WEBVTT 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:07.360 Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole. 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior. 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.839 Today, embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.120 Welcome to the Born for War podcast. 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:32.320 Kind of important to be a part of the kingdoms of this earth even as we seek the kingdom of God first. 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:33.520 Right? 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:38.479 And I think the triumphal entry today is a picture of that. 00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:41.600 At least that's the way I see it as I frame it out. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.320 So we're going to leave Romans for the next two weeks. 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:45.520 We're not going to be in Romans. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:48.399 We're going to be in the triumphal entry today. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:52.000 We're going to be in the death of Christ on Friday. 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:56.799 We're going to be talking about the resurrection of Christ on Sunday. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:58.000 So here's what I'm going to do. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:00:59.759 Different, I've never done this before. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.719 But I want to talk about the kingdom of God as it relates to the triumphal entry. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:21.200 What maybe, maybe, the Jews and the Gentiles that heard Jesus at that time in Galilee or Samaria or Judea might have been thinking about him as he came into Jerusalem on that Sunday. 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:27.840 So turn in your Bibles to Matthew 4, because I'm going to lead up to this with a few thoughts. 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:34.319 So everywhere Jesus is going, here's what's interesting, you guys. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:39.599 There's 89 chapters in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John on the life of Christ. 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:42.560 If you combine all the four Gospels, there's 89 chapters. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:46.719 There's only four on the first 30 years. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:49.920 There's only four in the first 30 years. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:56.400 Almost half of the Gospels cover Passion Week. 00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:57.840 We're in Matthew. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:02.079 I'm doing Matthew because of his emphasis on the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:08.400 But here Jesus begins his ministry in Matthew 4, verse 17. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:14.319 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:19.199 So Jesus begins his ministry speaking of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:27.439 Most scholars, not all, but most scholars see the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God being pretty much the same meaning. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:29.280 There's different variations of that. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:33.759 But for the sake of the argument today, he's speaking of the kingdom of heaven. 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:36.159 Mark might call it the kingdom of God. 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:38.800 But kingdom of heaven, kingdom of God is somewhat interchangeable. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:50.400 But then down to verse 23, and then Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, healing all kinds of sicknesses and all kinds of disease among the people. 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:51.759 Now jot this down. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:52.879 This is important. 00:02:53.439 --> 00:02:55.759 And I don't hear many pastors talk about this. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.000 I don't hear many pastors talk about the kingdom of God. 00:02:58.240 --> 00:03:04.960 But the kingdom of God was the central, and it could be argued, the only message of Jesus. 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:10.800 In other words, any other messages he gave were under the rubric of the kingdom of God. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:16.879 I would challenge you to go through the book of Matthew in your times of the Lord. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:25.919 Just take a chapter at a time, go through the book of Matthew this month, and just go through and just underline or circle kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:30.960 And you'll see it's unbelievable how much Jesus talks about the kingdom of God. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:34.319 So he inaugurates his ministry talking about the kingdom of God. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:38.639 He's healing, he's casting out demons, and he's talking about the kingdom of God. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:49.599 Then Matthew 5, 6, and 7 are the ethics or the culture or the values of the kingdom of God. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:51.439 You know what the kingdom of God is? 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:55.919 The kingdom of God is the rule, the reign of God. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.840 That's what the kingdom of God is. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:29.600 The kingdom of Great Britain during the colonization years for hundreds of years was they would set up a, they would set up an outpost, they would set up a building in Singapore or in Hong Kong or on some island that they're at, the Bahamas, or parts of South America, or parts of Africa that they brought with them the reign and the rule of the king or the queen to that area. 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:42.480 That's the kingdom of God is the king, Jesus, ruling and reigning over his kingdom, and his kingdom is you and I. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:45.920 We are the kingdom, we are the citizens of the kingdom. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:49.519 You're a citizen of the kingdom of God when you got saved. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:50.879 You may not have known that. 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:52.720 You may not have known what you signed up for. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.240 But he became king in your life. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:02.959 And Jesus comes for the first time ever in the history of antiquity. 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:14.480 This man comes talking about the kingdom of God in a way that is being expressed through healing, casting out demons, and a new way of living. 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:16.480 So first he gets everybody's attention. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:20.160 He gets everybody's attention by healing the sick, casting out demons. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:26.560 And now in Matthew 5, 6, and 7, he gives us the values of the kingdom, the ethics of the kingdom. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:28.639 Nobody's ever heard this before. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:35.600 It's causing a stir all over Israel at that time. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:50.480 Then in Matthew 6, verse 10, look at Matthew 6, verse 10, Jesus begins to teach us how to pray, and he says, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy this is how I want you to pray. 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:52.399 Thy kingdom come. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:54.800 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:56.319 In other words, this is how I want you to pray. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:00.079 I don't want you to pray, first of all, about all your needs. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:03.360 That comes later in the prayer, but first of all, I want you to seek the kingdom. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:05.759 I want you to pray, thy kingdom come. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:07.279 What's happening in heaven? 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:12.560 What the kingdom, the reign, and the rule of heaven is like, pray for that on earth. 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:21.360 And then he uses a very Hebraic style of poetry by saying, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:22.399 Parallelism. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:26.800 He sees the will of God and the coming of the kingdom of God being the same thing. 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:31.279 So, men and women, when you say things like, I just want God's will. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:32.800 And we say that a lot, right? 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:35.439 I want to know God's will about this relationship. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.000 I want to know God's will for my family. 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:39.759 I want to know God's will about my job. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:41.759 You're saying, I want the kingdom. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:59.439 Because sometimes when we say that, when we when we think of the will of God, it's sort of this mystical, ethereal sort of thing of I'll be happy in that, I'll be happier in God's will than maybe my will. 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:01.199 And so we want the will of God. 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:06.639 But here's a more tangible way to look at it is that God wants us to pray, Thy kingdom come. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:09.040 Bring the kingdom, Lord. 00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:15.120 Bring the kingdom into my job, bring the kingdom of God into my family, bring the kingdom of God into my heart. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:17.360 So then Jesus gets more specific. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:25.040 So starting at verse 25 of the same chapter, he starts talking about all the things we worry about. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:29.120 All of us in this room worry about things. 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:36.160 We worry about houses, we worry about our job, we worry about our 401k, we worry about who to marry. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:39.360 We worry, worry, worry about things, right? 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:39.839 Right? 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:40.879 Everybody go like that. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:42.720 You know, we all worry about stuff. 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:46.639 Everybody say, I worry about things. 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:47.759 Okay, we do. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:50.079 All of us do, even as Christian. 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:59.040 But then he says, the answer, the antidote to that is let's bring the kingdom into your worries. 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:01.279 So he says, seek first. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:02.800 Look at verse 33. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:12.879 So all these things you worry about, but now seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these what? 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:14.240 What? 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:16.480 These things shall be added unto you. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:21.199 In other words, if you'll get the primary right, I'll take care of the secondary. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:31.920 If you'll learn to seek me first as your primary focus, I'll start lining up the secondary issues of your life. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:48.399 Most marriage problems, most moral problems, most even societal problems, are us as human beings, sons of Adam, daughters of Eve, looking around and worrying about things. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:55.440 When Jesus says, quit looking around, why don't you look up and seek my kingdom first, and I'll add things up. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:58.000 I'll start to line stuff up for you. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:02.159 I'll show you which college to go to, or I'll tell you not to go to college. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:03.759 It's probably what he'll tell you most of the time. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:05.039 No, I'm only kidding. 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:07.600 But go to the right colleges, okay? 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:09.600 Unless you want to be a socialist. 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:10.080 No. 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:15.039 But the reality is that we seek the kingdom first. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:21.440 He'll start adding up, he'll start lining up the things that are needed for you in your life. 00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:22.960 So this is what the king's doing. 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:24.879 So he's marching across the land. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:35.200 He's in Judea, he's in Samaria, he's in Galilee, and he's preaching this kingdom message. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:37.919 Well, then he takes a turn. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:38.879 He takes a turn. 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:40.879 Look at chapter 9. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:49.200 So in chapter 9, Jesus takes an abrupt turn as it relates to this kingdom. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:51.919 Look at verse 35. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:55.200 So verse 35 follows what we saw at the very beginning. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:58.240 He's preaching everywhere, he's preaching the kingdom wherever he goes. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:08.320 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:17.279 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered like sheep having no shepherd. 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:21.120 So Matthew says this better than any of the gospel writers. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.960 He really captures the heart of Jesus. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:28.799 Then he said to his disciples, and this is where the change comes. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:42.399 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:44.080 And this is why it's a change. 00:10:44.399 --> 00:11:01.679 Because teachers and prophets throughout history have gathered people to themselves, but very few had a vision and even a strategic plan to actually empower those that are following them with the same message. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:07.440 So now Jesus is saying, as he looks out upon the crowd, I'm not going to be the only one doing this. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:12.159 I'm expecting that what I do, you can do. 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:35.919 Verse 7. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:43.759 And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:52.159 So now he's not only telling us to listen to him, he's now empowering us to do what he did. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:54.720 And he had just said, look, there's a harvest. 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:57.360 People are hungry for this stuff. 00:11:57.679 --> 00:11:59.200 Bring the kingdom. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:00.720 Bring the kingdom. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:02.799 You guys now are empowered by me. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.720 This is pre-Holy Spirit. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.320 So this is just that anointing by Jesus that they carry with them. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:15.360 Now the Holy Spirit's involved in it for sure, but they haven't been anointed with power yet, and yet they go forth. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:18.720 And it's amazing what they see God do. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:25.519 As a matter of fact, it talks about the fact that they come back amazed that the demons are subject to them. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:33.759 And then Jesus says, I saw Satan fall like lightning from the sky. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.759 But don't even rejoice in that. 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:39.200 Rejoice that your names are written in the kingdom of heaven. 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:47.440 Well, then in chapter 16, so look at chapter 16, Jesus gives us a prophecy in chapter 16, verse 18. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:51.120 A prophecy of what's going to happen in the days ahead. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:55.519 And he's speaking to the confession that Peter gives. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:13:05.759 He says, On this rock, I will build my church, Ecclesiah, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:14.240 And I'm also going to give you the keys of the kingdom of God, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:16.799 What will be loosed on earth will be loosed in heaven. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.960 So now he's getting more radical. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:20.960 So first it's Jesus doing it. 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:30.240 Now he's got 12 doing it, and now he's prophesying that there's this ecclesia, these called-out ones, this governmental body, which is literally what it means. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:31.840 Same word for assembly. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:50.399 An assembly of people in the future are gonna bring the kingdom, and when they bring the kingdom, they're gonna have this key, the keys of the kingdom that can unlock, that can unlock power, but can also lock down power. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.600 Now, isn't that interesting? 00:13:51.759 --> 00:14:06.960 So it can unlock the power of the kingdom, but it can actually shut down, uh, it can shut up, is what literally what it means, something on earth that actually will be affected in the fourth dimension. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:09.840 So it's getting, it's starting to get wider, folks. 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:10.639 It's getting wider. 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:13.039 Now, we come to the triumphal entry. 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:14.639 So look at chapter 21. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:18.080 So in chapter 21, it's very interesting. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:25.679 And the reason it's interesting is, among other things, is the fact from 21, I mean, remember, Matthew has 28 chapters. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:30.960 So fully a quarter there of Matthew is all on just the final week. 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:32.399 That's how important this is. 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:34.720 This week's really important in the life of Christ. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:35.759 It's really important you. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:42.639 In the way we're gonna unpack it as far as the kingdom of God, we're gonna unpack it some more on Good Friday, we're gonna pack it some more on the resurrection day. 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:44.240 But look at Matthew 21. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:50.960 Here's what's super significant about chapter 21 is Jesus is going public. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:55.360 He wants to go viral here. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:03.840 So before this, every time Jesus casts out a demon or heals a sick, and everybody gets excited, don't tell anybody. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:05.919 It's not my time. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:07.120 Don't keep it. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:09.679 And he's trying to tap this thing down. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.320 Words getting out, but he doesn't want anybody to know. 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:13.919 Totally different now. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:19.440 In the final week, he is going public, he's going viral. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:22.000 It's on his Facebook page. 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:24.159 I mean, it is out there, man. 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:28.000 He wants everybody to know, and he's gonna clash. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:31.759 He's gonna clash with two kingdoms. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:35.679 First kingdom is a political kingdom, not necessarily with Pilate. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:37.279 Pilate's gonna come later. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:48.320 Not necessarily Herod or Caiaphas yet, but he's but he's gonna come against a political view of Jesus, a political view of his kingdom. 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:55.519 Okay, and then secondly, he's gonna be opposed by the religious systems of Israel. 00:15:55.759 --> 00:16:04.159 Jesus always is opposed, the true Jesus is always opposed by religion, the kingdom of religion. 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:11.759 And so, and so Jesus comes in, and it's about to be a clash of two kingdoms. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:13.840 So let's pick it up at verse one. 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:34.240 Now, when they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethej at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her, loose them and bring them to me. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:42.320 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them, and immediately he will send them. 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:59.759 All this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you lowly and sitting on a donkey. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:02.720 A colt, the foal of a donkey. 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:06.319 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:12.960 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them and set him on them. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.359 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:21.759 Others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:30.000 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying, Hosanna to the son of David. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:33.680 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:36.960 Hosanna in the highest. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:42.880 And when he had come into Jerusalem and all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:50.079 So the multitude said, This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:55.039 Jesus is coming in to the holy city. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:57.599 He's coming into a very religious city. 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:00.640 He's coming into a very political city. 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:15.440 Over this next week, he's gonna be confronted by the top religious leaders of Israel and the top political leader over Israel from Rome. 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:23.680 He is walking into a situation in which Jesus, if you're taking notes, you ought to just write this over the triumphal entry. 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:26.079 Jesus is picking a fight. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:27.839 He is picking a fight. 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:30.640 None of this, don't tell anybody stuff. 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:32.160 He wants to come in. 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:37.359 He wants to come in as a king on a donkey, but he's coming in as a king. 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:40.720 Zechariah 9.9, he's fulfilling prophecy. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:43.359 The people see him as a king. 00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:48.160 Psalm 118, 26, Hosanna means save us now. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:54.799 And they see a political, military leader coming in. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:56.880 And what better time than the Passover? 00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:00.319 What better time than the Passover? 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:04.000 One of the three great feasts of Israel. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:09.279 The Passover is that feast to remember. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:12.720 Bondage out of Egypt. 00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:15.039 Bondage out of Egypt. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:16.799 Moses leading them. 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:22.079 This is a type of Moses that's coming in, you guys. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:30.319 It couldn't be a better time for this political military coup to happen than right now at the Passover. 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:31.680 Isn't that prophetic? 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:36.079 Isn't that prophetic of the release from the Egyptian rule? 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.680 Now it's the release from Roman rule? 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:50.400 Over 70 years, the Romans have civilly, but in some cases cruelly ruled over Israel. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.319 The Jews want freedom. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:20:06.799 They believe that the Messiah to come will be a ruler in Israel, militarily, spiritually, religiously, politically, and Israel will be a nation again. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.960 He's called the son of what? 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:13.759 The son of David, the greatest ruler in Israel. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.759 They see him as a son of David. 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:26.000 I mean, it's somewhat the son of God, but the son of David is pronounced here because this is the feeling, this is the sense, this is the expectation. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:32.480 If you know a little bit of the history of that time, there were a lot of messiahs at that time coming up. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:37.119 There were a lot of men who said they were the Messiah, that they were the ruler. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:44.160 So there was this sense of all over Israel, there was this strong sense of expectation that God's on the move. 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:47.359 Rightly so, by the way. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:21:03.920 And by the way, when you see cults growing in impact, when we see the rulers of the demonic coming in greater power, that's a sign of an expectation that the king is coming in greater measure. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:18.480 So even what we see in Washington and some of the idols we've talked about, and that spirit of Molech over our land, a spirit of Molech over our state is an indication to me that the king is coming. 00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:27.440 That the king is coming in greater measure, that revival is around the corner, that a kingdom of God revolution is coming because Satan is on the move. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:29.759 And I don't get it all. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:37.839 But there's some there's some sense in which Satan can see into the fourth dimension in ways that we as humans can't. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:41.200 That he sees, he can feel it probably. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.759 Remember, Satan's just a created being, just an angel created by God. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:51.119 He has supernatural powers, but he can't be but at one place at one time. 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:52.720 And I think he picked spots. 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:55.279 Some used to say that Japan was his throne. 00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:59.359 Remember, see Peter Wagner, this professor at fellows said, You're from, you were in Japan for 10 years. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:00.720 That's the Throne of Satan. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:02.319 He said that one time in class. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:08.480 I don't know about that, but what he was talking about were all the idols that are, but there's a there's more idols in Thailand, actually. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:18.880 But the reality is that darkness is close by light in the spiritual warfare that's happening in the fourth dimension. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:20.240 And that's what's happening here. 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:23.680 There's this expectation that a Messiah is about to come. 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:40.160 And so that's why many heard about, I mean, the rumors that were going around were, hey, there were these three magi, there were these three kings, there were these three princes, there were three, these three ambassadors that came from these other nations some 30 years ago. 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:44.079 You remember that thing that happened there in Bethlehem? 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:45.680 And there was a star? 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:53.680 That's why Herod was so fearful of what was going on with the birth of Jesus, was because he had expectations too. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:23:03.039 There was this overall sense that God was on the move, that there was a Messiah that was going to be born, that there was a Messiah that was going to come and he was going to be the king of the Jews. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.960 So they're expecting it. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:06.160 They're fired up about it. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:16.000 And Jesus says, okay, well, I've come to pick a fight with some of the views related to who I am. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:18.400 So what's going on here? 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:24.480 There's a prophetic way to look at this too: that Jesus came four days before the Passover. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:35.599 That's when the Passover lamb was picked, was brought forth from the nation of Israel, and was inspected for four days. 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:39.599 He's going to go through four days of inspection. 00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:41.440 Nobody sees that though. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:42.799 I don't think anybody sees it yet. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:44.079 I don't even think the disciples see it. 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:49.599 They just show you how confused the disciples are, and they've been with him every day for three and a half years practically. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.680 Acts chapter 1. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:52.559 Isn't that amazing? 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.519 Acts chapter 1. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:56.720 So Acts chapter 1, Jesus has already died on the cross. 00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:59.920 He's resurrected on the third day. 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:03.440 He has 40 days where he teaches on the kingdom of God. 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:05.039 And then what does Acts 1.6 say? 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:09.519 In Acts 1.6, the disciples say, Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:12.079 They still don't get it. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:17.359 So let's be careful in judging Israel too harshly here. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:19.279 I think we would have been in the same boat. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:28.880 There was such confusion about the true intentions and character of the kingdom of God through Jesus. 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.720 They still don't get it after all of that. 00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:33.920 And then Jesus, I guess he sees just sitting there and going, really? 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.400 Really? 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:39.519 Wait, I died on the cross. 00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:41.599 I've got the marks on my hands. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.359 I rose on the third day, and you still think it's a political kingdom. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:47.599 You still think that's the answer. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:49.359 So he doesn't even answer him. 00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:57.759 He says, But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you'll get it, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and even to the most parts of the earth. 00:24:59.920 --> 00:25:00.640 What's Jesus doing? 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:05.839 Well, first of all, I think he's confronting a political view. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:15.039 Verse 5, it says, He comes a king on a lowly donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:18.160 Comes humble, he comes lowly. 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.759 He doesn't come on a white horse. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:24.799 Verse 9, he lets the people say, Hosanna, save us now. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.160 Hosanna to the son of. 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:27.119 He lets him say that. 00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:29.039 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:30.160 He knows he's king. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.359 He comes as king. 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:33.599 But it's a different kind of kingdom. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.319 Write that down. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:36.559 It's a different kind of kingdom, men and women. 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:38.079 Different kind of kingdom. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:42.720 Let me give you four contrasts of the kingdom of God and a political kingdom. 00:25:43.039 --> 00:25:46.480 Four contrasts of the kingdom of God and the political kingdom. 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:57.920 Number one, instead of prancing on a white steed with royal robes, Jesus enters on a lowly donkey wearing the clothes of the poor and humble. 00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:58.720 Let me say that again. 00:25:58.799 --> 00:26:01.359 Instead of coming in on a white horse, he comes in on a donkey. 00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:16.160 So coming in with victory, when a king came in or a conquering general or commander came in to a nation that had been conquered, he came on a white horse, or he came on a horse. 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:25.839 But when a king or a commander was wanting to bring a peace treaty, or he came in peace, he came on a donkey. 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:32.880 So Jesus came on a donkey, notwithstanding the fact that he's a king, but he comes as a king of peace. 00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:42.240 Number two, instead of military political might, Jesus comes with the force of love and grace. 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:46.960 So instead of military political might, Jesus comes with love and grace. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:55.839 Number three, instead of conquering nations, Jesus conquers the hearts and minds of people. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:59.839 So Jesus never comes, and Christianity doesn't do well. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:08.160 Christianity as a religion has never done well in conquering nations in the name of Christ. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:13.680 Forcing people to believe, not a good strategic plan. 00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:20.240 Allowing people to believe because of the power of the gospel, good strategic plan. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:23.599 Christ never came forcing anyone to believe. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:28.559 As a matter of fact, Jesus made it really difficult to believe because he wanted them to truly believe. 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:38.160 So when he says, take up your cross and follow me, not exactly the top ad for getting people to join your team. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:49.440 Number four, instead of temporal peace built on treaties and political, Jesus brings an everlasting peace built on the cross and the resurrection. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:57.839 So if you've never given your heart to Christ here this morning, if you don't know the Prince of Peace, we invite you. 00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:00.240 You're invited into the kingdom. 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.839 And he brings peace. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:03.119 He's a Prince of Peace. 00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:12.960 But it's not based on a document you sign or becoming a member of a church or signing up for these ten things that you have to do. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:17.519 Rather, it's surrender, it's surrendering your heart to him. 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:22.319 Well, then secondly, Jesus came against the kingdom of religion. 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:24.640 Jesus came against the kingdom of religion. 00:28:24.799 --> 00:28:25.519 Look at verse 12. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:29.440 So Jesus comes in to Jerusalem, the holy city. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:34.400 Then Jesus went into the temple of God. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:38.079 So Jesus doesn't go to Pontius Pilate's palace. 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:41.680 Jesus doesn't go to the palace of Herod or Caiaphas. 00:28:42.160 --> 00:29:01.359 He goes to the temple of God, the center of religious sacrifice in Israel, drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:10.079 And he said to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:15.200 Now this is the second time, church, that Jesus has cleansed the temple. 00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:22.480 In the Gospel of John, it appears that he cleansed the temple in the early year, probably within the first year of his ministry. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:27.279 Some have given different dates on that, but this is the second time that he's cleansed the temple. 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:30.799 And this is not, let me just read this again. 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:34.400 Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out. 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:38.799 Drove out all those who bought and sold. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:41.440 This is not Sunday school Jesus. 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:45.039 This is not Surfer Boy Jesus. 00:29:45.119 --> 00:30:01.279 This is not kind of brown hair with a little bit of sun-drenched streaks through it, really tanned, with a lamb on his shoulder, you know, a little white robe and a surfboard in the other arm. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:02.240 You know. 00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:05.680 You look at that, and that's that guy looks like a sissy. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:08.480 That guy says that's a sissy Jesus. 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:10.319 But we like that. 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:14.000 Some of you have a statue like that somewhere in your house. 00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:23.200 Or you have a little picture like that, or you got the children's books, and you look at that, and he's a surfer boy Jesus. 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:26.160 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:29.359 This guy's carpenter, Jesus. 00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:34.079 There wasn't a lot of wood in Israel. 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:42.319 And if you've seen the pictures in the little children's books about Jesus, you know, his little hammer right there, and he's got wood around him. 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:46.799 You see a chair, maybe a little rocking chair, and you go, wow, that's what he did for 30 years. 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.759 Whoa. 00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:59.279 But when you go to Israel, and I've led tours in Israel, we actually talk about the fact that there were more stones than there were wood. 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:07.680 So there's more of a strong possibility that carpentry in the time of Christ would be stone masonry. 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:12.160 So he made stone tables, he made stone chairs. 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:17.200 You ever tried to lift a stone table? 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:28.559 So I think what he's doing is he's coming in, and there's stone tables, and there's stone chairs, and there's stone booths all over the place, right? 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:31.599 This is muscular Jesus. 00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:33.839 This is carpenter Jesus. 00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:37.920 He's more of a Navy SEAL than a Sunday school teacher. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:42.400 That's the Jesus, and he's coming to disrupt the political system. 00:31:42.559 --> 00:31:45.279 He's come to disrupt the religious system. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:47.119 So let me give you four contrasts. 00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:48.319 Can you write these down? 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:49.279 Four contrasts. 00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:52.160 I think these are important between religion and Jesus. 00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:59.519 Number one, religion emphasizes the outward, but Jesus always emphasizes the inward. 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:02.880 Religion emphasizes what you do. 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:07.039 Jesus wants to know who you are. 00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:09.680 That's Matthew 5, 6, and 7. 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:15.200 So he says, you say this, and he mentions some outward religious practice, and he says, but here's what I say to you. 00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:17.200 And he goes to the heart of the matter. 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:18.559 He speaks to the heart. 00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:20.799 He says, seek first the kingdom of heaven. 00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:24.960 You see, religion says if you get all the outward right, it'll change the inward. 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:30.240 Jesus says if you get the inward right, it'll change the outward. 00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:31.920 That's the first thing. 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:37.200 Number two, Jesus, in contrast to religion, religion is about what you can't do. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:40.160 Jesus is about what you can do. 00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:46.000 So, so religion is always saying, don't do that, and don't go there. 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:53.039