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So I am definitely not pastor Steve, but for those that don’t know me. My name is Lisa. I’m one of the elders. And we have the great opportunity about once a year because there’s 6 of us to give passer Steve a break for the week. That’s not the Sunday that he does of sermon. It’s probably all week long every day. So the funny thing is I was going to try to bring in a donkey. But unfortunately, the donkey was about an hour away and for it to come in here for 5 or 10 minutes it really wasn’t worth the trip. So pastor Steve said, why won’t manson the dumb, but that will be up on the stage. And I read the email and I’m like did he call me a jack? And and so then last night I’m right into and I just thought, oh he’s pastor Steve, you know? So I didn’t really think anything of it. And then last night I wrote to him and I said something about do you mind if you play a song at the end we can do communion and he’s like Sure. And I said, I don’t know how it came about, but he’s he said, you know what? I forgot all about you doing it tomorrow. And I am so sorry. I met me, be an A jack, but on the stage, not you. So I’ll be in the act but today So we’re here for palm Sunday I. We typically do communion 1st, but I really felt god really wants to take the time through the next 1520 minutes to can union it is all about confessing our sins and repenting. And anyone here that has confessed that they’re that jesus is their lord is welcome to take communion. You don’t have to be a member of our church. You don’t have to be part of the assembly of god just so that you have accepted jesus. And if you have not accepted jesus, use the next 1520 minutes to do that, you know, you don’t have to You know, we don’t have to close our eyes and raise our hands and do all that about a relationship. It is not a religion. The relationship is between you and jesus. That’s it like. So take the next few minutes to before we do communion. To really think about you know what it means to you to have a relationship with jesus. And You know, because I didn’t give patch or Steve a break. Sorry. Could be had a sermon already for today. You’re stuck with mine. So I think We can see a back there. Oh ok. So palm Sunday is devoted to christians or by christians, really for the last week of jesus, his wife. He did a triumphal mark on the donkey. That’s why I wanted to bring it on again cuz I thought it would be cool problem. So you know, he rode the donkey on and everyone had their palm leaves and then a lot of people put their coats down and their clothes just so he could, you know, That, you know, have a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Some people refer to passion Sunday. It is exactly one week. You know, next Sunday is the day that he resurrected from the grave. So it’s exactly one week. So matthew, i’m doing wrong. Matthew 21133 says the Lord needs them. So when they were coming towards Jerusalem, he said that 2 of his disciples go into the Village at the head a bus. And immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt. So there was a donkey and the colt ah, her baby. And he said on tie them and bring them to me. So a lot of people are like, wow, jesus was going to tell them to steal a donkey. But he said, if anyone says anything to you about it, tell them the board needs them. And immediately those, the owners, well no, no, a lot of people are thinking did jesus go ahead of them and reserve the donkey and colt or did they just now while jesus is lord. So he did not go ahead and reserve the donkey and cold. He, you know, they just knew the Lord needs so. So the disciples went and did just as jesus commanded them and brought the donkey and colt, they laid their clothes upon him. Now the reason why he rode in on the cold is because it’s pure. No one has ever rode the colt and they still put their cloaks over it. So jesus, you know donkeys, their favorite pastime is rolling in the mud and dirt. So they wanted to make sure that jesus had a clean place to sit others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road. others laid their coats down. The multitude 2 went before him and followed him, kept shouting hosanna to the son of david. bless it is he who comes in the name of the Lord jose, jose anna in the highest. And this might be seemed like a very simple you dana thing. But it wasn’t for the donkey and the disciples because they were actually being obedient to God. So even though we are lake, you know, anti really studied this this week. I didn’t really think that it was a huge deal by if the disciples didn’t listen to jesus, there wouldn’t have been a triumphant entry in the jerusalem. The word jose and I mean save us. So and honestly I always thought it was hosanna, like praise. You praise you until I did this study again. It actually mean save us so they were crying out to jesus to save them. So a lot of people assume hosanna means praise, but it means saved now and I believe god wants to share a couple of different things today. So let me go back. Ok. So jesus came to redeem mankind. But I also believe he came to give us a better life. So not only did jesus come and save us from our sins, but he really wanted us to have a but abundant life. On john in John 1010, it says I have come. So they, they may have wave and they may have it more abundantly. So jesus doesn’t really care about the material, things in our life. He doesn’t really care about the pleasure the world thinks about material. Things thinks about what’s fun to do. Jesus really came. So we can have abundant life, which means that the foolish and all the things do not give you one abundant life. The abundant life is jesus and you. So some of us here today, most of us probably have not had that abundant life because we’re not talking about material things and how rich we are, how much money we have. It’s really about the experience between you and jesus. And I really study in this this week, really convicted me that you know, I don’t have that abundant life that god really wants us to have we, you are not saved, but you Wait. You may be, you may have allowed discouragement to overshadow what’s important to you, or you aren’t following jesus yet. So some of us may feel that our past hinders or something that we’ve done. You know, jesus came to forgive all of that. He doesn’t remember what we’ve done, so take this time to repent. If he can forget about it as far as the east this from the west, then we should be able to forgive ourselves. The following represents this. This is a circus parade from I think 19 hundreds. So a boy lived far out in the country. He was 12 years old. He hadn’t experienced ever seeing a circus prayed come to town. While he was at school one day. And he saw posters hung up and stuff, and it said the circus is coming to town. The circus is coming to town. So he ran home that day and he said, dad, you know, I, I’ve never seen the circus. You know, I want to see the circus come to town. So his dad said, well, you know, its saturday tomorrow, you still have tours to do. If you get up into your tours, i’ll make sure that you have the money as you can go. So of course, saturday came and he did his tours. He got on a bus close to go see this circus prayed, come into town, and he was at the breakfast table. His dad took out, reach his hand in his pocket, reach. Got him a dollar bill, that’s the most. This kid has ever had all at one time. And He ran to town. He ran to town his feet, didn’t even hit the ground. He just ran to town. And he was so excited he saw the people gathering as you can see, they just gathered around watching these, this circus prayed, come to town. You know the animals were snarling when they went by the B and was jarman. And that he saw shining hor, shining horns. midgets were performing acrobats with flags and ribbons whirling overhead. And he just was amazed at how great this circus prayed was. And finally after everything had passed, there was uh a circus clown with the floppy shoes. The baggy pants brightly painted beef, and as the clown passed the little boy, the little boy was so happy that he had seen the circus prayed come to town, that he gave his dollar to this clown. And he ran home. And he was so happy that he had been able to see the stork as prayed come to town. So all of us here, we might be just watching the circus prayed, you know, and just having that glimpse of what jesus has for us. But he wants us to be there for the circus. He wants that little boy miss they. He just father circus prayed, coming into town. That’s what he thought he was going to see. You know, because they said the circus prayers come into town. So he missed the whole circus. So the reason why I use this analogy from someone was because I really think that life is seeing life abundantly as being the circus. Not just watching the parade. If you need to make some adjustments in your life, why not do it today? Begin to experience the abundant life? Are you living the abundant life or are you living a life of defeat? Because we can be so caught up in complaining and you know, this happened to me, the kid or this happened to me as an adult or, you know, I’m, I don’t have the money to do this or whatever. But it’s not about that. It is about your relationship with jesus And Me see Sorry. So why did jesus use a donkey to ride in on Back in zachariah 99. I’m sorry I keep turning around but Ok. So there are a he did he rode the donkey because it was, it was prophesied back in zachariah 99 is said, rejoice great daughter of zion, shout daughter of jerusalem. behold, your king comes to you. He is writers and having salvation. lowly and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the full of the donkey. So all that was done that it might be fulfilled from that prophet. Jesus walked everywhere that he went. This is the only time recorded of him riding on an animal. And doing so is a deliberate act. So it is obvious that jesus did it, you know, to film fulfill that prophecy. Jesus entered on a donkey, which is a humble animal. Instead of a horse, when kings were going into battle, they would ride a horse faster, more suitable for a soldier going into war humble, which was donkey, meaning meek, considerate, poor, afflicted. So jesus was born in a stable rather than a palace. And he had no where to lay his head. He came not to be served but to serve and give his life for ransom. For so many people. And his appearance on a donkey proclaims his servant ministry rather than a triumphal entry. So the jews, when he went into jerusalem, all those people thought that he was coming to be a conquering king and that he would push against the enemies of rome and let israel live independently. Jesus had other plans. He did not come to do that. He selected a donkey which communicated the exact opposite. He didn’t come riding in on a horse. He came on a donkey. And he did not come to wage ward again. war wage war against rome as the people had hoped that he was, he came to bring peace instead. And the peace was not between the nations. It was peace between the sinful people, us and God. Jesus was not the king that the people wanted and prayer, pier processor can be one of the hardest forces to oppose. It’s not hard to do what the majority is doing, is that it’s kind of easy to just go with the flow of everything. God makes it very clear, the majority rule doesn’t determine what is right or wrong. The exceptions of the people do not swayed jesus. He did not adjust himself to fit the pressing desires of the people. So again, sometimes churches Want to be people pleasers. Instead of following What it, god is leading them to. And I love that about our church because it pastor steve feels that god is calling him to do something different like I bennett churches before, where they do hence they do this. They do this like it’s it’s more religious than a relationship pastor steve hears from god. We all hear from god. If you hear from god, you’re welcomed and encouraged to come upfront and share it with us. We are not a church that we only have to listen. The pastor steve, you know there are elders, there are people here that we ask for your It’s not called vote. It’s like affirmations. Thank you. So it, is it about pastor steve? It isn’t about the suddenly a god it is about what god is trying to share to his people. Because And that’s what I love that jesus did not adjust himself to fit the pressing desires of the people who really had hope that he had come to conquer the romans. It’s very entrusting that throughout jesus is earthly ministry. He was presented with the multitude of opportunities to take shortcuts to his throne, all like the expense of his father, all at the expense of obedience to his father. satan offered him, you know, the whole world, all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for his worship, which that’s kind of weird to me because jesus already on the whole world. But I guess I didn’t understand that part. That was matthew for a through 9 in john’s gospel, we learned that 5000 whom jesus fed wanted to make him king because of what they thought they could gain from him. pilot oper, jesus, and ultimatum to avoid the crucifixion. And once he was on the cross member how the others had said, if you’re the real jesus, prove yourself, prove yourself, get yourself down, you know, save yourself jesus. past all of these trials, imperfect obedience to the father, faith belief, subjecting himself to the father’s will. So jesus riding in on a donkey that this as well. The crowd rejoiced because the they acknowledge jesus as their king. However, they had a different understanding. So they were saying, save us, save us, save us, and they had a different meaning and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know that until this week. So I, this is a great opportunity for me. So I don’t know if every one else knew that, but I did not know that that is what they were thinking. And then when they cried jose on and leaving save us, they were seeking earthly salvation from their enemies. Jesus wrote in on a donkey in part to protest, protest against the jews telling them he would not be the military king that they so desired. Now jesus, if you look at these and I’m not as good as pastor steve doing list, but jesus looks inwardly. He looks at our heart. religion looks outwardly. Jesus, what can you do? Like what can we do? He wants us to do something for him. We’re to spread the word. religion is what can you do? I don’t smoke, i don’t drink nothing that shows on that outwardly side. Anyway, jesus as calm as you are and watch what I can do with your life. So that is the difference. Jesus uses lowly. He used the donkey. He uses lowly people like us. And he changes us, we come as we are, we don’t and a lot of churches, not a lot of churches, a lot of people have said, and I have heard them say, you know, Oh my gosh, he’s out drinkin or he’s smoking or he’s doing this or that and they go to church, they’re hypocrites. Well, I will tell you that it as long as it doesn’t take over your life, a thin is something that takes over your life and poles you away from jesus. I don’t know what your her is with jesus. If I see you out drinking or smoking or something, I know not to call you hypocrite because I and I am judgmental, honestly. I shouldn’t be but a hm. I try not to be, but I don’t know your heart. I’m but jesus is the only one that knows your heart, so it’s not about that outwardly. It. Jesus looks at your heart. Jesus pulled down barriers and religion puts them up. religion is good at keeping people out. And jesus says, come on to me. I will give you rest. I am the way religion says work your way. Jesus says, I have done for you, receive this free gift. The free gift jesus on the cross And religion says you must do. You must do this. You must do that. Jesus says, come as you are, I will clean you up. You know, because the more we get closer to God, the more we want to be like him. So are we a lot like the donkey? We’re supposed to be the hands of Be in the mouth piece of jesus. But do we think that we’re too ordinary for him for him to work through us? God chose on educated on polish fishermen for his disciples. And God chooses imperfect people. So he chooses us If he didn’t use imperfect people, he probably wouldn’t have any one right. Because aren’t we all imperfect? So But we don’t have to stay imperfect. Our love for god and jesus, and our hatred of sin should lead us to want to live a better life. A person who doesn’t aim for perfection, who settles in their own sin, who wallows in it without feeling godly sorrow or repentance actually may forfeit their right to be used by god. So if we’re not growing, if we are just here on Sundays, my mom and I talked about this the other day I use the years and years ago when amber was a baby i taught sunday school. Yes, I heard ask jesus of my heart At Our house by your house flame. I don’t know. It was some production and I had gone up front. I asked jesus to my heart and that was it taught sunday school and put my bible on the counter and when I would come home, my kid never saw me reading my bible. My kids never saw me praying They never saw me worshiping because I didn’t do it. I went to my counter, the next Sunday, dusted off my bible and went to church and taught sunday school. So you can definitely live that way. But god wants us to have the circus. He wants us to have abundant lay if he wants us to have a relationship with him. Not just that. And it was so important to me to do this. Like when pastor steve, when I knew that he had done it, I said, do you feel bad that you want to share something because I am prepared. And because I really, it helped me. You know, I am not just going to open my bible on days. I am not just going to, while that’s only music i listen to that is one thing I do. I don’t know any other music at the K load, but, you know, you know, I don’t pray enough. You know, I don’t read my bible enough and I think that this was for me and I’m hoping that it’s for others to or maybe you guys are much So he does use and perfect people. And the reason is because we have to depend on him then, you know, and he gets the glory. So it’s not us that are saying, you know, I did this, I did this, you know, god had me do this to day. Honestly because I needed that. I needed this, so are christians supposed to be christ followers. Seems like some christians know a lot and can quote a lot of verses. But are they actually following him? So back in the day when amber was a baby looked on the outside like I was doing everything right. I’d come teach bible school, you know, but was I, I was not, you know, I wasn’t really doing anything wrong. You know, as being a mom away or whatever, but I was not, I did not have a relationship with jesus. I was not worshiping. I was not praying. I was not reading my bible so outwardly. Yes, I might not been doing anything wrong. My life was good, but inwardly i didn’t have that circus with him. How does what we say we believe relate to how we are living for jesus. We christians do a whole lot of talking, but we don’t always walk the talk. Well. Some of us do some things and some of us do nothing. sadly, some of us are known for gossiping and be an argumentative and ignorant. Real freedom and security comes from god’s word, not by others, opinions and not by man’s word. scripture as much more reliable than god than man’s opinion. We don’t really need more education to fill our minds. We need resurrection for our disobedient heart. I may just be talking to me today, but I know god wanted me to share this for all of us in our community. Being a disciple of christ is to learn from jesus and how to live our daily lives and to be more christ like it is to become the kind of person who naturally wants what jesus wants. So we no longer love the very things that god hates. And that we hate the very things that god loves the holy spirit transforms our desires to godly desires, from the inside out. So reading the bible every day, that is god’s word. So people say I don’t hear from god, don’t hear from god. Well, you don’t know god’s word. So in order to hear from god, you have to know his word. So that’s how you’re going to learn to hear from god more is reading your bible on learning god’s word. A transformed life is an attractive by if it isn’t an easy life, it is a life of sacrifice giving of ourselves and continuing to die to ourselves. So that our heart and mind transformed holy living. We can’t have the preaching of forgiveness without repentance. So the reason why we do communion and you can do it at home like it doesn’t have to be once a month here at church. You can do it at home. It’s repenting. asking god to forgive you of your sins. Taking his the bread, his body and drinking the blood, you know, drinking the juice his blood. We can’t have baptism without church discipline and we are discipleship. We can’t have communion without confession. God can use each and every one of us. That is why he died for us, so we can live for him. God chooses the foolish things. God chooses the foolish things of the world and through him makes them strong. He uses things and people that are despised and rejected in order to give him all the glory. So I remember a couple years, well, years back, we had pieces of cardboard and I think we should maybe do that someday. Is have pieces, a cardboard with markers. And I don’t know if you were here cat, when we did that, but we wrote down like I used to smoke. So I wrote smoker. And then on the back I wrote, you know, god gave me a bad taste. Like I used to smoke and I prayed, i smashed my cigarettes one day and everyone prayed for me. And I just prayed that god would give me a bad taste in my mouth and I haven’t smoked in 20 years so So and that’s what I told you. I’m like, yes, we’re going to pray. So god. So we should be praying. God, let me be that donkey. Let me carry you. Let me serve you. Most of us are called to do some simple, mundane tasks for jesus may be praying for someone may be visiting people in their homes or the hospitals that are sick, maybe making meals, making sure the church is kept clean or mode. We are not all called to be pastors like pastor steve as evidence today, but we are called to do something and praying for people going to see someone making sure the churches korean volunteering at the church, helping with the sound like that is all for jesus. We are gods workmanship. Imagine if you were magine. If you were to invent a cake mixer, you would want the cake mixer to be what like a deep ball. Big have a mixer on top. So god created, you guys, me for a perfect plan. He knows exactly what we’re supposed to do. It’s up to us to do it. Imagine that the cake mixer was cry and saying, I wish I could make a milk shake. I can top carrots. If it’s okay got the better. I didn’t make the cake mixer to top carrots or make a milk shake. I made it and mix the cake. So imagine god up there, thinkin i created lisa to do this, but she wanted to do this. You know, I wish she would just do this. That’s what I created or to do. So we should not complain about the gifts and talents god has given us, but instead of Be happy and use what he has given us for his glory, we are called to carry jesus into our families, into our workplaces, our neighborhoods. And just like that donkey, we may be the only person to reach a certain place or reach a certain person. What if we are con? So what if jesus wants to heal someone and we feel I don’t know how to pray for people. I really can’t do that. What if we are the only ones that jesus has for us to pray for that person? You know, I mean I know jesus is lord and he can do whatever he was. But what if we are assigned to that? And we just think I can do that. I can, we’d be bold just do it. You know, because I remember years ago, you know, I didn’t want to pray for anyone out loud. You know, I remember we were here before the church was built, we were having hope fest here. You know, we went around to the different places here in town. And I was with pastor cur, like they had us line up the people that were comfortable praying for people stay here. The people that weren’t comfortable the end here. Why was over here? Because I didn’t feel comfortable. So I ended up being with him, a pastor kurt and his son. And we went around praying at these houses and you know, hannah was a tiled and she just prayed, you know, we need to be more like children. And then it was my turn. And I’m like, ah, so I did. But on the way home I felt god telling me we went by the I went by this house. I was by myself when by this house and I felt like god saying, you need to stop and pray for them. Well, I’m like, I don’t have he on with me. I don’t have pastor kurt with me. I don’t have my posse with me. I can’t pray for anyone. And I drove by and then I felt hope convicted. And I’m like, what if he passes me hung up? He’s telling me to do something a little, which at the time I thought was huge. But it’s something little. And if you, if we ignore and don’t do the little things, he’s never going to give us the big things. So I turned around, I had a hope fast thing in my we are praying for the property and praying for hope fast is that inviting people. So I had a flyer still and I thought why can use this as the in so I got out of the car and this lady was in her rock bed. And I remember going over to her and I’m like I said, I’m lisa from New hope. I said I was just one, I wanted to invite you to hope and she’s like, oh I go to what whatever church. And I said, oh, we’re not trying to take people from churches come after your church. Like we just want to. We’re going to be building, we just want to welcome the community and she’s like ok, ok. And she took in and I said, you’re going to think this is really strange. I said, but god really wanted me to stop and pray for you. Do you need prayer for anything? And in that split 2nd, when she said no, I thought but she said no, but he does. And she pointed up to her husband that was up on the porch. And she’s like, come down, come down. And I for her. And I was so nervous and here he had fluid around his heart. And so anyway, I prayed whatever I prayed for him. And then I laughed and I cried on the way home and I thought, god, I’m never going to know till I get to heaven. If that worked, you know, like I want to obey you, but I want to know that at work. So I thought well, and, and I was like, like, wow, I can’t believe I did that by myself. But really, jesus gave me the word. And this was we’ve been here 17 years, so it would have been 1819 years ago. Whatever. And I will tell you, I was working at the hospital. I had a patient with the guys last name. I said to him, do you happen to know so and so, and he’s like, he’s my brother why I’m like when it was like 2 months after you know, and I said I was just kinda wondering how he’s feeling and he’s like, oh good. He had something corditis or whatever, and he’s like that he’s doing really good now and I’m like, oh, and I went out to the das and called past occur. And unlike patrick good, it works. It really works. So I just was like, just just do way. If you’re scared, god doesn’t care. If you say this elaborate prayer because I certainly don’t pray like tammy praise like I to us say whatever like I’m talking to a friend. You know, god does not care what your prayer sound like. It’s not about this. The ent see religious thing. It’s about a relationship with jesus. Ah, and we there is something unique and special about each of us that will help spread the word of jesus and bring others into relationship with him. We are to be preparers of the way So let us prepare the way for the Lord. Oh, okay. So god, I’m almost done so god doesn’t need us any more than he needed that donkey. He owns everything anyway, so he could a road in on a white horse. What one day he will he could have road in on the, when he chose the donkey. And that I believe was his symbol that he wants to use us. We don’t have to be a pastor, steve. We don’t have the be, you know, somebody like tammy, that can pray this elaborate, beautiful prayer. You know, um he wants us to be in a relationship with him and just talk to him like he’s our friend. And he wants to give us rest. He wants to make a triumphal em entry into our community, into our homes, into our churches. He wants our lives and into our lives and into our hearts and minds. He wants to untie us. So we are our own ropes. What is holding us back today? What has you tied up? Can you loosen that right now? There is something unique about each and every one of us that god wants to use for his glory. Do you remember like, as a parent, you’re so happy and excited when your kids take their 1st stop or say their 1st words or make the ball in the basket or graduate high School. We are so excited when that happens. Can you imagine how excited are father and having got when you share your faith with a friend? Or when you volunteer at church? Or when you gave somebody your last $5.00? That shows him that you value him and helping others more than yourself. I don’t know, but my guess is god gets a huge kick out of watching his children depend on him to do what he’s called them to do. You may not feel qualified, but god doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. So he does at all. We just have to take that step. We don’t have the, you know, get there by jumping. We have to take that 1st step And then listen because he may just hear you tearing or we made this hear him during.