Good Words from God’s Word
 
It’s Palm Sunday celebrating the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem atop a young colt of a donkey that had never been ridden before. It was a day for joy and celebration in the miraculous ministry Jesus had accomplished during the days of His ministry. Jesus was a miracle worker and the people shouted their praise for the amazing things they had witnessed Him do;
 
“As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; PEACE IN HEAVEN AND GLORY IN THE HIGHEST!” (Luke 19:37-38)
 
The amazing work of Jesus deserves a SHOUT! Like those who preceded Jesus into the Holy City, we too lift our voices for the miracles Jesus has provided our church in recent days. This place, the provision of a new location in which to worship and serve the King of Kings is worthy of our loud and joyous praise.
 
Palm Sunday also begins the week of Christ’s Passion which led to His suffering upon the cross. The same crowd that praised Him on Sunday, would be shouting “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” on Friday. Holy Week is strewn with conflict, rejection, plotting, betrayal, blood and abandonment. Jesus is not only the celebrated King, he is the suffering servant. Think about it;
 
“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God and afflicted, He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening of  our peace fell upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)
 
He suffered for our sin. This is the week we as his children walk with Him toward Calvary. We know that by His blood we have been forgiven and set free from the penalty of Sin.
 

 
There are six varieties of wounds that a person can receive in their body.

• Abrasive wound - Where the skin is scraped off. This can result from stumbling or by carrying a rough object or by a glancing blow.
  
• Confused wound - caused by a heavy blow.
  
• Incised wound - produced by a knife or spear or other sharp instrument.
  
• Lacerated wound - where the flesh is torn open leaving jagged edges.
  
• Penetrating wound - where the flesh is pierced right through.
  
• Punctured wound - made by a pointed or spiked instrument.
  

 
Jesus suffered all of these. So, if you are wandering this morning how much God loves you, think about the wounds Jesus suffered for you. The suffering of Jesus is the complete story, the convincing proof, the ultimate drama of how far God’s love would reach to save us. So, worship today in the joy of Palm Sunday when He entered into the week of His passion.

Today is an amazing day, made possible by the will of God and the guiding hand of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says:
 
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever—The Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him.  But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18)
 
Our meeting here in this place today proves the authenticity of Christ’s promise. We are not alone, the Lord has been with us and, as we look around this morning, we see the evidence of His presence and power. JESUS CHRIST IS WITH US.
 
Think about all that the Holy Spirit has done for us. There has been a steady stream of volunteers ready to work and get dirty for Jesus. Every Saturday an army of workers have rolled up their sleeves, bent their backs loading trailer after trailer with items to be stored, used their talents and abilities to install lights, build and paint walls, cut-in new doors, take down and rehang curtains, move chairs plus hundreds of other tasks. Faithful members and friends of Grace have donated money, time and energy for this worthy endeavor. God has raised up benefactors to donate money, expertise, and equipment.  This has been a massive effort which God through the Holy Spirit’s leading has put together.
 
This past week, Phil Peters said to me, “Pastor Mike, Janice and I have been through 5 chapters in our time here at Grace. We have been with the church at Memorial Park Road, Martin Elementary, Martin Road, the old place on Mundy Mill and now the new church on Mundy Mill. There were times when we wanted to leave, but God kept saying, ‘I’m not through with you at Grace yet.’ We were tempted to quit, but God wouldn’t let us.”
 
Today, we understand why God keeps us steady in our labor to build His kingdom. Through disappointments, set-backs, failures and heart aches, God is building His church. God never quits. He never takes a time-out. God guides, He pursues, He motivates, and He accomplishes His plan through His people who cooperate and participate with Him. This place is not ours. It’s His. Our very presence in this place this morning says out loud;

“WE BELONG TO JESUS. WE ARE HIS CHURCH.
ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY BELONG TO HIM!”
 
To God be the Glory,
Great Things He has done;
So, loved He the world,
That He gave us His Son.
 
He yielded His life,
An atonement for sin;
And opened the life-gate,
That all may go in.

Good Words from God’s Word
 
Today, the membership of Grace begins to turn the page to the next chapter in its good and honorable ministry as the church of Jesus Christ. Things will be different today. There will be no curtains on the walls, no sound system and audio-visual amplification to enhance our worship. Our stage and pulpit will be moved to the new location. Even though volunteers have been moving our belongings for weeks, today is the day that you will really see that our ministry in this location is coming to an end.
 
After nine years of ministry and service in this place, we need to end our presence here with grace and thanksgiving. I am reminded of what took place when Israel left their wanderings in the wilderness to set their feet in the new opportunity of the Promised Land. Joshua said to the people of Israel:
 
“…When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, …you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which he dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” (Joshua 4:22-24)
 
In order for you to begin a new day, you must leave the old day behind. Israel left the wilderness to enter the Promised Land. That’s what we begin today at Grace. We leave this old place in order to enter a new place of opportunity and blessing.
 
I am calling upon our church family today to remember and share what the Lord has done for us here in this location. Many of you have testimonies of what God has accomplished in your lives here in this place. While being temporary in this spot, God has blessed us, adding to our numbers people who have been saved or joined from other places and churches. Lives have been changed. Babies have been born. Families have been started. Decisions to follow and exalt Jesus more fully have been made. We are a stronger church, a better church and a more determined church than we were nine years ago.

I will set aside time this morning in our worship for you to stand up for Jesus and tell your story about what God has done for you and your family over the last nine years. Even though I have prepared a sermon, I hope your testimonies will occupy the full service this morning. I will gladly delay what I have prepared to preach in order to hear what God has laid on your heart. Let’s be careful this morning to give God the glory for all that He has done in our church by providing this place for Grace Baptist Church to build its ministry. Jesus promised:
 
“…upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18)
 
We worship God and praise Him for all that He has done to build His church in this location.
 
A Sunday School teacher asked her class of first graders, “Why is it important to be quiet in church?”
 
A small boy raised his hand and said, “Because my dad will be sleeping.”
 
A funny story about Grace will be appreciated. Let’s talk about the Lord today and all that He has done for us while we have been located here.