Palm Sunday: Welcome the King...or Just Like the Post! - Archie Callahan

0.000000 3.340000 Good morning and welcome to Palm Sunday at Bridge.

3.340000 5.220000 It's good to see you this morning.

5.220000 6.220000 Amen, come on.

6.220000 8.140000 Let's give our first time second time bridge

8.140000 9.280000 guests a big bridge.

9.280000 10.120000 Welcome.

10.120000 12.420000 Thank you for being with us.

12.420000 15.860000 My name is Archie, it is so good to have you today.

15.860000 19.500000 Take out your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 21,

Matthew 21 · chapter mention

19.500000 20.900000 This is Holy Week.

20.900000 25.740000 Palm Sunday starts Holy Week for the Christian Church.

25.740000 27.740000 Today is Palm Sunday.

27.740000 34.460000 And it's a great day in the calendar for the Christian Church.

34.460000 38.120000 If there was an accident, if you came to the crossroads here

38.120000 42.200000 at Indian River and North Landing, and you were there

42.200000 45.400000 with other several other cars, and somebody teeboned

45.400000 50.440000 another vehicle, and you observed that accident.

50.440000 54.200000 And you perceived what happened in that accident,

54.200000 56.320000 and you got out, and you helped those,

56.320000 59.960000 and you were waiting on the Virginia Police to get there,

59.960000 62.400000 Virginia Beach Police Department to get there,

62.400000 66.280000 and they were going to investigate the accident

66.280000 68.840000 and see who caused it, why it happened,

68.840000 72.360000 and you had to give an account to the police officer.

72.360000 73.720000 You had to go on record.

73.720000 77.200000 There was four of you that saw the accident.

77.200000 79.880000 And each person that saw the accident,

79.880000 83.680000 when they gave their account of that accident, guess what?

83.680000 88.920000 Each one of them would give a different perspective

88.920000 91.440000 on that accident.

91.440000 93.960000 It's called perception.

93.960000 99.320000 We see things differently based on our perception

99.320000 101.080000 of that account.

101.080000 103.120000 And when it comes to the gospel writers

103.120000 107.960000 writing about the events that took place on Palm Sunday,

107.960000 112.960000 when Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem,

112.960000 115.960000 each one of these gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke,

115.960000 120.520000 and John, gives us a different perspective

120.520000 123.480000 that's a little bit nuanced from the others,

123.480000 126.640000 because you don't see with your eyes,

126.640000 130.400000 you see through your eyes, your brains telling you

130.400000 132.880000 what your eyes are observing.

132.880000 135.320000 And because of that, each one of us,

135.320000 138.920000 if we were there on that Palm Sunday, when Jesus walked

138.920000 142.920000 into Jerusalem, we would each give a different account

142.920000 148.080000 because of the way we perceive the events of that day.

148.080000 151.720000 And so each gospel writer, Matthew, Mark, and Luke,

151.720000 155.200000 they're called synoptic gospels because they're similar.

155.200000 157.000000 They tell the same stories.

157.000000 161.120000 And then you have John, the beloved, who is also an apostle.

161.120000 165.080000 He gives an account, but he tells of the life of Jesus

165.080000 167.520000 from a more theological standpoint.

167.520000 171.600000 He stresses the life of Christ and the light of Christ.

171.600000 174.880000 He gives us a picture of who Jesus was

174.880000 177.240000 before he ever came to earth.

177.240000 181.120000 Matthew, Mark, Luke, give us a picture of Jesus

181.120000 184.120000 when he was born of the Virgin Mary.

184.120000 187.640000 See, Jesus before he ever came to earth,

187.640000 190.200000 his name was Word, say Word.

190.200000 191.360000 Say, Word up.

191.360000 196.880000 John 1.1 says, "In the beginning was the Word."

196.880000 197.880000 What is he talking about?

197.880000 198.680000 The Word, who?

198.680000 200.560000 Jesus, "In the beginning was the Word,

200.560000 204.320000 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

204.320000 206.640000 He was in the beginning with God.

206.640000 209.320000 Jesus was with God's appall.

209.320000 213.000000 I mean, John lays out this theological foundation

213.000000 217.120000 of who Jesus was before he ever came to earth.

217.120000 219.040000 But when we look at the other accounts,

219.040000 221.440000 we began to notice that they give us

221.440000 225.080000 more of similar stories of the life of Jesus

225.080000 230.080000 throughout his natural life for 33 and a half years on earth.

230.320000 234.280000 But each one of them give us an account of Palm Sunday

234.280000 238.120000 and what transpired on that first Palm Sunday.

238.120000 242.760000 And today, I want us to get a fresh perspective

242.760000 247.600000 of what happened on that first Palm Sunday.

247.600000 250.960000 See, we're starting Holy Week today.

250.960000 254.040000 Palm Sunday leads to Holy Monday.

254.040000 259.040000 On Holy Monday, Jesus goes in and he cleanses the temple

259.200000 260.840000 on Holy Tuesday.

260.840000 264.480000 He begins to teach in the temple.

264.480000 265.000000 How many of you know?

265.000000 268.000000 Sometimes we can't receive the Word of God

268.000000 270.200000 until the Holy Spirit of God comes in

270.200000 272.680000 and cleans some things out of our lives.

272.680000 274.720000 And so Jesus cleanses the temple

274.720000 276.600000 before he teaches in the temple.

276.600000 278.240000 And then we have spy winds.

278.240000 279.840000 They spy winds day.

279.840000 283.640000 It's because Judas came into agreement

283.640000 287.160000 with the haters of Jesus to sell Jesus out

287.160000 288.960000 for 40 pieces of silver.

288.960000 293.200000 And then we have Maude Thursday where Jesus is with his disciples

293.200000 295.960000 which is traditionally known as the last supper.

295.960000 298.320000 He's eating with his disciples.

298.320000 301.200000 And Judas puts his hand in the cup.

301.200000 304.200000 And Jesus says the man who's got his hands in the cup

304.200000 305.280000 will betray me.

305.280000 309.000000 Jesus knew that Judas would betray him

309.000000 312.360000 and he still allowed Judas to eat his table.

312.360000 313.400000 Can I ask you this?

313.400000 315.000000 Who can get at your table?

315.000000 319.120000 Amen.

319.120000 325.040000 Who can eat with you at Ruth Chris?

325.040000 328.120000 Who can eat with you at Watermans?

328.120000 330.160000 Who can eat with you at...

330.160000 332.120000 Come on, Chick-fil-A.

332.120000 335.400000 Who can get at your table?

335.400000 338.840000 Jesus opened the table wide.

338.840000 341.880000 He knew he had someone there that would betray.

341.880000 344.000000 And then you have Good Friday.

344.000000 345.240000 It's a part of Holy Week.

345.240000 348.800000 Good Friday it was when Jesus was beaten brutally

348.800000 353.240000 and six hours on that Friday hung on a cross for you and I.

353.240000 354.440000 And he died there.

354.440000 356.360000 He gave up the ghost.

356.360000 358.120000 Men did not take his life.

358.120000 361.840000 He freely gave it.

361.840000 364.000000 He freely gave his life for you and I.

364.000000 365.720000 And then we come to Holy Saturday.

365.720000 368.320000 And some people call it silent Saturday

368.320000 370.120000 because it's totally silent.

370.120000 374.680000 And Jesus is in the grave the hordes of hell are rejoicing

374.680000 376.760000 because they feel like they won.

376.760000 378.080000 They killed the Messiah.

378.080000 382.720000 They killed the very Son of God and Satan thought he had won.

382.720000 388.240000 But that silent Saturday gave way to resurrection Easter Sunday

388.240000 392.760000 morning where Jesus came up out of the grave victorious

392.760000 394.840000 over death hell in the grave.

394.840000 399.280000 And so we're moving toward Easter, but it's not Easter yet.

399.280000 400.960000 It's Paul Sunday.

400.960000 404.280000 And we're going to look at Matthew chapter number 21

404.280000 406.960000 and we're going to read a couple verses and we're going to talk

406.960000 409.840000 about welcome the king or just like the post.

409.840000 416.200000 Welcome the king or just like the post.

416.200000 419.640000 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them

419.640000 420.880000 verse six.

420.880000 423.680000 They brought the donkey and the cult and placed their cloaks

423.680000 428.560000 on them for Jesus to sit on a very large crowd,

428.560000 433.280000 a large crowd spread their cloaks on the road.

433.280000 435.960000 While others cut branches from the trees

435.960000 437.760000 and spread them on the road.

437.760000 441.360000 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed

441.360000 444.920000 shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David."

444.920000 449.920000 Now the Son of David is a messianic title for Jesus.

449.920000 452.080000 He would be the Son of David.

452.080000 454.560000 It's even prophesied in the Old Testament

454.560000 456.400000 that he would be the Son of David.

456.400000 460.560000 Now if I was God, I don't know if I would put the lineage

460.560000 468.040000 of David in my son's family because David was an adulterer.

468.040000 473.120000 He had a man killed and his family was all jacked up.

473.120000 476.840000 And Jesus is called the Son of David.

476.840000 480.240000 More than that in the lineage of Jesus is a prostitute

480.240000 481.640000 called Rahab.

481.640000 485.080000 Notice God doesn't try to hide any of the dysfunction

485.080000 486.440000 in his Bible.

486.440000 492.560000 God gives us real life in the Word of God

492.560000 495.240000 because he didn't come to the healthy.

495.240000 497.960000 He came to the sick.

497.960000 499.600000 And all the world was sick.

499.600000 501.720000 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

501.720000 503.680000 Hosanna in the highest.

503.680000 506.760000 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city,

506.760000 509.320000 the Bible says, was stirred.

509.320000 512.280000 And asked, "Who is this?"

512.280000 514.640000 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus."

514.640000 518.120000 The prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.

518.120000 523.120000 This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth in Galilee.

523.120000 526.560000 Let me ask you this.

526.560000 531.560000 If Jesus slid into your dems, would you recognize it?

531.560000 538.200000 Or would you say, "Who is this?"

540.200000 545.400000 If Jesus showed up on your social media feed today,

545.400000 548.360000 would you just throw him a like?

548.360000 549.720000 Or would you give him your life?

549.720000 557.280000 Would you just give him a like?

557.280000 558.400000 Would you give him a thumbs up?

558.400000 560.320000 Would you give him a heart?

560.320000 562.760000 What would you give Jesus?

562.760000 565.080000 That's the question today.

565.080000 568.120000 But you can only give Jesus your life

568.120000 570.160000 if you know who he is.

570.160000 571.160000 - Come on now.

571.160000 576.080000 - And so as we look at this story today,

576.080000 579.720000 Jesus is sliding up into Jerusalem.

579.720000 583.440000 He's not riding into Jerusalem in a Tesla.

583.440000 586.080000 He's not in a Hummer.

586.080000 589.320000 He's not in your favorite EV.

589.320000 594.840000 The Bible says he comes to Jerusalem on a donkey.

596.680000 599.480000 An animal that was a symbol of quietness,

599.480000 603.320000 an animal that was a symbol of humility.

603.320000 605.800000 But we know because of the old covenant

605.800000 610.800000 and second kings at Jahu who was anointed to be king,

610.800000 617.920000 also had cloaks laid before him as he entered.

617.920000 623.640000 And in the Old Testament, royalty rode donkeys.

623.640000 624.680000 Now I don't know about you,

624.680000 628.640000 but if I was Jesus, I would have probably got me a thoroughbred.

628.640000 631.000000 I'd have got me a show horse.

631.000000 635.080000 I'd have got me a Clydesdale from Williamsburg.

635.080000 636.120000 Bush Gardens.

636.120000 637.960000 I'd have rode that sucker prancid.

637.960000 643.280000 But Jesus comes in on a donkey.

643.280000 649.400000 Why would Jesus ride a donkey into Jerusalem?

649.400000 653.720000 A donkey, most people don't understand this,

653.720000 657.680000 but a donkey is more intelligent than a horse.

657.680000 664.520000 Royalty in those days rode pure bread donkeys.

664.520000 668.320000 He ride into the city.

668.320000 669.760000 The city is stirred.

669.760000 671.400000 The city is chaos.

671.400000 673.720000 The city is going crazy.

673.720000 675.760000 The city is full of mayhem.

675.760000 679.840000 And Jesus is riding around on this donkey.

679.840000 685.320000 He makes this intentional symbolic move that he's coming on this donkey,

685.320000 688.200000 an animal of loneliness and humility.

688.200000 692.840000 He didn't come in on a war horse as a conquering general,

692.840000 700.920000 but he came in humility to a city that was desiring for a king to come into fruition

700.920000 705.160000 so that they could come out from under Roman tyranny and chaos

705.160000 708.880000 and the harsh Roman government.

708.880000 712.640000 But Jesus didn't come there to take lives.

712.640000 715.000000 He came there to give his life.

715.000000 716.280000 Amen.

716.280000 717.200000 So good.

717.200000 722.040000 But there was a bunch of people that wanted a king yesterday.

722.040000 724.160000 We had marches all over our nation.

724.160000 725.960000 No kings march.

725.960000 733.320000 That's probably symbolic of people who do not want to come under authority.

733.320000 734.320000 Come on down.

735.800000 739.640000 You might get quiet in this gospel church.

739.640000 745.200000 The same people that are on the corners that don't want kings don't want Jesus.

745.200000 748.040000 Because Jesus is king.

748.040000 750.160000 Jesus is not trying to be king.

750.160000 751.320000 He is king.

751.320000 762.560000 We live in a culture where we have made government, God.

762.560000 764.040000 God's not government.

765.040000 767.880000 God is king.

767.880000 770.760000 How did God become king?

770.760000 772.040000 Do you ever ponder that?

772.040000 773.880000 How did God become king?

773.880000 774.840000 Did he become king?

774.840000 779.400000 Just because he spoke the world into existence and flung the stars in the space

779.400000 782.040000 and named each one of them, does he become king?

782.040000 785.920000 Because he created the first Adam and breathe into Adam the breath of life

785.920000 787.320000 and Adam became a living being.

787.320000 793.680000 No, he became king when God became man and took my place on the cross

793.680000 800.120000 and died for me and rose on the third day, declaring that he is the son of God

800.120000 802.920000 and the king of kings and the Lord of lords.

802.920000 810.920000 He became king by becoming one of us and God that cannot condescend to me

810.920000 815.880000 is a God that's not worthy of my worship.

815.880000 821.240000 He became like us.

821.240000 824.680000 He rogues into Jerusalem.

824.680000 826.640000 There's a lot going on.

826.640000 828.040000 The tension is high.

828.040000 830.080000 You can cut it with a knife.

830.080000 832.120000 It's thick.

832.120000 839.080000 The praise is loud, but the understanding is low.

839.080000 841.840000 There are three things I want you to get today.

841.840000 845.240000 Three things I want you to see in this passage today.

845.240000 848.280000 First of all, public honor.

848.280000 849.880000 Public honor.

849.880000 860.140000 Look what it says in verse 8, "A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,

860.140000 866.920000 while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road."

866.920000 871.560000 Cloaks laid down equals surrender.

871.560000 872.880000 What were they doing?

872.880000 880.440000 They were surrendering as an act of their will to Jesus.

880.440000 883.840000 They were laying their cloaks down.

883.840000 890.200000 Just like in Second Kings, when Jehu was anointed to become king of Israel, they laid their cloaks

890.200000 891.200000 down.

891.200000 893.120000 They were saying, "I'm going to lay my cloak down."

893.120000 897.760000 The commentator, Wiseman, says, "It's a sign of loyalty.

897.760000 901.600000 It's a sign of commitment to Jesus.

901.600000 904.080000 It's a promise of support.

904.080000 907.920000 It is a recognition that he is greater.

907.920000 910.400000 It is a sign of honor to Jesus."

910.400000 914.880000 They laid their cloaks down.

914.880000 922.120000 Then they took branches and laid them on the ground as Jesus came into Jerusalem.

922.120000 927.840000 When you look at each gospel writer, Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us it was branches.

927.840000 932.220000 John steps in and says, "It was palm branches."

932.220000 935.320000 Notice how detailed he gets?

935.320000 941.000000 They didn't come down and lay oak branches and magnolia tree branches.

941.000000 944.400000 They came and laid palms down.

944.400000 949.480000 That's why we call it palm sundae.

949.480000 954.960000 It's open booktests.

954.960000 960.100000 We call it palm sundae.

960.100000 966.960000 Like they laid their cloaks down, we must be willing to lay our lives down.

966.960000 969.120000 Here's the problem.

969.120000 981.160000 Most of us want to Jesus that we like, but we don't want to Jesus that is Lord.

981.160000 986.360000 Jesus, I like you when you make me feel good.

986.360000 990.040000 But I don't want you to be Lord over my money.

990.040000 992.840000 I don't want you to be Lord over my marriage.

992.840000 995.440000 I don't want you to be Lord over my business.

995.440000 997.560000 I'm going to compartmentalize my life.

997.560000 1001.600000 I want you to have this part, but I'm going to keep all this, but I want to like you over

1001.600000 1005.640000 here.

1005.640000 1009.240000 How many of us do that?

1009.240000 1015.120000 He's like the proverbial man that has a secondary compartment in his wallet, and he keeps a couple

1015.120000 1017.800000 hundred all bills.

1017.800000 1019.680000 This is mine.

1019.680000 1024.800000 But wife doesn't know about it, and friends don't know about it.

1024.800000 1027.400000 This is just in case money.

1027.400000 1030.960000 In case I see a new golf club.

1030.960000 1034.880000 Come on in case I see the kind of shoes I want.

1034.880000 1035.880000 Just in case money.

1035.880000 1039.080000 This is in case if I just want to keep this.

1039.080000 1042.960000 We compartmentalize our lives, and we like Jesus.

1042.960000 1043.960000 We like him.

1043.960000 1046.680000 We like the understanding of Jesus.

1046.680000 1048.520000 We like the preaching of Jesus.

1048.520000 1050.400000 We like the persona of Jesus.

1050.400000 1059.280000 We like the religious Jesus, but we don't like the Lord Jesus.

1059.280000 1061.280000 We don't like the Jesus.

1061.280000 1065.280000 This is the way I want you to live your life.

1065.280000 1075.000000 We like the Jesus that allows us to have our lives without laying down our lives.

1075.000000 1082.720000 So quiet in this gospel church, because it's the laying down of your life.

1082.720000 1088.120000 Just as Jesus entered Jerusalem, he wants to enter your life today.

1088.120000 1093.400000 And all we see, this public honor was great, and honor is fitting.

1093.400000 1094.400000 Come on.

1094.400000 1097.200000 Good first, it means to revere, it means to respect.

1097.200000 1100.480000 They publicly honor Jesus as he was coming in.

1100.480000 1102.840000 And they had a misconception of who he was.

1102.840000 1105.200000 They were a little bit confused, but they honor him.

1105.200000 1111.000000 Did you know the Bible says honor all men?

1111.000000 1116.360000 That honor should be a value of the kingdom of God.

1116.360000 1127.520000 I don't honor you because I like you, I honor you because God tells me to honor others.

1127.520000 1129.880000 I honor all men.

1129.880000 1131.760000 I respect, I revere, why?

1131.760000 1135.000000 Because you're created in the image of God.

1135.000000 1139.480000 It's easy to honor people that are just like you.

1139.480000 1143.600000 It's easy to honor people that vote like you, think like you, talk like you, dress like

1143.600000 1145.880000 you, and live where you live.

1145.880000 1147.040000 That's an easy honor.

1147.040000 1154.580000 It's a whole different story to honor people that are totally different than you.

1154.580000 1159.440000 The Bible says honor the Lord with your wealth, so we honor God.

1159.440000 1166.360000 It also says honor your father and mother so that your days will be long on the earth.

1166.360000 1173.080000 Come on, that is a commandment with blessing.

1173.080000 1176.760000 If I show my parents on it, you don't know my parents.

1176.760000 1180.760000 It doesn't say if your parents were the best parents, honor them.

1180.760000 1185.880000 What God is trying to teach you is this right here, you honor the source.

1185.880000 1189.560000 Your parents got you here.

1189.560000 1198.560000 They might have been in the back seat of a 56 Chevrolet, but they got you here.

1198.560000 1204.680000 They might be jacked up hung out on drugs, strong out on drugs, but they got you here.

1204.680000 1208.800000 That doesn't mean you have to hang out with them every day, but there has to be an honor

1208.800000 1212.800000 that says, hey, they're my parents that they got me here.

1212.800000 1213.800000 Amen.

1213.800000 1215.720000 My kids are going up.

1215.720000 1218.160000 I said, you know what the Bible says?

1218.160000 1226.020000 Honor your father and mother so that your days may be long on the earth.

1226.020000 1231.480000 I said, do you want to live long?

1231.480000 1233.400000 So there was public honor there.

1233.400000 1237.940000 Number two, passionate praise, passionate praise.

1237.940000 1244.940000 Can you just imagine with me the first childful entry, people are going berserk.

1244.940000 1252.820000 They're yelling, they're screaming, "Hosanna, son of David, they're just going crazy

1252.820000 1253.820000 in the place."

1253.820000 1255.740000 Look what it says in verse 9.

1255.740000 1262.100000 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed him, he had a crowd in front of

1262.100000 1263.100000 him.

1263.100000 1264.500000 He had a crowd behind him.

1264.500000 1269.280000 If you were there that day, there were probably even crowds on beside him, "Hosanna to

1269.280000 1271.140000 the Son of David."

1271.140000 1277.300000 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, "Hosanna in the highest heavens."

1277.300000 1282.780000 That word, "Hosanna means save us now."

1282.780000 1289.020000 They were saying, "King Jesus save us now, save us from Roman tyranny, save us from the

1289.020000 1293.380000 Roman government, become our king, become our political leader."

1293.380000 1298.140000 They had a misunderstanding of who Jesus was.

1298.140000 1304.720000 They didn't quite understand that Jesus was not a political figure though he was.

1304.720000 1311.220000 Don't ever let anybody tell you that Jesus was not a political figure, he was.

1311.220000 1316.340000 That's why they killed him.

1316.340000 1322.380000 That's why people in the world do not want church and politics.

1322.380000 1325.620000 Come on down, man.

1325.620000 1326.620000 I don't want to go there.

1326.620000 1328.820000 That's for another sermon.

1328.820000 1334.700000 See, the volume in that city was high.

1334.700000 1340.300000 They were praising Jesus, man, come on, the guitar was screaming, the drums were banging,

1340.300000 1346.220000 the musicians were going off, they were just worshiping, they were just praising God, "Hosanna save

1346.220000 1347.220000 us now."

1347.220000 1352.380000 The volume was high, but the understanding was real low.

1352.380000 1355.980000 Can I ask you this?

1355.980000 1366.700000 When you praise God, is your volume real high and understanding way low?

1366.700000 1373.900000 Psalm 477 says, "Praise the Lord with understanding."

1373.900000 1381.720000 As I mature in Christ, there must come an understanding of what I'm doing during praise and worship.

1381.720000 1386.220000 Praise and worship is not used to get people in the building so the preacher can get on the

1386.220000 1389.500000 stage.

1389.500000 1394.300000 Praise and worship is right for the king of glory.

1394.300000 1396.980000 It's the thing that God loves.

1396.980000 1397.980000 And guess what?

1397.980000 1400.460000 Praise and worship is not about you.

1400.460000 1401.620000 It's about Jesus.

1401.620000 1402.700000 It's about the king.

1402.700000 1408.060000 It's about the Lordship of who he is in your life and when I praise him and when I honor

1408.060000 1413.580000 him, the Bible says, when I praise him, he inhabits the praises of his people.

1413.580000 1414.660000 Let me tell you something.

1414.660000 1418.980000 If you want God to show up in your car, if you want God to show up in your house, if

1418.980000 1423.340000 you want God to show up in your neighborhood, you begin to praise him.

1423.340000 1426.140000 And he inhabits the praises of his people.

1426.140000 1427.800000 What does that word inhabit mean?

1427.800000 1430.320000 It means that he takes up residency.

1430.320000 1433.620000 He comes to live in the midst of your praise.

1433.620000 1437.580000 And when we praise God, it's just not spiritual calistinics.

1437.580000 1442.420000 It is absolutely something that's pointed to Jesus when I praise him.

1442.420000 1445.420000 I begin to adore him, I begin to thank him.

1445.420000 1448.380000 That's why church should not be silent.

1448.380000 1450.420000 Church should not be a quiet place.

1450.420000 1457.660000 Church should be a place of celebration because of what he did for us.

1457.660000 1460.860000 Some of y'all waiting on heaven for a quiet place.

1460.860000 1464.420000 I can guarantee you heaven will not be a quiet place.

1464.420000 1467.180000 You're going to see instruments that you didn't even know existed.

1467.180000 1471.580000 You're going to see light colors and shades of brilliance of light.

1471.580000 1473.420000 You're going to hear angels singing.

1473.420000 1475.300000 You're going to hear the redeemed singing.

1475.300000 1476.980000 There's not going to be a baptist section.

1476.980000 1479.020000 There's not going to be a Presbyterian section.

1479.020000 1481.020000 There's not going to be a Methodist section.

1481.020000 1483.100000 There's not going to be a charismatic section.

1483.100000 1485.180000 There's not going to be a Pinoclesel section.

1485.180000 1487.540000 There's not going to be a non-denominational section.

1487.540000 1489.540000 There's just going to be one section.

1489.540000 1493.700000 Those that are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, amen?

1493.700000 1496.620000 The blood of the Lamb has washed us.

1496.620000 1499.980000 And now we praise and honor God.

1499.980000 1502.380000 So why not choose to learn to praise God?

1502.380000 1507.460000 Now don't allow God to have to put you in a praise class when you get to heaven.

1507.460000 1511.380000 Learn now, man.

1511.380000 1513.060000 Forget about the person beside you.

1513.060000 1515.980000 Just break out and praise God, amen?

1515.980000 1518.580000 David said, "I will bless the Lord at all times.

1518.580000 1522.980000 His praise will continually be in my mouth."

1522.980000 1529.260000 His praise will continually be in my mouth when all times, in the good times, in the bad

1529.260000 1532.580000 times, in the in-between times, when the wife walks out, I'm going to praise God.

1532.580000 1534.500000 When the husband walks out, I'm going to praise God.

1534.500000 1536.460000 When I lose my job, I'm going to praise God.

1536.460000 1540.900000 No, when the governments of this world are shaken and reeling and walking around like a

1540.900000 1546.060000 drunkard, I'm going to praise God because I know Jesus just as he came into Jerusalem one

1546.060000 1549.820000 day, is going to split the East from sky and he's coming back.

1549.820000 1551.300000 So I'm going to praise God.

1551.300000 1552.300000 Come on.

1552.300000 1553.300000 I'm going to praise God.

1553.300000 1556.380000 Some of y'all need to learn to praise.

1556.380000 1558.620000 You need to learn to praise.

1558.620000 1561.740000 Praise is just simply thanking God for what He's done for what He's doing and for what

1561.740000 1562.740000 He will do.

1562.740000 1568.940000 No, praise is something that needs to be expressed, expressed, pastor.

1568.940000 1569.940000 You don't know me.

1569.940000 1573.460000 I'm just a quiet old soul.

1573.460000 1582.740000 Yeah, until your kid hits a home run.

1582.740000 1588.020000 You the most outlandish, most craziest person at the ball field.

1588.020000 1589.620000 You know you are.

1589.620000 1590.620000 You know you are.

1590.620000 1591.620000 You get the church.

1591.620000 1594.300000 You sit like a nod on a log and guess what?

1594.300000 1599.980000 What Jesus did for you is much greater than what little Johnny did for you at the ball field.

1599.980000 1601.460000 He died for you.

1601.460000 1603.060000 He was buried for you.

1603.060000 1609.220000 He was resurrected for you and how much more is he worthy of our praise, amen?

1609.220000 1612.060000 He's worthy of our praise.

1612.060000 1618.460000 No more silence in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1618.460000 1624.340000 It's back pastor, you've never been through anything, come on, give me a break.

1624.340000 1631.940000 I was born at night, but not last night.

1631.940000 1636.220000 I remember when I walked into the hospital and they said, "Your dad's got three months to live.

1636.220000 1638.540000 He might not even live through tonight."

1638.540000 1640.860000 I was looking at him.

1640.860000 1643.020000 He was hooked up to machines.

1643.020000 1644.380000 I walked back to the waiting room.

1644.380000 1646.260000 I was the only one in there.

1646.260000 1650.660000 I opened my Bible because I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Turn to Psalm 341."

1650.660000 1655.780000 I turned to Psalm 341 and it read this, "I will bless the Lord at all times."

1655.780000 1657.580000 His praise will continue to be in my mouth.

1657.580000 1658.580000 You know what I did?

1658.580000 1663.180000 I made that waiting room a sanctuary and I began to praise God.

1663.180000 1667.540000 I began to honor God because praise breaks you out of depression.

1667.540000 1669.700000 Praise breaks you out of grief.

1669.700000 1671.500000 Praise breaks you out of darkness.

1671.500000 1677.020000 You'll just learn to praise God in the midst of trial, in tribulation, anybody can praise

1677.020000 1679.140000 God on a clear day at noon.

1679.140000 1684.580000 But can you praise God at midnight when all hell is breaking out in your life?

1684.580000 1690.780000 Come on somebody, you need to learn to praise God.

1690.780000 1696.740000 Pastor, you just don't admit anything, Pastor, you don't know what I've been through.

1696.740000 1701.620000 For three years ago, my sister took her life.

1701.620000 1706.340000 I mean, you know, that's a test of your praise.

1706.340000 1713.820000 When you have to go home and console a grieving mother and siblings, then you have to prepare

1713.820000 1714.940000 the message to preach.

1714.940000 1720.700000 I mean, you know, that's a good time to give up.

1720.700000 1723.820000 Some of you are at the point, man, you say, "I think I just need to give up."

1723.820000 1725.140000 No, you don't need to give up.

1725.140000 1726.140000 You need to go up.

1726.140000 1730.100000 You need to take your praise up a level.

1730.100000 1733.700000 You need to take your praise up a level and I had to learn to praise God.

1733.700000 1736.620000 My first Sunday back, I was over here where Pastor Scott was.

1736.620000 1740.340000 You know, one of the hardest things for me to do that Sunday was to raise my hands.

1740.340000 1742.020000 And I didn't even get my fingers out like this.

1742.020000 1748.940000 I just stood there like this because sometimes praise will cost you something.

1748.940000 1749.940000 David said this.

1749.940000 1756.860000 He said, "I will not bring to my God an offering that has not cost me something."

1756.860000 1758.900000 Some of you want to bring God a cheap offering.

1758.900000 1763.060000 And you think just coming to church is your way of saying, "Lord, I appreciate you."

1763.060000 1764.220000 Come on, somebody.

1764.220000 1767.300000 God gave you the breath in your body.

1767.300000 1773.740000 He gave you the ability to get up, to get out of bed, to walk to your car after you

1773.740000 1779.500000 took a shower, after you put on good clothes, after you put on a $150 pair of shoes, and

1779.500000 1785.420000 you got in your Tesla and you came to church and you came to church not to see a puppet,

1785.420000 1786.900000 not to see a pastor.

1786.900000 1789.940000 You came to see the King of glory.

1789.940000 1791.900000 You came to worship him.

1791.900000 1793.860000 You came to praise him.

1793.860000 1798.940000 You came to give him honor.

1798.940000 1803.980000 If you're in a dark spot today, you need to take the advice of Paul and Silas in Acts

1803.980000 1804.980000 chapter 16.

1804.980000 1810.180000 The Bible says that they were imprisoned for telling the truth, and they're about midnight.

1810.180000 1814.100000 The Bible says they began to pray and they began to praise.

1814.100000 1817.340000 I believe they lost sight of where they were.

1817.340000 1818.340000 It was cold.

1818.340000 1819.340000 It was dark.

1819.340000 1820.340000 It was damp.

1820.340000 1821.340000 Man, it was a place.

1821.340000 1823.140000 Nobody wanted to be.

1823.140000 1828.820000 The stench of that place was horrible, but they turned that horrible place into a holy

1828.820000 1829.820000 place.

1829.820000 1834.420000 When they began to praise, and when they began to pray, and the Bible says about midnight

1834.420000 1839.700000 and earthquake shook that prison, and the doors swung open, and the chains that were

1839.700000 1843.620000 fastened to them fell off, and they walked out free.

1843.620000 1847.260000 Some of you need to just praise God, and you'll walk in freedom.

1847.260000 1849.940000 Your chains and your addictions will fall off.

1849.940000 1851.860000 Your depression will fall off.

1851.860000 1853.900000 Your anxiety will fall off.

1853.900000 1856.100000 Your stress level will go down.

1856.100000 1860.540000 If you'll begin to see him, David said magnify the Lord with me.

1860.540000 1865.140000 The man has exalted his name together.

1865.140000 1866.140000 Amen.

1866.140000 1867.140000 We need to praise God.

1867.140000 1874.260000 We need to learn to praise God every day of our lives.

1874.260000 1878.580000 You don't go to church to get your praise on.

1878.580000 1881.740000 You praise every day of your life.

1881.740000 1884.060000 Learn to praise God.

1884.060000 1887.500000 Get up in the morning with praise on your lips.

1887.500000 1890.060000 Lay down with praise on your lips.

1890.060000 1892.740000 And somebody cuts you off on 264.

1892.740000 1893.740000 Praise.

1893.740000 1895.740000 Don't curse.

1895.740000 1896.740000 Praise.

1896.740000 1897.740000 Bless.

1897.740000 1898.740000 Oh God.

1898.740000 1899.740000 Amen.

1899.740000 1900.740000 Amen.

1900.740000 1901.740000 They praised.

1901.740000 1914.340000 Even though their perception was puzzled.

1914.340000 1915.540000 They praised.

1915.540000 1918.620000 They praised God.

1918.620000 1919.900000 So they had honor.

1919.900000 1924.140000 So they had praise, and they had a puzzled perception.

1924.140000 1927.460000 Look what it says.

1927.460000 1931.100000 I can stay on that praise a little longer, but we're going to move.

1931.100000 1932.660000 You got the point.

1932.660000 1941.940000 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Can I ask you this?

1941.940000 1954.020000 How many times have you been stirred in a church service but not changed?"

1954.020000 1962.500000 The writer years ago penned the words, "The lyrics of a song stirred but not changed."

1962.500000 1966.540000 That word stirred there in the literal, "Greek" means to be shaken.

1966.540000 1971.580000 The city was shaken by the presence of Jesus.

1971.580000 1981.100000 They asked, "Look here, they were stirred, they were shaken," and they said this, "Who is this?

1981.100000 1982.100000 Who is this?"

1982.100000 1984.420000 The crowd's answered, "Look what the crowd said.

1984.420000 1988.900000 Don't always go into crowd."

1988.900000 1995.580000 And God's kingdom, the majority is usually wrong.

1995.580000 1999.500000 The crowd answered, "This is Jesus."

1999.500000 2006.300000 The prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.

2006.300000 2013.620000 They might as well have said, "This is Jesus, the carpenter's son."

2013.620000 2015.620000 They relegated him just to a prophet.

2015.620000 2016.620000 Was he a prophet?

2016.620000 2017.620000 Yes, but he was more than that.

2017.620000 2018.620000 He was a teacher.

2018.620000 2019.620000 He was a healer.

2019.620000 2020.620000 He was a preacher.

2020.620000 2025.820000 But more than that, he was a savior.

2025.820000 2028.820000 Who is this?

2028.820000 2032.380000 The city was stirred, but still confused.

2032.380000 2035.980000 They saw a prophet, not the promised king.

2035.980000 2040.780000 They were close to Jesus, but they were not committed to him.

2040.780000 2047.820000 It's just like men who have a girlfriend, they don't really like the girl.

2047.820000 2052.340000 They're just letting them hang on until they find a better one.

2052.340000 2059.780000 They were close to Jesus, but they were not committed.

2059.780000 2064.200000 They were not ready to lay down a lie for Jesus.

2064.200000 2067.860000 Don't just like Jesus.

2067.860000 2072.100000 Give your life to Jesus today.

2072.100000 2074.660000 Who is he?

2074.660000 2076.260000 He's God's son.

2076.260000 2077.260000 Who is he?

2077.260000 2078.260000 He's the Redeemer.

2078.260000 2079.260000 Who is he?

2079.260000 2080.980000 He's the savior of the world.

2080.980000 2081.980000 Who is he?

2081.980000 2083.820000 He's the one that went to the cross for you.

2083.820000 2084.820000 Who is he?

2084.820000 2086.540000 He was the one that died for you.

2086.540000 2087.540000 Who is he?

2087.540000 2089.820000 He's the resurrected savior of the world.

2089.820000 2092.340000 Who is he to you?

2092.340000 2098.100000 You have a personal relationship with him.

2098.100000 2103.620000 See, their perception was puzzled even though they were in proximity of Jesus.

2103.620000 2108.660000 They were close to him, but they were not committed.

2108.660000 2117.360000 Don't you stand, I'm going to tell you a story as you stand.

2117.360000 2127.820000 Right before chapter 21 of Matthew, Jesus is around Jericho.

2127.820000 2132.660000 There are two blind guys sitting beside the road.

2132.660000 2138.220000 Jesus was heading towards Jerusalem, coming out of Jericho.

2138.220000 2141.900000 These two blind guys heard that Jesus was coming.

2141.900000 2144.100000 They heard, but they could not see.

2144.100000 2150.700000 I mean, you know, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

2150.700000 2154.780000 For them, it was much more important for them to hear at that moment than it was to see

2154.780000 2161.300000 Jesus, because hearing that Jesus was coming stimulated faith in them.

2161.300000 2172.260000 The Bible says they began to cry out, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.

2172.260000 2174.580000 Can you just picture this?

2174.580000 2187.220000 Crowds all around disciples, religious folks, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.

2187.220000 2194.940000 The religious people said, be quiet, but Jesus alone, I'll give you some money to

2194.940000 2198.260000 last you to Monday.

2198.260000 2211.340000 For the Bible says they cried all the more loud, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.

2211.340000 2223.340000 Jesus, who was destined for Jerusalem, stopped and asked his question, what do you want

2223.340000 2230.820000 me to do for you?

2230.820000 2241.780000 They replied, we want to receive our sight.

2241.780000 2252.780000 The Bible says this, Jesus healed them and once immediately healed them, they got up or

2252.780000 2253.780000 here.

2253.780000 2259.620000 You've got to read the Bible, not just read it, they got up after receiving their sight and

2259.620000 2262.820000 they followed Jesus.

2262.820000 2270.940000 Some of us are content just to see Jesus and not follow Jesus.

2270.940000 2273.260000 This is what happened.

2273.260000 2281.780000 These guys who received their sight, they followed Jesus, interruge into Jerusalem.

2281.780000 2288.140000 These guys saw all the praise, they saw all the public honor, they saw all the crazy

2288.140000 2291.640000 praise, but they had a deeper praise.

2291.640000 2295.260000 Come on somebody, they had an extraordinary praise, why?

2295.260000 2301.940000 Because once they were blind, but now they see, they had an experience with Jesus, they

2301.940000 2304.180000 had an encounter with Jesus.

2304.180000 2310.020000 Let me tell you something, some of your marvel at my wife when she gets up here and praises,

2310.020000 2314.220000 she praises because she's had an encounter with Jesus.

2314.220000 2318.540000 She had an involvement with Jesus, she knows Jesus.

2318.540000 2324.500000 I want to be around people that have an encounter with Jesus, they are not religious, they know

2324.500000 2325.500000 Him.

2325.500000 2334.160000 Come on, they were physically blind, but the crowd was spiritually blind, what's worse?

2334.160000 2339.120000 Some of you are here today, you can't see Jesus because you can't see Jesus, you can't

2339.120000 2340.120000 follow Him.

2340.120000 2347.440000 People say, "When we're in our sin, separate it from God, we're blind."

2347.440000 2358.300000 It's not until I receive the free gift of salvation that my eyes open, then I see, "Wow,

2358.300000 2361.640000 this is what they've been talking about.

2361.640000 2365.840000 This is a whole 'nother level."

2365.840000 2369.600000 It's not second hand knowledge to me anymore, it's first hand.

2369.600000 2375.040000 It's open my spiritual eyes, I can see, and the reason He opens your spiritual eyes is

2375.040000 2378.640000 so you can follow Jesus.

2378.640000 2381.520000 So you can praise Jesus, the Spirit of our hands.

2381.520000 2389.040000 But I just thank you for every person in this building today.

2389.040000 2394.220000 Thank you that great grace is here.

2394.220000 2401.260000 But help us not just to be the crowd, but help us to be the committed.

2401.260000 2406.840000 God, you've opened our eyes that we might see so we can praise you.