WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:05.599 So today is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Good Friday and Easter. 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:17.199 On Palm Sunday, historically, there in Jerusalem where Jesus is entering, the Jewish people from all over Israel would have gathered to celebrate the Passover festival. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:31.920 So the city would have been packed with Jewish families coming to pick the lamb that they would sacrifice the following Friday, there to uphold the law, to make their sacrifices to be forgiven and to be loved by God. 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:36.399 Now, if you were standing on the Mount of Olives, here's a picture of the Mount of Olives. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.799 There's the Mount of Olives there in Jerusalem today. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:44.320 And so this is actually, you're kind of standing on almost the Temple Mount of Jerusalem, looking at the Mount of Olives. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:47.600 That's the Kedron Valley there in the middle. 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:49.359 So that's looking at the Mount of Olives. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:56.079 But now if we were on the Mount of Olives and we turned back around, we would be looking toward Jerusalem, and we have a picture of that. 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:56.960 There that is. 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:01.280 And so there's the Temple Mount, and there's the eastern wall of the Temple Mount. 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:04.000 There in the eastern wall, there's an eastern gate. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:06.159 And here's a picture of the eastern gate. 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:09.920 Now that eastern gate was built in the 16th century. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.200 It was bricked up there in the medieval times. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:15.200 So long after Jesus. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:24.879 But in 1969, archaeologists found the original gate that Jesus would have walked through underneath this gate that had been demolished and built on top of. 00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:27.519 And so Jesus entered there. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:37.439 He came from Bethany, most likely going over the Mount of Olives, which we saw that picture of, over the Kedron Valley, which we saw that picture of, and into the city through the eastern gate. 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:41.920 The Jewish people called this gate the gate of mercy. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:49.760 Because in Jewish tradition, this was the gate used on the Day of Atonement for God's atonement for his people. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:55.920 And you can nerd out all your inner nerd, can go to Leviticus 16, and you can read about that. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:02:12.560 But the point is this is that we have today, when we read this passage in Matthew 21, we have the God of mercy entering this city through the mercy gate to give us mercy, to show mercy to us. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.879 So, Matthew 21, let's jump in at verse 4. 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:30.560 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:33.439 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:42.719 They brought the donkey and the colt and put them their colts, put on them their cloaks, forgive me, and he sat on them. 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:51.599 So the story says that Jesus then got on and rode into this city, and crowds lined as Jesus was entering. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:57.120 Now, last week I went and I drove up to Blue Ridge to went and went fishing with a friend. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:01.599 And I drove into the city of Blue Ridge, and nobody cared. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.479 Nobody, there was not a budge, not even a look. 00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:09.039 And I even stopped, I stopped at a little general store, I went in, nobody cared. 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:10.240 Nobody even turned their head. 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:11.280 I bought a cookie. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:15.039 You would have thought I was bothering the cashier to make this purchase. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:21.199 Nobody, I cannot stress how much nobody cared that I was there. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:21.599 Right? 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:24.000 That's what happens when you and I go somewhere. 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:24.719 Nobody cares. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.360 We just go wherever we want, it's not a big deal, no big deal. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:34.479 Now, Jesus entering Jerusalem is much more like Justin Bieber driving up to Blue Ridge last week and buying a cookie in the general store. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:41.520 I mean, the word about Justin Bieber buying that oatmeal raisin cookie, admittedly, it was the odd time to buy cookie. 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:43.439 It was 8 30 a.m. 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:49.199 But still, that news of Justin Bieber buying that cookie would have been all over, right? 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:50.080 Yeah. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:51.680 So that's what this is. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:56.639 Jesus' reputation at this point, he was being more and more well known. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:58.479 He was a teaching rabbi. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:00.080 He was performing miracles. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:02.479 He was saying extravagant things. 00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:04.879 And now he's coming into Jerusalem during Passover. 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:06.080 All these people are there. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:10.080 And not only that, this is a time when uprisings would occur in the people. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:11.680 So the crowds are everywhere. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:13.120 They're gathering. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:17.920 And so just before he enters, that's when Jesus sends two disciples to go get this donkey for him. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.879 And Jesus entered on a donkey, which is a symbol. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:21.759 It's a symbol. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:23.279 He's not on a war horse. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:25.839 He's not on a symbol of power. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:28.639 It's a symbol of humility. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:34.639 Point number one is this God approaches you in humility. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:36.800 God approaches you in humility. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:43.360 If you want to know what his regard to you, how he approaches you, how he pursues you, he's doing that with a humble heart. 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:53.279 In the Augustiniurch Museum in Germany, there's a very old wooden sculpture entitled Christ on a Donkey. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:54.319 Here's this sculpture. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:05:04.560 It was a sculpture made back in the 1300s, and it was made to be pulled on a cart in a Palm Sunday procession. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:11.439 So it was made in a worshipful environment, this sculpture, Christ on a donkey. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:19.680 If we look at Jesus' face in the sculpture, this sculpture, this wooden sculpture is this long, slender face. 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:22.160 And it's a symbol. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:26.639 It's a symbol that Jesus has knowledge. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:32.160 He has knowledge that a cross stands between him and victory. 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:40.079 Priest and author Henry Nowen, he spent an afternoon praying while gathering, while gazing on this piece of art. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:48.079 And he he wrote this while gazing on this long, slender, sort of grieving face of Jesus. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:56.240 He wrote, I look and look and look, and I know that he sees the depths of my heart. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:58.800 I do not have to be afraid. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.120 I mean, how amazing is that? 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:11.519 That God's approach toward you, the way that he wants relationship to work, is in such humility on his side that he could know the depths of your heart. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:14.480 I mean, I don't want you to know the depths of my heart. 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:15.759 That would not be good. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:18.240 I don't want to know the depths of your heart, right? 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:19.839 That's why it's down in my heart. 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:20.879 That's why it's down in your heart. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:22.639 It's for nobody else to know. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:27.279 It would not be good for any of us to know all that information. 00:06:27.439 --> 00:06:33.519 And that God could know all of that, and that he could still love you, that we could be fully known and fully loved. 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:37.199 Now, this is because of Christ's love and humility. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:44.879 Because all of our sin is taken upon him, and his righteousness is given to us, so he can fully know us and he can fully love us. 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:47.680 It's possible even this week. 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:50.000 I mean, this week, we had some good weather this week. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:53.040 I mean, spring's out, dogwoods are blooming. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.759 I mean, Tuesday, I think Tuesday was an amazing day. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.519 It was beautiful out. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:00.800 I mean, I stopped, got a racetrack treat. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:02.560 You got Dave Matthews being playing. 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:03.600 I mean, that's just my life. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:04.560 I mean, it's good. 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:07.279 And then the phone can ring. 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:08.480 Right? 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:10.720 I don't know if that happened this week. 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:12.800 It could happen last week, it might happen next week. 00:07:13.040 --> 00:07:14.000 And then the phone rings. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:15.120 Like, everything's so good. 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:15.920 It's springtime. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:16.399 It's live. 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:17.680 Let's yes, wonderful. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:19.920 And then the phone rings, or you get the email. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:22.959 Or you do that thing and you thought you wouldn't do it again. 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.519 You say that thing, and you wish you could bring it back, and you can't. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:28.240 They said the thing and it threw you off for like two days. 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:29.680 I mean, all that can happen. 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:36.319 All of a sudden, disappointment, the disappointment that you haven't told anybody about, can come into your life. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.199 See, I'm just saying, there's a lot to be afraid of. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:41.839 There's a lot to be afraid of. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:48.240 I mean, what if you don't get the relationship you're hoping for? 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:51.439 What if you don't get the security you wanted? 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:54.079 What if you don't get the financial thing you want? 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.000 What if you don't get peace? 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:57.279 What if you don't get comfort? 00:07:57.439 --> 00:07:59.040 What if you don't get respect? 00:08:00.240 --> 00:08:03.759 What if the thing that you are really afraid of actually happens? 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:07.920 He knows all of you. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:12.560 He knows his fears, he knows his anxieties, he knows the mistakes. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:14.399 And he loves you. 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.399 He knows the depths of our hearts, and we don't have to be afraid. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:19.920 That's amazing. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:27.600 And Jesus can do this because Christ's love for us is one of humility and sacrifice. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:31.680 And when he comes into Jerusalem, he knows exactly where he's going. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:38.080 He is headed toward the cross to take our sin upon himself and give us his righteousness. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:40.879 That's an incredible gift that we live in. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:43.200 I love the scene in C.S. 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.600 Lewis's Narnia book, The Magician's Nephew. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:49.120 Diggory and Polly, two characters, are hopping around different worlds. 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:50.960 Eventually they end up in Narnia. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:54.080 When they end up in Narnia, creation is blooming. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:56.399 Creation is coming into being. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:01.440 And it's coming out of the sweetest song that they've ever heard. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:10.399 And here's what Lewis writes They made you feel excited until you saw the singer himself. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:13.440 And then you forgot everything else. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:15.200 It was a lion. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:17.519 Huge, shaggy, and bright. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:19.440 It stood facing the rising sun. 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:24.799 Its mouth was wide open in song, and it was about 300 yards away. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:29.600 Like you kind of you know about how far away a lion is, right? 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:31.039 Yeah, that's just good. 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:31.919 300's good. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:34.480 Like, I don't want too close here. 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:39.679 A couple chapters later, Diggory, he gets up the courage to ask something of the lion. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:50.559 He's scared to death to voice this huge impossibility in his life to this lion because he's like, he doesn't know if he can bargain with this lion. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:52.639 Is this a creature you bargain with? 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:55.840 Here's what it's written. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:02.639 But please, please, won't you, this is Digree talking, won't you, can't you give me something that will cure mother? 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:11.279 Up till then he had been looking at the lion's great feet and the huge claws on them. 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:15.519 Now in his despair, he looked at his face. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:28.960 What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life, for the tawny face was bent down near his own, and wonder of wonders, great shining tears stood in the lion's eyes. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:41.279 They were such big, bright tears compared to Diggory's own, that for a moment he felt as if the lion must really be sorrier about his mother than he was himself. 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:42.879 What a beautiful image. 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:45.440 I mean, so many of us are waiting on something. 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:49.519 Maybe we're afraid to ask of something, and we don't have to be. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:52.639 There's no vending machine here, that's for sure. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:59.120 But we're waiting on something, we're waiting for an answer, waiting for a breakthrough, waiting for something. 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:15.759 What an amazing image that this all-powerful God has such compassion for us, not that he's going to fix everything in our lives, but he says, I'm with you, I'm compassionate with you in a broken world. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:22.159 That he's for us and with us, that he could know the depths of my heart, and I don't have to be afraid. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:28.879 Matthew quoted the prophet Zechariah here in Matthew 21 and says, Your king is coming. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:30.480 Your king is coming. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:32.000 Can you imagine? 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:32.879 Right? 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:34.799 The boss is coming? 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:35.440 Right? 00:11:35.759 --> 00:11:37.039 You put the phone away. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:37.440 Right? 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.879 Put the phone away, straighten the desk, act busy. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:49.600 Years ago, while I was in seminary, I worked in the business world, and my boss lived in Florida. 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.559 Okay, so I was working in Tucker, Georgia. 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:54.399 My boss lived in Florida. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:12:00.080 I later married my boss's daughter, by the way, another sermon, how to get that done. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:04.240 My friend Kyle worked in the marketing department. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.960 My friend Brett was the office manager. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:12.000 And the three of us were in the conference room one day, you know, right at the meat of the day. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:12.639 You know, right? 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:14.720 There's a meat of the day in the work world. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:16.960 You should, you know, like 1045. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.440 Like 1045 is not a time slot. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.399 It's not 3:30. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:21.039 You know what I'm saying? 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:24.159 Like 1045 is a time slot where you're getting stuff done. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:30.639 You're really, and we're in the conference room, and Brett and Kyle had on headgear and boxing gloves. 00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:38.720 I don't remember where these came from, why they were in our office at all, but our boss lived in Florida. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:42.480 So we're in the conference room, headgear, boxing gloves. 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:45.679 I'm officiating this fight between the two of them. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:50.320 They have like one round, we're like at a break point between two rounds. 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:54.799 And sure enough, the king is coming. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:58.639 And he walks right in the conference room. 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:00.879 He lives in Florida. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:05.519 We thought we had a buffer, you know, like eight hours. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:08.480 And he walks in and we freeze. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:10.080 There's no hiding. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:15.200 Me, Evander, Mike Tyson, the headgears on. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:16.639 There's nothing to do here. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.679 We just we stand there, we freeze, right? 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.440 Like a little afraid. 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:23.120 What's he gonna say? 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:34.320 I'm sort of bracing myself for like the verbal lashing about work ethic, time management, integrity, right? 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:38.559 Like some really like true things here in this situation. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:50.480 And he looks at us, I'm sure he's thinking, I hired these people, full of potential, and this is what I have in my business. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.000 And then he just started laughing. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.240 And he just said, get back to work. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:13:59.840 That was it. 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:03.279 Just laughed and put us back to work. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:13.360 See, when I thought I would be met with condemnation, when I when I deserve to be met with condemnation, uh, there's just compassion. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.440 And you know what's amazing? 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:19.039 And this is why the gospel works. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:23.519 And when I mean works, it doesn't fix you, it doesn't undo a broken world. 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:28.320 I mean it gives you a rest and helps you grow. 00:14:28.960 --> 00:14:35.039 It's because compassion, when you deserve condemnation, does something in you. 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:36.240 Right? 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:39.679 That compassion toward me created more loyalty to my boss. 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:41.679 I mean, I I even married his daughter. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:44.639 I mean, that's how loyal this moment was. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:46.320 I was just like, I'm all in. 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:48.080 Like, I'm really all in here. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:53.360 He's not just my authority, but he's also compassionate toward me. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:55.039 That's powerful. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:15:00.399 Powerful to receive compassion when you don't always have your act together. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:09.039 And Jesus is coming into a city that doesn't understand why he's coming. 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:16.879 They will reject him, they will crucify him, and he's still coming to save them. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.840 Verse 8, Matthew 21. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:26.159 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:35.039 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:39.840 And when he had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirring up, saying, Who is this? 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:44.559 And the crowd said, This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:49.039 Point number two is this our salvation is not in better circumstances. 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.639 And I kind of I just time out. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.759 I don't like this point. 00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:52.159 Okay? 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.879 Like the first half of that point, I'm already like, don't like it. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:56.240 Don't really want to hear it. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.080 But um, it's true. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:01.200 Our salvation is not in better circumstances. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:05.600 Our salvation is in a savior and healer for our hearts. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:10.960 So Jesus is on this donkey, and the people, they're they're actually laying palms down. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:12.720 That's why we have called Palm Sunday. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.559 They're laying palms down on the street. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:18.399 They're singing from the book of Psalms, Hosanna to the son of David. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:22.480 Blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna the highest, is straight from the Psalms. 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:24.559 Here's what's going on here. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:32.399 Many of these people thought Jesus was coming to create earthly power to save them from Rome, their political power over them. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:36.799 Probably 200,000 people, Jewish pilgrims there in the city for Passover. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.639 Many were in debt. 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:40.879 They were overtaxed. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:43.840 They had had it with Rome. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:53.360 And so they're seeing this leader come in at a time where there would be uprisings, and they're saying, yes, come on, let's do this. 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:54.720 Let's rise up. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:58.799 And so they're laying down those palms, which are nationalistic symbols. 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:01.279 They're saying, save us from Rome. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:02.559 Free us. 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:10.720 Save us because we're weak, but they think that the saving that they need is a national saving, a political saving. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.920 And Jesus is about something much more profound than that. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:16.319 Jesus is about our hearts. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:21.279 So no matter where you live or what system you live under, that it's the heart. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:24.400 The core of who they were. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:30.400 Now, here's why I don't like this point about circumstances, because I love circumstances. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:34.240 Tomorrow I'm gonna get in my car with my family. 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:35.119 We're gonna drive to St. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:37.680 Simon's for a few days for spring break. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:39.119 I'm gonna sit on the beach. 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:42.720 I'm at the age of parenting where I get to read a book on the beach. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:44.640 Some of you don't even know I'm talking about. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.359 I'll explain it. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:46.000 Let me. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:49.680 What you do is you get a chair and get a book and then you read it. 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.440 You don't even care where your kids are. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:53.519 It's an amazing thing. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.359 Remember when you used to read books. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:56.799 So here's how parenting works. 00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:03.839 You used to read books on the beach, and then you don't for 10 years, and then you read a magazine because you can look up and down and up and down. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:07.519 And then you graduate to where I'm at, and you just read a book. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:08.160 It's amazing. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:09.039 I'm gonna do it. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:12.640 I'm gonna do that with a fun little drink, some sort of drink. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:14.400 I'm already planning this out. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.079 I'm gonna go sit in a hot tub. 00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.759 I'm gonna look at the ocean. 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.960 I'm gonna walk on the beach. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.079 I'm gonna eat some shrimp. 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.160 I'm gonna try to eat shrimp multiple times. 00:18:22.319 --> 00:18:27.359 I am gonna try, I'm I'm trying in a few days to pretend like everything in my life is perfect, right? 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:29.599 Like I love a good circumstance. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:32.319 I love dreamy circumstances. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:40.480 The sad thing is, which we're all discovering, is we can only incrementally at best improve our lives with circumstances. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:42.319 I'll admit, we can. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.680 We can improve our lives with some circumstances. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:48.160 I want you to improve your life with circumstances. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:50.319 Like I think you should organize your pantry this afternoon. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:51.200 That would be a great idea. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.559 It could really help. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:55.519 You should get a workout plan, fund your 401k. 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:58.160 These are all things we should do. 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:06.720 But we have to remember what we keep learning always is that circumstances have a limit. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:16.319 Like when it comes to the heart, whether your sock drawer is organized or not, it's not gonna, it's not gonna do anything for your heart. 00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:34.240 You still have to deal with self-worth, guilt, shame, acceptance, forgiveness, righteousness, control, loneliness, identity, brokenness, suffering, disappointment, death. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:38.559 Circumstances can't save us. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.759 They can incrementally improve our lives, but they can't save us. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:44.079 They can't love us. 00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:49.839 Two questions for our hearts to contemplate, asking the Holy Spirit to help us contemplate. 00:19:50.960 --> 00:20:02.480 The compassionate Father, in what ways do I overly rely on circumstances for my worth, joy, peace, or security? 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:11.359 So another way to ask the same question is that, Lord, where am I giving too much power to circumstances? 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.079 I'm just giving too much power to them. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:17.519 And in that way I'm actually a slave to them. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.799 Second question. 00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:29.680 Compassionate Father, what freedom might I know as I rest deeper in your provision of love, forgiveness, and acceptance of me. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:36.240 We are free in Jesus, and yet we are still discovering how free we can be. 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:39.680 Point number three. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:44.960 God is strong and chooses to be weak. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:46.000 That's what we see here. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:48.319 He's on a donkey, he's headed toward the cross. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:57.039 God is strong and chooses to be weak, so you can be weak as you are, which makes you strong. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:01.119 Paul writes about this, 2 Corinthians 12, 9 through 11. 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:11.279 But he said to me, this is the Lord speaking to Paul, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:17.839 Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:23.119 It's in our weakness that we can know strength, because in our weakness we finally admit that we're not perfect. 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:24.480 We need help. 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:31.759 Verse 10 For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:35.200 For when I am weak, then I am strong. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:47.200 See, we can finally admit the thing that we've been avoiding, and we try to avoid, and we build all sorts of unhealthy things in our lives in this avoidance, and that is that we're not that strong. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:49.039 And we're not perfect. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:51.359 And we don't avoid it anymore. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:53.680 And the grace of God, we don't have to avoid that. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:59.599 That's the good news that Jesus shows up in our weakness, taking it on our sin. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.720 Put upon the cross as righteousness given to us. 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:13.440 So while we are still weak and sinful, we were made new in his strength so that we might be made new in him and we might be strong. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:18.960 So in our weakness as we are, we are found and we can become strong through his strength. 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:25.920 Now after Jesus enters the city, he entered the temple, he goes and we get that scene where he turns the tables of the merchants, right? 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:30.799 Because they're making money off of faith, and he just makes them so furious, he turns those tables. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:34.559 Then the next morning he returns again there to the temple. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:35.839 He starts teaching parables. 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:38.960 All the religious people are asking him questions, teaching all these parables. 00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:44.319 And right before, right before he leaves the temple, he teaches this short parable. 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:46.000 It's one of my favorite parables. 00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:48.880 Very short, it's kind of odd, weird little parable. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.960 And it's about God as a mother hen. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:54.640 Here's how it goes. 00:22:55.119 --> 00:23:10.400 And it begins with, which I think what's going on here as Jesus comes into Jerusalem, he has this sadness that there's these people, the very people he's trying to love, and they're rejecting them. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:12.240 Which is what we do. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:23.839 We do it with our rebellion, our escapism, we do it with our religious merit and our performance, rather than just saying, like, I'm empty-handed, I actually do need you. 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:25.200 So he has the sadness. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:27.599 Listen to it, Matthew 23, 37. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.680 Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem. 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.160 Right? 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.119 There's that sadness. 00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:36.400 Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:42.880 How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings? 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:45.599 And you were not willing. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:49.039 See, your house is left to you desolate. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:55.920 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:23:56.240 --> 00:24:05.599 So Jesus is both grieving that these people are rejecting his kingship and his love for them, and yet he's saying that his heart is to gather them. 00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:10.799 Like my heart's to gather you and welcome you and accept you and provide for you, like a mother hen. 00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:12.319 That's what he's saying. 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:19.200 So Jesus is saying here in this parable, the same thing that we see in Palm Sunday. 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:26.240 Jesus on a donkey, riding into Jerusalem, headed to the cross, that Jesus' love is strong. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:30.000 It is strong for you, and it is humble for you. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:32.720 It is pursuing and is providing. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.079 This holy week begins with Hosanna. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:42.720 It moves towards, think about Thursday night, Monday, Thursday. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:49.599 Jesus washes his disciples' feet, teaches us what it means to be a disciple, that we would be the kinds of people that wash feet. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.720 But we have to begin with the receiving from him. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:57.440 It goes to crucify him on Friday. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:59.359 It is finished. 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:04.880 All of our sin, all your sin put upon the cross as righteous given to us. 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:12.720 And next Sunday, one week from today, we get to come together and we get to celebrate that death is not the final word. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:21.759 Despair is not the final word, disappointment, brokenness, hurt, sin, guilt, shame, not the final word in our lives or in this world. 00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:24.559 And we get to say next week, He is risen. 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:26.160 Let's pray together. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:41.519 God, we come before you and we thank you that you approach us, not in power to squash us, zap us, condemn us, but you approach us in a humility. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:26:13.200 From a love that is strong and pure and holy and just and takes on all the ways we are broken and sacrifices and gives to us the full stature, the status of being your holy righteous children, not by our work, but by your work. 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:18.799 Father, forgive us for the ways that we don't understand who you are for us. 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:27.519 Forgive us for the ways that we reject you in our rebellion or reject you in our religion. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:32.160 And help us to live as people to receive from you. 00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:39.920 May we receive the welcome, the acceptance, the sacrifice. 00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:46.240 That we do not have to continue to make the sacrifices, but we receive the final sacrifice. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:50.240 Jesus Christ for us while we are sinners. 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:54.319 Thank you that you are the God of mercy entering through the mercy gate. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:56.400 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.279 Amen.