Welcome to PowerPoint with Jack Graham. People today want to make over God. but the people who truly follow Jesus Christ. Follow him not because of what we get, what we want, but rather for who he is. On today's PowerPoint, Dr.
Grant brings a message about the importance of accepting Jesus on his terms.
Now here's Doctor Graham with his message. A worship the king. In the 21st chapter of Matthew, we have recorded there, as it is recorded in all four of the Gospel accounts of our Lord, what is known as the triumphal entry of our Lord the King into the city. of Jerusalem.
So beginning at verse 1, Now when they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage as the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples. saying to them, go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. loose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, The Lord has need of them. and immediately he will send them.
All this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets, saying, Tell the daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming to you. Lowly and sitting on a donkey, a cult the foal of a donkey.
So the disciples went and did as Jesus. commanded them. And they brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. and others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
And then the multitudes who went before And those who followed cried out saying, Hosanna, the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. And when he had come to Jerusalem, all the city was moved. Saying Who is this?
And so the multitude said, This is Jesus. The prophet from Nazareth. of Galilee. The triumphal entry into the city of the king, Jerusalem. Millions had gathered into the city at this hour.
We know from history by the number of lambs that were killed at the Passover season that there were upwards to two perhaps two and a half million people living or rather visiting the city of Jerusalem in that day. They were all there to celebrate the Passover. Jesus is in the final leg of his earthly pilgrimage. Having spent 30 years in obscurity, And now the past three years on Mission and ministry. In the name of the Heavenly Father.
Jesus is now coming to the final week of his life. Multitudes are following him. And yet most If not all. In that great multitude, they did not recognize the one they were following at the Passover season was the Passover Lamb. himself.
So, in the passage that we have before us, there are some important truths concerning how we are to worship our King. One, think with me for a few moments about presenting the king are preparing For the king. Jesus told them to go and find by the side of a cult, a young donkey. and that they were to prepare the way of the Lord by bringing this donkey to him.
Now it's important to see That Jesus was in absolute control of his life. His death. And his Destiny. None of the events of the final week of our Lord, of the passion of the Lord, were out of divine plan. Rather, they were dead center to the heart of God.
Every event In the life of Jesus, and yes, in these last steps of our Lord, are prophetically scripted like a divine drama. And so Jesus, according to prophecy, sends these two disciples unnamed It's an interesting job, wasn't it? Go find me a donkey. And bring the donkey. To me.
Of all the things the Lord could have asked disciples to do. He said, go get me. A donkey. And obediently These two disciples went and they found this donkey, just as Jesus said, tied with a colt. They brought both the colt.
And the donkey to Jesus. They laid their own clothes, and making a saddle on the back of the donkey, they prepared the way of the Lord. As we prepare for worship today, the worship of the king. We must do so with a heart of obedience. Ready and willing to fulfill the smallest details of his command and of his plan.
for our lives. And as we prepare, as the Apostle Paul said, we are to examine our own. Hearts. First, to see if we are in the faith and truly are believing and following the Lord Jesus Christ. And then, if indeed we have accepted Christ and are following him as our Lord and Savior, are we walking with him?
Are we living in obedience to him? Are we willing to do as he has commanded us? Today. That's what these disciples did. Verse 6.
So the disciples went and did as Jesus. commanded them. So it took place just as Jesus said. And the donkey is brought to the door. to our Lord.
And this speaks of praising the king. because Jesus was set upon that colt. And according to verse five, Verses 4 and 5, just as it was spoken by the prophet. This is in Zechariah chapter 9 and verse 9. Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your king is coming to you.
Lo, and sitting on A donkey. Our Lord Jesus lived his life In fulfillment. of the prophecies, of the scriptures. He said in the Sermon on the Mount that not one jot or tittle of his word, of the word of God, would pass away until all was fulfilled. And you can in the Old Testament.
Find every key event in the life of Jesus foretold, prophesied, one of the most compelling evidences of the deity of Christ. is the fulfilling of prophecy. And here Jesus fulfills the prophecy. Because Zechariah tells us that a Messiah would ride into the city. on the back of the donkey.
Now it seems absurd, doesn't it? That a king Would come riding on the back of a lowly, humble Donkey. You would expect the king in that day to come riding on a powerful, majestic white horse. Staya. But Jesus who is the Savior Messiah did not come in earthly splendor.
He did not come in earthly grandeur, but rather he came in heavenly grace. And he humbled himself. According to Philippians chapter 2, Hey. who was equal with God. humbled himself and took on the form of a servant.
In the dark hours of the upper room, Jesus would demonstrate his servanthood by washing the feet. of the disciples. The kind of king That was prophesied. The kind of king that was presented in that day is the Savior who came to take away the sins of the world. And it's beautifully appropriate that the one who would be the sin.
Bearer. came riding on the beast of burden. For he would bear our burdens. According to Isaiah. and carry our sorrows.
And so they began praising him. and shouting loud hosannas to him. And according to verses 8 and 9, the people were spreading garments, their own garments. This was an ancient custom in that culture. It was as though in taking off their cloaks and laying them before this king that it was symbolizing respect and obedience.
And As though they were saying, we place ourselves at your feet. Others took branches. palm branches and cut them and waved them and then spread them out before him. There was great religious fervor. and excitement.
Even ecstasy, as they were dancing and praising God. Everyone seemed to be caught up in the moment. Expectations were at a fever pitch. And with one voice, this multitude seemed to be crying out, Hosanna, which is a Hebrew exclamation which means save now. Save.
Now. But the salvation that they expected. was not a personal salvation. But it was a national salvation. They were asking.
For a deliverer to defeat their enemies. Save us from our oppression. Save us. from our oppressors. And the people.
who worshiped the king that day wanted a conquering king. A powerful Messiah. who would overthrow the tyranny of Rome and establish a kingdom of justice. upon the earth. But you know, Jesus did not come.
to conquer Rome. He came to conquer our sins. He came the first time. Oh, there will be a day. When our king will come again, and when he comes again, he will come in great majesty and power and great grandeur and glory at the second coming.
But when he came the first time, He came. to forgive sin. and the change lie. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message. O worship the king.
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Are you feeling tired? frustrated and spiritually dry? Maybe you're wondering if there's more to your walk with Jesus than just trying harder. There is. That's the encouraging truth Pastor Jack Graham shares in his book, Powering Up.
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Now, let's get back to today's message. Oh worship the king. You see, the praise of the people was appropriate. Hosanna, saved now, but it was misplaced. They miss the meaning.
of His majesty. They didn't understand the purpose of his mission, why Jesus came. The multitude didn't understand why Jesus. Was riding on that colt and presenting himself. the city.
They didn't know that he came with a kingdom. but it was not a kingdom of this world. He came with the kingdom of God, the kingdom that is within us and one which is to come one day on earth.
So a few days later The same crowd that cheered him. would jeer him. Crying out for his death. The same crowd, the fickle crowd that cried out that day, save now. would turn their backs.
Upon the Lord Jesus. And they said in Luke chapter 19 and verse 14, We will not have this man to rule over us. The people in that day wanted a king. But they wanted a king. of their own making.
They wanted a king. That was acceptable. to them. They wanted God But they wanted him on their own terms. And you know many people want a king of their own making.
Even today? I hear people refer to their God as My God would never do such and such. Or, my God will always do such and such. And we have our. Our personal opinions as to who God is.
The question is raised at the conclusion of this passage. Who is this one? You see, the problem is they didn't understand. Who Jesus is and why he came. And so they wanted to form him and to make him in their own human image.
People today want to make over God. I kind of God de jure. A designer, God, if you will, a God of the day, a God made in our own image. Ever since man fell in the Garden of Eden and began breaking God's commandments, man has been trying to recreate God.
So that God would be made in man's image rather than God. making us in his image. We want a deity that we can control. We want a king. That we can control.
We want a king that we can shape to our desires. and do what we want him to do. We want a king that we can predict. One that we can manage. We want a king that is custom-made to suit our needs.
We want a king that we can call upon when we need him. and ignore when we want to live our own lives. We want a user-friendly God. But the people who truly follow Jesus Christ. Follow him not because we get what we want, but rather for who he is.
And he is Savior? And Lord And keen. And you cannot control this king because he is in control. Real worship. Worship that is in spirit.
Worship that is in truth. understands the object of worship. and responds With hearts full of Obedience. and service to him. I am uh concerned about many churches today.
that cater to the crowds. and gather crowds. To worship a God, a king. who benignly smiles at our sin. Who tolerates our lives, whether we have repented or not.
Some mainline churches. have adopted their theology. Their understanding of the Bible to accommodate this decaying culture, and that is simply compromise. We Must worship. The king.
For who he is, not for what we want him or trying to make him to be. We come to the king on his terms. and not our own. And this king, his terms are these. We have sinned against the holy God.
We all have broken his commandments. And our King Jesus came. Incarnate. He lived among men. And this humble king, this servant king.
humbled himself. even to the death of a cross. and poured out his blood. and gave his body In order that we could be forgiven of our sin, when we put our faith and trust in Him. Repenting of our sins.
and trusting in the Savior. I remember several years ago that I was talking to a wealthy Palm Beach. Businessman. And as I was sharing with him, What it means to come to know Christ, what it means to accept Christ. He had spiritual interest.
He had been attending our church in South Florida. And He wanted God. His life had been falling apart. His family was broken, and his business was collapsing. And he came to a place where he realized he needed God.
He'd seen in our church some men that honored God and walked with God, and he wanted. He wanted God. And I spoke with him of this salvation and this Savior. When it came time to invite him to receive Christ, he said, And I talked to him about bowing his heart and his life. surrendering his will.
to Jesus He abruptly stopped me. and said, that's what you Christians always talk about, isn't it? With you Christians, it's always bow the knee. Bow the knee. Bow the knee.
I've never forgotten that conversation. Because you know it really is. about bowing. The knee. That we come to the place of our lives where our Foolish pride, our sinful pride, is laid in the dust.
Even as they laid their clothes in the dust, and in the dirt on the streets of Jerusalem that day. In effect, say, walk over us. We must lay our lives in the dust. And truly do it. Not as a matter of fact.
of public praise That does not come from the heart. But of genuine Worship. The pure and simple message of the gospel is that Jesus came to save sinners. of whom I am chief. He went to the cross.
The Passover lamb. And he died. You know, as a pastor, I've heard all the excuses. as to why people don't come to Jesus. I was just Looking at Luke chapter 14 earlier, when Jesus gave a story, a parable about a great master, perhaps a king.
Who gave a big party? And he said, go invite People to the party. Make everything ready. and invite them to the party. And so they did, they sent out the invitations.
And when they invited The people to the party. They began to make excuse, Jesus said. One said, well, I've I've got a piece of ground that I've got to buy, I've got a business deal to make. Another one said, I've got transportation issues. I've got a colt I need to break.
Another one said, I've got marital. Domestic issues. Said, I've got a brand new wife. I can't come. They all begin to make excuses.
And they were, while they were invited to the banquet. of the kingdom, to sit at the table of the Lord. They began to make excuses. And so that's when the master said, Forget about that crowd. Go into the highways and hedges.
Go into every nook and cranny of the city of the community. and find the blind, the lame. The poor. and compel them. to come in.
People who knew of their desperate need. For God. People who were not living in their pride, with their excuse making. but rather people who recognize their abject poverty and their need for the touch. of the Master's hand.
And so there they were, bums at the banquet. Just like you and me, we don't deserve to be here. We're bums at the banquet. We have been brought here by the grace, the compelling grace. of our God.
But the question that you have this evening is this. Do I know Jesus is my Lord and my Savior? Jesus will reign in the lives of those who bow to me. Not just those. You say the word.
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message. A worship the king. Through the Holy Spirit, God empowers you to love when it's hard. Forgive when it hurts and persevere when you're worn out. He equips you to live with joy, peace, and boldness no matter what circumstances you face.
In his insightful book, Powering Up, Pastor Jack Graham shares how you can live the life God intends for you. We want to send you a copy of Powering Up as a thanks for your gift of $10 or more. To request your copy of Powering Up? Just text Power to 59-789. We are incredibly excited to share that we have a new way to connect with PowerPoint.
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And that will add you to our text group. Just text Connect to 59-789. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today? Jesus is coming again and when he comes He's coming as king of glory. He's coming in great victory, and He's coming for His own that we will worship Him forever.
But I'm afraid that there's so many people who are not ready for him. They're not ready if Christ were to come today to meet Him. Many have been so caught up in the things of this world, in making a living, collecting possessions, and so on. We have become so busy, caught up in our jobs, and even our own selfish appetites and desires, that we're not prepared spiritually for the coming of Christ. Just as the people that day when Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem weren't ready, many are not ready today.
And as a result, so many are going to be left behind who have never given their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says when he comes that there will be two grinding at the mill. One will be taken and one will be left behind. There will be two working in the field. One will be taken, and one will be left behind.
There will be two sleeping in the bed. One will be taken, the other. left behind. Don't be left behind when Christ comes as King. If you've never given your life to the Lord Jesus, today is the day to do that.
Admit that you're a sinner and that you cannot save yourself. Believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and that He rose again, that He is the Lord and Savior of all the earth, and put your. Faith in Him, trust Him and believe and receive Him as your Lord and your Savior. The Bible says, call upon him. and trust in him, and you will be saved.
If you're a Christian who's not truly living for Christ, I mean, your life really isn't adding up for Christ. You're not living for Jesus. I want to encourage you. to make a change in your life. That means to repent of your sin and to trust in Christ as a believer and start living for Him and making a difference in this world for Christ.
Begin worshiping Him, not just with your lips. but from your heart. If you are a Christian who's walking with the Lord today, then I want to encourage you to do everything possible to influence those around you. Because we don't want to go to heaven alone. We want to take our family, our friends, and loved ones with us to heaven.
There are people all around you who need to know Jesus.
Someone you know this day. needs to know Jesus. Share your faith. One day when Christ comes and we stand before Him with joy and celebration, we will worship Him forever. The Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God.
Today. Bow your knee and give your life to Christ. Make a difference and live for Christ forever. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember when you give a gift of $10 or more to PowerPoint, we'll send you Dr.
Graham's book, Powering Up as Our Thanks. Just text the word POWER to 59-789. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about how you can live the resurrection life today. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham.
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