I’m inviting you to turn in your Bibles this morning to the gospel of Matthew for our reading of the resurrection account.

And while you’re turning there, I want to say welcome to each one of you. So good to have you here this morning. We have several guests that have joined us. And we want to say welcome. Glad that you are here.

That have joined us, and we want to say welcome. Glad that you are here. One that I will actually call by name, and is not really a guest, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen. Sister Gwen, it’s so good to have you in service this morning. And, we’ve been praying for sister Gwen.

Tie into as we look at, the resurrection of our savior. We’re going to begin reading, the resurrection of our savior. We’re going to begin reading in Matthew’s gospel chapter 27 Beginning of verse 27, Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 20 7. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple.

And he was Joseph, who also in store was jesus, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be body. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had out of the great stone to the door of the sepulcher and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulcher. I just wanna pause here for a moment.

If we were to have read this text in Luke’s account, we would discover that it wasn’t just these two Marys, but it was actually several other women who had followed from Galilee that had particularly a because Luke records in this moment that 60 2 of our Now, the 60 2 of our the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together and day. We remembered that deceive that a while he was yet alive. After 3 days, I will rise. Command, therefore, that the sepulcher be made secure until the 3rd day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away and say into the people, sepulcher sure, sealing the stone and setting a watch. And behold, there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the and for fear of him, the keepers did shake and became his dead.

Said unto the women, fear ye not, for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here. He is risen. As he said, come see the place where the Lord lay. Now, let me again pause.

Significant Because Luke’s account has recorded that they had taken particular note in where he was laid and now the angels have said come and go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he goeth before you into Galilee. There shall ye see. Torpor. And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples and they came and held him by the feet and worshiped and there, Let’s bow our heads in the This morning, we have rejoiced as we have sung together of your word that gives our faith meaning in and these next few moments as we look at your I pray, Holy Spirit, that you would illuminate this text to our hearts.

You know, the ones that are here this morning, those that are tuning in online, that the resurrection is just a story. It’s not a reality. And I would pray that this morning that their hearts would be so touched by your word that they would no longer view the resurrection as a story, but a reality in their lives. Accomplish the purpose for which your word is going forth today, Holy Spirit. For your glory, we pray it in Jesus’ name.

Amen. I had seriously considered I say seriously. The thought had gone through my mind. We’ve just come through a series of messages on the one another passages of scripture. The other Sunday, when we were in Sunday school class, somehow the subject had come up and I told them, I said, I think I’m gonna preach from one of, Paul’s texts that he says we are to greet one another with a holy kiss, to which everybody just kind of chuckled.

And the more I thought about it, I thought, you know, maybe I could somehow marry som that talks about righteousness and peace have kissed and somehow get us to the cross and the resurrection. Then I thought, maybe that’s a little stretch. So I put away all of those thoughts, and I brought us to Luke’s gospel this morning. Any time that we read a story or know an account that is a familiar account really, the wonder of the give you an example. When you have possessed something for a long period of time.

Often times, you just view that as, well, it’s that particular thing. Whatever it is. If you ever watched a child on Christmas day, when that new shiny toy is unwrapped, and the wonder in their eyes. You know what I’m talking about? Alright.

Sometimes it’s not just the kids, right? Right? Oh, that gun that I wanted. Looking around to all the gun enthusiasts. Looking around to all the gun enthusiasts.

You know what? A couple years ago, I had my first pistol that I ever owned was a Taurus PT92. And, I sold that gun. And anybody who’s ever been a gun owner or is a gun enthusiast knows, and Taurus PT92, and I thought, someday I want to replace that. And a couple years ago, I started doing some researching, and I found a different version of it.

Instead of just the matte black that I’d had the first time, I found the polished stainless steel. And I remember getting it, and I had to go up to the, the gun store where it was shipped to. And I remember opening that up, the nice gray, pocket that it and you don’t want to get fingerprints really on it. Some of you know what I’m talking about. May not be able to equate it to that, but you know what it is in your life that it’s that item.

And I’ll tell you where that pistol is. Awe at it. But we hear it over and over again. And some it just becomes another. And I wonder sometimes if we don’t do that even with the resurrection.

We’ve heard it over and over again. Yes, Jesus. Oh, halalorades. Do we really understand what happened that first Easter the wonder and the excitement. I wish somehow we could maybe transport ourselves back.

That. To them, it’s not an old story. To them, it’s a broken It was filled with all sorts of fear and doubt and tears and sorrow. If you and I could somehow capture the feeling that they had and what they had experienced, you and I would understand the feelings of hopelessness. Morning, when we pick up our reading this when we pick up our reading, the it’s fear that’s caused the disciples to be locked away in an uprare.

Loss that they had experienced was so palpable, that feelings of hopelessness, feelings of hopeless despair, feelings of floaters, fear that cripples our ability to go about life, and our being that it’s something that just lingers with to the tomb this first Easter morning. I want you to turn your attention for just a few moments to the tomb, the brokenhearted women who were surprised by the dawn. I want you to notice the surprise that came at the dawn, the first Easter. The texts that I’ve chosen for us to look at, we picked up actually before Resurrection Sunday. The world had been shattered by the darkness of Christ’s death.

The world had been shattered by the darkness of It seems that the scribes and the Pharisees had won, that Satan had accomplished the task of destroying the king of glory. And with Christ’s death, J. J. A. R.

E. J. A. R. E.

J. A. R. E. J.

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A. R. E. A. R.

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A. R. E. A. R.

E. A. R. E They had watched not only their lord die, but with for hope of a restored Israel now laid in a tomb. Their hope of a restored Israel now laid in a tomb.

If we were to have rewound the story just a little bit farther than where we picked up, even as close as the upper room jockeying for position in the kingdom that was to draw. They’re arguing who will be the greatest. In fact, James and John’s mother was jockeying for positions for them in this new kingdom. But that’s all gone. The hopes of restored Israel were in shambles.

Their dreams had perished as well with the crucifixion. A their dreams of a future peace in Israel was All of their plans were shattered by the crucifixion. Their plans of prosperity and a renewed Israel were now encased in a tomb of despair. Now keep in mind, for years, the nation of Israel had been experiencing the blossom of hope. The Phar it’s one that many had started to whisper, could this be the micaia, now is dead and gone.

Mary and Mary and the women from Galilee had sat and they had watched the process take place. They had watched the process of their Lord be wrapped in cloth, wrapped in the spices that had been provided and was buried. If you have ever experienced the collapse of a dream or a plan, then maybe you have a little taste of what it must have been like to be these women. If you’ve experienced the loss of a loved one, the death of a child, the heartache of a divorce, the dissolvent of an engagement, the reversal of a business deal that has wrecked your business. Maybe you understand just a little bit what they felt.

Dream The dream was now a nightmare. Hope was gone, shattered. Luke records that the women from Galilee who had followed Jesus are now sitting watching all of their hopes and all of their dreams, the future peace of Israel be wrapped and laid for burial. Without a world without a word, these worm these women watched. They watched the silence that the tomb brought.

Matthew only records that Joseph of Arimathea was present Nicodemus was a part of this. They had rushed the burial of their lord. O’clock, the beginning of the Jewish SAB, Joseph has gone back into jurors, the body of his A disciple of the Lord. The pride is gone back into Jerusalem. Sought out pilot.

Beg for the body of Jesus. And gathering what is necessary for the proper in roar from the nails that have held him to that cross. They’ve carried him to Joseph’s They’ve begun the process drawer. Mary and Mary and the other women have watched this and realized that the full process of burial is not able to be accomplished. A part of it is, but not all of it.

Mark’s account tells us that on the morning tells us that on the. These ladies have gone and they’ve secured more them, where Jesus is buried. There’s something that is silencing about the death of our, do you say when your hopes have been shattered? What words can you give to comfort somebody who’s been robbed? And their And there’s a I imagine with the despair that the women had experienced, to the maybe until they got a little closer and they began to ask some questions.

And just picture them as they neared the I can just picture them as they neared the tomb. Now, Mary, we’re gonna need your help this morning to roll the stone away. Well, Mary, you know that I have a bad back. This because And as they near the tomb, what do they find? They don’t find a tomb with a stone rolled in front.

They find a tomb that is open for all to see. The Easter story is not only filled with hope, but If you ever wondered what it was like to have been a guard. These guards are temple guards. We when the scribes and Pharisees went back into after Jesus had been buried, they went back to Pilate and we want you to set a guard about this. Because this deceiver has said that after 3 days he’s gonna again.

So set a guard over the tomb. We don’t want the disciples to come and steal his body. And Pilots says, you have a guard secured as well as you want. Secured as well as you.

You can’t tell me that those guards were not informed and had full knowledge again. And they were probably told, now listen, more than likely the disciples are gonna try to come on the 3rd day and take his body, so be ready. Now picture this with me for just a moment. Imagine you’re one of the guards. You’re in a cemetery at night, And they had thoughts about the spirit world just like we have thoughts about the spirit world in our day.

I know that because you remember when Jesus came walking on the water? What did the disciples say? Is it a ghost? Just a puresthistoris with their they’re gathered around guarding this tomb. It’s And sta Yeah, Joanna heard that.

What was then, so And you imagine the surprise on their face when they turn around, tomb that they were guarding for the purpose to keep the disciples? The stone is now moving. And it’s not because disciples are there, but it’s because an angel is present rolling the stone away. Tell me that the dawning of that 1st day wasn’t a surprise to those guards. Imagine what a surprise it was to the scribes and Pharisees Were telling you Jesus isn’t there.

And the stone started rolling away, and we turned around, and it wasn’t. It was a disjprals. We can’t explain it but there was a man in shining tomb. And what a surprise it must have been when those guards came in and said, and the surprise of the dawn for Mary and the women. Doubt they were familiar with David’s Psalm, Psalm 30.

Night. Joy, comes in the morning. How are we going to get in, how will we finish this process? Imagine the surprise when they came to the and the stone was rolled away. And there was open access, but and it was scripture says, goes his way, or Peter goes his way, or and what’s surprised, and what’s removed.

The stone that had separated the disciples and these women from their lord had been rolled away. Let me just remind us this morning. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out.

The stone was rolled away, not so Jesus could get out. The stone was rolled away so that you and I could get in to see the truth of the resurrection of the Lord. Hallelujah. Justice didn’t need that stone rolled away for his departure. But you and I needed the stone rolled away so that our faith could take hold.

The place of the dead had become the billboard of the place of the dead had become the billboard. The it was supposed to be a reminder of death, now became evidence of a raiser The only way that I know how to help us grasp the reality of the in modern terms would maybe be to give us an for a And when you get there and you park your vehicle and you begin to walk in the direction of where your loved one had been. And you get you see a pall of that you’re going to see. And the closer you get, you realize that it’s not just any pile of dirt. That’s the pile of dirt that covered your loved one.

On top of that pile of dirt is a vault lid. At this point, Matt Moyer is getting a little bit perturbed. Somebody’s disturbed. One of the gravesites that he’s been a part of. And imagine that you get there and to your horror, your shock, your surprise, of your loved one lay there, but they’re -And, the surprise at dawn is that their loved one is no longer there.

The loss of their Messiah was replaced by the joy of his presence as Jesus comes in. You remember the account in John’s gospel. Up and begins to speak to her. And Mary, the covering that was over her eyes was lifted and she observed this is her lord because of the presence of her lord. Empty tomb, but they don’t know all that’s going on.

And as they’ve gathered in Jesus, comes into that upper room, what happens? Their fear that had locked them away was turned to joy as they worshiped their risen savior. But there is one more group of people that has been surprised by the dawn. And I would say that that is all of humanity, You and me this morning. Because of Christ’s resurrection, the world has seen the power of what a risen savior can do in the life of a fallen person.

Traits that have been dependent upon their drug of choice have been delivered, and then lost, the sin that used to encumber them has been delivered and they now have purpose. They’ve been restored to new life, despair that has been turned is that Jesus died for all men and was raised for all men. How many Jews are here this morning? JENNA: Yeah. JENNA: How many Jews are here this morning?

JENNA: Yeah. JENNA: All of us are here this morning. JENNA: All of us are here this morning. JENNA: All of us are here. JENNA: All of us are Gentiles.

And through Christ’s death and resurrection, because Christ is risen. Your faith now has made. Because Christ is risen, the shackles of and sin have been because of story. That the enemy wants for us to think that the enemy or that Christ is still buried and there is no hope? God has rolled the stone back so that you and I can go into the tomb to observe that there is a risen savior.

There is one who has the power to give us hope and meaning and life. We live in a world that is marked by the fall of your the surprise of the dawn is that But the surprise of the dawn is that that captivity, kimbi, that death can be made life. Those of you that may be familiar with the story, back in 1980, Lee Strobel was working for the Chicago Tribune. A celebrated writer, investigative reporter had been awarded a very high honor, 1980, for his work in a particular investigative trial that had taken place. It was right in that period of time that his wife, Lesley, they had experienced a very traumatic occasion with one of their children.

And through that, they were, Leslie was So moved by what she was hearing and her reading of the gospel accounts, Leslie became a follower of Jesus Christ. But Lee wasn’t buying it. Lee was a proclaimed atheist. Skeptical of everything, and to be skeptical of. And so it’s Leah’s had become a follower of Jesus Christ.

Leah set out on a course. This transformation in her life. But he’s there was also a part of me that said, I want the old right, that this cult is some infiltrating my wife’s mind and taking over. And so, I want the old and so they set out on a course to disprove the resurrection. And you know that systematically, he began the process of investigating every part of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection.

And When he came to the understanding that there was no other way after looking at the historical evidence of the proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Why? Because of the surprise of the dawn. We’re standing together this morning as we close.

Maybe there are some here this morning that you’re still shackled by sin. The what it means to have been buried in a true I’m here to tell you this morning. There’s an empty tomb that reminds us that there’s a risen savior who wants to surprise you by the dawn of Easter. There’s a God in heaven who sent his son to pay the penalty for your sin and my sin, not just to be nailed to a cross to give his life’s blood, but to be raised from the dead, to overcome death, to overcome hell, to overcome sin, to overcome the enemy, so that you and I can have new life. To overcome the enemy so that you and I can have new life.

Their heads, their the story. The holy spirit is saying to someone here. The holy spirit is saying to someone here today. And there is salvation through the resurrection of Jesus. And if the Holy Spirit is talking to you and saying, you know what, It’s time this morning that you put your faith in the Lord Jesus.

It’s gift of salvation that is through the resurrection of J. R. D. I would I’d invite you to come and pray this morning. Buried under the weight of your sin, sobriety under the weight of your sin.

And I tell you this morning, that Easter has dawned. There is Let me just encourage you to reach out and fade to the god who has power over your the and the fact that we have gathered together to celebrate about our that it was purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross. It is through your death that our debt was paid. It was through your death that the wrath of God was poured out on our saviour. Raiserrection that we have new life.

And I pray this morning this morning, they would reach out to the risen in. And I to set us for. And I pray this morning that you would set our hearts, to run-in the ways of your name. Amen. Amen.

The Lord bless you. You are dismissed.

I’m inviting you this morning to turn in your bible to do, 2 different passages of scripture. I had thought this morning I’ll tell you where to turn. That way, you can start. Turn with me to Luke chapter 19, and then also to Galatians chapter 6.

I thought this morning I was grateful that my homiletics professor and that my hermeneutics professor was not gonna be here this morning. They wouldn’t be here. And then I walked into Sunday school class and saw my hermeneutics professor. Earlier this week and he didn’t stop me on it. And so I’m gonna try to do something.

I hope I’m not doing hermeneutics, gymnastics, and homiletical gymnastics to try to fit this together. But today’s Palm Sunday. Final day in our series, small But it’s also the final day in our series, small group series on one another. And as I was making preparation for our series, today, we’re gonna be looking at the subject of bearing one another’s burdens. And I thought, how fitting on, Palm Sunday that we would deal with that.

And so this morning, we’re gonna try to blend the idea of Christ burden bearing for us and our burden bearing for one another. Anybody ready to hang on to the end of the rope as we get swung around this morning? You alright with that? Inviting you to stand as we look at these passages of scripture together. I’m trusting.

By the end of our time together, you’ll see the correlation between these two, the correlation between these 2, Christ our burden bearer, as well as our call to bear one another’s burdens. We’re looking at Luke chapter 19 beginning in verse 28, and then we’ll be turning over to Galatians chapter 6. This morning just so that you’re aware of this out of the New King James version. This is what Luke records. When he had said this, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass when he drew near to Bethpage in Bethany at the mountain called all of that cult tied on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, why are you losing it? Thus, you shall say to him, because the Lord has need of it. So those who were sent went their way and found it just as he had said to them.

But as they were losing the colt, the owners, that said to them, why are you loosing the cult? And they said, the Lord has made a Then they brought him, brought him to Jesus and they threw their own clothes on the court and they sat Jesus on him. And as they went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then as he was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice they had seen, saying, blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory.

From the crowd, teacher, rebuke your disciples. But he answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out. Now, as he drew near, he saw the city and he wept over it saying, you, especially in this, your day, the things which make for your peace, but now, they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies are embarkment around you, surround you, and close you in on every side, and level you and your children within you to the ground. And they will not leave in you one stone upon another because you did not know the time of your visitation.

Now turn with me over to Galatians chapter 6 looking at verses 1 through 5. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you, who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted, bear one another’s burdens Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. For each one shall bear his own load. And then he will have rejoicing in himself alone.

And not in a For each one shall bear his own load. The subject that I really want to speak to us on this morning is the irony of burden bearing. Let’s bow our heads together. This morning, as we reflect today on the triumphal entry of our savior coming into Jerusalem purposefully, intentionally, knowing that his entry in Jerusalem would mean his death. But it was for us.

To look into these passages of scripture and begin to understand the great blessing that has come by your bearing our sin, help of the spirit, your the gospel accounts of Jesus’ entry into jurors, the first irony, is the fact that here comes the burden bearer, riding on what? A beast of burden, right? In fact, some of the newer translations, particularly in Matthew’s gospel, translate it that Christ came riding on a beast of burden. And I find it interesting, this concept that here comes the one who is bearing, the burdens, the sin of all of humanity comes in on a beast of burden. Kind of reminds me a little bit of number of years ago, I was I saw a fella who was riding a motorcycle.

And the motorcycle was rather, rather small motorcycle. And as I observed this happening, I thought, I think it should be the other way around. That fella probably should be carrying that motorcycle rather than that motorcycle trying to carry that. And when I think about the irony of the great burden bearer, Christ, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, a beast of burden, I think that’s a little bit ironic. The one who has come to bear all of humanity’s weight comes riding in on a beast of burden.

I comes riding in on a beast. Right, this morning to somehow link to and the implications that it has for us. Not a random Jesus is intentionally making his presentation of himself as the king of Israel. If you were to turn back in our your Bible this morning to Luke’s Gospel, chapter 9, you will notice Luke references in chapter 9 in verse 51, that Jesus is setting his sights on Israel. In fact, Luke specifically records it in verse 51 of chapter 9, when the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

To come. This is Pash This would be the week for the sins, for the fulfill the will of his father. He knows that what will glorify his father, John records, is his death. And so he has set his sights to go into Jerusalem to fulfill the will of his father. He hadn’t come to do his own will.

That’s going to be recorded a little later in Luke’s gospel as Jesus praise in the garden of Gethsemane with such passion that he sweats drops of blood. Father, let this bitter cup pass for me. This isn’t the will that Jesus has come. But this is the will of his father. And so Jesus has set his sights on Jerusalem to fulfill what his father has called him to do.

So he’s intentionally going into Israel or going into Jerusalem for the purpose for. And that I think is a tragedy in our separating old testament from New Testament is that there are times that we lose the grand scheme of what God is seeking to accomplish. And I want to say, no, that is God’s revelation of himself. Now I understand Old Testament, you know, the Old Covenant versus New Covenant. I get all of that.

Please don’t throw me out for the But what I do want to say is, God is in the process of revealing himself. Creation, the fall of man, redemption, the restoration of all things, and so Jesus has come into Jerusalem on a kingdom mission. He’s come for the purpose of fulfilling what God wants to do to fulfill the kingdom of God on earth. We lose the full scope of what God is doing. And to draw that God is work, all things, for their and to draw that God is sovereign in the universe today, and so Jesus has set his sights on this kingdom, that is it, the kingdom of God.

Inaudurated. And it’s implications for us today. The first thing that I want you to take note of is that the burden, the brain, the principle, is Burden bearing is kingdom activity. Jesus is coming into Jerusalem for the sole purpose that he would take your sins and my sins and bear them to the cross. He’s come for the purpose of offering himself as the guilt offering, and he does that through coming riding on a donkey, a beast of burden.

Jesus was making his way into Jerusalem to fulfill an eternal activity that had pertained to God’s kingdom agenda, something that God had set into motion 1000 of years before. Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t start something and then stop half way? In fact, scripture says that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. And God, who had started his purpose of redeeming mankind after the fall, sets into motion the establishment of his kingdom, raises up David to be a leader, and says that there will be one who will come, who will sit on the throne of David forever. Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.

What are they doing? They’re looking at what God had promised 1000 of years before, that there would be one who would come. They’re looking at the one who has come to take the seat of the kingship in Israel. Now, yes, they’ve misjudged what’s going on. What do they think is about to happen?

Jesus is coming into Jerusalem. He’s gonna throw out the Roman rule. He’s gonna establish his rule. He’s gonna deliver Israel from Roman oppression. The they’re crying out.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. They hail him as the son of David. They begin to sing, praises to Hosanna. They, they shout Hosanna. Now, we use that word, Hosanna, as a word of praise.

It’s actually a word of begging. It’s a word of pleading. The word Hosanna literally means please save. And the people are calling out to Jesus as he’s making his way in. Jesus, save us, set us free, deliver us.

That’s their Deliver us. That’s their and Jesus is making preparation to do just that, to set us free from the bondage of sin. The purpose of Christ triumphal entry into Jerusalem was to bear the sin of all of the world. To take the weight of the sin of all of humanity, to place it on his shoulders, our sin. He took our sorrow.

He took our shame. He took our guilt. And he took our guilt. And he took our sorrow. He took our shame.

He took our guilt, and he bore all of it to the cross. We sing the song, my savior’s love. The second verse of that song says, he took my sins and my sorrow. He made them his very own. He bore the burden to Calvary and suffered and died for me.

Oh, how marvelous. Oh, how wonderful. It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s COURTIN: It’s a COURTIN: was kingdom activity to take our sins, our burden and bear it to the cross. This is where the second irony of the burden bearing comes in. When you and I are united to Christ, we become an ambassador of the kingdom of God.

So when you and I have had our sins born to the cross through Christ, and we have been redeemed, you and I become ambassadors of Christ to do what he has done in the world around us. It means that you and I are called to participate in the official business of the king. Hallelujah. You and I are called to do what he has done. So the burden bearing is not only kingdom activity, but it’s also kingdom responsibility.

Do you realize that because Christ has set us free, we now become ministers of reconciliation in the world? Well, it’s awful quiet this morning. And then he calls you and I to be a own For Christ to fulfill the will of his father, he had to take up our sins and bear them to the cross. There is no way that Christ could get around this. That Christ could get around this.

You remember back in Matthew’s gospel chapter 4, and to engage your minds a little bit this morning? And to engage your minds a little bit this morning. And to engage your minds a little bit this Trying to engage your minds a little bit this morning. Satan comes in to tempt Jesus.

And what does he do? He says, hey, here’s a stone. Turn into bread. Hey, let me take you to the temple. Throw yourself off of the temple.

Let the angels rescue you. You want to make a splash in the world? To a mountaintop and he says, now look at all of the kingdoms of this world. If you will bow to me, I’ll give them to you. And Jesus says, you have no rightful claim or legitimacy to the kingdoms of this world.

I do. And I won’t submit myself to your lies to bow before you. The only way to purchase humanity is the cross. Jesus didn’t circumnavigate the cross, but he ran to the cross to bear our sins, our shame, our guilt to set us free. It was his responsibility and his alone to take the weight of our guilt and our sin to bear it to the cross.

While the blood of the lambs of the Old Testament sacrifice was sufficient to atone, it had to be replicated over and over and over. It was only the blood of Christ that could really satisfy once for all, the Hebrew writer said, to set us free. Paul writes of it in Romans chapter 6 that Christ died once for sin. You and I have access to that freedom through Christ Jesus and his sacrifice. His blood sets us free.

Once for all, Christ bore our sins to the cross. But here’s the irony. For you and I to live out our kingdom ambassadorship, You and I have to engage in kingdom responsibilities. And what are those kingdom responsibilities? Paul writes in Galatians that you and I are supposed to bear the burdens of one another.

Because Christ has born our burdens, our sin, then you and I have been united with him and called to be ministers of reconciliation in the world. Those who know that Christ loved them by bearing the burden of their sin also know to love 1 and other Christ. So the admonition for us to bear the burden of one another is not just a suggestion. You realize it’s not just a good idea for you to bear one another’s burdens. I wish somehow we could capture really what Paul is saying to us.

And maybe the way for us to do that is understand the forcefulness in which Paul writes this. If you were to read this in its Greek text, you would understand that it’s written in three tenses. It’s written in the active, and it’s written in the imperative mood, which means that it is your responsibility ongoing activity of doing this. And it’s not a suggestion, but it’s a command. You are called to bear one another’s burdens.

Paul’s admonition for us this morning is that we are called to bear the burdens of each other. If you don’t come away from anything from this series that we’ve been going through, I want you to take this away. The church needs one another to work together for the sake of the. We’re called to one another. You were called to one another.

You and I have responsibility to each other to love, to stir up, to serve, but also to bear the burdens of one another. When I read this particular passage of scripture, it’s fascinating to me the context in which Paul writes Galatians. Did anybody pay attention to the context? Did anybody pay attention to the context? How does Galatians chapter 6 and verse 1 start out?

If any among you is taken in sin. That’s the context to which we bear one another’s burdens. Now, let me just link this back into the triumphal entry, Palm Sunday. What did Jesus come into Israel for? For the purpose of taking our sin, our guilt, our shame, bearing it to the cross.

And now, as we engage in kingdom activity, as you and I engage in our kingdom responsibility, it plays out in our kingdom building. It plays out in our kingdom building. You and I are called as ambassadors of Christ, ministers of reconciliation, to come alongside and bear the burdens of one another. And this is given in the context of one who has been taken in sin. Paul’s command to bear one another’s burdens is found in that context, that if a brother or sister is taken into sin, that we’re called to do what?

Restore such a one. Maybe I could help us understand, as this relates to our kingdom building, the burden that is placed upon us to bear for one another is restoration. College, I was playing softball. Kendall, you may remember this. I don’t know.

I used to play left field. And there a lot. I used to play a lot. There was a particular game that we were playing, and a ball was hit into left field, and I went running for the just outside of my reach and so I dove for the ball and when I dove hand, my free hand, the hand that was and the landed in that sand and got finger and yanked it to the fellow that was the umpire. I said to him, I said, I don’t know.

I did something to my finger. I He said, hold your hand out. It’s going to hurt, but just hold steady. And I held my hand out, and I was prepared. He And I held my hand out, and I was prepared.

He took a hold of that finger. He jerked it and shoved it. And a strivenly. I thought I can’t play outfield anymore. More.

I can’t I couldn’t I moved to the infield, and I’d I moved to 1st base. I’d catch the ball, and then I’d drop my glove, and I’d take the ball out, throw it with my left hand. By the time the game was over, you couldn’t even see my It was so swollen. It just, it was like you couldn’t see knuckles or any. The problem was, is I had dislocated my finger and it needed to be set back into place.

That’s exactly what Paul is communicating in Galatians chapter 6. A person who has been dislocated needs to be relocated. A person who has been caught in sin or taken in sin needs to be restored. And Paul is saying that is the responsibility that the church is called to bear. 1 and To restore another brother or sister into or brother or sister in Christ into the body.

The only way that you and I can be built up into this royal priesthood was through Christ, the great burden bearer, who has redeemed us. The order, look like? And the first question that we have to ask is, is how do you respond? What do you do when a brother or sister in Christ has been taken in sin? The Jerusalem Post and say, let me just tell the world what you did.

Christ didn’t go gabbing about the way in which we sinned. What did he do? He took that sin upon himself for it to the cross. Now let me just say, responsibility for the bearing the guilt and the weight of that individual in restoration back to the kingdom of God. Too many times, it seems like when we find a brother or sister who’s been taken in sin, And whispering about it.

And whispering about it. And whispering about it. And whispering about it. And whispering about it. And whispering about it.

And whispering about it. And whispering about it. And whispering about it. And I will help to shoulder and bear that load. Sadly, it seems like and I’m not talking about our church.

I’m talking about the church at large. All right? We understand that. And I’m not talking about our church. I’m talking about the church at large.

All right? We understand that. And I’m not talking about our church. I’m talking about the church at large. All right?

We understand that. And I’m not talking about the church at large I’m talking about the church at large. All right? We understand. It seems like sadly the church at large has not always done a very good job of binding up the wounded and bringing them back to health.

I’m sure that I’ve I know that I’ve told you the story of good friend of mine who had been caught with an addiction to pornography. He was a pastor. Ended up having to resign his church. And told me what was going on. In the process of his restoration, he got connected with a guy that became a mentor to him.

That fella had been a pastor in a denomination. He had had a moral failing himself. The denomination’s response was they kicked him out, pulled his license, and kicked him out. Instead of saying we’re coming alongside of you to help bind you up, heal what has been wounded. Kastim.

And can I just say to us today, church, No, we are not the ones who forgive them of their sin? And then, we are not the ones who forgive them of their sin, but you and I have a responsibility when their sin has been confessed, to help bear the burden that they care. When you clothe yourself with Christ likeness, you see the kingdom of God as he does. One of the things that I love about you have your Bible still open, go back to Luke chapter 19. If you have your bible still open, go back to Luke chapter 19.

When Jesus comes through this crowd of believers, it says that he’s making his descent off the Mount of Olives. And I picture this in my mind that as he rounds the corner and he begins to make his descent, he pauses it looks down into the city of it’s the city as it’s all laid out, city, there are tents that are set up. People who have come to worship at the passover. There’s tents that are all gathered around in Jesus pauses, and he looks down into the city. He sees this throng of and instead of cast tears begin to well up in our saviors eyes.

Appear. Chirrs begin to well up in our saviors. And he looks upon the people, and he sees them for what they are. The enemy has come in and has robbed and stolen has destroyed, people who are bound by the sin of this world. And Jisus begins to weep.

With Christ likeness, sob. And, What does it mean to bear one another’s burdens when Paul suggests, What does it mean to bear one another’s burdens? When Paul suggests, suggests that burden bearing fulfills the law of Christ, he makes it clear that the whole law, moral law, is in view. Every act of compassion and self sacrifice on behalf of another person is a means of displaying the love of Christ and thereby fulfilling the law of If you know the book of Galatians, There’s some almost as if as Paul comes down to the end here, he says, you want to observe a law you want to be bound to a law. Let it be the law of Christ.

If you want to have a burden imposed upon you, Take upon you the burden of one another. Load of this present world. They feel. Do you know what they do? Lot.

Lot of you need somebody to hold you accountable. I’m sure. You want somebody that you can meet with I’m here. Paul, have to bear alone. Verse 5 says, for each one will bear his own load, but the ways in which we can bear one another’s loads, we do it.

Let me give you an example of that. I drive a Ford truck. Look at it, brother David. I was expecting some sort of comment and I didn’t get it. Which means I keep a tow rope in the back of my Ford truck.

Don’t laugh. That Ford truck just pulled out a 4 wheel drive GMC. Thank you very much. I have pictures to prove it. Right, brother Paul?

I carry that so that I can pull out stuck dodges, and stuck GMC’s, and Chevy’s. Alright? If my truck breaks down and I’m not able to get my kids, say, to school or wherever they need to go, I can call a neighbor or somebody else to do that, right? Create Grant’s shaking his head, no. No.

Stranger danger, can’t do that. I can, but you know what, I can’t do. I can, but you know what I can’t do? I can’t turn over my responsibility of being their father. This morning, yes, there are certain things that you and I must shoulder, but there are also things that you and I can help to shoulder for others.

The beauty of this idea is when you and I are in union when with Christ, when we have been made alive in Christ Jesus, and we put on Christlikeness, you and I are then called, just as Christ bore our sin to the cross, bore our burden to the cross to set us for you and I are called now to bear the burdens of one another. No, we can’t carry their sin, but we sure can come alongside to take the weight. Side to take the that a fallen world places on their shoulders and say, let me bear We’re being tasked with the responsibility to shoulder the heavy weight that another brother or sister may be, so that they can make it through. You know, there are times, so that they can make it through. You know, there are times that if you’ve carried a weight, you know what it’s like for that weight to crush you to the point that you can’t move.

Couple years ago, when Tanya and I were moving, we had an armoire that was up in the upstairs of our house. And I had the bright idea that I was gonna move that myself. And come down the last two steps. And I got that armoire all the way down until my back was against the wall and the armoire was locked against a step, and I couldn’t move. That’s a terrible position to be in.

There was nothing I could do. I couldn’t stop. And all of a sudden I realized I need somebody to help me bear this load. You know, in your life there are going to be moments, whether it’s through failure and sin in your life or the cares because we live in a sin cursed fallen world. You and I need one another to bear our burdens together.

Tonight, as we come back to our small groups, we’re going to talk about what does this look like? How do we do this? How do we bear one another’s loads? But now he’s given us a ministry to do. For a kingdom, Lord help us to do it.

Let’s stand together as a close and prayer. Father, thank you for your word that we have looked at today. We rejoice. Knowing that whom the sun is set free is free indeed. And we rejoice in the we also know that you have brought us together in union with you for the purpose.

We would live out the Christ life in a part of that. It’s that we then come alongside fellow brothers and sisters. And we bear their burdens. And we bear their burdens. And we they’re they come alongside to help to shoulder the to restore them.

To reset them into the kingdom of God. To do. It’s we to together in relationship with you. And I pray that you would help us to take seriously the reality that you, our burden bearer, have put upon us the responsibility of bearing one another’s. And so to fulfill the law of Christ, Help us to do that.

I pray father that you’d watch over us as we go from here. May your hand of protection take us home and bring us back safely tonight. May you be glorified through our lives, and we’ll praise you for it in Jesus name. Amen. The Lord bless you.

You are dismissed.