Richard Ellis Talks

Richard Ellis: Today on Richard Ellis Talks. We are fickle. We get clipping along, trusting, and we go, okay, you can clean my house, I repent. And then somebody comes along and says, hey, dude, let's go do this. like, I really shouldn't be doing that but okay, let's go.

What are you doing? You are listening to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. We're so grateful you tuned into the program. Richard wants to share with you some encouragement, words of hope, and probably a laugh or two. And in today's complicated, busy life, that's exactly what's needed. Richard's talks are always straight from the Bible, filled with truth. Now, you may not be able to hang out with us for the entire program, but you can always pick it back up at our website, richardellis.com. In fact, you can find all of Richard's talks right there waiting just for you. richardellis.com. So, with today's talk, here's Richard Ellis.

The title of today's message is Hosanna Hosanna Danna. So, does anybody know what that reference is to? Okay, so I haven't lost anybody. Gilda Radner's long gone, um, but she was Rosanna, Rosanna Danna. I think her famous statement on Saturday Night Live was, it's always something. Is that right? You remember that? Bunch of old people going like this.

Okay, turn to Matthew 21. So, I kind of like to summarize it in this way that Jesus comes, born of a virgin, lives 30 years, prepares for 30 years for three years for three days, and dies on the cross, buried, raised from the dead. And at the very end of that whole process, it gets very tense, very intense, especially the week, his last week before he's crucified. And we'll pick up here in Matthew 21 verse 1.

Now, when they drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, go into the village opposite you and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, the Lord has need of them and immediately he will send them.

I've talked about this a little bit before, but oh, to God that we would be that person. That God's up to something, and someone is sent to you, and you have a resource, you have something going on, and they say, hey, the master sent me. They go, I know exactly what you're talking about. Here's what you need. And I need to pray about this or, you know, just respond.

And this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, saying, tell the daughter of Zion, this is out of Daniel, behold your king is coming to you, lowly and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. So, the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set him on them.

And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road, others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before 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. So, they wanted a political savior, he came to save them from their sins. And then how interesting this gets is that on that Palm Sunday, you have him crying, save us, but by the end of the week, within just a matter of a few days, it goes from save us to crucify him.

Look down at verse 10. And when he had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, who is this? So, the multitudes said, this is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And he said to them, it is written, my house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it into a den of thieves.

Now, let me tell you some of what we're going to try to do with this today. In a week of time, just a few days, Jesus did physically in Jerusalem what in a lot of ways he paralleled tries to do in us individually. He's telling us, I came to save you from your sins. We're like, yeah, yeah, I don't need, I don't need saving from my sins, I just need you to take care of me. I need you to provide for me. I need to tell make my husband, you know, do what he's supposed to do, be better, be nicer to me. I need you to get my wife to change. You need to fix my kids. But don't ask me to repent, don't ask me to change. I don't want you doing what you came to do, I need you to do what I want you to do.

You say, well then what's the parallel here with the temple? We went over this just a few days ago. What is the temple now? It's us. Okay? So, Jesus comes along and says, what's going on in my house? Now, whether you're aware of this or not, with the Holy Spirit, if you're a Christian, you cannot be a Christian without the Holy Spirit of God living in your physical body. If he lives in your physical body, then he desires to sit on the throne of your life and rule and reign in your house.

And so there is this constant tension and even right now as we gather as the church, either right now, he is on the throne of your life and he's calling the shots, you are completely yielded, I'm completely submissive to his will and obedient, or I've locked up on him. And so you say, well then what happens? It's exactly what happens you sitting here throughout the week. Now you're under conviction. Now you start thinking something's not right. Now you start getting disciplined. Now he takes measures to get your attention.

So, if Jesus is going through my house, what is he pointing out? What has he been pointing out in your house? What is he trying to get you to say? Dude, this is, we're flipping tables. This has got to go. This is my house. It's supposed to be a house of prayer and you've turned it into a den of thieves.

Then the blind and the lame came to him in the temple and he healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying Hosanna to the son of David, they were indignant and said to him, do you hear what these are saying? And Jesus said to them, yes, have you never read out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants, you have perfected praise. So, these kids knew who he was, they're just pure worship, crying out Hosanna to the son of David.

Then he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and he lodged there. Now, in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. Sees a fig tree, no fruit on the fig tree, curses the tree, like what in the world's going on, should have been bearing fruit, a picture of Israel, should have been bearing fruit, no fruit, takes the tree out. So, there's some parallels there.

Verse 20. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, how did the fig tree wither away so soon? I mean, when he cursed it, boom, it was gone. So, Jesus answered and said to them, assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

I'm still not really great at this. Do I have enough faith to look at a mountain and say be cast into the sea? I actually don't. You're a pastor. I'm just saying. You got to have some kind of faith. Now you say, well, what if God told you to pray and ask for that mountain to be cast into the sea, and you said it and you knew he would do it. Well, I can do that. You say, well, well, yeah, I could do whatever he then find out what he's telling you to do. And you say, well, it's impossible. Not if he told you to do it.

And then when you pray for something he's told you to do, he's going to back you up. You say, but it's impossible. It's impossible for you, but not impossible for him. So, this isn't about running around randomly going, oh, let's try it on that mountain. Boom. That mountain. Boom. We're not about moving mountains for nothing. But if there's a purpose behind it and God says, ask for this, then he'll back you up.

Verse 23. Now, when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted him as he was teaching and said, by what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority? So, they are totally clueless. They have God in the flesh, been on the planet for 33 years. They have no idea it's him. And asking by what authority, but Jesus answered and said to them, I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, playing a little game here with them. I'll tell you what. I'll ask my question and you tell me the answer to this, I'll tell you the answer to that. I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men? So, he's trapped them. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, if we say from heaven, he will say to us, why then did you not believe him? But if we say from men, we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet. So, they answered Jesus and said, we don't know. And then what did Jesus say? Well, neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

But what do you think? A man had two sons. So, Jesus keeps going. What do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not. But afterward, he regretted it and went. So, the first son, dad tells him what to do, I'm not going to do it, but then he goes and does it. Then the second, he came to the second and said likewise, and he answered and said, I go, sir, but he did not go.

Which is kind of the way we tend to be. God says, okay, do this. You go, yes, sir, thank you, sir. And then we go on like, nothing, I'm not doing that. But the first guy goes, I'm not doing that. And then like, oh, I need to do what my dad said. Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to him the first. Jesus said to them, assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

Because we say things, we say yes with our lips, but no with our lives. And he would prefer that we say no with our lips, but end up saying yes with our lives. That he understands. So, these religious, the chief priest, Pharisees, Sadducees, they were all saying the right things, wearing the right clothes, but they were not doing what Jesus said, what God said for them to do.

Verse 32. For John came to you in a way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But tax collectors and harlots believed him. And when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. You would think if tax collectors and harlots are getting in on it, that that would mean it's true. They're repenting, but you didn't get in on it.

Here another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. Now, when vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the vine dressers that they might receive its fruit. And the vine dressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his son to them, saying, they will respect my son. So, you get the parallel, he's saying, all these prophets have been sent, they killed him, stoned him, all these things. Then finally, the owner of the vineyard, God himself says, I'm going to send my son.

But when the vine dressers saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir, come let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So, they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine dressers? He's asking the religious leaders this. They said to him, he will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vine dressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus said to them, have you never read in scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing. And it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

And whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder. Now, when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking to them, but when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes because they took him for a prophet. So, this is a few days into this week. So, they're still afraid of the mob. But this mob is fickle. We are fickle. We get clipping along, trusting, and we go, okay, you can clean my house, I repent. And then somebody comes along and says, hey, dude, let's go do this. like, I really shouldn't be doing that but okay, let's go.

What are you doing? Go to Matthew 26 and go down to verse 20. So, this crew that it's been all this time, now it's just a matter of hours now before he's going to be arrested and crucified. Matthew 26:20. When evening had come, he sat down with the 12. Now, as they were eating, he said, assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. And they were exceedingly sorrowful and each of them began to say to him, Lord, is it I? Now, think about this. There's one person in the room that's going to betray him.

But they're all trying to figure out if it's them. You need to get more solid in your relationship with Jesus and know that you are not going to betray him. Why is that still a question? Why can't they sit there and go, I'm not going to betray him. Now, you say, well, but one of them denied him. Betray is not deny. And they were exceedingly sorrowful, each began to say, Lord, is it I? He answered and said, he who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me. The son of man indeed goes just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed, it would have been good for that man if he had not been born. You don't want Jesus saying that to you. You'd been better off if you had never been born.

Then Judas, who was betraying him, and I love how it says that. It doesn't say Judas who betrayed him, who was betraying him. It was going on as they were talking. It was already in motion. Judas, who was betraying him, answered and said, Rabbi, is it I? He said to him, you have said it. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body. Then he took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to them, saying, drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood in the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it knew with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, went out to the Mount of Olives.

Judas is out telling him where he's going to be and arranging for this arrest. So, we're down to 11. Same night. Look at Matthew 26:58. And this is still one of the saddest phrases in all of scripture to me. Matthew 26:58, but Peter followed him at a distance to the high priest court. I have been in the high priest's house. I've gone down in the high priest's house basement where they probably kept Jesus. I have stepped out of the high priest courtyard onto the steps where Jesus was probably taken, there's no way out of there but to go that way, the steps that he stood on and was taken to be crucified. To be tried. Going back and forth to all these trials.

But he's been arrested. Peter doesn't completely ditch, but he follows him. Now, what has Peter already been told at this point a few hours before? I will never deny you. And what is Jesus telling him? Dude implied, dude is implied, before the rooster crows, in other words, before dawn tomorrow morning, you'll deny me three times. So, Peter follows him at a distance to the high priest courtyard and he went in and sat with the servants to see the end. They're like, this is it. I'm going to be here for the end.

Now, the chief priest, the elders and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put him to death. So, what are they looking for? They got nothing to get him killed over. They got to find someone to lie. I don't care who you think you are. I was going to read this at the end, but just for your notes, First Corinthians 10:12. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall. Peter of all people, and by the way, I'll read you this in a minute. Jesus had already given Peter the keys. On this rock, I'll build my church, on him. But he, Peter, you know, you got the 12, you got the 11, you got the eight, you got the three. And of the three, you got Peter. And Peter's all that. Oh, I'll never betray you. Yes, you will. Follows him from a distance.

So, here they are, he's getting there to see the end. And look what goes down here. They're trying to find false witness. Verse 60. But found none, even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last, two false witnesses came forward and said, this fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days, which he did, but he was not referring to the building, he was referring to his own body. In other words, die and then be raised up the third day. And the high priest arose and said to him, do you answer nothing? What is it that these men testify against you? But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to him, I put you under oath by the living God. In other words, by yourself. Didn't know to say that. Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, it is as you have said.

Now, you say, well, he could have just said yes or that's the equivalent of it. It is if you have said, but he says more. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter, you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven. And then they just lost their minds. Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, he has spoken blasphemy, what further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do you think? They answered and said, he is deserving of death. Then they spat in his face and beat him. And others mocked him with the palms of their hands, saying, prophesy to us, Christ, who is the one who struck you?

Now, Peter sat outside the courtyard and a servant girl came to him, saying, you also were with Jesus of Galilee, but he denied it before them all, saying, I do not know what you are saying. So, there's number one. Okay? So, she says, you were with him. Then he says, I don't know what you're talking about. First denial. And when he had gone out into the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, this fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth. But again, he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. Now think about saying that about your friend Jesus. I don't know the man. Never met him, don't know who you're talking about.

And a little later, those who stood by came and said to Peter, surely, like now they're positive. Surely, you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you. Your accent, the way you speak, we know where you're from, you have to be one of his guys. Then he began to curse and swear, saying, I do not know the man. And after that third denial, immediately a rooster crowed. And I did a sermon years ago called Cock-a-doodle-doo about this. Of all the things Jesus could have tied Peter's denial to, it was a rooster. But every day for the rest of Peter's life, the rooster would crow, and the devil would go, see, you denied him. You denied him every day, every day, every day in that culture. A rooster somewhere.

And then you have to sort that out. It's a terrible thing, but it's a great thing. Because it's a reminder to Peter, yes, I did deny you, I hear that rooster, but I will not deny you today. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. So, he went out and wept bitterly. If you've ever wept, that's one thing, but when you weep bitterly, your sin rains down on you and you realize what you have done and it is soul and bone crushing. He was right. I did betray him. How is this, this should not be possible.

Now, before you go throwing Peter under the bus, go back to Matthew 16:18. Little exchange here that Jesus has already had with Peter. And I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Why in the world would you give the keys to a guy who you already know is going to deny you three times? The same reason why he'd save my sorry soul, already knowing that since I was six years old when I became a Christian, how many times have I denied him? Maybe not say I don't know him, but with my life.

Or just premeditative sin where I go, well, sorry, I'm going to do this. I'm going to confess it. I know already, I'm going to presumptuously do what I want to do. And I understand your grace so much that presuming on that grace, I will choose to sin right now. I'm going to confess it later and you're going to have to forgive me. So, how do you like that? That's not any way to treat the grace of God. But we do it all the time. And he saved me anyway, knowing everything from six to now and everything from now to the day I die.

And then Matthew 27:22. Gosh, this stuff is just horrible. So, Jesus, you know, he's been taken in front of the religious tribunal kind of, then to the government guys. And here he is before pilot. Matthew 27:22. Pilot said to them, they've decided, you know, he's guilty of what? What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all said to him, let him be crucified. Then the governor said, why, what evil has he done? I need some reason to be killing a person, as a Roman ruler. But they cried out all the more, saying, let him be crucified.

Sunday, it's all praise and worship for the king of kings. He rolls in like a boss. By Friday, it's Friday. Treated worse than a slave, he rides into town on an ass, within a few days it's frihis. Anyhow, you get the point. All in one week. Too many times we are the same fickle mob. I think about being in this room, in the last few Sundays. Certain songs come on, hands in the air, worship just with all of my soul. And then I'm being a complete idiot somewhere, thinking something, doing something, being, you know, a fool with my neighbors.

You don't want to follow me around all week, it's not pretty. Is it not perfect. Any more than it is with you. But how can I be all up in here doing all that on a Sunday and then within a matter of days, I'm gone. And people say, well, I don't need a church, I can worship God out under a tree. Well, how's it going for you in that tree right now? Is that tree bringing you closer to Jesus than you've ever been? The answer is always no. Because the tree ain't worshiping with you. It isn't challenging you, it's not confronting you about your sin. It's letting you do whatever you want to do.

We were never intended to do this by ourselves. It's hard enough to do it together, much less doing it by yourself. You know, the Bible talks about daily engaging with other believers. Because it doesn't take us but a few hours to be gone. There are people in this room and listening and watching right now who are this close to being gone. You're about to take an exit off the road, the then straight and narrow road, and you're about to be gone. And you could be gone for 5, 10, 15, 20 years. From cheers to jeers in a matter of a few days from a cry for help, Hosanna, Hosanna, to a cry of crucified.

Richard will be back in a moment to wrap up today's talk. But first, I want to share a couple of thoughts with you. Let's be honest, real life isn't about living some highlight reel for others to see. Most people have deep hurts, questions, and struggles. We get it and want to help you in any way we can. So, let's keep this conversation going. Give us a call at 855-6 Richard or connect with us at our website richardellis.com. You can even put in your prayer request right there on the prayer wall so others can pray for you as well. Call us at 855-6 Richard or online at richardellis.com. And now, let's get back to Richard with a final word on today's show.

And they got it done. And as much as it stinks and as horrific as it is and the injustice of it is real. And this is what is a little perplexing to me about the whole thing. God built into him getting on a cross, ending up on a cross, lying, bribery, you name it, everything, denial, betrayal. He built in everything the world can throw at us, and he still got the job done because that's what he came to do to seek and to save that which was lost. The plan all along was to end up on that cross, become sin for us, who knew no sin, die, be buried and raised from the dead. And thank God the story is not about Friday only. But you can't get raised from the dead if you're not dead.

And so I'm very grateful for the Friday. But man, thank God for a Sunday. A Sunday morning. Thanks for tuning in today to Richard Ellis Talks. We all have busy schedules these days, so it means the world to us that you would take this time to listen. Richard would love to know how today's talk has touched your heart. So, give us a call at 855-6 Richard. 855-6 Richard. You can also share your story with us at our website richardellis.com. One last thing, Richard Ellis Talks is a daily program that is always expanding to reach the world with the good news of the gospel, but it also has daily costs. And being a listener-supported program like ours means we rely on the financial partnership of our listeners, which means you. We believe that these talks with Richard are making a difference in your life. So, this is how you can make a difference to ours. You can contribute by calling 855-6 Richard or at our website richardellis.com. Thank you for your generosity. God bless, and thanks for listening to Richard Ellis Talks.