Day one started out with that triumphal entry on Palm Sunday. I preached a message called Rescue Lessons from a Donkey. Now thank God on that Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethpage, he sent two of his disciples ahead, telling them to look for a donkey. and its unbroken coat. And the disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him, a man. Then Jesus sat on that young donkey and slowly, humbly made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9, 9. I thank God the crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air, shouting, Hosanna, the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. So on Palm Sunday, Jesus and the disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem, and this is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, lived. They were close friends of Jesus and they had hosted him and his disciples during their final days in Jerusalem. Jesus's triumphal entry is recorded in Matthew chapter 21 verses 1 through 11, Mark chapter 11 verses 1 through 11, Luke chapter 19 verses 28 through 44, and John chapter 12 verses 12 through 19. So I thank God as we look at this and begin to realize that on day two, Monday, Jesus clears out the temple. He casted out the money changers, amen. Boy, I thank God. On Monday evening, Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of the friends of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. And Monday's events were recorded. And I thank God on that third day on Tuesday, Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives. You know, I thank God as on that Tuesday morning as the disciples returned with Jesus to Jerusalem, they passed the withered fig tree on their way and Jesus spoke to his companions about the importance of faith. Back at the temple, religious leaders were upset at Jesus for establishing himself as a spiritual authority. And they organized an ambush with the intent to place him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps. And I thank God as we look and realize later that afternoon Jesus left the city, went with the disciples to the Mount of Olives which sits due east of the temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse. and elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He speaks in parables using symbolic language about the end of time events and including his second coming and the final judgment. And the scriptures indicate that this Tuesday, that Tuesday was the day that Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin and the rabbinical court of ancient Israel to betray Jesus. And then after the tyrant of the day, the confrontation and warning about the future, once again, Jesus and his disciples returned to Bethany to stay the night. Day four of Wednesday, that was, the Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on Wednesday of that Passion Week, but a lot of scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem that Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of the Passover. Jesus had revealed to his disciples and the world that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave and after seeing the incredible miracle many people in Bethany believe that jesus was the son of god and they put their faith in him also uh... in bethany just a few nights earlier lazarus sister mary had lovely anointed the feet of jesus with the expensive perfume i thank god as we look and we begin to move on uh... to uh... uh... nissan thirteen april the sixteenth of thursday of day five, Passover and the Last Supper on that Thursday, Nisan 13 and April the 16th of our calendar. Holy Week begins to turn on toward that Thursday and from Bethany, Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the upper room in Jerusalem to make preparations for the Passover feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and they prepared to share in the Passover by the humble act of service that Jesus demonstrated by example how believers should love one another. Now thank God there's a lot of churches that practice foot washing ceremonies as a part of their Thursday services that won't get to do that this year as all of the other services of Good Friday services that people are missing. And I thank God as the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice and freeing every one of us from sin and death. And during this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper in communion and instructed his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine. I thank God later on as Jesus and the disciples left the upper room and went to the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father. Luke's gospel says that his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. Boy, if you've ever been to the Garden of Gethsemane, boy, if you look at the olive trees, how big they are. And right there by that church, there's a significant presence of the Holy Spirit that resides there today. Well, I thank God as you move right on to day six of Good Friday, which is today. of Nissan 14, April the 17th of that time frame, you get to the trial, the crucifixion, the death and the burial of Good Friday. And that is going to bring me to my message that I'm going to be preaching to you tonight, because it's appropriate on a Good Friday to preach this message. And I'm going to be preaching to you a message torn by a thorn. torn by a thorn under the series uncertain days that I started. But let me finish up very quickly as I go on with the outline because in day six, the trial, the crucifixion, the death, and the burial took place today on a good Friday. At that timeframe, it was Nissan 14, April the 17th. I thank God the most difficult day of the passion week that Christ's journey turned treacherous and painful in the final hours leading to his death. And according to scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple that betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning. and before the the third hour at nine a.m. jesus endured the shame of false accusations and condemnation mockery beatings and abandonment and after multiple unlawful trials he was sentenced to death by crucifixion you know the romans didn't come up with crucifixion it was the persians they believe that they were to hang somebody off of the ground uh... in order to torture them And it was the Persians that came up with crucifixion, but it was the Romans that were so well known for performing it. One of the most horrible and disgrateful methods of capital punishment that was known at that time. And before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him. They tormented him, they mocked him, they pierced him with a crown of thorns. And that's what I'm going to be preaching about tonight. And Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary, where again he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to that wooden cross. And Jesus spoke seven final statements from that cross. His first words were, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they're doing. His last words were, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. And then about the ninth hour, which was 3 p.m., Jesus breathe breathe his last breath and he died and by 6 p.m. Friday evening You know, I thank God It's almost as I'm looking at my clock right now. It's a 650 Can you imagine but I'm gonna tell you Jesus breathe breathe his last breath at 3 p.m On the 9th hour of by 6 p.m Friday evening Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus's body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb And I tell you, as I look at all of this and realize that it was day seven, Saturday, that he was in the tomb, Nisan 15, April the 18th, that disciples at the scene of the entombment of Jesus after his crucifixion, Jesus's body lay in his tomb where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath. And when the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus. In John 19, verses 39 and 40, the Bible says that he brought about 75 pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following the Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices and long sheets of linen cloth. Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community. But both were deeply affected by Christ's death, and they boldly came out of the hiding, risking their reputations and lives, because they had come to realize that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. And so together they cared for Jesus's body and prepared it for burial. And while his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually, physically, securing every one of us as men and women of God, our eternal salvation. I thank God. Saturday's events as we look and realize that it moved right on to the day 8, which is this coming Sunday Easter Sunday I call it resurrection Sunday. It's resurrection Sunday this coming Sunday I'll be Nissan the 16th April the 19th as it was dated back in that time the garden tomb in Jerusalem I believe to be the burial place of Jesus You know why? Because I went on over there where they said there was a slab at and where they had Jesus's body at And when I went over there and I got down on my knees and prayed, I'm nobody, but I didn't feel anything. But boy, when I went up to Golgotha, the place where they believe in the vicinity of the tomb that was empty. I began to feel the presence of God all over. I began to take communion over there with John Hagee back in 2008. What a communion service it was that we were in when we felt the presence at the Garden Tomb, hallelujah, and on Resurrection Sunday, Easter, We've reached the culmination of the entire week that'll be coming up this week. I thank God all that early Sunday morning, several women, Mary Madeline, Joanna, Salome, Mary, the mother of James, went to the tomb and discovered that large stone covering the entrance had been rolled away. An angel announced, don't be afraid. I know that you're looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn't here. He's risen from the dead just as he said he would. You know, I thank God on that day of resurrection, Jesus Christ made at least five appearances. Mark's gospel said the first person to see him was Mary Madeline. And Jesus also appeared to Peter and to two disciples on the Maus road. And later that day to all the disciples except Thomas, while they were gathered in the house for prayer. And the eyewitness accounts in the gospels provide what Christians believe to be undeniable evidence that the resurrection of Jesus Christ did indeed happen. Two millennia after his death, followers of Christ still flock to Jerusalem to see this empty tomb. Let's open with a word of prayer and we'll start out with our scripture as I preach to you, Torn by a Thorn, under the series, Uncertain Days. Father, we pray, Father, for those that are going through hard times today. As we're going through an epidemic in the United States of America, in the world today, Lord, I pray, God, that as we come before you in this word and before we read our scripture on this good Friday afternoon, Torn by a thorn, Father. I pray, Lord, that you would touch this message and the scripture that I'm about to read. Lord, I pray God that may we be able to be a help as we grow in knowledge of your word, Father. Lord I pray God you said that your people would perish for lack of knowledge but Lord not just knowledge about you but truly knowledge of you on a personal level that we would come to know you as as our Lord Jesus prayed that we would come to know you the only true God and Lord Jesus whom you've sent Lord, I thank you for this flock, the many that are out there today that are combined together in unity, Father. Lord, bring this nation together. Bring these Republicans and Democrats together, Father. Bring all of us as a nation together in our prayer closets, Father. Lord, I pray God that as we've been raised up together, Many of us have been through storms together, Father. And Lord, as we grew up together, Lord, as men and women of God, I pray forward toward the future, Lord, with your strength and with your power, that the same Holy Spirit that did incredible work in the midst and in the lives in your day would still do an incredible work yet to come. Father, I pray a resolve, a resolve to this epidemic and to this COVID-19. Lord, I pray for this virus to be relinquished and removed, Father. Lord, I pray, God, Lord, that you would take care of those ones that manufactured this virus and bring them to justice in the name of Jesus. And, Lord, for the many that are hurting and, Lord, that are suffering out there today, that you'll bring them, Lord, to a replenishing of health and strength. And, Lord, I thank you for this great honor to speak on the Word of God in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Thank you out there that are listening on this good Friday afternoon as I preach about torn by a thorn under our series Uncertain Days. I start out with Mark chapter 15 verse 17, the Bible says, and they clothed him with purple, listen, and plaited a crown of thorns and put it about his head. Matthew 27 verse 29, and when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head and a reed in his right hand, and they bowed the knee before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews. And then John 19 too, the Bible says, and the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe. And I thank God as I look at this, I'm gonna read a little bit later, 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verses seven through 10, but right now Mark chapter 15, Matthew 27 and John chapter 19. That is my text tonight as I look and I want to send out a heartwarming sincere to the grieving family of David and Jane Bennett as death has come into their home unexpectedly that you would Lord comfort them and church families that you would lift them up in the time of their sadness and grieving. You know it doesn't seem like it was long that the blizzard of 93 was just around the corner that Lita and I and Jane and David were carrying all three of them kids on our backs down the railroad track to get them to our apartment there close by their house when that blizzard come. And, man, I always think of their kids, all them. Boy, I tell you, Blaine and Brandon and Kayla. And Lord, God rest it, Blaine, that we'll see him again one of these days, amen. But you lift up that family during their time of grief that they're going through right now, amen. I thank God, you know, as I look and think of one of the books of the Bible that's a bittersweet book is the book of Hosea. uh... hosea uh... unusual bittersweet book was told to marry a harlot that broke hosea's heart she bore three children during that marriage two of them belonged to a man other than hosea now as i say this i'm using this because the bible teaches us a thing about the hedge of thorns And I thank God it tells us about a plan that God and Hosea were going to use to bring the wayward spouses back to them. And I'm talking about the nation of Israel at that time, but right now I'm referring to America. because there is a lot of us that are wayward in our ways and I'm praying in my prayer tonight that the hedge of thorns would come about America amen and bring us back into the plan that God has for us to get close in our relationship for the marriage supper of the lamb because the church has a wedding one of these days that we're going to, amen. And so I thank God, the hedge of thorns out of the book of Hosea, amen. Well, I thank God every one of us as we look and we realize that the crown of thorns is one of the most recalled events in the crucifixion of Jesus. It stands in stark comparison with who Jesus is, amen. I thank God Jesus endured some extreme torture Including his death on the cross as he wore a crown of thorns on that cross Which signified the fact that he was made a curse for us, you know in the millennial reign of Christ Nature will be delivered from the curse of the fall and I thank God I know because the removal of the thorns tells us in Isaiah 55 13 in Ezekiel 28 24 that that will be removed those thorns of that curse a man and And I thank God if you were looking at John 19 too, John wanted us to know what a privilege it was to stand at the foot of the cross because Jesus had many followers and when Jesus fed people, thousands of them followed him. When he taught people, hundreds followed him. Only 12 men were really close to him and one of them betrayed him. Three of those men were a part of his inner circle, Peter, James, and John. but only one was at the foot of the cross at his death, and that was John. There were more women followers of Jesus at the cross than men. Typically, women are quicker to get involved in the things of Christ than men, but it don't need to be that way. The early church leaders saw a parallel between the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary and the sacrifice of Isaac on the same mountain thousands of years before, if you want to read later on in Genesis chapter 22, verses one through 18. But i'm going to tell you i want to point out genesis chapter 22 verse 2 As isaac carried wood up the mountain and as isaac was abraham's only son the bible says And he said that this was his only son, Isaac, whom you love. Now thank God, he says, go to the land of Moriah. You know what, I can't help but mention, but this is the first time love is mentioned in the Bible, Abe man. In Genesis chapter 22, verse two, it's the love of a father toward his son as he went to sacrifice him. Can you imagine Isaac? In verse 7 of Genesis 22, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and he says, Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? And in verse eight of Genesis 22, Abraham said, my son, God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering. Boy, I thank God he did. That very spot where Abraham was stopped from killing his son because God provided his own sacrifice. He said, Abraham, because you love me enough that you want to give me your only son, That you know what he says Jesus as Jesus died on the cross God provided himself a sacrifice But on the very mountain that Isaac was almost sacrificed Jesus was sacrificed It was called Jehovah Jireh day man. You know what Mount Moriah? That's called Mount Zion. You know what Moriah means boy. I thank God I thank God God will provide all God will provide, amen. Jehovah-Jireh, amen. And so it's settled in the time of David in the city of David, that it rises to the north of the Temple Mount, that the peak of Mount Moriah is at Golgotha, the place of the skull, the cross. I think God was a moment that God had planned for some time. Everything was planned. Jesus knew that this was his hour. And in John 19, verses one through three, Pilate scores Jesus. A whip that was made out of little straps with jagged metal balls and sheep bones on it. The diagonal blows across the victim's back. Romans used three different forms of scourging that they did on them. During that time a man and it was one of the most painful Scourges because a lot of people never survived a lot of them They never really lived long enough to make it to the cross After that scourge and took place a man and so it was a horrible way to be beaten a man and And so as we look and realize that what the Lord was doing Was he was providing us a sacrifice, but it was one of the most harsh Sacrifices that you would ever witness at a time like that a man And so there were three levels of that scourging that took place a man during that time. There was the mildest form Fugacio which was the mildest way of saying we're going to get rough with you just a little bit but we're going to let you go. It's fugacity. That's the first level of a scourging. The second one was flagelio. I thank God it was a brutal punishment. It was basically where it was for more serious crimes but the one that Jesus Vorbe Ratio, Verbe Ratio, the Latin word, which means for capital punishment, and it was usually associated with when you were going to be crucified. I thank God, always associated with crucifixions, 39 lashes to weaken the victim and hasten death quickly, to bring out blood and to be able to weaken them. And so Jesus endured the the verbal ratio, which was the third harshest scourging that you could ever endure. I thank God he wasn't guilty and there was no confession. But normally if a criminal was guilty, every time that they would whip you, they'd say confess. They'd whip you and they'd say confess. beating was a brutal thing a man i thank god of that scourge i tell you that scourge that was made out of leather strings leather thongs and wooden handle attached to a jagged metal balls and pieces of bone a man and so i think god is They put the robe and the crown of thorns on him, a military robe from one of the soldiers, added to Jesus' suffering, that it was blood soaked through and conjugated. When they got to the cross, they ripped off that robe and the wounds opened freshly again and started bleeding. uh... the thorns was uh... it ematic of the curse of genesis three eighteen and placed on the one who would eradicate that curse a man and so you know what the roman soldiers they got bored being at a at a post where they kept the peace only one from time to time that they will call they got bored and i think i'll come back uh... boredom they uh... invented a game uh... that they would uh... called hot hand They would blindfold the victim and they would take turns punching him in the face and make that prisoner guess which soldier gave the blow. And so Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. And one of the things that he said, he said, behold the man, isi homo, the Latin, isi homo, it meant behold the man. Pilate tried to appeal to the crowd's compassion. But you know what? The Jews wanted to put him to death because he called himself the son of God, and they made up charges to try to get him killed. Failing to pay taxes to Caesar is what they came up with. Brought in false witnesses, but charges did not stick. They wanted him put to death for blasphemy, according to Leviticus 24, 16. And the Romans had taken away the right of capital punishment from the Jews. And so I thank God as we look and realize that of all of this, Pilate was disturbed that the Jews called him out to do such a horrible judgment, amen. But I thank God of all of this, of the things, Pilate finally recanted and he began to go forward. and begin to pronounce judgment on Jesus, amen. And so I thank God as this was carried out to be crucified. He was given to the people through peer pressure. And I thank God they led Jesus to Golgotha where basically uh... he was crucified a man between two people the person in the middle was considered the worst he was numbered with the transgressors according to isaiah fifty three twelve a position of disgrace the romans didn't invent it but i thank god it was the persians that did as that thorns are associated with the curse of mankind. The crown of thorns, one of the most recalled events of the crucifixion, amen. But one of the first points that I make is it was the misery of the thorn, and I thank God as we look at the misery of the thorn, what it really is. They were used to designate the administration of the final cycle of the discipline to a nation. That's what's happening in America right now. That's exactly what's happening. I thank God as we look at America being torn by a thorn, amen. Boy, I tell ya, here we look at Isaiah 34, verses 12 and 13. They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all of her princes shall be nothing, and thorns shall come up in her palaces, nestles and brambles in the fortress thereof, and it shall be an habitation of dragons and a court for owls. You know, they're related to the economic depression and recession under agricultural economy that's brought on by bad decisions and sins in the field of economy in the future days as well. Well, I thank God as we look and realize that Jesus knew this was his hour. He had been through the trials of the Sanhedrin, including Cassius and Ananias, and now he stands before Pontius Pilate, who wants, basically, who already delivered the verdict, not guilty, but the crowd wanted blood. They were not satisfied, and so they made false charges against him, but they couldn't substantiate him. But Pilate, being a governor and a judge, he needed evidence. He needed a crime made man, and so they scourged him. As they did but I thank God as he was satisfied with that the purpose of that scourge of the 40 Strikes of the whip minus one which was 39 lashes was to weaken that victim and to get a confession a man I thank God in early church history. There was a man by the name of Eusebius who wrote a book called the Ecclesiastical History, and he says that the Roman scourging would expose the deep veins and arteries in the back, and sometimes the visceria, the organs and the trails were exposed to sight so that it would leave the back in ribbons of bleeding flesh and pull apart the muscle down to the organs themselves, and sometimes that's why they never survived the scourging. I thank God. here as the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put him on a purple robe as well, amen. Boy, I tell you, I thank God as the thorns, the certificate of the curse that he was taking upon himself that every one of us, ourselves, that he took our place, amen. I can only imagine all the things that he went through that day on Good Friday, amen, that we celebrate right now. Thank God as we look and realize that the unconquered Cainites in the promised lands were another sign of the thorns Under the nation of Israel as well that when we look back and realize of all this being talked about here with all of this misery That we see that was there that's being represented a man the misery of the thorn that we said and Well, I'm going to tell you, God had ordered Israel to destroy all the Canaanites, but the Jews didn't obey that mandate, so God permitted certain Canaanite groups to live as thorns to the nation of Israel. Thorns that used to describe the results of not accepting the biblical truth, amen. Proverbs 22 5 the reward of humility and reverence for the Lord are riches in honor and life Thorns and snares are the way for evil ones, but he who guards his soul stays far from them Amen, and so I thank God we look like a thorn bush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb a piece of doctrine in the mouth of a fool in Proverbs 26 9, amen. Thorns are used to describe the distractions to positive violation toward the biblical truth, amen. In Matthew, thorn refers to a man who hears the word, but the worries of this life The peer pressure and the deceitfulness of riches choke out that word because the Bible says in Matthew 13, seven, and some fell among thorns and the thorns sprung up and choked them. And he also, he also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word and cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke the word and he become unfruitful. You know, thorns are used to describe the results of being involved in Satan's domain and negative violation toward the plan of God. But I thank God of all the thorns and briars that's out there today. I like what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12 verses 7-10, he said, And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure, amen. And for this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities and reproaches and necessities and persecutions and distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong. Well, I thank God as we look and realize that all the things that Paul, we look at the observations of that thorn in the flesh. A thorn in the flesh is any affliction in our lives that could produce self-pity and bitterness. God used Paul mildly as a speaker and as an author. And I thank God he was no stranger to the thorn experiences. Amen. He went through depression. He went through physical problems. He went through all kinds of situations. Amen. Paul endured a lot. Amen. He was whipped. He was shipwrecked. Amen. Satan twisted the thorn experience to try to defeat us. I thank God when suffering people shake their fist at God, they're just shadowboxing the wrong opponent because God is a good God but Jesus said the enemy only comes to kill, steal, and destroy. And so in the story of Job, God never caused Job any pain. He allowed Satan to attack him and we learn from Job's story that Satan's desire in attacking us is to make us suffer so much that we would curse God and die. But God has a better response for our pain. And then God turns to the the thorn experience for his glory and for our good because suffering can be a messenger of satan but it can also be a gift of grace at the same moment because god never causes suffering uh and as the great physician uh first he does no one no harm the great physician specialty is his remarkable ability to take something that we think is awful and turn it into something awesome if we're allowed