Sunday Morning Service 8:30AM-

We need sound in your ear, Lord. And as your word goes out this morning, give us the ears to hear and hearts to receive it, Lord. And Lord, may we not just hear it, but do your word to act on it, Lord. And Lord, we just love you and we praise you. We give you all honor and glory in Jesus' name. Amen. I'll confess. You guys can go and have a seat if you like.

It is your love that has changed, buried my burdens and filled up me up. It is your love that has changed, you gave your life.

How awesome and how mighty you are and how deep your love is for us. It is by that same love, Lord, that we are changed. Lord, it is by the power of the cross, Lord, that we are changed. And Lord, we thank you for what you've done for us, Lord. God, as we come into this week, we're knowing what you went through for us. Lord God, we just can't help but praise you and we thank you, God.

Yes, Lord God.

Would you stand with me for this last one?

You are gentle. You are loving. Lord God, we have so many reasons to praise you. So Lord, this morning, I just pray that we would surrender our lives to you, Lord. If there's any part of our heart that is unsurrendered to you this morning, I pray that it would, that we would surrender it. Lord, search our hearts, search mine. Lord, see if there's any, any unclean way in us.

Lord Jesus, we love you and we praise you. And we thank you and in your precious and holy name. All God's people said, amen. Let's have some fellowship.

All right, good morning. Good morning, good morning. I'm glad you're here. I welcome you all. And, uh, if you go ahead and get your bulletins this morning, go ahead and open them. Open, open those up, please. Um, go ahead and take a look on the left side of your bulletin. Um, all kinds of Bible studies to get plugged into. If you're not plugged into one, um, we'd love to have you, uh, find something that, uh, that suits you and, uh, and, and go ahead and get plugged in.

Um, if you look in the middle of your bullets in there, um, of course we have the, the Bible reading plan. We're going through the Bible right now, uh, as a congregation. And so the, the, uh, the updated scriptures for this week are on the very last page of your bullets in there. So don't forget that. Um, uh, and a quick update on, on the construction out here.

We've, we've clearly got the foundation poured, so we should be, uh, getting the building up here in the next week or two. I hope so. Um, but just please pardon the mess while it's, while that's happening. Um, uh, Holy Week services. Um, this is Holy Week. So there'll be, uh, there'll be all kinds of services. Going on at different churches throughout the community.

Uh, and though, and if you want to get, uh, if you want to go and join one of those, the list is actually on the wall out in the lobby right below the, um, the connect with us board out there. Um, so, uh, more information is on that. So you can, you can figure out which one you want to go to and, and, uh, and the times for that. So, um, men's breakfast is this Saturday, April 19th at 8 a.m. in the Agape room.

And, um, one other. Uh, a quick announcement. Um, the schedule for the mowing ministry is, is out. So if you're in the mowing ministry, um, get with Kurt or get with Michael Aerosmith. Um, they should be able to get that for you. Okay. And then, uh, I believe, uh, Erica, uh, Rizzo has a couple of announcements.

Um, okay. A couple of things. So we have tonight is Agape fruits and we're kind of going to try to do, I mean, it's like an Easter dinner. It's five 30 to six 30. So we're going to try to do, I mean, it's like an Easter dinner. So one of the things we're trying to do with Agape fruits, maybe in the past, it was more of like a food ministry for others, but Jordan and I, I mean, mostly Jordan, it's her thing, but we really have more of a desire for it to be like a family dinner.

And so anybody who ever wants to come, we really want you to come and eat dinner with us, but also with the community members who come and we're hoping that it's more of like a, uh, just an encouraging time of fellowship. And community and like family dinner together. And so everybody's always welcome. I don't want you to feel like you don't need to come. So you don't or whatever, but it's always good food.

Jordan's plan is always for it to be good food. Did I go out? Okay. No. So I usually go every time because it's easy dinner Sunday night with my family. But, um, so that's tonight from five 30 to six 30. If you're interested. And then also we have summer camp coming up for our kids. And I believe the age group is third through fifth grade is I think technically, but like last year, my son was going into sixth grade and he still went to the camp.

So third through sixth grade, um, for the hybrid camp and it's June 29th through July 2nd. So it's a little bit later than it was. Last year. So that's kind of good. It's around $200 a person. We're going to be doing some fundraisers in May for that. And I'll have more details on that later. But anybody who's interested in sending their kids to camp, let me just check my dates.

Yes, we're right. Um, that is something that I am passionate about. And most of the reason we go to Prairie view. I don't know if I said that Prairie view Christian. So I love supporting the camp. That's your local. But also just, um, on their website, it even says come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while. Mark six 31. And I think that's so true because camp was just a big part of my childhood of like getting away and being part of like being able to hear from God for a little bit and getting away from like the world and the noise and all the things that distract us.

And it's just, I think a really great time for the kids to get to. See if if God is real for them or or just for their family. Um, my son is going into middle school this year. Well, technically you went last year, but we're going to the middle school camp also this year and that one's June 8th through the 13th. So if anybody is interested in middle school camp, if anybody is interested in being a counselor and coming with kids to camp like we need, we need that.

So I would love for you to let me know if you need help if you're interested or passionate about. That kind of thing. Um, any questions you can ask me, hopefully I'll know a little bit more details. We're kind of just starting the process of figuring out who's going right now and like adult wise. But all right, I think that's it. Okay, hopefully that's all the information I got.

Thank you.

I think that camp was a pretty good success last year, if I recall. Right. So, uh, yeah, if you want to get, if you want to send your kids get plugged in there, just go talk to Erica. All right. So I think that is has all the announcements, um, for our responsive reading. If you want to stand with us, we'll be in Psalm eight this morning. Psalm eight. We reading out of the new American standard.

If you don't have one, there should be one in your row somewhere. Uh, I'll read the odd versus if you'll follow along with Pastor Allen in the even versus Psalm eight for the choir director on the Giddith, a Psalm of day. Oh, Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name and all the earth who have displayed your splendor about the heavens from the mouths of infants and nursing babes. You have established strength because of your adversaries to make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained. What is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for? Him, yet you have made him a little lower than God, and you crown him with glory and majesty. You make him to rule over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heaven and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas and read verse nine with me.

Oh, Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth? Oh, Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth? And yes, Lord, God, how amazing and majestic is your name. Lord, I'm in just utter awe of your of your power. Lord, when I look at the heavens or the stars and the moon, how you put them there, I'm in just an utter awe of your of your majesty, Lord.

And so, Lord, we praise you. And we thank you for how much you love us. And you would that you the. Creator of the heavens and the earth would even think of us. We who are so small. So, Lord, we just thank you. We praise you and we love you so much, Lord. We pray these things in your precious and holy name. Amen. OK, I think I pretty well covered everything.

If I didn't, somebody will let me know at second service. All right. Well, happy Palm Sunday. I'm glad you're here again. Pastor Ryan wasn't able to be here this morning. Him and Aaron were chaperones at Dexter's after prom last night. So they didn't get home till very late or early, depending on how you look at it. So they are getting some much needed rest.

So here I am. You got me this morning. Sorry about that. Sorry about your luck. If you want, if you get your Bibles, go and open them up to Matthew chapter 21. Matthew chapter 21. I'd actually considered doing something other than a Palm Sunday message, but I kind of figured there'd probably be a mutiny. And so here we are. We're going to do a Palm Sunday message.

Matthew 21. I have a Holman Christian Standard Bible. So that's, you know, if you can just follow along best you can there.

Verse one, it says, When they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, Jesus then sent two disciples telling them, Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them at once. This took place so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled.

Tell daughter Zion, see, your king is coming to you gentle and mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foal. The foal of a donkey pause right there titled the message this morning. The king is coming in this section of scripture is known as the triumphal entry or more traditionally known as Palm Sunday. And it was a Sunday that Jesus would enter Jerusalem riding a donkey and it would begin the week that would lead up to his his arrest his his his trial his scourging and ultimately his crucifixion and resurrection.

The story is actually recounted for us in all four Gospels and honestly, when I was when I was reading through this section of scripture, I couldn't I couldn't help but think about all the prophecies that are that are going on here that are being fulfilled that Jesus is coming and that are being fulfilled during this week. Now, I don't know exactly how many prophecies were fulfilled during this week, but just to give you a couple of examples. The prophecies. The prophecy that describes exactly how Jesus would be beaten is described for us in Isaiah 53 verse five, and it says he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement for our peace was upon him and by his stripes. We are healed. So that was fulfilled during this week when Jesus took his scourging and ultimately was nailed to the cross all the chastisement the stripes the beating the bruises. We're put on him for our iniquity. Even the 30 pieces of silver that Judas that Judas would use to be to betray Jesus and the that he ultimately threw back into the temple that was prophesied in Zechariah 11 verses 12 and 13.

But more importantly, the prophecy that began all the way back in Genesis 315 where it says he will crush your head and he will bruise or you will bruise his heel. Excuse me. He will crush your head and you will bruise his heel. It's fulfilled during this particular week when Jesus was bruised for our iniquities and ultimately the sin and death are defeated with Jesus's death and resurrection.

Guys, the sheer amount of prophecy that Jesus fulfilled up to this point is just is amazing to me and it doesn't stop there. And in these first these first few verses here, we see the prophecy of the coming King revealed. All right, so let's start off looking at these first five verses. It says Jesus is approaching Jerusalem from the northeast and he stops at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives.

Now, excuse me. Sorry. It's going to be a long one. So forgive me. Jesus is approaching Jerusalem from the northeast and he stops at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Now, Jesus could have just slipped into Jerusalem quietly, walked right up to the Pharisees and said, here I am. Let's get this over with. Right. But if we've. If we've learned anything from Jesus through his ministry, he doesn't just do anything.

OK. He doesn't just do anything. He knew that as he was approaching Jerusalem that he was ultimately going to go to the cross. He committed himself to it in the Garden of Gethsemane. And as we saw a few weeks ago. But more than that, Jesus knew he already knew what was getting ready to happen to him. He knew because it had all been prophesied hundreds of years before.

He knew beforehand. But what's interesting in these first five verses that Jesus will be revealed as the prophesied king, the promised Messiah that was given in Zechariah nine, chapter nine. If you want to write that in the margin of your Bibles there, it says, tell daughter Zion, see, your king is coming to you gentle and mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. So you see, Jesus couldn't just slip into Jerusalem.

Quietly, he couldn't he couldn't just enter Jerusalem any old way that he wanted to. He couldn't just keep a low profile, even though that was what was happened. That was what happened many times when he healed people. He he would often say when he healed people, when he when he changed people's lives, he would say, see that you tell no one. And he said that because it wasn't time for him to be revealed.

As the Messiah, it wasn't time for him to be revealed. As the coming king just yet. But now today, Palm Sunday was the day that he was to be revealed as the coming king. Now, understand, if I'm a God fearing Jew, if I'm the one, if I'm a Jew who's who's who's in synagogue every every Sabbath and I'm studying scripture, I'm looking for clues as to when my Messiah is going to arrive.

I'm hiding his word in my heart, and I know. I want to know exactly when he's going to get there. I want to know when I can expect him.

I'm searching scripture for any clues as to when he is coming. And what's strange to me is that the Pharisees who were the religious leaders of the day, they were all well versed in the word of God. Or at least they should have been right. But you see, they seem to be more interested in teaching tradition than the word of God. They seem to be more interested in teaching.

They seem to be more interested in teaching their their way of doing things rather than teaching scripture. And if they would have known if they would have been more interested in the word of God, they would have known about the scripture right here in Zechariah. They also would have known the exact day that Jesus, their Messiah, was going to arrive. Because in Daniel nine, we're actually given another prophecy of the exact number of days from the decree from the day the decree is given to rebuild Jerusalem to the day that Jesus walked.

Into Jerusalem. Scholars have tabulated that that time up and it was 173,880 days. 173,880 days from the time that the decree was given to rebuild Jerusalem to the day that Jesus walked in was exact. It was exactly 173,880 days. So again, if I'm a Bible believing God fearing Jew, I'm looking for. My Messiah, I would have known about these two prophecies here.

Okay. But again, Jesus can't just do anything. He's supposed to come into Jerusalem on a specific day and in a specific way. Look at these first five verses. Jesus sends out two disciples into a nearby a nearby village to essentially steal a donkey, right? And it's cold. Now, if I'm one of these two, these two disciples. Disciples tasked with this unpleasant task.

If I'm one of these two disciples tasked with stealing this donkey, I'm kind of asking myself why. And honestly, it sounds like something I probably would have done in college because let's face it. I was that stereotypical dumb college kid would have done stuff like that. So, but why here and now? So, and look, I know the story of Noah's Ark. You know, I know how God called all the animals to Noah.

Noah didn't have to go out and searching for those things. He called them all to Noah. So why didn't he just do that here? It seemed like it would have been a lot easier. It would have made a lot more sense to me. It would have made a lot less awkward for those two poor disciples. And maybe, maybe it was, it was like a biblical trust fall exercise, you know, like where you stand on the edge of a stage and you got people out here trying to catch you, you know, maybe it was like that.

I don't know. But, but why didn't Jesus just call the donkey and it's cold to him? It seems like it would have made a lot more sense and been a lot easier. And I'm honestly, honestly don't know. No, I honestly don't know the answer to that question. It's one of no less than a thousand questions that I have for him when I get to meet him face to face. So anyway, going back to scripture here, Jesus needed this donkey and it's cold to fulfill what was prophesied in Zechariah nine.

And if he hadn't think about this, if they, if they hadn't gone and retrieved the donkey, if Jesus hadn't come into Jerusalem on the donkey, they would have missed him. They would have missed him. You know, like they've been sitting at the gate. Like maybe it was some other homely looking guy. Like nine donkeys ahead of Jesus or something. I don't know, but you know, I'll bet the guy that, and I'll bet that that guy didn't even have to steal it.

Right. But you see, Jesus had to make sure that this time when he entered Jerusalem, that he had to enter at the exact right time and in the exact right way. So now that, so, so that he would be revealed. So there couldn't be any mistake that he was revealed as their Messiah. As our Messiah, as our Kim, as our coming King. So now that Jesus is revealed to the world as the Messiah, as the coming King, the question becomes, what are you going to do with him?

You see, we all have a decision to make at some point in our life or another. We have a decision to make. What are we going to do with Jesus? Knowing that he is, that he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Are you going to acknowledge him as your King? So, we're going to be thinking about that as we, as we continue on here. Verse six, it says the disciples went and did just as, as Jesus directed them.

They brought the donkey and the colt. Then they laid their clothes on them and he sat on them and a very large crowd spread their clothes on the road. And others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Then the crowds who went ahead of him. Then the crowds went ahead of who went ahead of him, excuse me. And those who followed shouted,

Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest heaven. And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar saying, who is this? The crowds were saying, this is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. And this next section of scripture here, the disciples did as they were told. They went and hotwired this donkey and brought it to Jesus, right?

And they passed the, they passed the trust fall exercise and they went and retrieved it. And they went and retrieved it. And brought it to Jesus and they put blankets on it and Jesus sat on it and they proceeded to enter Jerusalem. And it goes on to say in verse eight, a very large crowd spread their clothes on the road. And others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road.

So, so we see the crowds responding to Jesus as he's coming into Jerusalem by spreading their blankets and their clothes out on the road and their palm branches. And this particular verse is where they say, this particular verse is where the term Palm Sunday comes from. So that's, you know, that's free. So, but notice the crowd's response to Jesus. He's coming as he's coming into Jerusalem.

It says they treat, they treated Jesus as royalty by spreading out their blankets and their clothes and the palm branches. And understand that doing that was actually a symbol of their, of loyalty to a king. They were declaring their loyalty to the king, to the ruler. That was their recognition of Jesus as king. And in the same way, the fact that Jesus came into Jerusalem riding a donkey was also a sign of royalty.

I didn't realize this, but one commentary I read, it actually pointed this out. And at one time kings would ride into their homes or their kingdoms in the same way they would ride. They would ride on a donkey. Just lost my place here. Yeah, they would ride on a donkey. And then when horses came along. They would ride on these big, strong, valiant horses. And at that point, nobody wanted to ride on a valiant donkey anymore coming into, you know, coming into their kingdom.

So the donkey became a symbol of lowliness. It became a symbol of burden, which is why they're called a beast of burden. So Jesus was revealed as the Messiah, the coming king, right? But it wasn't, he wasn't your typical king. You know, your typical king or ruler. You know, the king who thrives in pomp and circumstance and victory and power after gone out and conquered other countries.

They come back to their homes riding on these big, beautiful horses. And they have this entire army parading in front of them. But Jesus didn't enter Jerusalem that way. He was revealed not as their typical conquering king, but rather as the prophecy in Zechariah says, lowly and gentle, mounted on a donkey. And he was revealed not as their typical conquering king, but rather as the prophecy in Zechariah says, lowly and gentle, mounted on a donkey.

He's not your typical king. So as he's coming into Jerusalem, finally revealed as the promised Messiah, the coming king. The people are giving Jesus recognition as king saying, Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest heaven. This is actually scripture quoted from Psalm 118. If you want to notate that in the margin of your Bibles too, you're more than welcome.

It's Psalm 118, verses 25 through 26, which is called the Messianic Psalm. The crowds are shouting Hosanna, which means save now. So they're shouting, save us, save now. They're shouting to Jesus, save us. Because at that time, Israel was ruled oppressively by Rome. They were treated horribly. They levied unfair taxes. They passed unfair laws. They forced Israel into slavery, essentially.

They were forced into labor. So when Jesus came, Israel wasn't necessarily looking for Jesus to save them from their sin. But instead, they were looking for Jesus to save them from Rome, from Roman rule. They were looking for him to set them free, politically speaking, rather than spiritually speaking. Okay? But honestly enough, it seems like many of us today are more interested in political freedom than we are spiritual freedom.

We only seem interested in who is living in the White House rather than who's living in our hearts. We want political freedom more than we want spiritual freedom. And look, I get it. I want America to be the God-fearing nation it used to be. You know, the nation where there was only two genders. The rainbow was a symbol of God's promise to never flood the earth again.

Where people filled the churches every time the doors were opened and God's word reigned and ruled in our lives. Yes, I want that for our nation. Yes, I do. But more than that, more than political freedom, I want spiritual freedom for you, for everybody. Yes, I want that for our nation. But guess what? Being an American citizen isn't what's going to get me home.

The fact that I'm an American isn't going to get me into the front door of heaven. It's not going to get us there, guys. Only that saving, abiding relationship with Jesus will. Understand that kingdoms will come and go. Even our nation could go. It's not impossible. Look at Rome. It's not impossible, guys. Kingdoms come and go, but Jesus' kingdom will reign forever.

I am a citizen of heaven before I am a citizen of the United States of America. It... Israel missed Jesus. Okay? Israel missed Jesus. He wasn't who they expected him to be. They were looking for political freedom. So the question I have is this. Are you... Is Jesus who you expected him to be? Is Jesus who you expected him to be? Understand that Jesus came the first time to seek that which was lost.

To seek and save that which was lost. Is he who you expected him to be? If not, who did you expect him to be? Maybe like the Jews of his time, we're expecting him to be this great political savior. And he will be at some point in his millennial kingdom. Yes, he will be that political savior. Or maybe we're expecting him to be this good luck charm that we wear around our neck or put in our pocket or wear on our wrists.

Maybe you were expecting him to be this peace-loving hippie. You know, the kind of make love, not war. You know, love who you want. Man, woman, or some combination in between. Probably gonna get canceled now, but that's okay. There's worse things to happen. Maybe you were expecting him to open up his storehouses and pour out for you a brand new Dodge Challenger in your driveway, huh?

Or a 5,000 square foot mansion. Maybe you were expecting him to give your stocks a bit of a boost. Which, if that's the case, I got news for you. It's not happening right now, guys. That's not happening. That's not happening. I know of several so-called preachers out there that are preaching this garbage right now. They're preaching these false expectations of Jesus.

Maybe it's time that we put away these false expectations of Jesus and take a look at who he really is. He is our Messiah. He's the one who saves us. He is our coming king. He is our long-awaited Lord and Savior. Guys, he came to deal with the sin in our lives. That's an important thing. He came to deal with the sin in our lives once and for all in order to restore that relationship with our Creator.

That was broken in Genesis in the Garden of Eden when sin and death entered the world. And it goes on to say in verse 10-11, it says, When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, Who is this? And the crowds were saying, This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. I stole this next bit from one of the source commentators in David Guzik's commentary.

But it's interesting that when Jesus arrived here on Palm Sunday and when Jesus arrived at his birth, in both accounts it says Jerusalem was disturbed or it was in an uproar. There was a big to-do there. There was a lot going on. To kind of relate it back to us, you know, if you're a Star Wars fan, if he's the Chosen One. When the Chosen One came, there was a disturbance in the force, right?

Yeah. It's amazing to me because Jesus has a tendency to do that, doesn't he? When his day finally came and he showed up in Jerusalem, I think there were primarily two groups of people there. Two groups of people who reacted differently to Jesus' arrival. Number one, people who were praising him. They were shouting, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

When the Lord showed up, man, people went nuts. They went nuts for him. They were praising him. Save us. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. When the Lord shows up in our lives, often, you know, perhaps for the first time, oftentimes we can't help but praise him. And when the Lord shows up many times, revival takes place. People welcome him with open arms.

There's a great stirring that happens. You know, there was a revival. There was a revival that took place on a college campus in Kentucky a couple of years ago, I think it was. I think it might have actually been during COVID maybe. I don't remember. Anyway, either way, revival took place. It all started with just a worship service on campus. And people started coming forward and giving their lives to Jesus.

And it didn't stop. It didn't stop. It didn't last just hours. It didn't last days. It lasted weeks. When Jesus showed up in their lives, I mean, a great stirring took place. Just like what's happening here. When Jesus showed up on the scene, a great stirring, a great uproar took place. Second group of people. There was another group of people there. Those who mentioned, those who the mere mention of the name of Jesus makes them uncomfortable.

And they would seek to even squelch the mere mention of his name. Luke's account of this story actually gives us a slightly different angle about who else was there. And it says in Luke 19, it says, And some of the Pharisees called to him from the crowd, Teacher, rebuke your disciples. But he answered and said to them, I tell you, if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.

You see, the Pharisees were uncomfortable when Jesus showed up on the scene. He made them uncomfortable. They didn't like that. They didn't like that he was stealing their thunder. They didn't like that Jesus was claiming to be their Messiah. He was going to put them out of a job. They didn't like that Jesus was claiming to be their Messiah. He wasn't the Messiah they expected.

They expected Jesus to be this magnificent conquering king that would free them from the Romans. Right? Not this poor, humble, suffering servant. This suffering servant. This king, lowly and gentle, mounted on a donkey. Therefore, it made them super uncomfortable. Guys, it's not hard to tell who's who here. You know, I've talked to people before, and the mere mention of Jesus,

provided it wasn't being used in vain, made them clam up. It made them just tense up. Or they get super defensive when I start talking about Jesus. They get super defensive saying, Well, don't be preaching at me. Don't be preaching at me. Only God can judge me. Okay. That's how you think. You're darn right God's going to judge you. You're absolutely right. And that should absolutely terrify you.

That should terrify anybody. To be in the presence of the Almighty God and to have him judge your sin should absolutely terrify anybody. Apart from him, apart from Jesus, that will happen. But going back to that first group of people. There's that group of people that when you're talking to them, you mention the name of Jesus, their ears perk up. Their ears perk up.

And the next thing you know, two hours have gone by. And you're neck deep in conversation about who Jesus is and what he's done in your life. Last weekend, I took the youth group to Silver Dollar City into Young Christians Weekend in Branson. And it rained the whole time. And it was cold. And it was cold. And that's an understatement. But even still, despite all the rain, despite the cold weather, the Lord still worked in amazing ways.

Because Saturday night after the rally, we got back to the rooms. And we had dinner and just kind of fellowshiped for a little bit. And started talking about Jesus. And a small group of my high schoolers decided to hang around. And we talked about Jesus for two hours. It was amazing. Answered all kinds of questions. They're hungry. They want to know. They want more and more Jesus in their lives.

When we start talking about Jesus, their ears perk up. So the question becomes, what camp are you in? Are you in the camp where the mere mention of the name of Jesus makes your ears perk up? And causes your spirit to stir? Or are you in the camp where the mere mention of the name of Jesus makes you cringe? And clam up? Or even just simply ignore him? Going back to this point, you've got to understand.

At some point, you have to decide what you're going to do with Jesus. To kind of finish this out here, it continues on in verse 10 saying, When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying, Who is this? The crowds were saying, This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. So while Jesus was being revealed as the Messiah, the coming king, There were many who still had no clue who Jesus was.

Or what he was, or what was going on. And they refer to Jesus as the prophet from Nazareth. While they weren't necessarily wrong, They completely missed the larger picture. I imagine it probably, it was probably someone in the Pharisees' camp shouting, This, you know, super indignantly saying, Who is this? You know? Up to that point, Jesus had been known by several names,

Including Jesus of Nazareth, or prophet from Nazareth. And understand that being a Nazarene wasn't necessarily a good thing. Being a Nazarene means you had a little bit of a reputation. To be introduced to somebody as so-and-so from Nazareth was a little bit of an insult. But again, you know, they missed the forest or the trees here. They missed the larger picture of what was happening here.

Jesus was no longer just the prophet from Nazareth. He was the promised Messiah. He was the king who finally arrived. And for us, our king has come once to save us from our sin. And what's more, he's coming again. He's coming again. But when he comes the second time, it won't be as the lowly, gentle king mounted on a donkey. But rather as the victorious king in glory.

He will return in glory and power, and everyone will see him. And if you don't praise him, the rocks certainly will. At the beginning of the message this morning, I mentioned, you know, I couldn't help but think of all the prophecy that Jesus fulfilled in his coming. There's prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. And there's prophecy that's being fulfilled right now.

You know, I feel like Matthew 24 is kind of jumping off the pages here. Matthew 24 is kind of jumping off the pages at us. With the wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines, diseases and pestilences, you know, things like that. Guys, we had an entire pandemic just a couple of years ago. I don't know if you realize this, but the third temple is ready to be built.

They have everything ready to go. They just need the place for it. Israel is at war. They're ready for their Messiah. They're looking for him to come and save him or save them politically.

So it seems like everything is just about set up for the tribulation. But right now, I firmly believe that we are closer than ever to being raptured home to be with Jesus. And the question becomes, will you be going home too? Or will you miss the rapture because you missed the king the first time? Friends, don't let your false expectations of Jesus be the reason you miss the king's coming.

He's coming again soon. We need to be ready. Amen. Amen. Let's go ahead and pray. Go ahead and stand with me if you will. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, I thank you for the day. And I just thank you for who you are, for how much you love us. And Lord, we know that you are coming again. Lord, you are coming again in glory and power. Lord, we know that you're coming again to take us home.

So help us to not miss it. Lord, we love you. Lord, we praise you. All glory and honor due to you. Pray these things in your precious and holy name. For the goodness of God. Lord, we just thank you for how good you are. You've always been faithful. Lord, when I look back at my own life, what I see, I see you and how faithful you have been. Despite my sin and my rebellion, Lord, you've been there.

And you've been faithful this whole time. So Lord, we just thank you for how good you are. And just help us to return praise to you. We love you and we praise you in your precious and holy name. Amen. You guys have a wonderful week. God bless you guys.