The Time Is Here | Chad Veach

0:00 Hey, what's going on, everybody? Thank you so much for listening to this week's message from Zoe Church in Los Angeles. We are a church that's all about the person and the message of Jesus. Thank you so much for joining us today. We pray that today's message brings you great strength and encouragement. We are studying the book of Luke, just a couple weeks left. Turn in your Bible to Luke 19 as we prepare to receive the word of God. Also just want to say thank you to everybody that gives. If you'd like to give today, go to our website, zoechurch.org, and you can click the top right button. It'll give you the landing page for giving. Click Give Online, and you can choose your location, Zoe Family, Online Family, and give there. Thank you so much for your generosity as you help partner with us to get the message of Jesus around the world. But let's jump into this week's message called The Time Is Here.

0:59 If you have a Bible, go to Luke chapter 19. Luke chapter 19. Go there in your Bible. We're going to jump in in just a moment. But I got to tell you, I'm fired up about everything that's going on in our church. The thing that I'm most excited about is Serve Day. Anybody excited to serve the city of L.A.? I'm sure South Bay was jumping out of their seat. Let's try it again. Anybody excited to serve L.A.? Come on. If you're new to our church, we live to give. We're all about serving. And so make plans to join us in a couple weeks as we serve the greatest city in the world, the city of L.A. Amen? All right. Go there in your Bible. Luke chapter 19. Thank you guys so much. Clap for this amazing worship team today, doing a great job. Luke chapter 19, if you're new to our church, we have been marching through, and we have been studying the book of Luke. In fact, we're going to conclude next Sunday will be our epic climactic conclusion as we've been marching down the Jesus road, a path towards purpose. And I'm excited because I want to look at one story today in chapter 19, chapter 20, and chapter 21.

2:18 And we go to the Gospels, and if anybody doesn't know, if you're new to church, there are four books in the Bible that are all about Jesus. We call them the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and in Spanish, Juan. Come on, I liked it. You guys have been around me. I'm bilingual.

2:40 But we go to these books to learn about Jesus. He is the Messiah of the universe, the Savior of the world. And we want to know more about him. We're not done learning about Jesus. And so we're studying this book because we want to know, what does he love? What does he hate? What is he about? What is he against? I just love what we're going to look at today. In fact, go to Luke 19. I want to start our reading today, and then I'll tell you the title of my message after we read. Luke 19, verse 28. After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethpage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it, bring it here to me. If anybody asks you, why are you untying this colt? Just tell them the Lord needs it. Those who were sent ahead went, and they found it just as he told them. And as they were untying the colt, the owner of the colt said, hey man, why are you untying my colt? And they replied, well, because the Lord needs it.

3:52 And then they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt, and put Jesus on it. And as he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest. some of his Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, teacher, rebuke your disciples for they are too loud like Zoe church people. I tell you, he replied, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. I want to preach a message today, write down the title. It's called The Time Is Here. In fact, these three stories I'm going to read today are all about God's timing. and I just love this because God is the God of time in Kronos and Keros. Kronos is where we get seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, season and I just want to tell you that God is sovereign over all of time. A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day to the Lord and what I believe about God is that God is always trying to get you to the right place with the right people at the right time.

5:20 You understand? So there is Kronos and there is Keros. Keros is an opportune time, a window of opportunity, a time that will not be there forever. I'm not gonna get the chance to raise my kids forever. Thank you, Jesus. I'm not gonna get the chance. I'm not gonna get the chance to pastor Zoe forever. As long as I'm here, I'm gonna give it everything I got. You got to understand that God is chronos, but God is also opportune in his timing. That's why the Bible says, as much as we have the opportunity, let us encourage one another. By the way, I just want to take a moment. Can we clap for everybody that's getting baptized today?

6:02 Come on. Let me say two things. We have the opportunity to get around the hot tubs for Jesus. In our case, cold plunge. We have the opportunity to encourage them. And some of us, you have an opportunity to get baptized today. It's an opportune time. So I just want to tell you the time is here. In Luke chapter 9, here's right down point number one today. here comes the king. We've been talking about the Jesus road. Here it is now. Finally chapter 19. Here comes the king of the universe. Put up the first verse again. After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead. Let me just say this about Jesus. He knew what was in front of him. He knew what he had to face. He knew that death and crucifixion was in front of him, and yet still he went ahead. Anybody thankful that Jesus didn't wait for your decision? He went ahead and gave down his life even before you decided what you were going to do. Oh, come on, everybody clap and thank Jesus. He went on ahead. Why? Because Jesus goes before you. He goes ahead. Why? Because he's telling you, this is leadership. I know where I'm going. I know what's in front of me. And as he goes ahead to Jerusalem, the Jesus road, he tells his guys, go into the village. You're going to see a Colt, not from Indianapolis.

7:36 Do you guys want to have fun or no? you're going to see a colt, untie the colt, bring it to me. Nobody's ever ridden on it. It's got a fresh new car smell to this colt. If they ask you why you're untying the colt, tell them the Lord needs it. You guys are like, man, we done some stuff for Jesus, but we never done some stuff like this. We still in people's colts now. They go down to the village, they see the coat they're like I think that's the one they don't he don't look written how can you tell I don't know I'm just guessing that looks like a fresh coat they go they start untying the coat the owner comes out he's like man what are y'all doing to my coat that's my coat pretty ricky the disciples are like man i hope this works i hope we don't get shot well you know the lord needs it isn't it amazing that jesus could have lived interdependent but he chose dependence on humanity do you realize how much jesus used ordinary things while he was here just a second ago, or just in front of him, he's going to need to borrow an upper room. He borrowed an empty tomb. He borrowed a colt. I don't know what you have in your life that feels ordinary, but the Lord has need of it. And I wonder what you've got in your possession that looks ordinary, that looks normal. It could be an upper room. It could be a colt that's never been written. I wonder what you've got in your life that may seem mundane to you, but the Lord has need of it. The Lord needs that thing. The Lord needs your talent. The Lord needs your time.

9:27 The Lord, he lives dependent upon his people. Tell them the Lord has need of it. Oh, I'll never forget years ago, this, this, this couple, this, this, these pastors, they were just, you know, stewarding the church, preaching and teaching and leading. And this couple came to them and they felt like the Lord had told them to give their yacht to the church. They had a yacht. They felt like the Lord told them, bring your yacht and give it to the church. This is pre-internet. I want to say to you, if you have a yacht, don't give it to us. We'll get canceled. sell it yourself then bring the tithe hallelujah they felt the Lord said give the church your yacht did you know this church would take that boat sell the boat and off the proceeds of the sale of that boat buy a building for the glory of the living God I'm telling you the Lord has need of something that you have clap if you're willing to live with an open hand and an open heart come on everybody clap and thank Jesus today And do you think for one second this owner was raising up this baby colt, feeding them carrots, going, one day the king of the world is going to sit on you, pretty Ricky.

10:47 We're feeding you and getting you big because one day, Jesus is going to ride on you, boy. No, they're just raising the colt, just feeding, just feeding the colt, just feeding the colt, just the regular colt. And then one day he walks outside. He said, is that somebody in our barn taking pretty Ricky? What are y'all doing? The Lord needs it. And I'm just asking you today, is there anything in your world the Lord needs? The Lord has need of it. Tell them when they ask that the Lord needs it. So they get the colt and they put Jesus up on the colt and they put some jackets down and they throw their coats in front of him. And as they enter in, here he is, the Jesus road. As he's going into Jerusalem, they are shouting in a loud voice. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

11:48 Peace in heaven. This is the culmination of the gospel. When Jesus showed up on the earth, the angel said, peace on earth. But now as he's getting ready to leave, they declare peace in heaven. Anybody thankful today that Jesus fulfilled the peace of the universe? Oh, come on, clap if you believe it. He's the king of kings. He's the Lord of lords. He's the prince of... Come on, give him a praise today. And as he's riding on this cult, they are shouting. And notice what the text said. They are praising him for the miracles they had seen. The worshipers, the disciples, are still praising Jesus for what he does, not for who he is. See, I'm just here to tell you, worship doesn't get good until you praise Jesus for who he is. Who cares about what he does? In fact, if you only worship Jesus for what he does, when he gets to the cross, you're going to bail out because you were only there for what he's going to do for you.

12:46 But if you worship Jesus for who he is, even when you go through trial, tribulation on the earth, come on, you'll praise him because he's worthy. Oh, come on, praise him today. We don't worship Jesus because of what he does. We worship Jesus because of who he is. And they praise him with a loud voice. By the way, I just want to tell you, we're a loud church. The last time I checked, a quiet church is a dead church. We're alive. Why? Because of the cross of Christ, the blood of Jesus. Let the redeemed are the Lord. If you feel comfortable like we were at the World Cup, give God some praise today. and watch this, and they lifted up, oh, I feel so comfortable around these guys, they lifted up a loud voice, quiet people scare me. they lifted up a loud voice and you know what the pharisee said y'all better cut that out you better hey we're not mad at your worship we're mad at your volume i'm telling you extravagant worship always bothers people but i have found in church that the people that sing the loudest have been delivered from the most they're not singing loud because they're awesome they're singing loud because God has been good.

14:15 and the pharisees said hey hey hey hey hey and they go to jesus they go jesus what's the cult's name he's like this is pretty ricky he's like they're like that's a nice cult anybody ever wore wrote that thing no i'm the first one okay hey jesus can you tell your disciples to keep it down can you tell your guys they're being too loud. And Jesus goes, guys, you don't understand. If they get quiet, the rocks will cry out. What is he teaching? He is showing them he is so worthy of worship that if we don't worship him, all of creation will break out in song because he is the king of the universe, ruling and reigning and worthy of praise come on clap if you believe it today here comes the king and notice that how he came in the in in how he approaches jerusalem and he's he's riding in lowly on a donkey on a colt why this is symbolic that jesus goes low that jesus is the humble servant. He didn't need to come in with the best of the best and the greatest of the... He didn't come in dominating. He didn't come in demanding something. He came in lowly because our King Jesus is a servant. He is the servant of heaven. He is the servant of the earth. Anybody thankful for the Messiah, Christ alone, Jesus Christ.

15:50 and he comes into jerusalem and he begins to weep over them and he says if only you knew the opportune time that was on you right now if only you could recognize the timing of this whole thing jesus is so good at timing remember the first time he performs a miracle he turns water into what wine. And his mom says, boy, we've run out. Do your thing. And he says to his mom, mom, my time has not come. Jesus knows his timing. And he knows as he's riding this cold, it's time for me to prepare myself. I'm about to go die. I'm about to go give my life for the sins of the world. Watch chapter 20 and the next illustration he gives here to teach us more about what's about to happen. Go to chapter 20, verse 9. And he went on to tell this parable.

16:46 A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers, and went away for a long time. At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also was beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent a third servant, and they wounded him and threw him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, what shall I do? I will send my son whom I love. Pause there. Why is Jesus saying whom I love? Because in the gospels, every time the father speaks of the son, he says, this is my son whom I love. So he's putting it in again. This is a story about himself, whom I love. Perhaps they will respect him.

17:39 But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. This is the heir. Let's kill him. And the inheritance will be ours. So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. When the people heard this, they said, God forbid. And Jesus looked directly at them. And he said, well, what do you mean? What do you think the scriptures say? The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Write down point number two today. Here comes the sun.

18:14 Here comes the sun. Okay, come on. If you're going to sing, hit the note. he's trying to use the illustration once again he's trying to teach us the father or the land owner every time luke tells this story the land owner is who is he talking about he's talking about the father he says the land owner or the father buys an inheritance or a plot of land a vineyard all throughout the old testament every time a vineyard is spoken of or the land he is talking about israel god's chosen people so he's using this illustration this metaphor to teach that the father has purchased this lamb. And he comes and he sends his servant to see if there's fruit. Jesus is trying to teach the audience that the father in heaven has sent prophet after prophet. He sent Isaiah, he sent Ezekiel, he sent Zachariah, he sent Amos, he sent, and what did they do?

19:13 Every time a prophet came, they rejected him. So the father in heaven goes, this time I'm gonna send my son because they rejected the prophets, but maybe they will receive my son. I just want to tell you something. There's something about the father-son relationship. This last week, I was preaching in Memphis. Do I love Memphis? I could move to Laguna, not Memphis. I couldn't live in Memphis, but I love Memphis. And I took my eight-year-old with me, Clivey boy. And Clivey went to Memphis with me. I was walking in Memphis. It's a song. and um and while we were there is a huge youth conference thousands of young people and they're doing these tribal wars and we're in the back and they man i'm telling you the way that they treated my son they were kind to him they were generous to him they gave him sprite they loved him they took care of this boy and in the back he sees on the screen tribal wars he said dad can i go off for the tribal wars so they take him out there and he stands next to the youth pastor hosting the tribal wars. So when he got back from his trip, he told his brothers, yeah, I was in Memphis. I was helping host tribal wars. Can I show you a photo of my son helping host tribal wars? Put up the photo if you can. This is Clivey boy helping host tribal wars.

20:35 He's standing next to the youth pastor, Zach, there. But the way that they treated my son, because they knew I was the father. They welcomed him. They opened their arms. They were generous and benevolent. Jesus tells this story. When the son comes, they'll kill him. He is helping us understand, though they recognize who he is, they still reject who he is. Though they recognize that this is the son of the living God, just because someone understands that he's Jesus doesn't mean they're willing to worship and embrace him. Sometimes people reject Jesus because of who Jesus is. He is the son of the living God. And some people are not comfortable that he is the heir to the throne and the king of all the world. So here comes the son. So my question to you today is, will you accept and embrace and be generous to the son or will you reject him?

21:36 Because Jesus says, I know what you're gonna do to me. You are about to reject me. Ever since I revealed to you who I am, all you've done is reject, reject, reject. And so let me tell you what the landowner, my father's gonna do. My father is gonna take away the land from you. The land will remain, but the tenants are about to change. Who are the new tenants? Read the book of Acts. The book of Acts, all of a sudden, salvation is not just for these people. Salvation is now for the whole world. Now it's not just the chosen frozen. Now it is for everybody on the planet. Anybody thankful today that the gospel of Jesus is for every tribe, every tongue, every language, every ethnicity, everybody in the World Cup. Come on, clap if you believe it today.

22:29 By the way, shout out to America in the World Cup. started from the round of whatever and now we're here let's go i don't know who we're playing but i'm fired up fourth of july this week baby he is showing he is showing you think he is saying you think that you deserve this and you rejected me. He said, I'm telling you what's about to happen. The stone that the builders rejected, Jesus, is about to be the chief cornerstone for all people to align with and build their future on the name and life of Jesus. I wanna tell you today, the smartest thing that you can do is never build your life on the sand, but build your life on the rock.

23:25 The grass could wither, The flower could fade. The season can change. But we are building our life on that which is permanent and forever. His name is Jesus. you cannot build your life on your gifting. You cannot build your life on your friendships. You cannot build your life on your activity. You can only build your life on the name of Jesus. Build your family on Jesus. Build your business on Jesus. Build your marriage on Jesus. Build your identity on Jesus. The stone that the builders rejected, come on, Zoe, for us, is the chief cornerstone. Come on, everybody, clap and give him praise today. That's what we're building on.

24:12 So the first story he tells is that the king is here. the second story he tells is the son is here and what are you going to do with it the third story he in fact write down point number three today here comes the day the day when the lord returns in fact luke 21 gives us the most intel that we have on the second coming that when jesus comes back again and so when before he leaves he's trying to teach us what are the signs that he is that it's gonna happen when he comes back. So he's told us about wars and earthquakes and it's gonna be tumultuous. It's gonna be so terrible that the Clippers might win again. It's gonna be awful. It's gonna be awful. So he goes, here's the signs. Watch this.

25:03 Look here, Luke chapter 21, 25. There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming in the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At the time, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Pause there. Anybody excited for the second coming of our Savior? so he's teaching us i didn't just come one time i'm going to come back again go down next verse 28 when these things begin to take place stand up lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near so pause there do you think that when all this stuff is going on we are to retreat and be afraid and wonder oh my gosh we got to hide in our house this is this is just oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goodness oh my goodness somebody get pretty ricky come on we gotta hide no he says opposite he said i want you to stand what did the kids say 10 toes down i want you to stand there lift up your head redemption is near the hope of Israel, the hope of humanity is coming back.

26:25 He told this parable, look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Verse 34, be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life. And that day will close on you so suddenly it'll be like a trap. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives. And all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. Here comes the day. Notice what Jesus doesn't say to do. He says, when you see these wars and these earthquakes and these uprisings and the signs of the times, I want you to be glued to the news. I want you to doom scroll on TikTok. I want you to to watch ABC, NBC, CBS, all of, I want you to pay attention to the news.

27:43 That's not what he says. He said, when you see the signs of these things, I want you to pray. Don't get your eyes on that stuff. Get your eyes on me. He is trying to teach us how to handle the end times. He is trying to say, stay ready so you don't have to get ready. Worship team, come join me. Stay ready so you don't have to get ready. He is trying to teach us that it is not about living a life. What is the three things he said? Be careful about carousing, be careful about drunkenness, and be careful about anxieties. Let's look at these three things. Carousing is living a life where all you live for is pleasure. All that you want is entertainment. All that you want is comfort. He said, don't give yourself to carousing. Don't give yourself to drunkenness. Let's further the thought on drunkenness. It's anything that numbs the pain that you're going through.

28:38 so don't live for entertainment don't live to numb your pain don't live a life of worry don't get swept up in a life of anxiety what's gonna happen? Are we gonna be okay? Bye-bye, move back.

29:02 He said don't, carousing, drunkenness, or anxiety. Instead, what's the antidote? He says be watchful, be prayerful, be expectant. Always be ready to stand before the Lord. always be ready to give an account. I don't know if you knew this, but one day you'll stand before the Lord and you'll give an account for everything you did here on earth. We are not fearful of this day. We are hopeful for this day. He said, one day you'll stand before the Lord. Be ready for this day.

29:43 Be prepared for this day. You know how like when you go on a trip, I don't know where you put your suitcases. Ours are in the garage. Pull down that suitcase. Start packing up your belongings. Start getting it all organized. You are prepared to go on a trip. Jesus says, I want you to live that way with your bags packed.

30:06 I want you to live expectant for the day of the Lord. Don't unpack your bags and go, this is my life. The earth is my home. I'll be here forever. He said, you don't know the day or the hour. Live with your bags packed. Prepare. Stay ready so you don't gotta get ready. And never forget, when I first moved to LA, I was working. I was a youth pastor and just starting off in the ministry. I worked under this guy from Argentina. Go Messi. his name was Joel Batalame.

30:41 And one time, I'll never forget this, he was invited to go to the movies with a bunch of people in our church. And the movie was, if I could just say this way, sketchy. It's like a sketchy movie. And all these people, you know church people, they're just so awful. All these people are gonna go see this sketchy movie. And this guy said, I really felt like I'm not supposed to go see this movie.

31:05 And he said during the movie, he got a phone call that somebody in our church was rushed to the hospital. And so he got in his car and he was driving to the hospital to go pray for this family. And while he was driving, he felt the Lord speak to him. That's why I said, don't go watch the movie because you would have spent the whole drive confessing and repenting over your sin. You'd have to try and get ready for the moment. But now you are prepared for the moment. I'm using the story to tell you stay ready so you don't have to get ready. Live your life prepared with your bags packed. I'm ready for the day of the Lord. ready. I'm prepared. In fact, last slide, put it up on the screen. I love this so much. The greatest preparation for Christ's return is by cultivating a life that stays spiritually awake, prayerful, undistracted, ready to stand before the Son of Man. Prayerful, expectant, ready. I'm prepared.

32:11 I'm ready. I have no regrets. I've got no baggage. I've got nothing I haven't confessed. I've got no secret sin. I've got nothing that I wish I would have apologized. I wish I would have repented. No, no, no. No regrets. Come on. I'm ready. That if Jesus comes back today and I hear that trumpet, I'm not going, oh, no. I've got to text four people. No. Give me 10 minutes. no the bags are packed i'm ready he says if you see this stuff going on don't worry about the stuff worry about yourself don't look at the news look at your heart it's my life good is my heart good is my lifestyle is my relationships is my mindset am i good before god he said be ready to stand before the lord that when you stand before the lord you say lord i thank you that you are my redeemer. You are the forgiver of my soul. You are the one that called my name. And to the best of my ability, I live for the glory of the living God. Come on, clap and give him a praise.

33:13 So what he's trying to show us is that the time is here. The time is here. The time is here. The Kronos and the Keros is here. The Kronos. The Kronos time. So funny when I travel, I get into a different time zone.

33:38 You're trying to do the math. Okay, so if it's here, then it's back there. trying to figure out time. Some of us, you gotta figure out what time are you in right now? What season are you in? What does God have for you right here and right now? You gotta get your chronos in order with heaven. You gotta get your karos. For some of you, you have an opportunity right now to make amends. You have an opportunity right now to strike while the iron is hot. You've got an opportunity to step into your God-given potential. And I'm telling you, opportunities of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity. You've got to see what heaven is open for your life. I'm praying over somebody today that you'd understand that the time is here. The time is here. Come on, stand to your feet. Again, thank you so much for listening to this week's message. We're praying that you were built up in your faith, encouraged to keep pursuing and living for Jesus. We'll be back next week as we conclude our series through the book of Luke. We're going to bring a conclusion to it, but we pray great strength and great faith over you this week. We'll see you next Sunday.