WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:06.240 So I have some news for you about Randy and Sandy. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:13.359 If you've been with us, my pretend couple, I've been inventing and obsessing about the past few weeks. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:16.079 If you haven't been with us, I'll catch you up on Randy and Sandy. 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:18.559 They're kind of important in our church at this point. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:24.640 If you remember, Randy was the hero husband, right? 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:27.120 I mean, that's what we had been thinking about Randy. 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:30.079 He does the dishes the way that Sandy taught him. 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:31.839 He actually loves that she taught him. 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:34.799 He requested, he saw Sandy load the dishwasher one time. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:36.240 He thought, oh, this is amazing. 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:37.280 It's so much better than me. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.479 Sandy, please we teach me how to load them like you do. 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:46.640 And so ever since he's been loading that way, he serves her, he does all the laundry before she wakes up. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:47.600 You remember that? 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:53.200 And then he serves her breakfast in bed, scrambled eggs in the shape of a heart every morning. 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:54.079 It's unbelievable. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:55.359 He's unbelievable. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:01:00.479 He loves to listen to her problems every evening after work. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:07.120 And she brings the problems from work and her boss and her Instagram stress, and he just loves to listen to it. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.040 He doesn't find any of it ridiculous. 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:10.400 He never rolls his eyes. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:12.239 He never tries to fix it. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:13.280 He loves all of it. 00:01:13.359 --> 00:01:17.760 He listens, and we thought Randy was the hero husband. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:28.640 And then last week we found out, the story thickened, and last week we found out that Randy is quite the servant, but he's actually really, really guarded. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:35.439 And so while he's doing all this for Sandy, he never, he never lets Sandy in. 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:41.280 He never shares anything of his emotions or his past or what he's thinking. 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:44.000 He's very, very guarded. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:50.319 And then this week, while I was preparing the sermon, some some sad news broke. 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:53.519 I need to let y'all know that they're not doing well. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:55.359 Randy and Sandy. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:57.599 Pretend couple, by the way. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:59.760 Don't get too upset about it. 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.159 I think they're gonna make it through this rough season of marriage. 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:05.359 I think they will. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:07.200 But things aren't great. 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:20.560 Randy hasn't said it directly, but he's quite resentful of Sandy because he thought out of all this service he's pouring out, that she would be oozing appreciation back to him. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:22.000 This was his expectation. 00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:24.960 And Sandy is just not being appreciative, right? 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:29.199 This is what he expected, all this appreciation, and he's getting none of it. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:40.319 And Sandy, on the flip side, she grew up with an affectionate dad who oozed his emotions and talked about his heart and wanted to cry together. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:44.879 And so she expected that Randy would become that. 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:48.560 He wasn't that when they got married, but of course he would become that. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:51.680 He's a Christian man, active in his faith. 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:55.120 Of course, this is what he would become. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:58.000 So this was her expectation. 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:03.680 So both of them have expectations that just aren't happening. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:05.919 So you you've felt this, right? 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:11.520 You you've felt an expectation that just hasn't happened. 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:30.719 You've felt it with a loved one, you felt it with your mom or your dad, you felt it with your sister, you felt it with your kids, you felt it with your finances, you felt it with your health, you felt it with your retirement, you you felt it with what you thought romance would be like at a certain age, and it's not what you thought it would be like. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:33.360 You thought you would be one way. 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:39.599 At age 20, at age 16, at age 36, at age 76. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:43.039 You thought you would be one way at this point, and you're not. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:47.280 And you thought God would be one way, and he hadn't been that. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:49.759 Expectations. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:04:05.520 So we get John 12, the story about Palm Sunday, which has expectations built into it, because Jesus here in this John 12, Jesus at this point is a rock star rabbi. 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:13.039 He was poor and he was from the north, but at this point he has built up a following with miracles and teachings and crowds. 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:16.240 And so he is coming into Jerusalem. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:24.800 His disciples, a couple disciples went and found this donkey and they brought it back to Jesus, and Jesus gets on this donkey, and he's marching to Jerusalem. 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:32.720 This is quite a scene because this famous rabbi who could possibly save these people from Rome is what they're thinking. 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.879 He is marching into Jerusalem. 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:36.399 This is huge. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:40.480 Thousands and thousands and thousands of people are lining the street. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:42.000 This is a scene. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.920 And that's where we read, I'll reread it, John 12, 12-15. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.879 The next day, the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 00:04:50.959 --> 00:05:00.399 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel. 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:10.000 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's coal. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:13.759 So they're singing the song Hosanna, which means deliver me. 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:19.519 So they're singing this song, which is from the book of Psalms, which means songs, and they're all singing it. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:23.680 They would all know this song, and they're singing it together. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:27.920 They're singing, Give Me My Freedom. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:32.319 And the whole scene just smells of irony. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:37.120 Because kings ride on horses, not on donkeys. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:40.800 So not a symbol of power coming in. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:43.279 But the people, it's almost like they don't even see it. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:51.040 They don't even see that he's on a donkey, he's on a symbol of humility and peace, and they're waving palm branches, which is a nationalistic symbol. 00:05:51.120 --> 00:05:54.480 It's on their coins, it'd be like us waving American flags. 00:05:54.639 --> 00:06:04.240 So many of these people thought Jesus was coming in earthly power, political power, to overthrow Rome. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:06.160 I mean, these were oppressed people. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:14.879 I mean, these people were oppressed, they were heavily taxed, there was military rule over their lives from a foreign government, and they think this is it. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:18.079 This is the guy who will save us from Rome. 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:23.279 And so they're laying down their palms, they're singing out Hosanna, and it's all irony. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.560 Save us from Rome, free us. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:30.879 See, they thought they needed a God to save them from Rome. 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:34.800 Really, they needed a God to deal with their hearts. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:37.600 They expected one thing. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:40.160 And he came to do another thing. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:41.439 And that's point number one. 00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:46.720 Point number one is this is false expectations create deadly disillusionment. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.839 False expectations create deadly disillusionment. 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:54.160 This was never more clear in my life than after we had our first child. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:02.240 We had our daughter at Piedmont Hospital. 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:07.680 We returned back to our little house in Grant Park, and we get back there, have one week of paternity leave. 00:07:07.920 --> 00:07:12.399 And so I wake up the first morning and I check in, and Christy's there, got the baby. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.800 Everybody's healthy, healthy baby, healthy mama. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:15.680 Everything's good. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:20.240 So I make my run to Lowe's first thing in the morning of my paternity leave. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:21.839 I get some paint. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:24.399 I come back to the house and I'm gonna paint the office. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:30.720 I start painting the office, which is in the middle of this little house, which means no matter where you go, you're smelling the paint. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:32.959 You're seeing me working. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:34.240 I am working away. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:35.600 I have a week off of work. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:39.199 This is the perfect moment to get something done. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:41.680 So I painted for two days. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:46.639 I'm having a great time, I'm serving my family, making my home better. 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:50.319 And then it happened. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:52.240 Do you know what happened? 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:53.759 Maybe you know what happened. 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:56.480 Men, maybe you don't know what happened. 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:07.040 My lovely wife, this sweet Christian thing that I married, she let me have it. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:10.160 And rightfully so. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:11.920 Rightfully so. 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:14.639 But at the time, I didn't know what was going on. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:17.439 I had no idea what was going on. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:23.279 Now I know we had two different sets of expectations. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:26.560 Yes, hers were right. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.959 Just go ahead and say that, put that out there. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:29.839 She's sitting here. 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:49.039 I had an expectation that a week off of work in this situation means, you know what, I'm just around and I can get a few things done. 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:50.960 That this is what this means. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:53.679 It was actually a false expectation. 00:08:54.320 --> 00:09:05.840 Because the reality was, is Christie needed me to exist in that week, to be present, just to be there. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:15.200 And that false expectation that I held led to deadly disillusionment almost to my death. 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:17.360 Is point number one. 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:21.120 False expectations create deadly disillusionment. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:23.039 So this leads us straight into point number two. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:24.480 It kind of bridges off that. 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:25.919 And maybe you felt this. 00:09:26.960 --> 00:09:34.559 Jesus was a disappointment to those wanting to control their world by power. 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:40.639 Jesus was a disillusionment to those wanting to control their world by power. 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:51.679 And maybe you felt that because something's not going well, or it wasn't going well, and you asked Jesus to come and rescue the situation. 00:09:52.879 --> 00:10:04.799 And maybe for some of you something happened and the situation resolved itself and it was amazing, and praise the Lord, and make a video of you and put it in church, and then everybody else who didn't have it happen feels bad for the next 10 years, right? 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:08.320 That's often what happens. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:11.759 Because the situation might just stay there. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:19.679 What we want is we want God to be something that he never promised he would be. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:30.879 God's never been in the business of always granting you more power and control as if that would bring you peace. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:46.879 Now here's the key: God is in the business of freeing you from the urge to need more power and control in order to have peace. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:48.399 And that's the difference. 00:10:48.559 --> 00:11:05.919 That's a difference of expectation, that's a difference of disappointment and disillusionment, and it is actually the difference when you begin to be free from the urge to need power and control in order to have peace, but you might be able to have peace apart from a situation being perfect, that you can have peace apart from that. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:11.279 Now you're actually on a path of growing in grace, a transformation. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:20.399 And yet, still at times we we line up, we're waving that palm, I'm waving that palm, singing Hosanna and a complete disillusionment. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:24.720 Wanting Jesus or the gospel to be something it's not. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:28.559 And here's what the gospel is: point number three. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:35.759 God satisfied his expectations of you in Jesus. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:39.120 So let's think about it this way. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:42.799 Randy and Sandy, last time, I don't know, maybe not. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:44.799 I'll be honest, I'm having so much fun with it. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:50.240 Sandy wants Randy to be more open and vulnerable, right? 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:51.919 If we remember back to the expectation. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:57.919 So what Sandy wants, because it's not happening, it's leading to a lot of death in the relationship. 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:01.440 They both want the other one to be something they're not. 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:05.039 And now the end is near. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:21.440 Death is looming, you can feel the relationship breaking down, but what if, what if one of them, what if one of them decides to be everything for the other, no matter what the other is like? 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:38.399 What if out of love, one dies to the expectations of the other and becomes the thing the other wants them to be, even while the other one does not become the thing they want them to be? 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.559 Now you have imputation. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:51.360 Now you have someone, you have love imputing onto someone else something they're not when they don't deserve it. 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:53.519 And you have the gospel. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:13:06.399 Jesus takes on our imperfection and our sin upon himself on the cross and gives to us our righteousness, which gives us value, security, wholeness, eternal life out of the gift of grace. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:08.320 We are his beloved. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.639 Before we perform. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:14.639 So Jesus marches into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:17.440 Five days later, he is killed on Good Friday. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:19.840 That's what this week is, Holy Week. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:32.480 And on the cross, he looks down at the people who are killing him, who are in absolute disillusionment about who this God incarnate should be, and they're killing him. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:40.080 And he says in Luke 23, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.159 Well, that's amazing. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:44.559 They didn't even ask for forgiveness. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:48.080 And then he turns to a thief who did ask for forgiveness. 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:50.480 He says, Please remember me. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:53.600 That's a conversion prayer. 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:54.159 Right? 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:56.960 If you need a conversion prayer, we just settle for that one. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.000 Remember me. 00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:59.200 That's enough. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:04.960 A broken, exhausted man has nothing left. 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:08.639 Looks at Jesus and says, Remember me. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:10.080 I need you. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:16.799 And now Jesus could have said, you wait till now? 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:22.480 Like, how could I ever know if you're serious or not? 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.919 I mean, you you you don't even have any time to show me you're serious. 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:31.519 I mean, you're just at this point, I mean, give me a break. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.919 You're just looking for an insurance policy. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.200 How could you mean it? 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:36.879 How could you mean it in this setting? 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:39.200 How could you actually mean it? 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:41.679 Of course you're hedging your bets. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.519 He doesn't say that. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:47.679 He says, I tell you the truth. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:49.840 Today you will be with me in paradise. 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:51.120 Right? 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.240 He says, I forgive you, I accept you, I love you. 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:59.759 Now, how could Jesus extend forgiveness and eternal life like that? 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:04.399 I mean, the guy doesn't have any time to prove himself. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:09.120 Well, it's the same story in the garden, the Garden of Eden, right? 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:10.080 Genesis 3. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:15.360 Adam and Eve have fallen, they are hiding, they are not seeking God, and what happens? 00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:16.879 God seeks them. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.720 John 8, one of my favorite stories. 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:23.840 I mentioned our student retreat this weekend that we had. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:25.679 The adulteress is afraid. 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:28.240 She is brought before Jesus in front of a crowd. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:30.080 She is being condemned by them. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:34.960 Jesus says to all those Pharisees, you know, whoever doesn't have any sin, go ahead and throw the first stone. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:35.840 They all leave. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.080 She's alone with Jesus. 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:40.399 We don't know how sorrowful she is. 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:43.039 We don't know what she's going to do with the future of her life. 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:44.320 And what does Jesus say? 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:46.960 He says, I don't condemn you. 00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:49.440 Go and leave your life of sin. 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:51.519 We don't know what she ended up doing. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.320 It's the same as the prodigal son story. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:59.600 The rebellious son who has rebelled and he ran off to a foreign country. 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:05.440 He just throws away all the inheritance of the Father, unbelievable disrespect to the Father. 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:14.000 And as the Son is on the way home, the Father runs to him before the Son even begins the apology. 00:16:16.399 --> 00:16:19.039 And this is how the gospel offends us. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:29.039 Because first, God does not show up and do everything we want him to do or give us everything we want, like all the people lining, singing Hosanna. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:33.919 And then he doesn't relate to us in a way that we can control. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:42.559 Rather, God dismantles our control and desire for our own power and merit. 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:51.279 And he grants us forgiveness and acceptance and belovedness before you do anything. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.399 And that's it. 00:16:55.360 --> 00:17:04.880 I mean, it's in that absolute grace that your heart will be transformed and you will grow in grace. 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:09.279 This week, Christy and I were out to eat with some friends of ours. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:24.559 And right away we sat down, we started talking, and pretty quickly into it, they started talking about their teenage daughter who had uh just been getting in more and more not trouble, just going through a hard time. 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:26.160 And they didn't even know about it. 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:33.440 I mean, it took a little parental, kind of like uh snooping around, really, for them to figure it out. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:43.519 And they figured out what was going on and what she was doing, and of course it saddened them, but like horribly, and now they're working with her and working with the counselor and all of that. 00:17:43.680 --> 00:17:52.160 And as the mom is telling the story, you can just she is just she's her her eyes well up with tears, and eventually there's going down her cheeks. 00:17:52.799 --> 00:18:07.039 And then the dad says this the dad says, I can tell her, his daughter, I can tell her she's beautiful a million times, and I have, but right now she just doesn't believe it. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:22.079 I thought about this week with holy week coming up, because God's heart is on display this week, and this March, and then Good Friday, and then Easter. 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:32.400 It's God redeeming you by his word, not yours, to say to you, you are beautiful before you do anything. 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:41.200 It's a forever yes of you before you perform. 00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:49.359 And religion and the world demands performance and obedience, then you will be accepted. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:54.720 And the gospel says you are beautiful and accepted and forgiven. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:57.519 And therefore obey. 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:01.440 So, my brothers and sisters, the king is coming. 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:08.319 The king has come, but not riding into Jerusalem to overthrow some political system. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:12.640 He's coming to ride into your hearts with humility and love. 00:19:14.960 --> 00:19:16.319 Let's pray together. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:20.960 God, we come before you and we pray, Hosanna. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:25.200 We pray, deliver us, oh God. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:32.240 Deliver us not from Rome, but deliver us from ourselves. 00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:41.839 For we believe too many things that are obstacles, too many things that are obstacles of what is actually true about us. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:46.799 That we are forever your beloved because of the work of Jesus. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:49.680 And it is outside of our performance. 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:55.920 Would you help us as a people to know this in a greater way? 00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:03.039 Might it transform our hearts to know we are forever accepted and secure and loved by you? 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:05.599 Would it be the source of our value? 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:16.559 The source of ourselves, the source of our forgiveness, our absolution, and our redemption. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:20.079 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:20.799 Amen.