In the video, the speaker begins by emphasizing the need to focus on the Savior rather than worldly success. They believe that God is positioning the church for a long-term reach to the city and beyond, and that this new beginning should be approached with God's agenda in mind. The speaker then discusses the importance of recognizing God as the Creator and acknowledging that everything belongs to Him. They also highlight the concept of believers being the temple of the living God, and the significance of renewing the relationship with God through communion. The speaker concludes by urging the congregation to have the courage to live out their faith at home as well.

Well, as I mentioned, we were gone to Nova Scotia this past week for some meetings and this will be message number 15 this week. So if it doesn't sound like it fits, it's just because you got part of all of them. Is that okay? Would you turn with me to Psalm 24? And we're going to continue to worship and just to think about Palm Sunday. And I know the theologians in our midst will say, but pastor, this is about the Lord's Ascension, but you know, it fits so well for Palm Sunday too. And so let me just read those 10 verses and we'll think upon them for a little bit before we worship the Lord at his table. The earth is the Lord's and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers, who may ascend into the hill of the Lord and who may stand in his holy place. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully, he shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, even Jacob, Selah. Lift up your hands, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your hands, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. And Father, our title this morning is, Let the King of glory come in. And as we've read here in your word, the King of glory will come in. Father, in this time as we meet with you, just be pleased to speak to our hearts and to strengthen us as your people and to continue to equip us to be in this world, but not of this world, for our hearts are in the kingdom of God. So, Father, may this few moments just strengthen and encourage us in Jesus' name. Amen. When you think about Palm Sunday, Jerusalem was full of people. It was packed. There was a sense of electricity, that electric excitement that goes around the times of festivals and celebrations in the Jewish calendar. Passover was coming, there was no rooms to be had, and everything was just a bubbling. And it is at that Palm Sunday time that we see the beginning of Holy Week as Jesus enters into a packed Jerusalem. And there is the wonderful pouring out of praise that takes place as he enters the city. And the laying down of palm leaves and garments and so on, so that as Brad read, the Lord riding on that little donkey could move into the city. And you can imagine some of the discussions and things that were going on. And I'm so grateful that Scripture allows us to follow Jesus this week. You can follow him from Palm Sunday through the week and the various things that happen in his life, all the way to the cross on Friday and to the empty tomb next Sunday. Sorry. I thought I was over it because I did it a few times this past week down in Nova Scotia. Except on Wednesday night, I was preaching in an older Baptist church. It had about a three foot platform and about a six foot drop off of it. And so I came to the edge and, no, maybe not. I'd like to come back home and see you all again this Sunday morning, you know. Yeah, I mean, we can so rejoice this morning, can't we? And in this 24th Psalm and in the passage from Luke that Brad read, we see just again that purposeful journey that Jesus makes for you and for me. And I like how Luke's gospel puts it in the run-up. It says that Jesus spoke to his disciples about what he would accomplish through his death. You think about that. Accomplish through his death. And it's a very purposeful walk every step of the way. So as we look for a few moments at the 24th Psalm before we join together here around the table and celebrate the Lord's Supper together, let's just look at it and consider four things. First of all, the Creator is seen in this Psalm. Not a lot is said these days about creation. It seems as if we've sort of become quiet in that area. But I'm so grateful that the psalmist here begins by saying the earth is the Lord's. He created it and all that it contains. All that it contains. All people belong to God. Isn't this a great thought? This made me just smile the other day. All people belong to God. Now some belong to him as his servants. And hopefully that's you and I this morning who can say Jesus is my Savior. Jesus is mine. And I am his. I am here to serve him. And some belong to him as his subjects. Now we would sort of say, well I dispute that. I'm not a subject of God. If I'm an atheist or whatever, but you know what? Nothing thwarts the will of God. And nothing will stop the plan of God either. And so when it comes to the end of the thing, you read in Philippians chapter 2 that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. And there it is. Some are servants walking with him, hearing from him, enjoying him. And some are subjects who try to get away from him. But at the end of the day, every knee shall bow. Now you know, I would say that gives a picture of some who are resisting Christ as being in the place of absolute frustration. Wouldn't you? I mean, it's kind of like you can run but you can't hide. Because there's no way out. There is coming a day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess. And here we see that the Lord is stated as clearly the creator. Now a lot of people over the while have claimed that they own the earth or they're going to rule the earth. We've had dictators and empires and all kinds of things and sometimes consortiums and business empires and all those things that claim, you know, the earth kind of is ours. But God has never given up his title deed to it. He still holds it. And I am so grateful for that. As you and I look at this psalm, we see it belongs to him. And therefore, every one of us are accountable to him. This is why doctrine like creation is so attacked. Because if you can shut that up, well, then you don't have to be accountable for salvation or sin or anything else, right? And here the psalmist says it. And oh, I wish I could tell you how many times I've been boiled in oil for saying there is one creator and that is the Lord God. And here is the psalm just opens beautifully with this picture of him. He has established it, says, and founded it. Wonderful just to remember that there is a creator and we are accountable to him. Secondly, in verses three through five in the psalm, we see the Savior. And on this Palm Sunday, that's the one that we want to focus in on and look at. We see the Savior here. And you say, now, John, it doesn't mention Jesus' name here. And you know, that's right. But here is the all-important question, the question that every single individual, sooner or later, has to ask and answer. Because you see, if there is a God and he is holy and we are not, then there must come a time when we have to ask this question. Who may stand in his holy place? Who, indeed, can stand before a holy God? And as you think with me upon that just for a moment here, who can approach him even? Who can stand before the Holy One, the Creator? Now, over the centuries, people have always tried to reach God. Brad, as a student of theology, what are some of the ways that people have tried to reach God? Ladders. Ladders? Nice try. You just failed ordination question number three. Okay, what would be some of the things that people do to try to get there? Be good. Ah, see, I knew he was putting me on with the ladders thing. Be good. Yeah, I'll be good and God will let me into his holy heaven. And, you know, I'll do nice things and God will surely take note of that and he will let me in. And, oh, you know, the church needs eight million. My goodness, I could give that and the Lord will take care of that. You didn't know I could give eight million, did you? Neither did I until this moment. You know, we were watching TV in Halifax the other day and there's this lotto in the States with like $640 million or something and they're lined up away down the street and around the corner and in and out of that place. And I thought, you know, Palm Sunday ought to be about a lineup to lay down a palm and a garment before Jesus. And isn't that a sort of symptom or symbol of the society that we live in? When if I could just win. See, I told it down a bit. One guy said, I travel the world. Somebody else said, I pay off my debts. Somebody else said, have a good time. Yeah, if I could just win. But because of Jesus, there's something far better than that massive lottery win. Something much more wonderful and appealing to the human heart and soul. We see the Savior as we look in these verses because all of those things that we have tried to do to reach God fail. And the gospel is this. No one is the answer to that question. Who may stand in the presence of God? No one. Who has clean hands and a pure heart? No one. Every one of us this morning, if they put up on the video screen our thoughts and so on for the past week, who would feel comfortable with that? Nope, nobody feel comfortable with that because we've all thought, said, and done things in the past week that we know don't reflect the Holy One. But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus looked at our predicament and said, I'm coming for you. You getting nervous over here? No. I'm coming for you. Oh, how I love that thought of a Savior. Let the King of glory come in. I am coming for you. Here as we just look here, no, we don't have the clean hands or the pure heart, but Jesus does. And He has the ability to take us into Himself and to hold us in His purity and to wash us in His love. Solomon, the wisest of the wise, couldn't stand before the glory of God when His glory descended in Jerusalem. So how could we? That's why we need Jesus. That's why guys like I get up and declare His Word to be true, because every single soul on this earth is one day to face Him. And we need Christ. There is no other way, no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must, must be saved. And when Jesus walked and ministered here, the King of glory came. And that Palm Sunday when He rode into Jerusalem, there were all kinds of things, I'm sure, being said and thought. There were many, perhaps, who were looking and saying, well, who's that? Who's that? Isn't that what Brad read? Who is this? It's Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet. Others might have said, well, who does he think he is? Perhaps others looked at it and thought, ah, look at this. You finally get a Sunday off and there's a bunch of religious fanatics. Those people. Isn't it interesting in the life of Jesus, when you think about the King of glory coming in, you find four possible scenarios. The first is that there are some who received Him into their house, but not into their heart. In Luke chapter seven, you'll find one. His name is Simon the Pharisee. And he invited Jesus into his home, but he didn't invite Him into his heart. He was okay for the King of glory to come as a status symbol. I had Him over for supper, you know, but not into his heart. And then there are some who invited Him into their heart, but not into their home. And you'll find in Matthew chapter eight and verse eight, there's a centurion who says, Lord, I'm not even worthy that you should come into my house. Just speak the word and it will be done. And there'll be a healing for my servant. He didn't get Jesus as the status symbol into his house, but he had Jesus in his heart, believing that the Son of God could take that terrible, miserable situation that his servant was suffering and just speak a word and he would be healed. And you find a third possible scenario about the King of glory coming in in Matthew 8—and put my glasses on so I can see the reference—verse 34, there are those who invited Him neither into their home nor their heart. You remember the story when he cast all of those evil spirits out of legion, and they went into the pigs, and the pigs went down the hill and were destroyed, and the people around there said, buddy, please just leave. So they didn't invite Him into their homes nor their hearts. But when the King of glory comes in, oh, what a glorious thing, because there's a fourth group that we find in Scripture, those who received Him into their house and into their heart. You'll find in Luke 10, verse 38, there's Mary and Martha and Lazarus, that little family who are so delighted when Jesus comes into that home and into their hearts. Who has clean hands in the pure heart? Jesus does. Who is it that we need so desperately on this Palm Sunday? Jesus. You see in verse 6 of this psalm, it's speaking about the blessedness of those who seek Him. And it's a picture as he stands in Revelation 3.20, outside the door knocking. And it says when we open the door, he comes in and will sup with us or eat with us, and we with him. You see, he has to be received. And there is sort of a thought out there these days that Christianity comes by osmosis. If you hang around enough Christians long enough, sooner or later you'll probably get it. No, no. Christianity comes through a known decision when we come and say, Lord, I see that there is no other way. And I see that there is no other one. And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is nobody but Christ who can wash away my sin and who can lift me out of this pit and who can fill me with something that's worth living for. Sorry, I'm a bit emotional this morning. It's number 15, I guess. You see, there's a Savior in this psalm. Friends, thirdly, we see in this psalm there are obstacles. In verse 7, lift up your hands, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. There are gates and doors that need to be opened and lifted up. What are some of the things that are obstacles to us knowing Him and having Him and rejoicing in Him and knowing His truth and His freedom? Unbelief is one. I said to a woman on Wednesday night before the service, she said, my life is so awful and I don't know of anybody who could help me. And I said, there is one who can help you, but you have to go to Him. His name is Jesus. She had a nice Irish name, Nula. Haven't heard that since it was in the old country. Unbelief. We need to believe that it makes a difference to be in His presence, to be in fellowship with Him and with His people. We need to know that it makes a difference to walk in the fullness of His Spirit and to serve Him, because everything else that this world has to offer will just become dry leaves and dry us up and blow us away. Unbelief is a hindrance. Busyness is a hindrance. God's people are the busiest people on the face of this green earth, aren't we? Let me test that out. Al, how's retirement? Lots of free time, living it up man, nothing to do. No. Now those of you who are thinking about it, see, it's not worth it. Don't do it. Busy. But if in our busyness we become like Jerusalem and we miss the King of Glory coming in, then all the busyness in the world cannot lift us, cannot help us, cannot mend us. Trouble and distress. I don't know if I want to go lift up those gates and see the King of Glory. I got too much to do with this stuff right here, right now. I'm in the pit, man. That's right. And the only one who can change the pit is when the King of Glory comes in. Oh, the list of obstacles can be infinite, can't it? Disappointment. I talked with some people this past week. Many of us prayed together over the disappointments that come along in life and the things that kind of knock us down. Job certainly had his share of them in Scripture, didn't he? Disappointment after disappointment. But he never lost sight of the fact that one thing I know, when this earth is done, my Redeemer lives. Apathy, bitterness, envy, hard hearts, rejection. Rejection stings deeper than most things I can think of. And it just steals the joy and squeezes the life out of us, doesn't it? But Jesus understands rejection. And when the King of Glory comes in, he comes to say, I'll never reject you. I have something for you. Discouragement. And the list goes on, doesn't it? You know, all of these obstacles we have to just set aside and in faith and repentance say, God, there is every reason that I can think of why I should not lift up the doors. But God, I'm going to do it anyway. I'm going to lift up the doors. I'm going to open the gates. Come in. And fourthly, that's what we see in this psalm, isn't it? The King of Glory may come in. Verses seven through ten speak about the one who is strong and mighty, mighty in battle, not overcome at all. And if you think about this holy week, what does it teach us about when He comes in? Wow. Well, there's all kinds of scripture. We would be here till Shekinah starts at 330 or so, but if you want me to go that long, I would love to do it. Because I miss those international services where it doesn't matter. But we're going to have a potluck. And the pot is calling. What happens when the King of Glory comes in? Old things die. 2 Corinthians 5 17 says that we become a new creation in Christ Jesus. The past is gone, and there is newness of life in Him. You'll see it in holy week. He comes to a fig tree. No figs. And so He says, let there never be figs gathered from you again. And the next morning, when they're going by, the disciples say, ah, that tree is withered. What a surprise. For Jesus says, if you pray and believe in your heart, it shall be done. That was a symbol of Israel and all of the religious traditions and trappings that can hold us back. And He's saying there is new life in Him alone. Old things die. It's a living relationship. The temple is cleansed. He comes. And you know, Jim Simbel had taught us on that video some time ago that there was nothing there that shouldn't be allowed to be there. The money lenders and the changers and the animal sacrifices and all. But what he taught us on the video was that the wrong motive was there. People doing those things for the wrong reasons. Not to serve Him, but to serve themselves. The temple is cleansed because there is another temple. Would you look in this mirror this morning and think about 1 Corinthians 3 16 that says, you are the temple of the living God. When the King of Glory comes in, you become His dwelling place. Now there's all kinds of things that try to squeeze on that, aren't there? All kinds of discouragements, all sorts of despondency and so on. But if you have trusted Christ as your Savior this morning, the King of Glory dwells in you. And even in this little fat frame of mine. Amazing. So how do you feel about yourself this morning? Most of the time we listen to that voice that says, well you can't do it. You'll never get anywhere. You'll never become anything. You'll never find victory. You can't really seriously imagine that you can do this Christian stuff. And the Holy Spirit whispers in our hearts, let me do it. Let me do it. Let me do it. When the King of Glory comes in, oh, the power of God is displayed. It leads to healing in Matthew 21. When we read about how he went into the temple in chapter 21, and I think it's verse 14, it speaks about the blind and the lame came to him. And he said, could you come back tomorrow and make an appointment with my secretary? What did he say? I will be healed. Now we carry all kinds of things, and we know that there is the sovereignty of God, but that doesn't stop us from praying and asking for healing, does it? From trusting him for a real touch in those physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Praise and worship follows. You remember, the Pharisees complained, would you shut the kids up? Because they're shedding. Hosanna! Hallelujah! How's that for Pentecostal, for an Alliance preacher on a Sunday afternoon? Hosanna! Save us! Hallelujah! Praise to God on high. Incidentally, it's the only word in every language apart from Coca-Cola that you don't have to translate. Hallelujah! The children are filled with praise. And you know, I wonder on this Palm Sunday morning, wouldn't it be an exciting thing to be able to go out of here and say, oh, I praise you, Lord, for you're the King of glory, and you have come in to my heart, my life, to lead and to guide, to lift and to help, to strengthen and to bless. Worship comes through purity and prayer. You see, that Easter week in love, as he prays in the garden and says, not my will, Father, not what I want here, but oh God, Father, what you want. You see, in love, on that Good Friday, no wonder we call it good. But it must have felt far from good for the one who carried the whip marks on his back and the nail prints in his hand, as he took on him the sin of the world, and as he says, I'll do it because I love you. Oh, when the King of glory comes in, there's love and there's truth, isn't there? There's forgiveness, forgiveness. Let me just open my heart for a minute or two and say to you, there are many today who, if they were honest, would say, I'm not getting anything out of religion, Christianity. I go through the form week by week, and I would say this, it's because when we never make the journey from Palm Sunday to the cross, we never give up self. We never give up our own agenda. We never give up our own desires. We never give up our own life for the one who has given us life eternal. And when we come to do that, Christianity in the Western world will start to gain ground again, because it'll no longer be self-centered. You don't believe me? Have a look. When there's a successful program, we all run to the success when we ought to run to the Savior. I believe, dear church, that God is positioning this body for a long-term reach to this city and beyond. I believe that God is positioning this body for a new beginning, and oh, we dare not ever enter into it with any agenda but His. John, we still have to do communion, and that potluck is calling. So let me wrap up this part. And Logan, you can get that nice little video ready for me. This holy week, as the world rushes on, will we let the King of glory come in for a fresh cleansing, a powerful touch of healing, an outpouring of worship to Him? Will we come to the table and begin and renew that relationship that is so otherworldly, so precious? Well, friends, you have to forgive me. I've been doing this all week long, so I'm gonna do it at home as well, because if we don't have the courage to live out at home what we live on the road, there's something wrong. And here's what I'd like to do this morning as we finish the message. Would you just stand with me? Now, don't get worried. I'm not gonna call everybody to the front and so on. I just want us in these moments to make a response not to John but to Jesus. Jesus, who's the only one, the only way, the truth, the life. No wonder this morning, let's just close our eyes in a moment of worship. This psalm says, lift up the gates, lift up those ancient doors that the King of glory make. And I'm just going to lift up my hands and invite you to lift up yours as well. And say in a moment of worship, just before him, let the King of glory come in. Lord, in the name of Jesus this morning, we come before you. We have no right to come in our own merit, so we come in his name. And we come saying, let the King of glory come in, into my heart, into my life, into my mind, into my soul in a fresh way. Lord, would you fill each of us with our hands raised in this moment? And those who would love to but perhaps physically cannot raise their hands. Lord, if we're here and our hearts are reaching out to you, would you come? King of glory, come in. Fill these vessels as full as forgiven sinners may be, that we might know your internal residency to guide us and to lead us, to fill us and enable us, to forgive us and cleanse us, and to hold us in your love. In Jesus' name we pray. You can slip your hands down. You may be seated. We're going to in a few