Embracing God's Purpose Through Praise and Partnership
Summary
On this Palm Sunday, we gather to celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, a moment that marks the beginning of Holy Week. This day is not just a commemoration of a historical event but a reminder of how Jesus rides into our lives, bringing salvation, grace, and forgiveness. As believers, this is a time to express our joy and gratitude for the salvation we have received. We are called to lift our voices and praise God for the gift of salvation, acknowledging that our lives are transformed by His power.
The message today emphasizes that God has a purpose for each of us. Despite our imperfections, God chooses to use us for His divine purposes. The story of Jesus instructing His disciples to fetch a colt for His entry into Jerusalem illustrates that God does not require perfection to fulfill His plans. Instead, He looks for those who are available and willing to be used by Him. This is a powerful reminder that our weaknesses do not disqualify us from being used by God; rather, they highlight the grace that God extends to us.
Furthermore, the importance of partnership in fulfilling God's purpose is highlighted. Just as the colt needed the presence of the donkey to fulfill its role, we too need others to walk alongside us in our journey of faith. God places people in our lives to help us grow and move towards the destiny He has for us. This Palm Sunday, we are reminded that God's praise should be our ultimate priority. As we celebrate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, we are called to lift our voices in praise, acknowledging Him as our Savior and King.
Key Takeaways:
- God Uses Imperfect People: God does not require perfection to fulfill His purposes. He uses our imperfections to demonstrate His grace and power. Our weaknesses do not disqualify us; instead, they make room for God's grace to work in our lives. [01:17:00]
- Partnership is Essential: Just as the colt needed the donkey to fulfill its purpose, we need others to walk with us in our faith journey. God places people in our lives to help us grow and move towards the destiny He has for us. [01:24:38]
- God's Praise is Our Priority: Our ultimate priority should be to praise God. As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we are reminded to lift our voices in praise, acknowledging Jesus as our Savior and King. [01:32:08]
- God's Purpose is Greater Than Our Plans: God's plans for us are greater than we can imagine. Even when we feel unworthy or inadequate, God has a purpose for our lives that He is working to fulfill. [01:03:25]
- God's Unexpected Ways: God often shows up in unexpected ways. We cannot control how God decides to work in our lives, but we can trust that He is always working for our good and His glory. [01:43:10]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:01:00] - Call to Worship
- [00:03:00] - Palm Sunday Praise
- [00:05:00] - Welcoming Visitors
- [00:07:00] - Announcements
- [00:10:00] - Holy Week Events
- [00:15:00] - Offering Time
- [00:20:00] - Music Ministry
- [00:25:00] - Scripture Reading
- [00:30:00] - The Lord Needs You
- [00:40:00] - Imperfection and Purpose
- [00:50:00] - Partnership in Purpose
- [01:00:00] - Prioritizing God's Praise
- [01:10:00] - God's Unexpected Ways
- [01:20:00] - Invitation and Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Palm Sunday - The Lord Needs You
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 21:1-11 (NRSV)
---
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 21:1-11, what specific instructions did Jesus give to His disciples regarding the donkey and the colt? How did the disciples respond to these instructions?
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of Jesus choosing to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a horse? [01:32:08]
3. What was the crowd's reaction as Jesus entered Jerusalem, and what were they shouting? How does this reflect the theme of the sermon? [01:32:08]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept that God uses imperfect people to fulfill His purposes? [01:17:00]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the choice of a donkey for Jesus' entry into Jerusalem symbolize about the nature of His kingship and mission? How does this contrast with worldly expectations of power and authority? [01:32:08]
2. The sermon mentions that God does not require perfection to fulfill His purposes. How does this understanding affect one's view of their own weaknesses and imperfections in the context of serving God? [01:17:00]
3. How does the sermon explain the importance of partnership in fulfilling God's purpose? What role do others play in our spiritual journey according to the sermon? [01:24:38]
4. The sermon suggests that God's praise should be our ultimate priority. How does this priority manifest in the way believers live their daily lives? [01:32:08]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unworthy or inadequate to be used by God. How can the message that God uses imperfect people encourage you to step into your purpose despite your imperfections? [01:17:00]
2. Identify a person or group in your life who has been a partner in your faith journey. How can you express gratitude to them this week, and how can you continue to support each other in fulfilling God's purpose? [01:24:38]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of praising God. What are some practical ways you can prioritize God's praise in your daily routine, especially during challenging times? [01:32:08]
4. Consider the unexpected ways God has shown up in your life. How can you remain open to God's unexpected plans and trust that He is working for your good and His glory? [01:43:10]
5. How can you actively participate in your church community to support others in their faith journey, just as the donkey supported the colt? What specific actions can you take this week to foster community and partnership? [01:24:38]
6. Reflect on the areas of your life where you might be resisting God's purpose due to a sense of independence or fear of change. What steps can you take to surrender these areas to God and allow Him to guide you? [01:19:13]
7. As you celebrate Palm Sunday, how can you use this time to renew your commitment to acknowledging Jesus as your Savior and King in both words and actions? [01:32:08]
Devotional
Day 1: God Uses Imperfect People
God's ability to use imperfect people is a testament to His grace and power. The story of Jesus instructing His disciples to fetch a colt for His entry into Jerusalem illustrates that God does not require perfection to fulfill His plans. Instead, He looks for those who are available and willing to be used by Him. This is a powerful reminder that our weaknesses do not disqualify us from being used by God; rather, they highlight the grace that God extends to us. In our imperfections, God’s strength is made perfect, and His purposes are fulfilled in ways that we might not expect. [01:17:00]
"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." (1 Corinthians 1:27, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel inadequate or imperfect? How can you invite God to use you in that area today?
Day 2: Partnership is Essential
The importance of partnership in fulfilling God's purpose is highlighted through the story of the colt and the donkey. Just as the colt needed the presence of the donkey to fulfill its role, we too need others to walk alongside us in our journey of faith. God places people in our lives to help us grow and move towards the destiny He has for us. This partnership is not just about companionship but about mutual growth and support in our spiritual journeys. Recognizing the people God has placed in our lives can help us move forward in faith and purpose. [01:24:38]
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: Who are the people God has placed in your life to support your faith journey? How can you intentionally invest in those relationships this week?
Day 3: God's Praise is Our Priority
Our ultimate priority should be to praise God. As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we are reminded to lift our voices in praise, acknowledging Jesus as our Savior and King. This act of worship is not just a response to what God has done but a declaration of who He is. Praising God aligns our hearts with His and reminds us of His sovereignty and goodness. It is an expression of our gratitude and recognition of His lordship over our lives. [01:32:08]
"Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." (Hebrews 13:15, ESV)
Reflection: How can you make praising God a daily priority in your life? What specific actions can you take to ensure that His praise is always on your lips?
Day 4: God's Purpose is Greater Than Our Plans
God's plans for us are greater than we can imagine. Even when we feel unworthy or inadequate, God has a purpose for our lives that He is working to fulfill. His plans often surpass our understanding and expectations, leading us to places we never thought possible. Trusting in God's purpose requires faith and surrender, acknowledging that His ways are higher than ours. This trust allows us to embrace the journey He has set before us, even when it diverges from our own plans. [01:03:25]
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to trust God's purpose over your own plans? How can you surrender this area to Him today?
Day 5: God's Unexpected Ways
God often shows up in unexpected ways. We cannot control how God decides to work in our lives, but we can trust that He is always working for our good and His glory. His unexpected ways challenge us to remain open and receptive to His leading, even when it defies our logic or understanding. Embracing the unexpected requires faith and a willingness to follow where He leads, trusting that His ways are perfect and His timing is impeccable. [01:43:10]
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8, ESV)
Reflection: How can you remain open to God's unexpected ways in your life? What steps can you take to trust His leading, even when it surprises you?
Quotes
"Bless him, bless him. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. What a joy it is to be in worship on this day as we commence this high and holy week of celebration of our Savior who rode not just into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday. We commemorate that act. But we thank God that even as he rode into Jerusalem, he also rode into our lives, bringing to us the gift of salvation, bringing to us the gift of God's grace, bringing to us the gift of God's forgiveness." [00:31:40] (39 seconds)
"Even as Jesus Christ gave his blood, shed his blood to save our lives, we, in a certain kind of way, are able to give blood that could potentially save the lives of other people. But listen, in order for us to do this, we need at least 15 individuals to sign up, 15 individuals to sign up. I know we haven't stated that as much, but we need 15 people to sign up for the blood drive in order for us to make it a success." [00:40:19] (27 seconds)
"And we culminate all of it early on Sunday morning, next Sunday, when we come to celebrate our risen Savior. I'm excited about that already. Aren't you? I'm already excited about our Resurrection Sunday experience. It's going to be a great day. All aspects of our worship will be involved in next Sunday's worship service. And so you want to be here. As y 'all know, each and every year we will have additional guests." [00:42:22] (26 seconds)
"And God, we know that it is through your word that salvation is found because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. And so God, let us hear from you today. Challenge, change, and convict us. Save us. Sanctify us and satisfy us. In your word, we will give your name all praise for any fruit that shall come from this time of sharing together in your word. In the matchless and the mighty name of your son, our savior, Jesus Christ." [00:57:23] (45 seconds)
"Jesus says to those disciples when you go into the village to untie that donkey and that colt that I have commissioned for you. If anyone says anything to you about it, tell them the Lord needs it. I'm always intrigued by that and it's something church that deserves our interrupted, uninterrupted and undivided attention. If for no other reason, it seems to be a loaded phrase." [01:00:57] (37 seconds)
"And this declaration that our Savior makes as he has given instructions to his disciples as they are preparing to make accommodations to enter into the holy city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover meal, at face value, when Jesus makes this statement, it seems to suggest there is some kind of deficiency in the power of God. After all, beloved, to be in need quite literally suggests that there is something lacking that needs to be fulfilled, something incomplete that needs to be satisfied, something inadequate that needs to be made whole." [01:02:03] (51 seconds)
"All that you have achieved and all that you have accomplished corporately or individually that truth cast a shadow over who we are in the world listen to me god don't need any of us did you hear what i just said god doesn't need any of us the world and god would get along just fine if you and i were not here that in our presence or in our absence from everlasting to everlasting god will still be god." [01:09:34] (36 seconds)
"That God will align you with people before he assigns you a platform and I'm thankful today that even when I'm going through seasons where I'm too stubborn, where I'm too immature and I'm too undisciplined, to be obedient to God's call on my life. Amen. God has some partners prepared for me to help lead me out of my own short-sighted, silly, and self-sabotaging ways so that I don't take for granted the opportunities that I have standing in front of me or that I don't waste whatever possibility God has for me in the future." [01:28:37] (39 seconds)
"And I know some of y 'all can't rejoice on that because you believe that every opportunity, every open door you walk through is because you're so smart and because you're so special and because you're so strategic. But for the other 98 % of us in the room who are sometimes too stupid and sometimes too stubborn to see a way that God was trying to make for us, we couldn't see it on our own. You ought to help us praise God. For the people who walked with us until God's glory sat on us." [01:31:07] (34 seconds)
"God has heard you and your king is coming to you church and here's my final word to you on this when Jesus came in on that they didn't expect that they knew what the word of God said but they didn't expect the Messiah to show up like that let that be your reminder that you can't control how God decides to show up in your life." [01:41:48] (38 seconds)
"y 'all listening to me you can't decide how God wants to show up in your life it could be that God lets some things play out the way that they do lets some circumstances unfold the way that they do so he can show up in a way that you never expected him to show up you thought he was going to show up on a horse and God showed up on a donkey but he still showed up with the same power to make a difference in your life." [01:42:52] (50 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Apr 13, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?