Preparing to Meet the King

The price of disobedience affects everything and others. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Obedience is better than 100 sermons.”

In this very timely message for believers today, Pastor Shane Idleman talks about the absolute necessity of obedience and preparing for our King. Check out this Palm Sunday message from Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California.

Shane Idleman is the founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Southern California and the creator of the WCF Radio Network. His program, Regaining Lost Ground, points us back to God and reminds us that although times change, truth does not. His books, blogs, and sermons can all be found at ShaneIdleman.com.

Editor’s Note: The transcript that follows was automatically generated and lightly edited, so please be aware there could be typos or other small errors. The Stream is working toward a transcription service that does fast, accurate, and reliable work; thank you in advance for your patience!

00:00:00:02 – 00:00:29:11
Palm Sunday, the title is preparing to meet the King preparing to meet the King. Now we prepare for just about everything. Don’t we? Marriage, food preparation and retirement. But very few people prepare to meet the King. Now, for believers, that takes on a whole new dimension. Because the Bible does call us to be ready for the king. Like a like a bride who’s waiting for the groom.

00:00:29:13 – 00:00:58:15
And there’s there’s a there’s a preparation process again, if you stumble, if you’ve fallen, if you’re if you’re stuck in the mire of sin. You still get back up. And you, you allow Christ to clean you, and you keep moving forward. But what we’re doing now with with Palm Sunday, in case you’re not familiar with it, I know many of you are, but this is the historical week where Jesus finished his three years of ministry and he said, now I must go to Jerusalem.

00:00:58:17 – 00:01:25:09
So he sets his his face towards Jerusalem. And as he’s entering the city, eventually later that week, to be crucified, he’s as he’s entering in the people they’ve seen of his miracles, they know who he is, and they begin to throw down palms, palm tree branches, and they begin to put their coats on the ground, on the on the donkey.

00:01:25:15 – 00:01:57:22
Like, what’s all that about? Well, we’re going to find out. And it’s very significant for us. And it really begins in Luke 19 and I won’t I didn’t have the whole passage there, but basically, Jesus’s disciples retrieved a donkey. A donkey, really? Well, it was to fill Zechariah to fulfill Zacharias words 500 years earlier. Zechariah was a prophet who wrote 500 years earlier, and they spread their clothes in the palm branches on the ground.

00:01:58:00 – 00:02:30:12
And here’s what Zechariah says 500 years rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, behold, your king is coming to you. He is just and having salvation lowly and riding a donkey. Well, what’s the symbolism? Riding a donkey rather than a war horse symbolizes humility and peace. Palm branches represent victory and rejoicing in their anticipation of Jesus as a king.

00:02:30:14 – 00:02:58:07
So he came on. This just wasn’t that so humble. Just here. Here’s your Messiah, here’s your Savior. And I remind you often that he came humble, but he returns and vengeance. We forget about that part. And this verse you’ve heard me talk about a lot before. I want you to actually see it with your eyes. In revelation. There’s a point coming where he will rule them with a rod of iron.

00:02:58:13 – 00:03:22:23
He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. He hasn’t, he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written and given to him. King of kings and Lord of lords. And this is how he returns. And John actually is the one who wrote this. And he had this vision. He says, I saw heaven open.

00:03:23:00 – 00:03:44:23
Can you imagine? And here comes Jesus with the armies of heaven. On his head were many crowns. In and out of his mouth goes a sword, that he will strike the nations, and he will rule those nations with a rod of iron. I think it’s just a good reminder, because so many people still they have this image of Jesus.

00:03:44:23 – 00:04:16:07
Man, he was such a nice guy, good teacher, good code of ethics. That’s how he came. But that’s not how he’s returning. Once that door is closed, that opportunity is over. And so Luke 19, verse 37, as he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, so it’s descending down the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice.

00:04:16:09 – 00:04:34:03
I guess it’s okay to praise God with a loud voice from time to time. It’s okay to get a little excited about God. I don’t think that passage in Isaiah where the angels cried, Holy, holy, holy!

00:04:34:05 – 00:04:59:06
Holy, holy, holy is our God. I mean the the actual the door. What it was it the doorpost of the of the temple actually shook. Holy, holy, holy is our God. And I just I get in these conversations a lot and people just say, well, that’s just, you know, worship is it’s too you express yourself too much. It’s emotionalism.

00:04:59:10 – 00:05:27:04
Well, I think it’s biblical. God gave us emotions. And you can look at David and his musicians and and him being a musician and, and just the excitement. And even before they go into battle and just probably the tambourine, I’m assuming, right in the, in the flute, in the harp and, and just, you know, it’s just if, if the, if the musical instruments are gauge with the emotions, that’s an appropriate response.

00:05:27:06 – 00:05:55:12
And they’re praising God, they’re basically, here comes Jesus and they’re throwing these things down. They’re recognizing that he is King of kings and Lord of lords. And here comes those good old Pharisees again. And some of the Pharisees said, teacher, rebuke your disciples. We still have worship rebukes today, don’t we? Oh, there’s there’s a lot of them.

00:05:55:12 – 00:06:20:00
They left to make YouTube videos and sit in their basement of their mom’s house. I so want to name names. Well, I’m not going to do that. Some of the Pharisees called to him from the crowd. Teacher, rebuke your disciples. Tell them to be quiet. But he answered and said to them, I tell you, that is, these will keep silent.

00:06:20:06 – 00:06:30:08
Even the stones would immediately cry out, how powerful is that?

00:06:30:10 – 00:07:00:21
And we could say the same thing today, people, you know, even we’ve got to praise God. It comes out because we know what he’s brought us through. We know where we could have ended up. We know what he’s doing. We see, and we have to worship the Lord and pray for those worship rebukes. The reason they don’t like worship is because they’ve never experienced the powerful move of God.

00:07:00:23 – 00:07:32:17
And actually put this together this morning. I think it’s a good time to remind us of this. Last week. You remember I mentioned the greatest hindrance, the greatest hindrance to not really experiencing God is your own satisfaction of being without him. The greatest hindrance of you going deeper with God is you. Because we’re satisfied. I don’t want to.

00:07:32:19 – 00:08:07:20
I don’t want to, Lord. I don’t want more of God. I’m good. And we often use Isaiah 64 one. Many of you know, we that’s how we, that’s the Scripture reference for when the heavens Isaiah 64 one. Oh, God, would you ran the heavens? And if you keep reading, it’s kind of sad. Verse seven, verse seven, God says, no one stirs himself up to take hold of me.

00:08:07:22 – 00:08:38:23
Look it up when you get home. 64 seven no one stirs himself up to lay hold of me. Guys, you can’t wait for your feelings. I don’t feel like it doesn’t matter. You have to stir yourself up to lay hold of God. Gene easily said this. We’ll have church when God comes, but not until then. All of our religious activities mean nothing without his hallowed presence.

00:08:39:01 – 00:09:08:08
The dilemma that brings us shame is that we have learned how to have church as usual, whether he is here or not. The week is full of active cities. We know how to keep the programs going. We know how to play our part. The machinery continues to operate, but the mountains won’t move until he comes. Now for your theologians out there we know is often say, what do you mean?

00:09:08:08 – 00:09:27:06
God wears you out like on Mars or something? What do you mean? Comes where? What are you talking about? What? We know he’s everywhere. He’s at a Taylor Swift conference concert. He’s at a metallica reunion conference concert.

00:09:27:07 – 00:09:46:12
He’s at the Viper Room down there in Hollywood. Or whiskey a go go, right? He’s everywhere. But is there a big difference between the atmosphere here and there?

00:09:46:14 – 00:10:11:17
See, because he’s everywhere, omnipresent everywhere. But there’s there’s times where even at church, you go, of course he’s there, but there’s you’re not there’s not the moving of his spirit. There’s not the hearing of his voice. There’s not that that where he’s quickening and convicting and encouraging and and the freedom there to worship him and and where he’s moving in more powerful and profound ways.

00:10:11:18 – 00:10:32:14
That’s really what a living churches in many churches aren’t living. They’re dead. People are coming for living food, living water. But they leave dry because God’s there in his omnipresence. But he’s not there with his manifesting his presence.

00:10:32:16 – 00:11:00:17
And I’m careful. I, I’m I love being conservative. I love the word. I love the truth. We don’t want to get weird and be in God’s presence. But it’s biblical. It’s biblical. Joshua didn’t want to leave the tent because he wanted to linger in the presence of God. The disciples in the upper room and the Holy Spirit fell upon them.

00:11:00:19 – 00:11:30:11
I think they experienced his presence. What we talked about last week, Moses said, I beseech you, I beg you, I beg you. What was Moses begging? God to show me your glory? I think he was saying one more time, my Lord. This is my second time on the mountain, and I’ve been up here. I’m fasting. I’m hungry. I’m losing weight.

00:11:30:13 – 00:12:07:07
King James, beseech, I beseech you. Oh, God, I beg you. Show me your glory and church services where we like. Lord, come down and and rend the heavens. And and the Isaiah knew God was everywhere. Why would he still pray? Rend the heavens, come down. These guys had correct theology because, guys, there’s something powerful and significant when God begins to to to he’s a consuming fire spiritual water that we drink.

00:12:07:09 – 00:12:35:21
Has similarities to to physical water I should say physical water that we drink. I’m excited to tell you this point. That’s why I’m confused here. So spiritual water has similarities to physical water. Remember the lady at the well and and Jesus said, I have water. I have something to satisfy you. Where if you drink of this water, you will never thirst again.

00:12:35:23 – 00:12:53:09
You see, truly thirsty people want one thing I don’t know about you. I might be a little selfish this morning. I might have to bare my heart with you this morning. And. And I hope you don’t think less of me, I really don’t. I came here because God called me. Don’t get me wrong. I put together the message because it’s on my heart.

00:12:53:11 – 00:13:19:14
But I came for relief. One reason I’m hungry and I’m thirsty for more of God. I want to drink deeply of that. Well, I hunger and thirst for righteousness. Oh, God. Satisfy. I’m parched. I’m thirsty. God, for more of you that living water that Christ spoke of, those rivers of living water, that vibrant relationship, that passion as a deer, the pants for that watered.

00:13:19:14 – 00:13:43:02
Oh God, my soul. Pants for the those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. I came here thirsty. I don’t know about you. I don’t want to play church. Do you want to play church? Let’s get through the book and let’s do this. And gosh, I’m hungry. I’m out of here. Get through the motions. There’s a there’s a.

00:13:43:04 – 00:14:08:04
I’m glad we offer events and and fellowship and I’m glad we do all these things. But I’m thirsty for God. Our life must be a consuming passion for God. Habakkuk said, O God, would you revive thy work? Isaiah said, Oh God, rend the heavens. The psalmist said, O God, would you not revive us again so we can rejoice in you?

00:14:08:06 – 00:14:12:22
Why is worship so difficult?

00:14:13:00 – 00:14:39:21
This is interesting, and I was about 630 this morning. I was looking over this. I’m praying, God, would you what? And I don’t think I have the answer yet. Maybe I never will. But why is it so easy for people to get in the word but they’re not worshipers.

00:14:39:23 – 00:15:01:15
Have you noticed that some of the most critical hearts I’ve ever met spend time in the word? Oh, but don’t you dare challenge them to be worshipers. Rather, that’s just emotionalism. That’s league. That worship is my life style.

00:15:01:17 – 00:15:24:15
I mean, why is it so easy? So now read the Bible for now. Try to come to morning worship for an hour. Oh, all hell breaks loose. I mean, we really don’t have challenge. Some people do, but it’s easy to open the word. But it’s hard to worship. And the only thing I can really think of is because I’m reading the Bible.

00:15:24:17 – 00:15:53:13
I’m reading the Bible. I have intellectual knowledge. That’s a truth that makes sense, but I’m not applying what I’m reading, and it’s easy to do that. Worship because I can fool God when I’m reading. Oh yeah, well, I need to do that. Husbands love your wife. Yeah, that’s a good one. Yeah. Look at this historical context of Luke and and Matthew in the synoptic Gospels.

00:15:53:13 – 00:16:17:19
And man, this is incredible. Plan here. And they laid out in the Romans Road and like, okay, next week, you know, in just reading, which is good, we have to that’s a but when you have to worship, that’s where the rubber meet. You can’t play games. You cannot play games with God and worship. There might be some fake ones out there, I don’t know.

00:16:17:21 – 00:16:42:05
But when you when you go deep with God and worship, that’s where the heart is revealed. We can stay hidden just reading the word. And I’m only saying this too, because any time I’ve I’ve talked to you, you can only imagine the amount of people I’ve talked to about this topic. And people get upset at the church or whatever it is and, and my stance or whatever it is.

00:16:42:07 – 00:17:10:07
But every single Christian in who’s in the word a lot knows a lot. They get offended when I talk about worship as if they’re not doing it enough, or as if they’re being challenged by it. The critical hearts, the hard hearts. Wow. It is kind of confusing because in the word they love the word. But boy, you you dare challenge him to worship.

00:17:10:09 – 00:17:31:03
There’s something amiss, something often there. And when it comes to worship, we have to come with the spirit of expectation. Expectation. I love that story where Elijah saw that little cloud. Remember, it’s a it’s the size of my fist.

00:17:31:05 – 00:17:58:00
I can see a cloud, but I know it’s going to bring an abundance of rain. Folks, we need to slow down enough to weep and to worship. We need to slow down enough to weep and to worship. The blessed are those who mourn. And there’s something dynamic that takes place, I believe, when we begin to, mourn over the condition of our nation.

00:17:58:02 – 00:18:19:01
Moreover, the condition of churches and our families that if it doesn’t break your heart, there’s that’s how you get near to the heart of God. You allow those same things to to break you and ultimately humble you because it shows a spirit of compassion. Does it not?

00:18:19:03 – 00:18:24:13
Are you a worship rebuke or like the Pharisees?

00:18:24:15 – 00:18:30:13
And I’ve heard it too. Well, you know, saying that’s that’s worships more for women.

00:18:30:15 – 00:18:39:01
Boy, you got a problem with that one theologically, that sounds like you have an excuse.

00:18:39:03 – 00:18:49:08
To worship is actually for warriors.

00:18:49:10 – 00:19:18:16
Is it not? Okay, people are so excited to go and and buy that next weapon and fill their gun safe. But the best thing you can do for your family is this is worship and worship and worship. That’s how you become a better leader. That’s how you become. That’s how you guard your family and guide your family. That’s how you put on the full armor of God.

00:19:18:18 – 00:19:28:00
It’s for women. That’s just an excuse because your heart has grown dry and callous and cold.

00:19:28:02 – 00:19:54:04
Oh, we have to say, like David, one thing have I desired? One thing have I desired that I may stand in the courts of the Lord all the days of my life? One thing. If I desired. Do you think he was talking about just going outside of a tent and standing there? Of course not.

00:19:54:06 – 00:20:21:16
His his pursuit, his life goal there may stand in the courts. It’s basically God’s presence. God’s anointing, God knowing your love by God in the filling of the Holy Spirit. It’s so important. Let me tell you, if that’s not your one and greatest desire, something else will creep in there and take center stage. God was never designed to be on the back burner.

00:20:21:18 – 00:20:45:21
You ever put stuff on the back burner? You know the rice is done, but you got to keep it heated up a little bit longer. You got that steak on the front burner, that’s what. Yes, you need to work. You need to have do everything you’re doing. But you’re the the one thing have you desired is to seek God and then you live accordingly.

00:20:45:23 – 00:20:55:07
Worship, rebuke are still exist today. Isn’t it sad?

00:20:55:09 – 00:21:00:16
Now, what happened after Jesus?

00:21:00:18 – 00:21:40:18
Rode in to Jerusalem. Next thing he did is something a lot of people can’t quite understand. Some can, of course, but just you go from this incredible time of just joy and, here he comes. The Messiah is here, and the people are excited. But then it goes right into Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Welcome to Ministry 101. This I’ve not mastered yet.

00:21:40:19 – 00:22:00:16
Joy with sadness. Rejoicing with mourning. Get used to it now. Because we want to live on emotional high all the time, don’t we?

00:22:00:18 – 00:22:10:23
Joy. We heard a family restored. The kids get daddy back. And then we hear of another one falling apart.

00:22:11:01 – 00:22:21:14
A baby’s born, you celebrate, and then somebody else loses a child.

00:22:21:16 – 00:22:50:08
But this sadness was perfect. Can you imagine? Jesus wept. And what happened as he drew near to the city? Verse 41 of Luke. So here he he’s coming to the city, and he saw the city. He wept over it, saying, if you had known even you, especially in this, your day. In other words, I’m here. We don’t have any excuse.

00:22:50:08 – 00:23:15:23
Can you imagine them? Here’s all the prophecies I fulfilled. Read Zacharias. Look, you see the healings. You see the. You see the character, the nature of God. And and that’s why a lot of people did believe. But pride prevented others from not believing the things that make for your peace. If you had known if you had known your Messiah was here, this is what makes for your peace.

00:23:15:23 – 00:23:33:04
And that’s why I want to remind you there is only one path to peace. There’s only one path to peace. Do you ever see the news outlets such and such? President is meeting with such and such and a path to peace.

00:23:33:06 – 00:24:02:14
We’ll never have peace. We’ll never have peace. You’ll never have peace in your heart unless your heart is right with the one who created you in. Isn’t that where to peace comes from? Because when I’m separated from God, there’s there’s not. There’s seasons of peace. You get the brand new car and that wears off for about about a week later, you meet someone, oh, I’m so happy.

00:24:02:14 – 00:24:07:23
And then give it six months.

00:24:08:01 – 00:24:34:13
There’s temporary peace, but nothing lasting to fulfill that void in the human heart. Because of our relationship with God is is disconnected. And Jesus said, but these things are hidden from your eyes. They just they just don’t see it. And that that’s sad with with pride and and people rejecting God, they, they just, they just can’t see it because we have spiritual eyes as well.

00:24:34:14 – 00:24:57:13
The natural man does not understand the things of the spirit, things that are not not some weird Oprah Winfrey New Age thing. But you know, when those when those when you came to know the Lord and those, those, scales fell off. Boy, I didn’t realize how much of a jerk I was. I didn’t realize I was so depraved.

00:24:57:13 – 00:25:33:07
I didn’t know, and those skills fall off, and now you see, with spiritual clarity, for the days will come upon you. Jesus sees about what? What are we here? Let’s just say 33 A.D. he sees, almost four decades later into the future, when all of Jerusalem is going to be surrounded in 87. He’s actually took a couple of years by the Roman general Titus, and he decimated Jerusalem.

00:25:33:09 – 00:26:10:20
They estimate a million people lost their lives. Little children thrown against the walls. Rome decimated Israel. Even secular history. It’s a known fact. And he said, your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you, and close in on you on every side, and they will level you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.

00:26:10:22 – 00:26:16:00
It doesn’t say they could not know.

00:26:16:01 – 00:26:45:10
Did you notice? He doesn’t say. They could not know. They did not know. They did not perceive. Many of them did, but most of them did not repent and believe. The price of disobedience affects everything and it affects others. Think about the disobedience of the parents and how it affected their little ones. Oh guys gals that you cause all of us to sit up straight and look at our own lives.

00:26:45:10 – 00:27:15:23
There are ripple effects to sin, and obedience is better than 100 sermons. I want to put that up every Sunday. Oh, that’s coming here. The sermon that’s coming here. The sermon neck obedience is better than 100 sermons. I would add 10,000 sermons. And like Jesus, we too must weep over sin. We must weep over sin. Now, it’s interesting in Luke if we’re not following along.

00:27:16:01 – 00:27:40:17
Jesus actually taught the narrow way on the way to Jerusalem. He taught about the narrow way on his way there. And he said this. He went through the cities and villages again. This is on his way to Jerusalem, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. So what a question here. Then someone said to him, Lord, are there few who are saved?

00:27:40:19 – 00:28:07:15
Now remember, they thought salvation was for the wealthy. And Jesus had to clarify that. But he’s asking, are there few who are saved? And he said to them, strive to enter through the narrow gate. Strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Now don’t let that word fool you.

00:28:07:15 – 00:28:37:09
That word, the verb strive, conveys the idea of engaging in a struggle, often with a sense of intense effort. So we don’t earn salvation. Correct? Hope you guys know that by now. It’s not like you know, I don’t believe in God, but man, I’m I’m striving and I’m earning and I’m working and I’ve got all these good works and boy, this is difficult.

00:28:37:11 – 00:29:08:05
The word strive actually comes the, the, the Greek word is some something like organismo it. It’s where we get our word, agonize from. And so it has nothing to do with doing works, but everything to do with the battle within. The flesh, the carnal mind, is at war with God. How a person is thinking where their flesh is leading them, how the enemy is sidetracking them and detouring them.

00:29:08:07 – 00:29:44:05
That that is a very strong desire to reject God largely because of pride. If it was a God to where you could do whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted to, whoever you wanted, everybody like that. God. But the flesh hates God. It’s war with God. But then Jesus said, repent, repent of that wrong heart, that wrong attitude. Repent and believe that you need salvation.

00:29:44:05 – 00:30:13:04
Believe that I died for your sin. So in that process is in a difficult that that, that that pull of the flesh and the the desire to repent and believe. And of course, you can get really deep into the, you know, God’s sovereignty, man’s responsibility, and the Calvinism debate and Armenian ism debate. And you know what? I’ve come to the point where it’s like, well, the Bible teaches both God is sovereign, but he calls men to repent and believe that I’m going to let him sort it out.

00:30:13:06 – 00:30:26:14
I’m just a simple country preacher. I’m not going to get, you know, too deep into into how these things work. God, if God says it, if he commands, if he tells you to repent, believe.

00:30:26:16 – 00:30:47:15
But when people hear that, they get upset. Don’t they ever hear those guys interviewing people at the college campuses or trying to do things, or trying to debate or trying to? When you bring the light out, they hate the light. When there’s that struggle within, they hate it. They have to they have to fight against that impulse and to and and repent and believe and somehow do that.

00:30:47:16 – 00:31:15:02
I mean, we know that faith is a gift of God. We know that the Holy Spirit convicts in the convicting work of the spirit, convinces them to repent and believe. So, he said, strive to enter through that narrow gate. It’s a very narrow gate because when the master of the house has risen up and shuts the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock at the door.

00:31:15:04 – 00:31:47:19
Hey, I’m ready now. I’m ready now. What do you think the odds would be if it were possible for God to to, have everyone. In eternal darkness separated from him. There. Now, if he gave them the opportunity to open the door again. I don’t know, some say I don’t know. They hate God. There’s a but, I don’t know.

00:31:47:21 – 00:32:05:03
Remember, in Lazarus bosom, the rich man said, oh, just go tell my brothers. This is terrible. Go tell my family this is terrible. Once that door is shut, it. It’s just like Noah.

00:32:05:05 – 00:32:30:01
Do you realize once God close that door. You don’t think there may be people outside floating in little boats that they made or pieces of wood? I’m sure they knew how to. Well, I don’t know. Maybe they didn’t have a lot of water. Let’s see. Well, let’s assume that they’re there. Many of them would be knocking, screaming. Let us in!

00:32:30:02 – 00:32:37:07
But he will answer and say to you, I do not know you. Where are you from?

00:32:37:09 – 00:32:59:23
Then you’ll begin to say, we ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets. What do you mean? You don’t know us? If you’ve been coming here for a while, you’ve heard me talk about this before. He’s not denying knowing who they are as a person. He’s saying I don’t have a relation with you. That word no is like an intimate word where it’s.

00:33:00:00 – 00:33:18:19
There’s a relationship. You are my Messiah. You are the Christ. You are the Son of God. I’ve repented of my sin. I know you. Or the other person only knows about Jesus.

00:33:18:20 – 00:33:34:17
But I heard. Can you imagine that? I mean this to me. I can imagine people saying, I heard, I heard chain on the radio. I went to Sunday. Sometimes I listened, I heard.

00:33:34:19 – 00:33:53:04
I went to a Christian school when I was young. I want a Bible. I went to that Easter play God, come on. I don’t have a relationship with you.

00:33:53:06 – 00:34:13:04
Always remember this familiarity. Being familiar with something doesn’t always equate to freedom. People are still bound to their sin just because they’re familiar with God. And insight does not lead to salvation.

00:34:13:06 – 00:34:42:21
If insight led to salvation, a lot of people would be saved. Because they have insight. You’ve talked to them. Oh well, Shane, clearly there’s I mean, look at there’s a man upstairs. I mean, I’m not stupid. Look at how the earth is just perfectly, you know, set for life and all this, you know, creation. I mean, of course, there’s I can’t believe there isn’t some type of higher being.

00:34:42:23 – 00:34:50:12
However, that insight doesn’t lead to salvation.

00:34:50:14 – 00:35:19:05
You’ve got to say higher being. I acknowledge you as God, sovereign Lord, King of kings. I can’t help myself. I have to repent. And I have to believe. And if you’re if you’re saying, man, this is heavy, heavy, guess what? The door’s still open. The door’s still open.

00:35:19:07 – 00:35:37:19
Isn’t that amazing? The door is still open. But Jesus will say, I tell you, I don’t know. You. Where are you from? Now it’s interesting he doesn’t keep having a dialog.

00:35:37:21 – 00:35:53:04
Because people think, when I get to heaven, I’ll show God all my good works. When I get to heaven, I’m gonna, we’re going to have we’re going to have a face to face. We’re going to talk about some things. I didn’t understand why he took my mom when I was six. I don’t understand why this can’t. I don’t understand this.

00:35:53:08 – 00:35:59:04
We’re going. No, you’re not going to have a conversation.

00:35:59:06 – 00:36:10:07
Depart from me. Depart from me. In other words, leave my presence. You are a worker of iniquity.

00:36:10:09 – 00:36:36:10
We still sin as believers, but we repent and we get right with God. This type of person lives in their iniquity. That I mean, that’s that’s who they are. The cleansing blood of Jesus Christ has not saved them and set them free. Well, what’s it going to be like? There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And he’s talking to the disciples so they know or others in the area.

00:36:36:10 – 00:36:50:16
They know exactly what what he’s saying. You will see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourself will be thrust out.

00:36:50:18 – 00:37:13:23
In other words, you’re right. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets, these men of God. Abraham says, And Abraham believed in God, and God counted to him his righteousness. We believe in the Old Testament that there was kind of like a holding cell waiting for Christ to, to, to, to come. He wasn’t even born yet. What Abraham’s what, 1500, 2000 years before.

00:37:14:01 – 00:37:44:23
And so there’s this place. But they believed they believed in God. Looking forward, the Bible says to the promise. But we look back on that promise and the decision has to be made. Maybe for some of you this morning, I’ve been using that word a lot. You need to fully surrender. God has about this much of your life, of your heart.

00:37:45:01 – 00:38:17:08
That’s why you’re miserable. That’s why there’s no joy. Because God needs everything. He’s an all consuming fire. So, Shane, you’ve perfectly given God your whole life. I mean, fully surrender. No, I’ve not done full. I’ve not fully surrendered 1,100%. Walk around. Hey, here’s how you do it. I mastered, I haven’t sinned. Gosh, what year was that? We. Do you remember 2005 or so?

00:38:17:10 – 00:38:28:04
What? Yeah, 25. 2025. Thanks, Rick.

00:38:28:06 – 00:38:55:15
But see, it’s not we people. Oh, I got to give in you, Lord. My finances, my marriage. For some of you, my sexuality. Don’t be ashamed because you struggle with something that might be embarrassing. We all struggle with something. Anybody struggle with insecurity? Hello. So God says I’m going to put you up on the stage. Oh, thank you very much.

00:38:55:17 – 00:39:18:09
Thank you very much. Right. My mom even says I was a little boy because I was raised. My brother went a whole different direction. But, yeah, you know, angry House. Anybody ever lived in an angry house? You know, I know my dad was come home in a good mood. Or if all hell is going to break loose and things are going to go flying and things and, and so because of that, I did the opposite.

00:39:18:11 – 00:39:40:03
I kind of hid in my room. Or I kind of just, you know, just became that just I still don’t like confrontation sometimes. So I have to do but I became that and then wonder, you know, my what people think of me, you know, being wanting to be liked to not. And so that’s because you’re shaped a certain way.

00:39:40:03 – 00:39:45:02
That was my predisposition.

00:39:45:04 – 00:40:07:07
And that’s why when I came back to the Lord, people say, oh, man, you’re going to be a great motivational speaker. And like, I think God had other plans, not Joel Osteen. Shane, I don’t mean right because that’s a different but but so struggling with that. What is that? What does that look like? How does that maybe, maybe, maybe it’s hard to sometimes run into people or you know, I don’t like conflict.

00:40:07:07 – 00:40:35:20
I don’t like somebody is upset. And I get it. It’s like and so you struggle with these things, but you give them to your gym, to the Lord. Lord, I fully surrender my finances. But is it hard to to tithe each month? Oh, really? This oh, can I miss this month, next month? Anybody, anybody fully surrender? Lord help me with my this.

00:40:35:21 – 00:40:56:22
So it’s a process. But see it’s a it’s a journey of laying it down again and laying it down again and laying it down again, fully surrendering. And we know if there’s one area we don’t want to give God. And often it’s that area were convicted about.

00:40:57:00 – 00:41:33:03
But I’ll let him deal with you on that. I’m not going to go down the list. We’ve done that before. So knowing all this, let’s do a quick self-assessment and we will be done. Time for a self-assessment. The king is here. Do you know him? Do you know him? We’re talking about preparing right in a verse that I’ve always I remember reading it, I think, for the first time, and I got, you know, when you get goosebumps or, you know, the Word of God used to do that a lot when in my younger years, I’m like, this is in the Bible.

00:41:33:05 – 00:41:58:20
Wow. But it said, prepare to meet thy maker, O Israel. I think it was Hosea. Maybe your Malachi. Prepare to meet your maker. Oh, that’s where that comes from. I’ve heard it on TV programs, but God is saying, can you imagine God saying, prepare to meet your maker?

00:41:58:22 – 00:42:22:12
And it does put some onus back on the person. Do I need to make changes in my life? Am I am I truly prepared to meet the Son of God? Or maybe a person who doesn’t know him yet? Prepare. Look at all the opportunities. I mean, I just the Word of God is there and we can read the word.

00:42:22:12 – 00:42:42:11
The preaching is there that will convict and something that’s far greater than anything else that God. It’s actually a gift. It really is. Can you can you imagine if God left us to our own devices and just left just just.

00:42:42:13 – 00:42:49:15
But the Holy Spirit is actually given to convict.

00:42:49:17 – 00:43:15:15
So even in rebellion against God, can you imagine? This is this is like it’s hard to comprehend because a person say they’re in rebellion against God. And it’s I know some people don’t hate God things, but there are some people hate God. You know, they’re so mad at God, even though he supposedly doesn’t exist. And so, you know, they’re just and and they’re just they’re just so mad.

00:43:15:15 – 00:43:49:23
They’re rejecting, they’re blaspheming. Look, all the satanic things coming out. Yet he still convicts with the Holy Spirit, drawing them, drawing them. Nobody comes to the son less of a father draws the. It’s strong to concur. An exhaustive concordance says it’s a a divine impulse and God is still wooing. And so there’s there’s literally no excuse. So I want you to think about this morning.

00:43:50:01 – 00:44:19:01
Where are you at with your maker if you don’t know him, this is a day, Palm Sunday, to get ready for that glorious weekend next weekend. Easter and the Bible’s clear just says repent and believe. Why those two? What about I just, you know, Lord, I believe in a God, I believe you, I believe there’s a God, but I’m not repenting of my sin.

00:44:19:03 – 00:44:43:07
That’s why it takes both. I acknowledge that I’m in rebellion against you, I acknowledge it, I’m in, I’m in, I’m in sin. I can’t cleanse myself, and I repent. I acknowledge that I see this the way you see it, and I believe that you have given me a sacrifice, a way out, Jesus, to take that wrath that would be on me.

00:44:43:09 – 00:44:51:08
I repent and I believe that that’s it. That’s it.

00:44:51:10 – 00:45:17:12
Aren’t you so glad I doesn’t say? And you got to bring $10,000 next week and you gotta you gotta fast for 40 days and nights. And, I mean, it’s just just repent and believe. And that’s why we’re going into communion. That’s what this that’s what we why we do this once a month or sometimes more. But it’s to remember, I don’t know about you, but I have to go back and remember sometimes.

00:45:17:14 – 00:45:34:15
That’s why I love some of those worship songs. That one about evidence. I see the evidence all over my life, all over my life. Maybe I’ll try seeing them and.

00:45:34:17 – 00:45:46:23
I’ll leave it up to Maddie. No pressure. But don’t you see? I see the evidence all over my life. All over my life. Lord, you’re a good, good God.

00:45:47:01 – 00:46:13:10
Put on sequins, I think is your name. And say the goodness of God. And that’s one good thing about worship, is it brings you back. Some of you need to remember. You need to go back. Remember that that time when that relationship was precious, when you loved your Savior, you told people about him. And over the years you’ve grown dry and dull and dead.

00:46:13:12 – 00:46:40:13
You can reignite that passion during communion. But I love these words. I just want you to listen. It’s not up on the screen. Jesus said this when evening came, he’s getting ready to go to the cross. He was reclining with the 12 and they’re eating. And he said this to them, truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.

00:46:40:15 – 00:46:49:10
And I thought, I wonder, maybe it’s a question for you. Are you are you closer to Judas this morning, or Jesus?

00:46:49:12 – 00:47:03:03
Oh, Shane, that’s pretty strong. What’s. It’s actually true. If you don’t know God, you’re closer to Judas Iscariot than you are to Jesus.

00:47:03:05 – 00:47:32:14
One of you will betray me. And they were deeply grieved. And they begin to ask him one after another, Lord, not I, surely God not I. Can you imagine the confusion in their hearts? Lord, I don’t want to be that person. I don’t want to be that person. And Jesus says, the one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me, he will betray me.

00:47:32:16 – 00:47:51:07
The Son of Man will go basically to the cross just as it’s written. But what will be to that man by whom he is betrayed? It would be better for him if he had never been born.

00:47:51:09 – 00:48:02:11
And I don’t think Judas said anything the first time, but this time the Bible says, Then Judas, who would betray him, said this. Surely not. I.

00:48:02:13 – 00:48:08:09
I can make a whole sermon out of this, and called The Tale of Two Shirleys.

00:48:08:11 – 00:48:15:23
One group said, surely not I. Judas Iscariot said, surely not I. What’s the difference? The heart.

00:48:16:01 – 00:48:43:22
This was a hypocrite caught in deception. And you know, surely not. I, right? His words were deceptive. The other disciples were genuine. And he said, you said it yourself. Now while they’re eating, Jesus took bread. He spoke of blessing and broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying, take and eat. This is my body.

00:48:44:00 – 00:49:12:11
And remember when he said this before many of his disciples stopped following him like, oh, this is a heart saying. And then he explained it spiritual, spiritual, essence here. We’re not you’re not cannibalism. What does it mean is to partake? Because remember the life, the life of the food. Especially more back then. Not now. So I did food, but the life of the food.

00:49:12:12 – 00:49:26:16
Do you know that’s one of the points of food, the life of it, the phytochemicals, the enzymes, the fiber, the pectin, the nutrients, the minerals of that life gives life to the body.

00:49:26:18 – 00:50:02:09
It sustains it, re-energize us taking that food in. So he said that he said basically the same thing here. This is my body. Take and eat. Let that life give you life, that spiritual life, the body that was broken and bruised. And then he gave the cup and he said, drink, drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

00:50:02:11 – 00:50:33:20
When we drink of the cup, meaning Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, it doesn’t mean a physical cup. It’s it’s taking in. It’s embracing. We avoid God’s wrath being poured out on us. I mean, you can look at Jeremiah, the cup, the wrath of his indignation being poured out. I think Isaiah’s well, one was dealing with the nations. One was dealing with the Jerusalem, God’s wrath being poured out.

00:50:33:22 – 00:51:04:16
And that’s why we’re coming up next week. And when Jesus on that cross, that incredible time, we said, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why have you left me? It was that time that he absorbed, took in the wrath of God being poured out. Because the penalty of of sin is death, the wages of sin is death.

00:51:04:18 – 00:51:33:01
And somehow he was able to absorb all the sin, all the sin on the cross. And now, because of that, we can remember what he did for us. So make sure your heart is right. Basically, Jesus drank so you don’t have to. He drank of God’s wrath so you don’t have to.

00:51:33:03 – 00:51:41:04
Do.

00:51:41:06 – 00:51:43:12
This is the grace.