Participants: Carlton P. Byrd
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000024
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00:00 ♪ (Theme Song) ♪ ♪ ...Jesus is worthy... ♪
00:10 ♪ ...oh yes he's worthy... ♪ ♪ worthy of all... ♪ 00:18 ♪ Jesus' Triumphal Entry ♪ ♪ (Music) ♪ 00:23 PB: I want to welcome those who are watching 00:25 the Breath of Life telecast. 00:25 Dr. Carlton P. Byrd is my name speaking for 00:27 the Breath of Life television ministry. 00:29 We are here at the Berean Seventh-Day Adventist Church 00:32 in Atlanta Georgia and we'd like to invite 00:34 you to join in our worship experience at this time. 00:36 Having said that I'd like to invite everyone 00:39 who is here and those who are watching at home to take your 00:43 Bibles and turn to Mark Chapter 11 00:47 verses 1 through 11. 00:51 The word of God says to us today 00:55 "And when they came nigh to Jerusalem 00:58 unto Bethphage and Bethany at the mount of Olives 01:01 he sendeth forth two of his disciples." Verse 2 01:06 "And saith unto them Go your way into the village 01:13 over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it 01:16 ye shall find a" what everybody? Come on 01:20 ye shall find a what? 01:21 "Colt tied whereon never man sat; 01:23 loose him and bring him. 01:26 And if any man say unto you Why do ye this? 01:29 say ye that the Lord hath need of him; 01:31 and straightway he will send him hither. 01:37 And they went their way and found the colt tied by 01:39 the door without in a place where two ways met; 01:42 and they loose him. 01:44 And certain of them that stood there said 01:47 unto them What do ye loosing the colt? 01:50 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: 01:54 and they let them go. 01:56 And they brought the colt to Jesus 01:58 and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 02:00 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut 02:03 down branches off the trees and strewed them in the way." 02:08 The word of God continues: "And they that went before 02:12 and they that followed cried saying Hosanna; 02:15 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 02:22 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David 02:25 that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna 02:31 in the highest. 02:33 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem 02:35 and into the temple: and when he had looked round 02:38 about upon all things and now the eventide was come 02:41 he went out unto Bethany with the twelve." May the Lord add 02:46 rich blessings to the readers viewers and hearers 02:50 of his holy word. 02:51 We're praying God we thank you. 02:54 Thank you for one more time you've allowed us 02:56 to open up your word. 02:57 Now God I pray that you would bless 03:00 the delivery of your word. 03:01 Give us clear hearts minds and receptive hearts 03:03 through your word today. 03:05 Forgive me of my sins hiding behind 03:08 the cross oh God and may not hinder your word 03:11 from going forth today so that when the appeal is made 03:14 men women boys and girls may come running to say 03:17 what must I do to be saved. 03:18 It's in Jesus' name we pray and ask these things. 03:23 Let everyone say Amen. 03:24 And Amen. 03:26 You may be seated. 03:27 Mark 11:1-11. 03:34 Today we talk about Jesus' triumphal entry. 03:39 Praise God that Jesus paid the ultimate price that we might 03:46 be who we are and where we are today. 03:51 From the first prophecy of the seed of the woman who would 03:55 rise up and crush the head of the serpent 03:57 every turtledove peace offering drink offering meal offering 03:59 perpetuated itself out of the Old Testament 04:02 foretelling what Christ would do on Calvary. 04:06 You must recognize that every scapegoat that ever went 04:12 stumbling into the wilderness carrying the iniquities of 04:15 Israel was a foretaste of what Jesus would do on Calvary. 04:20 That every bleeding lamb every bleeding lamb that 04:25 would give up its innocent life 04:27 its blood spilled into a pot beneath it 04:30 shed its blood as a foretelling of what Jesus 04:34 would do on Calvary. 04:35 That the stench of burning flesh outside the tabernacle 04:40 door attests to God's judgment of sin and iniquity on every 04:44 burning lamb was a foretaste of what God would do with his 04:50 only begotten son on Calvary that through that redemptive 04:54 property we may have a right to the Tree of Life. 04:56 The Old Testament friends of mine 05:00 looks forward to the cross and every book in the New 05:05 Testament that is written after Calvary right on up to 05:09 Revelation looks back and says worthy 05:13 is the lamb of God that was slain from the 05:17 foundation of the world who is worthy to receive 05:22 glory and honor. 05:23 Let's be clear this day. 05:26 Do not allow the majestic miracles of the gospels to 05:30 distract you from the purpose of Christ. 05:34 Yes it is awesome that Jesus healed lepers 05:38 gave sight to the blind turned water into wine 05:42 but it was not for that purpose that he came. 05:47 It is wonderful to see God's grace hit the tomb of Lazarus 05:51 raise Lazarus from the dead but that is not why Jesus came. 05:58 The woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of 06:03 Jesus' garment and immediately her issue was stopped 06:07 and she was delivered but that's not why 06:11 Jesus came. 06:12 Jesus was born to die. 06:14 And everyone that tried to hinder him from that purpose 06:19 Jesus rebuked them. 06:20 You remember when Peter tried to stop him from 06:23 going to the cross he called Peter a devil 06:25 and said get thee hence behind me. 06:27 When Judas kissed Jesus in betrayal 06:30 Jesus called Judas his friend because Jesus clearly knew 06:35 that this was his purpose. 06:37 And so today this is what it really means to be a Christian 06:42 to believe in the life death and resurrection 06:45 of Jesus Christ. 06:47 And so as we approach this day we approach with humility 06:52 for this is the first step that leads Jesus to a hill called 06:56 Golgotha and to a place on that hill called Calvary 07:00 to ultimately pass the hill of Calvary to the rolling of 07:03 the stone away where we find an empty tomb that attests to 07:07 the authenticity of Jesus Christ that he would rise from 07:10 the dead with all power in his hands. 07:12 I don't know what you believe but I believe that the 07:20 word of God is true. 07:22 I believe that Jesus was born of a virgin 07:28 worked in his earthly father's carpenter shop 07:32 began his ministry at the age of 30. 07:35 After three and a half years of ministry he was crucified 07:38 died on a cross but on the third appointed 07:43 day he rose with all power in his hands and it is in our 07:48 text today that Jesus begins his final week on earth. 07:55 It is here that we see Jesus beginning the focus 08:00 into his destiny free from the distractions 08:02 of healing the sick and raising the dead 08:04 turning water into wine. 08:05 The Bible says that he has set his face to go to Jerusalem. 08:13 This is not his first time at Jerusalem 08:15 but this is the first time he comes to Jerusalem with his 08:18 face set toward death and the understanding that he must die 08:21 that we might live. 08:23 We have come to the final stage of Jesus' journey. 08:28 There has been the time of withdrawal in Caesarea 08:31 Philippi in the far north. 08:32 There has been the time that Jesus the Christ spent 08:35 in Galilee. 08:36 There has been the time that he spent in the hills of Judea 08:39 but that is all over now. 08:40 He has completed his assignment to Jericho and now 08:43 he has set his face up to go to Jerusalem. 08:48 Jerusalem that holy city that city that is still in 08:53 trouble even today. 08:55 More wars have been fought over the city of Jerusalem 08:58 than any other city in the world. 09:00 Jerusalem was set up under the control of the Roman Empire 09:04 and in spite of that Jesus has to set his face 09:09 to go to Jerusalem. 09:10 No longer bothered by the politics of the day 09:13 Jesus now focuses on Jerusalem without distraction 09:16 for it was to be the place where destiny was supposed 09:20 to collide with purpose and Christ himself 09:23 was to be crucified. 09:24 Can you today imagine the weight of responsibility as 09:31 Jesus made his way to Calvary. 09:33 Jesus is walking with men who don't fully understand him. 09:39 They love him but they don't understand him because 09:43 I've learned sometimes people can love you 09:47 but they make your life more difficult. 09:49 Peter in his love for Jesus takes out his sword 09:54 the Bible says cuts off a Roman 09:57 soldier's ear. 09:58 To cut off the ear of a Roman soldier would mean 10:03 and should mean death. 10:04 It meant death by execution not by crucifixion 10:08 but Jesus could not afford to have his purpose aborted 10:12 by the hot-headed anger of a jealous disciple 10:14 so he steps down picks up the ear 10:17 places it back on the man's face 10:20 because when you really know your purpose 10:22 you don't allow people to distract you 10:24 with their passions. 10:25 You know what you've got to do. 10:29 Now he has to set his face to go to Jerusalem 10:33 and the Bible says that as he begins to move 10:38 in that direction there are a series of events that cause a 10:42 mighty change and some powerful things that begin 10:46 to happen in his life. 10:48 As he begins to go toward Jerusalem there is a cry of 10:53 little children hosanna hosanna hosanna to the king. 10:58 There's a great deal of excitement a great 11:01 deal of enthusiasm. 11:03 And in the process of them being excited about him 11:06 the Bible says that they begin to gather 11:10 palms from branches. 11:11 Although Jesus' triumphal entry is recorded in each of 11:14 the four gospels this tradition I must add is very 11:17 difficult to preach. 11:19 It's difficult to preach because unlike the cross 11:22 unlike the resurrection unlike the baptism 11:24 in the Jordan unlike the Passover 11:26 unlike the communion service there is very little rooting 11:29 in the Old Testament to substantiate what 11:31 we're talking about. 11:34 Though it is prophesied in the Old Testament that Jesus would 11:37 enter into Jerusalem riding on a donkey 11:40 the reality of the matter is that the tradition of laying 11:43 down palm branches is not rooted in Judaic tradition 11:47 but rather it comes if you study 11:49 from the Roman Empire. 11:51 You have to understand that it was one of the traditions of 11:55 Rome that when a soldier listen to me good 11:57 went out to battle that when he came back with 12:01 victory they would lay down palm branches as a sign of 12:05 victory as he marched in on his horse with blazing saddles 12:09 and head raised high. 12:12 The laying down of palm branches and the cheering of 12:16 people was a sign of great victory. 12:18 It was a sign that you defeated your enemy 12:21 your foes have been crushed and you had risen victorious. 12:23 The laying down of palm branches was a 12:27 signal of triumph. 12:28 So when Christ makes his way toward Calvary these children 12:32 had looked at their former oppressors and adopted from 12:36 their oppressors a certain custom that they wanted 12:39 to perpetuate and say if you can honor your heroes 12:43 then we honor ours as well. 12:45 So they borrowed from Roman tradition and they took 12:51 the palm branches laid them down in the way 12:54 and say hosanna in the highest. 12:58 As Jesus entered into the road to Jerusalem they sang praises 13:03 to him just as they had seen the Romans do when they 13:08 came back from battle. 13:11 Now the singing to the victor is not something that is 13:14 strictly given to the Romans for you will remember that in 13:17 the Old Testament when Saul and David came back from their 13:22 wars in the Old Testament the women ran out to meet them 13:26 and it was the singing of the women that provoked 13:29 Saul to jealousy. 13:31 When the women sang Saul had killed his thousand 13:35 David has killed his ten thousand 13:39 the singing to the victor is something that the 13:42 Jews did do. 13:44 The laying down of palm branches was something that 13:48 was given to Rome but in both issues there is 13:51 something that we must discuss. 13:54 For whether you sing to the victor as the Jews did or lay 13:57 down the palm branches as the Romans did you never 14:01 sang the song or laid down the palm branch 14:05 until the victory had been won. 14:11 Somebody's going to get this in a minute. 14:13 Remember this is not a celebration of Christ 14:18 after the resurrection. 14:20 Jesus is on his way to the cross not--ah 14:25 somebody's got it. 14:25 Not coming from the cross. 14:28 Yet they laid palm branches down to say you have 14:32 the victory before you have the battle. 14:35 You all don't hear what I'm saying. 14:36 The palm branches indicate victory. 14:40 The Romans said whoever carries the palm branches 14:44 has defeated the foe. 14:46 It is a sign of triumph. 14:47 And for them to lay the palm branches out before Jesus as 14:51 he begins to walk on them he was walking on a higher 14:54 plane and you cannot get victory on a higher plane if 14:57 you don't walk on a higher plane. 14:59 And so they laid out the palm branches 15:03 before him Jesus entered into the battle with an air 15:08 of victory before the battle was even fought. 15:13 No wonder three days later the stone will be rolled away and 15:18 he would rise up triumphant because if you go 15:21 down triumphant you're going to come 15:23 up triumphant. 15:25 The Bible says in Romans 6 if we are buried with him in 15:27 the likeness of his death then we also shall be in the 15:30 likeness of his resurrection. 15:31 If you go down like he went down 15:33 you're going to come up like he came up. 15:36 I don't know who I'm preaching to in this place today 15:38 but if you're going to get the victory in Jesus 15:40 you've got to learn how to change your attitude. 15:44 Stop standing stop shaking trembling worried 15:48 feeling nervous sitting up at night 15:49 can't rest can't sleep can't eat. 15:52 The devil is liar. 15:53 The battle is not yours. 15:55 It's the Lord's. 15:56 Count it all joy when you fall in diverse temptation. 16:00 Count it all joy when all manner of evil 16:03 is spoken against you. 16:04 Count it all joy when you walk through it in 16:07 the midst of controversy. 16:10 Don't you know Christ was walking in absolute 16:13 controversy when he walked that last week. 16:16 Do you know what Caesar would have done to know that these 16:18 Jews were running around calling Jesus king? 16:21 Insurrection would not have only been punishable to him 16:26 but to all of them by death. 16:27 In fact according to Roman law it was unlawful 16:30 for that many people to get gathered and assembled 16:34 even in one place and then to call him a king. 16:37 But yet the Bible teaches that in midst of controversy Jesus 16:40 walked through it with his head held up high. 16:43 What am I saying? 16:45 You've got to learn to walk through it with your 16:49 head up high your back straight and know 16:51 that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he 16:58 delighteth in his way. 17:00 We come to the time of year where we celebrate the first 17:06 step on a journey that would set the captives free. 17:09 We're on the first step of a journey that would open up the 17:14 prison doors and shake the foundations of hell itself. 17:17 We're on the first step of a journey where mercy and truth 17:20 are met together and righteousness and peace 17:23 have kissed each other. 17:24 We're on the first step of a journey that would 17:28 swallow up every idiom every ideology and every 17:31 concept of kinsmen and redeemers all culminating in 17:34 one week as Jesus stepped on a palm branch and said 17:37 it's already done. 17:39 Hallelujah somebody. 17:40 You see it's easy to be distracted by the opportunity 17:45 to talk about Jesus' wondrous grace and love 17:49 his infinite ability to touch me defies human articulation 17:53 and yet my assignment today is to move beyond the 17:56 temptation to be distracted by the opulence of who 17:59 Christ is in this story. 18:00 What is not so much specifically about Christ 18:02 but I came to preach about what I want to mention 18:05 abstractly because my focus is not so much on how he sets 18:08 his face to Jerusalem. 18:09 I want to speak to you out of the periphery of his vision. 18:13 For it is not his focus on the cross that has called me 18:17 to preach here today but it is the peripheral view 18:19 that he as a prophet speaks to his disciples and says 18:22 to his disciples you read the text 18:25 go into the next village and there you will find a colt 18:32 tied in front of a door. 18:35 And my mind I must admit today 18:38 is boggled because I think why on a week that 18:43 you are about to die why on a week that is a week 18:46 from hell would you take the time to be mindful about a 18:51 colt tied to a door? 18:55 Yet on this the most important 18:58 week of his life Jesus begins not to speak 19:00 about his Father in heaven or ten thousand angels he could 19:03 have called down to rescue him but Jesus 19:06 in the text his final week speaks of a young colt tied 19:08 by a door and he says to two of his disciples 19:12 come here. 19:14 He says I want you to go into the next village 19:16 and there you will find a colt tied in front of a door 19:18 and on the outside of the door where two ways meet. 19:23 And my eye turned from the splendor of who Christ is 19:26 friends of mine to the degradation of a colt 19:29 that's tied to the front of a door and wonder why do you 19:32 care Jesus about this young colt on this final 19:33 week when you are about to die? 19:38 For God if you control the universe 19:41 if you spoke something out of nothing 19:46 if heaven is your throne and earth is your footstool 19:49 if time is measured in the palms of your hands 19:53 if Lord you control the demographics 19:55 of the seas and yet you have time to speak about a donkey 19:58 tied to a door then surely God you know about me. 20:05 Don't get the one that's running around free 20:07 but get the one that's tied up. 20:10 Get the one that never man has sat on. 20:12 Get the one that has not been sold for money 20:14 that has not been used to work 20:16 has not been saddled by man. 20:17 In other words find me somebody who has not 20:21 lived to their full potential who has never fulfilled 20:23 their purpose. 20:24 You see people think that just because 20:26 you have survived you have fulfilled your purpose 20:28 but it's possible to exist and never fulfill your purpose. 20:30 God says go get her she's been doing all 20:37 kind of stuff but that's not what 20:38 I created her to do. 20:39 Go get him. 20:41 I've got something else for him to do. 20:43 He's tied up right now but I've got 20:47 something for him. 20:48 I wish I was talking to some tied up folk in here today. 20:50 I want to talk to some folk and get real with those who 20:54 have had restrictions limitations and you 20:57 are bound up. 20:59 You know you can't be tied up and still have movement. 21:03 And so Jesus stopped his death march to tell two disciples 21:09 go until you see a colt tied by the door and when you see 21:14 that colt tied by the door loose him. 21:18 You all didn't hear me. 21:19 Jesus said loose him. 21:24 I don't know who I'm preaching to today but I've got 21:28 a word of liberation emancipation and freedom 21:32 for somebody. 21:34 I don't care how long you've been tied up 21:38 I don't care what has had you tied up 21:42 but the Lord told me to tell somebody loosen. 21:47 So you better tell your neighbor 21:49 neighbor give me some room because I'm about to get 21:53 loose up in here today. 21:55 Tell the bill collector tell the IRS that I'm about 21:59 to get loose up in here today. 22:01 Tell the butcher the baker and the corn maker 22:06 that I'm about to get loose today. 22:08 Tell my fears and my past I'm about to get loose today. 22:12 Tell my friends tell my enemies I'm about 22:16 to get loose today. 22:17 Tell the devil devil I'm about to get loose. 22:21 You should have killed me when you had the chance. 22:26 You should have stopped me when you had the chance 22:29 but something is about to happen. 22:33 Something is about to happen. 22:36 I know God didn't teach me to use a double negative 22:40 I'm using it for impact I know God didn't keep 22:43 me alive for nothing. 22:45 I know he didn't take me through all of this 22:47 for nothing. 22:48 I know he didn't put me through all this for nothing. 22:51 I know I didn't get this old for nothing. 22:55 Something is about to happen. 22:59 I might not get it as fast as you get it but something 23:03 is about to happen. 23:07 I want to talk today to somebody who's been stuck 23:10 somebody who's been tied up because in the name of Jesus 23:16 somebody is about to get loose today. 23:19 From the crown of your head to the sole of your feet 23:25 you are about to get loose today. 23:27 That's why the Lord brought you here today. 23:30 That's why God brought you to hear this sermon today. 23:33 Somebody you've been tied up all your life 23:36 but now you're about to get loose. 23:39 So excuse me and give me some room as I get loose. 23:42 Excuse me as I give God some praise. 23:45 I've got to praise him because I'm sick of the same old 23:48 stuff tired of the same old foolishness. 23:53 Got to praise him. 23:55 But I hear somebody saying why didn't he get me 23:58 loose sooner? 24:00 If you would have gotten loose sooner you might have taken 24:03 the wrong road. 24:04 Because after all the hell and high water some of you have 24:07 been through he says not only will I loose you 24:10 but I'm going to take you by the hand and put you on the 24:12 right road to your destiny. 24:14 Number three the Bible says now listen to me good 24:19 the Bible says that when they got ready to loose the donkey 24:22 somebody came out the door and said what you are doing 24:25 loosening that donkey? 24:30 Let me tell you something. 24:32 Whenever God gets ready to change your situation 24:37 whenever God gets ready to bless you like never before 24:41 there's always going to be somebody who will stand up 24:46 and try to stop you from where you're trying to go. 24:50 But when they try to stop you Lord I hear my help coming now 24:55 when they try to stop you tell them the Lord 25:00 has need of me. 25:03 Come out of your fear. 25:06 Come out of your worries. 25:09 Come out of your stress. 25:12 So they brought the donkey out. 25:16 They brought the donkey to Jesus. 25:18 Jesus hops on the donkey and as he went down the road 25:20 I can hear Jesus saying "all my life I've been waiting 25:23 for this moment." 25:25 I don't know who I'm preaching to but 25:27 all your life you've been waiting on God to release 25:30 something in your life. 25:32 This message is prophetic. 25:34 Yes you've been thinking you had a decision to make 25:39 but you don't have a decision to make you have 25:41 a destiny to fulfill. 25:45 PB: I would like to thank you very much for tuning in to the 25:48 Breath of Life telecast today. 25:49 I do hope that you were blessed by the word 25:53 of God today. 25:54 I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to 25:57 become a partner of the 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even the heavenly angels. 27:02 And God's surprises of love continue all around us today. 27:05 Journey with Elizabeth as you get a fresh view of the 27:09 greatest story ever told from the kidnapping of God's 27:11 children to the rescuing from the ransom 27:14 to the reunion. 27:15 "Surprised by Love" is yours for a gift of $5 or more. 27:17 Please call our toll free number 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:20 That's 877-265-6333. 27:26 Please have your credit card ready when you call. 27:29 Or you may write us to request your copy. 27:31 Please send your check to Breath of Life PO Box 340 27:34 Newbury Park California 91319. 27:36 Get your copy of "Surprised by Love" today. 27:40 Be encouraged and touched by the unexpected rescue 27:43 of God's children. 27:44 PB: Are you hearing what I'm saying? 27:47 >: To order a DVD or CD copy of this Breath of Life 27:50 broadcast with Carlton Byrd just call our toll free number 27:52 877-BOL-OFFER. 27:53 That's 877-265-6333. 27:55 Please visit us on online at 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Revised 2015-02-06