Dwelling Place

Al Pittman: Jesus said in John chapter 8, verse 32, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." I love that phrase "make you free" because here's the reality: we cannot make ourselves free. The truth of God's Word is what makes you free. Amen? We cannot earn our freedom. Amen. Give Him praise and glory.

Guest (Male): Thank you for listening to the Dwelling Place, a radio ministry from Pastor Al Pittman of Al Pittman Ministries. The purpose of this radio program is to encourage you, strengthen your walk with the Lord, and grow. To support this ministry financially or learn more about the ministry, visit us online at alpittmanministries.com. That's alpittmanministries.com. Your donations keep this radio ministry going. Thank you for partnering with us. Now, here is Pastor Al.

Al Pittman: The Bible says God has placed the positive within every believer within the sound of my voice and beyond. Every believer who's come to faith in Christ, God has deposited within you a measure of faith, and God demands a return on His investment. Amen? Without faith, you cannot please the Lord. When we exercise our faith, we produce profit. The Bible calls it fruitfulness to the glory of God.

God wants to know, "What, Lord? Here's the measure, here's the faith You gave me. I just kept it right up here. I stayed in church. I didn't tell anybody about Jesus. I just was a quiet little mouse, a little Christian. I never shared Christ with them. Here's my measure. I just kept it safe." No. God wants a return on the faith that He's placed within us. That return on the faith He's placed within us is the essence of our joy because doing our Father's business, by doing His business, we bear fruit to His glory. Amen? Praise His holy name.

And I've been guilty of it, but don't get caught up in this not passing, that not passing, legislation and this and that. I stand for righteousness, and you're to be salt and light in the earth, but my joy is not based upon those things. It's based upon Christ. It's based upon doing my Father's business, and I pray your joy will be, too.

Jesus came to bring us eternal joy, not based upon worldly experiences but joy based upon Him, the joy of salvation, the joy of being about our Father's business. He also came to bring us peace, the other aspect of the entrance into Jerusalem. He came to bring us peace. Luke 19, verse 38, verse 41, and verse 42 speak about that. The people cried out to Jesus, saying in verse 38, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest."

The peace the Jews were seeking, however, and the reason they were so excited because they thought they were going to be freed immediately from Roman oppression. They wanted peace if we could just get rid of this Roman oppression. In other words, their peace was based on social justice and not the Savior. Now, I believe in social justice and social justice is important, but sometimes people get the cart before the horse.

Our peace should be in Christ. Today, the constant clamor for social justice regarding gender, sexuality, and race has only yielded confusion. Why is that? Why is the world more confused? Because they will not include God in the conversation. You cannot have peace without the Prince of Peace. World War I was fought to end all wars. NATO was created to protect the nations from war. But our military might and our strong economies, no matter how many riches and all of these things we have, have not brought peace to mankind. Why? Because it can only come from the Prince of Peace. Amen.

It can only be achieved through Christ. Now confusion, a lack of peace within the world, to me, is understandable because without God, there will be no true peace. I understand that. But when we find confusion in the house of God, I've got an issue with that, a major issue with that. When we find the church embracing the counsel of the world in order to bring about peace, there's something wrong.

I read recently about a church based in Chicago. You may have heard about this. They announced that for Lent leading up to Easter, to Resurrection Sunday, that they would be fasting. How would they be fasting? By not singing any hymns or songs or following any liturgy written by white people. True story. The church. My friend, I read that and I became angry. I didn't sin, amen. I was very angry that this is such heresy. Heretical, unbiblical, ungodly antics are exercised by a so-called church.

True peace can only come through God, not only peace with God, but peace with man. The angelic host declared to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born, Luke chapter 2, verse 14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." Now, we like to say that, "On earth peace, goodwill toward everyone." We want goodwill toward everybody. But a better translation of that verse is peace upon whom God's favor rests.

How does the favor of God rest upon me but only through the sacrificial atoning work of the cross of Jesus Christ by putting my faith totally in the Lord? I can't earn this peace. I don't deserve this peace, but it's peace that's been granted to me through faith in Jesus Christ. When we are at peace with God, we're at peace with our fellow man. Until we have an encounter with God, peace cannot exist in the world. It will not exist in your home. It must first begin with God.

And how is it acquired? Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 53 where he says, "But he was wounded," that is Jesus was wounded for our transgressions, "he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him." In other words, he paid the price, died for our sins that we might have peace. "And by his stripes," his wounds on the cross, "we are healed." This is a verse that speaks of spiritual healing, being reconciled to God. I know we use it many times for spiritual healing, and God indeed is a healer. But in context, the first rule of biblical interpretation, in context, he's talking here about reconciliation to God. By His stripes, we are healed. Amen.

In Jesus, when my life is right with God, my life can be right with others. In Jesus, the middle wall of segregation, the middle wall of separation, has been utterly destroyed. For the church to engage in division to bring unity is a lie from the pit of hell. Amen. Christ has torn down the middle wall of separation through love, for God is love. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 14 and 15, tells us that He has torn down the middle wall of separation.

So the message of the church is one of peace first with God. Don't get the cart before the horse. If you think peace is in politics, you're going to be sadly mistaken. If it's in legislation, if it's in who's going to be in the White House, that's a lie. That's getting the cart before the horse. Peace first begins with the living God. Amen.

That's where the peace of the church is and the peace for mankind. The deadly fentanyl epidemic that we're witnessing in our nation right now is really nothing but a desperate cry for peace in our nation. People will do crazy things to find peace, take any drug, smoke anything, drink anything, be with anybody in the promise of peace. But there is no peace. The Bible says as they say, "Peace, peace, but there is no peace" without first having peace with God. True peace cannot be found in the temporal.

Watching us here online and here to tell you and everyone here, true peace is only found in the eternal. It's only found in Christ. Understanding this as Jesus is approaching the city on Palm Sunday, coming down the Mount of Olives, the Mount of Olivet, going down into the Kidron Valley and then coming up, and it's just two miles up on the other side. As he's coming up over the rise into entering toward the Eastern Gate, he sees the city. In the midst of all these people shouting and praising God and shouting Hosanna and blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord and cutting down palm branches and taking their cloaks off and laying them on the ground, all this excitement in the midst of this party, Jesus is found weeping.

Because he understood something, that the peace they were looking for was in the temporal and not the eternal. Verses 41 and 42, read along with me. It says, "Now as he drew near, he saw the city and he wept over it, saying, 'If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes.'" They are hidden from your eyes.

I believe the Lord is still weeping today. I think there may be some people watching online or in this congregation today, God is saying, "If you'd only known the things that make for your peace, the peace you've been looking for, the peace you've been longing for. But because you have rejected the visitation of the Lord, because you are resistant to the work of the Holy Spirit, it is hidden from your eyes." My prayer is that God would open your eyes today, that you would see that Christ is really the true source of eternal peace.

Colossians chapter 1, verses 19 and 20, "For it pleased the Father," Paul the Apostle writes, "that in him all the fullness should dwell and by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross." Amen. Peace is available to you. Jesus came to the city offering joy, everlasting joy, offering everlasting peace, and offering thirdly, everlasting truth.

Truth. It was Pilate who said to Jesus at the trial of Christ, "What is truth?" Just like the world, he was looking right at it and couldn't see it. Christ came to bring us truth. There's a war on truth today. Amen. There's a war on truth: truth about gender, truth about marriage, truth about sexuality, truth about race. There's a war on truth. The Bible says in the last days that men, thinking themselves to be so wise, will become fools. And we see a lot of foolishness today.

And I don't care what your politics are, but it is surprising to me that someone sitting on the Supreme Court cannot define what a woman is. I'm just a little taken back by that. Amen. I'm not talking about being for or against, I'm just surprised because when I was a young man running wild with so many homies I had, we could tell you exactly what a woman was. Amen. We knew exactly what a woman was. In fact, we even had a song we wrote about it. "I'm a girl watcher, I'm a girl watcher, watching girls go by." I'll stop right there. Amen.

We knew. But today they don't know because they've become so educated, so much wiser than God, they've become fools. And like the Pharisees, when it comes to truth, the world demands that you keep silent. Keep silent. Some of the Pharisees, verses 39 and 40, called out to Jesus from the crowd and said, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." Why? Because they were speaking truth. They were calling Him the Messiah. They were calling Him the Savior of the world. And Jesus said, "If they don't cry out, these stones will cry out." It's an undeniable truth.

Jesus said in John chapter 8, verse 32, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." I love that phrase "make you free" because here's the reality: we cannot make ourselves free. The truth of God's Word is what makes you free. Amen? We cannot earn our freedom. Amen. Give Him praise and glory.

The Greek word for "make" is *eleutheroō*, and it means set at liberty from the dominion of sin. Set at liberty from the dominion of sin. Truth of God's Word declares you a child of God. The truth of God's Word declares that you have been set free. The truth of God's Word liberates us from, listen to this, mortal liability. Did you catch that? The truth of God's Word liberates you from mortal liability.

In other words, it moves you from being liable under the dominion of sin to freedom in Christ. Amen. I'm no longer under mortal liability, I'm now under liberation through faith in Christ. Amen. You're not under the penalty of sin. Why? Because sin condemns. I'm no longer condemned. The Bible says the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Romans 6:23. And then Paul says in Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus." When? Now. For those who are in Christ Jesus. And then he goes on to say, and Jesus says in John chapter 8, verse 36, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." What does that mean? I'm no longer under moral liability. I'm now in Christ and I've been set free from the condemnation of sin. Amen. Oh, isn't that glorious? Give Him praise and glory. Amen.

This, my friend, is the truth, which could not be contained on that first Palm Sunday. This is the truth, which could not be denied on that first Palm Sunday. This is the truth the Pharisees did not want the crowd shouting about. Amen. And that truth cannot be denied today. Those who put their faith in Christ have been set free, are free indeed. Do you want to be set free today? Christ entered the city on that first Palm Sunday that you may know the truth and that the truth might set you free, make you free in Him.

I love what Paul says. Therefore, because of all of this, in 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 2, he says, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." You can know the truth of God. You can know liberty in Christ today by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. You can be set free, declared liberated by the truth of God. It's not based on how I feel, it's not based on what I've done, it's based upon what God has said. Amen. That is truth.

And lastly, Christ entered the city to bring us joy, to bring us peace, to bring us truth, but also his entrance represented judgment. This is one we don't think about when we think of Palm Sunday. Nobody's thinking about judgment, but his entrance represents judgment. Jesus even pronounced judgment on Jerusalem on that day for their blindness.

We've just read it earlier, but verses 43 and 44, he said that the day would come that their enemies would build an embankment around them and would surround them, close them in on every side, and that their children would be destroyed and the city would be destroyed. Not one stone, Jesus said, would be left upon another. Now, if you go to Israel with us, you'll see evidence that this prophecy Jesus made actually came true.

And many of you Bible students know that Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple by the Roman army in 70 AD. 70 AD. And if you go to Israel and Jesus said, "Not one stone will remain upon another," the Romans went in, burned the temple, and knocked over every stone of the temple. And when you go to Israel around the Temple Mount, you'll see some of those same stones where they landed, still there. A striking prophecy that is indeed come true. And by the way, just a little commercial, we're hoping to go to Israel in 2023. Amen. So get ready for that. All right.

In John chapter 12, however, to speak more about his entrance representing judgment, after his entrance according to John's Gospel, John chapter 12, after his entrance into the city, Jesus knowing that he would soon face the cross in just a few days, he began to pray. Part of his prayer was this to the Father, Father God. He said, "Father, glorify Your name," to which the Father responded to him and said this, according to John chapter 12, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." He was speaking, the Father was speaking about the resurrection. "I have glorified it; I'm going to glorify it again." He was talking about the resurrection. Amen. We'll be celebrating that in another week.

The people around Jesus heard the voice, and some thought it was thunder. Others thought an angel had spoken. And Jesus reminded them that the voice that you've heard, he says, "It is not for my sake but is for your sake" that they might know indeed, he was referring to the fact they may know that he is indeed the Son of God.

Then Jesus said this, and again, speaking about his entrance representing judgment, he said in John chapter 12, verse 31 and 33, he says, "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." This he said, signifying by which death he would die. If I be lifted up on the cross, I will draw all men to myself.

Guest (Male): Learn more about Pastor Al and his ministry by visiting alpittmanministries.com. Also, consider supporting us financially. You can send a check to Al Pittman Ministries at PO Box 50584, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80949, or visit us online. Thank you for your prayers and your support. Your generosity keeps this radio ministry going. Lastly, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us by emailing info@alpittmanministries.com. That's info@alpittmanministries.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Again, thank you for joining us and we'll see you next time on the Dwelling Place. God bless.

Have you been wanting to hear Pastor Al teach live? Well, now's your chance. Join Pastor Al at Legacy of Faith Church in Denver, Colorado, on Palm Sunday, March 29th. There Pastor Al will be teaching a dynamic Palm Sunday message that you don't want to miss. Doors open at 9:15 AM. Service begins at 10:30 AM. Head to legacyoffaithchurch.com to get directions or get more information. That's legacyoffaithchurch.com. We'll see you there.