Distractions

We are finishing up our series this morning The Heart Matters

This 6 week series leading up to to Easter Sunday will encourage you to examine your heart, your motivations, and your loves as you walk in repentance toward Resurrection Sunday. This season reminds us that we are all broken and in need of a Savior who has overcome sin and death.

This morning we will be in Luke 19:28-44. So if you have your bible go ahead and turn there. If not you can follow along on the screen in a few moments.

Last week we look at how to finding living hope. We can have hope in Christ. Even when trails come your way you can and will find hope with Jesus that everything will be ok. The trail can help build us in to a better person even if we do not see it now. Ultimately we have living hope because of the resurrection.

Before we look at today passage. I have a question for you. So think for a moment.

Have you ever looked down at your phone and ran into something?

If you are anything like me you have done something like this before. I know if have trip over a dog or cat or even a child while looking down at my phone.

Being distracted can and will cause pain to you or other around you.

This morning we are going to be taking a different look at the Palm Sunday story. Focusing on some that were distracted so bad they missed be best thing in their life.

Luke 19:28–44 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.”

Jesus entered Jerusalem

The whole enter was for told in the OT.

People shouted for joy when Jesus entered

Ps 118:26

Pharisees were not happy

They wanted to Jesus to tell everyone to be quick. They want to squelch the joy of Jesus come in.

These Pharisees did not like that people where follow hand worshiping a man. That is not what God want in the laws of Mosses. The Laws say to only worship the one turn God and no one else. The Pharisees wanted it all to stop.

The Rock will cry out. everything all of creation was made to worship the King of Kings Lord of all. Someone need to sing praises.

Jesus was rejected

In verse 41- 44 we see Jesus wepping over the city he loves. You see he knows what coming. He know by the end of the week he would be put to death because of who he was. The people, the Pharisees had a chance to see and met God but yet they missed it because they were distracted by the laws of the day. They missed it because they did couldn’t look past their own life to see Jesus.

It’s possible to be close to religion, and yet still miss God

Distractions can cause us to reject Jesus too

How many times have we done something clumsy while we were on our phone?

In a similar vein, how many times have we missed something because we were either texting, watching television, or surfing the web? In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to trade the important for the momentary. Jesus wants to enter our lives and transform the very way we view life. Are we missing this because we’re not paying attention?

Ways people can apply this message:

a. Spend less time on media, and more time praying, reading our Bible, talking to our children about God, and participating in a discipleship-based community or small group.

b. Assess whether you’ve traded righteousness for self-righteousness. Are you missing Jesus, like the religious leaders, because you’re too

concerned with where your seat is at church, what color the sanctuary carpet might be, or politics?

c. What does your relationship with Jesus look like? Is it in name only?

Do not let stuff get in the way of your walk with Jesus