Good News Week 51. Be Free & Be Focused

Good News

Alright.

Last week was incredible.

Casting vision for 2023 as we PURSUE TOGETHER what God has for us this year.

If you missed the sermon last week, go back, listen, watch. Apple Podcast. YouTube. FB.

Pursue Christ.

Pursue Growth.

Pursue Mission.

Pursue Best.

Pursue Promise.

Puruse Together.

We are all the same boat

We row together.

We have seen God do amazing things last year.

We are expecting God to do amazing things this year.

Right now we are in the middle of a church refinance project.

We are in the middle of a big online transistion that you’ll hear about soon.

We are preparing for revival.

Preparing for our Marriage Conference.

Preparing for a day of volunteer development.

Youth are preparing for Winterfest.

There is a lot happening right now in the life of New City Church.

And last Sunday morning set the course.

And then last Sunday night at our Night of Worship God heard our worship, heard our prayers, saw our fasting, and GOD showed up in the house in a mighty way.

The altars were filled with people.

The people were filled with the Spirit.

The Spirit filled the House.

Lives were touched.

Boys and girls. Men and women.

A string presence of the LORD met us.

We worshipped as warfare.

We were reminded of Psalm 149 where worship defeats the enemy.

If the Satan fears a worshipping church lets give him something to be scared of.

Last Sunday night something broke in our worship.

It was us.

It was our timidity.

It was our fear.

It was our complacency.

And when we broke out of our selves God broke out in our midst.

I pray it’s the beginning of a uninhibited worship in the church.

Of course, as the old timers say, When the LORD’s a-blessin’ the Devil’s a-messin’.

Maybe this week you’ve been under attack by the enemy.

Maybe something happened in your family out of the blue.

Maybe you’ve faced setbacks this week.

Maybe you’ve faced not just setbacks but you’ve faced crisis this week.

Uncertainties.

Stress.

Panick attacks.

Here me this morning… When we begin to move out of the wilderness Satan steps up his attack.

Doubters get louder.

Giants look taller.

Battles become more intense.

BUT DO NOT SETTLE IN THE WILDERNESS.

We must press into the promise together.

We must do it together.

We must row together.

We must keep moving .

Together.

Pursue Together.

Pursue Promise together.

But hear me… we can’t pursue promise together if we don’t embrace our journey together.

Bear one another’s burdens.

Pray for one another.

Help one another.

Some of us my be tied up in sin, or in burden, or fear, or confusion.

We need to be untied from our place of holding so that we can walk in the purpose we were created.

Be untied.

Be free.

Be unbound.

Walk in victory.

Walk in purpose.

Walk carrying you King.

We also need to open our eyes to the Promise so that we are no longer blind to the destruction that we invite on ourselves when we close our eyes to the goodness that Jesus has for us.

Open your eyes to the King so you see clearly the destruction the enemy has planned for you.

Let’s look at that this morning.

Let’s be free and be focused.

So lets jump in to Luke this morning.

We are looking at the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, but this isn’t going to be a normal Palm Sunday sermon.

For one, it’s not Palm Sunday.

For two, It’s not how I sensed God moving as I prepared for the message.

So lets jump in…

Luke 19:28–45 CSB

28 When he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples 30 and said, “Go into the village ahead of you. As you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent left and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 “The Lord needs it,” they said. 35 Then they brought it to Jesus, and after throwing their clothes on the colt, they helped Jesus get on it. 36 As he was going along, they were spreading their clothes on the road. 37 Now he came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: 38 Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven! 39 Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.” 41 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, 42 saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you and your children among you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.” 45 He went into the temple and began to throw out those who were selling,

Be free and be focused

Be Free

Alright, so you may be familiar with this story.

Jesus enters Jerusalem.

It is Sunday.

On Friday he will die.

On Sunday he will be raised to life.

It’s Sunday.

We call it Palm Sunday.

They laid down palm branches and their out garments on the ground to celebrate him as KING of the Jews.

It was a red carpet entry.

But before the King could ride in, he needed something to ride on.

And it wouldn’t be a stallion or a warhorse.

It would be colt, a foal of a donkey.

The King comes riding on a donkey’s foal.

This is pretty cool.

A foal of a donkey is a young animal that has never had anyone ride on it.

Normally the foal would fight.

Normally the foal would resist.

Normally the foal would kick.

Normally the foal would be stubborn.

Normally the foal would try to run.

Normally the foal would hee-haw and stomp.

But not this day.

On this day the foal would submit to the KING.

On this day the foal would submit to surrender.

On this day the foal would submit to a purpose greater than itself.

On this day the foal would submit to carrying the KING.

On this day the foal would submit to carrying the Good News of the Kingdom.

On this day the foal would submit to carrying hope and grace and life and truth and reconciliation and restoration.

On this day the foal would be a witness of the power of Jesus to change and stubborn donkey into a carrier of KINGDOM Come.

On this day the foal would be testimony of the power of Jesus.

On the day Jesus would be glorified because the foal didn’t fight against his maker.

But before he could carry the King he had to be freed from his place of holding.

He had to be united.

He had to be loosed.

He had to be set free.

People would wonder we he was being untied.

People would wonder why the one who bound him wasn’t the one unbinding him.

People would ask. And the answer?

The LORD needs it.

I want you to learn the message of the foal this morning.

God wants unbind you from the place you’ve been bound.

God want to use you to carry the message of the Gospel of the KINGDOM.

God wants to give you a testimony of freedom.

God wants you to fulfill your purpose.

God wants you to be a witness to the hope and grace and reconciliation and restoration of Jesus.

God wants to free you.

The one who bound you will never set you free.

But King Jesus is coming by this morning and he has purpose and freedom and life for you.

I’ve been set to you this morning to help untie you.

To declare to you that you don’t have to stay bound.

You can be untied.

And you can free.

But after you are freed, you have to be willing to submit.

But if you will submit you will find a greater joy and purpose that you ever found bound and tied to sin and self.

Learn the lesson of the donkey.

Be free.

Walk on the palm branches and garments.

Enjoy the victory that KING Jesus has won.

Enjoy the freedom that KING Jesus has given you.

You have a new path to walk.

You have a road of righteousness before you.

You have a KINGS highway ahead of you.

Walk.

You are more that a conqueror .

You’ve been blessed to carry the hope of Nation to those around you.

Be free.

Be free.

Be free and don’t fight.

Be free and don’t fight.

BE FREE AND DON’T FIGHT!

But not only does Jesus want to to learn the lesson of the foal this morning, learn the lesson of the blind eye.

Be Focused

Be focused.

Look with again at Luke 19:41-44

Luke 19:41–44 CSB

41 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, 42 saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you and your children among you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.”

If you knew that this day would bring peace, Jesus stops mid sentence.

If you knew that this day would bring peace, you’d follow me to death.

If you knew that this day would bring peace, you’d listen to me voice.

If you knew that day would bring peace, you’d obey my commands.

If you knew this day would bring peace… HE PAUSES… but your don’t see it.

It’s hidden from your eyes.

You shield your eyes from the SON.

You turn your eyes away.

You don’t recognize me for the purpose that I came.

Oh that you would focus on My Kingdom and not your kingdom.

Oh that you would see my purpose then you’d see your purpose.

Oh that you would focus on me then you would find my peace.

But because you won’t open your eyes you don’t see the destruction coming.

Because you won’t open your eyes you don’t see that the enemy is plotting and scheming against you.

Hear me church… OPEN YOU EYES TO JESUS!

The enemy has plotted your destruction but JEsus has planned for your restoration.

The enemy has plotted your pain but Jesus has planned for your peace.

The enemy has plotted your failure but Jesus has planned for your future.

The enemy has plotted your victim hood but Jesus has planned for your victory.

Open your eyes to JEsus weeping over you, longing for you to open your eyes to His goodness and mercy.

Open your eyes to the weeping Jesus, praying you will turn to him.

Open your eyes to the weeping Jesus, offering you peace and hope and love and mercy and forgiveness.

Open your eyes to the weeping JEsus.

The Jesus weeping is the same Jesus who enter Jerusalem as the KING.

King Jesus weeps over you because he’s sees the destruction the enemy has plotted for your life and longs to save you from every scheme of the enemy in this life and eternity.

BE FREED. BE FOCUSED.

God has a great freedom for you.

And God has a great deliverance for you.

And the KING has passed by this morning to unite you and open your eyes to the enemies destruction and the LORD’s peace.

It’s time.

It’s the moment.

Be free.

Be untied so you can be used

Open your eyes so you can find peace