WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.520 We're going to turn to John 12. 00:00:01.660 --> 00:00:04.500 John 12 is where we're going to be today together as we study God's word. 00:00:05.730 --> 00:00:12.820 I wish I could just the first few verses spend at least an hour describing to 00:00:12.820 --> 00:00:19.480 you the implications of the first few verses that we're about to dive in to together from verse 12 to verse 19. 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:23.710 I'm going to just scratch the surface over the significance of this event today. 00:00:24.520 --> 00:00:28.540 If anyone wants to know more about it, I guess we can have personal conversations or you can study it on your own. 00:00:29.080 --> 00:00:36.200 This section of the scripture is a very important powerful passage for us to understand as it relates to 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:40.820 God's word and we titled today, A Little Donkey Makes A Big Statement. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:45.770 It's what Jesus is about to ride on a little donkey here, but this little donkey makes a big statement. 00:00:46.060 --> 00:00:47.540 So, I have two goals for us today. 00:00:48.180 --> 00:00:54.720 One is to understand this passage and the other one is to die because that's what Jesus says. 00:00:54.780 --> 00:01:00.700 To understand this passage, that's definitely what Jesus says, verse 16, if you fast forward and just look at that for a minute. 00:01:00.940 --> 00:01:05.640 Verse says 16 that they did not understand the implications of what Jesus was doing here. 00:01:06.060 --> 00:01:09.420 So, this is saying this is a very important passage, and we should understand it. 00:01:09.420 --> 00:01:10.800 God wants us to understand it. 00:01:10.800 --> 00:01:13.500 He's highlighting the fact that they didn't understand it because He wants us to understand it. 00:01:13.580 --> 00:01:18.000 So, our goal this morning is to understand this passage and then to die, right? 00:01:18.240 --> 00:01:21.510 So, if you're new, you're like, "Is this guy always this forward?" Probably. 00:01:21.660 --> 00:01:26.300 I mean, I'm not always together, but this is so important. 00:01:26.300 --> 00:01:28.400 This is crucial to the Christian, right? 00:01:28.820 --> 00:01:30.460 This is God's desire. 00:01:30.460 --> 00:01:36.780 Really, what we know in Christianity, if you've walked with the Lord, that in losing your life, you really gain your life. 00:01:38.020 --> 00:01:42.680 You finally find a purpose worth living for when you find a purpose worth dying for. 00:01:43.660 --> 00:01:50.720 That's what makes this passage not only important in the imagery of what Jesus creates here, but also for your life as it relates to your walk with 00:01:50.720 --> 00:01:51.170 Jesus. 00:01:51.860 --> 00:01:52.160 It's so powerful. 00:01:52.600 --> 00:01:54.400 So, let's pick it up here in verse 12. 00:01:55.360 --> 00:01:59.940 This is what we want to understand together, grasp the imagery of what's taking place in this section of the scripture. 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:04.360 It says, "On the next day..." You remember we just read the story of Jesus going to Mary's house. 00:02:04.420 --> 00:02:07.360 They're throwing a party for Jesus because He resurrected Lazarus from the grave. 00:02:07.360 --> 00:02:08.660 That's a big deal, right? 00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:16.040 He brought a dead man back to life, and Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with a fragrant perfume that was worth a year's wage, a very powerful 00:02:16.040 --> 00:02:21.920 moment of anointing Jesus who's being recognized as the messiah, the sacrificial lamb, about to give His life. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:30.720 So, it says, "On the next day, when the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they 00:02:30.720 --> 00:02:37.940 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, 'Hosanna! 00:02:38.720 --> 00:02:46.080 Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!'" 00:02:46.100 --> 00:02:49.360 A couple of things off the bat real quick with this passage to understand this. 00:02:49.420 --> 00:02:54.600 When Jesus is going for the feast, the feast that we're talking about is this Passover celebration. 00:02:55.380 --> 00:02:58.560 Jesus is going to Jerusalem during this time. 00:02:58.660 --> 00:03:05.230 I think it's a very appointed time because this is the time or the season where lamb selection is taking place. 00:03:06.300 --> 00:03:11.880 When you think about the significance or the parallels of what this means during Passover, they would sacrifice a lamb. 00:03:11.880 --> 00:03:19.020 In fact, Josephus, when he wrote about the Jews, Josephus was a first century Jewish historian, and what Josephus wrote 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:26.160 about this first century, he recorded that from 70 AD to years just previous to this, 00:03:26.420 --> 00:03:26.880 look at this. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:27.860 You can read this. 00:03:28.160 --> 00:03:29.600 I even looked at the quote again this morning. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:37.800 I don't know how he knows this, but Josephus records, a Jews historian, that 256,500 lambs 00:03:37.860 --> 00:03:41.300 were sacrificed during this day or this time period in Passover. 00:03:42.600 --> 00:03:49.600 In the selection for the lambs during this time, it must have been determined that any lamb that was sacrificed must be a lamb without blemish. 00:03:50.460 --> 00:03:57.560 So, they would go early to Jerusalem to put the lamb before the priest to determine whether or not this 00:03:57.620 --> 00:04:00.630 lamb was without blemish and worthy to be sacrificed. 00:04:02.040 --> 00:04:04.720 When they would come to Jerusalem, they would present this lamb for sacrifice. 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:10.540 Josephus records over a quarter of a million lambs are slaughtered during this Passover celebration. 00:04:10.600 --> 00:04:13.080 This is a very severing time. 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:20.279 You can think about how much death and how much blood is flowing out of this temple, but all of the sacrifice 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:27.360 that's taking place is for, ultimately, one purpose, and that is 00:04:27.400 --> 00:04:34.420 to point to a future messiah who would be that sacrifice on our behalf, meaning Jesus. 00:04:36.080 --> 00:04:39.370 So, when you historically study this time period as it relates to Jesus. 00:04:39.780 --> 00:04:47.470 Looking at dates and time, especially around this particular week, very significant, very significant because Jesus, 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:51.720 when He comes to Jerusalem, He's presenting Himself now as the Lamb of God. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:59.200 This is how John 1 starts verse 29, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" That's how John the Baptist presented 00:04:59.200 --> 00:05:00.280 Jesus to the world. 00:05:00.340 --> 00:05:07.460 He didn't want us to make any mistake to the implications of the importance of who Christ was because He was the ultimately lamb for our lives. 00:05:07.580 --> 00:05:13.640 All of these lambs that are being slaughtered are foreshadowing of the one lamb who would give His life on your behalf. 00:05:13.700 --> 00:05:16.210 It's why today we no longer make sacrifices. 00:05:16.740 --> 00:05:19.830 It's also why today at the end of our service we're going to celebrate communion. 00:05:20.200 --> 00:05:24.710 Communion was in the Old Testament what we would have celebrated as Passover. 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:29.930 We no longer sacrifice a lamb at communion because our lamb has been slain. 00:05:30.140 --> 00:05:37.280 Now, we partake of communion to remind us of the importance of this lamb, that He not only rescued us, but He also gives us a future and hope 00:05:37.280 --> 00:05:40.760 and identity in Him, purpose, meaning, value, because of what He's done here. 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:42.500 This moment, very important. 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:50.260 Even up until the point of Jesus' death, when Jesus dies on the cross, it even tell you in the bible the exact time 00:05:50.260 --> 00:05:52.520 He's crucified and the exact time He dies. 00:05:52.840 --> 00:05:57.760 The reason they know the time is in reading about this in the gospels you would think, "What? 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:01.680 These guys got some watches going, who's like, 'Let's time this perfectly. 00:06:01.860 --> 00:06:01.980 Okay. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:06.900 He was crucified here and He died.'" How in that kind of moment are you even keeping track of time? 00:06:07.400 --> 00:06:14.320 The reason they know when Jesus was crucified and the reason they know when Jesus died is because there were two sacrifices that happened in the temple. 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:17.320 There was the morning sacrifice, traditionally, and the evening sacrifice. 00:06:17.860 --> 00:06:24.880 When those sacrifices would take place, there was a crier that would let everyone know that there's the morning sacrifice about to take place 00:06:24.980 --> 00:06:27.520 and the evening sacrifice that's about to take place. 00:06:28.140 --> 00:06:35.000 When Jesus is being crucified, the town crier in the temple is yelling out because the sacrifice is about to take place. 00:06:35.060 --> 00:06:40.680 In the evening when Jesus dies, the town crier is crying out that the sacrifice is taking place. 00:06:41.220 --> 00:06:48.400 It's just an eerie moment to think about that even to the very minute second of Jesus' death, that He timed 00:06:48.400 --> 00:06:54.710 it perfectly with Israel's worship for their sacrifice. 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:58.280 There's no mistake as to who Jesus was. 00:06:59.880 --> 00:07:02.920 Jesus, in these moments, He's identifying Himself as the Passover lamb. 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:07.640 I mean, Isaiah 53 described him as a lamb led to the slaughter. 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:13.940 It's important in the New Testament that it calls Jesus born of a virgin, meaning He's identifying. 00:07:13.940 --> 00:07:14.880 He's without blemish. 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:22.010 When Jesus goes before Pontius Pilate, and Pontius Pilate says, "I find no guilt in this man," that He is without blemish. 00:07:22.820 --> 00:07:26.960 It's continuing to highlight for us the significance of Jesus. 00:07:27.200 --> 00:07:34.280 This idea of Jesus going to Passover ties perfectly to the beginning of John, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world to the end of John 00:07:34.280 --> 00:07:36.700 where the Lamb truly gives His life. 00:07:36.700 --> 00:07:42.360 It ties the whole theme of the Old Testament from the time of Exodus 12 when they would appoint. 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:48.060 They sacrificed the first Passover lamb as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of the Passover lamb. 00:07:48.060 --> 00:07:55.320 It ties together all of the bible from Genesis 3:15, when the promise was that a savior, 00:07:55.320 --> 00:08:00.680 a messiah would come and He would crush the head of the serpent and suffer a heel wound in the process. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:08.320 You see beautifully all of scripture, all of the theme of the bible and the importance of Jesus tying together in 00:08:08.320 --> 00:08:13.400 this moment in what Christ has done for us, even when you go throughout the New Testament. 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:19.470 In 1 Corinthians 5:7, Christ is referred to as our Passover who has been sacrificed. 00:08:19.880 --> 00:08:27.240 In 1 Peter 1:19, "But with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." The book of Revelation refers 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:30.490 to Jesus as the Lamb of God some 30 times. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:39.380 The bible wants to make no mistake of the significance of this moment and how it ties all of scripture together 00:08:39.380 --> 00:08:46.540 that this Lamb is now entering Jerusalem on the Passover during a holiday that He specifically appointed to 00:08:46.660 --> 00:08:49.440 ultimately highlight what He would do for us. 00:08:50.700 --> 00:08:57.100 It's during this time that it tells us in verse 13 that Jesus is treated with both palms and praise. 00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:03.320 They break out the palm branches, and they praise Jesus. 00:09:04.680 --> 00:09:05.440 Now, why? 00:09:07.620 --> 00:09:08.140 Why did they do that? 00:09:08.140 --> 00:09:15.180 Well, when you see Jerusalem and the temple mounts, if historically you've ever seen a picture of Jerusalem, you know that the 00:09:15.220 --> 00:09:16.860 temple mount is on a hill. 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:25.580 The Jews traditionally had these songs that they would sing when they would go up to the temple mount in honor of this Passover celebration. 00:09:25.780 --> 00:09:29.220 It's called the Psalms of Ascent, the Hallel. 00:09:29.680 --> 00:09:31.780 It's Psalm 113 to 118. 00:09:31.900 --> 00:09:35.440 When the Jews would come in to Jerusalem, you can imagine how many people this would be. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:42.520 If they're sacrificing 250,000 lambs, over 250,000 lambs and one lamb represents 00:09:42.520 --> 00:09:48.060 a family, there's well over a million people heading to Jerusalem during this time period. 00:09:48.780 --> 00:09:55.960 Here they are ascending this hill in praise of their God during the Passover celebration, this God that freed them from slavery 00:09:55.960 --> 00:09:59.460 and gave them identity in Him and called them their own. 00:09:59.700 --> 00:10:04.140 Here they go up this hill and they sing these songs of praise. 00:10:04.560 --> 00:10:11.610 Not only do these songs point to the deliverance that they have had in God because of the Passover that took place in Exodus, 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:19.200 but these psalms also point to the future of a deliverer who will come and ultimately deliver Israel, and 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:23.680 even as a promise goes through Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him. 00:10:24.260 --> 00:10:25.660 So, they're singing these psalms. 00:10:25.660 --> 00:10:33.240 I can just imagine this moment as they're ascending the hill and this great crowd and Jesus appears, and they see Jesus, and they're in the middle of Psalm 118. 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:38.140 Psalm 118, it gives us this phrase, "Hosanna," which means save us now. 00:10:38.140 --> 00:10:43.760 "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!" This is Psalm 118:26. 00:10:45.140 --> 00:10:48.580 Now, they're not just singing this song thinking about what God has done for their people. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:51.840 Now, they're singing this song thinking about the messiah directly. 00:10:53.640 --> 00:10:56.320 They're giving this honor to Jesus. 00:10:56.560 --> 00:11:00.320 With that, they break out palm branches, which is a weird thing. 00:11:00.830 --> 00:11:04.520 I don't know how many times you've been at celebrations and you're like, "You know what we need in this place? 00:11:04.580 --> 00:11:06.670 A couple of palm branches," and it's going to go crazy. 00:11:07.280 --> 00:11:12.770 It's not a common thing that we consider today, but it's like waving a banner or a flag. 00:11:13.140 --> 00:11:19.360 You're thinking in the days of Jerusalem, when you traveled, when you made that kind of journey, you had to pack light. 00:11:19.560 --> 00:11:22.940 You've already got a lamb in your hands What else are you going to throw in there? 00:11:22.940 --> 00:11:29.960 So, when you get to Jerusalem, if you're going to sing some praise and you want to think of a best way to do that, you just rip a palm branch off, and you can praise 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:31.060 God's name that way. 00:11:31.380 --> 00:11:38.480 So, they bring out these palm branches, but the palm branches were also historically significant as well, particularly 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.600 to the Jewish people. 00:11:40.020 --> 00:11:45.050 Palm branches were a way of celebrating dignitaries when they came to town. 00:11:46.100 --> 00:11:53.540 They're a way of celebrating conquering and victory of military leaders or some political leader when they would come 00:11:53.540 --> 00:12:00.600 back to the city after fighting a battle, and so the people would gather in the streets and they would praise leaders that way if 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:07.680 they were victorious in battle or they just recognize the position of authority that someone had 00:12:07.680 --> 00:12:08.680 held. 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:16.180 Now, what's interesting about this particular moment in Israel is how palm branches 00:12:16.180 --> 00:12:18.540 are viewed during this exact time period. 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:27.700 When Israel would celebrate these holidays, it became known that there tended to be more of an uprising in the people, 00:12:27.800 --> 00:12:30.340 and they would often rebel against Rome. 00:12:30.640 --> 00:12:34.020 In fact, there was a political group in Israel called the Zealots. 00:12:34.140 --> 00:12:37.190 Peter, one of Jesus' disciples was known to be a Zealot. 00:12:37.520 --> 00:12:39.840 They would create uprisings and sometimes violent. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:46.560 So, it would be during this time period that Pontius Pilate would flex his muscles. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:53.940 He would often, during the festivities of Israel, would journey into Jerusalem and he would come in a parade as if to say, "If 00:12:53.940 --> 00:13:00.540 you have an uprising, you're going to mess with me, and if you're going to mess with me, look at the display that I've brought with me." There's some power and some authority. 00:13:00.640 --> 00:13:07.740 So, Pontius Pilate would come in to the city on a broad display before the people to exercise his muscle and show the 00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:13.090 might of Rome to let them know if they try to bring any uprising, he's going to squash it and he's going to squash it quickly. 00:13:14.040 --> 00:13:21.280 I read some commentators on this passage of the scripture that said, I couldn't find any written law on this, but what they said was the 00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:28.320 palm branch was considered such a controversial symbol during this time that it was actually illegal to 00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:29.860 wave it during festivities. 00:13:29.940 --> 00:13:37.220 In fact, you could face a crucifixion for doing so because what they tended to see is with the 00:13:37.220 --> 00:13:42.760 Zealots that had risen in Israel, the Zealots picked a couple of symbols to represent their group. 00:13:42.780 --> 00:13:46.100 One was the menorah and the other was the palm branch. 00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:51.360 So, not only were palm branches used to celebrate, but it also became a symbol of rebellion. 00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:56.310 So, when more people would come in to Jerusalem, there was a concern that there could be an uprising. 00:13:56.540 --> 00:14:04.100 So, when they started to wave these palm branches, it could be a symbol of a rebellion against Rome and the people could easily gather 00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:07.520 together and try to overthrow some government figures. 00:14:07.520 --> 00:14:15.180 In fact, when Judas Maccabeus led the revolt against Rome, if you remember the story we talked about a few weeks ago, Judas 00:14:15.180 --> 00:14:22.880 Maccabeus was an individual who led a revolt against the authorities that were oppressing Israel. 00:14:23.580 --> 00:14:30.700 It's what brought the Hanukkah, the celebration of Hanukkah, that the Jews were being disseminated, they're being oppressed 00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:37.820 by rulers and this Jew named Judas Maccabeus led a revolt and was successful, and brought freedom to the people, and 00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:45.340 they celebrate Hanukkah in order to recognize that, but when Judas Maccabeus led this revolt successfully, the 00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:48.640 way they celebrated him was by waving palm branches. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:53.480 1 Maccabeus, I think, chapter 15, and I believe verse 21 talks about that. 00:14:53.920 --> 00:14:55.640 They waved palm branches to honor him. 00:14:56.740 --> 00:15:01.540 So, these palm branches became a symbol of revolution of God's people. 00:15:03.180 --> 00:15:08.250 So, to wave these during this time period is a very controversial thing to do. 00:15:09.420 --> 00:15:15.720 It creates tension at the very least among the Jews in Israel and may, in fact, be illegal. 00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:22.980 I couldn't find a written law on it, but I did find commentaries that discussed how critical of a moment this 00:15:22.980 --> 00:15:26.620 would have been in the tension of the life of the Israelites. 00:15:28.280 --> 00:15:35.300 In fact, when Israel was ultimately conquered in 70 AD, if you remember there's, historically, the 00:15:35.300 --> 00:15:42.440 story that Titus comes in to Israel under the authority of Rome, and he crushes Jerusalem 00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:45.900 and he destroys the temple in 70 AD and the Jews haven't had a temple since. 00:15:47.260 --> 00:15:51.600 In order to commemorate that moment, they minted a coin. 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:57.260 On the coin is a picture of a lady crying, and above her head is a palm branch broken. 00:15:59.540 --> 00:16:08.940 It's as if to say to Israel, "Your authority, your power, your position has been crushed, but in this moment, in 00:16:08.940 --> 00:16:14.460 this moment, they're recognizing the messiah and praising His name. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:21.220 You can imagine maybe in this first century what it might be like to be a Jew. 00:16:21.300 --> 00:16:23.160 They had been oppressed. 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:31.810 This government that may represent other people has not done a good job in representing them. 00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:34.980 They kept them under their thumb. 00:16:35.140 --> 00:16:37.800 The Romans had kept them under their thumb. 00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:46.160 They've even taken the taxes from collective from Israel to promote things even among the Jewish people that was contrary 00:16:46.160 --> 00:16:47.220 to their faith. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:54.320 In the gospels, Matthew is referred to as a tax collector, a tax collector for Rome. 00:16:54.800 --> 00:16:59.540 Tax collectors in Jesus' day were not viewed highly among the Jewish people. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:06.720 In fact, if they saw a tax collector coming down the street, they would walk to the other side of the street just to avoid him and they would spit at 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:11.160 him just to let him know how they viewed his position among their people. 00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:14.079 Rome oppressed them. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:21.440 The person that collected taxes was often a Jewish individual that was working for Rome among their people, so they saw them as a traitor, and 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:28.560 that the taxes that were collected, they didn't see it as being used for their benefit, but rather supported causes for Rome that was often 00:17:28.560 --> 00:17:29.740 contrary to their own faith. 00:17:32.080 --> 00:17:37.680 You ever been a part of a government that might use your money to do things contrary to your faith? 00:17:40.430 --> 00:17:40.960 How would you feel? 00:17:43.040 --> 00:17:50.600 It gives you an idea of maybe how the Jews would feel in this century when they saw Jesus coming, the messiah, the 00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:56.820 elation that would come over them and the desire to celebrate even at the risk of their life by waving these palm branches? 00:17:58.180 --> 00:18:00.300 Verse 14, I love this verse. 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:03.540 Picture this moment. 00:18:03.980 --> 00:18:05.460 Everybody is going crazy. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.920 They've heard all about this Jesus. 00:18:07.060 --> 00:18:08.280 This might be their first time meeting Him. 00:18:08.320 --> 00:18:15.920 There's over a million people, perhaps more people than ever because Jesus' popularity is growing and they thought, 00:18:16.110 --> 00:18:18.680 "He's been at the last couple Passovers, maybe He'll be at the third. 00:18:19.040 --> 00:18:23.440 This is our chance." So, everyone is pouring into Jerusalem to celebrate this. 00:18:23.460 --> 00:18:27.190 Now, they happen to be a part of the road that Jesus is walking. 00:18:27.340 --> 00:18:33.560 So, they're just going crazy over the fact that the messiah is here in Jerusalem at this moment as they're holding this lamb. 00:18:34.040 --> 00:18:36.040 Now in verse 14, what does Jesus do? 00:18:37.080 --> 00:18:43.530 "Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it." I'm just thinking. 00:18:44.040 --> 00:18:44.740 Hold on, guys. 00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:51.820 Jesus is about to speak and He just goes, "Hmm," but what Jesus does 00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:57.540 in His action speaks volumes to His identity. 00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:05.080 When Jesus sits on the back of the donkey, Jesus is saying several things without even saying really anything. 00:19:07.260 --> 00:19:09.660 What Jesus is communicating to us is a couple of things. 00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:12.910 First, that's a picture just of a Mediterranean donkey. 00:19:13.320 --> 00:19:20.600 For those of you that don't know your donkeys, the one that you will remember is the Mediterranean donkey, and the reason that you'll remember the 00:19:20.600 --> 00:19:23.160 Mediterranean, there's a legend that comes with this donkey. 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:30.040 If you look at the Mediterranean donkey, down the back of the donkey you'll see this black stripe and then across the shoulders a black stripe. 00:19:30.260 --> 00:19:34.650 The legend is that Jesus rode on a Mediterranean donkey when He went into Jerusalem. 00:19:35.020 --> 00:19:41.460 From the time for that Jesus rode this donkey, the donkey bears the mark of a cross on its back. 00:19:41.900 --> 00:19:44.160 So, that's how you know a Mediterranean donkey when you see it. 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.880 Jesus doesn't just ride any donkey. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:51.110 He rides a young donkey, a colt into Jerusalem. 00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:54.220 This communicates something about His intentions. 00:19:56.340 --> 00:19:58.550 First of all, this communicates peace. 00:20:01.120 --> 00:20:07.100 In Jesus' day, if your intentions were not peace, the animal that you tended to ride upon was not a donkey. 00:20:07.320 --> 00:20:08.940 No one's like, "Let's fight valiantly. 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:15.880 What are you going to ride?" "Let me take the donkey." That is not the animal of choice in Jesus' day when you're going to battle. 00:20:16.040 --> 00:20:19.180 When you want to go into battle, what you pick is a horse, right? 00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:26.480 In fact, when you think about Revelation 19, when Jesus returns a second time, it tells us in Revelation 19 Jesus rides on a white 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.060 horse, right? 00:20:27.400 --> 00:20:29.500 Jesus comes as a warrior prepared for battle. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:32.190 When you want to fight a battle, not on a donkey, you fight on a horse. 00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:39.480 When you come on a donkey, when you ride into Jerusalem on this donkey, what you're communicating is you come in peace. 00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:44.760 Not only does He come in peace, but it's also the mark of a king. 00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:53.140 In 1 Kings 1 when David presented Solomon to Israel as their next king, David 00:20:53.140 --> 00:21:00.200 had Solomon ride on the back of a donkey, one, to demonstrate the idea of a king of peace, but also to present him to Israel 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:01.630 as a king. 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:05.280 Third is the image of the messiah. 00:21:07.260 --> 00:21:12.200 The reason we know it's the image of the messiah is because of the book of Zachariah 9:9. 00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:20.460 It says, "When the messiah comes, He'll come on the back of a donkey." So, without saying 00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:23.180 a word, Jesus is presenting to us His identity. 00:21:24.320 --> 00:21:27.480 Here they are, praising Him, argue who we think you are. 00:21:27.860 --> 00:21:30.660 They're heralding His name, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:37.880 Save us now, Messiah." Jesus, in demonstration of His position as they call out, sits 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:39.240 on the donkey. 00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:43.680 Peace, king, messiah. 00:21:45.100 --> 00:21:52.240 Now, you look at verse 14 and you think, "Well, how do you just know that that's what that represents because all it really says is, "Jesus, finding a donkey, sat on it," and that doesn't seem very 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:52.580 profound? 00:21:52.580 --> 00:21:56.000 When you read verse 15, it then tells us why we know that's true, right? 00:21:57.120 --> 00:22:01.980 "Do not fear, daughter of Zion." Peace, right? 00:22:02.220 --> 00:22:09.380 "Do not fear, daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming, seated on a 00:22:09.380 --> 00:22:17.060 donkey's colt." Meaning, verse 15, don't fear, there's peace, your king is coming showing that 00:22:17.060 --> 00:22:24.720 position of kingship, and then seated on a donkey, which is the quote from Zachariah 9:9 identifying Him as the messiah. 00:22:26.820 --> 00:22:33.860 Without saying a word, Jesus declares who He is, a little donkey 00:22:33.860 --> 00:22:39.860 making a tremendous statement. 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:48.000 When I consider this phrase as Jesus' journeys into Jerusalem, this phrase in verse 15 is a very comforting 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:52.790 phrase, "Do not fear," right? 00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:55.720 It shows a leader in control, does it not? 00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:58.940 It's not, "Guys, I hope this works out. 00:22:59.560 --> 00:23:00.490 I'm just going to give it a shot. 00:23:00.980 --> 00:23:06.900 If I go down, run," but it's, "Guys, this is why I came. 00:23:09.060 --> 00:23:09.980 Here is am as the lamb. 00:23:10.490 --> 00:23:11.560 Everything's worked out as planned. 00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:15.660 I'm in Jerusalem during the time that I'm supposed to be here. 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:18.360 The lamb is being presented without blemish. 00:23:19.280 --> 00:23:21.690 I'm going to die when I dictated that I would die. 00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:23.320 I am in control. 00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:32.500 Do not fear." There's comfort when there is a leader who's 00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:39.540 in control and that leader is for you because with that statement, "Do not fear," also comes an identity in the name that 00:23:39.540 --> 00:23:45.970 He chooses to say here, daughter of Zion, daughter of Zion, people that belong to Jesus. 00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:52.980 "Do not fear." I mean, it's a beautiful picture of what a father's position should be over his daughter. 00:23:54.580 --> 00:24:01.660 When tensions rise and there's concern, your heart is waning and maybe troubled and oppressed, and in a position 00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:07.860 where you feel like yo need rescued and healthy dad in that moment will step in to defend the daughter. 00:24:10.100 --> 00:24:13.600 It's saying to us as people that we need to be reminded of this all the time. 00:24:14.040 --> 00:24:18.900 I think we struggle as people that we tend to fear, we tend to stress out, we tend to pass. 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:23.640 So, it's as if to say to you God knows right where you are. 00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:28.680 God knows exactly what you need and He loves you. 00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:34.220 "Do not fear, daughter of Zion. 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:41.180 Behold, your king is coming seated on a donkey's colt. 00:24:43.040 --> 00:24:46.780 He comes in peace." I mean, that's what your soul needs, is it not? 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:51.500 You think in this world, this world is at war. 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:53.360 It's not hard to see. 00:24:53.360 --> 00:24:54.970 I don't just mean like armies fighting. 00:24:56.140 --> 00:25:03.340 You can just see it in society that just things are not right, that there is a battle in your soul once 00:25:03.340 --> 00:25:04.300 more than a battle. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:07.100 Can this just please stop and end? 00:25:07.100 --> 00:25:14.560 What my soul longs for is ultimate meaning and peace and value that I don't want to go to these broken cisterns of this world, these wells 00:25:14.560 --> 00:25:20.200 that have nothing but holes in them, that they promise to deliver, but when I look inside, they're nothing but empty. 00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:22.810 I want my soul satisfied. 00:25:26.100 --> 00:25:27.940 I want my soul to find peace. 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:30.780 Shalom. 00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:38.260 I mean, that's what we had in the garden of Eden when God created us for His purpose, relationship perfect between Adam and Eve, but once sin entered the 00:25:38.260 --> 00:25:45.320 world, it was lost, but it was promised to be found again when Genesis 3:15 tells us the head of 00:25:45.320 --> 00:25:52.680 the serpent will be crushed, that one will come and He will deliver us and He will bring us peace. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:00.300 Jesus promises that peace. 00:26:01.380 --> 00:26:08.400 Verse 16."These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:15.620 was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him." Let 00:26:15.620 --> 00:26:16.900 me just stop right there and say this. 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:25.290 Guys, sometimes when we read the scripture, we don't always understand it at first, but can I just encourage you just to keep reading, 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:29.960 keep digging, keep seeking after the Lord? 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:36.960 As you start to understand the themes of the bible, the way God writes the bible, God will illuminate the truth and title together for you. 00:26:37.060 --> 00:26:41.900 You can even see from beginning to end like we talked about today how Jesus, these aren't just story after story. 00:26:41.980 --> 00:26:45.180 These are stories that transcend all of scripture. 00:26:45.180 --> 00:26:48.040 They not only transcend, but they tie it all together for us. 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:49.320 This is not just an event. 00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:56.460 This is a story that's happened that ties a much bigger theme to what the entire bible is about. 00:26:57.860 --> 00:27:04.960 So, when you study just a story, it's important, but as you study all of the bible, you can see how all of this comes together, and the beauty of Jesus is 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:12.020 even just in the gospel of John from the time it begins, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world," to the time where the Lamb presents Himself as the Lamb of 00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:12.920 God to take away our sins. 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:14.680 It's incredible. 00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:18.080 So, don't just stop with a story. 00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:22.000 Keep reading, keep seeking, keeping. 00:27:22.020 --> 00:27:25.140 Now, I will say that works for Christianity because the bible is true. 00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:30.530 Other things that are taught to you that may not be true, not matter how many times you study it just don't make sense. 00:27:31.040 --> 00:27:32.200 It's like, "Wait a second. 00:27:32.280 --> 00:27:39.520 That don't make sense," but studying the scripture, seeking after the Lord is important. 00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:46.740 Verse 17, "So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to 00:27:46.840 --> 00:27:47.500 testify about Him. 00:27:48.020 --> 00:27:53.360 For this reason also the people went out to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this signs. 00:27:53.720 --> 00:28:02.060 So, the Pharisees said to one another, 'You see that you are not accomplishing anything; look, the world has gone after Him!'" None 00:28:02.060 --> 00:28:06.340 of the Pharisees feel like the world has gone after Him, but we're going to see the opposite in just a little bit. 00:28:07.580 --> 00:28:09.810 When I think about this passage, let me just say this. 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:13.360 People want to know about Jesus. 00:28:15.140 --> 00:28:17.210 Help people know about Jesus. 00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:20.740 Now, it doesn't say that people want to know about Jesus for the right reasons. 00:28:20.840 --> 00:28:27.960 They may just want to know about Jesus because they think when Jesus shows up, the circus is in town because He does some great miracles, but they do want to know about Jesus, 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:33.670 and we should be a resource to help them come to know this Jesus or at least to know about this Jesus. 00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:42.220 It's interesting I've noticed even in our area where we live, when I first moved to Utah, there was receptivity to 00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:45.260 hearing about Jesus, but it wasn't that great. 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:48.600 Over the last decade or so, there's been a shift. 00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:53.780 I feel like there's a little bit more hunger in our society today to hear about Jesus. 00:28:55.480 --> 00:29:01.410 That's encouraging to me that if you know Jesus, help people know about Jesus. 00:29:02.280 --> 00:29:04.000 Point them to the goodness of who Jesus is. 00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:05.260 Now, let me move on. 00:29:06.280 --> 00:29:08.080 So, this is the owner saying this passage. 00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:09.780 You have a little bit of background why this is important. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:11.620 Now, let's get to the dying part, right? 00:29:12.080 --> 00:29:13.180 Point number two, die. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:21.800 Verse 20, "Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast; 21 these people then 00:29:21.800 --> 00:29:29.140 came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were making a request of him, saying, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.' Philip came and told Andrew; then 00:29:29.140 --> 00:29:36.260 Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus." Verse 23, "But Jesus 00:29:36.260 --> 00:29:40.360 answered them by saying, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:48.740 Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, 00:29:49.520 --> 00:29:54.460 it bears much fruit." A couple of things about this passage. 00:29:56.520 --> 00:30:03.620 One of the very important phrases to just remember, verse 23, Jesus says this, "The hour has come." "The hour 00:30:03.620 --> 00:30:07.620 has come." This is a phrase that's repeated multiple times in John. 00:30:07.640 --> 00:30:11.760 The first time it's said is in John 2:4 when Jesus turns water into wine. 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:13.290 We talked about that passage. 00:30:13.300 --> 00:30:18.060 I told you will not understand why Jesus turned water into wine unless you understand this phrase. 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:19.150 I'll tell you about it in just a minute. 00:30:19.900 --> 00:30:22.840 Chapter 7:30, chapter 8:20, this phrase is repeated. 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:24.640 His hour has not yet come. 00:30:24.980 --> 00:30:25.940 His hour has not yet come. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:27.020 His hour has not yet come. 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:28.420 That's what it says throughout the gospel John. 00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:35.580 His hour has not yet come, but then when you get to John 12:23 it finally says, now, His 00:30:35.600 --> 00:30:38.600 hour has come. 00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:46.300 What Jesus was saying to us from the time of the gospel of John and every miracle that He performed leading up to this moment, that these are great miracles, but this is not the ultimate reason 00:30:46.300 --> 00:30:46.920 He came for. 00:30:47.700 --> 00:30:54.880 When Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding feast, He wanted us to recognize, "Look, I'm coming as a groom for my bride, but 00:30:54.940 --> 00:31:02.460 this is not the miracle to represent that because my hour has not yet come." Then John 7:30, John 8:20 00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:05.080 as He performs miracles, He continues to say that, "My hour has not yet come. 00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:07.200 This is not the ultimate reason I'm here for. 00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:11.920 I'm doing some things outwardly to demonstrate who I am, but this is not what I'm ultimately here for. 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:12.990 You want to know what I'm ultimately here for? 00:31:13.580 --> 00:31:13.960 This is it. 00:31:15.500 --> 00:31:20.520 My whole life was about my death." That's what Jesus is saying here. 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.920 You think what the crowds are saying to Jesus. 00:31:23.260 --> 00:31:24.060 "We want to meet Jesus. 00:31:24.660 --> 00:31:26.160 Andrew, go get Jesus. 00:31:26.220 --> 00:31:27.180 Go get Jesus for us. 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:27.680 We want to meet Jesus. 00:31:28.040 --> 00:31:29.000 Jesus, entertain us. 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:29.880 Jesus, do a miracle. 00:31:30.060 --> 00:31:30.700 We want to meet you. 00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:32.060 You just resurrected Lazarus. 00:31:32.060 --> 00:31:32.800 How are you going to top that? 00:31:33.140 --> 00:31:34.480 Seems like every miracle keeps getting greater. 00:31:35.040 --> 00:31:36.120 Let's go see Jesus. 00:31:36.160 --> 00:31:38.470 Everybody, grab your lamb, let's head to Jerusalem. 00:31:38.620 --> 00:31:40.820 Maybe we'll see Jesus." Then they're like, "Okay. 00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:41.820 We hear Jesus is here. 00:31:41.840 --> 00:31:48.130 Let us meet Jesus." Jesus is like, "I'm done doing that, but I want to show you why I'm really here. 00:31:50.580 --> 00:31:57.720 My hour has come." Then he gives us a demonstration of what that hour looks like, what it means that 00:31:57.720 --> 00:31:58.190 He'd be glorified. 00:31:58.560 --> 00:32:05.220 It says, "But if it dies, it bears much fruit." What Jesus is identifying for us is the entire purpose of His life is His death. 00:32:05.280 --> 00:32:06.480 He compares Himself to a seed. 00:32:07.360 --> 00:32:14.360 It's a beautiful picture, that when a seed dies, it multiplies into more fruit, and the seeds can continue to 00:32:14.360 --> 00:32:16.040 die to multiply into even more fruit. 00:32:17.620 --> 00:32:25.440 Unless the picture of what Jesus begins with us, He is the ultimate seed that brings forth the fruit of 00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:27.560 life. 00:32:27.760 --> 00:32:35.060 Then in verse 25 and 26, Jesus, in this whole experience, then gives us something to do, which 00:32:35.060 --> 00:32:35.700 is the dying part. 00:32:38.300 --> 00:32:45.640 "The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:51.360 life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 00:32:52.260 --> 00:32:59.800 If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; 00:32:59.800 --> 00:33:07.280 if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him." This is an interesting statement Jesus gives here for 00:33:07.280 --> 00:33:14.800 many reasons, but if you put it in the context, it's maybe even an odd statement that Jesus gives because we've clearly, clearly 00:33:14.800 --> 00:33:21.800 talked about a massive crowd that is praising Jesus and even the Pharisees are acknowledging the whole is 00:33:21.800 --> 00:33:28.800 going after Him, but as that's happening, it's as if Jesus sees it but acknowledges that 00:33:28.800 --> 00:33:31.250 what He wants from them, they're not really giving. 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:34.360 It makes you just pause and say, "Wait a minute, Jesus. 00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:37.660 Aren't these people gathered to praise your name?" I mean, think about us being here this morning. 00:33:37.660 --> 00:33:38.700 Is that not why we're here? 00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:46.340 How can you look at that circumstance then and tell us to do something that you don't think when we're doing, when we're obviously here to praise Your name? 00:33:47.600 --> 00:33:54.640 So, Jesus gives this interesting statement about following Him and I don't think He's affirming them to say, "Look, follow Me because you're following Me and I think 00:33:54.640 --> 00:34:00.260 it's great, so keep following Me," but He's giving this statement to try to help them because what they're doing is not what He ultimately wants from them. 00:34:01.660 --> 00:34:05.900 In fact, when you read this gospel story, Jesus riding on the donkey is in all four gospels. 00:34:07.820 --> 00:34:14.560 When you read this gospel account and the gospel of Luke 19, I think I have Luke 19:41. 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:16.880 Do I have it on the slides, guys? 00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.460 Okay. 00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:19.120 Luke 19:41, just listen to this. 00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:24.840 "When He approached Jerusalem," this is Jesus, everyone praising His name on the back of a donkey. 00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:32.060 "He approach Jerusalem, He saw the city and He wept over it." He wept. 00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:33.980 That's incredible. 00:34:35.040 --> 00:34:42.199 You look at that and you might the question, "Why in the world would He weep?" Maybe He's just so overcome with joy that He just can't even contain Himself just 00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:43.260 how great of a moment this is. 00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:44.560 He's all emotional, right? 00:34:45.100 --> 00:34:49.219 So, He weeps or maybe He's weeping because He is thinking about the cross. 00:34:49.340 --> 00:34:50.960 He really knows that all of this is leading to His death. 00:34:51.040 --> 00:34:52.360 So, He's thinking about the cross. 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:54.420 I mean, who's not going to cry when they got a cross in front of them, right? 00:34:55.580 --> 00:35:03.040 The story goes on and says, in verse 42, "Saying, 'If you had known on this day, even you, the thing which 00:35:03.140 --> 00:35:08.880 makes for peace!'" You know why Jesus weeps in this moment? 00:35:11.300 --> 00:35:18.500 Jesus weeps because He know the people are so close to Him but they miss then entirely. 00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:23.200 They miss Jesus entirely. 00:35:23.540 --> 00:35:28.220 They have an agenda for the messiah that actually pushes the messiah away. 00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:38.100 When we think about this passage, what Jesus is saying is what we need to discover is not primarily what you want 00:35:38.100 --> 00:35:42.750 from Jesus, but why you want Jesus. 00:35:44.520 --> 00:35:46.540 Guys, I don't think it's wrong to not want to be oppressed. 00:35:48.700 --> 00:35:54.150 I don't think it's wrong to not want bad things to happen like Israel at this moment just frustrated with rogue. 00:35:57.020 --> 00:36:05.740 The important question for us to ask as it relates to Jesus and circumstances that we find difficult isn't so much what you want from Jesus, but 00:36:05.740 --> 00:36:07.210 why is it you want Jesus. 00:36:08.900 --> 00:36:09.000 Why? 00:36:09.580 --> 00:36:10.270 Why did they want Jesus? 00:36:10.540 --> 00:36:13.620 They didn't want Jesus in order to live for His kingdom. 00:36:13.740 --> 00:36:20.940 I mean, that's what He's representing, a king on a donkey, but they didn't want Jesus for 00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:21.280 His kingdom. 00:36:23.160 --> 00:36:25.880 They wanted Jesus to improve their kingdom. 00:36:27.540 --> 00:36:31.700 They wanted Jesus to remove Rome so they could be in charge. 00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:35.900 You know what's really interesting about the story is the same Psalm at the recording, "Hosanna! 00:36:35.900 --> 00:36:43.380 Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," Psalm 118:26, if you just back up just a little bit, few verses before, verse 22, it 00:36:43.380 --> 00:36:45.560 says that He is the stone with the builders rejected. 00:36:46.100 --> 00:36:50.340 The same Psalm that tells us that the people who praise His name is the same Psalm that tells us that the people will reject Him. 00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:54.280 Their rejection all has to do with the motive. 00:36:55.480 --> 00:36:57.630 I mean, think about what the importance of the Passover lamb is. 00:36:57.740 --> 00:37:04.340 The Passover lamb is not about trying to improve your world, but it's about saving you from it. 00:37:05.360 --> 00:37:07.640 You think Israel, they were slaves in Rome. 00:37:07.660 --> 00:37:08.100 They were slaves. 00:37:08.780 --> 00:37:11.200 God doesn't come and just improve Egypt. 00:37:11.600 --> 00:37:13.360 God completely removes them out. 00:37:13.420 --> 00:37:15.310 That's the whole symbol of the Passover lamb. 00:37:16.300 --> 00:37:20.160 The Passover lamb is not about improving your world, but saving you from it. 00:37:21.880 --> 00:37:23.620 This is what Jesus is saying to us. 00:37:23.640 --> 00:37:30.480 Until you're willing to die to this world to embrace is you're going to miss Him. 00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:39.500 You could be so close to Jesus but miss Him. 00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:47.500 Romans 8 reminds us of what God desires for us, "For those whom He 00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:54.660 foreknew, He also predestine to become conformed to the image of His son." Jesus doesn't 00:37:54.660 --> 00:37:56.510 want to make you into what you desire. 00:37:58.280 --> 00:38:00.400 Jesus wants to make you into what He desires. 00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:05.480 That doesn't happen until you're willing to die to self to embrace Him. 00:38:07.740 --> 00:38:12.680 If I give it a nice little memorable way, I would say it like this, Jesus doesn't desire to make you comfortable. 00:38:14.160 --> 00:38:19.280 What Jesus desires for you is for you to be conformable to the image of His son. 00:38:20.860 --> 00:38:26.100 It's not until you find something worth dying for that you find something worth living for. 00:38:27.760 --> 00:38:30.220 Jesus is not interested in just improving you. 00:38:31.180 --> 00:38:36.920 He wants to make you new, new identity, purpose, meaning, value. 00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:40.880 It's important, this passage. 00:38:40.980 --> 00:38:49.200 This passage is really revolutionary for our culture because what our culture teaches us is you find the importance of life by looking deeper in you, but 00:38:49.200 --> 00:38:56.880 when you think about what Jesus is saying here, you don't find your purpose and happiness in life by looking deeper in you, in your wants, but 00:38:56.880 --> 00:38:58.980 rather by dying to self for Him. 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:02.960 You want to know why our country is coming unhinged? 00:39:05.020 --> 00:39:12.060 Because we've bought into the lie that the purpose of life is within us, and I ask the question, "What is it that we want because we're the king of 00:39:12.060 --> 00:39:19.480 our world?" It's not until we die to ourself to live for Him that we find 00:39:20.200 --> 00:39:22.980 exactly what God desires for us. 00:39:24.920 --> 00:39:32.180 When we think about this text, Revelation 7 has a beautiful really reenactment of this section 00:39:32.180 --> 00:39:39.280 of scripture, but it's in a different way, and it's one of the reasons this passage is so important for us, 00:39:39.340 --> 00:39:39.680 guys. 00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:42.680 I mean, you think about what Jesus is saying here. 00:39:43.340 --> 00:39:50.140 Jesus is saying, look, He knows the world is broken, and He's also saying stop looking in the world for a solution. 00:39:51.660 --> 00:39:58.400 You need to die to that and embrace it because embracing Him, that's where you find life. 00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:07.680 When I think about culture today, I think more than even how important that message is because 00:40:07.680 --> 00:40:14.820 I think we look at a society that knows it's broken and everyone is scrambling to try to find some solution, some cause to prop themselves 00:40:14.820 --> 00:40:23.240 up upon, to see themselves as some justice warrior to get them value in this world and 00:40:23.240 --> 00:40:30.340 they've completely missed it because they've made their life about a kingdom that they have built, and if they invite Jesus at 00:40:30.340 --> 00:40:34.780 all, it's just to help them improve the kingdom that they desire and Jesus is not interested in your kingdom. 00:40:37.380 --> 00:40:39.820 He's interested in His. 00:40:39.860 --> 00:40:46.920 His whole purpose in life was to die and to call you do the same because only in dying do you find truly living for which He 00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:48.200 has called you to. 00:40:48.200 --> 00:40:52.870 In Revelation 7:4, it gives a story of... 00:40:53.140 --> 00:40:57.860 I'm going to just skip this real quick and go to the end because I'm running out of time, but the very end of this end of this, guys, look at what it says to us. 00:40:58.280 --> 00:41:05.280 Verse 9, "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing 00:41:05.420 --> 00:41:12.660 before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and with palm branches were in their hands; and they're crying out with a loud voice, 00:41:12.860 --> 00:41:19.860 saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb of God.'" What Jesus is saying in our 00:41:19.880 --> 00:41:28.040 lives that they may have done it wrong in this moment, but you don't have to get it wrong in your life, that 00:41:28.100 --> 00:41:31.050 you can come to Jesus for Jesus and that is more than enough. 00:41:31.820 --> 00:41:34.620 In fact, when you do it, you truly find the reason worth living. 00:41:38.120 --> 00:41:44.440 The end of eternity, there is this picture of God's people or into eternity there's this picture of God's people. 00:41:45.640 --> 00:41:49.330 Though we may have missed it the first time, Jesus came at us. 00:41:49.580 --> 00:41:56.280 Jesus' next coming for us, when we all are around in every tribe, tongue, language, we get the opportunity to do it right together. 00:41:57.840 --> 00:41:59.490 So, here's the question, though, we could end with. 00:41:59.580 --> 00:42:00.080 How do you know? 00:42:01.420 --> 00:42:03.780 How do you really know if you're devoted to Jesus in this way? 00:42:07.500 --> 00:42:12.400 Can I tell you one way to determine where your heart devotion truly is? 00:42:14.560 --> 00:42:21.640 It's just to recognize in your life when you have nothing going on, when you're in that moment of life where you have 00:42:21.640 --> 00:42:28.740 an hour or two to yourself, no busyness, mind could be free, you have that opportunity to 00:42:29.480 --> 00:42:33.540 find your leisure activity, where does your heart go? 00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:36.980 What is it you fill that time with? 00:42:39.540 --> 00:42:45.500 It's a good way to indicate what you worship or maybe what you idolize. 00:42:46.720 --> 00:42:53.880 I'm not saying every free moment of your life just have to be Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, but what I'm asking is when you have that free 00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:57.600 time, does it fill up with the mind of Christ? 00:42:58.700 --> 00:42:59.660 Where does it go? 00:43:01.340 --> 00:43:02.960 That's a good recognition for our soul. 00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:04.980 Is it truly devoted to Him? 00:43:05.160 --> 00:43:07.380 Has it died to the world to live Jesus?