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Why are you doing this?
• Mark 11:1-11 READ
• V 3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”
• Lots going on in this story.
• Today is the day that Christians celebrate Palm Sunday
• Why do they call it palm Sunday? Because it’s the day that we commemorate the day in which Jesus did his triumphal entry into Jerusalem
• Jesus comes into town, sends his disciples to go and get him a donkey, they go and get it, lay down their clothes and palm branches at his feet to declare that he is the King of the jews! The messiah!
• What a messiah? The savior! The one to save the Jews from Rome- establish the throne of David!
• Why is this day important?
• One- It’s the fulfillment of the OT prophecy
• Living out the prophecy Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
• Treating him as king- 2 Kings 9:13 Then each man hastened to take his garment and put it under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!”
• Hailing him as Messiah Psalm 118:25-26 Save now, I pray, O Lord, O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
• When Jesus came into Jerusalem he was declaring to the crowd that he was the messiah and people received him as king!
• The problem-
• They weren’t really wanting what Jesus came to do-
• Ive said it before- Jesus did not come to be a political king in the way that people hoped
• Jesus plan to change the world was through love and grace not through political might and laws.
• Laws do not change hearts, only the Holy Spirit can do that.
• Watch the story line- This week they are hailing him as king- next week they’ll be sending him to the cross! As soon as these people find out that Jesus isn’t going to serve their political means- BYE
• Here’s the deal-
• The opposite of turning on Jesus is turning TO Jesus-
• I’m a simple man- there are many different types of Hermenuetics. High and low Criticism. Textual Critcism. Historical. Traditional.
• Depending on where you went to college and why kind of Church you get saved in is usually how you approach scripture
• For the most part- I try to take the simpliest approach to scripture as possible. Things that are obscure or seem inconsistent with other parts of the Bible, I’ll do the historical research to try and figure out what its trying to say
• I want to scream what the Bible screams and whisper what the Bible whispers. I’m not a guy who tries to find an obscure scripture that I can camp up around and worship- I want to worship Jesus.
• But there’s a simple nugget in here- that squashes all theological arguments- that doesn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation
• Christianity is a thinking mans religion- but I’m just tired of arguing about it.
• The Nugget-
• ; 2 and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.”
• “The Lord has need of it” Need- Requirement- Demand
• When Jesus said that needed something- it wasn’t a need it was a demand
• So this Palm Sunday, I’m not going to be found in the crowd next week crucifying Jesus
• I want to be obedient to what Jesus is asking me to do- If the Lord has need of it- I’m IN
• I’m done arguing with the people who are always asking Why are you doing this?
• Because the answer is always the same- “The Lord has need of it”
• When Christ tells me to do something- I’m going to do it- and when people ask me why? Because the Lord has need of it.
• Why do I tithe? Serve? Forgive? Read my Bible? Disciple People? Worship? Defend the Word of God? Share my faith? Because the Lord has need of it.
• Folks- There is a division in Christianity between believers and unbelievers. Goats and sheep. Evil and good. Hot and Cold. Heaven and Hell.
• We’re supposed to love people. We’re supposed to serve people. We’re supposed to forgive people and we’re supposed to reconcile with people. And Christians are supposed to KNOW BETTER
• But if someone is a CHRISTIAN- A CHRIST FOLLOWER who refuses to walk according to the scriptures- There isn’t much we can do for them. If THE LORD HAS NEED OF IT- That should satisfy any Christian in an INSTANT- but for SOME its just not enough-
• I’m so tired of arguing with self righteous do nothing but stir the pot Christians
• And if the answer to the insolent of The Lord has need of It isn’t enough? I GOT NOTHING ELSE
• 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
• 1 cor 5:9-11 There are many times the Bible says to not associate with people- and it’s the people who call themselves Christians and refuse to act like it.
• 1 tim 6:3-5
The People I’m no longer going to answer- I encourage you to join me! This is for US
If you’re in Christ- you don’t need to always be on the defensive. You don’t have to fight. FLEE
• Lovers of themselves – There are people that clearly love themselves more than God and his church. The questions they always ask of ‘why does the Lord require it’ is really, ‘how does this affect me’? They are more concerned with their own comfort and desires than God’s desires
• Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
• Lovers of Money Lovers of money are easy to spot. And its not how much- it’s the heart- they lack generosity. They are unwilling to release their money out of fear and mammom worship.
• These people wouldn’t even give up their colt to let Jesus ride on it without getting money
• 1 Timothy 6: 9-10 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
• Boasters A boaster is more concerned with what you think about them than God- Their boasting is an attempt to flatter you to think highly of them. Usually to mask deep sin
• James 4:16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
• Proud Pride is good, being proud is not. Unbiblical pride is arrogance. Its “I’m awesomer than you”
• James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
• Blasphemers Blasphemers don’t care what Jesus wants, because they speak against what he does. They don’t think everyone deserves forgiveness, grace, love and mercy.
• Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
• Disobedient to parents kids in this room- if youre disobedient to your parents youre in SIN
• Romans 1:30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
• Unthankful Some people live life unaware of others contributions to their life, God incl.
• They can’t thank anyone because the world exists to serve them.
• Romans 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
• Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
• Unholy They don’t even desire to honor God- faced with a moral dilemma they divert back to the ways of the world. THE LORD HAS NEED OF IT. Just do what the word says!
• 1 peter 1:14-16 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.
• Unloving Read 1 Cor 13 Love is impatient, envious, boastful, puffed up, rude, self seeking, easily provoked, evil thoughts, loves sin, hates truth, cant handle anything, questions everything, hopeless, and temporary
• 1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
• Unforgiving Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
• Know this- the people who wont forgive others eventually wont forgive you! Its their nature!
• Slanderers 1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
• The word for this is actually connected with Satan- being a false accuser of a person
• Without Self Control those without self control always require complete control from you
• Proverbs 25:28 Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls.
• Galatians 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
• Brutal the bible calls it savagery Fierce –some people are just plain mean. I’m not answering them! You’re saved! Quit being so darned mean to people!
• Philippians 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
• Despisers of Good There are people that still love to see others fail and get theirs.
• Titus 1:8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled,
• Traitors- who is a traitor? Someone who is disloyal. Unreliable. Disloyal to God and his word
• Headstrong- willful, rash, violent. Unwilling to have unity they control everything- unwilling to budge
• Philippians 2:2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
• Haughty- a Haughty person is quick to turn on you and quick to attack you. You’re uncomfortable to even speak to them.
• Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Lovers of Pleasure rather than lovers of God- Flee from anything inconvenient or uncomfortable
• Prov21:17 He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
• Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
• Having a form of Godliness but denying its power – Good at faking it- Fall in line with the people
• 1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—
• 1 cor 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
• Flee immorality and embrace Jesus- be forgiven of all sin and rest in his goodness!
• Don’t live in the list! Be willing to give up your donkey! Don’t attack the things of God
• Give your life to JESUS