WEBVTT 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:12.720 This podcast is the Ministry of Grant Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.679 For more information about Grant Parkway, visit GrantHarkway.org. 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:21.600 Pray together. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:29.519 Lord, if we're going to lift the song with praise for all you've done, then it's necessary that we understand all that you've done and the way in which you've done it. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:34.399 When the Bible says that you open not your mouth, it doesn't just mean you didn't complain. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:36.799 It does mean that you always didn't reveal. 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:39.920 Sometimes you hide things from us because we're not ready for it. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:42.159 It's not punishment, God, it's preparation. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:44.320 And so we've come today to get prepared. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:46.479 Not just because, hey, it's close to Easter. 00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:47.840 Let me check the box. 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:52.880 But we've come today to give us to understand what's the big deal about Palm Sunday. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:54.320 What's the big deal about all of this? 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:55.920 And so, Lord, we need you to reveal. 00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.240 Pull back the curtain and illuminate the scripture. 00:00:58.399 --> 00:01:02.159 Work in us by your word, from your word and by your spirit, God. 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:06.640 Give us understanding so that we don't miss who you are and what you came to do. 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:07.920 This is our prayer, God. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:10.000 Make it our experience, we ask in Jesus' name. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:11.920 And everyone said, Amen. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:12.319 Amen. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:12.959 You can have a seat. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:15.760 If you've got a Bible, take and open up to Luke chapter 19. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:17.040 Luke chapter 19. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.439 If you don't have a Bible, I'm on page 878 in your pew Bible there. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:23.280 I want to talk about why Palm Sunday. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:24.480 Why Palm Sunday? 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:30.560 Because I was talking with a friend of mine this week and he said, now, your Super Bowl's coming up like next Sunday, but isn't this Sunday something? 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.400 Yeah, this Sunday is called Palm Sunday. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:33.680 He asked a great question. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:35.760 He said, What's Palm Sunday? 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:36.879 And I said, That's great. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:40.719 I said, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem, he's beginning the last week of his life. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:42.159 Ask yourself this question. 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:45.920 If you knew this was going to be the last week of your life, what would you do? 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:47.599 How would you spend it? 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:49.359 I mean, because Jesus knows. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:50.959 I mean, nothing sinks up on him. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:57.280 I said, but Palm Sunday is the day that Jesus, it's called the Triumphal Entry, which is kind of a beautiful play on words. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:01:59.920 It's interesting the way God triumphs over his enemies. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:02.719 He doesn't just fight, he feasts on obedience. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:08.000 But Jesus rides into the city and the people have palm branches and they're waving them. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:11.280 That's how they kind of received and recognized important people. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:14.400 And my friend was like, nobody has ever explained that to me. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:16.000 Now, look at me first for a second. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:21.759 Everybody in this room, as hard as that may be, look at the love child of Pitbull and Tim Keller for just a second, okay? 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:27.360 It's okay if you don't understand everything in the Bible or references that people throw around. 00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:30.479 You don't have to sit there and kind of think, I'm just kind of an idiot. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:31.759 I don't know what Palm Sunday is. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:32.479 I don't know any of this. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:33.280 I don't have a Bible. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:35.199 I just came because some girl invited me. 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:35.919 That's okay. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:37.759 It's not an accident that you're here. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.759 And Jesus is going to speak directly to you today. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:42.639 Okay? 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:43.520 All right. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:46.319 And so I just want to talk about, hey, why Palm Sunday? 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:47.120 What's it all about? 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:48.479 And I'm going to read from the Bible. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:50.400 I'm going to read three sections of the Bible. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:53.759 I'm going to read one long section, two shortties, and then we're out of here. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:54.319 Amen? 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:56.800 We'll beat the Methodists to the good restaurants. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:57.439 Amen? 00:02:58.000 --> 00:02:58.879 They're already there. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:00.000 They got out at nine. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:03.599 Anyway, uh, Luke chapter 19, verse 28. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:07.599 It says, when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:18.879 When he drew near to Bethpage in Bethany at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go into the village in front of you, and where you're in, and when you're entering, you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever sat. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:20.400 Untie it and bring it here. 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:25.680 And if anyone asks you, Why are you untying it, you shall say this the Lord has need of it. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:33.199 So those who were sent away and found it just as he had told them, and as they were untying the colt, its owner said to them, Why are you untying the colt? 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:35.199 And they said, The Lord has need of it. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:39.599 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing the cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:44.319 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road, and he was drawing as he was drawing near. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:55.919 Already on the way down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying, Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:58.800 Peace in heaven and glory to God in the highest. 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:03.199 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:08.719 He answered, I tell you what, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:10.560 We'll stop right there, okay? 00:04:11.680 --> 00:04:13.199 I want to tell you three things this morning. 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:15.520 I want to tell you, first of all, Jesus was misunderstood. 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:17.040 Secondly, Jesus was sad. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:19.279 He wasn't sad because he was misunderstood. 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:23.040 He was misunderstood, he was sad, and then Jesus was angry. 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:25.040 And you'll see why. 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.279 Number one, Jesus was misunderstood. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:28.160 What do you mean? 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:29.519 He comes as a king. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:31.439 Because the Bible foretold this. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:33.120 And now, by the way, this is free. 00:04:33.279 --> 00:04:34.720 The Bible's the only sacred book. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:35.360 There's other books. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:38.639 There's the Quran, there's the Book of Mormon, which is not very sacred. 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:44.000 But anyway, but the Bible's the only sacred text that contains what's called prophecies. 00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:47.439 Prophecies are promises that God makes way in advance. 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:50.240 And here's the beauty of that, and here's the danger of that. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:57.600 If God says something in the Old Testament, hey, this is gonna happen, and it doesn't happen, then you can just kind of throw your hands up and go, hey, I'm out. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.000 That God's a liar, he can't be trusted. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:08.959 But if God says something thousands of years before and it comes true, your heart ought to kind of go, hmm, what's up with that? 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:10.319 You say, What do you mean? 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:12.720 I'm gonna read from Zechariah, Zechariah chapter 9. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:18.319 Zechariah is in the, it's kind of towards the back of the Old Testament, in that section where homeschoolers get names for their kids. 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:20.240 Malachi, Zechariah. 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:21.199 No? 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:22.959 It's just a joke. 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:23.600 Relax. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:24.160 Relax. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.920 Yes, I know you're here, you don't have to hiss. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:27.120 Uh Zechariah. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:34.319 Uh uh Zechariah chapter 9, verse 9 says this rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:36.399 Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:41.600 Now, now keep in mind that Jerusalem, Jesus right in Jerusalem, and people are just losing their mind. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:45.040 They're like, whoa! This is incredible. 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:47.120 Uh rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:48.800 Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:50.639 Behold, your king is coming to you. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:57.600 Righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 00:05:57.839 --> 00:06:05.279 Now, the Bible tells us, first of all, thousands of years before, this is the way people are gonna respond, and this is the way Jesus is going to come in. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:08.240 Now, if Jesus is so powerful, why does he ride a donkey? 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:08.879 Here's why. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:10.480 Because the Bible, that was a prophecy. 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:14.480 This is how he's gonna come, because he's not threatened, he's not compensating for anything. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:24.720 A conquering general would ride into a city that he conquered on a white steed, a stallion, with a military parade behind him, boom, boom, boom, boom, with drums and everything. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:26.879 Jesus rides in on a donkey. 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:27.680 Why? 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:34.720 Because God's kind of way back in the book of Zechariah, God's kind of winking at us and saying, I'm not gonna do things the way you think I should do things. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:39.600 And so the table is set for Jesus to be deeply, deeply misunderstood. 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:41.040 Here's why that's a problem. 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:43.839 Misunderstanding leads to disappointment. 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:45.920 Misunderstanding leads to disappointment. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:46.560 I hear it all the time. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:51.600 People, you know, I gave uh this whole God and Jesus thing, this church thing, not working for me now. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:52.399 I'm out. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:57.600 That person misunderstands what this is all about, and when they get disappointed, they quit. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:00.959 When I say Jesus is misunderstood, here's what I mean. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:04.319 The basis of their misunderstanding is that they believe that Jesus is coming. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:07.120 They're saying, Hosanna, glory to God in the highest. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:08.720 Whoa! Here's why. 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:19.279 Because they believe Jesus is gonna come and he's gonna overthrow the current political climate and they he's gonna kick out the Romans and He's gonna set up a government where they're all gonna get everything they want. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:24.160 Now, you don't know anybody that has to hope in politicians to give them everything they want, do you? 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:30.480 By the way, as of this morning, there's 21 people running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:34.160 It'll be 22 by the time the sun goes down today. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:37.600 Because by the way, people, look at me, don't miss this. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:45.680 Back in the time of Jesus, people looked to somebody to get in charge and then set up a government that met all their needs. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:47.839 The government is never going to be able to meet all your needs. 00:07:47.920 --> 00:07:49.920 It wasn't created to meet all your needs. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:51.120 That's just free. 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:52.720 You got nothing to do with a triumphal entry. 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:58.240 But anyway, uh, they are ticked because you say, What do you mean Jesus is misunderstood? 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:02.800 These very same people, they're crying, Hosanna, glory to God in the highest. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:06.879 What that means is I cannot fathom anything being better than this. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:21.120 Five days later, these very same people will turn on Jesus on a dime, and they'll say, When given the option between some meth head, loser, punk criminal named Barabbas and the Son of God, one of these people is going to be set free, get let out of jail. 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:23.920 But this very same crowd said, Give us Barabbas. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:25.680 And Pilate said, What do I do with Jesus? 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:26.720 Crucify him. 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:27.600 Why? 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:32.320 Because they misunderstood him, he disappointed him, and they turned on him. 00:08:32.559 --> 00:08:34.799 And so Jesus is misunderstood. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:38.240 I want to say a couple things here about this expectations. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:44.159 Because for them, like I said, Jesus was coming to overthrow the oppressor and set up his political party. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:46.399 Their political party was going to be in charge. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:51.840 Their expectations kept them from seeing who Jesus really was and what he was all about. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:53.679 Let me give you three things to think about this morning. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:54.799 It comes to expectations. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:02.799 Number one, when you relate to God based on your expectations, you create a standard by which God is now evaluated instead of understood. 00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:04.159 Let me say that again. 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:13.120 When you relate to God on the basis of your expectations, you create a standard by which God is now evaluated instead of understood. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:18.000 Secondly, we tend to evaluate God based on what is best for us. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:25.919 And this is what these people, that's why it's hey, glory to God, Hosanna, palm branches, whoa! Five days later, nah, never mind. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:27.279 Kill that guy. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:29.519 You are so disappointed. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:33.279 Thirdly, Jesus knows and controls what's happening. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:34.960 Put a star by that in your mind. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.799 Jesus knows and controls what's happening. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:39.200 As this week unfolds, nothing catches him off guard. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:42.159 You don't read any page of the Bible where God goes, Oh, really? 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:43.919 No, he knows. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:45.360 Well, I don't know. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:50.080 If you got your Bible open in Luke 19, turn back one page to Luke chapter 18, verse 31. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:50.879 Watch this. 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:58.320 Yeah, I mean, just let yourself, this ought to have a scratch and sniff pad on it in your Bible where you could just sense just to just the are you kidding me? 00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:59.519 Jesus has hung out. 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:03.679 It's gonna say in Luke chapter 18, verse 31, and taking the 12. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:04.879 Taking the 12. 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:06.399 That means it's 12 disciples. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:09.519 He's been with them, best we can tell, for three and a half years. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:11.440 He's ate with them, slept with them. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:13.519 They were like, hey Jesus, you got grass in your hair. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:14.159 He's like, I'm good. 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.000 Thanks, thanks for hooking my brother up, okay? 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:18.480 So they are deeply connected to Jesus. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:19.519 Here's what happens. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:27.679 When I say Jesus knows and controls what's happening, it's not like he got into town, smarted off, and said something, and then they said, We're gonna kill you. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:33.360 Luke 18, verse 31 says, and taking the twelve, he said to them, see, no, they don't. 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:38.879 See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets, by the way, hear that? 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:42.399 Everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets, that's those prophecies. 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:48.960 That's where God obligates him, way back here in the Old Testament and says, if this doesn't come true, you don't have to believe in me. 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.519 I'm just another phony religious person. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:11:05.919 But everything written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished, for he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon, and after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:07.039 Get this. 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:10.000 But they understood none of these things. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:14.080 This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.720 You ever get that feeling when you talk to your kids? 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:22.320 You're kind of looking at them, and they're looking at you, and you can even say, What did I just say? 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:24.080 And they'll repeat it right back to you. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:27.440 But you can tell by that look in their eye, this is hidden from them. 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:29.840 This is hidden. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:34.080 They just do not have the capacity to open up that mental valve and let it get in there. 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:35.120 Why am I saying that? 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:37.679 Because in a minute we're gonna see the word hidden again, and look at me. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:42.080 Sometimes God hides things, hides things from us, and he has reasons. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:45.600 It's not because we're dumb, it's just sometimes God hides things. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:50.399 This is what he does here because these people had an idea of what Jesus should do. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.120 They missed what he was actually doing. 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:56.159 Let me say that again, then I'll explain from the Old Testament. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:02.080 Because they had an idea of what God should do, they missed what he was actually doing. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:03.600 Uh now, what do you mean? 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:05.360 Jesus is coming for Passover. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.000 It's a high and holy feast in the life of Jewish people. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.600 Everybody came to Jerusalem. 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:12.240 It was a throbbing mass of humanity during this time. 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:19.600 And so Passover was a feast that commemorated God passing over the Israelites and sparing them in their firstborn. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:26.480 Because way back in the Old Testament, when God was telling the guy named Pharaoh, don't jerk with me, I'll pull the world over, whip everybody, okay? 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:35.519 And so, little by little, these ten plagues in the Old Testament, God was just slowly revealing, uh my my my you have no idea who you're dealing with. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:38.639 And finally, God says, the tenth plague is the plague of the firstborn. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.679 I'm gonna kill all the firstborn of man and beast, okay? 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:46.639 Unless you guys sacrifice a lamb and apply the blood of that lamb to the doorpost of your house. 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:50.399 In that case, he says, When I send the death angel, he will pass over your house. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:54.960 And then God said this, I want you guys to have a way to remember the Passover. 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:57.039 This is why it's called the Passover feast. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.399 The Bible's not hard. 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.120 Jesus, God could have called it a lot of things, you know. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.519 He just says, Remember, I passed over. 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:05.039 I'm a God of mercy. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:06.799 Ask yourself this question today. 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:10.879 Do you and your family have a means by which you remember God's faithfulness? 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:14.240 Because if you're not careful, you'll forget. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.519 When our girls were little, we would tell them I would come back from different things. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:21.840 My wife would come back from things where we just saw God do powerful things, and we'd tell our kids about it. 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:27.519 And they're like 16 and 21 now, and they're still to this day, they'll go, hey dad, tell me about the time and blah, blah, blah. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.000 And it's some time where God did something incredible. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:31.440 You gotta remember these things. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:38.240 This is why God institutes the feast of Passover way back in Exodus chapter 12, verses 1 to 6. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:40.879 Let me read because they're given specific instructions. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:46.320 Now, by the way, Passover was a celebration of their release from captivity and bondage. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:52.399 Passover was a celebration of their release from captivity and bondage. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:14:02.000 And once we get set free, unless we understand what the purpose of our freedom, we will turn around and choose just another socially acceptable form of bondage. 00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:03.759 And that's what God's people had done. 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:05.840 They were in bondage to religion. 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:08.480 And Jesus comes to set them free. 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:12.399 That's why the Bible says, if the Son sets you free, you're free indeed. 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:13.840 And so let me just read. 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:21.679 Like I said, remember again, because the people had an idea what Jesus should do when he comes into Jerusalem, you're gonna set up a new political party. 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:23.840 No, no, they missed what he was doing. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:24.799 What was he doing? 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:28.960 The Bible tells us in Exodus chapter 12, verse 1, uh, says this. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:34.879 It says, The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, in the land of Egypt, this month is to be the beginning of months for you. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:36.480 It is the first month of the year. 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:45.600 Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month they must each select an animal of the flock, according to their father's household, one animal per household. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:52.879 If the household is too small for a whole animal, that person and the neighbor nearest his house are to select one based on the combined number of people. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.960 You should apportion to the animal according to what each person will eat. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:00.000 You must have an unblemished animal, a year old male. 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:02.559 You may take it either from the sheep or the goats. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:10.000 You are to keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then the whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:15.759 Now, the Bible says in Isaiah 53, I alluded to this earlier, but let me give it a little more uh unpacking here. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:21.840 The Bible says of Jesus when he's going to be crucified, it says like a sheep before his shears, he was silent. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:27.279 Now, when the Bible says he opened not his mouth, that means Jesus didn't defend himself. 00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:27.919 Okay? 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:31.759 Uh and but also he didn't explain himself either. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:35.759 See, we hear he opened not his mouth, he just sat there and took it. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:44.720 Now it's that, but it's also I'm doing some something on such a phenomenally huge scale, you cats can't, you you people can't even see it. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:45.840 It's hidden from you. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:47.039 You say, what do you mean? 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:56.960 Let me point to four things we just read in Exodus 12 that Jesus does on this triumphal entry on Palm Sunday when he rides into Jerusalem to begin the last week of his life. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:03.679 First of all, the day that Jesus enters Jerusalem, it says in Exodus 12, uh it's highlighted and underlined up here. 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:06.960 Each person was to select an animal of the flock. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:07.840 See that up there? 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:11.519 They're supposed to go on this day, select an animal from the flock. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:15.360 The day Jesus enters Jerusalem is Lamb Selection Day. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:20.399 And by the way, have you ever done anything really incredible for somebody and they never knew it? 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:27.440 Isn't there a part of you that kind of wishes they knew how incredible it was? 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:30.559 Because if I did something like this, I'd walk in with a bullhorn. 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.519 Attention, everybody, I'm about to set it off up in here. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:36.240 I'm coming as the fulfillment of the Old Testament law. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:43.440 I'm gonna be the Lamb, sacrifice for your sins, you religious ritual people, you morons, you don't get it. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:47.200 Not that you would ever talk that way to people. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:49.600 Yeah. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:56.080 It's why we start saying to our kids about when they got to be about 12, 13 years old, sweetie, you're not gonna understand until you have kids of your own. 00:16:56.159 --> 00:17:01.039 I could explain it to you, but you wouldn't get it, and that would just make me mad that I wasted my breath. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:09.680 So you get you some kids, sacrifice for them, raise them, provide for them, and then have them question you and tell me what that tastes like. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.279 At that point, my kids are backing up into their bedroom. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:15.359 Never mind, Dad, never mind. 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:16.319 Yeah. 00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:16.799 Yeah. 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:20.799 The day Jesus enters Jerusalem is Lamb Selection Day. 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:24.799 The people are choosing their lambs that are going to be sacrificed for Passover. 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:30.559 Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us there was as many as a quarter million lambs in Jerusalem. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:32.480 The air was just full of the sound. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.079 They're everywhere in Jesus. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:40.240 Remember when Jesus first walks on the scene, got him John the Baptist sees him in the New Testament. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.200 Remember what he said? 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:44.880 He said, Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:50.880 He walks into Jerusalem on this day in fulfillment of that off-the-cuff statement by John the Baptist. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:53.839 They're all selecting their lambs for the religious ritual. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:57.440 Jesus is the lamb who comes to make all the rituals unnecessary. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:59.039 Here's the second thing that happens. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.359 The animal had to be without blemish or defect. 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.160 You see right there? 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:04.799 It says you must have an unblemished animal. 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:06.799 An unblemished animal. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:08.480 Here's the third thing. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:11.039 They had to keep the animal for five days to inspect it. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.839 You had to keep it until the 14th day of the month. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:14.720 Now, stick with me. 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:16.319 I got any Aggies in the room? 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.640 There you go, you sister kissers. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:19.440 I know you were here. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:21.200 What? 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:22.480 Talk, talk about it. 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:23.440 I love AM. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:24.720 Let me just say this is free. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:27.839 Save your highest affection for that which is ultimate. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:32.960 Whoops, I did it again. 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.720 I played with your heart. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:41.039 I don't care if your house is covered maroon and white. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:41.920 I don't care. 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:42.960 I love that. 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:44.960 But just it's not ultimate. 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:48.079 I told Don Minton the same thing about Auburn, by the way. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.440 Y'all are like, Don Minton, a guy used to work here, loved Auburn. 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:53.839 I was like, Minton, it's just a college, okay? 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:55.519 Watch your mouth. 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.599 Which I said back. 00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:58.720 Get a life. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:01.680 But anyway, now there had to be a lamb without blemish. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.119 Stick with stick with me now. 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:05.359 He says that, and you're to keep it for five days. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:06.319 That's what the thing said. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:08.160 You had to keep the animal for five days. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:09.920 You're to keep it until the 14th day. 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.759 So, count with me, Aggies. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:13.440 He rides in on the 10th day. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:15.519 And then had to keep it until the 14th day. 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:19.440 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.799 Five days. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:23.519 Now I told you two things there, and I want to put them together. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:27.359 The animal had to be without blemish or defect and had to be kept for five days. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:29.839 Jesus walks into Jerusalem on this day. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:34.319 They're all selecting their lambs for this ritual, and he comes to demonstrate a reality. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:44.000 For the next five days, he's going to be passed around from one small politician, political hack to another, and they're all trying to decide what to do with him. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.799 And finally he ends up before a man named Pilate. 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:55.440 Remember, I told you about Barabbas, the meth head thief that everyone just knew was a weasel because he'd broken into their house and stole their flat screen to buy weed. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:57.440 And they were like, everybody knows he's a thief. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:58.799 They chose him over Jesus. 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:00.319 And he said, What about Jesus? 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.279 Crucify him. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.160 We hate him. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.920 He so let us down. 00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:06.960 We thought we had a candidate we could believe in. 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.960 So what happens? 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:11.279 Pilate is so distraught. 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:18.000 He orders for a bowl of water and he washes his hands in front of all the people and he says, I find no fault in him. 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.119 And when Pilate says that, by the way, this is free. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:23.920 God uses everybody for his purposes. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.519 Believers, unbelievers, people that get it, people that don't. 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:31.039 Don't ever go through life thinking I can only learn things from Christians. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.720 Pilate's not a believer. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:36.640 He's just some guy that's kind of sold out to the system. 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:47.119 When he washes his hands and says, I find no fault in him, he is fulfilling what God said back in Exodus chapter 12 when he says, You must have an unblemished animal. 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:51.519 What he's really saying is, you now, you people have an unblemished animal you can sacrifice. 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.880 We've had him for five days. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.880 He is without spot or blemish blemish. 00:20:54.960 --> 00:21:03.599 It's why 1 Peter also says, You are not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the spotless blood of a lamb without without defect. 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:08.240 The Bible's not 841 different stories that have nothing to do with each other. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:14.559 It's one story about one God and everything he's done to make it possible a relationship with you. 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:17.039 Here's the last thing I want you to see. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:20.319 Jesus will be crucified as the Passover lambs are being sacrificed. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:24.240 The whole assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:28.319 So while they're doing that at twilight, Jesus is being nailed to the cross. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:32.240 He's put up there, he stays alive for a while, and he dies at twilight. 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:36.880 And they take his body down as they're sacrificing these lambs to have a meal. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.200 Now what am I saying? 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:44.960 I'm saying this God comes to us in ways that are familiar, oftentimes so familiar that we miss it. 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:47.920 Jesus is so misunderstood, they missed it. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:50.640 Secondly, Jesus is sad. 00:21:50.960 --> 00:21:51.759 Jesus is sad. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:53.279 What do you mean, verse 41? 00:21:53.440 --> 00:22:02.640 And when he drew near and he saw the city, he wept over it, saying, Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make For peace, but now they're hidden from your eyes. 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:18.240 For the days will come upon you when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation. 00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:23.039 Now, by the way, here is now the second time that he uses this phrase hidden. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:26.640 He says, but now, in verse 42, but now they're hidden from your eyes. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:32.160 When you read things in the Bible that are repeated, you really need to tell yourself, hey, I want to understand that. 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:34.799 We'll get to this doctrine of hiddenness in just a minute. 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:37.039 And you really need to help your kids understand this. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:38.559 So I'm just giving you a heads up. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:46.000 And by the way, I don't know, I didn't send it this part in this hiddenness with my notes, and so it won't, I don't think it'll come up on the screen, uh, but I'll repeat it enough. 00:22:46.160 --> 00:22:51.599 When I say Jesus is sad, what I'm saying is this is that religion blinds people to reality. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:55.680 And so Jesus comes and he draws near to the city and he just weeps over it. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:00.400