[0:00] In 2003, the time had come for me to go to Peru, South America. I was going to move there for six months, and I hadn't been many places. I grew up in a town of about 500 from West Kentucky, so I hadn't traveled much.
[0:13] So an international flight was a little intimidating to me, and my friend didn't help me much. He made me think I was going to be moving to a jungle, so I put everything in like a toolbox, all right?
[0:24] And I was quite surprised to realize everybody else on the plane had luggage with wheels, and they were going to a city. And so I'm flying there, and I flew from Miami to Lima, and I was in a seat, and you've probably been there before, where you knew you weren't really supposed to be in that seat.
[0:37] You were surrounded by a bunch of people that were all together, but somehow you've been placed like right into the middle of them. I know some of you fly quite often. I don't. Let me tell you one of the best things you can do if you want more room is you sit down and you look at the person beside you and say, hello, my name's Trent, and I think we're going to be best friends, all right?
[0:53] That normally gets you a seat or two, all right? Spread open. And so I like talking to people on an airplane if I can hear them, but everybody around me was speaking Spanish, and I didn't have that ability, and so I was just trying to gather clues of what was going on.
[1:07] And so when we landed there in Lima, and we got off the plane, and we're walking into the airport, everybody just starts clapping, and everybody is so excited. And I thought, these are the friendliest people I've ever met.
[1:18] I've already got here, and I'm already a big deal in Peru. True. And so I quickly realized that the people around me were part of a soccer team, or better said, a football team, right, for those that are soccer fans.
[1:30] And so they were Allianz Lima, a big team there in the city of Lima. And so walking out with them, I got to feel like what it was like if I was a soccer player and everybody was happy to see me.
[1:43] So a lot of people were very happy to see me. Other people didn't seem to care because it was a soccer team, and some of you may feel that way, okay? And then others probably didn't like that team. They probably had their own team as well.
[1:55] There would have been mixed emotions about it, but they had that moment to feel like everybody was happy to see me. But they recognized that there was mixed multitudes that were there, mixed crowds of people having different responses to it.
[2:09] We will follow every step as closely as we can, following Jesus on his journey. And the cross is a clear demonstration of his extent of his love for us.
[2:22] And I don't want you to be confused today. I don't want you to miss the significance of him coming into Jerusalem as he did. Romans 5.8, which you would know, and our kids learn it in Awanum.
[2:33] But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He died for the ungodly. As I've been reviewing the steps over this week about between this day and the resurrection, I remember that sometimes I don't always have it in the right order.
[2:51] Some days I don't remember what happens on each day. Maybe as we're going, you don't remember exactly what's going to happen next. I want to remind you that Jesus, the Son of God, most certainly does.
[3:02] He most certainly knows what the next step means. He certainly knew what it meant when he turned his self steadfastly to head towards Jerusalem. That's why as a church we can sing songs that would say, Did ever such love and sorrow meet?
[3:17] O'er thorns composed so rich a crown? Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. We're watching Jesus head to the cross to die for me and you, knowing completely what's going to happen and knowing you completely, but being steadfast on his way there.
[3:37] And that should cause us to want to rejoice. That ought to cause us to not be able to be silent. So the time has come. So what has the time come for? The time has come for the people to know who he is.
[3:48] Verse 30, You know, I might could try that.
[4:07] I need some new tires on my car. I'm just going to go to the tire shop. And I'm going to say, I'm going to need four new tires. And they're going to say why. I'm going to say, The Lord hath need of them. All right? I've actually heard of a pastor here in the South who was known for doing that.
[4:19] And he actually got by with it. All right? And so the Lord hath need of them. But he spoke with authority. And we'll look at that and the provision that God had made in that. So Jesus had been walking from Galilee to Bethany.
[4:31] And within two miles of his destination. And within two miles, now he says, I want to have a donkey come to me. Which is to say that it's not just practical.
[4:42] It wasn't, I'm just tired of walking. But it's symbolic. It is to make a statement. And so if you'll remember about all the times that he had said, My hour has not yet come.
[4:54] In Luke 9, which for in the Bible was six months ago. For us as a church family is one year ago tomorrow that we were in Luke chapter number 9. We don't do this in real time.
[5:06] All right? Takes us a little bit longer. But six months ago in the story here, Jesus steadfastly set his face towards Jerusalem.
[5:16] Which brings us to this point. And along the way he's been telling them that the time they reveal his true identity had not yet come. The first one of those stories is where he goes to a wedding.
[5:27] And there's his mom. And they recognize that the family is having an issue. Seems like a small problem to us. But we recognize that this is a big family problem that's going on. This has to do that the people in that situation really needed some help.
[5:41] And so Mary goes to Jesus and asks. And he says in John 2, 4. Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour has not yet come. That's the first time we see it.
[5:51] But it's not the last time. Jesus will perform that miracle. And he will say that they manifested forth his glory. And the disciples believed on him. Those that saw him, they recognized he was revealing his identity.
[6:06] Others that day weren't aware of what was going on. They were talking about the miracle that happened. Or they were talking about how good the wine was. They weren't talking about the miracle. Or the one who had done the miracle. And then continues.
[6:17] Jesus will heal people. And it sounds counterproductive. He would heal somebody. And they would say, we want to go tell everybody. And it says in Matthew 12, 16. And he charged them that they should not make him known.
[6:31] He's saying, my time has not yet come. I've mentioned this before. But by no means is this any kind of reverse psychology. Jesus wasn't saying, don't tell them. Knowing that that would make them want to tell more.
[6:41] But what he is doing is that he is going to reveal at the right time that he is at the Messiah. So he's saying, don't let them know. Make him known. So Jesus' words, my hour has not yet come, indicate that he's working on a divine schedule.
[6:57] And that he was managing the pace at which people would be confronted with the reality of who he is. And so now the time has come. Imagine what it was like the day that the Messiah finally came in to Jerusalem.
[7:13] He rode into Jerusalem. Everyone knew, or many people knew, that there might be a regimen change taking place. That that was the day that God's people had been praying for. That they had been under the boot of Rome.
[7:24] They had been reduced to nothing more than a puppet state. They had no real king because the Romans wouldn't let them have one. This city is filled with activity. Possibly over two million people.
[7:36] When you look at the amount of lambs that are being slaughtered that are recorded here. People are coming in. They're not just coming from everywhere. But they're bringing with them a lamb that would be unblown.
[7:47] They're bringing a sacrifice with them. The streets would be full. It's like a small college town when a football game comes in. It would be multiplied eight times over the size typically of what would normally be had.
[8:01] So the streets are full. And they're already, many of them, already celebrating a resurrection. And you know that that's happening next week in the story, in the Bible.
[8:12] That he'll get, he'll be crucified and he'll be risen on the third day. But I remind you. Remember when Jesus got to, he didn't make it to the funeral of Lazarus. And the disciples said, do you want to send flowers?
[8:23] He says, I got a better idea. Right? And he shows up there and he heals Lazarus. He brings him from the dead. And he does that bringing glory to God and showing. It says in John chapter number 12, verse 18.
[8:36] For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. And so those that attended that day and saw that. And so the crowd that's following Jesus just keeps growing and growing.
[8:50] So we have the story of Jesus bringing Lazarus from the dead. We have him healing blind men. We have him talking to Zacchaeus. And all along the way the crowd keeps growing. And so that crowd's now coming and it's coming to Jerusalem.
[9:04] He arrives there and he doesn't conceal that he's the Messiah, but he reveals it. In Matthew chapter number 21, it mentions that he comes meek upon a donkey.
[9:17] It's certainly true that riding upon a donkey would show humility. It's something that a king would do during peacetime. It showed a meekness. But that's not all that it does. It expresses that he is a king.
[9:29] This is a form of royal transportation that we find throughout the Old Testament. It's clear that the crowds understand the symbolism that he is claiming to be king.
[9:41] And so Jesus is making himself known. Not just to those who feel the brokenness of the world and are looking for a redeemer. That see him healing people. Who follow along. But also those that love the word of God.
[9:53] Those that have been staring at the scriptures. The religious ones that are lost. Because Jesus loves all the children of the world. Even those that are Pharisees. Even those that are looking for the healing.
[10:05] He's demonstrating that he is the Messiah in an unmistakable way. So those that have searched the scriptures would know him. And those that have seen him doing miracles among us.
[10:17] And so the time has come for Jesus to reveal who he is as the Messiah. The one that was just sung about. But also the time has come for him to fulfill scripture.
[10:28] One of the things that you start learning is that none of what's going to happen during the final week is out of Jesus' control. He's planning all of it. There will come a time four nights from now where he'll make arrangements in an upper room.
[10:42] And the disciples will come. But Jesus had already made those arrangements. He had already set that up. In the same way he had made provision for a donkey. It shows that for a donkey to be prepared for him.
[10:55] In Matthew chapter number 26. It's the story where Jesus is speaking here to the disciples. It's a few days now that Jesus will tell of his death. In Matthew 26 it says, And it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings he said unto the disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified.
[11:17] And the religious leaders, those that will be so instrumental in his death, after Jesus says that he will be crucified in a couple days, this is what they say. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
[11:33] So Jesus says, I'm going to be crucified. Those that are going to crucify him said, It's not going to happen. That would create so much of an uproar. What happens? Just as Jesus' plan, it happens.
[11:45] It's the fulfillment of scripture. And we see the response. So Jesus is not a victim of the Romans, not a victim of the high priest, or the Sanhedrin, or the Pharisees. Jesus is in complete control.
[11:55] And notice what he's doing. He is fulfilling scripture. And that's what we're having here. When he shall find a colt that is tied, to find a young donkey that has never been ridden.
[12:07] And so they go there and they find it. Jesus is telling them, when he tells them, Put away your sword. This is not the time to that. I could, if I wanted to, call twelve legions of angels. But Matthew 26, 54.
[12:19] But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? And so this donkey that the disciples went and got was a fulfillment of a passage in Zechariah chapter number 9, verse 9, that says that the Messiah will come into town on that.
[12:35] I like to think that the sons of thunder, that those two disciples that had said, Hey, can we sit on your right hand and left hand? I like to think Jesus sent them to get the donkey that day. I don't know if that's the case, but that would be beautiful, wouldn't it?
[12:48] All right? I got a big job for you, all right? You're going to go get a donkey. Do they know we're coming? Well, just tell them that I need it. And you'd have to be a little intimidated with that, right? When you're taking the donkey, but it shows the provision that was made.
[13:02] He's God. He could have done it any way that he chose. He could have laid it upon his heart, but it seems to me that just like he made preparations for the Passover, he had worked and he had met with people, and now he had a donkey that was there, a small colt that was going to be available.
[13:17] So this is the day that the Lord has made. We sing that, and you know that song. It comes from Psalm 118, which is being quoted here when he comes into town. But when we talk about this day that he has made for over 4,000 years, going all the way back to the garden, all the things that God had been doing, this is the day that the Lord has made.
[13:36] He has come, everything has come together exactly as he's promised, which brings us to the crowd and the response. And the multitudes that went before Matthew 21, verse 9, they followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David.
[13:51] Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. That is simply to say, save us, that God would come and save us. And so there's a crowd there that laid out their coats in front of them.
[14:06] As Jesus is riding on this donkey, fitting of those that would be a royalty, the people would take off what they would have, and they would lay it up upon the ground, and so that the donkey would stand on it and walk and continue going.
[14:19] It says some people were taking off their coats and laying it on the ground. Other people were taking branches and laying it down because they were recognizing that he was the king. And so there's those that lay down their coats, there's those that lay down their branches, and then we're going to find that there's another group of people, and it continues.
[14:36] And what I want you to see here, as it says in Matthew, it says, and the multitudes went before. There's multiple groups of people. There are multiple responses to them.
[14:46] I have said it, and you probably have heard it said before, maybe you've said it before. The same group that's saying, Hosanna on one day is also saying, crucify him on the next day.
[14:57] Well, it's true that in the same city that was saying Hosanna, there will also be people saying crucify him, but there's multiple groups of people here. It's important that you see that.
[15:09] And so they're saying the question is, who is this? Matthew 21.10, And when he was coming to Jerusalem, all the city was moved saying, who is this? That was the question that everybody individually is answering on the street that day.
[15:23] As Jesus comes into Jerusalem is, who is this? And based on what they believed, they were going to respond. That kind of wording that says, all the city was moved, they knew something was going on.
[15:35] I want you to recognize that this was no small event in that city that day. Even though there may have been two million people, the reputation and the fame of Jesus, this rabbi from Nazareth, had grown.
[15:49] That this is what they were talking about. People were aware of what was going on in that day. And it was according to God's design. Those that were mad, they were getting, it was at a boiling point for them.
[15:59] Those that were worshiping were coming there. And so all of the city, it says, all of Jerusalem, they were moved at this point. It reminds us of the wording that we have, the last time that Jesus is declared publicly as the king.
[16:13] The last time that when it was said, this is the Messiah, this is our king, where Jesus didn't say, this is not the time, which takes us all the way back to his birth, right? As he was born, people were coming to him as a king.
[16:26] And it says, at that time in Matthew 2, 3, and when Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all of Jerusalem with him. And so Herod was troubled, but all of the people there as well, all of Jerusalem with him, were troubled about what they were hearing.
[16:43] And so there's many groups of people that day. There's those that are celebrating. I'm going to pick up my coat now, because I see that it bothers many of you, okay? And you're a lot of fun to live with, I'm sure, okay?
[16:54] And so I just took my, and so it gave me an opportunity to take my coat off there. And so laying, there's a group of people that are like, what do we have, all right? What do we have here to celebrate what is going on?
[17:08] Here is Jesus, here is the king, and so they're laying down their coats, they're laying down their palm branches, and others cut down the branches. And it's so important what is going on, to see that this crowd, and that confusion of who it is.
[17:23] So they were saying, blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And so as I consider this, and I consider that group of people doing, what makes complete sense, because here's the Messiah, here's the one that they've been praying for, here's the one they've been waiting for, that they're celebrating.
[17:43] And it makes me believe, and would you not agree with me, that it seems to me that if we aren't being so loud, and clear about our celebration, that the world would want to quiet us, then we're not being loud enough.
[17:56] We're not being clear enough, about what we are rejoicing in. So here's all these people saying, here's the Messiah, here's the king, but then there was that group of people, that despised the king. The assumption that, they despised this idea, that they needed saving.
[18:10] In verse number 39, it says, Master, rebuke thy disciples. That's what the Pharisees came over. This is the last we'll see of the Pharisees. They'll hand it off to the scribes, and to the chief priests, but the Pharisees come up there, and they say, Jesus, why would you allow them to worship you?
[18:28] Rebuke them. Tell them to stop this, because he was not the king, they were expecting. Jesus did not meet the expectations, that they had for him, for them, and because of that, they were not going to worship him.
[18:45] But far more than needing deliverance from Rome, they needed deliverance from themselves. They needed deliverance from their sins. See, a military king could not give them that, but a king that is humble enough, to die for their sins, could give them the deliverance, that they need.
[19:01] And they shouldn't have been mocking, they shouldn't have been scoffing, but they should have stood there with everybody else, taking off their coats, going and taking palm brunches with the kids, and laying it down, but they won't.
[19:12] Next week, Lord willing, we will see Jesus' response. Where everybody's rejoicing, he's there weeping in the midst of the celebration, because of their blindness, and the impending misery of Jerusalem.
[19:23] And he will demonstrate for all of us, the absence of tears in our lives, indicates an absence of love for other people. Jesus looks upon those people, and he has moved the tears, because of his love for them, and their lack of understanding.
[19:41] So simply here, as we saw in this last portion, as Jesus is coming into Jerusalem, last portion of Luke chapter number 19, we look at ourselves and we say, where do I stand in this crowd?
[19:53] Is it marvelous in your eyes? Or are you waiting for another type of king, one that is more suitable for your ambitions? I saw you as you moved, when I said the Pharisees said that Jesus was not worthy of their worship, because he was not the king that they were waiting for.
[20:10] It just makes you jump back a little bit, right? The idea that we would ever say that Jesus is not enough. Never say that Jesus has not done all that we could ever ask or think.
[20:21] Psalm 118, that we read at the beginning, speaks about the gate of the Lord in which the righteous shall enter. And I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and I will become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused has become the headstone of the corner.
[20:34] This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord. O Lord, that save now is at Hosanna.
[20:47] So these people that were standing there, they were referencing the Psalm 118, and they're saying, this is marvelous what we are seeing. This is incredible what we are seeing. Blessed be the name, cometh in the name of the Lord.
[21:00] In that same passage, it speaks about the stone which the builders refused. The one that came upon a donkey that they will reject on Friday, God himself will unveil as the very cornerstone on Sunday morning.
[21:14] But those who had received the gift of sight and understanding, they said that it is marvelous. And so how do you view this today? Where are you at in the crowd? It says in 1 Corinthians 1.23, God's word says, but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness.
[21:33] Is this foolishness to you? Not just Jesus riding in on a donkey, but is there anything about him as Lord that is his foolishness to you? Is there anything about him that you just says isn't completely satisfying?
[21:45] Is there anything about him where you just say, I wish he did things differently? Jesus is still being rejected today. People do not understand, so they're not impressed. People believe that their greatest problem is a corrupt government, but they don't understand that their heart deeps, the corruption in their heart needs a king that would ride in on a donkey and who would die for them.
[22:08] Only a king on a donkey could truly save our souls and fully satisfy us forever. We all know John 3.16.
[22:19] Most of America, I would guess, would at least know that reference, but 1 John 3.16 says this, Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
[22:31] He is laying down his life for us. And so if we were there today, if Jesus was to enter into our city, would we be ready to welcome him?
[22:43] We are not confused about who he is. We rejoice that he came as a humble king on a donkey to save us from what we know we most need saving from, which is ourselves.
[22:53] We will not be silenced by those who do not believe he is meeting their expectations. Verse number 40, the last verse for the day, it says, And he looked at those Pharisees who says, Rebuke them.
[23:05] Tell all these people to calm down. They're getting way too excited about you. They're saying that you're the Messiah. They're saying that you're the king. Would you rebuke these people and tell them that is not who you are. Tell them that you're not all satisfying.
[23:16] Tell them that you're something different than the Messiah. Would you rebuke them? And Jesus looked at them and he said, If I did, and they would tell them to hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
[23:31] God is worthy of loud and joyful praise. And when he was come nigh, Luke 19, 37, Even now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.
[23:50] He is worthy of loud and joyful praise. So do I mean loud as in how loud a room could get? Maybe at times, but not that certainly. What I'm talking about is loud and clear in our lives without any kind of hesitation.
[24:05] That's just to be fully given in what he's doing. The praise of Jesus ought to be loud in our lives. It shouldn't be secondary. It shouldn't be one of the things that you do that we live our lives in loud and joyful praise to him.
[24:21] We also know that all things were created for his glory. Revelation 4, 11, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
[24:35] There's more that could be said about how the stones would cry out, but all of God's creation are made in such a way that they would cry out. I have nothing against the stones crying out, but I think the point is God loves it when his people praise his son in public, and I'm eager to declare this truth with you.
[24:54] We should praise him loudly when we're together and when we go our separate ways. But as a believer, you probably think, as I do, that I want to be that person. I want to be the Nate Wilkerson that says Christ is life everywhere I go, right?
[25:07] I want to be that person, but I'm not often that person, or not always that person, I should say, the way I worship and speak about him sincerely and often, and there's been times that I've just really messed up.
[25:19] Maybe you would say you've messed up in here by being silent, or maybe worse than that, you express the opposite of what you should have in public about your relationship with the Lord.
[25:30] Maybe the stress of the day caused you to speak out in a way that you shouldn't. Maybe a young person told other people that you are a follower of Jesus, and you began to curse and say, I know not this man of whom you speak.
[25:42] So maybe you say, well, that's kind of random, but it's not, right? That's exactly what happened with Peter that day. He had an opportunity to be loud. He had an opportunity to worship. He had an opportunity to say, this is the Messiah, but he didn't.
[25:54] But what did he do? He fell down. He weeped. He repented. And when the next opportunity came on the day of Pentecost, he says, I have a second chance to do right and to speak about the Lord.
[26:08] Here in a moment, we're going to sing together after you have a chance to respond. And our closing song today says this, how deep the Father's love for us is the song we'll sing.
[26:19] And in the second stanza, it says, behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon his shoulders. Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.
[26:31] And so that line, ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. That was once who we were, a mocking voice among the scoffers.
[26:43] But that is not who we are today by the grace of God. So God gives you a second chance. Some of you in here say, I have been deathly silent in time with my praise of the Lord.
[26:55] Well, here's another opportunity. Some of you would say, I've even spoken in a way that did not reflect that he is the king. It did not reflect that I have clarity about who my Lord is and he will give you a second chance.
[27:07] And follow example of Peter. Weep, repent, and say, I would never want to speak about you in that manner again. And then wait for that next opportunity. And so the greatest joy is found in praising him.
[27:21] Psalm 100, make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord, he is God. It is he that has made us, not we ourselves.
[27:33] We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. The greatest joy you're going to find in your life is when we obediently praise him with every opportunity that we have.
[27:44] Our praise should be directed to him as king. Luke 19, 38, they said, Blessed be the king that cometh in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
[27:55] The happiness of a creature consists in rejoicing in God by which also God is magnified and exalted. Let me read this quote one more time to you from Jonathan Edwards.
[28:08] The happiness of the creature, you and I, consist in rejoicing in God by which also God is magnified and exalted. You are going to be the happiest when you live out what you were created to do, which is to make much of this king who is ridden in the town on a donkey and we would say that is the Messiah.
[28:30] We're not confused about it. We're not disappointed in him. We worship him. So the story starts out with a crowd of people following him because of the miracles they had seen him do for others.
[28:42] But today, the story continues with us, a small crowd of people who must decide how we will respond to him knowing his resurrection is the miracle that proves that he is the king that came that day.
[28:57] And then think about all those people. Remember all those people whom Jesus had healed and he says, now is not the time to make me known? When he came in that day riding on a donkey revealing that he was the king and the Messiah, every one of them had a free pass to say, I can say everything that I've been hiding in my heart that I'm wanting to say and to point.
[29:18] They go and get their friends and go and get their family and to point on the road and say, there he is. And he is the Messiah. He is the one that we've been waiting for. Let's not be holding out anymore.
[29:29] It's now is the time. It's the time to talk about the Lord. There's nothing that needs to be hidden about him. We can share with him. It's what we've been created to do. And all of your planning for 2023 and all of the things that you want to bring great happiness and joy to you as somebody who has created the worship God, you will never exist, will never have the happiness that's available to you unless you're obedient to praising him with every breath that you have.
[29:56] So for help and application here, I just asked a couple questions before we pray together. This one. Would you say your life is one of praising our king or questioning while others are celebrating him?
[30:10] That's what we basically had. There was one group that was just praising him but there was another group that was just questioning why everybody else was so excited. Another group that was questioning and saying, why don't you rebuke these people because you're not all that I believe that you said you were going to be.
[30:27] Would you be honest today? Would you say that you're disappointed in the work that Jesus has done? If that's where you would get to be honestly, can I tell you it comes down to a misunderstanding of what you truly need.
[30:38] It comes down to a misunderstanding of who he truly is. If you can't be excited about him, if you don't want to be part of that group, it just simply comes to not knowing him as the scripture reveals.
[30:51] And then last question here is, don't you believe that it is time for those around you to know who Jesus is? Don't you believe it's time for those around you to know who Jesus is?
[31:03] And we have an opportunity here. Two things are going to happen before we end. I want to give you a chance to respond. And as we're responding, I'm going to ask you, do you have lack of clarity about who Jesus is?
[31:14] Is there some area of disappointment in him? Do you not fully know him as your Lord and Savior? And I'm going to ask you today to put your faith and trust in him. I'm going to plead with you to do that and to recognize that.
[31:25] But believers in here, these questions here, isn't he wonderful? Isn't it unlike anything else? And I want you to do that heart work where you speak to him and say, Father, I recognize those times that I've been silent.
[31:37] I recognize those times that my words did not express your goodness. And just like you gave Peter a second chance, I want to have another chance. And then when we get done praying, I want us to stand and sing together about how deep the Father's love is.
[31:52] And when we get to that point about how we once mock her, that we'd hear our voice mocking and scoffing, just pray there as we sing and say, God, not this year. I want to live a life where I'm openly loud about my public praise of his goodness.
[32:08] Heavenly Father, thank you for an opportunity to be in this scripture today with these people. Lord, I thank you for being a God of second chances. Lord, you have come into our lives and we want to make you known.
[32:21] We want everybody to recognize that there is nothing that is disappointing about you. Lord, we never want to question anybody who would ever praise your name. We understand why you are worthy of our praise.
[32:34] With every head bowed and every eye closed, and I'll continue praying here in a moment, but as Kristen plays on the piano, I ask you today, do you know why we're so excited about a king that would come and die for us?
[32:49] And would you recognize today that you must respond as somebody who has been created to worship him? And then believers in here, isn't it high time that everybody knows what it is that we know?
[33:03] Isn't it high time that we share with them why he is not a disappointment, but he is all satisfying and he's so very wonderful. Would you mind standing with me as you pray there in your seats?
[33:17] If you're here today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, would you pray today putting your faith and trust in him? We'd love the opportunity to meet you at our next steps table in the back and rejoice with you and give you some resources.
[33:31] But believer, would you look at the opportunities that we've been given? Would you pray for opportunities this week to say that I want to share what I know about our Messiah?
[33:42] Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to be here today and together around your word. Lord, I pray that you would help us be a congregation, to be a church, Lord, that is not indecisive, to be a group, Lord, that is not silent in our worship, but the people, Lord, with all of our hearts, Lord, we will worship you.
[34:02] Father, I pray that you don't only hear us now as we sing together in this service, but all throughout the weeks in our workplaces and in our homes. Lord, will you hear our voices making much of you?
[34:16] In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.