POSITIVE WRITTEN SERMON - Palm Sunday
Time Sensitivity: Palm Sunday
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“Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!'” Matthew 21:9
Palm Sunday – The last week of Jesus’ earthly life.
I’m going to pose a question to you. What if you had one week to live? What, if in that short period of time you had so much to say to all of your children, and all of your family, and you had to condense it into one week?
You knew that when you walked up to them, you were going to take this time to spend with twelve members of your family to try to make all the points that you want them to remember because you know that you only have a week left.
You also know that if they do not take the message and if they don’t live the message, it’s all going to be lost. You know that it’s up to them now. It’s not up to you anymore. And you only have seven days left to fulfill your mission.
That was a big burden on Jesus that morning of Palm Sunday. Because He knew what was going to happen.
Palm Sunday is a day where Jesus Christ sent two of His disciples out to get a colt. They brought the colt back to Him. He sat on the colt and rode down the small path four miles into Jerusalem.
It was a day of a triumphant entry; not so much into Jerusalem, but into the hearts and minds of the people; into something they could witness, and then live their lives by.
How can you live your life today on the teachings of Palm Sunday? What kind of a teaching is there in this story about Jesus sitting on a colt riding down the path into Jerusalem that can make a difference in your life?
Allow me to share the story with you from Mark and open up some keys for you about this story. It has some fascinating hidden truth within it.
I’ll begin at Mark 11:1:
“And when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage, and Bethany … “
Town names had important meanings. What does the name Jerusalem mean? It means a habitation of peace.
Have you ever drawn near to a habitation of peace; you were close to a habitation of peace, but you had not gotten into that state of peace yet? It’s so close that you can see it. You’re walking in that direction, but you’re still miles away from that habitation of peace.
They went to Bethphage and Bethany.
First they went to Bethphage. Bethphage means a place where grace is realized. It means a house of unripe figs. But what do figs do? They ripen. What does God do inside of your life the minute you realize God and know without a doubt that God is taking care of everything and that you’re not alone? It might be unripe at first, but it ripens inside of you into a delicious perfect fruit that you can harvest.
Do you remember in your own life those times when you realized God’s Presence? A moment before, you might have been so into a problem that you felt great despair.
Then something happened.
There was an inner revelation inside of you and you knew that you weren’t alone; God was with you and was working with you.
Then, the whole day was different; everything was different. Some people even decide to change their lives after an experience with God that comes in a split second when they realize Grace.
Let me tell you about Bethany. Bethany is a place that means wailing, lamentation, and affliction.
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Haven’t we all lived for a while in the state of hurt?
But, this is a different kind state. It also means that it is the place where you demonstrate OVER this condition. It is that point in your life, that axis turning point, where you make the big demonstration and you’re no longer in the suffering.
Your body may be sick at the moment; you may even be dying. Then you realize that you can demonstrate over that problem. It’s a marvelous revelation when it comes. Or you realize that there is going to be a dramatic change in your finances because you have just made God the partner in your business.
You realize that where you were before, you were like a fish on a string that was just swinging back and forth. Then, you have those ideas of God that have come in, and you have a clear direction of where to go. You’re demonstrating OVER your condition.
Let me tell you some more about Bethany. Jesus Christ had a history in Bethany. A lot had happened in Bethany. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and overcame the sorrow, lamentation and affliction of Mary and Martha.
When Jesus raised Lazarus, He did not say, “Oh, Lazarus, I know you’re dead. I know that you have been dead for three days and I have been told by the greatest doctors in the world what happens when a person is dead for three days. I know that everyone in the world tells me that I can’t bring you back to life.
“I should have come sooner, but I didn’t. Here I am now … and I hope this works.” And then Jesus crossed his fingers and begged, ‘Pleeaasse God.'”
THAT’S NOT THE WAY IT HAPPENED.
With authority and with conviction, overcoming at that axis point of making the demonstration, He called forth the dead thing from the tomb. Then He says that we can do the same thing.
What is it in your life right now that is dead? What do you have in your life that is causing you great harm because it is no longer alive; it’s stagnant; it’s not moving? What can you bring forth out of the tomb in your life with new life? Can you do it? Yes you can, with the power of God’s help.
During the first part of this week, this is the teaching that He’s talking about. He’s talking about the power that you have. He’s not only talking to the twelve disciples. He said He has other sheep that they don’t know about yet.
The message is directly FOR YOU this morning.
Jesus sends out two of His disciples.
Jesus always sent out two of His disciples. Anytime there are two people walking down the same path with their minds working together, there is also a third mind; the mind of the Divine; the Master Mind that comes in and works in our lives to guide and power us.
Remember, where two, or three are TOGETHER – THERE AM I IN THEIR MIDST!
Anytime where you have two people in prayer, (a husband and a wife, friendship, a business partnership), you have a powerful group of two minds in agreement that you bring in a third Mind of God.
Jesus said, “Wherever two are gathered together, I will be there in their midst.”
Can you experience the Presence of Jesus Christ today? Yes, you can! You get with another person and pray, believing without doubt, and you’ll have that experience; you’ll walk that path towards your Jerusalem in a wonderful assurance of a triumphal entry.
The two disciples went into the village. Immediately as they entered it, they found a colt tied which nobody had ever sat on before. They untied it and brought it to Jesus Christ.
Jesus told them about this ahead of time. He said, “You will go and you will find this colt. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you untying my colt?’ Tell them that the Lord has need of it.”
There was something going on. There was another force besides the force of the human. It’s something that ministers pray for every time we come to our wonderful congregations; that my words will enable you to feel something that is beyond my words and my actions–that you will feel the Christ. That can only come inside of you as you make your own journey into your own Jerusalem.
They brought back the colt to Jesus. Then, the Bible says: “They threw their garments on it and He sat upon it. And many spread their garments on the road and others spread leafy branches, (palms*), on the roadway as a sign that they welcomed Him.” *This is where we get the name Palm Sunday.
Today, if I’m a gentleman and there’s a puddle, I could take off my coat and lay the coat over the puddle and allow the lady to walk across. They were doing the same thing to Jesus. They were saying, “Here, we give You great honor because of who you are and what You have taught and what You are manifesting and demonstrating in Your life, and in mine.”
Each person said, “I honor you.”
“They laid those on the roadway and He rode across it. Those who went before and those who followed cried out, ‘Hosanna! Hosanna!'” [which means SAVE NOW].
If you’re in the midst of a problem and it’s hurting you, your cry too would be “save now.” You don’t want to wait until some future time. You want your help now.
The whole message of the Bible and Jesus Christ is that you can have your help NOW. It’s not blocked to you in any way – unless you block it. It can come to you immediately and with great power in this instant.
“They shouted, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming. Hosanna in the highest.” Name means nature. Blessed is Jesus who comes in the nature of the Lord.
For that ride, Jesus Christ chose a colt; a very small donkey. You would have thought that a king making a triumphant entry would have picked the finest white horse. That would be like if we invited the President of the United States to come and instead of having a long stretch black limo, we put him in the back seat of an old used car.
This teaches a few things. First, it doesn’t matter what’s outside of you. What counts is what’s inside of you and, more than that, what you’re demonstrating. You all have it inside of you, but you have to bring it out.
“A bell is not a bell until you ring it.” You’re not following Jesus Christ until you demonstrate it. You don’t have to go through lifetimes of waiting. Now is the moment. Fields are white to the harvest inside of your own mind for demonstrating this.
Now, Jesus did not only ride on a lowly animal, He rode on an animal that had never been sat on before. I tell you, my friends, if I were going to make a demonstration, I would ask for a colt that someone would have ridden on before, and tamed, and trained. You know, a colt that had never been ridden before could easily eject you from its back or turn around and bite you.
More than that, the path was very narrow. All the people around were very excited.
There were also small children there waving palm branches. And here comes Jesus, sitting on this colt that has never been ridden. I would have been very concerned that the colt would have attacked the crowd in fear. But, listen well. Jesus sat on the colt and overpowered the animal nature in that colt.
Jesus was the great teacher. Jesus always did everything deliberately. He did things to teach. What was He trying to say to you by sitting on an unridden colt that he specified and ordered? He was trying to say to you that you have dominion, just like it says in Genesis, over all living things, including your lower self, your animal natures.
You have dominion. What are those small animals inside of you, those habits that have gripped you and will not let you go? You have dominion over them. You have dominion over that sickness that has taken hold of you, or the depression or the problem that is causing you not to be happy in this moment because you are so worried about it.
The human part of you doesn’t have dominion; the Christ in you does. As the Christ mounts and sits on that lower animal nature, it will instantly be tamed. And you can ride it anywhere you want. You have great mastery then, and you can ride it with great authority. You can know without a doubt that you are having mastery and dominion over this lower thought.
Now, I say again, Jesus had very little time. His time was precious. Every action that He took was not only for the benefit of the ‘twelve’ but it was also for you.
Now, I am going to go on to the next days:
“On the following day, [this is Monday morning], when they came from Bethany [which is that place of demonstrating over hurt] He was hungry; [not only hungry for himself, but also hungry for you] that you know the Truth that will set you free.”
“Seeing in the distance, He saw a fig tree in leaf. He went to see if He could find anything on it. When he came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And He said to it: ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.'”
He cursed the fig tree. This is one of the most misunderstood teachings of the whole Bible. Here is a tree that is in leaf and has all the potential to produce that that it can do which is beautiful, luscious figs. But it refuses to do so. And He withers it away.
The teaching doesn’t say that God’s going to wither you if you refuse to live up to your potential. What it’s saying to you is that you have the power through the spiritual spoken word and through your belief to wither any condition in your life that is not up to the Christ standard that is not producing or fruitful in your life.
If it’s not, it’s time to speak to it and say, “Listen. You will never again be able to produce fruit.”
The following day when came past the fig tree, they noticed that it had withered. The Bible says that it withered all the way down to its roots.
If you want to wither some condition or sickness in your body or something that is not up to the Christ standard in your life, you don’t want any life left of it at all to grow again. You want it withered to the roots. Through the power of God and through the power of your spoken word, you have it.
And then, listen to this: Jesus Christ and the Twelve are standing around looking at this withered fig tree, and Jesus comes up with a teaching that you have heard before, but not in this context. He says,
“Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea’ and does not doubt in is heart but believes that what he says will come to pass. And it will be done for him.
“Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone so that your Father who is in heaven may forgive your trespasses.”
Jesus says two things here. Ordinarily in teaching, He puts the forgiveness (which means release) ahead of time.
Jesus is saying in today’s language, release all that stuff; drop it away so that you will not block your good. Then, pray believing like I did in Bethany. A while back when I stood at that tomb, I prayed and I believed. When I sat on that colt, everybody said, “Jesus, be careful. That animal is going to throw you.” But Jesus said, “No, I’m going to sit on this colt and instantly it will be tamed.”
The fig tree is withered to its roots – old problems in your life can wither to their roots also, once you master and ride your lower human self.
He only had a few precious days left to tell you of your power.
Follow Jesus Christ by living His teachings in your life.
Follow Jesus Christ by making the triumphant entry into your own Christ consciousness, which is your own habitation of peace.
God Bless You!
PRAYER / MEDITATION____________________________
You have brought many things with you into this moment; you may have brought problems and challenges.
I ask you to ponder on this Truth of God: GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT. Whatever you need at this very moment, God in Divine infinite love, and wisdom is fulfilling it and taking care of it.
Relax into the Presence of the Divine; you have a reassurance that is like a revelation.
You know that God is taking care of it.
God will take care of you in every circumstance in your life.
As you quietly let go and let God, God is caring for you and watching over you and protecting you.
Rest in the silence of prayer …
God is helping you to release your tensions.
God is dissolving your fears.
New peace and assurance come to you as you simply, trustingly and quietly affirm within yourself:
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT.
Your human mind may question, “How can I have the courage to see this through?”
This is the time to stop the questioning, doubting and wondering.
Instead you positively affirm aloud, quickly, and firmly, in prayer: GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT.
You affirm it in prayer with a sense of finality and completion.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT.
Know that the prayer is already taking effect. You let God’s love, and God’s wisdom take over. You feel an immediate sense of release.
You are able to take a deep breath and relax. You are able to know, as you suddenly realize that you do have the faith, you are able to be at peace. You are realizing now that you are a child of God.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
Rest in the silence of prayer and realize this Truth …
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
You realize that human force and pressure are no longer needed. You gain a new awareness of what it means to let go and let God. You see that you have opened up to a new area of understanding regarding your true relationship with God.
It becomes clear to you that you are a channel and that God is the doer of God’s good works through you. You feel the effectiveness of your prayers. You know that God does the work, not you.
You feel a wonderful release as you know the Truth that GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT.
You relax as you realize that God’s Presence is within you and within the circumstance, resolving it in a perfect time and in perfect order.
God is taking care of any condition or situation; dissolving whatever needs dissolving and resolving whatever needs resolving. God knows. God is there. God loves you.
God cares. God is present and active now. You can be sure of that. Let go and let God take over.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
Doubt not. Fear not.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
Rest in the silence of prayer …
Marvelous blessings are at hand. God can handle all things better than you can even imagine. God is taking care of everything.
In this moment of prayer, you cease all fussing and fretting. You release all anxieties and personal concerns. You let the pure life stream of the idea that GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT go to work in you and through you.
You let God’s essence of wholeness sweep away every fear and wash away every doubt. You let God’s gentle power begin to dominate your thoughts and your feelings until you become a clear channel through which God’s thoughts and God’s love flow through you.
Wherever you are, God is there in the midst of your life, in the midst of the people around you, in the midst of the circumstance, in the midst of everyone and everything.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
God is taking care of everything in your life. God is taking care of everything in your mind. God is taking care of everything in your body.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
You feel relaxed and at peace. A heavy burden is lifted off of your shoulders. The future invokes no feelings of wait or worry. You are free to live unhampered and unbound.
You think more clearly. You respond and react to others more calmly and patiently. You are happier and more effective in all that you say and do.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
You carry this message with you into each experience. You no longer need to fight or to struggle. You are poised. You are centered in a spiritual stronghold with you and within you. You are at peace in this stronghold. You feel the strength and the power of God’s Presence at work within you and within your life.
YOU FEEL THE SECURITY OF GOD’S PROTECTING PRESENCE AND YOU TRUST GOD TO MAKE YOUR WAY SAFE AND SURE. GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT!
In an attitude of mastery and overcoming, and in an attitude of total belief and release of that which is not good for us, we pray in Jesus Christ’s name knowing that these things have come to pass in this moment of prayer.
GOD IS TAKING CARE OF IT.
Thank you, God. In Jesus Christ’s name … Amen.
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