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Pastor Josh explores links between today's passage and other passages in Revelation and the Old Testament, showing really cool parallels between the garden tomb of Jesus and the Holy of Holies. When He reappears to the apostles, Jesus connects His breath to the Holy Spirit: like the Father's act of creation in Genesis, on Pentecost the Church is being born as a new creation from the Son's own breath.

If you want peace with God, all you have to do is believe in the One who provides it! Jesus doesn't say "future peace" or "possible peace"... It's peace now, AND forever! His finished work is that powerful. Even now, you have already been justified and accepted into Heaven!

YouTube video: https://youtu.be/TTz-7kzo-b0 The Pharisees were willing to justify thoughts of murdering of Lazarus and Jesus to further the cause they believed was righteous. Let us not fall into the trap of letting the end justify the means. Jesus came to Jerusalem in peace, not as a warrior to enact…

On Palm Sunday, Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem was so well attended because many were welcoming a coming king... but in a political sense. They thought He'd be a military leader who'd fix their earthly problems. This tendency still plagues us today. We have a choice: demand that God do for us what we think He should do, or let Him do it His way. Is it better to have the king we want, or the King we need?

Please see sermon notes below for the summary :-)

In today's passage, we see that the "least" parts of Jesus are more worthy than the best parts of ourselves.

In Revelation, God uses symbols He established throughout Scripture to communicate the necessity of Jesus' atoning death on the cross for our sins. If we reject all that Jesus offered to us, his body (bread) his blood (wine), his payment for our sin by taking the wrath of the Father upon Himself, then we'll have to pay for those things ourselves... our own body will be crushed, our own blood spilled, and we must face the wrath of God. His death on the cross spares us this terrible fate!

We know that God is love... but He's much more than that. In fact, one attribute of God that is mentioned to the third degree is His holiness! He is separate, holy, our Lord and our King... much greater than a friend! God is big, and that's a good thing... we need a big God.

There is no such thing as a modern-day apostle. The blessing described in verse 13 applies to us today. Those who follow the Lamb will be intensely blessed! Our endurance is defined in times of persecution. Choosing to do right and not to partake in impure activities is difficult in our society. To this end, God has sent His Holy Spirit, to teach us and lead us in the right way. Therefore we should read scripture daily with one primary purpose: to know God better!

Now that Jesus has fulfilled the Law of the Old Testament, are we no longer bound by it? After all, we're in! Jesus has saved us for all eternity through His atoning death and resurrection. Pastor Josh describes our relationship to the Law as Christians, and gives practical wisdom in walking the walk, running the race, fighting the good fight, living out the Christian life. We must walk by the Spirit, and He will provide the endurance. What awaits is eternal peace and rest in God's presence!

We must choose whom we will serve: Satan, or the Lord. A true child of God endures; we must press on through all storms. Despite physical sickness, mental illness, worry over a prodigal child, or any difficulty life may bring, we must persevere! If we seek God first, He will provide for our needs. As we persevere, God preserves. Chasing sinful desires, we end up with nothing. Persevering in Christ, we have everything!

The more our country falls into sexual perversion, the more society will turn against the Church and force it to abandon Biblical truth. But there is no scenario in which Christ doesn't end up ruling this nation and this world: in the end, every square inch of the world will belong to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. Our job is to urgently spread the Gospel, and gather as many of the lost as we can for the Kingdom!