door? 00:07:18.525 --> 00:07:26.966 The conversation continues right, and then maybe the host says something to the effect of well, y'all come back when you can't stay so long. 00:07:26.966 --> 00:07:34.868 Which again doesn't mean that it means I'm not done talking to you yet, let's have some more conversation. 00:07:34.888 --> 00:07:43.024 So then you move to the front porch and you talk a little bit on the front porch and then you go to the car and while the car is being loaded there's more conversation happening. 00:07:43.024 --> 00:07:45.471 Has anybody else lived this experience? 00:07:45.471 --> 00:07:48.767 And then you get in the car and it's like finally it's time to go. 00:07:48.767 --> 00:07:50.431 But you see the host and they're at the window. 00:07:50.431 --> 00:07:54.205 Some of you are that person. 00:07:54.205 --> 00:07:54.781 You're like, you know. 00:07:54.781 --> 00:07:57.241 Then they're like roll the window down and like leaning on the window. 00:07:57.241 --> 00:08:13.983 You know like talking to the kids in the backseat, and you're like, all right, you know the car is in reverse and just like start moving slowly, hoping they get out of the window before the tires get to their feet, you know, and it's like finally, an hour and a half after the goodbye began, somebody's actually leaving. 00:08:13.983 --> 00:08:17.751 I saw this doormat the other day and it said this. 00:08:17.751 --> 00:08:18.801 It said live, laugh, leave. 00:08:18.801 --> 00:08:20.865 And I like that. 00:08:20.865 --> 00:08:24.181 It made me laugh and also so I say that that's the Southern goodbye. 00:08:24.181 --> 00:08:24.863 That's the Southern goodbye. 00:08:24.863 --> 00:08:26.669 It takes an hour and a half to actually get anywhere. 00:08:27.739 --> 00:08:31.526 There's another thing that I came across this past week called an Irish goodbye. 00:08:31.526 --> 00:08:33.890 Anybody ever heard of the Irish goodbye? 00:08:33.890 --> 00:08:36.961 Now, it's the opposite of a Southern goodbye. 00:08:36.961 --> 00:08:40.531 With an Irish goodbye, you don't say anything to anybody, you just leave. 00:08:40.531 --> 00:08:47.823 It's like you're at dinner and the next thing you know you're not at dinner anymore and everybody's like where'd they go? 00:08:47.823 --> 00:08:50.028 And everybody else is like I don't know. 00:08:50.028 --> 00:08:51.513 Did they say anything to you before they left? 00:08:51.513 --> 00:08:52.683 No, they didn't speak to us. 00:08:52.683 --> 00:08:53.706 They speak to you, no. 00:08:53.706 --> 00:08:54.709 Has the host seen them? 00:08:54.709 --> 00:08:56.163 Nope, host, hadn't seen them anywhere. 00:08:56.163 --> 00:08:56.965 They're gone. 00:08:56.965 --> 00:09:00.173 It's an Irish goodbye, just left. 00:09:00.173 --> 00:09:03.485 Anybody like I like that, that sounds pretty good. 00:09:03.485 --> 00:09:15.259 One survey, one study it was done by the Time Management Institute found that Americans spend an average each year of 18 hours saying goodbye. 00:09:15.259 --> 00:09:17.307 The Irish are like we're not doing that. 00:09:17.307 --> 00:09:18.543 We'll just see you. 00:09:18.543 --> 00:09:20.904 The next time we see you We'll pick it up from there. 00:09:20.904 --> 00:09:21.788 We're out, right. 00:09:21.788 --> 00:09:24.268 So here's why I say all that. 00:09:25.079 --> 00:09:30.930 We're going to take a moment today and we're going to trace the last week of Jesus's life. 00:09:30.930 --> 00:09:40.105 We're going to look at what he did Sunday, monday, tuesday, wednesday, leading us to a passage that we're going to read in Matthew 26 about Thursday. 00:09:40.105 --> 00:09:44.573 And here's what you need to know Jesus's last week before the cross. 00:09:44.573 --> 00:09:46.865 There is no wasted moment. 00:09:46.865 --> 00:09:49.593 This is not a Southern goodbye. 00:09:49.593 --> 00:09:53.163 He's not taking time just for the sake of taking time. 00:09:53.163 --> 00:10:00.016 There's not a wasted word, there's not an unintended moment. 00:10:00.016 --> 00:10:07.687 Everything Jesus does from Sunday until he dies on the cross is purposeful and intentional. 00:10:07.687 --> 00:10:10.170 It's not an Irish goodbye. 00:10:10.170 --> 00:10:21.492 He's taking time to do what he needs to do, to model for us what it looks like to submit to the will and the plan of God. 00:10:21.492 --> 00:10:41.090 You see, here's the thing about submission that we need to understand from the beginning there is someone who is in charge, and it is is not me and it is not you, and Jesus, in his humanity, models for us what a life submitted to the authority of God looks like. 00:10:41.090 --> 00:10:42.576 So, with that said, we're going to begin on Sunday. 00:10:43.539 --> 00:10:52.674 On Sunday, palm Sunday, which we celebrate today, jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey. 00:10:52.674 --> 00:10:57.831 Now, again, purposeful, intentional in everything that he does. 00:10:57.831 --> 00:11:13.050 If you want to read the narrative account of Jesus's Sunday Matthew 21, mark, chapter 11, luke 19, or John, chapter 12, jesus enters the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey. 00:11:13.050 --> 00:11:15.120 Now, why is this significant? 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:24.788 Remember John, chapter 6, jesus said it is the will of the Father that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life. 00:11:25.168 --> 00:11:35.927 Jesus says in Matthew, chapter 20, before he enters the city of Jerusalem, as he was going up to Jerusalem verse 17, he took the 12 disciples aside. 00:11:35.927 --> 00:11:40.480 He's preparing for the triumphal entry of Palm Sunday. 00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:44.568 And on the way he said to them see, we are going up to Jerusalem. 00:11:44.568 --> 00:11:47.260 And I well, yeah, jerusalem's right there. 00:11:47.260 --> 00:11:48.423 We know where this path leads. 00:11:48.423 --> 00:11:50.004 We know that we're going to Jerusalem. 00:11:50.004 --> 00:11:51.388 We've been to Jerusalem before. 00:11:51.867 --> 00:12:27.763 But then Jesus says this and the Son of man which is one of Jesus's favorite titles for himself, because it's a reference back to the Son of man in Daniel, prophetic literature about the coming of one with the power and the authority of Almighty God, the son of man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes and they'll condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles, the Romans, to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will rise again on the third day. 00:12:27.763 --> 00:12:57.369 So, as they're going to Jerusalem, jesus looks at his disciples and he says I want you to know what's going to happen in Jerusalem the son of man, mocked, beaten, crucified at the hands of the religious leaders in the Roman empire, he's going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to shed my blood and die in Jerusalem, but I'll resurrect for your salvation. 00:12:57.369 --> 00:13:07.175 So that's the narrative given to the disciples by Jesus as they move towards the city, sunday comes. 00:13:07.175 --> 00:13:08.579 They draw near to Jerusalem. 00:13:08.579 --> 00:13:10.516 They come to Bethphage, the Mount of Olives. 00:13:10.516 --> 00:13:14.789 Jesus sends two disciples saying to them go to the village, find the guy with the donkey. 00:13:14.789 --> 00:13:17.062 Donkey's going to be tied up inside the donkey. 00:13:17.062 --> 00:13:17.904 Bring it to me. 00:13:18.786 --> 00:13:21.552 And why is Jesus so specific about the donkey? 00:13:21.552 --> 00:13:39.432 Well, zechariah, chapter nine, verse nine, another prophecy says behold, your king is coming to you humble and lowly and bringing salvation, and he's riding guess what on the back of a donkey. 00:13:39.432 --> 00:13:44.423 Jesus didn't look around and say hey, you know, the horses are all taken today. 00:13:44.423 --> 00:13:47.430 I guess Camels are out of stock. 00:13:47.430 --> 00:13:48.312 Let me find the donkey. 00:13:48.312 --> 00:13:50.004 No, it was intentional, it was purposeful. 00:13:50.004 --> 00:13:52.310 Jesus is fulfilling prophecy. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:58.990 And so he begins to enter the city of Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey. 00:13:58.990 --> 00:14:03.769 And as he does, matthew 21, verse eight, says most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road. 00:14:03.769 --> 00:14:08.366 Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 00:14:08.366 --> 00:14:14.107 The crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting Hosanna to the son of David. 00:14:14.107 --> 00:14:18.665 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna, in the highest. 00:14:18.665 --> 00:14:19.489 He entered Jerusalem. 00:14:19.489 --> 00:14:21.768 The whole city was stirred up saying who is this? 00:14:21.768 --> 00:14:27.831 And the crowd said this is the prophet, jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. 00:14:27.831 --> 00:14:34.092 So he enters the city to the worship, the adoration of the crowds. 00:14:34.092 --> 00:14:36.643 Now, matthew 20,. 00:14:36.643 --> 00:14:40.211 Jesus says to his disciples we're going to Jerusalem, they're going to crucify me. 00:14:40.211 --> 00:14:44.987 He enters the city and people are worshiping him. 00:14:44.987 --> 00:14:46.331 You got to think. 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:50.449 The disciples are a little bit confused at this point in time, right, like well, what is it? 00:14:50.449 --> 00:14:53.668 I thought this was going to be one of those moments that didn't go well. 00:14:53.668 --> 00:14:54.390 And here we are. 00:14:54.390 --> 00:14:55.564 This is going pretty well. 00:14:55.564 --> 00:15:00.869 You said we're walking into your death and this is turned into a party. 00:15:00.869 --> 00:15:01.951 This is a parade. 00:15:01.951 --> 00:15:03.033 This is amazing. 00:15:04.319 --> 00:15:08.043 Well, the story doesn't end there, this triumphal entry. 00:15:08.043 --> 00:15:10.951 It's recorded in Matthew, mark, luke and John. 00:15:10.951 --> 00:15:20.737 But Luke chapter 19 gives us a little different picture of this entry into Jerusalem. 00:15:20.737 --> 00:15:29.951 Verse 41 of Luke 19 says when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying would that you, even you? 00:15:29.951 --> 00:15:38.967 Or in other words, I wish that you had known on this day the things that make for peace. 00:15:41.350 --> 00:15:46.942 So he hears the shouts of the crowd Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:15:46.942 --> 00:16:02.028 He sees people waving palm branches and laying them at his feet, taking off their cloaks and laying their cloaks before him and Jesus, as he's traveling this road down the hill, up the hill, into Jerusalem. 00:16:02.028 --> 00:16:07.300 He weeps as he approaches the city, why? 00:16:07.300 --> 00:16:15.903 Because he's looking at people who are honoring him with their lips but whose hearts are far from him. 00:16:15.903 --> 00:16:23.620 He knows the same crowd worshiping him on Sunday will shout, crucify him on Friday. 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:37.894 He knows that on Saturday there'll be no one left in that city that believes that he is the Messiah and his heart is broken. 00:16:37.894 --> 00:16:44.399 He says I wish that you understood what it took for you to find peace. 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:50.776 And I wonder if, in some ways, jesus looks at our world today and says the same thing. 00:16:50.776 --> 00:16:57.538 I wish that you understood what it took for you to be at peace. 00:16:57.625 --> 00:17:06.773 I'm convinced that one of the deepest longings of the human heart is to be at peace, and maybe we wouldn't put it like that, maybe we wouldn't use the word peace. 00:17:06.773 --> 00:17:11.971 If you don't know Jesus, maybe that's not how you would describe it, but we are all longing for peace. 00:17:11.971 --> 00:17:24.220 All across our world, people are longing for peace and we know that because people say things like well, I'm just trying to find my spot in the universe, where the universe is for me and not against me. 00:17:24.220 --> 00:17:35.525 I'm just trying to surround myself with good vibes and find the right people with good energy, so that I can live with the kind of vibe and energy that I'm called to live with. 00:17:35.525 --> 00:17:41.976 We say things like that, we hear things like that, and we consult the stars and we try to figure out what the future is going to hold. 00:17:41.976 --> 00:17:47.167 And what we're looking for is peace and Jesus. 00:17:47.167 --> 00:17:54.800 He weeps on Sunday as he sees people who know no peace. 00:17:54.800 --> 00:17:57.672 Do you know peace? 00:17:57.672 --> 00:17:59.505 Peace is a person. 00:17:59.505 --> 00:18:01.449 His name is Jesus. 00:18:02.792 --> 00:18:03.513 On Monday. 00:18:03.513 --> 00:18:05.798 Monday is a day of conflict. 00:18:05.798 --> 00:18:10.115 We're not going to read all the scriptures today, but Jesus cleanses the temple. 00:18:10.115 --> 00:18:13.477 Some scholars say this happened actually on Sunday afternoon evening. 00:18:13.477 --> 00:18:14.402 Others say Monday. 00:18:14.402 --> 00:18:18.791 Maybe it happened twice, but Matthew 21, mark 11, luke 19,. 00:18:18.791 --> 00:18:27.190 There's conflict between Jesus and the religious system of the Israelites, the Hebrew people. 00:18:27.190 --> 00:18:32.240 He's got Sadducees questioning him about the resurrection. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:42.740 He's got Pharisees trying to trap him into misspeaking about the requirements of the law or what it means to live as a Roman citizen. 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:54.594 He has people trying to confront him and capture him in a weak moment or cause him to say something he ought not to say, so they can have a reason to lead him out and lock him up. 00:18:54.594 --> 00:18:57.488 Monday is a day of conflict. 00:18:57.488 --> 00:18:59.814 I had a professor in seminary and what he said about Monday is that Monday is a day of conflict. 00:18:59.814 --> 00:19:08.398 I had a professor in seminary and what he said about Monday is that Monday is the day that cements Israel's rejection of Jesus as king. 00:19:08.398 --> 00:19:11.045 By the end of the day on Monday. 00:19:11.045 --> 00:19:19.656 There is no doubt that the vast majority of people in Jerusalem in 33 AD do not want Jesus as Lord and Savior. 00:19:19.656 --> 00:19:23.021 The religious system has no place for him. 00:19:23.021 --> 00:19:29.575 The people don't want him, and so Jesus exits the city again. 00:19:29.575 --> 00:19:31.479 After a day of conflict. 00:19:32.685 --> 00:19:35.690 Tuesday, jesus teaches again in the temple. 00:19:35.690 --> 00:19:57.408 He's traveling back and forth between the Bethphage, mount of Olives region, bethany, and the city of Jerusalem, and sometime on Tuesday, in the region of the Mount of Olives, jesus, he preaches a sermon, if you will, he offers a Bible study to his disciples and we call it today the Olivet Discourse. 00:19:57.408 --> 00:19:58.670 And we call it today the Olivet Discourse. 00:19:58.670 --> 00:20:09.748 If you need some light reading on a Sunday afternoon, go read Matthew 25 and 26 and 24 and 25, where Jesus describes the end of the world. 00:20:09.748 --> 00:20:10.810 That doesn't sound like light reading. 00:20:10.810 --> 00:20:11.110 It's not. 00:20:11.130 --> 00:20:55.486 I was just trying to capture your attention on a Sunday morning and in this moment, what Jesus does, coming out of Monday, a day of conflict with the religious system, where Israel has essentially said to Jesus you are not our king, you are disrupting our peace, you are threatening the relationship that exists between us and Rome and you are a threat to our society, jesus offers his disciples, in Matthew 24 and 25, an incredible reminder that not only is he the king of the Jewish people, he's the king of the universe, and one day he will reign eternally as the resurrected king to the glory of God. 00:20:55.486 --> 00:20:57.773 See the religious leaders. 00:20:57.773 --> 00:21:00.714 They're like no, you can't mess up 33 AD for us. 00:21:00.714 --> 00:21:03.173 And Jesus is like I hold all of it in my hands. 00:21:03.173 --> 00:21:09.496 And so if you read Matthew 24 and 25, what you're going to see is some history. 00:21:09.496 --> 00:21:09.957 This morning. 00:21:09.957 --> 00:21:23.172 You're going to see some prophecies about the destruction of the temple, which happened about 37 years later, when Rome invaded Jerusalem, tore the temple down and killed a lot of the Israelite people. 00:21:23.172 --> 00:21:31.115 You're also gonna see Jesus saying one day, the son of man, the resurrected king, will return. 00:21:31.115 --> 00:21:34.665 So he's talking about what's gonna happen to Jerusalem. 00:21:34.665 --> 00:21:46.814 He's talking also about what's gonna happen to the world, and he's reminding his followers that, no matter how dark it looks, no matter how difficult the days become, do not lose your faith in the Son of man. 00:21:46.814 --> 00:21:52.397 Do not let go of the peace that comes from knowing Jesus. 00:21:52.397 --> 00:21:58.377 So Sunday he enters the city to the shouts and adoration of the crowds. 00:21:58.377 --> 00:22:01.247 Monday he's in conflict with the religious leaders. 00:22:01.247 --> 00:22:07.048 Tuesday he's reminding his followers that he is the king and he will reign forever as king. 00:22:07.048 --> 00:22:09.033 And then Wednesday things kind of go quiet. 00:22:10.316 --> 00:22:15.191 Luke tells us in Luke 21 that he continues to daily teach in the temple. 00:22:15.191 --> 00:22:17.560 So you can infer that he leaves Bethany. 00:22:17.560 --> 00:22:19.759 He goes into Jerusalem to the temple, he teaches there. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.442 But from Jewish history you can gather that he leaves Bethany. 00:22:20.442 --> 00:22:20.762 He goes into Jerusalem to the temple, he teaches there. 00:22:20.762 --> 00:22:28.547 But from Jewish history you can gather that Jesus and his followers probably spent Wednesday preparing for the Passover. 00:22:28.547 --> 00:22:34.637 They were getting ready to celebrate the salvation of God. 00:22:35.658 --> 00:22:40.251 Passover is an Old Testament festival, an Old Testament feast. 00:22:40.251 --> 00:22:45.000 It's a celebration once a year of the exodus from Egypt. 00:22:45.000 --> 00:22:57.355 God rescued his people from slavery, he led them into the promised land and, because of the application of blood over their houses, he passed over them when he judged the Egyptians. 00:22:57.355 --> 00:22:58.698 That's Passover. 00:22:58.698 --> 00:23:01.894 It's the celebration of the salvation of God. 00:23:01.894 --> 00:23:07.676 And on Wednesday Jesus prepares to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. 00:23:08.778 --> 00:23:10.728 Thursday comes, jesus teaches in the temple. 00:23:10.728 --> 00:23:21.054 There's a powerful moment in the narrative where Jesus is anointed with this fragrant perfume, this fragrant ointment. 00:23:21.054 --> 00:23:29.719 It's as if he is the Passover lamb himself being prepared for his death and his burial. 00:23:29.719 --> 00:23:38.608 Later that day Jesus says he's reserved an upper room, he's got a dinner reservation for 13. 00:23:38.608 --> 00:23:44.599 In an upper room somewhere in Jerusalem, he goes in that night with his disciples. 00:23:44.599 --> 00:23:59.200 And as they gather in the upper room, jesus takes a basin of water, he takes his cloak off, wraps it around his waist and he begins to wash the feet of his disciples, including the feet of Judas Iscariot. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:02.791 He washes Peter's feet. 00:24:02.791 --> 00:24:04.769 Peter's like no, you can't touch my feet. 00:24:04.769 --> 00:24:07.691 Feet are dirty, been walking around in the dust all day. 00:24:07.691 --> 00:24:11.054 Jesus is like Peter, if you don't let me wash you, you have no share with me. 00:24:11.054 --> 00:24:13.611 Peter's like give me a bath, everything. 00:24:13.611 --> 00:24:15.495 And Jesus is like Peter, stop, just your feet will do. 00:24:15.495 --> 00:24:21.305 You're already clean the word. 00:24:21.305 --> 00:24:21.786 I've spoken over you. 00:24:21.786 --> 00:24:22.027 You're good. 00:24:22.027 --> 00:24:22.608 I sit down around the table. 00:24:22.628 --> 00:24:27.737 Jesus, as he breaks the bread, he begins to put new meaning to the breaking of bread. 00:24:27.737 --> 00:24:30.307 He says this is my body broken for you. 00:24:30.307 --> 00:24:34.516 As often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me. 00:24:34.516 --> 00:24:44.868 He takes the cup a lot of scholars it's the cup of that symbolically represents the judgment of God, the wrath of God. 00:24:44.868 --> 00:24:55.294 He picks up the cup and he says this cup is the new covenant of my blood poured out for the forgiveness of your sin. 00:24:55.294 --> 00:24:57.076 Do this in remembrance of me. 00:24:57.076 --> 00:25:09.501 And he institutes with his disciples the Lord's Supper, something that we as the church today still practice, still celebrate Jesus' table when we remember his sacrifice. 00:25:09.501 --> 00:25:19.405 We celebrate because of the forgiveness that comes through the shedding of Jesus' blood. 00:25:19.405 --> 00:25:23.828 Even in that time, he breaks bread, dips it in the cup and he passes it to Judas. 00:25:23.848 --> 00:25:25.350 Why do we keep bringing up Judas? 00:25:25.350 --> 00:25:29.634 Well, there was a gap between the religious leaders and their plans. 00:25:29.634 --> 00:25:31.297 They wanted to get rid of Jesus. 00:25:31.297 --> 00:25:40.560 They wanted to remove the threat that Jesus posed to the system, but they knew that they couldn't just take Jesus out. 00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.085 He had too many followers. 00:25:41.085 --> 00:25:49.345 The city was already in an uproar because Jesus was on the scene and they were afraid of what would happen if they just went in and took him away. 00:25:49.345 --> 00:26:18.107 They needed someone to close the gap between them and Jesus and into that gap steps Judas Iscariot, who goes to the religious leaders and mediates a deal to betray Jesus into their hands for 30 pieces of silver it would be about $600 to $700 in today's money so I'll tell you where he'll be, I'll tell you when you can take him, I'll even point him out to you. 00:26:18.107 --> 00:26:28.836 And that night, at the upper room, gathered around the table, jesus breaks the bread, dips it in the cup, holds it out to Judas, as if to say Judas, it's not too late for you. 00:26:28.836 --> 00:26:35.134 Scripture says that in that moment Satan enters into Judas. 00:26:35.134 --> 00:26:37.651 He's made his mind up. 00:26:37.651 --> 00:26:46.228 He leaves the plans in motion to betray the son of God into the hands of the Roman empire. 00:26:48.012 --> 00:27:06.777 John records Jesus praying a prayer that night with his disciples, called the high priestly prayer, where Jesus basically says to God God, I'm here to glorify you, I'm here to accomplish the work that you have for me. 00:27:06.777 --> 00:27:11.336 And then Jesus, on that night, begins to pray for his disciples in the room. 00:27:11.336 --> 00:27:24.448 And then Jesus begins to pray for people like me and you who thousands of years later would come to know him as Savior and as a Lord. 00:27:24.448 --> 00:27:27.192 Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? 00:27:27.192 --> 00:27:30.839 That as Jesus moved toward the cross. 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:34.015 You were on his mind and in his prayers. 00:27:34.015 --> 00:27:40.214 Scripture says in John 17 that when he finishes praying. 00:27:40.274 --> 00:27:52.634 He got up and he and the disciples, they left the upper room, they journeyed outside the city of Jerusalem, into the Kidron Valley and they entered a garden on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. 00:27:52.634 --> 00:27:54.146 It's called the Garden of Gethsemane. 00:27:54.146 --> 00:28:01.278 This is a tree in the Garden of Gethsemane believed to be over 2,000 years old. 00:28:01.278 --> 00:28:12.447 Jesus goes into the garden with his disciples 11 disciples at this point in time, and I want to pick up the narrative there in Matthew, chapter 26. 00:28:12.447 --> 00:28:17.516 Look on Jesus, believe in him. 00:28:17.516 --> 00:28:20.067 Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. 00:28:20.067 --> 00:28:23.489 Gethsemane means the place of pressing or the olive press. 00:28:23.489 --> 00:28:29.371 And he said to his disciples sit here while I go over there and pray, taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. 00:28:29.371 --> 00:28:31.677 This is his inner circle Peter, james and John. 00:28:31.905 --> 00:28:35.169 Jesus began to be sorrowful and troubled. 00:28:35.169 --> 00:28:41.638 He's distressed, he's grieving, his soul is in pain. 00:28:41.638 --> 00:28:44.846 He said to them my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. 00:28:44.846 --> 00:28:46.730 Remain here and watch with me. 00:28:46.730 --> 00:29:00.230 Going a little farther, jesus fell on his face and he prayed, saying my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. 00:29:00.230 --> 00:29:01.755 What is Jesus saying? 00:29:01.755 --> 00:29:21.540 He's saying, god, if there is any other way for your wrath towards sin and the evil in the world to be satisfied, if there's any other way for this cup to be satisfied without me having to go through the cross, jesus says let's go that way. 00:29:21.540 --> 00:29:23.466 Why? 00:29:23.466 --> 00:29:25.453 I thought Jesus is fully God. 00:29:25.453 --> 00:29:27.099 I thought he was in on this from the beginning. 00:29:27.099 --> 00:29:30.432 He is, and yet he's fully man. 00:29:30.432 --> 00:29:53.951 And knowing what he's facing, knowing where he's heading, knowing what it means for him as a man, the son of God, the God man, to absorb the wrath of God on his shoulders and pay the debt for my sin and your sin, jesus looks at his father and he says if there is any other way, let this cup pass from me. 00:29:53.951 --> 00:29:59.259 And sometimes that's where our prayers stop. 00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:08.439 But Jesus keeps going, nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. 00:30:10.325 --> 00:30:12.570 He came to the disciples and he found them sleeping. 00:30:12.570 --> 00:30:16.478 He said to Peter so could you not watch with me for one hour? 00:30:16.478 --> 00:30:20.475 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. 00:30:20.475 --> 00:30:23.515 The spirit, indeed, is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:30:23.515 --> 00:30:29.537 And Jesus, in his humanity, he knows what he's talking about. 00:30:29.537 --> 00:30:32.294 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. 00:30:32.294 --> 00:30:37.272 And when the flesh is weak, we need people around us who will pray with us. 00:30:37.272 --> 00:30:53.230 So he says to Jesus, to the disciples, again, for the second time he went away and he prayed my father, if this cannot pass, unless I drink it, your will be done First time. 00:30:53.230 --> 00:30:55.036 If there's any other way, let's go that way. 00:30:55.036 --> 00:31:17.076 Second prayer Jesus says if this is the only way, if this is what it's going to cost, if this is what it's going to take for you to be glorified and my people to be saved, your will be done. 00:31:17.076 --> 00:31:21.008 And again he came and he found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 00:31:21.008 --> 00:31:28.710 So, leaving them, he went away, prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 00:31:30.353 --> 00:31:34.199 What do we see about submission in this passage? 00:31:34.199 --> 00:31:34.759 Two things. 00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:39.958 We see one that submission to God is expressed in prayer. 00:31:39.958 --> 00:31:44.190 What does it look like for you to submit your life to the authority of God? 00:31:44.190 --> 00:31:58.846 It looks like you hit the floor in the morning when your feet fall out of the bed and you say God, today my life belongs to you, not my will, but yours be done, god. 00:31:58.846 --> 00:32:08.554 I know what I want, I know what I would choose, I know what I would do, but it's not about me, it's about you, not my will, but yours. 00:32:08.554 --> 00:32:14.115 We submit our lives to God in prayer. 00:32:16.307 --> 00:32:22.117 The second thing we see in this passage is that submission to God is expressed in obedience. 00:32:22.117 --> 00:32:27.285 It's made evident in what happens. 00:32:27.285 --> 00:32:32.589 As we rise from our place of prayer, we come before God. 00:32:32.589 --> 00:32:34.355 God, not my will, but yours be done. 00:32:34.355 --> 00:32:39.035 We rise, we face the world and we go out in obedience to almighty God. 00:32:39.035 --> 00:32:40.445 Look at what happens next. 00:32:40.445 --> 00:32:44.777 Jesus, father, not my will, but your will be done. 00:32:45.085 --> 00:32:47.975 He said the same words again for the third time. 00:32:47.975 --> 00:32:53.374 Then he came to the disciples and said to them sleep and take your rest later on. 00:32:53.374 --> 00:32:59.710 See, the hour is at hand and the son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 00:32:59.710 --> 00:33:01.013 Rise, let us be going. 00:33:01.013 --> 00:33:03.317 See, my betrayer is at hand. 00:33:08.726 --> 00:33:41.137 Jesus went from on his knees before the Father, the troubled soul in grief and distress, to standing boldly and courageously and walking towards the very ones who would lead him to the cross, because in his submission to God, he found strength to face everything he had to face. 00:33:41.137 --> 00:33:45.245 What is he thinking about in this moment? 00:33:45.245 --> 00:33:58.614 As he stands up, he sees his betrayer, one of his 12 handpicked followers coming to betray him, backed up by a legion of soldiers and the religious leaders of the day. 00:33:58.614 --> 00:34:00.071 What is on Jesus' mind? 00:34:00.071 --> 00:34:21.197 Well, hebrews chapter 12 says that we look to Jesus, the founder and the perfecter of our faith, who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God. 00:34:21.197 --> 00:34:32.635 What is the joy that was on Jesus's mind as he faced the cross, as he looked at his betrayer in the eyes that night in Gethsemane? 00:34:32.635 --> 00:34:33.657 What is the joy? 00:34:33.657 --> 00:34:37.768 Well, it's the glory of Almighty God. 00:34:40.050 --> 00:34:45.680 Jesus knew that his submission to the plan of God would bring glory to God. 00:34:45.680 --> 00:34:48.997 Why do we submit our lives to the will and the purpose of God? 00:34:48.997 --> 00:34:58.739 Because we know that it will bring glory to our Father who's in heaven, and there is no greater way to spend our lives than bringing glory to Almighty God. 00:34:58.739 --> 00:35:11.554 Second component of the joy that was set before Jesus that allowed him to endure the pain of the cross, I believe it's the triumph of good over evil. 00:35:11.554 --> 00:35:20.378 Jesus, his second prayer this is the only way your will be done. 00:35:20.378 --> 00:35:29.644 Jesus knew that for good to win over evil, for the powers of darkness and hell and the grave, to be vanquished forever. 00:35:29.644 --> 00:35:51.151 Jesus knew that the perfect sacrifice had to be made, that the Son of God had to willingly lay down his life, and so, for the joy that was set before him, the defeat of Satan and the powers of darkness, jesus endured the cross. 00:35:51.151 --> 00:35:56.340 There's a third component to this joy, and it's our salvation. 00:35:56.340 --> 00:36:07.137 It was the glory of God, the triumph of good and the salvation of all who would call on the name of Jesus. 00:36:08.126 --> 00:36:09.873 Why did Jesus go to the cross? 00:36:09.873 --> 00:36:21.958 Because Jesus knew that his submission to the will of God, that his suffering on a Roman cross, was essential for my salvation and for your salvation. 00:36:21.958 --> 00:36:27.429 And so Jesus prays three times Father, not my will, but yours, be done. 00:36:27.429 --> 00:36:34.200 He rises in strength and courage and confidence and he faces his betrayer. 00:36:34.200 --> 00:36:48.572 He embraces the cross, he takes the Roman nails because he knows that that's what it costs for me and for you to be saved. 00:36:48.572 --> 00:36:56.229 So what do we do with this? 00:36:56.229 --> 00:37:01.758 We look on and we believe in the sun. 00:37:01.758 --> 00:37:06.030 Do you have peace in your heart today? 00:37:06.030 --> 00:37:08.677 Do you have peace with god today? 00:37:08.677 --> 00:37:11.704 Do you know why you're on the planet today? 00:37:11.704 --> 00:37:18.409 Or are you, like so many people in this world, trying to be your own source of authority. 00:37:18.409 --> 00:37:37.047 When you submit your life to Almighty God, you bring glory to God, you become part of the triumph of good over evil and you receive the salvation that was purchased for you on the cross by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 00:37:39.110 --> 00:37:56.425 Romans 12 says it like this because of the mercy of God and the light of God's mercy, offer your body, present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship or your reasonable response? 00:37:56.425 --> 00:38:00.994 What's the only thing that makes sense in response to what Jesus has done? 00:38:00.994 --> 00:38:05.467 We submit our lives to the authority of Almighty God. 00:38:05.467 --> 00:38:12.655 We say God, I don't know God, I don't understand God, I don't have it all figured out. 00:38:12.655 --> 00:38:21.733 God, I can't predict the future, but I trust Jesus, I believe in Jesus. 00:38:21.733 --> 00:38:29.893 For us to submit our lives to any authority, we have to believe that they know what is best and they have our best interest at heart. 00:38:29.893 --> 00:38:33.072 Can I tell you this morning, nobody loves you like Jesus loves you. 00:38:33.072 --> 00:38:37.753 Nobody knows what you need like Jesus knows. 00:38:37.753 --> 00:38:42.586 Nobody's got a future and a hope to offer you like Jesus does. 00:38:42.586 --> 00:38:48.278 Jesus laid down his life for you so that he could bring you back to life in his name. 00:38:51.126 --> 00:38:51.668 John 6,. 00:38:51.668 --> 00:39:05.030 This is the will of my father that you look on and believe in the resurrected son and you find eternal life and one day you are resurrected to new life, forever, with almighty God. 00:39:05.030 --> 00:39:10.195 So we're gonna close today a little differently than normal. 00:39:10.195 --> 00:39:14.730