Remember the Resurrection

 

John 20:1-17

Resurrection morning, Mary Magdalene, was up and out the door before dawn, headed to the tomb. She who has been forgiven much, loves much.  

A woman had no credibility as a witness according to the customs of that day, yet Mary from Magdala, the hamlet known for harlots, from whom Jesus cast out seven demons, is the one, Jesus chose as the first eyewitness to the Resurrection.

The Resurrection is for everyone, from the least to the greatest.

Happy Easter.

Easter, that’s the English word.

It was the fourth century Church’s way of using the Light of the world to extinguish the darkness of a pagan world holiday, associated with the false goddess of fertility, Eostre.

That is the great commission of the Church. To take the Light of the world into all the world. Without becoming of the world.

To do that, we must always remember our Source. 

Our Source is the Word.

The Source of the Resurrection is the Word became flesh.

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1, 14).

Until we rejected Him, spit on Him, whipped and ripped His flesh to ribbons. We cast Him out and nailed Him up on an old wooden cross, where He bled and said things like, Father forgive them...Today you will be with Me in Paradise... My God My God why have You forsaken Me?!?... Tetelestai! It is finished... Into Thy hands I commit My Spirit.

The Word bowed His head, and His flesh, died.

But the Word never died.

The moment His flesh breathed its last, the Word exploded to Life.

The earth shook, the rocks broke, the veil in the temple, that wretched divorce decree between God and man, ripped asunder from top to bottom, opening the door to whosoever will enter the Holy of Holies and become a blessed, forgiven, child of God.

Within a matter of weeks on the Feast of Weeks, (Pentecost) folks in Jerusalem from every tribe and tongue and nation heard, by way of the Holy Spirit, the wonderous Word of God, preached in their own dialect and language.

The Word still echoes around the world from that day to this. 

Easter, was the springboard. Resurrection Day, the most awesome day in human HIStory.

So far.

The best is yet to come, but that’s a story for another day.

The modern Hebrew word for Easter is, Pascha. It’s the Greek name for Passover. Which makes sense, since it’s tied to Passover.

Friday. Feast of Passover. We call it Good Friday.

Saturday. Feast of Unleavened Bread. Today, it’s called Holy Saturday. I call it Sadder Day, since there’s never been a sadder day.

Sunday. Feast of Firstfruits. The day we call, Easter.

Our words are feeble reminders.

God’s Word tells the Truth of HIStory.

Feast of Passover. Jesus died. Death passes over, those under, the blood of the Passover Lamb, from the doorpost on that first Passover in Egypt, to the cross post on Calvary when Jesus became the Perfect Passover Lamb.

Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus’ sinless body lay in the tomb. Leavenless bread lay in the home. Leaven represents sin. All leaven (yeast) was completely removed from every home.

Feast of Firstfruits. Easter’s real name. The firstfruit was offered to the Lord. The firstfruit was a sign of the harvest to follow. Lev. 23:9-14.

1 Corinthians 15:20
 “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Because Christ is risen, those in Christ shall also rise.

Only God could’ve established those feasts 1,500 years in advance to land exactly on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

GOD’S SEVEN FEASTS REFLECT THE TIMELINE OF HUMANITY:

FULFILLED:

1. Passover: Christ’s death as the Lamb of God.

2. Unleavened Bread: Burial of Jesus' sinless flesh.

3. First Fruits: Resurrection of Christ.

4. Pentecost (Weeks): Coming of the Holy Spirit.

TO BE FULFILLED:

5. Trumpets: Rapture of the Church.

6. Atonement (Yom Kippur): Second Coming of Christ.

7. Tabernacles (Sukkot): The 1,000-year Millennial Kingdom

 As the first four were perfectly fulfilled, so shall be the final three.

Only God could tell us, 173,880 days in advance, the exact day, the Messiah, Jesus, would ride a donkey into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. Daniel 9:25.

Only God could tell us hundreds of years in advance that He would come, and suffer, and die, but not for Himself. Psalm 22, 34:20, Isaiah 53, Daniel 9:26, Zechariah 12:10.

Only God could preserve for us thousands of undeniable, documentable proofs of His death, burial and resurrection, and provide and ever growing mountain of archeological evidence verifying the Truth of His Word.

Investigative journalist, atheist, Lee Strobel, spared no expense in his quest to disprove the Bible.

Today he’s a world renown minister of the Gospel.

Two minute and nineteen second video of Lee sharing: 4 Proofs of the Resurrection - Lee Strobel from The Case for Christ

 

Okay Doug, that’s amazingly hard to believe but even if all that stuff happened it doesn’t make any sense. 

Why would God do it if He knew we were going to screw everything up?

Even bigger question. How does His death, burial and resurrection, fix anything? Especially me?

Great Questions.

Why would God do it?

Short answer: Love.

In the beginning, knowing everything that would happen, He still said, “Let us make man in Our image...” (Gen. 1:26).

That same love from that day to this, flows from the whispering lips of couples in love saying, “Let’s make a baby.”

Even though, they know that baby’s gonna poop and pee and cry and be a brat and talk back and break the rules and their hearts and screw everything up.

Yet, love says, it’ll be worth it. We’ll be a family.

God is love.

Love wins.

How does His death burial and resurrection fix anything? Especially, me?

Once again. In the beginning everything was awesome. It is good, it is good... it is very good.

Then, man got a dirty diaper. He messed up. Broke the rules. Well, the rule. There was only one.

Don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the day that you do, you shall surely die. Genesis 2:17.

There are things one should not know, places you should not go, things you ought not see, or hear, once that line of regret is crossed there’s no going back to that innocence lost.

However, hope is not lost. 

God does restore.

But sin is not ignored.

God is just. God is love.

Consequences come.

God doesn’t go back on His Word. 

He said to Adam and Eve, the day you disobey you shall surely die.

They did. In that moment they were separated from God.

They felt in a small way what Jesus felt in a great way, when He cried from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

According to the Divine Justice of God, for the first time in forever, Jesus was separated from His Father as the sins of humanity were placed on Him.

Originally, Adam and Eve were clothed from the inside out with the Purity and Presence of God.

The moment they disobeyed, as Light cannot dwell with darkness, the Presence of God left, and they were naked and ashamed and dead.

God is Life. Separation from God is death.

But God is Love and Love doesn’t quit, never gives up, never fails.

God showed up with a new wardrobe, an eviction notice, and a plan.

From now on, making a living or birthing a life, will be painful, hard, labor.

However, one day, from the Seed of the woman, will come One, to crush, the serpent’s head that tempted you to cross that line. Genesis 3:15.

Then, to cover their nakedness, which represents their sin, God gave them animal skins.

Thus, setting the precedent that the shedding of blood could cover sin. Eventually that precedent was codified into the Law.

Then, for thousands of years, rivers of animal blood flowed to temporarily cover sin.

But, like the clothes, it was only temporary. For the blood of bulls and goats and animals could never wash away the sin of mankind, God’s crown of creation. (Heb. 10:4).

Only a Perfect Sacrifice could meet the Divine Justice of God.

Galatians 4:4-7
So, in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

That’s why Jesus came.

To be the Perfect Passover Lamb.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming willingly, living sinlessly, dying blamelessly, rising victoriously, so we could be, one big, noisy, messy, happy, family.

Thank You.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

Facebook: Church at WPV

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Watch online:

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.

With one week to live, this is what Jesus did

If you knew you were going to die in a week, how would you invest your time?

This is what Jesus did...

Luke 9:51
 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.

Where He knew He would be rejected, falsely accused, beat, whipped, crucified... resurrected, received up.

About a third of the gospels (30 out of 89 chapters), are dedicated the final week of Christ, Passion Week, Holy Week.  Almost half of John 48.5% (9.5 out of 21 chapters); Matt. 37.5% (8 out of 28); Mark 28.5% (6 out of 16); Luke 25% (6 out of 24).

Jesus invested His time teaching in the temple by day, and nights on the Mount of Olives, praying, or at Bethany with His friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, just 2-3 miles from Jerusalem.

Luke 21:37-38 
And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. ³⁸ Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

Luke 22:53
When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

His passion week itinerary from Parade to Paradise:

Sunday       

Palm Sunday.

Jesus headed from Bethany on the Mount of Olives, to Jerusalem, on a donkey.

The DAY He did it was perfect. The sinless, spotless Lamb of God came to them, on the very day in which each family chose their spotless Passover Lamb. Exodus 12:1-14.

The WAY He did it couldn’t be missed. Exactly as prophesied their Messiah came riding on the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9.

The TIMING provided undeniable proof beyond the shadow of a doubt, of Who He was and what He was doing...

About 500 years prior the angel Gabriel told Daniel, that Messiah would come “sixty-nine weeks” after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Daniel 9:25. (69 sevens, or 483 years, or 173,880 days)

The decree came, March 14, 445 BC by Artaxerxes (Nehemiah 2).

Exactly, to the day, 173,880 days later to the day, on April 6 32 AD Jesus, rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt.

The crowd hailed Him as Messiah and King, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!” Psalm 118:25-26.

The crowds cheered.

Jesus teared.

Jesus sobbed as He looked out over Jerusalem because:

1. He knew they would not accept Him as the Passover Lamb.

2. They would be destroyed because they did not know the time of their visitation (Luke 19:44). 

3. In less than a week the cheers would turn to jeers; from Hosanna to Crucify Him. 

KNOWING ALL THAT, HE DIDN'T TURN, HE DIDN'T RUN, He dried His eyes and made His way into Jerusalem and into the temple and looked around and because it was already late, He returned to lodge at Bethany. Mark 11:11.

Mad Monday

Faith Forgiveness Fakeness

On the way from Bethany back to Jerusalem Jesus was hungry and stopped by a fig tree full of leaves, but it had no figs, it looked good on the outside but had no fruit.

Have you ever had one of those Mondays?

So, for the hypocrisy of the fruitless fig, He said, “May no one eat fruit from you again.” 

It withered on the spot. Matt. 21:18-19, Mark 11:12-14, 22-26.

The disciples were amazed. Wow, how’d the tree wither so fast?

Jesus wouldn’t miss this moment to minister a multipurpose object lesson in FAITH, FORGIVENESS AND FAKENESS. 

1) FAITH. Mark 11:22-24. “Have faith in God. ²³ For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

2) FORGIVENESS AND PRAYER. Mark 11:25-26. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

3). FAKENESS (HYPOCRISY). He showed His disdain for hypocrisy, by doing to the fig tree what would happen to Jerusalem because of their hypocrisy.

Speaking of hypocrisy, once in Jerusalem, Jesus made a whip and went DOGE on the waste, fraud and abuse, in the temple and drove out the den of thieves. Matt. 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19:45-46. 

What? No! Not our meek and mild gentle Jesus.

Yes, this justice is rising, judgement is coming, peace through strength, Savior Jesus.

The temple merchants were taking advantage of travelers. Fleecing them over their fleece; saying their lamb was not good enough. “But no worries, we have just what you need in the temple corral. For a small fee, of course.”

Then, when trying to pay the outrageous, small fee. “Oh, I’m so sorry we can’t take foreign currency, but no worries we can exchange it for temple currency. For a small fee, of course.

The Good Shepherd protects His sheep.

The thief pretends to be a shepherd but comes only to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10.

So, when the True Shepherd shows up and goes Epic Fury like a Roaring Lion, to protect the sheep, the wolves growl, their fangs show, they can't help exposing the wickedness of their hearts.

Anyone against driving out dens of thieves, and evil regimes, are not shepherds, are not protectors, are not representatives of we the people, but are wolves in sheep's clothing.

After Jesus drove out the hypocrites, then, the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. Matt. 21:14.

Teaching Tuesday

Taught in the temple and on the mount.

Jesus went to the temple again and taught, taught, taught, a lot, lot, lot. Matthew 21:23-23:39, Mark 11:27-12:44, Luke 20:1-21:4.

He told the parable of the two sons (Matt. 21:28-32), and the one about the wicked vinedressers (Matt. 21:33-45), and of course the parable of the wedding feast (Matt. 22:1-14) and He schooled the Pharisees about paying taxes (Matt. 22:15-22) and silenced the Sadducees with wisdom about the Resurrection (Matt. 22:23-33). He clearly revealed the Greatest Commandment (Matt. 22:34-40) and then He stumped them all when He asked, “If David calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?” Matt. 22:41-46. 

He was just getting warmed up, when He threw the scribes and Pharisees under the chariot with a long list of woes.

Matthew 23:13-33... But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 

...

¹⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

...

²⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 

 ...

²⁷ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

...

³³ Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

 

OLIVET DISCOURSE

Then, He went out of the temple and the city and traveled His familiar path back to the Mount of Olives.

The disciples followed, and He taught them even more.

We call this the Olivet Discourse, Matthew 24:1-25:46, Mark 13:1-37, Luke 21:5-36.

He taught about the destruction of the temple, the signs of the times, the great tribulation and the end of the age.

Jesus said and did so much that if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25.

Some say this day, was His busiest day. When all is said and done, they figure He probably ministered about twenty hours or more, this Terrific Teaching Tuesday.

Watch & Pray Wednesday

Since there’s no Biblical record of this specific day, some say He took Wednesday off.

After all Tuesday was a long day. Plus, it compliments His teaching that we ought to work six days and rest one.

One thing’s for sure and certain, as per His custom, if He wasn’t teaching, He was praying.

Especially, knowing that His enemies were secretly scheming to take him by trickery and kill him. Matt. 26:3-5, Mark 14:1-2, Luke 22:1-2.

HE KNEW SOMETHING WAS BREWING SO HE WAS PREPRAYERING.

Jesus would tell Peter on Friday, “Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.” Matthew 26:41.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; ⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ

Ephesians 6:12-13
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Thursday

Last Supper

Matthew 26:20-35, Mark 14:17-26, Luke 22:14-30.

The Last Supper depicts all the sacrifices, all the shed blood, all pointing to this moment, when The Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world.

This is My body, broken for you, (Final, Perfect, Sacrifice—no more bloody bodies needed).

This is My blood of the New Covenant, shed for the remission of sins.

Do this in remembrance of Me.

This is why we take communion in honor and remembrance of Him.

Upper Room Discourse

John 13:1-17:26.

Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, even those of Judas. Jesus loved Judas to the end. He gave Judas the honor of sitting near Him and dipping bread with Him. He held the door of repentance open until Judas slammed it shut and walked away.

Jesus gave the New Commandment; love as I have loved. John 13:34-35.

He Predicted Peter's denial. Told him the devil desired to sift him like wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Matthew 26:33-35, Mark 14:29-31, Luke 22:31-34, John 13:37-38).

He told them (and tells us):

I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life. John 14:6.

Peace, I leave with you; My peace I give you. John 14:27.

I AM the Vine you are the branches. John 15:5.

These things I have spoken, that My joy may remain in you and your joy may be full. John 15:11.

In the world will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33.

He told them He would not leave them orphans, but would send the Helper, Comforter, Teacher, His Holy Spirit. John 14:26.

Jesus wrapped up the Upper Room Discourse with the Powerful Passionate Prayer, that also includes us today. John 17.

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, John 17:20. (That’s us!)

Father, make them one, as we are One. Keep them from the evil one.

In this prayer He left us an example and a challenge to be able to say: “Of all those You’ve given us, none are lost.”

Garden of Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46.

Gethsemane means oil press. Olives were pressed until oil “bled” out of them.

The pressure against Jesus so intense, His pray so earnest, He sweat great drops of blood.

He asked for help from His friends, telling them to watch and pray. But He prayed alone...They slept.

Nevertheless, He won the battle of the cross before Him, by yielding to His Father, “Not My will but Thine be done” Luke 22:42.

The first Adam sinned in a garden, bringing death.

The last Adam suffered in a garden, bringing Life.

Friday

Betrayed with a kiss,

Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:2-12.

While the disciples were sleeping and Jesus was praying, sweating, great drops of blood, in marched a band of soldiers, led by Judas.

With the ultimate picture of hypocrisy and betrayal, Judas planted, the kiss of death, on the One who loved him best.

Jesus knew what he was doing and said, “You betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Luke 22:48.

Sleepy Peter swung his sword and chopped off Malchus' ear (servant of high priest).

Jesus told Peter to put it away, for he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.

Don't you know I could pray and My Father would provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? Matt. 26:51-53.

Then, Jesus touched and healed Malchus' ear. Luke 22:50-51.

Then, He allowed the soldiers to bind Him and lead Him, like He was a criminal.

Sham trials  

Matthew 26:57-68, 27:1-2, Mark 14:53-65, 15:1, Luke 22:54-23:25, John 18:13-19:16.

Jesus stood before the Jewish religious leaders, Annas, Caiaphas, the Sanhedrin.

Then He stood before the Roman political leaders, Pilate, Herod and then Pilate again.

The religious leaders only sought a way to destroy Him.

Herod only wanted a show.

Only Pilate was looking for Truth, and found it, saying, I find no fault in this man. Luke 23:4.

But the mob cried for crucifixion.

Pilate, washed his hands, saying I am innocent of the blood of this just Man. Matt. 27:24.

The Cross  

Matthew 27:27-54, Mark 15:16-39, Luke 23:26-49, John 19:16-37.

Jesus the Creator, willingly allowed His creation, to crucify Him.

Like six days of creation, and then, rest; He hung on the cross enduring the pain for six hours, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Seven times He spoke from the cross, delivering an eternal message each time:

Forgiveness. Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Luke 23:34.

Salvation. I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise. Luke 23:39-43.

House in order. “Woman, behold, your son.” Then, to John, “Behold, your mother.” From that hour John took her into his home. John 19:25-27.

Even in humanity, He fulfilled prophecy. “I thirst.” John 19:28-29. To fulfill Scripture, Psalm 69:21. “...in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

Our sin on Him. “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me? Mark 15:33-34.

Paid in full. “It is finished (Tetelestai)!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. John 19:30.

Finish Well. “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit” and when He had said this, He breathed his last. Luke 23:44-46. He gave His life, like a soldier, He took the bullet, to save the world. He stayed the course until the mission was complete, then, He went Home.

Burial

Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-54, John 19:38-42.

Even His burial was a fulfillment of prophecy.

Isaiah 53:9
And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Matthew 27:57-60
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself was a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. ⁵⁹ So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.

That was Friday... Sonday's coming!

If you knew you were going to die in a week, how would you invest your time?

That is what Jesus did.

Let's pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for teaching, and healing, and serving, and preprayering, saying, “not My will but Yours be done.” Thank You, for staying the course, paying in full, finishing well, able to say, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” So, today, we can pray, knowing You’ll help us be able to say, “Of all those You’ve given us, none are lost.”

Thank You Victorious Lord.

We’re overjoyed and honored to love You, forever.

Amen.  

Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

Facebook: Church at WPV

Books: amazon.com/author/dougspurling

Watch online:

Facebook: With one week to live, this is what Jesus did

You Tube: With one week to live, this is what Jesus did

This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.

Palm Sonday and Trafficking

Oops, that’s Palm Sunday.

I set the date without looking at the date. Then, when I did, look at the calendar, I thought I had better change the date. We can’t have a guest speaker talking about sex trafficking on Palm Sunday, can we?

I started to reschedule, but then felt the Lord wanted to keep it.

So, just to confirm the date I called Barbara Anderson, Founder and President of Butterfly Arising, an anti-trafficking organization.

She thought it was peculiar when I requested Palm Sunday, but she figured, surely the Pastor knew what he was doing.

No, he didn’t. But God did.

So, Butterfly Barb came and spoke and equipped the saints with an abundance of information and weaponry for combatting trafficking. She showed us her vision of building Monarch Village, a haven of rest and restoration for survivors of trafficking.

 Then, after that, the Lord provided a brief Bible Study, exposing the origins of the evils of trafficking and tied it to the Purpose and Power of Palm Sonday.

It went something like this:

Palm Sonday is so important it’s recorded in all four gospels.

·     Matthew 21:1-17

·       Mark 11:1-11

·       Luke 19:29-40

·       John 12:12-19

From this Palm Sonday, March 29, 2026, to the first Powerful Palm Sonday, was 728,285 days.

It’s remembered and celebrated around the world every year.

As far as we know, the events of the day weren’t all too spectacular. Jesus didn’t feed a multitude, walk on water, heal the sick or raise the dead. He simply rode a young donkey a couple of miles into Jerusalem.

What made the day extraordinarily, supernaturally, over the top, awe inspiringly spectacular is the timing of it all.

The day He did it was perfect. The sinless, spotless Lamb of God came to them on the very day that they selected their spotless Passover Lamb. Exodus 12:1-14.

The way He did it couldn’t be missed. Just as prophesied hundreds of years ahead of time, the Messiah came riding on the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9.

The timing provided undeniable proof of Who He was, and what He was doing. Daniel 9:25.

About 500 years prior the angel Gabriel told Daniel, that the Messiah would come “sixty-nine weeks” (69 sevens, or 483 years, or 173,880 days) after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.

According to Nehemiah 2, the decree came, by Artaxerxes, March 14, 445 BC.

Exactly 173,880 days later to the day, on April 6, 32 AD Jesus rode into Jerusalem sitting on a donkey’s colt. (Zech. 9:9).

The crowd hailed Him as Messiah and King, shouting “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” Psalm 118:25-26.

The crowds cheered. But Jesus teared.

He looked toward Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, perhaps near olive trees that still stand today (some are said to be about 2,000 years old.)

There, He wept and said:

“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!” Luke 19:42.

Imagine the sorrow the flowed from quivering lips, as He said...

“But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment 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.” Luke 19:42-44.

All of that literally happened in 70 AD, exactly as He said.

Just below where He stood was the Garden of Gethsemane, at the base of the Mount of Olives. Where in less than a week, He’d be, at night, to weep and pray and sweat great drops of blood. Where He’d ask His disciples to watch and pray, but instead they’d sleep. Where He’d be betrayed with a kiss from Judas. Where He’d be bound like a criminal and be led to slaughter, by those He loved and came to save.

He knew all that, and more, would come to pass.

With a tearful gaze He looked toward Jerusalem and knew:

1.    They would reject Him as the Passover Lamb. John 1:11.

2.    They would not recognize His visitation. Luke 19:44.

3.    In less than a week the cheers would turn to jeers; from Hosanna to Crucify Him. Matthew 27:22, Mark 15:12-13, Luke 23:20-21.

Nevertheless, Jesus stayed the course, endured the cross for the joy set before Him. Hebrews 12:2.  

To seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10.

To destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8.

To take away the sins of the world. John 1:29.

Which is what weaves the ministry of Butterfly Barb into our Palm Sonday message.

Trafficking exists because of one thing:

SIN.

Sex trafficking is the vilest of sin.

Butterfly Arising may sound like a nice, sweet name; but tackling trafficking is no small battle.

It’s David against the wickedest Goliath.

Trafficking is all in with sin. Every aspect and element associated with it comes from the worst form of evil.

Avoid it like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, don’t touch it, taste it, smell it or even go near it.  

Listen. If you’re peeking at porn, even a little, you’re sipping poison that’ll rot your brain, defile your flesh, and damn your soul to an eternity of regret and torment. FLEE FROM IT! FAST!

If we truly understood the origins of this wickedness we’d throw up at the very thought of dabbling in it.

Genesis 6 tells us that fallen angels saw the beautiful women and took whomever they lusted after.

They crossed a sacred boundary and had offspring called, nephilim.

Now, to calm any undue fear please note that Jude 6-7 and 2 Peter 2:4-5, tell us that those demons who crossed that line are in chains and imprisoned, until judgement day. 

That evil sexual perversion plummeted the world into moral darkness until it became so corrupt that the thoughts of man were only evil continually.

This so grieved the heart of God that He decided to destroy every living thing on the face of the earth.

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:1-8.

NOTE: Even though it was just Noah (and family) against the world, God still expected him to do something.

Build an ark, (a Monarch Village) a haven of rest and restoration to escape the works of darkness and arise (like a butterfly) on the other side.

So, for 120 years Noah swung his hammer echoing God’s warning, REPENT! JUDGEMENT IS COMING! REPENT! JUDGEMENT IS COMING...

What’s your ark?

Where’s your hammer?

Swing. Keep swinging. Ever doing. God’s calling...

But one day... the hammering stopped. The door shut. The wrath of God poured.

Jesus has been knocking, knocking, knocking, for nearly 2,000 years. For so long, and so often, that so many, take Him for granted.

But one day... the knocking will stop. The trump will sound. The door will shut. The wrath of God will pour, and pour, and pour. For seven, long, years.

NOTE: HIStory reveals that God poured out His judgement in a major way in Noah’s day, then, again, in Abraham’s day, (against Sodom and Gomorrah).

Both involved sexual perversion that crossed sacred boundaries.  

Fallen angels took people.

Fallen people tried to take angels.

Today, sex trafficking takes, and takes, and takes, the least of these. Jesus says, in as much as you’ve done to the least of these, you’ve done to Me. (Matthew 25:40-45).

Sex trafficking crosses sacred boundaries that plummets souls into moral darkness so vile, it cannot be spoken of, so corrupt that every thought is only evil continually.

Today, Jesus’ words echo like Noah’s hammer...

As it was in the days of Noah so shall it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, thank You for warning us, “In this world you will have tribulation.” Thank you for continuing Your journey, into the city, onto the cross, wrapped in a cocoon, placed in the tomb, and on the third day bursting forth like a Butterfly Arising. So, You could finish the sentence about tribulation, by saying, “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

We love You, forever.

Amen.

Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

Facebook: Church at WPV

Books: amazon.com/author/dougspurling

Watch online:

Facebook: Palm Sonday and Trafficking

You Tube: Palm Sonday and Trafficking

This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.