Palm Sunday: The Real Story

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The real story. Let me start with the question, what makes you really mad. Today I be honest with you I I'm usually very irritable when I'm hungry. My wife will even say are you hungry, mostly what you me the money hungry.

She says you just need to eat something. I think they call it being angry right, not just angry but angry. That's hunger and anger combined together but I have to admit there are things that kind of irritate me and a lot of them have to do with that little thing most of us carry around in our pocket called a cell phone. I mean they just taken our lives over in many ways they're ruining our lives. People don't even talk to each other anymore.

You'll stand it rest line for a couple coffee and no one will say hey how you doing are things going there was looking at the phone looking at their fellow people walk across crosswalks with looking at their phone and even maybe they have the green light but people be careful but you know it when someone's talking to you.

Don't text because it's sort of offensive.

It's like they're talking using some very important notes and you look at your phone in your text, and whether talking cutaway of almost think what you're saying to me does not matter to me is able. Greg would've what they're saying doesn't matter to me will be so rude don't let them know you actually feel that way. By the way we do when you're texting down below the table near David and you're looking dumb periodically, we can tell because your property moving her lips as you text there's another one when I'm in line at the for the ATM machine. Why do people wait until they get to the machine to take the card out. If you're waiting behind to people.

Could you have done that already about this one. Why do I always get seated. When I fly behind the person who needs to fully recline their seats till the whole time I'm looking at their scout. This doesn't happen to my wife, her legs are shorter.

That always happens to me why some better no-bid lesson. There are things that do anger us, and sometimes it can actually affect our health. According to a Harvard study that was done on anger 10 million adult men in the United States are so angry there actually physically sick.

Their disease even has a name it's intermittent explosive disorder. I eat D studies have revealed that bad tempered people are three times more likely to have heart attacks. Also, when you're angry you will often say and do really stupid things. One expert said and I quote the angrier we get the more stupid we become what our emotional brain is in charge. We see things in black and white are likely to make stupid and damaging decisions and think about it.

Have you ever said something and anger to your spouse and you were just sure you were right to say that than the adrenaline kinda wears off and you see you reduce them to tears. In reality kicks in and you discover that that was really a really rude thing to say about when you want to send an email off to someone in effect, as you're typing in your cute typing really hard to communists all say this to them and then you hit send and then three seconds later you think maybe I should listen to that and know you're googling, how do I get my email back answer Udo's too late. Think before you send it and it sometimes it's a good idea, type out the letter just don't get sent but here's something that might surprise you. Sometimes it's good to be angry. There is 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 wrath, 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 working a look at that and her 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 because the big event is happening. While 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 countdown 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 in his name was on everybody's lips get a huge following on social media. He was blowing up Twitter and Instagram and Facebook, not really, but admitted in this day it would've been similar.

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 in 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 peace 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, Jesus was doing something that was what we might call a real attention getter. No, Jesus would perform a miracle he would touch a person and he would often say my hour has not yet come. Don't tell anybody my hour is not yet come will now is our does come the hour for Jesus to go and voluntarily die on the cross. Now it seems odd to us to think about Jesus riding into town on a donkey. I mean, it seems like an Arabian stallion would be more apropos right but he chooses a donkey.

I think sometimes we think that sort of a humble creature that one would not want to write if they were coming in as a victory in of the president of the United States is a special limo. It has its own plane wherever the president goes, that limo goes and it's called the beast. It's an adopted Cadillac with 8 inch armor plating, bulletproof windows and much more.

That's followed by a string of cars so it's a huge entourage. It's very impressive. I've been to Washington DC and I've seen this car drive by the beast with the president of United States inside of it. You know, very impressive done done done done done deducted right okay. Imagine for a moment if instead of that incredible adopted Cadillac car. The president drives in. He drove something more along the lines of this that the previous by the way the presidential previous instead of done done to them. It would be more like when grant green room yet so very impressive for Air Force One. What an incredible plane that is I was talking with my friend Marco Rubio, who's a senator and I asked him.

Have you ever been in Air Force One and the city had on a few occasions and they send in the Mr. been amazing.

So when this plane landed to representation of the United States of America. We know the president is here. But what if Air Force One looked instead like this you're not quite as impressive right so that's how we may sort of see Jesus coming in to Jerusalem on a donkey, why would he pick that creature actually the meaning was not lost on the Romans or the Jews.

It was really a perfect choice. You see, in Roman culture. When a hero returned from war as a victor he would come back on a donkey and they would lay Palm branches out before so for the Romans. He was effectively declaring himself as a king but in Jewish culture. They also knew that when Messiah King.

He would come also riding a donkey. Zechariah 99 says rejoice greatly, O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king comes to you. He's just having salvation lowly and riding on a donkey, so this was something that was very significant in the people understood it. Also know that Jesus was a wanted man. I don't know if they had posters around town wanted Jesus for anarchy and revolution, but he was a wanted man. There was actually a price on his head, Caiaphas the high priest and said if anyone knew where Jesus was.

They should reported immediately. So here he comes clean his hand if you will, declaring himself to the Romans as a conqueror and declaring himself to the Jews as the Messiah someone or said he was not coming as a hopeless victim. He was coming as a powerful victor marching bravely in the battle.

Verse 38 says 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 weight. What here everyone cover the party. They're excited there singing for love break good times, on tenant done Jesus standing there crying. I wonder if anybody even noticed.

But why was Jesus crying and by the way, the word that is used different crying is speaking.

There 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, she had been rejected. The Bible says he came to his own and his own received him not. Jesus healed their sick.

He raise their dead. He cleansed their leprosy for their hungry and he for gave their sins, but at this point he's mostly alone and rejected any knew that one of his own disciples was about to betray him Judas Iscariot. We always want to plead Judas is a complete villain he really was a complete goal in but he didn't come off that way. At first he was among the 12 disciples handpicked by Jesus and considered to be a friend by Jesus.

Do you remember what Jesus said to Judas Iscariot when Judas fled the temple guard to arrest Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said to Judas friend, why have you come Fred about fiend why have you come he called him Fred. Remember the Scripture tells us that Messiah is asked where he received those wounds and he said I receive them in the house of my friends.

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 knew also that Simon Peter would deny him 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 it, saying to them, it is written, my house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of the understand this was not an explosion of anger on the part of Jesus. This was righteous indignation.

Aren't you glad God doesn't lose his temper that be scary if God just kinda got really mad throwing planets around you know he doesn't ever lose his temper, but he does display anger but it's a holy anger in the gospel of Mark gives us a few more details about this because in Mark 1115. It says when they arrived back in Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple he began to drive out the merchants and their customers and knocked over the tables of the money changers in the stalls of those selling dogs.

They had separate T violent act to overturn a table. These were large tables 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 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. Listen to this. This can happen in the church as well. You know, we can become a very exclusive club, and someone that's not one of us." Whatever that would be in your mind comes then we might say, wait, where they had church will look it up or why would they wear a shirt with that slogan to church.

Why would she dress that way in church. Why would she come here with obviously the issues he's dealing with. When the second is that a gay couple there in church who, what, why would they be in church oh is a person transsexual. Should they be in church lesson the church should be available to everyone. It's not just a place for us to worship. It's a place for us to reach out to lost people that need Jesus Christ is my question for you. Are you a bridge or are you a barrier to people coming to Christ be a bridge yeah you know figure it out, sometimes people to come to church aren't Christians yet. Don't we want them to hear the word of God. Don't we want them to be exposed to the gospel. Don't we want to call them the Christ. Remember, one of the criticisms of Jesus himself when he walked this earth was he's a friend of sinners. Is he was because he wanted those sinners to become saints. How can this sinner become a saint. If I'm not having a dialogue with them in communication with them. And so Jesus was angry that these people were being driven away, and I think we need to pray and say Lord I want to be a bridge to nonbelievers coming to believe in you. I've already mentioned, Easter is coming. Of course, next Sunday, and it's one of those times and people will go to church along with Christmas. I just read a poll that said 25% of American adults would go to church if invited.

I would suggest that number may even be higher at Easter. I think it would be considerably higher, but let's just deal with that stat 25% of the adults in the United States would go to church if they were invited.

This is a part of Paul and he elaborated the best chance of getting them to a church is when someone they know and trust invites them and offers to accompany them to hear that.

So first you have to have someone that knows in trust you. So you're taking your relationships and your leveraging them for God's glory you have people that you are known for a while and you have a relationship with them with them and they trust you so you think you know what this Sunday is Easter and I would like you to come as my guest to church will sit together I'll introduce you to some of my friends will go out and have a meal afterwards. When can I pick you up.

Want to extend that invitation to someone. I think you might be surprised by the response. Here's my challenge to you bring just one. This Easter, you know, the world's a big place. Let's just concentrate on that one might be a member of your family and might be a neighbor and might be a coworker and might be someone else. But there they might be popping in your mind right now who I know that person is in a might be someone you don't really want to talk to.

That might be the very person, the Lord would direct you to invite the church. Here's my challenge to every campus at harvest next Sunday on Easter to the best of your ability. Invite people and more to the point bring people that don't know the Lord to church.

Let's pray for one of the greatest harvest we've ever had in our history.

Okay soldiers.

Jesus coming into the temple and by the way, another one of the gospel tells us he used a whip, what I've done to that talented Indiana Jones style driving out the money changers overturning the tables saying you've turn this place into a den of the cleansing the temple and on the same way when we first come to Christ. The cleansers 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 sent the wonderful thing is knit 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 sinkable 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 before we know it. Little sins are turning into big sins again. Doug and I was a kid at Easter pet stores used to sell bunnies 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 child.

Happy Easter. I got you a bunny and a check that's a great idea then what about nine months later when these rabbits are Roman around your house in full-grown check-in's all of a sudden rabbits do and should fully 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 the 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 by eye, by nature, am a messy person. Let me take a quick poll.

How many of you are messy. People raise your hand right 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 she maybe overdoes it a little bit you know the other day she made the bed while he was still in it and I was missing for a week.

I don't know what happened there no but seriously, here's her philosophy when MS 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 my office the other day.

It's a great look.

The bookseller place or you're starting to pile these things up over there. You're doing it a kid, so she started straightening up Kate.

Let me apply this virtually sometimes a little little sins indoor life will get to it later. Elmo a few more things indoor like quality. With that in another occasion, and next thing you know it's a huge problem that we don't even know how to approach so you have two approaches in life you can take the Greg approach, which is let the messes build where they overwhelm you, or you can take the Kathy approach the life that's my wife's name in case 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 the said Lord, clean my house cleanse my temple. You know the Bible says that our body is a 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 this 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 into your life.

Yes, Jesus went to the cross. 2000 years ago.

Yes, Jesus paid for this sin of the world. But remember, 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. And I also wonder if there are some here that need their temple cleansed. They need some spring cleaning. They need to lower 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 were sorry for it and we turn from the Nola heads 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 prey of a simple prayer.

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 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 and my friend in Jesus name I pray