Journey to Jerusalem Luke 19:28-40

Corporate Worship, Announcements, and Palm Sunday Preparation

To Faith Bible Church. Good to see you here this morning. The sun is shining and the spring is sprung and it's time to get out there in the yard, and we are. So, thank the Lord for all the rain, though, as well.

We needed it, and God always provides, you know, in His time, in His way. So, we never have to fear or to want, always to be content in resting in Him. So, God is good. This morning, for announcements, a few things here, a prayer meeting tonight.

The biblical counseling is going to continue April 8th, and if you haven't come before, feel free to drop in and just step in at any point in time that pastor is providing that, is presenting that. Always welcome.

Next Sunday is Resurrection Day, praise God. We're going to have a little fellowship in the morning at 10 o 'clock. So, the church is providing all that, so just bring yourselves to that. You don't need to bring anything, any food or anything.

Just bring yourself and words to encourage one another and to give praise to God. So, that is next Sunday before the morning service. Ladies, Bible study is on the third Saturday of the month, April 18th.

I did want to mention the men's breakfast. Indefinitely, going forward, we're going to have men's breakfast every other month. So, that will be the men's gathering, men's Bible study. So, it's every other month on a Saturday morning.

So, it'll be announced when those times occur. Okay? And I think that's it, mostly for announcements. I just had a couple thoughts that as we gather as believers to church, it's an active participation.

It's something that we do. It's not like going to the movie theater and you come in and you wait to be moved. You wait to be shocked or awed or scared or moved. When you come to fellowship and you come to worship God, it's an active involvement.

You anticipate, you prepare, you remember. There's things that you do in your own mind to make yourself ready to be able to minister to one another and to be ministered to through the Word. So, I just, I think sometimes we come and we just, we're waiting for something to happen to us, but it's more of us engaging with one another and engaging with God to be a participant in that fellowship as we do when we go to glory one day.

We're going to be worshiping, actively worshiping the God of the universe. We're not going to be sitting there waiting to be fed. We are going to be extending ourselves to God. So, just a little reminder as we do come together.

Resurrection Hope, Palm Sunday, and Prayer for the Service

And I wanted to read 1 Peter 1, verses 3 and 4, it says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith of salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

And it's a great reminder as we are being preparing for to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ next Sunday. This is Palm Sunday today. And so, let's just be mindful of that as we worship together.

And if you just join with me in prayer this morning. Lord God, we do commit to you, Father, this service. Everything about it, Lord, we know is because of you. It is a gift from you, Father, that you have given the abilities to these musicians and to this congregation, Lord, the choir, to be a part of this service.

God, we thank you that you are patient with us, that you watch over us, that you guide and shepherd us every day, that through your Son, Jesus Christ, we might have hope of eternal life with you, Father.

So, God, challenge us this day, Father, as we hear your word open. Scripture is read to us, as the words are preached, as the songs are sung, that we would think about the songs and think about the words and think about our own lives, Father, how we might better serve you and be true worshipers of you, Father.

And God, we pray for those that maybe don't know you, Lord, that they might come to saving faith in Jesus this very day, that this could be the best day of their lives, Father. So, God, we commit them to you.

We commit our time to you, Father. We pray for Victor in preparing his heart and his body, Lord, for this coming Tuesday. Lord, we ask that you would watch over him and be a guide to him, that you would heal his body, that the procedure would go well, and that it would accomplish its purpose, Father.

So, God, be with him, be with Barb, and Lord, we thank you that we can be together to encourage one another, Lord. So, Father, this day, may you be glorified in all that we do as we anticipate communion after the service, following the service this morning, Father, that we prepare our hearts and that we would look forward to celebrating next Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, Father, when we can celebrate the resurrection of your Son.

So, God, bless this time, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Zechariah’s Prophecy of the Coming King

Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are thy ways, thou King of the saints. And let's stand and sing to our Heavenly Father.

I'm going to be reading from the New King James, and I'm going to be reading Zechariah 9, 9 through 10. Again, that's Zechariah 9, 9 through 10. 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. Occult the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle bow shall be cut off.

He shall speak peace to the nations. His dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. Thanks, Lord,.

For his word. Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is God. And let's stand and sing to him.

Prayer for the Tennessee School Shooting Victims

I begin to read scripture. I would like to mention the tragedy that happened over this week when there was a shooting at a Christian school in Tennessee and six lives were lost. And I would like to pray for them specifically today and their family members and even the family members of the shooter, too.

It's a dark, dark tragedy. And we I thank God that we worship a God who is in control and who is who is the judge, that he will make everything right. And that's the only comfort we can have outside that we have no comfort.

We can hope in God who will make all things right. And we can thank God that those people who who lost their lives were most likely Christians because it was a Christian school. So hopefully they knew the Lord.

And that's actually a blessing for them because they're with Jesus. They're comforted by Jesus. But what's really hard are those who are mourning here, the parents, the classmates, the teachers and the children of the staff and administrators who lost their lives trying to protect the children.

So we'll pray for them right now before we read from Luke 19 and then we'll start. Father, we come before you in sorrow because of the tragic shooting that happened over this week. Father, we pray for all the family members who have lost their children, who have lost their moms, dads.

Father, we pray that you would comfort these people and that they would seek you. They would depend on you during this time and that you would draw them closer to you even more so than ever because they need you.

They need the God of all comfort. And Father, we even pray for the parents of the shooter. Father, we pray that you would comfort them. And if they're, I don't know of their spiritual state, but Father, we pray that you would save them.

And Father, we also pray that you would prevent them from blaming themselves even that they would not carry on that burden. Father, please help us to seek peace, find peace in Christ because Christ is the Prince of Peace and that there would not be any vengeance rising up from this because we surrender all to you.

We pray that Jesus would heal all the wounds that have been made by the sinful choices of sinners. Father, please look after the school as they're learning to grieve and process this. Help the children to trust you even more as they have been shaken and traumatized.

Please heal them in Jesus name. Amen. All right. Please turn with me to Luke chapter 19 verses 28 through 40. Luke chapter 19 verses 28 through 40. When he had said this, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olivet, that he sent two of his disciples saying, go into the village opposite you, where as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever sat.

Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, why are you loosing it? Thus you shall say to him, because the Lord has need of it. So those who were sent went their way and found it just as he had said to them.

But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, why are you loosing the colt? And they said, the Lord has need of it. Then they brought to Jesus, they brought him to Jesus and they threw their own clothes on the colt and they set Jesus on him.

And as he went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then as he was now drawing near to descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest.

And some of the Pharisees called to him from the crowd, teacher, rebuke, rebuke your disciples. But he answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.

This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Father, we thank you that we get to see, we get to see the glimpse of Christ, the king entering the city of his people. And father, we pray that we would still wait for the coming of the king for his people, because that is a day of rejoicing and praise.

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Was Divinely Planned

Father, help us all to acknowledge that Jesus is more than just a teacher, but king. Father, help us to surrender to him, submit to him in all regards, in Jesus name, amen. So when, whenever, whenever the U .S. president visits another country, even another city outside of Washington D .C., every detail is planned.

In fact, they fly his Cadillac limo, which weighs a lot. And mind you, because it's basically a tank, it goes about 15 miles per gallon. And it is specifically designed to have its own air supply in case of biological or chemical terrorism.

And the secret service agents are stationed at strategic locations to stop any possible assassination attempts. And needless to say, every part of the visit, every part of the entrance to that new city is carefully planned.

And today we have even a greater leader visiting his people. And every part also of this visit is not only carefully planned, but divinely designed. It's beyond natural how all things came to be. Now this passage covers Jesus' journey toward Jerusalem.

Throughout this section, Jesus is moving. Jesus is going. Jesus is drawing near. And as the verbs of action, of movement continue, the drama intensifies. And this text is the rising action to the climax, which is the crucifixion.

And in a week, the shouts of joy that we see in this text will turn into sighs of disappointment. In a week, the crowd will sing a different tune. Luke, however, builds up to this climax of Jesus' ministry by slowly showing Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.

And this is important because nothing about the crucifixion was an accident. Even the entry into the city was thoughtfully and meticulously planned. And this Sunday, we look forward to not only next Sunday, the resurrection Sunday, but also next Friday, the crucifixion.

Because the crucifixion was no accident. The crucifixion was not plan B. It was plan A. And although we don't have anything officially planned for Good Friday, I encourage all of you to read The Passion Narrative, Luke 23, Matthew 26, Mark 15, or even John 19.

On that evening, on your own, or even with your family, if they're willing. And if you would like, you may even come over to my house to read it together that evening. Just let me know beforehand. It's a special night.

The Good Friday is a special night to remember what Jesus went through for our sin. The main point of this text today is what is the proper response to the coming of King Jesus? What is the proper response to the coming of King Jesus?

First, every detail of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem for crucifixion was divinely designed. Every detail of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem for crucifixion was divinely designed. Now, after the parable about the kingdom of God, Jesus draws near to Jerusalem.

Verses 28 through 29 set the geographic background. When he had said this, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass when he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olivet.

Now, ever since Luke 9 .51, when he set his face to Jerusalem, the journey toward Jerusalem had been ongoing. In one sense, the gospel of Luke at the turning point, 9 .51, less than halfway into the gospel, it faces the cross.

The cross is the goal. The cross is the finish line. And that's where Jesus is headed. Jerusalem is the destination for Jesus. Jerusalem is the goal. And as we will find out, Jerusalem is the site of execution.

And note that Jesus was not dragged to be crucified. Jesus did not accidentally end up in Jerusalem as if he had other plans to be in that city. He chose this path voluntarily. Jesus came to die for your sin.

And the gospel author, Luke, narrates that. The center of the gospel, according to Luke, is Jerusalem. It's headed there. That's where it's pointing. Now, Luke mentioned some significant regions here.

And it is important to note that Jerusalem is at a higher elevation than the surrounding towns. As we see that Jesus came down, he went down. Now, he draws near Bethphage and Bethany. And these are the towns on the eastern side of Jerusalem, on the east of Jerusalem.

And the Mount of Olives, or the Mount Olivet, is the middle mountain of the mountain range that is on the east side of Jerusalem. And it faces Jerusalem head on. So, from the top of the mountain, you can see the city.

You can see Jerusalem. Now, this mountain specifically has an eschatological importance here because Zechariah 14, 4 through 5, tell us in the latter days, the end days, the Messiah will appear on the Mount of Olives to fight against his enemies, to restore Israel once and for all.

So, the Mount of Olives, Luke mentions here, not just because of the geographic truth, the fact behind it, but rather there is an eschatological overtone. There is something being fulfilled here. This time, however, the Messiah comes down from the mountain in peace.

Now, the divine orchestration does not stop at the destination, but it expands to the method of transport. Verses 30 to 31 show Jesus' instruction to the two disciples whom he sends. And we don't know who they are.

Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one has ever sat, lucid, and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, why are you losing it? Thus you shall say to him, because the Lord has need of it.

From this specific instruction, Jesus has the control and knowledge of not only the location of the colt, but the state of the colt and how to procure the colt. Right? Jesus knows that the colt would be tied.

And not only that, this colt has never been ridden. It's freshly prepared. It's set apart for this purpose. And even if there is, even if there's someone challenging, why are you untying that? That's mine.

Jesus has prepared a way for it to be procured. There's nothing stopping the colt from carrying Jesus to Jerusalem. In another sense, there is nothing stopping Jesus from reaching Jerusalem in his own way.

Right? Jesus marches toward his death on the cross with a set purpose and design. Even the method of transport has been planned to a T. Here, we have to note that Jesus did not passively lose his life.

He gave his life as a ransom for many. It was by no accident. He desired to do this. He desired to die for your sin. He planned to do it. It was on his mind all along. And just as Jesus instructed the disciples procure the colt for him, right?

Verse 32 confirms Jesus for knowledge and authority of his own journey. So those who were sent went their way and found it just as he had said to them. And as Jesus predicted in verse 31, the owners of the colt stopped the disciples to ask, why are you losing the colt?

And following Jesus' instruction, the disciples answer, according to Jesus' word, the Lord has need of it. The Lord has need of him. And verse 35 shows that Jesus' instruction was fully sufficient and fulfilled.

There was no obstacle that Jesus could not see. Everything went according to the plan. Then they brought him to Jesus and they threw their own clothes on the colt and they set Jesus on him. Instead of a saddle, they use their own outer garments to put it on top of the colt so that Jesus may sit on the colt comfortably.

Throughout this whole journey to Jerusalem, there is no part in which Jesus has no control. He has sovereignly planned each detail to enter the city to be crucified. This is important for two reasons.

One, in the liberal Christianity, a lot of liberal theologians try to attack this idea of the substitutionary atonement or penal substitution. That's just a fancy way of saying Jesus died for my sin on the cross.

As in the purpose of Jesus dying on the cross was so that he would take my place because of the sins I've committed so that the punishment would be on Jesus and I would not be punished anymore, rather be forgiven and adopted into Jesus' family.

That's the core of the gospel. However, the liberal theologians have found a way to twist this to say that now if Jesus died and was punished by God the Father, for your sin, then isn't that just a cosmic child abuse?

And they've actually used this phrase, cosmic child abuse. So because of that, God of love can't do that. So the penal substitution is not a real doctrine. It's not a biblical doctrine. However, this text goes against that notion.

In the text, Jesus was not a child, first of all. Jesus was a fully grown man, and Jesus was not dragged there by God the Father. Son, you must do it or people's sin will not be forgiven. No, he chose to go.

Not only he chose to go, he planned every part of it. Jesus was fully in control of his own death. Jesus wasn't passively killed. He gave his own life to redeem his people. That's the difference. This is not a child abuse because a child who is abused has no choice.

This was a deliberate act of redemption by the working of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, a Trinitarian work to redeem sinners. Jesus made a deliberate choice, a free will choice to save you. He entered the crucifixion on purpose by design to die for your sin.

This was no plan B. This was plan A all along. Second, many unbelievers claim that Christianity rewrote history after Jesus was crucified. They falsely claim that the followers conjured up this story, that this religion, after losing their main leader, Jesus.

However, that is far from the truth. If Jesus wanted to avoid the crucifixion, he did not have to go to Jerusalem in the first place. Today's text shows that Jesus willingly chose to go to Jerusalem and he prepared every part of it.

Every little detail that leads to his atoning death on the cross has been arranged by no other than Jesus himself. Jesus' death on the cross was not an accident. It was not an oopsie by God. Jesus' death on the cross was the destination that he may die the death that we deserved in order to restore his people.

And this perspective changes how we view the cross. The cross, the most humiliating form of execution on the Roman Empire, in which even the Roman citizens were not ever executed there. It was not a cosmic failure.

But rather, the cross was a clear victory. Herod did not know it. Pilate couldn't see it. The Jewish leaders could not perceive it. But from the beginning, Jesus has ordained his own death in order to conquer sin and free his people from sin's bondage once and for all.

Unbelievers may see this as a tragic misstep, but for believers, this is a triumphal entry. It's a triumphal entry for the champion to defeat the biggest enemy of all. It's all about seeing what God has planned all along.

And just as his first coming was meticulously planned, his second coming is just as divinely ordained. Although it seems like the wicked are strong and Satan is overworking, Jesus will come at the proper time and according to his promised scripture.

And every part of what scripture says regarding how Jesus will come, right first for his own people and then to judge the world, we wait for that fulfillment. And we can wait confidently for that fulfillment because Jesus' words were met 100 with 100 accuracy.

Just as there was a cult never written, tied up, and could be procured by the phrase, the Lord has need of it. Jesus' second coming is just as definite and set. And for Christians, all we have to do is wait.

He is coming. He is coming for you. He has not forgotten about you. He is fully in control. Second, how do we respond to the king? Although the leaders of Israel failed to recognize the messianic king's redemptive entrance, his followers rejoice and praise him.

Although the leaders of Israel failed to recognize the messianic king's redemptive entrance, his followers rejoice and praise him. From the spreading of the outer garments on the cult, the disciples start to spread the outer garments on the road.

And as he went, many spread their clothes on the road. This precise action of spreading clothes on the road has a royal significance. In second Kings 9 .13, after the Lord chooses Jehu to be king of Israel to overthrow Ahab, the wicked king, the royal servants, upon hearing this message, they take off their outer garments and place them along Jehu's walkway.

Second Kings 9 .13, then in haste, every man of them, every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, Jehu is king. Jesus' followers who spread their clothes on the road knew that Jesus to be their messianic king.

They provided Jesus with the regal red carpet entry into the city. Now, how did they know? Jesus didn't say it. Although the other gospels directly quote Zechariah 9, which Brendan read this morning, Luke only alludes to it.

In Zechariah 9, it prophesies the messianic king arriving, riding on a colt in peace, right? It's not a war horse. When he enters, it's not a war horse. It will be a war horse the second time. But this time it's a colt.

He comes in peace. And then the daughters of Jerusalem, they will rejoice. They will shout praises. And these Jewish followers knew the context when they saw it. They knew this Jesus was the messianic king to come.

Now, how did they respond to their king? First, they rejoiced and praised Jesus for his mighty works. Then as he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen.

Now, all the miracles that Jesus performed are the mighty works that they had seen. There was evidence for it. There were witnesses, right? Unlike a lot of televangelists who talk about, oh yeah, that one time the guy in the wheelchair, he started walking or grew a limb, healed of cancer.

Jesus actually walked the walk. These people, the precise reason for rejoicing was because they've seen the blinds, the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and they heard the gospel preached. They saw the mighty works of Jesus.

Second, as mentioned before, the Mount of Olives has an eschatological significance. That's where the promised Messiah was to come to judge. Third, in the whole New Testament, this word for praise is used eight times and all of them refer to God.

The object of praise is always God. And Luke uses this word six times. All of them, the object of praise is God. Even here. In fact, he used this word back in Luke two when the shepherds and angels praised God for the birth of the Davidic King, Jesus.

And here again, the common folks recognize the regal significance of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. This was no random entry into Jerusalem. People went into Jerusalem, people enter Jerusalem all the time, probably on colts.

Why not? But this specific incident, this event was the fulfillment of the promised Messiah. And verse 38 shows us the glimpse of the praise. What did they shout? Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest. The first line, actually, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord is an allusion from Psalm 118 verse 26. In Psalm 118 verse 26 does not mention blessed is the King, but blessed is the one.

But in this context, the crowd knows that this is the King. So they input there, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. And the original context of Psalm 118 is that there's a King who's leading his entourage into the temple of God and they're rejoicing, they're praising him.

That's the scene. And remember when it says the name of the Lord, the name of the Lord is not just the name itself as if the name has a magical property, but rather the name is everything that represents who the Lord is.

The name was more than just the identity marker. The name is who God is. So when Jesus enters and the crowd is shouting, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. This is the King who comes in the Lord's authority.

This is the King who represents the Lord. This is the King who comes and reflects the Lord's character. He's just, he's compassionate, he's come to restore. He is God. He represents God. That's the significance.

Jesus is the ultimate Davidic King who enters God's city. Jesus is explicitly the King here. With this illusion from Psalm 118 and the illusion from Zechariah 9, the eschatological illusion, we undeniably see Jesus as the messianic King entering Jerusalem to fulfill God's redemptive purpose of delivering his people from sin.

And the crowd knew that, but not to the detail of crucifixion. They knew something big was about to happen with this King, by this King. They just weren't expecting the cross. Now, peace in heaven and glory in the highest is the similar praise that we have heard by the angels when they announced the birth of Christ to the shepherds in Luke 2.

Peace here, when we see the peace in the New Testament, it's a weighty term. We think of peace as just the absence of conflicts, just the absence of violence. You had a peaceful week means your boss didn't bother you.

You had a peaceful week means your spouse didn't argue with you. Your kids behaved. Peace here is the reality of restoration and reconciliation. It is this complete wholeness. It's the complete goodness.

Whatever you think of that is good. It's intensified. That's restored. The coming of Christ, whether as an infant or an adult, signifies the long-awaited reconciliation between God and the world. That peace which was lost due to Adam and Eve's sin choice to rebel against God, that paradise, that peace, the peace they had with God, they had relationship they had with God, which sin caused them to be separated forever.

That peace was to be restored by this king. So, this praise is actually more than just a Christianese phrasing, right? This is more than what we just say to each other, yes, peace be with you. They meant it.

They were looking forward to it. They were waiting to see it unfold. And when the messianic king Jesus comes, he accomplishes peace and establishes God's reign once again. What the crowd didn't know was that it would cost his life.

Now, unfortunately, the response to Jesus' regal entry was not received well by all. You would think that you get all the check marks. Well, Zechariah 9 seems to be fulfilled. Mount of Olives, the Mount of Olives, that's fulfilled.

A cult. And he's done so many signs. He's no ordinary man. And he claims to be someone bigger than just another prophet. Well, he must be the messianic king. You would think these people, all of them who have seen this would fall down and worship.

Not so. And some of the Pharisees called to him from the crowd, teacher, rebuke your disciples. Now, some of the religious elites do not find it appropriate by the crowd's response to Jesus. They're offended because they do not still yet see Jesus as the promised Messiah, despite all the signs.

And if anyone were to know the promised fulfillment of the Old Testament would be the Pharisees. They're the ones who are steeped in scripture. They're the ones who awaited the Davidic king, the full restoration of Israel.

However, they're offended because they don't think Jesus is the Messiah. Hence, what the crowd is doing is highly inappropriate. They only see Jesus as a normal teacher. He's clever. He wins arguments.

All right. He has great parables. And he's, he, he seems to know God's word really well, but he's just a teacher. You don't deserve this entry. In fact, this is the real life application of the parable of the Minas, which just came before, right?

In Luke 19, 14, in the parable, the king's people reject the king. They don't want him. They don't want him to be king over them. And in the same way, the religious elites do not want Jesus to be king over them.

No matter how many signs point to the fact that he is and to their rejection, Jesus responds with a gut punch of irony. I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out. If these praises stop, then an inanimate object will praise instead.

Translation, even these lifeless rocks know the giver of life when they see him. Yet the living religious elites of Israel cannot recognize their king when they see the scripture fulfilled right before their eyes.

These illiterate stones will, in fact, rejoice at the king who came to restore Israel more than the Pharisees who are steeped in scripture and have been waiting for the full restoration of Israel by fasting twice a week.

That's the irony here. If you weren't praying and fasting and waiting for this, what were you actually waiting for? Even the rocks will cry out. The creation will know. The creation knows when the creator's here.

How come you can't know? How come you don't know? How come you refuse to acknowledge? And in the same way this morning, how we respond to this king is of the utmost importance. There is no third way of viewing Jesus.

It's either Jesus is the messianic king who came to save the world from sin, or he's just like anyone and does not deserve this regal entry. It's as simple as that. Jesus didn't give that option. There is no third option, right?

Jesus is either the promised king who came to redeem Israel, or he's a fraud. In our pluralistic society, pluralistic just means that there's just so many options. And if you claim that your option is more correct than any other options, then you're a bigot, right?

That's the pluralistic mindset. How dare you say that you believe in the only true one true God? Are you saying all these people in other countries, other cultures, they've been wrong all along, right?

I think Don Carson cleverly says the only heresy in the pluralistic society is that there are heresies. What this means is in our society, you get to pick and choose however many deities you worship at a time, right?

It's like a plate at a buffet. There is no full pie. You can pick whatever dish you want and just cram it in there. Oh yes, I want sushi and creme brulee. No judgment. It's my plate, right? You get to pick, you get to choose, and you get to pick as many deities as you want.

And this is a huge problem when you read the Bible. If Jesus truly is the King from God that the crowd recognized and the disciples praised, Jesus cannot be one of many. In fact, he cannot even be the best of many.

If King Jesus is the messianic King from God, then as God only prophesied and told us there would be one messianic King to deliver the world, Jesus has to be the one and only. It is impossible to be a Christian Buddhist, right?

It is inappropriate to be a Muslim who respects Christ as a prophet because he's more than just a prophet. And it's inappropriate to be a Christian who identifies with any specific sin because a Christian's identity is found only in Christ.

And this King doesn't rule over the realm of darkness. He overcomes that realm. And to have your foot in the realm of darkness and sin, and still trying to live in allegiance to be loyal to this King Jesus is illogical and inconsistent.

That's why we don't believe in gay Christians or trans Christians. If you're a Christian, you don't live that way. If you're a Christian, you can be restored from that. There is a way out because God has provided a redeemer from all sins, not just some.

And this morning, we only have two options. Is he the promised King from God to save the world? Or is he just like any other person? Probably worse than because he's claiming to be something he's not.

If he's truly not the King, then he has no business claiming to be King. And this decision is the most important decision that anyone can make in their lifetime. What is your allegiance? What is your relation to Jesus?