Palm Sunday: The Real Story - II

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God. If you would like to know how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org you want to go to the Lord on a regular basis and ask him to lend you of your sin because you sin more than you think you said if we say we have knows the truth is not in a today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie has an important warning for Saul before we know it.

Little sins are turning into big sins and value of a problem. So here's what I'm saying. Maybe it's time for an excellent interesting phrase terminological exactitude leaves the lie people up other creative words, resumes have an affair some special they pilfer will prolong you can put lipstick on a sin still is today on a new beginning in preparation for Easter Pastor Greg Laurie helps us put a stop to sin with the software test by message today is Sunday. The real story.

Let's pray together now Lord as we remember the fact that you wrote in the Jerusalem of the back of that donkey so many years ago what we call Palm Sunday were thankful because there in the city of Jerusalem. You were try then you are sent to a cross outside of the walls of the city, and there you died for the sin of the world and you died for our sin as well. But you rose again from the dead, so give us an insight into what this story is all about.

We commit this time a Bible study to you now in Jesus name we pray, and met your something that might surprise you. Sometimes it's good to be angry, there's a good kind of anger that you can tell a lot about a person by what they laugh at and what makes them angry. I think the key is we don't want to have sinful anger Ephesians 426 says the angry but do not sin. Do not let the sun go down in your mouth or give place to the devil you might be surprised to know that even Jesus Christ himself at times was angry. What made Jesus angry will you look at that and I message today were also going to look at what makes God sad. Yes God can experience sadness just like you and I can regular CS story before is here where Jesus shows both deep sorrow and righteous indignation.

And this is all around the topic of Palm Sunday and I think a lot of times people don't really understand Palm Sunday Palm Sunday to Easter is sort of what Thanksgiving is the Christmas we just get through it well. Palm Sunday is a very significant day today. Of course, when Christ came into Jerusalem riding the donkey. What we often call the triumphal entry, but really it was the count down to Calvary. Jesus was very intentional.

He was on his way into this city to begin that final part of his ministry. He was very popular at this point.

Everybody was talking about Jesus and so they cured Jesus is coming to town in verse 11 of the chapter before us is as they heard these things, he spoke another parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately so that people thought this is it. Jesus is going to overthrow the stinking Romans ever going to be free again and he's going to establish his kingdom on earth so people began to celebrate.

People were very excited, but they were misunderstanding his mission. He was not coming to overthrow Rome's army. He was rather coming to set in order God's temple. And so in many ways this was a bittersweet day. It was sweet because people were singing this praises for a moment, but it was better because these same fickle people were going to turn on him in a short period of time.

Some of the people were saying hosanna on Palm Sunday were saying, crucify him only days later. Yes, he was the king for some, but only for a day when he was coming to fulfill his purpose. So let's read what happened on the first Palm Sunday. Look at Luke chapter 19 starting at verse 37 when he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of olives. All of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along praising God for all the wonderful miracles that they had seen blessing on the king who comes in the name of the Lord Jesus in heaven and glory in the highest heaven with some of the Pharisees among the crowd said teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that. Jesus replied if they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into tears. But as they came closer to Jerusalem and he saw the city ahead. Jesus began to weep saying how I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace.

But now it's too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.

So here in the first Palm Sunday, they cried out. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

Another gospel tells us to use the word hosanna understand the word hosanna means save now so contextually what they were saying was Jesus do it now establish your kingdom now overthrow these Roman tyrants now and what does Jesus do verse 41 says he saw the city and he wept over. I wonder if anybody even noticed. But why was Jesus crying. By the way, the word that is used different crying is speaking. That was something audible. He was openly weeping. He was broken hearted. Why would he be broken hearted at a party like this because his ministry was almost over. Time is short and by and large, had been rejected. The Bible says he came to his own in the zone received him not.

Jesus healed their sick. He raise their dead declines. Their leprosy for their hungry and he for gave their sins, but at this point he's mostly alone and rejected, and he knew that one of his own disciples was about to betray him Judas Iscariot. Jesus was weeping because he had been rejected. Jesus was weeping because he would be betrayed. Not only that he would be betrayed by one of his friends any new also that Simon Peter would deny them the most of the disciples would go into hiding and this broke his heart. So we've seen what makes God sad.

Unbelief makes God sad rejection of his promises makes God sad. Lenny has this what makes God mad. Go to Luke chapter 19 look at verse 45. He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in its saying to them, it is written, my house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of the so he was saying. I don't like what's going on here what was going on there. There were people that were taking advantage of those who would come to worship in the temple they would have these approved animals that they could use in the sacrifices that they would sell to the folks had jacked up prices so you can with your own animal that there I'm sorry that's blemish, you can offer that would have a great deal on our special preapproved kosher sacrificial lambs, whether to buy one of these listen instead of praying for the people they were praying on the people and they were actually keeping people from worshiping God know this even in the Old Testament God wanted both Gentile and Jew to believe in him, though the temple belonged to the Jewish people. It was open to the Gentiles as well.

So, summing it up. What makes God angry. Listen to this God gets angry when we become a barrier to people coming to Christ and I think we need to pray and say Lord I want to be a bridge to nonbelievers coming to believe in you Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment we send these daily studies out via the radio, satellite and over the Internet. We don't always know how these messages are touching lives when we hear the stories of her listeners and reassures us that these lessons are helping people. Thank you so much Pastor Greg.

Encouraging grounding message God's answer to fear and worry. It has helped me so much as I grow older I find myself getting more and more anxious about just anything. It's a great reminder to pray for childlike faith and trust that God is truly in control. Yes, he is in control.

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Glad your long for today study called Palm Sunday. The real story.

Pastor Greg continues now. Okay, so here's Jesus coming into the temple and by the way, another one of the gospel tells us he used a whip out with ident deduct tented Indiana Jones style driving out the money changers overturning the tables saying you turn this place into a den of the cleansing the temple and on the same way when we first come to Christ.

The cleanses are temple if you will. You know there's a lot of things that change.

Our vocabulary gets cleaned up our lifestyle changes our attitudes change so much is transformed in our life because Jesus has forgiven us of all of our sin to wonderful things in it but sometimes after time passes may be a few months maybe a few years, maybe even a few decades, some little sins will call the little I don't really know the sins are little but for the sake of a point some little sins sort of find their way back into our life. Again, you know, things that we used to do that. We haven't done for a while but I'll go ahead and do this a little bit here and a little bit there and before we know it.

Little sins are turning into big sins again.

But when I was a kid at Easter pet stores used to sell monies for Easter and they also sold ships little fuzzy chicks and I as I recall some of them, or even died in different colors.

What a cute gift to get for a job. Happy Easter. I got you a bunny and a check that's a great idea then, but what about nine months later when these rabbits are Roman around your house in full-grown check it all of a sudden rabbits do in Chick-fil-A is on a very appealing right so the point is little cute things turn in the big thing and little sins can turn into big sins and value of a problem. So here's what I'm saying. Maybe it's time for a temple cleansing.

I don't know about you but I by nature am a messy person. Let me take a quick poll. How many of you are messy. People raise your hand. Okay, how many of you are need people raise your hand. Your very neat okay how many of you are a messy person married to a neat person. Yeah, sort of like the odd couple right well I am a messy person by nature and my wife Kathy is the neatest person who maybe ever walked the earth.

I think the only person was near was her actual mother so she's always tidying things up, always cleaning things up so I make messes because he cleans up the mess. Is it X he works out pretty well but sometimes he maybe overdoes it a little bit you know the other day she made the bed while he was still in and I was missing. I don't know what happened there.

So would seriously here's your philosophy when a mess begins to build up she said let's get this sorted out now and I'll think I'll get to it later. So the result is I have piles of books and things in my office and my office got so bad recently. She said we gotta clean this out and so she did it with a friend and they did an amazing job getting rid of all of the clutter we moved it all out but she came in to my office the other day and said Greg look the bookseller place while you're starting up all these things up over there. You're doing it again so she started straightening out Kate let me apply this virtually sometimes a little little sins indoor life will get to it later.

L1. A few more things indoor life all deal with that and another occasion, the next thing you know it's a huge problem that we don't even know how to approach so you have two approaches a life you can take the Greg approach, which is let the messes build where they overwhelm you when you can take the Kathy approach to life.

That's my wife's name because you don't know and constantly be dealing with that so here's the reality you want to go to the Lord on a regular basis and ask him to cleanse you of your sin because you sin more than you think you sin for someone nine tells us in ways that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But then Scripture reminds us that we will confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us so we need to come to the Lord and ask him to cleanse us on a regular basis.

So let me close with this thought. Do you need to engage in some spring cleaning. Is this a time in your life or you've allowed things to clutter your spiritual life may be some compromises you've made. Maybe some sins that you've engaged in the you've somehow rationalized and you just need Jesus to clean house will listen. He wants to do that and I think it be a great thing of each of us is Lord, clean my house cleanse my temple. You know the Bible says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. And so, in the same way that Jesus cleansed the temple some 2000 years ago on the first Palm Sunday he can cleanse your temple today that would be a great way for us to end our service. Let me ask. Also, it if you're not sure of Jesus Christ is living in your heart.

I want you to know that he loves you and it makes God sad.

If you will.

When you reject his offer of forgiveness. He wants a relationship with you. He wants to reveal his incredible plan for you.

He wants to do a unique work in your life, but he won't force his way in your life.

Yes, Jesus went to the cross. 2000 years ago. Yes, Jesus paid for the sin of the world. But remember, you paid for your sin. He died there for you as the apostle Paul said he loved me and he gave himself for me and I wonder if some of you have never asked Jesus into your life. I also wonder if there are some here that need their temple cleansed. They need some spring cleaning.

They need the Lord to come in and just sort out a lot of those things that they've allowed another life that are actually hurting them spiritually. Why do we close in prayer and asked Jesus Christ to do that work in our life that we all need done that spring Lord, we pray that you will help us to live a life that honors you and if there's any clutter in our life. If there's any compromise in our life. If there's any sin in our life were asking you to forgive us of that.

We confess it.

We acknowledge it or sorry for it. We turn from the no letterheads about her eyes are closed were praying there might be some of you here today who have never asked Jesus Christ to come into your life. You've never asked him to forgive you of your sin and I want you to know today is your day. Jesus says behold I stand at the door may not know if you hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in. So here's what I want to do.

I'm in the pray. A simple prayer and if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven. I would ask you to pray this prayer after me. You might even pray it out loud and know this God will hear your prayer. Just pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for me.

I turned from my sin I choose to follow you from this moment forward as my Savior and my Lord is my God, my friend in Jesus name I pray for Greg Lord important prayer for those asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. And if you just pray that prayer would like to follow-up with you and sense of free materials your way to help you begin to walk with the Lord on a daily basis would like to send you what we call our new believers growth packet it will answer many of the questions you have and help you get started off right. So ask for as you write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and click the words know God and then we have a great set of children's books that we want to make available. This is good news for parents and grandparents. Here's Pastor Greg to talk with our special guest everybody had now were going to have a lesson on how to speak like a British person because I think that when British people say it, it always sounds better so I agreed out and I with Sally Lloyd Jones is an expert because she is indeed British aren't you, Sally.

Yes I am and I I'm very very pretentious yes and as I get more British as ice right time to do my best version of speaking like a British person.

Are you ready I'm ready pricing. Sarai people it out top of the date. She is in all that I'm being a bit possible right now know I'm going to go over to more of a liver pulley that said hello over there. Talk to you you and also a couple of birds over the wheel the day Elizabeth of the Dragon. So how did I do Sally.

I went while widespread to a liver lien. I thought it was brilliant and I think you're very good at doing that yes he did get a bit posh.

Then he went to Lesbos and then he went to a party and thank you very much, so now define the following terms to us and confuses as Americans we traveled in England okay. What is a windscreen windshield went to windshield. What is a bonnet. What it could be a hat. Yes, all might be at when the engine is the object bonnet and porridge is porridge is is like a white male, but it's better so there's your lesson on speaking like a Brit.

And speaking of speaking like a Brit. She writes like a Brit to because she is one, and she's written two books for children because she's a prolific children's writer and it's a set that were offering right now to all of our listeners. It's called founder loved by Sally Lloyd Jones you just heard from edit includes an original keepsake print it's illustrated by a fantastic artist named jog a really really good. As an artist I can tell you I really appreciate of the design and art in these books and then written just perfectly by Sally effect. Here's a little sample of what you will find in one of these books God is my shepherd and I and his mental now he feeds me he guides me soft to me. I have everything I need inside my heart is very quiet as client is lying still in soft green grass and imagine management stream even when I walk through the dog. Scary lending places I went be afraid because my shepherd knows where I am is here. He keeps me safe.

He rescues me he makes me strong and brave.

He's getting wonderful things ready for me, especially for me. He fills my heart so full of happiness can't hold a door inside whenever I can. I know God's never stopping, never giving up on breaking always have enough okay to let Sally Lloyd Jones, her special guest who was just written a great picture book says that we want to make available to parents and grandparents is called found and love found is a look at the 23rd Psalm and loved look to the Lord's prayer. They come as a two books set in an attractive storage box, your kids will love the illustrations and we want to send a sure way to say thanks for your partnership and keeping the studies coming your way. In fact, if you can help us on a regular basis. We hope you will ask about becoming a harvest partner. These are special friends who invest in this outreach each month, but with your first gift as a harvest partner would like to send you found and loved.

You can write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or go online to harvest.org or if you're interested in expedited shipping options with Easter just days away. Call us at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 are you receiving Pastor Greg's daily devotions there a great way to start your day with extra insight and inspiration sign up for his devotions today@evo.harvest.org that's Devo DEV oh.harvest.org. Easter is the most hopeful time of year. Pastor Greg Laurie points on the pathway to eternal life. Jesus Christ came out of it empty to fill aren't hard to do you know who needs hope this Easter season bring them to hear the good news Pastor Greg special music asked us to leave is the perfect opportunity to bring someone picture does not get to know the Lord. 82% of the uninsured are likely to attend church have a friend or coworker, neighbor or family member invites and here's the big difference this year to do it all online. That's right, Easter is coming to you dear how is your tablet to your phone wherever you want to view it.

Just go to harvest.org to find out more, let's work together to reach the largest group of people we have ever been able to make contact with this company.

Easter is harvest Easter on line will next time. As we continue preparing our hearts for Easter. Pastor Greg looks at the practical lessons to be drawn from the high price paid at Calvary sure to join us next time you're on a new beginning possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org