Reaching people and making them devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
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Reaching people and making them devoted followers of Jesus Christ. |
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PALM SUNDAY
The Mysteries of Palm Sunday |
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Today is Palm Sunday. It celebrates the day that the Lord rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey as people laid palm branches before his path. That was a fulfillment of a mysterious prophecy (Zec 9:9), but it was far more than that. It was the beginning of a week of mysteries that brought you redemption. Allow me to define redemption. It is God taking your past, no matter how nasty, and working good from it. Romans 8:28 And we know that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. God will not change your past, but only he can redeem it and make it GOOD. If you are a child of God then you experienced this. God took the worse thing that ever happened to you and somehow made it GOOD! That is what the MYSTERIES OF PALM SUNDAY WEEK is about – YOUR REDEMPTION – making your past bring you a great future. 10TH DAY UNTIL 14TH DAY: JESUS REDEEMED YOUR CONFIDENCE IN GOD. Confidence is big. In our own lives and when talking to people about the things of God, we need solid unshakable confidence. What we call Palm Sunday was the first day of a twelve-day Jewish convocation including Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I said twelve days because on the 10th day of the Jewish month Abib (Exo 23:15), every household chose a one-year-old perfect lamb or goat (Exo 12:5). They kept the lamb or goat until the 14th day observing it from head to hoof making certain that it was perfect. Then they slaughtered it at evening, beginning at 3 p.m. It was on the 10th day that Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem. That began the most intense inspection of him that you can imagine. Until the 14th day, everyone – the Pharisees, disciples, even Pilate – observed, tested, questioned, interrogated, and investigated Jesus. From Matthew chapter 21 through chapter 26, they questioned him. That is six chapters of inspection. They looked him over from head to hoof and found Jesus, the Lamb of God, without blemish. They could not trick him or outsmart him. Matthew 22:46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. Pilate declared this as well. Luke 23:4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. People continue to look today. You look. Look all you want. Encourage others to look. Interrogate, investigate, question, etc. You can be CONFIDENT that he is whom he says he is and will do what he says he will do. SCAPEGOAT: JESUS REDEEMED YOUR FREEDOM, MERCY, AND YOUR UNOBSTRUCTED ACCESS TO GOD. You go free. On the Day of Atonement, the people placed two goats before the High Priest. The High Priest cast lots for the goats. One became the “Lord’s goat” and the other became the “scapegoat.” Over the scapegoat, the priest confessed every sin of the nation. He left no sin not confessed. The priests sacrificed the Lord’s goat – perfect and without sin. The priest freely pardoned the scapegoat. At the trial of Jesus, Pilate put before the High Priest and the people, Jesus, the Lord’s goat and a murderer and robber named Barabbas, the scapegoat. The custom was to release one prisoner at Passover. Matthew 27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? The lots were cast. The priest released and freed the scapegoat Barabbas – full of sin. They sacrificed the Lord’s goat, Jesus. Because of Jesus, you can go free. It does not matter what you have done. Jesus died so that you go free. It gets better. In the Old Covenant, the priest took the blood of the Lord’s goat behind the veil in the temple and put it on the mercy seat, bringing God’s mercy to the people by the blood of the Lord’s goat. Leviticus 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and BRING HIS BLOOD WITHIN THE VAIL… and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: The veil separated God’s mercy and presence from the people. It was dark behind the veil, mysterious, and inaccessible. When Jesus died, not only did his sacrifice assure the mercy of God, but also the veil in the temple rent from top to bottom. Matthew 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom… Jesus tore apart everything that separates you from God. He took away the mystery and darkness of God. He redeemed for you total access to Father God. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom 3:3), but Barabbas, you can go free. You can come boldly unto the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16). Jesus redeemed your freedom, the mercy of God, and your unobstructed access to God’s throne. RED HEIFER: JESUS REDEEMED YOUR FAILURES AND MEANINGLESS LIFE. The bible calls these dead works – things and a life that do not mean anything – a wasted life. What does the following verse mean? Hebrews 9:13-15 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and THE ASHES OF AN HEIFER sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience FROM DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD? What is this ashes of an heifer thing? Notice that its ultimate type was to show how the blood of Christ purges/cleans you from dead works. In the book of Numbers, we find one of the most interesting mystery sacrifices. It is the sacrifice of the Red Heifer. The heifer, a young cow that never gave birth, had to be perfect and completely red. A priest accompanied by the High Priest took the heifer out of the city and slaughtered it. The High Priest watched the heifer led away, bleed, and die. The High Priest dipped his finger in the blood and sprinkled the blood seven times toward the temple. The Red Heifer was completely burned – hide, entrails, and flesh. Thrown on top of the Red Heifer while burning were a piece of cedar wood, some hyssop, and scarlet colored cloth. SURPRISINGLY, THIS SACRIFICE MADE THE PRIEST AND ALL WHO PARTICIPATED UNCLEAN – NOT CLEAN! However, someone clean gathered up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a clean, unused container outside the city. When needed, the clean priests took the ashes, mixed some in water, and used it for cleansing someone who touched a dead person. The chief priests selected Christ just as they selected the Red Heifer. The High Priest observed him led outside the city. Picture Christ led like the Red Heifer, covered in his own red blood. Upon him they placed a scarlet robe and a wood cross, most likely made of cedar. At the cross, they offered him vinegar on the end of hyssop. The High Priest observed and approved his slaughter (Luk 24:20). That demonic religious system (Joh 8:44) became unclean. They, as it were, took the blood of Jesus into their own hands and sprinkled it toward the temple seven times – fullness of times – the number of specific places from which Jesus bleed – back, two hands, two feet, head, and side. Matthew 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, HIS BLOOD BE ON US, AND ON OUR CHILDREN. It was. God destroyed the unclean temple and the entire nation in A.D. 70 as the words of Christ were fulfilled spoken that PALM SUNDAY WEEK. Matthew 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. Clean priests, the disciples, gathered Christ up – and placed him in a clean, unused tomb outside the city. Today, what Christ, did purges and redeems you from a meaningless life of dead works. God redeems relationships that didn’t work and puts people into your life that love you. He redeems finances and will make you prosper. He redeems failed business opportunities and gives you success. He redeems failed marriages and gives you a spouse that loves you. He will redeem everything for you and make all things new. THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS: JESUS REDEEMED US GENTILES. When they crucified Christ, Pilate commanded a title placed on the top of the cross that said, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” What is most interesting about this is that Pilate wrote it in three languages – Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin, the three primary languages of the world. Luke 23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Pilate did not know what he was doing, but the Lord God knew what he was doing. Jesus was the Messiah/King the Jews awaited to bring his kingdom to the whole world. However, this cross is not for only one nation. This is an international cross. The cross is for you no matter who you are. Nationalities do not matter. Skin color does not matter. Your economical or educational level does not matter. Your gender does not matter (Gal 3:28). The cross is for everyone. Jesus redeemed mankind. PARADISE: JESUS REDEEMED YOUR ETERNAL LIFE. They crucified Jesus along with two malefactors. As they hung on the crosses, one thief asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Do you remember what Jesus said? Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, TODAY you will be with me in paradise." When was Jesus going to paradise? When was the thief going to paradise? That day! Jesus didn’t simply lay in his tomb three days. Before Jesus ascended, he went into the lower regions and preached to the dead. Ephesians 4:8-10 This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 1 Peter 3:19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 1 Peter 4:6 For this is the reason THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED even to those who are now dead… Today, we look back to the cross. The Old Testament saints looked forward to the cross. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, David, Bathsheba, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, etc., all those people, were in a place Jesus called paradise. Jesus descended and preached the gospel to them something like this, “Adam, do you remember those bloody animal skins that the Lord put on you when you sinned? I was those animal skins that covered you.” “Abraham, you said, ‘God will provide himself a lamb.’ That ram stuck in the thicket taking the place of Isaac, that was me.” “Moses, remember when you told the people to get a lamb and put the blood on the doorposts? That was me!” Picture this! In comes this new guy. Do you know who the new guy is? He is that thief on the cross. Jesus would say, “…and here is my first New Testament convert! My blood works!” Jesus preached in the lower regions to the dead and had revival. If he can preach in the lower regions and have revival, then he can have revival in your home, at your work, with your children, with your spouse, you name it. Jesus can reach anyone. The Bible says that Jesus led captivity captive. He told all those saints to get in line and let’s have a parade! We are going to heaven! Matthew 27:52-53 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose JESUS REDEEMED YOUR PLACE IN HEAVEN, COMMUNION: JESUS REDEEMED A NEW COVENANT FOR US. It is a covenant that does not require that you slaughter and bleed lambs, goats, bulls, or pigeons. You are not required to eat unleavened bread, sprinkle blood, or the water and ashes of a heifer. HOWEVER, you ARE required to believe and receive what he did for you with his body and his blood. The way he said to do this was by eating his flesh and drinking his blood. You receive all the Lord provided for you by receiving his body and his blood. His body more than fulfilled every sacrifice for sin. By eating his body, you receive into your body, your soul, and your spirit all that his body accomplished. His blood more than fulfilled what the blood of every sacrifice attempted to accomplish. By drinking his blood, we receive all that his blood accomplished. Jesus said that unless we ate his flesh and drank his blood, we would not experience eternal life, or experience the resurrection. John 6:53-54 Jesus said to them, I tell you the TRUTH, UNLESS you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. We will be passing out the communion elements. Please hold your elements. We will ingest them together. As they pass them, let me give you one more redemption truth. The Passover in Egypt was only a type of what we are doing now. God made a covenant with the people. He said if they would take a lamb or a goat, keep it for four days, kill it the evening of the 14th day, put blood on the doorposts, and eat the entire lamb, he would deliver them. THE SACRIFICE COULD NOT DIE UNTIL AFTER 3 P.M. Jesus could have died sooner than he did. They beat Jesus mercilessly. There was a tremendous lose of blood. That alone would cause death. They offered him vinegar and gall to drink (Mat 27:34). Gall is a poison that would bring quick death. He would not drink it yet. There was one more thing that he had to fulfill. If he was the Lamb of God, he could not die until 3 p.m. They crucified him at 9 a.m. (Mark 15:25). He hung there for hours, bleeding, in unbelievable agony fighting off death. Finally, it was 3 p.m. (Mark 15:33). John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. At the identical time that the Passover lambs died all over Jerusalem and had their blood struck on the doors, Jesus died. The Roman soldier shoved the spear into his side. At that moment, your New Covenant redemption took place. God redeemed you. 1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, AS OF A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND WITHOUT SPOT: To receive and proclaim that you are in that New Covenant, Jesus said you must eat his flesh and drink his blood. That is what we are now doing. If you are not a believer then this is how you do it. Receive what he did through his body to give you his covenant. If you drifted away from God, this is how you fix it. Renew your covenant with him. Please stand. 1 Corinthians 11:23-24 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. 1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, THIS CUP IS THE NEW COVENANT IN MY BLOOD; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.
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