Palm Sunday Sermon @ First B Jackson April 13th 2025

April 13, 2025

Scripture referenced 15 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

Matthew 21:6-9 Matthew's account of the triumphal entry, the disciples bringing the donkey and colt, the crowds spreading clothes and palm branches, and the cry of Hosanna

6 The disciples went, and did just as Jesus commanded them,
7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their clothes on them; and he sat on them.
8 A very great multitude spread their clothes on the road. Others cut branches from the trees, and spread them on the road.
9 The multitudes who went in front of him, and those who followed, kept shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

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Psalm 117

Read in full as one of the Psalms of Ascent sung on the way to Jerusalem, praising God whose steadfast love is for all nations and peoples

1 Praise Yahweh, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!

2 For his loving kindness is great toward us. Yahweh’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise Yah!

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Psalm 118

Read at length as the next Psalm of Ascent, covering themes of calling on the Lord in distress, the stone the builders rejected, this is the day the Lord has made, and Hosanna

1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

2 Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

3 Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

4 Now let those who fear Yahweh say that his loving kindness endures forever.

5 Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.

6 Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

7 Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.

10 All the nations surrounded me, but in Yahweh’s name, I cut them off.

11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off.

12 They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.

13 You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.

14 Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. “The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.

16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”

17 I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.

18 Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.

20 This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.

21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

23 This is Yahweh’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!

25 Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.

26 Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name! We have blessed you out of Yahweh’s house.

27 Yahweh is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.

29 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

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Psalm 136

The greater Hallel sung on arrival at Jerusalem for Passover, with its repeated refrain about God's steadfast love enduring forever, covering creation, the exodus, and God's provision

1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods; for his loving kindness endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for his loving kindness endures forever:

4 To him who alone does great wonders; for his loving kindness endures forever:

5 To him who by understanding made the heavens; for his loving kindness endures forever:

6 To him who spread out the earth above the waters; for his loving kindness endures forever:

7 To him who made the great lights; for his loving kindness endures forever:

8 The sun to rule by day; for his loving kindness endures forever;

9 The moon and stars to rule by night; for his loving kindness endures forever:

10 To him who struck down the Egyptian firstborn; for his loving kindness endures forever;

11 And brought out Israel from among them; for his loving kindness endures forever;

12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm; for his loving kindness endures forever:

13 To him who divided the Red Sea apart; for his loving kindness endures forever;

14 And made Israel to pass through the middle of it; for his loving kindness endures forever;

15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea; for his loving kindness endures forever:

16 To him who led his people through the wilderness; for his loving kindness endures forever:

17 To him who struck great kings; for his loving kindness endures forever;

18 And killed mighty kings; for his loving kindness endures forever:

19 Sihon king of the Amorites; for his loving kindness endures forever;

20 Og king of Bashan; for his loving kindness endures forever;

21 And gave their land as an inheritance; for his loving kindness endures forever;

22 Even a heritage to Israel his servant; for his loving kindness endures forever:

23 Who remembered us in our low estate; for his loving kindness endures forever;

24 And has delivered us from our adversaries; for his loving kindness endures forever:

25 Who gives food to every creature; for his loving kindness endures forever.

26 Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever.

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Revelation 5:9

Referenced to connect Psalm 117's call to all nations with the great multitude from every tribe tongue and nation surrounding the throne

9 They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,

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Revelation 7:9

Cited alongside Revelation 5:9 as the same vision of every tribe tongue and nation before the throne

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could count, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

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Psalm 86

Referenced in connection with calling on the Lord in distress, noting Dustin Flueckenjerg had preached on it a few weeks prior

1 Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

3 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

6 Hear, Yahweh, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

7 In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

8 There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

9 All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

11 Teach me your way, Yahweh. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forever more.

13 For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

14 God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for you before them.

15 But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your servant.

17 Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.

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Psalm 19

Cited twice: the heavens declaring the glory of God day after day in a language understood by all, and creation as God's general revelation

1 The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork.

2 Day after day they pour out speech, and night after night they display knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

4 Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,

5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course.

6 His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends; There is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple.

8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever. Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is your servant warned. In keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors.

13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I will be upright. I will be blameless and innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Yahweh, my rock, and my redeemer.

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Romans 1

Referenced as teaching that creation alone is enough to make humanity responsible before God

1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,

2 which he promised before through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

3 concerning his Son, who was born of the offspring of David according to the flesh,

4 who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

5 through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake;

6 among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ;

7 to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.

9 For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,

10 requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;

12 that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.

13 Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

14 I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.

15 So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

17 For in it is revealed God’s righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, “But the righteous shall live by faith.”

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.

20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.

21 Because, knowing God, they didn’t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.

22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves;

25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.

27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.

28 Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,

30 backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;

32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.

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Hebrews 12

Paraphrased in connection with the line that the Lord disciplined the psalmist severely, noting no discipline is pleasant at the time but produces good

1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

4 You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin;

5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;

6 For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?

8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not children.

9 Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

12 Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,

13 and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

15 looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;

16 lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.

17 For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.

18 For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,

19 the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,

20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”;

21 and so fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

25 See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”

27 This phrase, “Yet once more”, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

29 for our God is a consuming fire.

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1 Peter 5

Quoted on humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God so he may exalt you, casting cares on him, and the God of all grace perfecting and establishing you after suffering

1 Therefore I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and who will also share in the glory that will be revealed.

2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;

3 neither as lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock.

4 When the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the crown of glory that doesn’t fade away.

5 Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

7 casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.

8 Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

9 Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.

10 But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

11 To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

12 Through Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.

13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, greets you; and so does Mark, my son.

14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Exodus 34

God's self-proclamation to Moses describing himself as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, forgiving iniquity

1 Yahweh said to Moses, “Chisel two stone tablets like the first. I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain.

3 No one shall come up with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain. Do not let the flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.”

4 He chiseled two tablets of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets.

5 Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed Yahweh’s name.

6 Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,

7 keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”

8 Moses hurried and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.

9 He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go among us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”

10 He said, “Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you.

11 Observe that which I command you today. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

12 Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare among you:

13 but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherah poles;

14 for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

15 “Don’t make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;

16 and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods.

17 “You shall make no cast idols for yourselves.

18 “You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt.

19 “All that opens the womb is mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep.

20 You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty.

21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.

22 “You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end.

23 Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord Yahweh, the God of Israel.

24 For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh, your God, three times in the year.

25 “You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread. The sacrifice of the feast of the Passover shall not be left to the morning.

26 “You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Yahweh your God. “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.”

27 Yahweh said to Moses, “Write you these words: for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”

28 He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mountain, Moses didn’t know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.

30 When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.

31 Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them.

32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all the commandments that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.

33 When Moses was done speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.

34 But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

35 The children of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

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Joshua 2

Rahab's speech to the spies recounting what she heard about God drying the Red Sea and destroying Sihon and Og, and her declaration that the Lord is God in heaven above and earth beneath

1 Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.

2 The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy out the land.”

3 Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.”

4 The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from.

5 About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

6 But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.

7 The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof.

9 She said to the men, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

10 For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

11 As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.

12 Now therefore, please swear to me by Yahweh, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign;

13 and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.”

14 The men said to her, “Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when Yahweh gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.”

15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.

16 She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”

17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to swear.

18 Behold, when we come into the land, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.

19 It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.

20 But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”

21 She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied the scarlet line in the window.

22 They went, and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find them.

23 Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, crossed the river, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them.

24 They said to Joshua, “Truly Yahweh has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.”

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Psalm 106

Noted as one of several Psalms beginning with the same phrase praising God whose steadfast love endures forever

1 Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

2 Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, or fully declare all his praise?

3 Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.

4 Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation,

5 that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

6 We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly.

7 Our fathers didn’t understand your wonders in Egypt. They didn’t remember the multitude of your loving kindnesses, but were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.

8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power known.

9 He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; so he led them through the depths, as through a desert.

10 He saved them from the hand of him who hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

11 The waters covered their adversaries. There was not one of them left.

12 Then they believed his words. They sang his praise.

13 They soon forgot his works. They didn’t wait for his counsel,

14 but gave in to craving in the desert, and tested God in the wasteland.

15 He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron, Yahweh’s saint.

17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.

18 A fire was kindled in their company. The flame burned up the wicked.

19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image.

20 Thus they exchanged their glory for an image of a bull that eats grass.

21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,

22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome things by the Red Sea.

23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.

24 Yes, they despised the pleasant land. They didn’t believe his word,

25 but murmured in their tents, and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.

26 Therefore he swore to them that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,

27 that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations, and scatter them in the lands.

28 They joined themselves also to Baal Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.

29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds. The plague broke in on them.

30 Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment, so the plague was stopped.

31 That was credited to him for righteousness, for all generations to come.

32 They angered him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;

33 because they were rebellious against his spirit, he spoke rashly with his lips.

34 They didn’t destroy the peoples, as Yahweh commanded them,

35 but mixed themselves with the nations, and learned their works.

36 They served their idols, which became a snare to them.

37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

38 They shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. The land was polluted with blood.

39 Thus were they defiled with their works, and prostituted themselves in their deeds.

40 Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.

41 He gave them into the hand of the nations. Those who hated them ruled over them.

42 Their enemies also oppressed them. They were brought into subjection under their hand.

43 He rescued them many times, but they were rebellious in their counsel, and were brought low in their iniquity.

44 Nevertheless he regarded their distress, when he heard their cry.

45 He remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

46 He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive.

47 Save us, Yahweh, our God, gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to your holy name, to triumph in your praise!

48 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise Yah!

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Psalm 107

Noted as another Psalm beginning with the same opening praise about God's steadfast love enduring forever

1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed by Yahweh say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the adversary,

3 And gathered out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert way. They found no city to live in.

5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

6 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses,

7 he led them also by a straight way, that they might go to a city to live in.

8 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

9 For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron,

11 because they rebelled against the words of God, and condemned the counsel of the Most High.

12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labor. They fell down, and there was no one to help.

13 Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.

15 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

16 For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut through bars of iron.

17 Fools are afflicted because of their disobedience, and because of their iniquities.

18 Their soul abhors all kinds of food. They draw near to the gates of death.

19 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, he saves them out of their distresses.

20 He sends his word, and heals them, and delivers them from their graves.

21 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds to the children of men!

22 Let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his deeds with singing.

23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business in great waters;

24 These see Yahweh’s deeds, and his wonders in the deep.

25 For he commands, and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves.

26 They mount up to the sky; they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble.

27 They reel back and forth, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

28 Then they cry to Yahweh in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distress.

29 He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.

30 Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.

31 Let them praise Yahweh for his loving kindness, for his wonderful deeds for the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the assembly of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a desert, water springs into a thirsty ground,

34 and a fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

35 He turns a desert into a pool of water, and a dry land into water springs.

36 There he makes the hungry live, that they may prepare a city to live in,

37 sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase.

38 He blesses them also, so that they are multiplied greatly. He doesn’t allow their livestock to decrease.

39 Again, they are diminished and bowed down through oppression, trouble, and sorrow.

40 He pours contempt on princes, and causes them to wander in a trackless waste.

41 Yet he lifts the needy out of their affliction, and increases their families like a flock.

42 The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.

43 Whoever is wise will pay attention to these things. They will consider the loving kindnesses of Yahweh.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

Palm Sunday at First B Jackson this year took a different route than usual. Instead of walking through the days of Holy Week, Pastor Mark focused on the psalms Israel would have been singing as they walked up to Jerusalem for Passover, the Psalms of Ascent, concentrating on Psalms 117, 118, and 136. The thread running through all of them is a single repeated phrase: his steadfast love endures forever.

What was said

Pastor Mark opened by explaining that the crowds greeting Jesus on Palm Sunday were not arriving in silence. They would have been singing familiar songs, the same ones Israel sang every year on the way up to Jerusalem for Passover, just as people today sing familiar carols at Christmas. These were not private devotional songs. They were communal, called-and-response hymns meant for the whole crowd walking together.

Psalm 117, the shortest psalm in the Bible, set the frame for everything that followed. Its address is to all nations and all peoples, not just Israel. Pastor Mark pressed on the word "us" in the phrase "great is his steadfast love toward us," arguing that because the command goes out to all nations and all peoples, the "us" who receive that love is just as wide. The Hebrew word behind "steadfast love" is chesed, which he described with the help of a friend whose personalized license plates read "Hasid" on both ends of his car. Sticky love, that friend calls it. Love that stays.

Psalm 118 extends that same love into specific moments of distress and rescue. Pastor Mark read through the psalm's movement from calling out in trouble, to the Lord answering, to the declaration that it is better to take refuge in God than to trust in princes or governments. He paused on the word Hosanna, pointing out that it carries two meanings, save us now, the original plea of people who have no other options, and the joyful yes of people who have already received that salvation. Both meanings were alive in the crowd that day.

He also noted that the people singing "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" did not connect that arriving figure to the next line, about the festal sacrifice being bound to the horns of the altar. They were not yet seeing that the one they were welcoming would, before the week was out, be that sacrifice. The psalm held the whole story, but the crowd only had part of it.

Psalm 136 is structured as a call and response, with the congregation answering every line with "his steadfast love endures forever." Pastor Mark used that structure to move through creation, the Exodus, the wilderness, the defeat of kings like Sihon and Og, and God's provision for his people across generations. At each point he returned to the same question: why? The answer is always the same line. He connected the defeat of proud kings to the consistent biblical pattern that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, a pattern he said runs from the Old Testament through three specific places in the New Testament.

The story of Rahab became the hinge point of the sermon's practical argument. Rahab had heard the Israelites' stories about what God did at the Red Sea and to Sihon and Og. Because those stories were being told faithfully, she came to say, "the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." She is later in the genealogy of Jesus. Pastor Mark drew a direct line from that to the present: when God's people habitually praise him for what he has done, God uses that praise to open the way for others to come to faith. The concern he raised was about congregations that receive the blessing of God but stop transmitting it, holding it only for themselves.

The sermon closed with a caution about how God is presented to others. Pastor Mark quoted Exodus 34, where God describes himself to Moses as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, with that love extending to the thousandth generation. His point was not to dismiss God's justice but to insist that steadfast love is how God introduces himself, and that is what his people are called to carry into the world, in the high moments and the low ones alike.

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The pastor talked about chesed, the steadfast love of God, as a 'sticky love' that stays with us. Where in your own life have you seen that kind of love show up in a way you did not expect or feel you deserved?
The sermon made the point that if we think God's blessing is only for 'us', we stop transmitting and start hoarding. Honestly, where do you think our church lands on that spectrum right now, and where do you personally land?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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0:05 Movement of music through minor keys and back out again. That's like the the Easter story and song right there. It is Palm Sunday. I mentioned that already. We've sung some Hosannas already.

0:17 For the last 11 times, maybe 12 times. If y'all been here on a Palm Sunday, you've heard me preach basically a similar message because I want to tell the story. I don't want to change the characters. I want to tell the story for what it says but I often go into a part about us being fickle people like we can own Palm Sunday welcome Jesus in with a triumphal entry, Hosanna, Hosanna, and then by Friday, be screaming, crucify him as a people and I I tend to go through the days of the week of this Holy Week and Maundy Thursday is a lot of tough teaching from Jesus, right? And then Good Friday is anything but on the front side of resurrection Sunday.

0:59 Good Friday is really really hard and on Palm Sunday, I try to bring all of that every time. I'm not doing that this time. I'm going to try to take us back to what the people who were walking into Jerusalem or up from Jericho to Jerusalem. What they would have been singing, the mind that they would have had in mind, what they would have been singing, the Psalms of Ascent is what it's called. The the lesser Halel or the Psalms songs of Ascent, a going up from the the river valley down below up to Jerusalem up at the top of the mountain and they would normally sing the same hymns in the hymn book, the Psalms 113 through 118 and you can ring one thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen on your own time this afternoon if you want to.

1:49 I'm going to concentrate on one hundred seventeen and one eighteen and then together, we're going to go through Psalm one thirty six, okay? That this is the plan for this Palm Sunday. I I would like for us to join together in the same frame that Israel had been doing this for many many years. When in celebration of the Passover, people come from all over the place and when they're doing the Psalms of Ascent, they are singing praises to God and these are a couple of em and then on the day, triumphal entry day, part of what they're saying to Jesus comes from these the the the greater Halel. So, here we go.

2:29 Matthew twenty one six through nine is Matthew's version of story. He says, so the disciples went, they did just as Jesus commanded him. He told him to go and see a guy about this donkey and a colt and they brought the donkey and the colt and they put their own clothes, the outer clothing on the donkey and the colt and he sat upon them and a very great multitude of people spread their own clothes out on the ground and others cut down branches, palm branches we see from other places in scripture and they spread them in front of him on the road and then the multitudes who went on before him and they followed were crying out saying, Hosanna, Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is he, Hosanna in the highest and so, that's the portion from the gospels but this these are the songs that would be leading up to that moment, okay?

3:33 And they had been doing this year after year after year. Just like we sing Christmas carols, they sang Passover carols as they were walking up in great multitudes. Psalm one hundred seventeen and eighteen. This is Psalm 117 and I want you to pay attention to what it says. Praise the Lord.

3:50 Hallelujah. It's praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. All nations.

3:55 Do you hear the S? It's all of em. All of the nations, all of the families of the world. If you're a New Testament Christian, you should hear that and go, this is for every tribe, tongue, and nation. You might even be here in Revelation five nine and there was a great multitude such that cannot be counted from every tribe, tongue, and nation and they were surrounding the throne and they were singing with one voice.

4:17 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, right? Revelation seven nine, same story. Every tribe, tongue, and nation. So, Psalm 117 is only two verses long and it is something that we should all keep in our hearts. If we were Awana children, this is a great one to memorize, right?

4:33 Praise the Lord all nations. It's for everybody. Extol him. Lift up God all you peoples and it's a plural. It's not just one people.

4:44 It's not just Israel, the chosen people of God. It's somebody who knows God doing a third person command, plural, to everyone else. Praise the Lord all you nations. Extol him. Lift up God all you peoples for great is his steadfast love toward us.

5:06 Now, this us, us. Since there's an S up there on nations and since there's an S on peoples, who is us? Everybody. God's love towards everybody. Now, I know that not everybody knows God and I know some of you are saying to those that believe in him, he gave the rights to be called the children of God.

5:29 Yes, that's true. But this is a Psalm of exuberant praise for a god who loves. His steadfast love towards us is not just towards just us. For the God's chosen people, Israel, for those who had received the love, yeah, that's that's them but it's also for everybody else. For those of us who have received the transmitted love of God that is coming towards us, we recognize it and we accept it.

5:59 You've accepted the gospel. Fantastic. Your very next way of thinking is, this is so wonderful. Everybody should know it. Everybody should rest in this sort of love.

6:10 It's steadfast. Great is his steadfast love toward us. Now, the word there is chesed. I am from Georgia. I do not speak Hebrew.

6:20 This is probably the worst pronunciation ever. But chesed chesed is God's love is described as has said. There's a good friend of mine. I talked to him almost every Friday and a lot of times in between. This is the back of his car, Hasid.

6:37 This is the front of his car because we've got plates on both sides in Wyoming and so he sits between Hasid and Hasid. It is a great reminder, little Subaru plug for you there, Dave. Has said and Hasid, he is sitting in between those two plates and he is surrounded by the steadfast love of God. Ain't that cool? He's a preacher.

6:59 Stinker. Ain't that great? Think that was a great thought when he personalized his plates. He said, I want to know that I'm sitting between in within, among the steadfast love of God. That's what I don't want to forget.

7:11 So, these are all good translations of this Hebrew word. Loving kindness in some of your translations, it'll say, the loving kindness of God endures forever. Mercy, mercy is when you don't get a punishment, you do deserve. Steadfast love. That's the translation that the English standard version is using.

7:33 That's the one I'm using today. Steadfast love. Loyalty, he remains loyal. Faithful, faithfulness, goodness, but steadfast love. We'll go with that.

7:46 What Steve who owned that car and those plates, he calls it sticky love. It's the kind of love that God has for us that just stays with us. That's beautiful. He has that kind of love that he's transmitting out because God is love. So he's transmitting that love.

8:05 Is it possible to reject it? Yes. Is it possible to deny it? Yes. But you do so to your own peril.

8:13 Right? There will be those who do not accept the love that God is transmitting their way. I pray that it wouldn't be because of us, right? Praise the Lord all nations. Extol him all peoples for great is his steadfast love towards all of us and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

8:33 Faithfulness is another Hebrew word and it means truth, faithfulness, reliability, firmness, stability, certainty, trustworthiness. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The way that he is is the way that he was and it is the way that he will be and that's something that should be comforting for us especially since his faithfulness is in the context of his steadfast love. He is steadfastly loving. Praise the Lord.

9:06 Hallelujah. Hallelujah is the Halil Yeah is Yahweh. So, hallelujah is the hallelujah and it means praise the Lord and every time I say praise the Lord or CPTL or something like that, I think of Ramona Roeders. Do you all think of her? She little Ramona Roaters when you came up to her and said pretty much anything.

9:29 Her response was praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. To have that be the first thing that comes to mind. I pray that we would be thinking about that. That he deserves it.

9:40 Praise him all you nations. Extol him all peoples. Great is his steadfast love towards all of us and his faithfulness endures forever. You can trust him. Now, I'm going to ask for audience participation.

9:50 Would you read it with me? Praise the Lord, all nations. Extol him, all peoples, for great is his steadfast love towards us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Is his desire that all would come to know him.

10:10 We know that. He's not slack concerning his promise. We know that he wants them to know him but his plan A for them getting to know him is us transmitting the message faithfully. If we get stuck on The Us and we think it's just for us, the ones who already know him, then we are not doing our job. We're not transmitting anymore.

10:31 We're only receiving. We are hoarding the blessing of God and shame on us if we find ourselves in that mindset. In some ways, that's the reason that Paul in the next time we get back to Paul's missionary journeys, He's going to go into the synagogues. He's going to present the message. They're going to reject it and he says, you know what?

10:52 I'm going to the nations because God's will is that every tribe, tongue, and nation would have a chance and if you're going to hoard the blessing, I'm skipping over you and I'm going to keep on going and that's true then and it'd be true for us now, okay? We need to be transmitting the message faithfully. Psalm one eighteen, very next thing in the Bible, in the hymnal of Israel, oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. Let Israel, the chosen people of God.

11:24 Let Israel say, his steadfast love endures forever. Let the house of Aaron, that's a subset of Israel. Let them say, his steadfast love endures forever. That's three times in three verses. 118 has said this, to those who fear the Lord, God fearers, we just covered Cornelius in our study of Acts.

11:46 He was described as a god fearer. He would have been someone hanging around the periphery in Israel, not completely a proselyte, not completely all the way in but this is a command to him. Let those who fear the Lord Say, his steadfast love endures forever. Out of my distress, I called on the Lord and the Lord answered me and he set me free. That's something to be happy about.

12:12 Psalm 86, a few weeks ago, Dustin Flueckenjerg was up here and he was presenting Psalm 86. I think of it every time I go into the ICU or every time I go into difficult situation where we don't have any other options. All other options have been exhausted. In my distress, I called out. Lord, I call out to you my day of trouble because you answer me.

12:34 In my distress, I call on the Lord and the Lord answer me and he set me free. Amen. The Lord is on my side. Who have had a fear? What can man do to me if God's on my side?

12:46 God plus one. I mean, me plus God is a majority, right? Lord's on my side. I will not fear. What can man do to me?

12:55 The Lord's on my side as my helper. I shall look and triumph on those who hate me. Actually, David is a very likely source of this Psalm right here and the thinking behind this Psalm is what allows him to say, you prepare a table in front of me with my enemies and I don't have any fear about being there. I'm fine. I'm going to be fine.

13:19 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I shall look and triumph on those who hate me. That's what allows us to love those who are our enemies. Pray for those who persecute us. They don't know God yet.

13:32 How can we expect that they would act like they do? I'll look and triumph on those who hate me. It's better to take refuge in the Lord than it is to trust in any man. It's better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. If you've got your faith in the government, you got it in the wrong place.

13:48 God is above that. Yes. There's some authority that God has given there but you don't put your trust ultimately in that. It's better to take refuge in the Lord than it is to trust in princes. The Lord is my strength and he is my song.

14:03 He's become my salvation and this is about salvation. We stand in peril if we don't accept the love of God. If we say, I'm going to do it on my own. I did it my way. That didn't work.

14:15 We'll get into that in Psalm one thirty six. The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are the ones in the tents of the righteous. There's another Psalm that says, let the redeemed of the Lord say so.

14:31 If God has saved you, be telling somebody about it, right? I don't know. My favorite testimony of all time is two words long with a comment between it is. Man, what happened to you? You're different than you ever were before.

14:46 I've known you for years and years. I can't tell you what but something's different about you and the guy would just say, Jesus, man. Jesus, man. He's glad songs of salvation. They're in the tents of the righteous.

15:00 Are any of us righteous? We carry an imputed righteousness by trusting in Jesus. Now, if you go back and you see how God protected folks in the Old Testament and how his Holy Spirit was visited upon them for a time. It's an amazing thing to live in the New Testament age of grace where the Holy Spirit is writing God's law in our heart and he's abiding within us and he is able to direct us and empower us. It's amazing.

15:32 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteousness of righteous. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord lifts up and when I see exalts, my first thought is first Peter five. First Peter five where it says, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you. Humility and pride will come up again in 136.

15:57 I won't spend a lot of time on it but that part from Peter, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your cares on him. He cares for you. After you've suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, he who called you into his eternity in Christ Jesus. He will himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, establish you.

16:18 The right hand of the Lord exalts. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. He is good. I shall not die but I shall live. In him, I have life and life eternal.

16:28 Life abundant and eternal and I will recount the deeds of the Lord. What they used to do in Israel is stand up standing stones. Sometimes like monolithic, really big stones and they'd say, that's the place where God got us across that river or that's the place where God did this for our people. That's the way that God took care of our family. I'm going to recount the deeds of the Lord.

16:50 You remember that time that God got us across that river? Yeah. I shall not die but I shall live. I recount the deeds of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely.

16:59 I love this. No discipline is pleasant at the time. Hebrews says, but in the end, it's really good for us. It's not fun to buffet the body for whatever sports you're playing but it does you good to do that and the Lord has disciplined me severely, but he's not giving me over to death. It didn't kill me.

17:21 It brought me through. I can say personally testify, hey, I went through a very very hard time twenty five years ago. Moving to the Mishfield, hardest thing, and the Lord has disciplined me severely. I'm glad he did it then. I'm glad I didn't have to go through it now the same way.

17:37 You get to a place of trust in that. Even the hard stuff that he does, he does for a reason. He's not giving me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, lord. Allow me that I may enter in through them and that I may recognize it's not on my merit but I can give thanks to the Lord for that.

17:55 This is the gate of the Lord and the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you and these are songs now. Imagine, you're walking from Jericho which is about right here at first B and you're walking up to Jerusalem. It's about the same distance and it's about the same altitude change to the top of the path. You're going up to hike up to glory, right?

18:17 Glory Bowl. You're walking from here and you've got songs to sing. One thirteen, one fourteen, one fifteen, one sixteen. We hit one seventeen. Thank you.

18:25 Thank you lord. It was a short one. One eighteen is a little longer. I thank you that you answered me, lord, that you have become my salvation. I'm walking up this hill to celebrate you.

18:37 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. We know that's Jesus. This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. We are in awe of you and what you have done lord. We didn't deserve it yet you saved us and we're going to celebrate that.

18:54 Now, they're going up for Passover. They're going up to celebrate getting out of Egypt. God made of them a great nation while they were in slavery in Egypt. No discipline is pleasant at the time but they became a great nation and then wandering through the wilderness, they are coming to this land. The Passover is what they're going to celebrate.

19:12 The Lord, this is the Lord's doing. It's marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it.

19:20 Hosanna is the next word we'll see in 01/1825. Hosanna is right there. Oh Lord, I beseech you and hosanna means save us now. Actually, are two meanings. The two meanings of hosanna.

19:34 It's a little bit like aloha. Can mean hello and can mean goodbye. Probably means a lot of other stuff too. The two meanings are the older meaning and the one that probably is most associated with the Psalm is save us now. Save us now.

19:50 It's a calling out because we're destitute and we do not have the means for saving ourselves. So, save us now. Hosanna means save us now but after you've received it, it also means, yes. Yay for salvation. That's why you wave the palms, right?

20:05 As Christians, that's why you wave the palms. Now, most of the time when I present this, we get to Hosanna, the son of David and I say, well, that's a quote from here. This is what they're doing. Save us, we pray, oh Lord. Save us.

20:21 We pray, oh Lord. And most of the time when I present this, I go, okay, Roman oppression, Israeli puppet client kingdom under Roman oppression and they're saying, save us. Lord, give us success against those nasty Romans. We hate their guts. They're terrible.

20:43 But the Psalm is true and it save all of us. Lord, save them too. Save us all because we don't have a way out except for you, oh Lord. Oh Lord, we pray. Give us success.

20:57 If we think that we're asking just for our own success, we have a very limited view. God, save us. We need you. We're praying lord. Oh Lord, we pray.

21:10 Give us success. We want to have success in sharing who you are with the rest of the nations. We want to have success in caring for the love and kindness and the steadfast love that you have for all of us. We want to show that to other people. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

21:26 The Lord is God and he has made his light to shine upon us. Now, this next one, bind the festal sacrifice with cords up to the horns of the altar. When you read that, you wouldn't think that the festal sacrifice would be the one who comes in the name of the Lord. They're just thinking, we we sacrifice every day, all the time. There are lots of sacrifices.

21:50 We know all the rules. Passover is a big time. We're coming in and there going be a lot of sacrifice going on. But they didn't equate these two. They didn't equate that the one who's coming in the name of the Lord would be the festal sacrifice who would before the end of the week be tied up and beaten.

22:09 And sacrificed voluntarily. Now, it gets really individual. It's gone from peoples, nations, all of us, us, and then it comes down to the same exact thing. You are my God and I will give thanks to you even if everybody else does and I am with you lord. You are my God and I will lift you up.

22:35 It's my responsibility to always be thankful and always be lifting you up. Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. That verse 29 of one eighteen is the close and it mirrors the first verse and so it's really important. That said, it's said twice. It's really important.

22:56 Everything's in the Bible is important but I think you're going to get the point before the end of this sermon. What we're here to celebrate today. The greater Halal, Psalm one thirty six is upon arrival at Jerusalem for the Passover. This is the Psalm and everything has been hinting at it. One thirteen, one fourteen, one fifteen, one sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen, all have been but then we get to this greater halal and it is an audience participation thing.

23:23 Okay? Call and response eventually here. Psalm one thirty six starts exactly the same as several other Psalms. Some of them that they would have been singing along their way like the wheels on the bus go round and round or found a peanut or one of those songs. They've been singing these songs.

23:39 Everybody knows these songs. Some people might be annoyed by these songs. Hope not. Psalm one zero six, one zero seven, and one eighteen all start basically like this. Praise the Lord.

23:48 Hallelujah. Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his steadfast love endures forever. One zero six. Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever.

23:57 One zero seven. One eighteen. Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. Even verse 29, oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his steadfast love, endures forever.

24:09 What do you think the point of that is? His steadfast love endures forever. He still loves. If we've set ourselves apart and we think, well, yeah, he loves us but he hates all those other people. Yeah.

24:21 His wrath stands upon them. He is loving them through us. If we separate it out and we go, well, of course, he loves us. Then, we put ourselves in a place of meriting God's grace and we don't. It's by his mercy, it's by his grace, it's by his steadfast love that we have even been exposed to this love, this word, this truth, and so we are to be transmitting it, reflecting it, carriers of it.

24:57 So, we go. One thirty six one. I'm going to start off and we'll see if our rhythm starts to flow here in a minute but I'd like for you to join me. I'll let you know when. Give thanks to the Lord is the way it starts off and then it answers the question, why?

25:11 Give thanks to the Lord for his goodness, first of all. His goodness in the verse one of one thirty six, it says, give thanks to the Lord for he is good. You could meditate on this for the rest of your life. He's good and honestly, if we stop right there and we reflect on our own life, do we question whether or not God is good? A lot of us do.

25:42 A lot do. A lot of us say, Oh, that's not the way I would have done it. I can't believe he lets that go on. Why is that war raging? What is going on here?

25:52 God, what? You should have delegated that. My goodness. You must not be paying attention. Either you're not all powerful or you're not all good.

26:00 God is all good. And this is reminding us of that fact. And the fact that they were singing this when they're going into Jerusalem and the son of God is going to be sacrificed by the end of the week. For the sins of everyone, all nations, every tribe, tongue, and nation. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.

26:19 We need to keep that in mind even on Maundy Thursday, even on Good Friday, even on silent Saturday. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. This is your part. For his steadfast love endures forever. Verse two, give thanks to the capital G God of small g gods for his steadfast love endures forever.

26:41 Give thanks to the capital L Lord of small l Lords for his steadfast love endures forever. So, give thanks to lord. We've already covered his goodness there for creation. The Bible says in Psalm 19 that day after day, the heavens are telling the glory of God. That the firmament, the earth, the creation is spouting forth language and there's no language where it cannot be understood.

27:11 In Romans one, it says, that alone is enough to make us responsible for God before God. That we recognize that there is a god and he is good just from seeing creation and we're going to get into that for the next few verses but the creation sings every day, all day, all night. There's no language where it can't be understood. Psalm 19. To him alone who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever.

27:43 To him who by understanding, he knows better than we do. Remember when Job finally questioned him? Brace yourself like a man. Where were you when I hung all the stars in place? To him who by his own understanding, can you imagine the astrological, astronomical stuff that God had going on to make all of that happen to him who by his own understanding made the heavens.

28:14 For his steadfast love endures forever. Creation is a gift that speaks to all. It is God's general revelation. To him who spread out the earth above the waters for his steadfast love endures forever. To him who made the great lights for his steadfast love endures forever.

28:33 To for the sun to rule over the day. Can I get a witness? My goodness. Isn't it great to see the sunshine? Oh, I feel so much better.

28:41 I feel so much better. I'm a solar powered person. I love it so much. The sun to rule over the day For steadfast love endures forever. And the moon and stars to rule over the night.

28:52 Did anybody walk out last night and see that beautiful full moon in a sky full of stars? That's love. Endures forever. And he brought Israel out from among them. In specific, he's probably right here talking about Egypt.

29:11 Since they're walking up to the Passover and he's saying, he brought Israel out from among them. It's probably about Egypt but think about this. It's not just about Egypt. It's a little vague and I think intentionally vague because God called his people out from among all of the peoples. When he spoke to Abraham, he spoke to Abraham and said, Abraham, leave the place that you know, the land of your fathers, everything that you know, and go to a place that I'll show you and Abraham, it says, believed God, amen.

29:49 He believed in his goodness. He believed in his direction. He believed God and that was counted to him as righteousness. Where there was no righteousness, he called him. He started with one guy and that guy's family and then from there, it spread and then now, it's getting to be a people and now the people are spread.

30:05 Then, they get to be in Egypt. That's a terrible time but it made him into a great people and so when he calls them out from among them, yeah, it's Egypt but it's also all the way back to Abraham. If you're going to save all peoples, groups, all people groups, if you're going to reach out to all the peoples, how you going to do it? His plan A is people to people. Human agency is the primary way that God spreads.

30:28 Yes, there are dreams and visions. Yes, there's his words specific revelation but the main way is from people that are willing to say, Jesus, man. It's just Jesus. I I don't understand it completely but I know I know he did it to me. He brought Israel out from among them.

30:45 Why did he do that? He was providing for them. He was making a way when there was no way. So this next portion is going to be about for his gracious provision in the past. For me, I think back on my family and I think, wow, my my family, I I have gone through this Psalm one other time since I've been here and I think, wow, for five or six generations, we had a sawmill and that sawmill was the way that God provided for my little family, you know.

31:13 For people with strong backs and a work ethic and all that sort of stuff. He he gave us his word and he provided for us in the past and for that, I'm thankful for a legacy of a Christian heritage, I guess, but it's still gotta be accepted. Right? It was transmitted towards but had to be received. But for his gracious provision in the past, that's what we're gonna see about Israel here.

31:35 He brought Israel out from among them. Why? His steadfast love endures forever. With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, he's reaching out to them. Why?

31:45 For his To him who divided the Red Sea in two. He got their backs in a situation where they were surrounded. They were between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army and he divided the Red Sea in two. And he made Israel pass through the midst of it. We're with him so far but he overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea.

32:16 Now, all of the rest of this, I've been saying us is everybody, everybody, everybody, everybody. It is everybody. He overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea. Think back to how that happened. Moses, go to Pharaoh.

32:27 Tell him let my people go. What Pharaoh say? He hardened his heart and he said, no, you're not leaving. Even sometimes when he felt like it was going be soft and said, yeah, go ahead. No.

32:36 No. No. No. No. Never.

32:37 I'll just never mind. He overthrew Pharaoh. Pharaoh hardened his heart. Pharaoh hardened his heart. Pharaoh hardened his heart.

32:47 By the time you get to the fourth one that messes with everybody where it says and then God hardened Pharaoh's heart. He'd already rejected the will and the love and the direction of almighty God three times. We don't know how long his patience will last. He overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea and the main reason for that is because Pharaoh rejected him. Pharaoh wanted to remain God himself, small G on the throne and not allow God almighty to be his God.

33:19 He overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea. To him who led his people through the wilderness. Think about that. A pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and he kept that crowd moving. You were on it.

33:38 Thank you, Shane. To him who struck down great kings. Again, I see this and I go, oh, I don't like saying that his steadfast love is what struck down those kings but it is. It is. To him who struck down great kings, his steadfast love endures forever and he killed mighty kings.

33:59 God smoked mighty kings. How? Why? For steadfast love endures forever. Now, go back to give thanks to the Lord.

34:08 I I don't understand that. Lord, why is it that you're smiting people if you love them so much? Because he's faithful and he's true. He's always been the same and anytime that pride rears its ugly head, God resists it and every time that humility is presented before God. He accepts it and he gives it grace and these mighty kings must have been mighty proud.

34:38 God resist the proud. That's the way that he is. It's a truth in the Old Testament's truth is brought up three times in the New Testament specifically that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. He killed mighty kings for steadfast love endures forever. Sihan, that's going to name the kings.

34:55 Sihan, king of the Amorites For his steadfast love endures forever. And Og, the king of Bashan. Bashan is a very rich territory with great grass and wonderful cows. For his steadfast love, he will endure forever. Yep.

35:10 God resists the proud and this says, and he gave that land of Og and Sihan, the one they had. He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage, excuse me, he gave their land as a heritage. A heritage to Israel, his servant. Now, what are servants? Are they proud?

35:34 No. Mm-mm. It's a humble estate. He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his servant. Why?

35:41 For steadfast love endures forever. It is he who remembered us in our lowly estate. That sounds like the Magnificat from Mary, right? When the angel visited her and said, this is the way it's going be. May it be to me just if you have said, you have remembered your servant in my lowest state.

36:00 That's what she's, that's what she's talking about. He remembered us in our lowest state. For a steadfast love endures forever. And he rescued us from our foes. He got us out of the tight spot, for a steadfast love endures forever.

36:15 It's he who remembered us in our low estate, and he rescued us from our foes. God resists the proud. But the low estate says he gives grace to the humble and that has always been the way that it was. If Abraham had said, nope, I'm staying right here. I got a pretty good inheritance where I am.

36:36 That'll kick off before long and all this will be mine but that's not the way. That's not God's way. He said, yes, lord. I believe you. He gives food to all flesh.

36:47 This is not just to us and to outsiders, Gentiles, nations, all peoples. This is birds and animals and everything else. God, who gives food to all flesh. It's not just about us. It's not just about the ones he's called.

37:04 It's all flesh. I I want to share a quick story. It's two verses from Joshua. It's just two verses. Remember the story of Rahab?

37:14 Rahab, there are two spies that go out and she hides the spies and she has a little speech and her speech, Rahab's speech is this, there she is. They said, hang a scarlet cord out so we we know the house not to attack, right? But listen to what she says to them. Now, imagine that they are going up and singing this song and going up and singing this song and going up and singing this song and they have been recounting what God did for them to bring em out of Egypt and what God did. Rahab says, for we have heard, you hear something that people proclaim.

37:51 You hear something that people say. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt And what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan. Sihan and Og. Hey, just those two guys that were mentioned in Psalm one thirty six. We heard what you did.

38:10 You utterly destroyed them. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted. Neither did there remain any courage, any more courage in anyone to fight against this. If God is on your side and he's that powerful, we don't mess with that. And Rahab recognizes that and says, the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.

38:36 Because of the praises of God's people, Rahab becomes one of God's people. Does that make sense? If they're faithfully telling the story of a good God whose steadfast love endures forever and she says, I want to be a part of that. You know, she's included in the genealogy of Jesus? He is steadfastly loving and he's reaching out to all and he's doing it through us.

39:01 So, think about this. In our habitually praising him, God will make the way for others to know and trust him. If the redeemed of the Lord will say so, God will make a way for them to catch this and you think, I feel like I'm beating my head against while trying to evangelize. Keep on praising God for what he's done. Keep on recognizing what God has done In our habitually praising him, God makes the way for others to know and trust him.

39:28 Not only does he hear and listen to our praise. I am destitute lord. I don't have any other way. May it be our first response and not our last resort when we recognize we're in a tight spot to reach out to God and recognize when he delivers us. He does listen our to our prayers.

39:44 He also uses it in the lives of other people. If you think that God is wrath and that's what you tend to go to and that's your that's your typical way of presenting him is that you stand accused and under the wrath of God. I want you to listen to how God describes himself. This is in Exodus 34. When Moses says, please tell me who you are.

40:09 Show me who you are and God says to Moses, the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord, a god who's merciful and gracious. I'm slow to anger and abounding in Chesed, steadfast love. And faithfulness, keeping steadfast love to the thousandth generation and forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and if you keep on going, it does say, yeah, the sins of the father are passed down to the second and third generation but God's forgiveness goes on to the thousandth generation. It is steadfast and good and yes, we can mess it up and yes, we can reject it but what God is is this. That's the way he presents himself.

40:56 His steadfast love endures forever. It is available to all. I do believe that the appeal is universal to absolutely every soul but not all will accept it. I'm I'm not preaching universalism. Please don't hear it that way.

41:10 His love is towards us and towards all of us. It's available to all, but not all will accept it. No one will stand without it because that's just the way that it is but with it, no one will be defeated. His steadfast love endures forever. And that is worthy of our proclamation.

41:32 That is worthy of our praise. We should be saying that that the steadfast love of God endures forever. So, last verse of Psalm 136 right here, give thanks to the God of heaven for his steadfast love endures forever. Amen. I think that's all I got for you this morning.

41:51 Did anybody get the point of the sermon? Okay. So, in our highs, his steadfast love endures forever. In our lows, steadfast love endures forever. In the death of a dear loved one, His steadfast love endures forever.

42:10 In having the most wonderful associate pastor a person could dream of, leave and go to Alabama, His steadfast love endures forever. God has his own way of doing things and his own plan and he can be trusted to come through for us. Would you stand? And sing with me. Have that own way, lord.

42:29 We trust you.

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Hosanna Meaning Palm Sunday Praising God Psalm 136 Sharing Faith Steadfast Love

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