1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,160 It's a good day to be in the house of the Lord. If you're joining 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:11,595 us on live stream, thank you for joining us. It is Spirit break 3 00:00:11,595 --> 00:00:15,115 week and, some people decide to go out of town. So I hope that they 4 00:00:15,115 --> 00:00:18,850 are on a on live stream today. And 5 00:00:18,850 --> 00:00:22,370 next week is resurrection Sunday and that is and and 6 00:00:22,370 --> 00:00:26,085 guys we should be excited about that. But do you know that he didn't just 7 00:00:26,085 --> 00:00:29,685 resurrect on March 31st? It's every day we get to 8 00:00:29,685 --> 00:00:33,285 celebrate that Jesus is alive. Are you glad Jesus is alive 9 00:00:33,285 --> 00:00:36,950 today? Before I get in too deep into where I 10 00:00:36,950 --> 00:00:40,309 wanna go, today, let me make a few announcements leading up to this week. This 11 00:00:40,309 --> 00:00:43,954 week is Holy week. And so, as a part of Holy Week, we have some 12 00:00:43,954 --> 00:00:47,315 things happening here at Springhouse that we want you to be aware of. First of 13 00:00:47,315 --> 00:00:50,995 all, on Thursday night, we'll be closing out the series lessons from the table 14 00:00:50,995 --> 00:00:54,620 that pastor Jonathan, Jesus has been leading. 15 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,680 And, man, just a wonderful word each Thursday. If you haven't had an 16 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,345 opportunity, go back and look at that online. And, it's 17 00:01:02,345 --> 00:01:05,465 rich and you'll learn a lot, and you don't have to have come to the 18 00:01:05,465 --> 00:01:08,665 last ones to come this Thursday and be a part of it. It's Maundy Thursday. 19 00:01:08,665 --> 00:01:11,060 It would be a great thing to do during Holy Week to come and worship 20 00:01:11,060 --> 00:01:14,820 with us from 6 to 7 on Thursday. And then, again, on Good 21 00:01:14,820 --> 00:01:18,180 Friday, we're going to be meeting from 6 to 7 and having a worship 22 00:01:18,180 --> 00:01:21,915 service, that evening in this room from 6 to 7, we'll also be doing 23 00:01:21,915 --> 00:01:25,755 communion together, on Good Friday. So we want you to be a part of that 24 00:01:25,755 --> 00:01:29,470 as well. And then of course, Easter Sunday, Jesus is 25 00:01:29,470 --> 00:01:32,830 alive, we're gonna celebrate. As I mentioned last 26 00:01:32,830 --> 00:01:36,565 week, I do have a favor to ask. If you are not serving in 27 00:01:36,565 --> 00:01:40,025 any capacity next Sunday and your and your schedule 28 00:01:40,085 --> 00:01:43,685 allows, if you could come to the early gathering, they will be 29 00:01:43,685 --> 00:01:47,340 repeat gatherings. You won't miss anything. That will just make some 30 00:01:47,340 --> 00:01:50,860 more room in this gathering for those new people who will be coming that 31 00:01:50,860 --> 00:01:54,595 week. We find, typically throughout history, we have 32 00:01:54,595 --> 00:01:58,115 more people show up on Easter Sunday and this service tends to get kind of 33 00:01:58,115 --> 00:02:01,790 packed out. So if you're able to come to the early gathering, I would appreciate 34 00:02:12,175 --> 00:02:15,935 the following week we're gonna have something special happening here at Spring House. We're gonna 35 00:02:15,935 --> 00:02:19,640 have the Lee University Singers are gonna lead us in worship and that's gonna be 36 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:23,480 followed by an outdoor picnic, okay? So the reason why we're putting our 37 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:27,145 picnic there is because we want an opportunity to 38 00:02:27,145 --> 00:02:30,665 get to know the people who come on Easter Sunday and the week after. 39 00:02:30,665 --> 00:02:34,425 So next week, if you if the people you bring enjoy the service, 40 00:02:34,425 --> 00:02:37,920 enjoy the gathering, and you want to invite them back, let them know there's gonna 41 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:41,280 be a picnic the next week and we will feed them. People like food, that's 42 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,400 what I learned. People like food, so we will feed them. We want them to 43 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,645 come and be a part of that. The thought I don't have a slide for 44 00:02:46,645 --> 00:02:49,765 this, but the following week, Jonathan Evans is gonna be with us and that's gonna 45 00:02:49,765 --> 00:02:53,445 be a real, real rich, Sunday, as well. So God 46 00:02:53,445 --> 00:02:57,269 has saved the very best for Amen. Right now. And, 47 00:02:57,510 --> 00:03:00,489 and I'm so grateful for the word that the Lord has given me, 48 00:03:01,109 --> 00:03:04,790 today. We are in the middle of a mini series within a series. And, 49 00:03:05,435 --> 00:03:09,194 we've been talking about His word at the beginning of the, of the year. We 50 00:03:09,194 --> 00:03:12,955 are in His life, and then, in a few weeks, we're gonna be opening up 51 00:03:12,955 --> 00:03:16,330 His church for the remainder, of the year. And within the His 52 00:03:16,330 --> 00:03:20,010 life, portion of our series, we're doing this mini series because it is 53 00:03:20,010 --> 00:03:23,555 Easter. And last week pastor Justin did a phenomenal job of unpackaging 54 00:03:33,030 --> 00:03:36,870 It is the truth. Jesus went through the torture on the cross 55 00:03:36,870 --> 00:03:40,345 for us and we need to hear that and be reminded of that. 56 00:03:40,505 --> 00:03:44,105 Man, sometimes we can skip right over those portions of scripture that we don't want 57 00:03:44,105 --> 00:03:47,785 to feel, but sometimes we need to feel the whole 58 00:03:47,785 --> 00:03:50,960 truth, to to better lean in and to understand. 59 00:03:51,580 --> 00:03:54,780 And then this week we're gonna talk about his burial. Next week we're gonna talk 60 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:58,595 of course about, his resurrection. And so, we're God to stand today 61 00:03:58,895 --> 00:04:02,735 and read from John theater 19. If you'll stand with me. And we're 62 00:04:02,735 --> 00:04:06,020 going to start reading. Here we go. 63 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,320 Now it was the day of prayer and the next day was to be 64 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:14,025 a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not 65 00:04:14,025 --> 00:04:17,404 want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, 66 00:04:17,785 --> 00:04:21,565 they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies 67 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,280 taken down. The soldiers therefore came and 68 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:28,640 broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with 69 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,245 Jesus and then those of the other. But when they 70 00:04:32,245 --> 00:04:36,005 came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they 71 00:04:36,005 --> 00:04:39,445 did not break his legs. Instead, one of the 72 00:04:39,445 --> 00:04:43,150 shoulders pierced Jesus side with a Spirit, 73 00:04:43,150 --> 00:04:46,990 bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man 74 00:04:46,990 --> 00:04:50,715 who saw it has given testimony and his testimony 75 00:04:50,935 --> 00:04:54,535 is true. He knows that he tells the truth and he 76 00:04:54,535 --> 00:04:57,514 testifies so that you also may believe. 77 00:04:58,290 --> 00:05:01,830 These things happen so that the scripture would be fulfilled. 78 00:05:02,450 --> 00:05:05,970 Not one of his bones will be broken and as another 79 00:05:05,970 --> 00:05:09,375 scripture says, they will look on the one they have 80 00:05:09,375 --> 00:05:12,595 pierced. Later, Joseph of Arimathea 81 00:05:13,375 --> 00:05:16,920 asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph 82 00:05:17,060 --> 00:05:20,740 was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because 83 00:05:20,740 --> 00:05:24,415 he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate's permission, 84 00:05:24,795 --> 00:05:28,235 he came and took the body away. He was 85 00:05:28,235 --> 00:05:32,040 accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had 86 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,640 visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a 87 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,940 mixture of myrrh aloes and about £75. 88 00:05:40,665 --> 00:05:44,345 Taking Jesus body, the 2 of them wrapped it with the 89 00:05:44,345 --> 00:05:48,044 spices in strips of linen. This was an accordance 90 00:05:48,264 --> 00:05:51,900 with the Jew burial customs. At the place 91 00:05:51,900 --> 00:05:55,740 where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden and in 92 00:05:55,740 --> 00:05:59,505 the garden, a new tomb in which no one who'd ever 93 00:05:59,505 --> 00:06:03,205 been laid because it was the Jewish day of preparation 94 00:06:03,665 --> 00:06:07,185 and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus 95 00:06:07,185 --> 00:06:10,790 there. Father, I thank you for your word and that it brings life. 96 00:06:11,490 --> 00:06:14,229 My prayer today is that the dark things would be exposed 97 00:06:15,254 --> 00:06:19,095 and that light would penetrate darkness and that 98 00:06:19,095 --> 00:06:22,775 redemption would draw near. I love you today in Jesus 99 00:06:22,775 --> 00:06:24,634 name. Amen. You may be seated. 100 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,540 We're talking, this week about, 101 00:06:33,905 --> 00:06:37,585 about his burial. In the middle of looking at his 102 00:06:37,585 --> 00:06:41,345 death and his resurrection is his is his burial. Does anybody 103 00:06:41,345 --> 00:06:45,010 like a good game of hide and seek? Anybody? When was the 104 00:06:45,010 --> 00:06:47,810 last time you played hide and seek? In fact, I'm gonna count and if you 105 00:06:47,810 --> 00:06:51,495 guys would go hide. No. I love a good game of 106 00:06:51,495 --> 00:06:54,455 hide and seek. In fact, I like playing hide hide and seek right now. When 107 00:06:54,455 --> 00:06:57,335 my kids try to look for me, I'm hiding every time, but they always seem 108 00:06:57,335 --> 00:07:00,950 to find me. But I love I love playing 109 00:07:00,950 --> 00:07:04,630 hide and seek. In fact, a few years ago, I remember I was at the 110 00:07:04,630 --> 00:07:08,414 school and, the teens at the school enjoy a good lock in. 111 00:07:08,414 --> 00:07:11,294 They love staying up all night and they love being at the school during the 112 00:07:11,294 --> 00:07:15,134 lock in. And, and one of the things that they like to do during 113 00:07:15,134 --> 00:07:18,710 the lock in is play hide and seek. And so what I what I 114 00:07:18,710 --> 00:07:21,510 did because hide and seek is no fun in the light, so I went and 115 00:07:21,510 --> 00:07:25,210 cut all the power off to the building and we played hide and seek. 116 00:07:25,324 --> 00:07:29,085 And I'm a really good hider. And so I went and I found 117 00:07:29,085 --> 00:07:32,930 a great hiding space. I went into the library of the school and 118 00:07:32,930 --> 00:07:36,690 I laid, I laid horizontally on the top of 119 00:07:36,690 --> 00:07:40,530 one of the bookshelves. And, and I just laid there and 120 00:07:40,530 --> 00:07:44,155 it was 20, 25, 30 minutes that they 121 00:07:44,155 --> 00:07:47,915 were searching and looking for me all over the school. And what was so 122 00:07:47,915 --> 00:07:51,759 fun was when they would circle the bookcase looking for me 123 00:07:51,759 --> 00:07:55,520 and I would literally be laying there on top and they had no idea. And 124 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,205 I would hear them, they would say, Maybe he's down on this end of the 125 00:07:58,205 --> 00:08:01,245 hall, or maybe he's in a locker, or maybe he's in the restroom, or maybe 126 00:08:01,565 --> 00:08:05,085 you know, and they could not find me. And I was content to lay there 127 00:08:05,085 --> 00:08:08,729 all night long. I had no there was no rush for me to 128 00:08:08,729 --> 00:08:12,410 get out of a hiding spot. I would have let them just continue to look 129 00:08:12,410 --> 00:08:16,145 and look and look, but something happened, that caused 130 00:08:16,145 --> 00:08:19,905 my hiding place to be discovered. The 131 00:08:19,905 --> 00:08:23,710 bookcase crashed down onto the floor. So here 132 00:08:23,710 --> 00:08:27,470 I go a tumbling down on all of the books with a loud cry 133 00:08:27,470 --> 00:08:31,230 and all of the teens knew where I was whenever I 134 00:08:31,230 --> 00:08:35,055 screamed out loud from falling, on the on the on the bookcase. 135 00:08:35,055 --> 00:08:38,815 But man, I pride myself on being a really good hider during hide and 136 00:08:38,815 --> 00:08:42,370 seek. But something that I'm not so very proud of is that I'm good at 137 00:08:42,370 --> 00:08:43,430 hiding my sin. 138 00:08:46,050 --> 00:08:49,810 If I'm really honest, I am really really good at hiding 139 00:08:49,810 --> 00:08:52,355 the things that really need light in my life. 140 00:08:54,574 --> 00:08:57,235 And I wonder if anybody could join me in that sentiment. 141 00:08:59,500 --> 00:09:03,260 That we become really really good at 142 00:09:03,260 --> 00:09:06,960 hiding. Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians 143 00:09:07,180 --> 00:09:10,785 and he wants to be sure that they understand the very 144 00:09:10,785 --> 00:09:14,005 basics of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And it's in 1 Corinthians 145 00:09:14,305 --> 00:09:17,904 15 he says this, Now brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the 146 00:09:17,904 --> 00:09:21,649 gospel I pray to you church you have received, and on which you have 147 00:09:21,649 --> 00:09:25,490 taken your stand. By this gospel, you are saved. If you 148 00:09:25,490 --> 00:09:29,295 hold firmly to the word I preach to you. Otherwise, you have believed 149 00:09:29,295 --> 00:09:32,834 in vain. For what I received, I passed on to you 150 00:09:32,975 --> 00:09:35,954 as a first importance. And this is the gospel, 151 00:09:36,820 --> 00:09:40,519 that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, 152 00:09:41,060 --> 00:09:44,740 that he was buried, and that he was raised on the 153 00:09:44,740 --> 00:09:48,495 3rd pray according to the scriptures. So 154 00:09:48,495 --> 00:09:52,255 the gospel literally translates into good news, and the 155 00:09:52,255 --> 00:09:55,750 good news is that Jesus Christ died according to the 156 00:09:55,750 --> 00:09:59,589 scriptures. He was buried and he was raised again 157 00:09:59,589 --> 00:10:03,285 3 days later. That is the crux of the gospel. But 158 00:10:03,285 --> 00:10:07,045 we spend a lot of time, especially around this time of year, we spend 159 00:10:07,045 --> 00:10:10,770 a lot of time focusing on His death, which we should, and we 160 00:10:10,770 --> 00:10:14,390 spend a lot of time next week focusing on His resurrection, 161 00:10:14,930 --> 00:10:18,370 which we should, but there's this middle section that is 162 00:10:18,370 --> 00:10:19,895 included in the picture 163 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,880 encapsulation of the gospel. His death, his burial, and 164 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,560 his resurrection. Well, the reason that the burial is a 165 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:39,865 very important part of the 3 piece 166 00:10:41,385 --> 00:10:45,225 encapsulation of the gospel, the reason that's important is because we need to 167 00:10:45,225 --> 00:10:48,605 understand that Jesus Christ was emphatically dead. 168 00:10:50,149 --> 00:10:53,910 If he was not dead, he would have not been able to raise from the 169 00:10:53,910 --> 00:10:57,050 dead. He was emphatically 170 00:10:58,334 --> 00:11:01,875 dead. He did not faint. He did not fall asleep. 171 00:11:02,574 --> 00:11:06,175 There was a Gnostic movement that believed that Jesus wouldn't even have a 172 00:11:06,175 --> 00:11:09,779 body. He was just a he was just a figure or a spirit. No, 173 00:11:09,779 --> 00:11:13,480 Jesus had a body and Jesus died, 174 00:11:14,260 --> 00:11:17,925 completely died on the cross. And he died at 175 00:11:17,925 --> 00:11:21,524 the moment when he uttered those words, it is 176 00:11:21,524 --> 00:11:25,204 finished. Three powerful words. Of course, he 177 00:11:25,204 --> 00:11:28,480 did not say it is finished. He, he said he did not say it in 178 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:32,100 English, but that was the translation. It is finished, 179 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,445 meaning it is done. Now, did it is finished mean 180 00:11:36,445 --> 00:11:39,905 that the work of Jesus Christ was just done and 181 00:11:40,365 --> 00:11:44,050 we just move forward in time? No, it is finished 182 00:11:44,110 --> 00:11:47,870 meant that Jesus commission from his father had 183 00:11:47,870 --> 00:11:51,389 come to completion, but the redemption of mankind was just 184 00:11:51,389 --> 00:11:54,915 beginning. The redemption of mankind was just 185 00:11:55,855 --> 00:11:59,455 beginning. The Roman crucifixion, as 186 00:11:59,455 --> 00:12:03,060 Justin pointed out last week, was one of the or 187 00:12:03,060 --> 00:12:05,720 the most grueling, shameful 188 00:12:07,060 --> 00:12:10,680 ways to die. Painful, horrific 189 00:12:11,365 --> 00:12:15,125 ways to die. The Romans wanted to ensure that 190 00:12:15,125 --> 00:12:18,964 there was complete and utter suffering when it came to the 191 00:12:18,964 --> 00:12:22,800 cross. And suffer, Jesus did. And 192 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,240 so what the Romans would do after they had 193 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:29,380 crucified the people is they would leave the bodies 194 00:12:29,955 --> 00:12:33,735 on the crosses for days, perhaps sometimes weeks. 195 00:12:34,755 --> 00:12:38,450 And sometimes because of the way Justin was talking about how the 196 00:12:38,450 --> 00:12:42,150 feet were nailed in the hands and they would have to pull up for breath 197 00:12:42,290 --> 00:12:46,050 and then allow themselves to go down until they suffocated to 198 00:12:46,050 --> 00:12:49,745 death. Some of this would sometimes this will last for a few days 199 00:12:49,745 --> 00:12:53,584 because they were able to pull themselves up, but theatre Romans would allow the 200 00:12:53,584 --> 00:12:57,130 bodies to stay on the cross for a long period of time. 201 00:12:57,130 --> 00:13:00,810 And oftentimes they were crucified up on a hill so that all the 202 00:13:00,810 --> 00:13:04,490 people who would look up on those people who had died would know you better 203 00:13:04,490 --> 00:13:07,215 not cross the Roman law or this could become your fate. 204 00:13:08,955 --> 00:13:12,635 And so these bodies would just decay. They would be if they were 205 00:13:12,635 --> 00:13:16,020 when they were taken off the cross, they were just thrown into the trash heap. 206 00:13:16,020 --> 00:13:19,700 They weren't given dignity. They were not given a dignified burial or 207 00:13:19,700 --> 00:13:23,460 any type of graveside service. These bodies were as 208 00:13:23,460 --> 00:13:27,125 if they were trash. Crows would nibble at 209 00:13:27,125 --> 00:13:30,725 them. Dogs would, they were nasty. They 210 00:13:30,725 --> 00:13:34,100 smelled. These bodies were left there for a very long 211 00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:37,940 time, except for this occasion. Why? Because of 212 00:13:37,940 --> 00:13:41,480 this occasion. Well, this was a very special 213 00:13:41,865 --> 00:13:45,545 time period that Jesus was crucified. This was the day 214 00:13:45,545 --> 00:13:49,245 before the Sabbath. The Sabbath was about to happen, but not just any Sabbath. 215 00:13:49,545 --> 00:13:53,070 This was the Passover. And those who 216 00:13:53,070 --> 00:13:56,910 crucified Jesus wanted to get home to their families to 217 00:13:56,910 --> 00:14:00,750 enjoy supper, to enjoy their time of Sabbath without having to know 218 00:14:00,750 --> 00:14:04,575 that these crosses with these individuals were were on were on 219 00:14:04,575 --> 00:14:08,014 on on the crosses decaying there. What's more, their 220 00:14:08,014 --> 00:14:11,800 law told them that they had to take the bodies down. This 221 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,480 is what it says in Deuteronomy. If someone has committed a crime worthy of death 222 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,920 and is executed and hung on a tree, the body must not remain 223 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,695 hanging from the tree overnight. You must bury the 224 00:14:22,695 --> 00:14:26,375 body the same day for anyone who is hung is cursed in the 225 00:14:26,375 --> 00:14:29,980 sight of God. And so they were ordered by their law, by their 226 00:14:29,980 --> 00:14:33,500 custom to take these bodies down before the Sabbath and get them 227 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,855 buried. And so what did they do? 228 00:14:37,795 --> 00:14:41,394 Well, the Jewish leaders went to Pilate and they said, 229 00:14:41,394 --> 00:14:45,080 hey Pilate, according to our customs, we need to have 230 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,920 these bodies taken down and they need to be buried. So could you please 231 00:14:49,052 --> 00:14:52,845 God? Would you please go and break the legs of the people on 232 00:14:52,845 --> 00:14:56,445 the crosses so that their death could be quick and we could 233 00:14:56,445 --> 00:15:00,120 remove the bodies from the cross? You see, when you break the 234 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,764 legs, that means that any chance of them lifting up and getting prayer, 235 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:07,575 it's taken away from them. And so in a way, 236 00:15:07,715 --> 00:15:11,555 breaking the legs was actually an act of mercy because 237 00:15:11,555 --> 00:15:15,150 death happened a lot quicker. Well, it 238 00:15:15,150 --> 00:15:18,750 was customary in Roman and Roman times that there would be 4 239 00:15:18,750 --> 00:15:21,970 Roman soldiers assigned to the cross, 240 00:15:22,445 --> 00:15:26,125 assigned to do the work and they sent the 4 Roman shoulders up and they 241 00:15:26,125 --> 00:15:29,700 see the person who is hung to the left of Jesus and 242 00:15:29,700 --> 00:15:33,140 they beat the legs of the person to the left and break his 243 00:15:33,140 --> 00:15:36,820 legs. He dies. They go to the person on the right of 244 00:15:36,820 --> 00:15:40,475 Jesus and they take their club and they beat the legs and 245 00:15:40,475 --> 00:15:43,935 they break the legs of the person to the right and he dies. 246 00:15:44,555 --> 00:15:48,350 But as they gaze upon Jesus, they notice that 247 00:15:48,350 --> 00:15:52,110 Jesus has already died. And 248 00:15:52,110 --> 00:15:55,845 instead of breaking his legs, the Roman soldier 249 00:15:55,845 --> 00:15:59,545 takes a spear and thrust it into Jesus side. 250 00:15:59,685 --> 00:16:03,380 And the word tells us that when that thrust happened, out of 251 00:16:03,380 --> 00:16:07,140 the wound, out of the Holy came both blood and 252 00:16:07,140 --> 00:16:10,280 water. That's significant. That's significant. 253 00:16:11,015 --> 00:16:14,775 Hold on to that thought for just a second. Over in Numbers, Exodus and Psalm 254 00:16:14,775 --> 00:16:18,535 34, we are told that none of Jesus' bones would be 255 00:16:18,535 --> 00:16:21,910 broken. None of Jesus' bones were 256 00:16:21,910 --> 00:16:25,270 broken. They didn't break his legs. Why didn't they break their 257 00:16:25,290 --> 00:16:28,885 theatre, his legs? He had, they had every right to do it. That was the 258 00:16:28,885 --> 00:16:32,645 order that they were given, but they didn't break 259 00:16:32,645 --> 00:16:36,460 his legs. Morticians 260 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,980 would look at, morticians would look at the flow 261 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,665 of water and the flow of blood and they would see these two 262 00:16:43,725 --> 00:16:47,485 ingredients together. I believe that the theater would be called, 263 00:16:48,365 --> 00:16:51,980 pericardial fluid. I'm probably saying that wrong. 264 00:16:52,540 --> 00:16:55,100 But the fluid that would be mixed in with the blood, they would look at 265 00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:58,860 this, morticians would look at this and they would pray, they would determine that the 266 00:16:58,860 --> 00:17:02,654 reason or the cause of death would be because of heart failure, because 267 00:17:02,654 --> 00:17:06,255 of something surrounding the heart, the pressure on the 268 00:17:06,255 --> 00:17:10,015 heart. So it could be believed that Jesus died because of some 269 00:17:10,015 --> 00:17:13,839 type of heart failure. Now morticians would actually call 270 00:17:13,839 --> 00:17:17,679 this broken heart syndrome. If you've ever been notice 271 00:17:17,679 --> 00:17:20,875 anybody that's been married for a very very very long time and they have a 272 00:17:20,875 --> 00:17:24,635 spouse that goes on and they die and you see them start to 273 00:17:24,635 --> 00:17:27,934 just completely lose everything within and then they die right after, 274 00:17:28,155 --> 00:17:31,820 broken heart syndrome is actually a real thing. And it 275 00:17:31,820 --> 00:17:35,420 means that there's lots of pressure put on actually on the 276 00:17:35,420 --> 00:17:39,075 interior artery of the of the heart Pressure is put there and it just 277 00:17:39,075 --> 00:17:41,575 caves in and you can imagine the amount of stress, 278 00:17:42,595 --> 00:17:46,159 emotional, spiritual, physical that 279 00:17:46,159 --> 00:17:49,760 Jesus was enduring. And so if this is 280 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:53,265 correct, if Jesus died of heart failure, 281 00:17:53,405 --> 00:17:56,925 it could be said that Jesus died because of a broken 282 00:17:56,925 --> 00:18:00,385 heart. Jesus died 283 00:18:00,445 --> 00:18:03,059 on this cross. 284 00:18:04,159 --> 00:18:07,760 In fact, in Psalm 22 and later in John 285 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,440 19, he records the story. Jesus dies 286 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,635 and He didn't die in dignity or honor 287 00:18:15,495 --> 00:18:19,230 because they were casting lots for His very clothing. I 288 00:18:19,230 --> 00:18:22,750 mentioned earlier, there were 4 Roman soldiers. Well, there were 5 pieces of 289 00:18:22,750 --> 00:18:26,429 garments on a on a Jewish person. There was the inner tunic, the 290 00:18:26,429 --> 00:18:29,975 outer tunic, a belt, a hat, or a covering rather, and 291 00:18:29,975 --> 00:18:33,575 shoes. So there would not be an even distribution between the 292 00:18:33,575 --> 00:18:37,270 Roman soldiers of any of the garb that Jesus would have worn. 293 00:18:37,270 --> 00:18:41,110 And so they cast lots and they didn't wanna shred the garment. 294 00:18:41,110 --> 00:18:44,330 So they cast lots for it just as the prophecy 295 00:18:45,015 --> 00:18:48,615 foretold. Why am I laboring on these points? I want 296 00:18:48,615 --> 00:18:52,395 you to understand that Jesus never leaves 297 00:18:52,455 --> 00:18:56,280 anything undone. Jesus never leaves 298 00:18:56,340 --> 00:19:00,020 anything undone. Everything that he said was going to 299 00:19:00,020 --> 00:19:00,520 happen, 300 00:19:05,545 --> 00:19:09,240 You can trust, you can believe that the word of God is 301 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,920 true. It is accurate. It is sound and it will be 302 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:15,500 done according to his will. 303 00:19:16,885 --> 00:19:20,325 And so here is Jesus hanging on the 304 00:19:20,325 --> 00:19:24,005 cross, the Jewish leaders need to get these bodies completely 305 00:19:24,005 --> 00:19:27,760 dead, get them off the cross. Everyone that rolls with 306 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,575 Jesus, all of his friends, all of his comrades, the people 307 00:19:31,654 --> 00:19:35,414 who broke bread with him, the people who are surrounding him, 308 00:19:35,414 --> 00:19:38,774 all of them leave and flee Jesus and they go 309 00:19:38,774 --> 00:19:42,350 into hiding. Have you ever 310 00:19:42,350 --> 00:19:45,490 felt a sense of abandonment in your worst moment? 311 00:19:47,309 --> 00:19:51,045 Jesus abandoned by the ones he spent 312 00:19:51,045 --> 00:19:54,805 the most time with. There is a quote 313 00:19:54,805 --> 00:19:58,549 that goes like this. A friend is someone who comes in when the 314 00:19:58,549 --> 00:20:02,330 whole world goes out. Jesus 315 00:20:02,390 --> 00:20:06,070 had some friends show up that were not over 316 00:20:06,070 --> 00:20:09,775 followers of him, not pronounced followers 317 00:20:09,915 --> 00:20:13,755 of him. The scripture tells us that a guy named Joseph of 318 00:20:13,755 --> 00:20:17,250 Arimathea and a guy named Nicodemus, which we read about in John 319 00:20:17,250 --> 00:20:21,090 3, come and they decide that 320 00:20:21,090 --> 00:20:24,914 they want to take the body of Jesus off the cross to give 321 00:20:24,914 --> 00:20:27,575 him a proper burial. 322 00:20:28,674 --> 00:20:31,975 Now, I want you to understand that both Joseph and Nicodemus 323 00:20:32,730 --> 00:20:35,930 were a part of the Sanhedrin, which meant that they were a part of the 324 00:20:35,930 --> 00:20:39,610 Jewish council. They both were a part of the group that 325 00:20:39,610 --> 00:20:43,025 was saying, crucify him, though we don't know that they 326 00:20:43,025 --> 00:20:46,245 actually agreed with the verdict of crucify 327 00:20:46,385 --> 00:20:49,890 him. Yet while Jesus was alive, both of these 328 00:20:49,890 --> 00:20:52,710 men were in the shadows hiding. 329 00:20:55,490 --> 00:20:59,195 But after his death in an act 330 00:20:59,195 --> 00:21:02,955 of courage, an act of boldness, and I 331 00:21:02,955 --> 00:21:05,215 believe in an act of belief. 332 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,059 Joseph goes before Pilate risking 333 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:14,120 everything. This rich man, Joseph, who we learn about, goes before 334 00:21:14,120 --> 00:21:17,725 Pilate and he says, may I please take this body 335 00:21:17,725 --> 00:21:21,025 down so that I may bury him with 336 00:21:21,165 --> 00:21:24,799 dignity. And Pilate shocked that Jesus has already 337 00:21:24,799 --> 00:21:28,480 died, says, Absolutely, yes, you 338 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,275 may. This fulfills the scripture in Isaiah that says that he was assigned 339 00:21:32,275 --> 00:21:35,975 a grave with the wicked, but he was to be buried among the rich. 340 00:21:37,154 --> 00:21:40,630 The scriptures continue to unfold and be 341 00:21:40,630 --> 00:21:44,250 done as it is said. Guys, that is something to be excited 342 00:21:44,310 --> 00:21:47,785 about. It's exciting to know that we can 343 00:21:47,785 --> 00:21:51,385 count on what he says he's gonna do, that he will do it, he will 344 00:21:51,385 --> 00:21:54,605 complete it to the end of the age. 345 00:21:57,429 --> 00:22:01,110 And so Joseph and Nicodemus, they 346 00:22:01,110 --> 00:22:04,715 take this body off of the cross. Now, I want you to understand 347 00:22:05,335 --> 00:22:08,935 that this is not a pretty thing. I don't believe Listen, Nicodemus and 348 00:22:08,935 --> 00:22:12,090 Joseph probably had lots of servants. They would have had a lot of people that 349 00:22:12,090 --> 00:22:15,850 would work for them. I believe that these 2 guys took Jesus 350 00:22:15,850 --> 00:22:19,345 off the cross. And I imagine because of 351 00:22:19,345 --> 00:22:22,705 Jewish custom, they had to prepare the 352 00:22:22,705 --> 00:22:26,100 body for burial. And they had to do it in haste, 353 00:22:26,419 --> 00:22:30,260 because Sabbath was coming. So here's the thing. They take 354 00:22:30,260 --> 00:22:33,480 the body off of the cross. And can you just imagine 355 00:22:34,705 --> 00:22:38,544 that they had to take every defiled part of the body pray? So 356 00:22:38,544 --> 00:22:41,845 can you imagine the thorns that were still stuck in his head, 357 00:22:42,279 --> 00:22:46,120 That they had to pluck out those thorns, any of the thistles that are 358 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:49,785 in there. That they had to take rags and cloths and wash 359 00:22:49,945 --> 00:22:53,245 the wounds that were caused by the cat of 9 tails. 360 00:22:54,345 --> 00:22:58,025 That they were washing the body to prepare for the burial. And I can 361 00:22:58,025 --> 00:23:01,610 only imagine Nicodemus sitting there and reliving 362 00:23:01,610 --> 00:23:05,050 his encounter with the Holy of Holies, with the Lord of 363 00:23:05,050 --> 00:23:08,755 Lords, who said, you must be born again. Well, how 364 00:23:08,755 --> 00:23:12,515 do you be born again? How can someone go back into the mother's flesh 365 00:23:12,515 --> 00:23:16,060 and come out? And and Jesus says, no, you don't get it. Flesh gives birth 366 00:23:16,060 --> 00:23:18,480 to flesh. Spirit gives birth to spirit. 367 00:23:20,700 --> 00:23:24,240 This Nicodemus and Joseph who witnessed the miracles, 368 00:23:24,884 --> 00:23:28,725 the teaching. I can only imagine as they have this 369 00:23:28,725 --> 00:23:32,539 body and they're preparing it for its its burial, that they're reliving 370 00:23:32,539 --> 00:23:36,220 and recounting these things and thinking to themselves, surely this 371 00:23:36,220 --> 00:23:39,735 was the son of God. Surely 372 00:23:39,955 --> 00:23:43,575 he is who he said he was. 373 00:23:43,875 --> 00:23:46,215 Mind you, he had not resurrected yet. 374 00:23:47,550 --> 00:23:51,070 I think Nicodemus and Joseph give a bad pray get a bad rap because they 375 00:23:51,070 --> 00:23:54,350 were in hiding. But I want you to know they came out of hiding and 376 00:23:54,350 --> 00:23:58,005 they made a choice. They made a choice and you have 377 00:23:58,005 --> 00:24:01,845 the opportunity and the ability to come out of hiding today and make a 378 00:24:01,845 --> 00:24:05,500 choice. No matter what the choices were in the past, you can make new 379 00:24:05,500 --> 00:24:08,940 choices for the future and God will give you the strength to make those 380 00:24:08,940 --> 00:24:12,320 choices. So we need to understand 381 00:24:13,885 --> 00:24:17,425 that Jesus was emphatically dead. 382 00:24:18,125 --> 00:24:21,840 He was dead. Anybody that would go up to Nicodemus and 383 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,799 Joseph and say, oh, I bet he's just fainted. I bet he's alive. I bet 384 00:24:24,799 --> 00:24:26,419 they punch him right in the nose. 385 00:24:28,775 --> 00:24:32,375 Because they were dealing with the body of 386 00:24:32,375 --> 00:24:35,355 Jesus. £75 387 00:24:37,259 --> 00:24:40,940 of Spirit, of aloe, of 388 00:24:40,940 --> 00:24:44,080 myrrh. It was usually about £10, 389 00:24:44,379 --> 00:24:47,065 £75 for Jesus 390 00:24:48,565 --> 00:24:51,385 to wrap him up in strips of linen 391 00:24:54,690 --> 00:24:56,070 And to take Jesus 392 00:24:58,210 --> 00:25:01,809 to the grave, to take him to the rich man's 393 00:25:01,809 --> 00:25:05,445 tomb. The word tells us in Hebrews 2, but we do see 394 00:25:05,445 --> 00:25:09,045 that Jesus who was made lower than the angels for a little while now crowned 395 00:25:09,045 --> 00:25:12,769 with glory and honor because he suffered death so that by the grace of 396 00:25:12,769 --> 00:25:16,610 God, he might taste death for everyone that he might taste death 397 00:25:16,610 --> 00:25:19,350 for you and me. Jesus Christ 398 00:25:20,085 --> 00:25:23,525 separated from God in the midst of 399 00:25:23,525 --> 00:25:26,905 darkness, taking on the weight in the sin of the world, 400 00:25:27,389 --> 00:25:31,230 tasted death so that you don't have to. So 401 00:25:31,230 --> 00:25:34,850 that I don't have to. Jesus Christ experienced 402 00:25:35,149 --> 00:25:38,695 hell so that you don't have to, so that I 403 00:25:38,835 --> 00:25:42,275 don't have to. So 404 00:25:42,275 --> 00:25:46,020 why is it then that we are okay 405 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:49,700 with frequent visits to hell on earth? 406 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,995 Because we gravitate to our sin and our worldly flesh 407 00:25:53,995 --> 00:25:57,294 desires when Jesus has life abundant 408 00:25:57,355 --> 00:25:58,654 available for us. 409 00:26:04,410 --> 00:26:06,750 Nicodemus and Joseph came out of hiding. 410 00:26:09,025 --> 00:26:12,705 And I believe that the truth that they had to own was it is 411 00:26:12,705 --> 00:26:16,465 not too late. And I want you 412 00:26:16,465 --> 00:26:20,049 to understand this morning church, that no matter what 413 00:26:20,049 --> 00:26:23,730 decisions you have made, no matter what choices you have made, it 414 00:26:23,730 --> 00:26:27,490 is not too late for you to be redeemed and 415 00:26:27,490 --> 00:26:30,455 restored to savior Jesus Christ. 416 00:26:31,475 --> 00:26:35,154 It is not too late for you to experience life in 417 00:26:35,154 --> 00:26:38,820 its fullest form. Here's what the 418 00:26:38,820 --> 00:26:42,520 word says in John, everyone who sins is a slave 419 00:26:42,900 --> 00:26:46,660 to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but 420 00:26:46,660 --> 00:26:49,315 a son belongs to it forever. 421 00:26:50,495 --> 00:26:54,195 So the sun set you free, you will be free 422 00:26:54,735 --> 00:26:58,210 indeed. What does sin do? Sin separates 423 00:26:58,429 --> 00:27:02,210 us from the father. Do you recognize also though, I've learned 424 00:27:02,270 --> 00:27:06,110 sin doesn't just separate us from the father, sin also separates us from 425 00:27:06,110 --> 00:27:09,955 one another. When we're dealing with 426 00:27:09,955 --> 00:27:13,715 sin and we're hiding and we're in shame, there is a wall that 427 00:27:13,715 --> 00:27:17,440 begins to build between one another. And you know what's hard about that 428 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:21,200 is God's most chosen instrument when He's revealing His glory and His grace is 429 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:24,720 to use people. And when we're building walls between each other, we're building walls 430 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,375 within, sin is separated and sin is the culprit. 431 00:27:29,995 --> 00:27:33,695 And so we become shackled to our sin yet 432 00:27:33,860 --> 00:27:36,200 We have a promise that we've been set free. 433 00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:43,435 So if it's supposed to be dead, if the sin 434 00:27:43,435 --> 00:27:47,215 is supposed to be dead, and if it's true that Jesus 435 00:27:47,435 --> 00:27:51,120 has set us free, why then church 436 00:27:51,660 --> 00:27:54,799 do so many of us bury our sin 437 00:27:55,340 --> 00:27:59,154 alive? Do you know that you're not 438 00:27:59,154 --> 00:28:01,255 supposed to bury things that are alive? 439 00:28:03,315 --> 00:28:06,970 Burial is reserved for dead things. 440 00:28:08,390 --> 00:28:12,150 But so many of us can get up. We have the propensity to get up 441 00:28:12,150 --> 00:28:15,981 on Sunday morning and say, well, I gotta go to church, So I'm just gonna 442 00:28:15,981 --> 00:28:19,165 bury that thing for a few hours knowing good and well, I'm gonna come right 443 00:28:19,165 --> 00:28:20,465 back to it on Sunday night. 444 00:28:24,750 --> 00:28:28,429 I'm about to go hang out with that group of people and I certainly 445 00:28:28,429 --> 00:28:31,915 don't want them to know what it is I'm doing. So I'm gonna 446 00:28:31,915 --> 00:28:35,755 go and bury him and dig a just a shallow enough Holy to bury this 447 00:28:35,755 --> 00:28:39,515 sin for a moment, knowing good and full well I'm coming right 448 00:28:39,515 --> 00:28:42,300 back to it when the moment presents itself. 449 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,040 Somebody said it this pray. We want to 450 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,865 defeat our demons, but we can't defeat our demons when we are 451 00:28:51,865 --> 00:28:53,245 still enjoying their company. 452 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:00,800 But I like my sin. Or 453 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,040 maybe I don't like my sin, but I don't know how to get rid of 454 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:06,485 my sin. I don't know how to release it. 455 00:29:07,745 --> 00:29:11,345 And so I'm just content being in hiding and I wonder 456 00:29:11,345 --> 00:29:14,880 why I do not feel an experience the goodness and the 457 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:18,480 glory of God in my life. The extraordinary promises are not 458 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:19,940 unfolding in front of me. The extravagant love of God, 459 00:29:29,654 --> 00:29:33,279 muck and nasty and in the muck and mire and there you are as the 460 00:29:33,279 --> 00:29:36,820 prodigal son who has run from God and all he's doing is saying, 461 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,095 come home. Come 462 00:29:41,115 --> 00:29:44,735 home. Are you hiding 463 00:29:45,195 --> 00:29:48,899 this morning? Are 464 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,580 you hiding this morning? The invitation 465 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:56,794 this morning is to come out of hiding 466 00:29:57,414 --> 00:30:01,174 into a place of light so that you can experience this 467 00:30:01,174 --> 00:30:04,235 God in a way that you have never experienced him before. 468 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,720 And what ends up stopping us from making that 469 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:13,505 step, from taking that step, most of the time what stops 470 00:30:13,505 --> 00:30:17,265 us is fear. What am I afraid of? I'm afraid 471 00:30:17,265 --> 00:30:20,325 of what Barbie's gonna think of me if I'm exposed. 472 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:25,800 I'm afraid of what TJ is God say if I'm around him and hanging out 473 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,400 and all of a sudden he sees the evidence of my 474 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:32,875 sin. I'm so scared of 475 00:30:32,875 --> 00:30:36,575 what they might think about me, but guys, 476 00:30:36,795 --> 00:30:40,100 raise your hand if you need a savior in this place. Would you just raise 477 00:30:40,100 --> 00:30:43,780 your hand? Would you look around this room? Every single one of 478 00:30:43,780 --> 00:30:47,595 us need a savior. Every single one of us need this 479 00:30:47,595 --> 00:30:51,435 God to do a mighty work in our lives. And the lie of the 480 00:30:51,435 --> 00:30:55,170 enemy, the tactic of fear that he places in your life is that you 481 00:30:55,170 --> 00:30:57,590 are the only one and you are alone. 482 00:31:00,215 --> 00:31:03,835 But that is a lie from the accuser of the brethren. That is a lie 483 00:31:03,895 --> 00:31:07,495 from the devil. That is a lie from the father of lies. You are not 484 00:31:07,495 --> 00:31:10,980 alone. In fact, not only are you not alone, you have been set 485 00:31:10,980 --> 00:31:14,820 free. You have been set free. And so 486 00:31:14,820 --> 00:31:18,405 when it comes to fear, the antidote to fear, we 487 00:31:18,405 --> 00:31:22,245 talked about this, is is love. Listen to this. This is how we know 488 00:31:22,245 --> 00:31:25,156 that we live in Him and He in us. He has given us His Spirit. 489 00:31:25,670 --> 00:31:28,790 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be 490 00:31:28,790 --> 00:31:32,490 the savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, 491 00:31:32,605 --> 00:31:36,125 God lives in them and they in God and so we know and rely 492 00:31:36,125 --> 00:31:39,645 on the love God has for us. Listen to this, God is 493 00:31:39,645 --> 00:31:43,450 love. God is love. Whoever lives in 494 00:31:43,450 --> 00:31:47,290 love, lives in God and God in them. This is how love 495 00:31:47,290 --> 00:31:50,914 is made complete among us so that we will have the confidence on the 496 00:31:50,914 --> 00:31:54,674 day of judgment. In this world, listen to this, we are like 497 00:31:54,674 --> 00:31:58,490 Jesus. We are like Jesus. There 498 00:31:58,490 --> 00:32:02,010 is no fear in love, but perfect love 499 00:32:02,010 --> 00:32:05,785 drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who 500 00:32:05,785 --> 00:32:09,305 fears is not made perfect in love. Listen to me, when 501 00:32:09,305 --> 00:32:12,765 you obedience the true love of Christ, 502 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,860 that sin becomes far, far, far less desirable. 503 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:22,520 That sin becomes so so less desirable in your 504 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:26,184 life because you are loved by 505 00:32:26,184 --> 00:32:30,025 the one who breathes stars. The one who knows 506 00:32:30,025 --> 00:32:33,570 your name. The one who puts you on this 507 00:32:33,710 --> 00:32:37,549 planet. The one who knows the prayer, numbers 508 00:32:37,549 --> 00:32:41,125 of hairs on your head. The one who sees the hurt and the 509 00:32:41,125 --> 00:32:44,965 brokenness and the pain that you have endured. He's the 510 00:32:44,965 --> 00:32:48,025 one who endured the cross and was buried 511 00:32:48,405 --> 00:32:52,150 dead, but came back to life. So 512 00:32:52,150 --> 00:32:55,750 that you would have the power in your life to overcome any 513 00:32:55,750 --> 00:32:59,395 obstacle in any sin. Today is 514 00:32:59,395 --> 00:33:02,995 Palm Sunday. Historically, we celebrate the 515 00:33:02,995 --> 00:33:06,799 story in the scripture where Jesus rides in triumphal 516 00:33:06,940 --> 00:33:10,700 triumphantly as the King. But here 517 00:33:10,700 --> 00:33:14,460 is the crux of this, of this, of this story. This is this is 518 00:33:14,460 --> 00:33:17,825 the problem. Jesus Christ was indeed 519 00:33:18,445 --> 00:33:21,985 their king, but it was only from a positional 520 00:33:22,285 --> 00:33:25,890 standpoint. It wasn't from a life changing 521 00:33:25,890 --> 00:33:29,730 standpoint. We have access to a king that wants to change our life, wants to 522 00:33:29,730 --> 00:33:33,525 change our heart. He didn't 523 00:33:33,525 --> 00:33:37,285 come to give you just a wonderful life. He came to change 524 00:33:37,285 --> 00:33:39,785 your life and for the better. 525 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,220 They wanted a king to liberate them from the Roman 526 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:48,120 oppression and law. That was the reason why they were crying out to this 527 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:51,934 king. But they didn't really want a King to liberate them 528 00:33:51,934 --> 00:33:54,595 from their own wickedness and their own sin. 529 00:33:55,295 --> 00:33:58,850 Because true freedom comes when we are liberated 530 00:33:59,550 --> 00:34:03,090 from ourselves and reconciled to him. 531 00:34:04,510 --> 00:34:08,315 So the cry of Hosanna, do you know what Hosanna actually means? This is 532 00:34:08,315 --> 00:34:12,155 crazy. This is crazy. The people are crying 533 00:34:12,155 --> 00:34:15,510 out, Hosanna, glory to God in the highest, 534 00:34:15,510 --> 00:34:19,110 Hosanna. Well, Hosanna literally 535 00:34:19,110 --> 00:34:22,894 means literally translated, deliver me, save 536 00:34:22,894 --> 00:34:26,574 me. In other words, Hosanna is a cry for help and they 537 00:34:26,574 --> 00:34:30,275 didn't even know they needed to help. Help 538 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:32,540 God in the highest. Help 539 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,775 God. Glory, glory God, the King 540 00:34:38,775 --> 00:34:42,295 of kings, the King of the Jews but not just the Jews now, the King 541 00:34:42,295 --> 00:34:45,870 of everybody. Holy, Hosanna. And I 542 00:34:45,870 --> 00:34:49,630 wonder if there's somebody under the sound of my voice that needs to cry out 543 00:34:49,630 --> 00:34:53,469 for help. Because the minute you cry out 544 00:34:53,469 --> 00:34:56,875 for help, he draws near to you. The word tells us if you draw near 545 00:34:56,875 --> 00:35:00,715 to God, what's gonna happen? He's gonna draw near to you. And there's no 546 00:35:00,715 --> 00:35:04,500 caveat there, clean up your mess and then draw near to me. Get your life 547 00:35:04,500 --> 00:35:08,260 straight then draw near to me. I don't cry out 548 00:35:08,260 --> 00:35:12,045 for help when I don't need help. I cry out for help when 549 00:35:12,045 --> 00:35:15,805 I'm in danger. When I need help, there's a 550 00:35:15,805 --> 00:35:18,625 story that I've shared before of my daughter Lucia. 551 00:35:19,730 --> 00:35:23,490 Sherry and I were getting in obedience night and I have a tradition of going 552 00:35:23,490 --> 00:35:26,630 around and kissing all of the girls. And I went into 553 00:35:27,195 --> 00:35:30,635 Hadassah's room, and I went to Ruby and Nora, and give them a 554 00:35:30,635 --> 00:35:34,315 kiss. I see that Lucia is not in her bed. I'm like, what's going 555 00:35:34,315 --> 00:35:35,590 on? Well, maybe she's in the restroom. 556 00:35:42,470 --> 00:35:43,265 Stairs to get a drink. So I rode downstairs and I don't see her downstairs, 557 00:35:43,345 --> 00:35:47,184 downstairs to get a drink. So I rode downstairs and I don't see her downstairs. 558 00:35:47,184 --> 00:35:50,785 It's like 11:12 that night, and I run downstairs, I don't see her down there, 559 00:35:50,785 --> 00:35:52,724 and there's the back doors cracked open. 560 00:35:54,599 --> 00:35:56,380 You want to talk about a father's heart? 561 00:35:58,599 --> 00:36:02,285 I Spirit to panic. And so I go to the back 562 00:36:02,285 --> 00:36:05,425 door and I go outside and say, Lucy, Lucia, 563 00:36:06,525 --> 00:36:10,010 Lucia, where are you? She's not answering. 564 00:36:10,010 --> 00:36:13,850 Nobody's answering. So I start to fly through the house and of course I go 565 00:36:13,850 --> 00:36:15,690 to the front door and I opened the front door and I go out to 566 00:36:15,690 --> 00:36:19,465 the front porch. Lucy, Lucia. By this 567 00:36:19,465 --> 00:36:23,145 time, Sherry's getting worried and she's like, what's going on? And I come inside, I 568 00:36:23,145 --> 00:36:26,980 can't find Lucia. She's not upstairs, not downstairs, the back door is open. And as 569 00:36:26,980 --> 00:36:30,280 I started to make my way up the stairs to go and grab my shoes, 570 00:36:30,740 --> 00:36:34,365 I hear a noise and 571 00:36:34,365 --> 00:36:37,965 it's coming from the front bathroom. I'm like, well, I passed the 572 00:36:37,965 --> 00:36:41,405 bathroom, but maybe she's in there. So I quickly go in there and open the 573 00:36:41,405 --> 00:36:44,900 door and I don't see anything. And so I turn around and and I hear 574 00:36:44,900 --> 00:36:48,020 something else and I stopped and I get real still. 575 00:36:49,599 --> 00:36:52,420 And I slowly turn around and I go into the bathroom. 576 00:36:53,325 --> 00:36:55,984 And when I go down to the bathroom, I go to the vanity 577 00:36:57,244 --> 00:37:01,019 and I get down on my knees and I open the 578 00:37:01,019 --> 00:37:03,680 door, and there's Lucia 579 00:37:04,779 --> 00:37:06,640 with chocolate all over her face. 580 00:37:09,475 --> 00:37:10,775 Sin leaves residue. 581 00:37:14,515 --> 00:37:18,069 I want you to know at that moment, as a dad, 582 00:37:19,089 --> 00:37:22,930 it didn't matter what Lucy had done. It didn't 583 00:37:22,930 --> 00:37:26,265 matter that she had chocolate on her face, that she had gotten out of bed, 584 00:37:26,265 --> 00:37:29,945 that she had gotten into the candy jar. What had mattered was I 585 00:37:29,945 --> 00:37:33,325 couldn't find Lucia and now she had been found. 586 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:37,640 And I want you to know that it doesn't matter how much chocolate you 587 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:41,068 got on your face, doesn't matter what you've done, Jesus is sufficient for all of 588 00:37:41,068 --> 00:37:44,025 it. Can I say that again? Actually is sufficient for all of it. Can I 589 00:37:44,025 --> 00:37:47,385 say that again? Jesus's blood is actually 590 00:37:47,385 --> 00:37:50,825 sufficient for all of it. The totality of 591 00:37:50,825 --> 00:37:53,870 it. And if you will accept 592 00:37:54,970 --> 00:37:58,810 and believe that his blood washes you white as white 593 00:37:58,810 --> 00:38:02,455 as snow, then you have access and you can come 594 00:38:02,455 --> 00:38:06,055 into God's presence and you can benefit as 595 00:38:06,055 --> 00:38:09,115 a son and a daughter of God Most High. 596 00:38:12,780 --> 00:38:16,300 Do you wanna stay in the vanity or do you wanna come 597 00:38:16,300 --> 00:38:18,480 out and be liberated this morning? 598 00:38:21,855 --> 00:38:24,755 3 weeks ago, I really messed up. 599 00:38:26,415 --> 00:38:30,190 I really really messed up and I got caught. Sherry found 600 00:38:30,190 --> 00:38:31,410 me and I got caught. 601 00:38:34,110 --> 00:38:37,704 And Sherry had every right to be angry with 602 00:38:37,704 --> 00:38:41,464 me. She had every right to to for us to be 603 00:38:41,464 --> 00:38:45,180 talking for weeks about it, for her to to just be on my 604 00:38:45,180 --> 00:38:48,620 case, all of this stuff, I really messed up. But you know what Sherry did 605 00:38:48,620 --> 00:38:52,400 in the middle of my mess? She grabbed my face, 606 00:38:52,875 --> 00:38:56,635 looked me eyeball to eyeball, and said, Kevin, you could do 607 00:38:56,635 --> 00:39:00,015 nothing that would separate the love that I have for you. 608 00:39:01,380 --> 00:39:04,740 I want you to know that that is the grace of your 609 00:39:04,740 --> 00:39:08,420 savior. There is nothing that you can do, no mess up that's 610 00:39:08,420 --> 00:39:12,005 so big that He will not meet you where 611 00:39:12,385 --> 00:39:16,225 you are. And so God, this week, 612 00:39:16,225 --> 00:39:19,935 I have been so praying for today, because we are going into 613 00:39:19,935 --> 00:39:23,720 Holy week. We are about to celebrate Easter. Guys, what if 614 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:27,560 Easter 2024 was a celebration without 615 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:30,685 the shackles? What if 2024 616 00:39:31,065 --> 00:39:34,505 Easter was a celebration where we actually 617 00:39:34,505 --> 00:39:37,724 access the power of the gospel? Where we actually 618 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:41,760 access theatre this God of the universe. And when we came in 619 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:45,280 here and we jumped and we shouted and we sang praise, it was 620 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:49,035 because we're free. And we are sons and daughters of the most 621 00:39:49,035 --> 00:39:52,655 high God. What if this year was different people? 622 00:39:53,355 --> 00:39:56,960 All it takes is a choice to come out of hiding 623 00:39:57,339 --> 00:40:01,180 into his glorious light. This week, I have been praying for you. I 624 00:40:01,180 --> 00:40:04,995 have so been praying for you. And there were 3 specific areas that 625 00:40:04,995 --> 00:40:08,375 the Lord gave me that he wants to liberate people from this morning. 626 00:40:09,290 --> 00:40:12,750 The first area is to a 2 a 2 pronged thing. 627 00:40:13,050 --> 00:40:16,730 The first area that the Lord wants to set people free from is pride and 628 00:40:16,730 --> 00:40:20,055 pornography. Pride says, 629 00:40:21,315 --> 00:40:24,855 I can do it myself. I don't need your help. 630 00:40:25,790 --> 00:40:28,750 Situation going on in my home or my family with my life. I don't want 631 00:40:28,750 --> 00:40:32,030 to call anybody. I don't want to let anybody know because I can take care 632 00:40:32,030 --> 00:40:34,750 of it myself. I don't want to bother people. I don't want to invite people 633 00:40:34,750 --> 00:40:38,545 in. And so it causes you, whether 634 00:40:38,545 --> 00:40:42,244 it's inch by inch, small by small things, it causes you to hide. 635 00:40:44,460 --> 00:40:46,400 Pride says, I don't need you. 636 00:40:47,980 --> 00:40:51,595 Pornography. I don't have to go into an explanation. Pornography has a grip on 637 00:40:51,595 --> 00:40:55,295 somebody in this house, maybe more than 1 person, but pornography has a grip. 638 00:40:55,435 --> 00:40:58,875 And you have been struggling and struggling and struggling and you don't know how to 639 00:40:58,875 --> 00:41:01,930 get free and you feel like like shame every single time. 640 00:41:02,630 --> 00:41:06,470 And God says there's freedom today. The second thing 641 00:41:06,470 --> 00:41:10,215 is this, some of you have confessed 642 00:41:10,215 --> 00:41:13,435 your sin to somebody. You've 643 00:41:13,815 --> 00:41:17,655 gotten liberated, but you buried that thing alive and it's 644 00:41:17,655 --> 00:41:21,420 come back. And so now what you're dealing with 645 00:41:21,420 --> 00:41:25,100 is, I already put that to death, but 646 00:41:25,100 --> 00:41:28,415 it's reared its ugly head and I can't face the shame of going back to 647 00:41:28,415 --> 00:41:32,255 that person or going back to those people and saying, I'm dealing with 648 00:41:32,255 --> 00:41:34,994 this again and again 649 00:41:35,869 --> 00:41:39,230 and again, and the 8th time, and the 20th 650 00:41:39,230 --> 00:41:42,755 time. And so instead of confessing it 651 00:41:43,075 --> 00:41:45,575 again, you have just gone right back into hiding. 652 00:41:46,835 --> 00:41:50,134 And so now the issue isn't the sin of what you're doing, it's deceit. 653 00:41:51,030 --> 00:41:54,090 And God says, don't believe the lie. 654 00:41:54,790 --> 00:41:58,470 Come out of hiding. Go back to that person, go back to 655 00:41:58,470 --> 00:42:02,285 them and say, listen, I am so flawed and messed up. I 656 00:42:02,285 --> 00:42:05,125 I I did it again and I want to be set free. I want to 657 00:42:05,125 --> 00:42:08,265 be right. I don't want there to be anything dark inside me. 658 00:42:09,790 --> 00:42:13,550 And the third thing, if you are a leader at Spirit House or 659 00:42:13,550 --> 00:42:17,310 in a workplace, if you are a leader, you would consider yourself a leader either 660 00:42:17,310 --> 00:42:19,425 here or in a workplace, would you stand? 661 00:42:22,444 --> 00:42:25,265 I am a leader of people in any facet. 662 00:42:30,099 --> 00:42:33,940 Probably the hardest word I received this 663 00:42:33,940 --> 00:42:37,375 week was the Lord wanted me to say, 664 00:42:37,595 --> 00:42:41,355 you are not exempt from this word. You 665 00:42:41,355 --> 00:42:44,799 are not exempt from this word. In 666 00:42:44,799 --> 00:42:47,539 fact, leaders hide the most. 667 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:54,204 And the ultimate courageous act of humility a leader 668 00:42:54,204 --> 00:42:57,885 can make, is to abandon their ego and position and 669 00:42:57,885 --> 00:43:01,730 fall flat at the feet of Jesus and say, I need the savior 670 00:43:01,730 --> 00:43:05,350 like everybody else. And the invitation 671 00:43:05,970 --> 00:43:09,650 is for you. The invitation is also for you. 672 00:43:09,650 --> 00:43:13,345 Jesus sees you. And it does not 673 00:43:13,345 --> 00:43:16,704 lessen your importance or value in what you do by you 674 00:43:16,704 --> 00:43:20,450 committing to him. And by you, surrendering 675 00:43:20,510 --> 00:43:23,730 whatever it is that you're holding on to, to him. 676 00:43:25,230 --> 00:43:29,035 And so the invitation is to you as well. And so if 677 00:43:29,035 --> 00:43:32,875 you are a part of any of those three things, or you're just 678 00:43:32,875 --> 00:43:35,935 in hiding, today is the day 679 00:43:36,650 --> 00:43:40,330 of salvation. Today is the day to get 680 00:43:40,330 --> 00:43:44,090 things right so that you can walk out of this place into 681 00:43:44,090 --> 00:43:46,345 this world knowing, I'm free. 682 00:43:47,605 --> 00:43:50,105 I'm free. This is what Romans 8 says, 683 00:43:51,365 --> 00:43:55,120 Therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ 684 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:57,140 Jesus. No condemnation. 685 00:43:59,520 --> 00:44:02,740 Guys, everyone in here needs a savior. 686 00:44:06,194 --> 00:44:09,954 And so if you come this morning, it's about you and Him, and 687 00:44:09,954 --> 00:44:13,530 Him liberating you. And you know that every single 688 00:44:13,530 --> 00:44:16,570 person on the side of my voice at one time or the other needed to 689 00:44:16,570 --> 00:44:20,075 do that and will need to do it again and 690 00:44:20,075 --> 00:44:23,595 again and again. And aren't you glad we have a 691 00:44:23,595 --> 00:44:26,895 God who is the God of the again and again 692 00:44:27,595 --> 00:44:31,280 and again. And so this morning, I want to 693 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:33,940 invite you to come to the altars 694 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:38,340 and be liberated and set free, 695 00:44:39,105 --> 00:44:42,704 so that we can go into Holy Week with a celebration like 696 00:44:42,704 --> 00:44:45,525 none other, unshackled, unashamedly, 697 00:44:46,470 --> 00:44:50,310 wonderful, extraordinary God who loves us. Would you stand with 698 00:44:50,310 --> 00:44:54,070 me this morning? And if you're gonna come 699 00:44:54,070 --> 00:44:57,035 this morning, you come on down right now. Don't hesitate. 700 00:44:58,535 --> 00:45:01,974 Is it me? Do I need to come? Yes, you need to come. Am I 701 00:45:01,974 --> 00:45:05,760 included in this? Yes, you're included in this. God, are you wanting 702 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:09,060 me to clean this up? Yes. Come. Come. 703 00:45:09,520 --> 00:45:10,660 Come to the altar. 704 00:45:13,795 --> 00:45:17,095 And I want to say that it is impossible 705 00:45:18,275 --> 00:45:21,960 for you to do this alone. And so 706 00:45:21,960 --> 00:45:25,560 if you are not one of the ones coming this morning, would you come behind 707 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:29,295 these and would you agree with them? Come on down 708 00:45:29,295 --> 00:45:31,955 here guys. Come on down. There's plenty of room right here in the altar. 709 00:45:34,975 --> 00:45:38,035 There is freedom happening in the house this morning, friends. 710 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:42,820 And it is the most awesome thing when light meets darkness 711 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,005 and he clears things out. Get ready for a move of God like 712 00:45:47,005 --> 00:45:49,505 you have never witnessed before. 713 00:45:50,525 --> 00:45:54,205 God in all of his glory wants you. He 714 00:45:54,205 --> 00:45:58,010 sees you. Let's worship and let's clean up what's 715 00:45:58,010 --> 00:45:59,869 going on in our hearts.