It is easy to think of the church as, and I am guilty of it as well, this building or this structure in which we gather each week. We come through the doors, we find our favorite seat, and we settle into an all to familiar rhythm of worship. But, scripture reminds us, that the church is not built with bricks and morter, it's not built with wood or sheetrock, but with people. In one Peter two that I read earlier Peter calls believers living stones being built into a spiritual house. Jesus himself declared in Matthew 16:18, "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

When Jesus walked among the earth he didn't build a temple or claim an earthly throne. Instead he walked down dusty roads, he stopped by wells, and he gathered people on hillsides. His church was the people! Those who followed him, those who listened, those who believed. They came from all walks of life; fishermen, tax collectors, the sick, the marginalized, the downtrodden. Wherever Jesus went a community of believers formed around him.

Think of the story when Jesus calls his first disciples. He didn't go to the synagogue to find the most educated or the most religious. He went to the shores of Galilea. He found fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, John. These men were not scholars or priests, but ordinary workers, who spent their days casting nets and mending their gear. Jesus said, "Follow me."

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It is felt that the wording in chapter 20 was actually meant to be the very last chapter of the Book of John. Because the last two verses read: Jesus performed other signs in the presence of His disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

There are many theological scholars that chapter 21 is actually written after Peter's crucifixion in Rome. The original Book of John is believed to be written between 50 and 60 AD. And, this last chapter was believed to be between 70 and 80 AD. So they believe it was actually one of his disciples that actually finished the book for him.

But it is to our benefit that this chapter is in our Bible. To me, it helps explain part of the words in Our Lord's Prayer, when it says 'Thy Kingdom Come Thy Will be Done'

No matter what our plans are in our life the Lord has control of everything. Today's gospel starts out Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathaniel from Cana in Galilea, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were gathered together.

"I'm going to go out fishing," Simon Peter said. So they went out and they got in the boat. But, that night they had caught nothing. Now, when Peter announced to the other disciples that 'I am going fishing' it implied in his statement that he was intent in returning the trade he had pursued before the Lord had called him...

In the night, probably around 1am, a little toddler eighteen months old name Erika got up, and she walked around her house. And, somehow she managed to get the kitchen door open. She stepped out into the cold snow and frozen earth. Now, she left footprints in the snow, but they didn't go far, 20 feet from the house Erica curled up, went to sleep, and she died. About 5 in the morning her mom woke up, and she couldn't find Erika anywhere. She looked throughout the house, she called her name, and then she saw the kitchen door ajar. So, she stepped out and she saw the tiny footprints like stitches in the snow, like loops in the snow, and then she saw her baby. She gathered Erika up, she cradled her tight, she called her name, she took her in the house, she wrapped her in a warm blanket, she prayed, she cried, and somehow she managed to call 9-1-1. The paramedics came, they rushed Erika and her mother to the hospital, the doctor pronounced Erika dead. But, they worked anyway, they began a painstaking process of thawing her tiny, frail, frozen body. And, then an amazing miraculous thing happened...her heart twitched. It fluttered and began to...

I want to explore this morning the idea of victory that we know in Jesus Christ. There was this little village in Austria that was about to be taken by Napoleon's army. It was Easter morning, and as was their practice, the dawn bells rung out across the countryside. Celebrating that Christ was risen. Napoleon thought those bells were celebrating the arrival of the Austrian army. And, so he retreated. So, instead of Napoleon, peace reigned across the Austrian countryside. They won a victory without fighting a single battle.

Today bells may ring in churches for a different reason, but most of them are celebrating a risen Christ. We don't have a Napoleon's army threatening us, thankfully. But, we do have some struggles. There are struggles with sin, and death, and life itself. There are struggles within and without. There are struggles that can make us feel defeated. They can be struggles that would make us feel like those women on Easter morning. They came with their spices and ready prepare their Lord's body. I want you to think a little bit about that mind set of what they were going through. I think it's important. Everything they had hoped for, and looked forward to, in this Messiah, Jesus Christ, died on a cross and laid in that tomb. They came that morning with their spices and nard and all the things to prepare his body in accordance with Hebrew practice. The victory they had expected was gone.

And now imagine as you came to that tomb, as you got close you realize the covering that would have been over it...was away. It was open. And, as you frantically searched to find out what happened to his body - because you're not thinking spiritually, right? You're thinking somebody took the body - be it animal or somebody. And, these two dazzling people...angels...

Today is Palm Sunday and as we move toward Easter season I believe there's no greater time to focus on and contend for miracles. So, go ahead and turn to the person next to you and go ahead and tell them "I'm so happy that you are here." Go ahead, be brave, you can do it. Okay, now go ahead, and the person you rejected on the other side - turn to them and say "Happy Palm Sunday."

As Lindsay was talking about, I love taking from today, Palm Sunday, and reading through Jesus' last week up and to Friday. The events that took place leading up His trial, the crucifixion, and then Sunday, the resurrection. Resurrection Sunday. I love this week and following those events because every moment of Jesus, every conversation, every interaction, He is strategic and meaningful. His actions have a purpose because He can see exactly what's going to happen.

The term 'Palm Sunday' comes from the story of scripture that we're going to look at today. The scripture that we just read out of Luke chapter 19. The title on that is probably 'The Triumphant Entry.' And, that's what it's known as and that's what the story is all about, but the cool thing about is particular story is the one we find in all four gospels. Not everything about Jesus life is recorded in all four, but this one story is. It's one story told in 4 perspectives. We can find it in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When that happens it's actually called the harmony of the gospels. Some of the details may differ when you read it which makes sense. If me and my kids went to the movies, and after the movie, you pulled us aside and asked us individually, 'What did you get out of the movie?'

My ten year old Olivia is probably going to get something way different than my eight year old Ellie. Going to get something way different than my six year old Sterling, who's a boy. And, then something way different than dad. Who actually pending the movie just fell asleep...