WEBVTT 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:13.919 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years, welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible Teaching Ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.359 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.280 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:26.399 Well, clearly it's a big worship day for us as a church. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:29.679 We're worshiping him with our faith forward offering. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:34.719 We're worshiping him in that set of worship time with Maverick. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:42.240 We're calling him later on this afternoon after the service is over in just a few moments to lead us in worship in Chaffee. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:44.079 That's a major part of what we do. 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:50.640 But worship is an interesting topic for us today as we continue our Discuss series. 00:00:50.880 --> 00:00:59.759 What I want to do is today move into the road to the cross as Jesus moves to the cross. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:09.920 And so I know it's not Palm Sunday, but if you'll turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter 19, we're going to look at that day that we call Palm Sunday. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:15.200 We refer to it that way because it sets up the week that Jesus moves to the cross. 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:38.879 And by doing it today, we get a chance over the next several weeks between now and Easter to walk along with Jesus and his disciples as he prepares them for the cross, the events that led him to the cross, when he died on the cross for us, and then on Easter, what we call Easter or refer to Easter, was the day when he was risen from the grave, where he conquered death and sin and accomplished God's plan of salvation. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:47.120 Now the reason that we call this Palm Sunday, as we'll see in a moment, is as Jesus is entering into the city of Jerusalem, people are worshiping him. 00:01:47.359 --> 00:02:01.760 They're shouting his name, they're chanting, they're reciting scripture, they're taking off their coats and palm leaves, and they're putting it in front of the road as a sign of honor as he is coming into Jerusalem. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:06.959 And it looks a lot like a worship service in many ways. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:14.879 They're focused on the person of Jesus, they're calling out who he is, they're trying to honor him as they know. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:23.280 But it's interesting because, as we'll see, they do not understand yet who Jesus is. 00:02:24.000 --> 00:02:32.800 And as they are celebrating Jesus, there's a difference between celebrating Jesus and worshiping Jesus. 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:45.120 You can celebrate a lot of things about who Jesus is, or your impression of who Jesus is, or what you might think Jesus would do for you, but that's very different than worshiping the person of Jesus. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:03:02.479 Because to worship the person of Jesus is to acknowledge who Jesus really is, who he actually is, as the Savior, and the fact that he was going into Jerusalem to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins. 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:11.840 That is who Jesus is as the Messiah, and his purpose in all things is spiritually to bring about our redemption. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.560 And that's what worship actually is. 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:20.080 I want you to read with me here in Luke chapter 19, starting in verse 28, in this moment. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:22.479 Here's what the Bible says. 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:27.680 He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:37.280 As he approached Bethpage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said, So he's not there yet. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:41.439 He's in a city called Bethany, right outside of Jerusalem. 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:44.800 It's the place where Mary and Martha and Lazarus live. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:47.680 And you'll remember he raised Lazarus from the dead. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:51.439 He sent two of his disciples and said, Go into the village ahead of you. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:57.599 As you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied there on which no one has ever sat. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:00.240 Untie it and bring it here. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:05.039 If anyone asks you, Why are you untying that donkey? 00:04:05.280 --> 00:04:08.719 Say this, The Lord needs it. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:12.560 So those who were sent left and found it just as Jesus had told them. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:18.160 As they were untying the young donkey, its owners said to them, Why are you untying our donkey? 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:21.279 The Lord needs it, they said. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:26.160 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their robes on the donkey, they helped Jesus get on it. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:32.000 And as he was going along, so now they move from Bethany and they begin to enter into Jerusalem. 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:34.160 Just to give you a mental picture of what that looks like. 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:38.800 I've been there on that place on the Mount of Olives, and there's a road that goes up. 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:48.560 And uh it when you go into uh Jerusalem, it is all in hills and mountains, and it's there's not a flat place anywhere in Jerusalem. 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.839 It's kind of like walking around Silver Dollar City. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:56.000 You're like this, or like this, or leaning over, or climbing up, it's all of that. 00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:57.680 And so that's kind of what it looks like. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:08.319 And he crosses this hill and he begins down this road, and as he looks down this road, you can see right there in a panoramic view the picture of the temple. 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:18.480 And so he is looking at the temple, people lining the road as he enters in on this donkey and he uh travels down this road in Jerusalem. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:25.839 As he was going along, they were spreading their robes on the road, and the other versions also tell us they were putting palm leaves on the road. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:37.040 Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen. 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:40.879 And this is the crowds lining the road who were chanting this. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:49.600 They're quoting from Psalm, the king who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed one, peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:56.480 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, Teacher, rebuke your followers. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:06:05.920 Because here's what the Pharisees are saying: they are worshiping you as the Lord, the one who comes in the name of the Lord, the Messiah. 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:07.680 That is blasphemy. 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:09.759 You tell them to stop. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:13.360 Teacher, rebuke your followers. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:18.720 And he answered, I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:20.879 Now keep in mind, here's Jesus. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:30.480 He's riding this donkey, and he's coming down this hill, and all these people are chanting, and the Pharisees are shouting at him, and all of this is going on. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:34.639 And he sees in panoramic view the temple. 00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:50.240 And all of the picture of Jerusalem and God's people and all of the promise through the temple, and all of that's going on, and the people are coming into Jerusalem to begin the Passover ceremonies and the worship that they call the Passover. 00:06:50.319 --> 00:07:01.279 And Jesus is watching all of this and he's taking all of this in, and he understands that as they are worshiping him, they don't understand what's about to happen. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:14.560 As he approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, If you knew this day what would bring peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:22.319 The days will come on you when your enemies will build an embankment against you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:35.920 They will crush you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in you, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:53.199 As he continues down this road and he enters the temple area, he went into the temple complex in verse 45, and he began to throw out those who were selling, and he said, It is written, My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:56.480 Every day he was teaching in the temple complex for the next week. 00:07:56.639 --> 00:08:06.319 The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people were looking for a way to destroy Jesus, but they could not find a way to do it because all the people were captivated by what they heard. 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:22.240 So what's happening in this story as this happens, and why is Jesus weeping tears of sorrow over Jerusalem when he's coming into the city to become the Savior and accomplish God's plan of salvation? 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:34.639 Well, there's one main truth we need to understand about this moment, and this main truth is why Jesus' heart is broken and why he's not receiving this adulation as worship. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:39.279 Why this celebration is only celebration and it is not worship. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:48.879 You see, the people think that Jesus is coming as the Messiah, the throne of David to be a king, an earthly king in the same fashion as David. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:58.399 He's going to throw off the yoke of the Roman Empire, and they are going to become the people of God, and they're going to become who they were in the days of David and Solomon. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:03.200 That's why they're chanting from Psalms, peace and heaven and glory on the highest. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:13.440 It's why Jesus says, if you knew this day what would actually bring peace, but you don't, and now it's hidden from your eyes. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:17.360 You see, Jesus is coming into Jerusalem for a specific purpose. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.360 It is the week of Passover. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:44.240 Passover is that celebration from the Old Testament that you have heard about, if you've been in church, where when they came out of the land of Egypt on that last time when Pharaoh wouldn't let them go, he brought them frogs and he brought them locusts and he blackened the sky and he made the Nile River run with blood, and he did all these tribulations and trials trying to get Pharaoh to let the people go, and he wouldn't let them go. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:48.320 And they had that last trial when God told them, Listen, here's what I'm going to do. 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:53.120 I'm going to visit judgment on this country for how it's treated my people and all of that. 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:55.600 And what he says is, Listen, here's what you do. 00:09:55.840 --> 00:10:06.480 My people, if you will take a sacrificial lamb, and they understood the sacrifice of lambs, the shedding of blood, as the picture of the Messiah who would pay the price for our sins. 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:14.639 And you will prepare a meal from your family, and you will take the blood of the lamb, and you will put it on the doorposts of your house, and you will prepare yourself to leave. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:20.559 And during the night, I'm going to send my angel of judgment, the death angel, through the land of Egypt. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:28.159 And anyone who has put the blood on the doorposts of their home, I will pass over that house. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:40.960 But if you've not placed your trust in me, if you have not done this act of worship, of acknowledging me and what I'm doing, then the death angel will come in and the firstborn in every house not covered by the blood. 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:48.960 And as you know, it was a terrible tragedy in Egypt as God visited his judgment on Egypt. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:54.559 Pharaoh let the people go, and they came out of Egypt, and they went into the promised land. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:11:00.159 And so the Jews began to develop that as a ceremony, and it would be called the Passover. 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:08.799 And every year they would come to the temple, they would make pilgrimages to Jerusalem, and they would come to celebrate Passover. 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:24.000 Now, the way Passover would work is on a certain day, a week out from the day of Passover, it was a specific day when you would select the lamb that your family would use to be the Passover lamb. 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:27.360 Everyone knew what day that was. 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:29.279 Everyone knew how it worked. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:41.600 Everyone coming into Jerusalem understood on this particular day that we call Palm Sunday is the day that you select the lamb for your Passover for your family. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:52.080 So Jesus is making it clear by entering in Jerusalem on that day, in that time, that I am the ultimate Passover Lamb. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:56.639 That Jesus is the Messiah who's coming to take away our sins. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:58.960 Is also a fulfillment of prophecy. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:03.840 This whole thing about the donkey and go get the donkey and nobody set on it and riding in on all that. 00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:18.799 That's a prophecy from the Old Testament where it identifies the Savior, and they knew enough to understand that this is a special day and Jesus is a special person coming in, but they do not understand that Jesus is the Passover Lamb. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:22.799 And they have to understand that Jesus came for a purpose. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:37.840 The whole point of all of that form of Jewish worship, the pictures in the temple, the separation of God's presence behind the veil and the Holy of Holies, all of that is all a picture of God's promise of the Messiah. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:49.200 And in the midst of all of that, they do not recognize that Jesus is coming for a specific purpose to die on the cross for our sins and to provide salvation. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:51.360 That is the main truth of this day. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:54.720 And Jesus enters this day and it is heavy on his heart. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:56.480 It is the focus of his mind. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:06.080 He knows that every day will be specific days between now and the cross when I will die on the cross to pay the price for the sin of mankind. 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:08.399 And so Jesus came for a purpose. 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:20.399 And so when he has heavy on his mind and heart his purpose, and he sees all these people who do not understand why he's coming, even though they should, it breaks his heart. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:22.960 So truth number one, I want you to see this. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:27.919 Jesus weeps for those who miss him. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:30.080 Who miss him. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.759 There are a lot of people who don't understand who Jesus is. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:55.600 They may have an impression of Jesus, or they may think that Jesus does this, or they may come and say, Jesus, will you fix this in my life, or fix this habit or problem or family issue, or fix my job, or fix this deal, or uh whatever, and you come and Jesus doesn't do that for you, and you misunderstand who Jesus is, you don't understand what he's doing and why he came. 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:58.960 Jesus didn't come to make this a better world to go to hell from. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:02.240 He didn't come to make life easier or better or anything else. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:09.279 Jesus came to be our Savior so that we could spend an eternity in heaven and avoid an eternity in hell and judgment. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:12.000 And Jesus has a purpose. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:21.519 He comes as our savior, and here he is weeping because he's seeing all these people who don't understand who he is and why he came. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.080 He has a purpose for them. 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:39.919 All throughout scripture, time doesn't allow us to go through it, but time after time after time you see God reiterate his purpose for Israel, his plans for Israel, his covenants for Israel, how he's going to use Israel to bring the Messiah, and he has a plan for his people, even in judgment. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:47.919 In the book of Jeremiah, that verse that we love, I know the plans that I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:52.399 Even in judgment, he gives that I have a purpose and a plan for you. 00:14:52.639 --> 00:15:00.559 But God doesn't just have general purposes and plans for the crowds, he has plans for each and every person. 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:06.639 There's a beautiful picture in the book of Matthew when Jesus is talking to a crowd. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:16.720 And it says that Jesus was brokenhearted as he saw the people in the crowd and he saw them living lives he hadn't planned for them as sheep not having a shepherd. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:27.440 The Bible tells us in the book of Ephesians, when you give your life to Christ, when you trust him as your Savior and you're saved by his grace through faith, the Bible says we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. 00:15:27.679 --> 00:15:33.600 And then it tells us that he has a plan for you that he is working in your life to accomplish. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:36.799 We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:46.000 That workmanship is skilled, talented, artisan workmanship that Jesus is working in your life through salvation. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:54.720 And he says, we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that he has prepared beforehand for us to walk in. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:16:00.799 That's why in church life people say, Pastor, say God has a plan for your life because he really does. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.279 He has a plan for you. 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:11.600 And his salvation activates the opportunity for him to come into your life and to build and shape and mold and grow. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:19.360 And as an artisan, make beautiful what he's planned and equipped you to walk in that journey. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:24.000 It's incredible when you think through the plans that God has. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:29.759 And Jesus is looking and he sees Jerusalem and he knows the plans that he has for his people. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:41.519 And he knows the plans that he has for every person on that road who does not understand how to trust him as their Savior. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.840 And step into the plan that he's made for them. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:50.320 The plan that he's about to die on the cross for them to have. 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:56.559 Listen, don't miss God's plan for your life. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:03.200 When you give your life to Jesus Christ, you are surrendering your life lock, stock, and barrel to him. 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:04.640 We say this often. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:16.960 When you come to place your faith in Jesus Christ, it means you repent of your sin and you take your life, everything you've been, everything you are in this moment, and everything you ever will be, and you give it all to Jesus Christ, and it is his. 00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:20.880 But friends, Jesus will do more with your life than you can ever imagine. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:25.519 He has made a plan for you from the beginning of time. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.440 He has an incredible plan for you. 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:39.759 And when we step into faith in salvation and we make him our Lord and our Savior, we are trusting that not only does he forgive us of our sins and not only does he save us, but he enters into a relationship with us. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:47.359 And in that relationship, he has created a plan for you that is glorious, that is wonderful, that is for his glory, it is for your good. 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:51.119 It will resonate through eternity, the plan that he has for you. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:18:01.839 And you are stepping into allowing him to shape and be a workman and an artisan and work in your life to equip you to step into that plan. 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:05.759 This is one of the most powerful pictures in Scripture. 00:18:05.920 --> 00:18:14.079 And time and my lack of eloquence does not allow me to describe how incredibly powerful this moment. 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:23.839 I remember standing on that hill and looking down there, and obviously there's no more a tabernacle, but there is a the mosque that is there with that gold dome. 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:29.519 And it at least gives you the understanding of how beautiful the temple would have been there. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:45.200 And you stand on that hill and you look down these roads and you picture the streets lined and people chanting and calling for peace because they think he's going to be King David instead of King Jesus. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:49.279 They think he's going to be a ruler instead of the Savior. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:18:54.960 They think he's going to do something temporary in their lifetimes rather than eternal. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:02.400 And when Jesus understands they have missed him, he weeps and it breaks his heart. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:19.440 He gives you an incredible picture of how much Jesus is invested in his purpose of salvation, is invested in the lives of people so that they can experience what he's planned for them. 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:24.720 Don't miss Jesus the Savior. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:30.799 You also see in this moment that Jesus judges those who reject him. 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:36.559 Why do they tack this story about throwing the money changers out of the temple at the end of this? 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:45.200 Well, we are given insight in this description from Luke, and each of the Gospels has some details of this day and moment. 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:52.720 And in all of them we see this rejection of the Pharisees, this pushing back on who he is. 00:19:52.960 --> 00:20:01.759 And one of the reasons that people don't understand is because they had taken the worship system that God had designed and they had hijacked it and turned it into something else. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:08.880 This whole money changers in the temple thing, all these people are coming to Passover, and it's hard to load all that stuff. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:14.400 They weren't blessed to have Ford F-150s that you can stack all your stuff in the back of. 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:25.680 They're traveling by foot, by donkey with a pack on their back, and when they get there, they are exchanging money and they're buying their animals to bring for the sacrifices. 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:31.599 And out in this outer part, the outer courtyard of the temple, people are out there and they're selling. 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:38.640 And it's just like when you go to Disney World or somewhere and they charge you$47 for this little thing, right? 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:40.000 Bobblehead deal. 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:46.160 Or it's$150 for a hamburger when you go to a you know amusement park or something like that. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:51.119 And they are just bilking the people in this moment who are trying to come to worship. 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:54.880 They're trying to look for the Savior and the Messiah who would come. 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:57.359 They're trying to worship in Passover. 00:20:57.519 --> 00:21:01.680 And they're getting just raked from all of this. 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:10.640 And Jesus goes in to reject this whole process that is covering up the fact of who he really is. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:13.200 It's complicating all of this process. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:20.160 And he goes in there and he runs them out of the temple and says, This is supposed to be a house of prayer because this is a spiritual place. 00:21:20.400 --> 00:21:23.519 It is a spiritual act that Jesus is doing. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:26.400 And they're convoluting it with all this other stuff. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:27.519 They are rejecting him. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:33.680 And then you see this picture here in verse 47, they just get madder and madder and madder. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:40.480 Every time he teaches, and people turn and understand who Jesus is and trust him, it just hacks them off more. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:48.400 Every time Jesus does a miracle, every time he makes something happen spiritually, it just makes them more and more angry. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:58.559 And that's what begins the process of beginning to manipulate to get Jesus onto the cross in their minds to make him pay the price. 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.440 And so Jesus. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.440 Makes clear, he judges those who reject them. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:06.319 He judges these Pharisees and scribes. 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:09.119 You get some of it in some of the other versions. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:11.599 He throws all that process. 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.839 He overturns it and he throws it out of the temple. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.559 And he's judging all of these things that reject him. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:25.200 And make no mistake, if you reject the person of Jesus, there is judgment for that. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:29.519 But Jesus also calls to faith those who follow him. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:34.079 If, real quickly, I've put on the screen just to make it a little quicker. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:39.359 In the Matthew version of this story, here in Matthew 21, the Bible says this. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:44.640 Early the next morning, he was returning to the city, and he was hungry. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:49.440 So he's gone back into Bethany, and now he's going back to the temple in Jerusalem again. 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:56.079 He's returning to the city and was hungry, and seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. 00:22:56.240 --> 00:23:02.640 And he said to it, May no fruit ever come from you again, you dirty rotten fig tree. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:05.599 At once the fig tree withered. 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:11.359 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, and they said, How did that fig tree wither so quickly? 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:25.279 And Jesus answered them, I assure you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but if you tell this mountain be lifted up and thrown into the sea, it will be done. 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:27.440 What he's trying to do is get their attention. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:32.720 He says, If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:34.960 That is a profound promise. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:38.000 Whatever you ask for in prayer. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:41.680 And what he's trying to do is teach them a lesson as we go into this moment. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:44.160 The fig tree represents the children of Israel. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:46.480 All throughout scripture, you see pictures of that. 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:54.000 And he stops with this tree and he curses this tree because it's just like the people who don't understand who he is and they've missed what he's doing. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.519 They are like a fig tree. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:59.519 Its purpose is to produce fruit, and it's not producing fruit. 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:02.000 And he judges it for that failure. 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:08.079 But he does it in front of his men who are following him, and he says, Listen to me, I need you to understand. 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:17.359 When I go to the cross, when I die for your sins and raised again, what happens is you're going to take up the mantle of ministry. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:20.160 And I need you to step into that with faith. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:22.799 You need to believe in what's about to happen. 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:30.240 And in the future, as you look back to that, you need to remember and stand on the truth of what I have done as the Savior. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:41.839 When you come in prayer, and when you're praying over your churches, and you're praying over evangelism, and you're praying for open doors for the gospel, and you're praying for God to move and you're praying for those things to happen. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:44.000 Pray in faith. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:47.759 Remember, I conquered death and sin. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:55.920 Remember, you are standing in the strength of God through his Son, Jesus, through the Messiah. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:58.640 Don't be without fruit. 00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:06.559 If you're going to follow, if you understand, then believe and pray and work and bear fruit. 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:12.720 Because I'm going to the cross to conquer death and sin. 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:17.680 I'm going to the cross to create victory. 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:22.240 I'm going to the cross to bring God's salvation about. 00:25:23.680 --> 00:25:24.640 Believe. 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:28.559 Follow and believe. 00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:33.920 When you come to worship, how do you come? 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:40.720 Do you come with preconceived notions or pictures or frustrated because Jesus wouldn't do? 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:42.160 Did you come and you miss? 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:46.240 Do you sit and you think those people are crazy? 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:49.359 They don't know what they're doing, and you reject Jesus. 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:55.279 Do you come in faith, believing what God has done on the cross? 00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:58.240 I want you to bow your heads as we close this morning. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:04.160 I'm going to ask you, how do you come to worship? 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:08.720 Have you understood truly who Jesus is? 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:14.880 We're trying to show you from this series and from this scripture today and from the worship that we do who Jesus is. 00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:22.240 If you've never trusted Christ as your Savior, I want you to understand clearly, Jesus came and he died on the cross for you. 00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:28.559 He rose again, conquering death and sin, so he could provide you a means of salvation. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:32.319 Don't miss him, don't reject him. 00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:34.400 In a moment, I'm going to pray. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:37.920 God's people are going to stand and they're going to worship. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:42.960 And through their worship, show you their belief and faith in Jesus. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.039 And we're going to invite you to come. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:50.799 If you come today and you're a Christian, you don't need to be saved. 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:52.319 You're already saved. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:55.359 But maybe you're struggling. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:02.400 I want to encourage you with this passage here that Jesus calls you to believe in him. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:10.079 He calls you to ask for whatever you need in prayer and believe and come to him in faith. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:14.160 If you're struggling, I'm just going to ask you to make a commitment. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:17.519 Put your eyes on Jesus. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:23.279 Make a commitment to bring whatever it is that you're struggling with, to bring that to Jesus. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:29.200 Remember that he died for you, that he rose again, that he loves you, that he has a plan for you. 00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:32.880 I'm going to ask you as you sing to make a commitment in your heart. 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:36.720 Say, yes, Jesus, I'm going to bring that to you. 00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:40.079 Lord, we love you and we thank you for all that we're doing today. 00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:57.279 But most importantly, we thank you that you wrote through the eyes and the experiences of Matthew and Mark and Luke and John this moment so we could see why Jesus came and how much he loves us and wants us to walk in faith with him. 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:08.000 Lord, give us a freedom to come to you and worship, believing, trusting, and seeking you. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:10.640 We pray these things in the strong name of Jesus. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:15.680 And God's people said, Let's stand and sing, and if you need to come, you come. 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:21.759 We pray this message has been a blessing to you and helped to strengthen your walk with Jesus. 00:28:21.920 --> 00:28:24.720 Please know we want to minister to you and pray for you. 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:32.400 Send an email to contact us at fsfbc.org and let us pray for you and help you in any way we can. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:38.880 Thank you for listening to Chapter and First, the Bible Teaching Ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church.