What Are You Doing?

Summary

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Elevation with Steven Furtick

Episode Title: What Are You Doing?
Date: March 29, 2026
Duration: ~51 min (primary message content begins at 02:40)

Episode Overview

In this uplifting Palm Sunday message, Pastor Steven Furtick explores the question, “What are you doing?” drawing from John 12:12-16 and the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Through vivid storytelling, humor, and practical illustrations, Furtick challenges listeners to trust God’s process—even when life feels confusing or messy. He breaks down the narrative through four perspectives: the disciples, the crowds, the donkey, and the King (Jesus). Ultimately, Pastor Steven encourages faith in the “Weaver”—reminding listeners that God is masterfully stitching together every thread of their journey for a greater purpose.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context: Palm Sunday & The Triumphal Entry

• Furtick sets the stage by moving quickly in the Gospel of John to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, ahead of Easter (02:46).
  • “We’re skipping a few scenes, but we’re going to see the Lord ride in to Jerusalem on a donkey. We’re going to see what that means for me and for you.” (02:46)
• Recognizes how this joyful occasion for the people was foreshadowed by Jesus’ forthcoming sacrifice.

2. The Four Perspectives: The Outline of the Message

• Furtick frames his sermon around four main “characters” (08:08):
  • The Disciples – Walking with Jesus
  • The Crowds – Waving palm branches
  • The Donkey – Waiting for use
  • The King – Weaving God’s plan

3. What Are You Doing? The Common Question

• “What are you doing?”—a question that is universal, directed at ourselves, at others, and even at God during difficult seasons.
  • “What are you doing, Lord? ... I know there’s going to be streets paved with gold in heaven. But right now that is not a currency for me to pay my power bill right here on this earth that you put me on.” (08:01)
• Raises the reality that much of faith is trusting when the ‘why’ isn’t clear.

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Deep Dive: The Four Perspectives

1. The Disciples: Walking in Confusion and Faith

• The disciples often didn’t understand in the moment; their understanding came “only after” (05:33, 09:59).
  • “Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to Him.” (05:46, 21:19)
• Modern believers know “what they didn’t,” making it unfair to judge their confusion (10:11).
• The difference between “looking at something and living in something”—don’t judge someone else’s journey from outside appearances (13:06).
• Furtick uses an analogy of his marriage cross-stitch to illustrate how life has a polished “front” and a messy “underside” not visible to all (15:45, 16:11).
  • “Every marriage does have an underside. … When you look at everybody’s Easter pictures on Instagram...they’re showing this, but they probably went through this in the car before they got the Sears to take the picture.” (16:11)

Notable Quote

"Sometimes it is easier to worship a Jesus that you read about than it is to walk with a Jesus who is frustrating your expectations and confusing your emotions by heading to the cross when you need him to be a king." (11:54)

Main Point

• Keep walking in faith even when you don’t understand the pattern God is weaving. Trust him with ‘the underside’.

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2. The Crowds: Waving, Praising, and Changing Sides

• The crowds shout “Hosanna!” and celebrate Jesus with palm branches, a symbol of victory (22:25, 23:07).
• Furtick points out how quickly praise can turn to rejection—these same crowds would soon shout, “Crucify Him.”
  • “Don’t ever get too attached to people’s praise. If you live by it, you’ll die when they take it away.” (24:51)
• Cautions listeners not to confuse people being loud with being loyal (26:16).

Notable Quote

"Don’t confuse loud with loyal." (26:16)

Main Point

• Don’t place your value in fleeting approval of people. Jesus moved through the crowd, not for the crowd’s approval.

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3. The Donkey: Waiting and Being Used for God’s Purpose

• The details about the donkey are simple, but reveal deep truths (Mark 11:2-3). Jesus instructs his disciples to untie a colt “which no one has ever ridden.”
  • “Jesus borrowed two things around Easter. One was a donkey and one was a tomb.” (30:11)
• God often chooses the unexpected—a common, inexperienced donkey, not a grand horse (33:09).
  • “He did not look for a scholar… He said, I need a donkey. I wonder who I can trust enough to take my word without detail, to take my word without explanation, to take my word without the cross reference and do what I need you to do.” (31:35)
• Sometimes obedience precedes understanding.
  • “God said, obey it now and I'll explain it later.” (33:40, 34:02)
• Your perceived rejection may actually be preparation or reservation for God’s purpose (36:02).

Notable Quote

"God said, I want a donkey that is inexperienced...Because God said, I want a donkey that stumbles into Jerusalem. I want a donkey that’s awkward to ride on...because I’m doing a new thing." (37:59)

Main Point

• God chooses and uses those who simply make themselves available, not those who feel most qualified. Trust God’s timing even when you feel “tied up.”

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4. The King (Jesus): Weaving All Things Together

• While the disciples are walking, crowds are waving, and the donkey is waiting, Jesus is “weaving.”
  • “All that time, the king is weaving. My life is but a weaving between my God and me.” (39:03)
  • Illustration: A cross-stitched blanket, beautiful on one side and messy on the other—God sees the complete picture (47:43, 49:23).
• God has been preparing your “donkey moment” for years; nothing is wasted in His hands (42:13).
• Romans 8:28 is referenced: “All things work together for the good of them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”

Notable Quote

“The times for me that were the most confusing were the times he used the most.” (47:37)

“While the disciples were walking and while the crowds were waving and the donkey was waiting, there was a king who was weaving.” (42:24)

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Memorable Moments & Illustrations (with Timestamps)

• The Cross-Stitch & Marriage Analogy (15:45–19:28)
  • Demonstrates that every beautiful “front” (public life) has a messy “underside” (private struggles).
• Corrie Ten Boom's Poem ‘The Weaver’ (14:25)
  • “My life is but a weaving between my God and me. I cannot choose the colors. He weaveth steadily. Ofttimes he weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride forget He sees the upper and I the underside…”
• Obey Now, Understand Later (33:40, 34:02)
  • “God said, obey it now and I'll explain it later.”
• Calling Out the Donkey's Purpose Over 500 Years (36:02)
  • Emphasizes God’s long-range planning for even the “smallest” roles in the story.
• Palm Branches vs. Donkey: Why Not Donkey Sunday? (26:11)
  • Humorous questioning of tradition that still delivers a powerful point about overlooked vessels.

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Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment / Quote | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:40 | Furtick begins preaching (reading John 12:12–16) | | 05:33–06:35 | Introduces “What are you doing?” as sermon’s framing question | | 08:08 | Lays out four perspectives: the disciples, crowds, donkey, King | | 10:11 | “Don’t judge the disciples… we know what they didn’t” | | 13:06 | “There’s a difference between looking at something and living in something…” | | 15:45 | Marriage analogy using cross-stitch | | 21:19 | “Only after Jesus was glorified…” (turning point for disciples’ understanding) | | 24:51 | “Don’t ever get too attached to people’s praise…” | | 26:11 | “Don’t confuse loud with loyal.” | | 31:35 | “I wonder who I can trust enough to take my word without detail…” | | 33:40–34:02 | “Obey it now and I’ll explain it later.” | | 36:02 | 500 years of preparation for the donkey (Zechariah’s prophecy) | | 39:03–39:25 | “All that time, the king is weaving…” – cross-stitch “Weaver” motif introduced | | 42:24 | “While the disciples were walking…and the donkey waiting, there was a king weaving.” | | 47:37 | “The times for me that were the most confusing were the times he used the most…” | | 49:23 | Blanket illustration—trusting the “underside” versus the finished pattern |

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Main Takeaways

• Faith in Confusing Seasons: It’s okay to not understand what God is doing; understanding often comes after obedience and time.
• God Uses the Unlikely: The unqualified, the inexperienced, and the “awkward donkeys” are exactly who God uses for significant purposes.
• Messiness is Okay: The “underside” of our lives—pain, confusion, struggle—is invaluable in God’s masterful weaving.
• Don’t Seek Validation in Temporary Praise: People’s support is inconsistent; root your identity in God’s unwavering plan.
• Obedience Precedes Explanation: Sometimes God simply asks for trust and obedience before offering clarity.

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Closing Encouragement

Furtick wraps with an impassioned reminder:

“You may not understand it right now, but after Jesus is glorified, you will understand… What are you doing, God? I’ll tell you what I’m doing. I’m weaving. I’m weaving. I’m weaving. I have good hands.” (47:43–49:23)

He prays for listeners, blessing them with the faith to keep trusting God, the master Weaver, knowing that everything in their journey—good, bad, confusing, or beautiful—is being masterfully stitched together for their good and God’s glory.

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For Reflection:
“What are you doing?” Next time you ask this of God or yourself, remember: God is weaving, and the King is coming.

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Transcript

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[Steven Furtick]

The Lord has been speaking to me. Open your Bible. Stay standing. John, chapter 12.

You're. You're like, well, Pastor Steven, we were only in John 1 last week. How did we get to John 12 so quick? Easter is coming. We had to hit fast forward. We're skipping a few scenes, but we're going to see the Lord ride in to Jerusalem on a donkey. We're going to see what that means for me and for you. John 12:12. I want to give a couple of birthday greetings. It is the 13th birthday of our Toronto campus. Let's thank God for elevation. Toronto. Praise the Lord.

Steven, Kristen, the whole crew at Toronto, y' all go crazy. Y' all celebrate today. It's a big birthday. Our Raleigh location is moving into their brand new building today.

[Congregation / Audience]

Let's go Raleigh.

[Steven Furtick]

We're going to have Resurrection Sunday in Raleigh in a brand new building. It's going to be amazing. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. This occasion that we celebrate today, of course, is mitigated in his joy by the fact that for Jesus, it would represent his sacrifice as he rides into Jerusalem to give his life for you and I. Now let me read the passage From John chapter 12, verses 12 through 16. Picking up right here mid flow. The next day, the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the King of Israel. Now watch what Jesus did a study in contrast. Here are these loud shouts from the crowd. Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. As it is written, do not be afraid, daughter Zion.

See, your king is coming.

Isn't that good news?

Your king is coming. Doesn't that bless you to know your king is coming?

Tell somebody next to you, the king is coming. The king is coming. The king is coming. The king is coming. See, your king is coming seated on a donkey's colt. That's unexpected. Last week we talked about the staying Jesus. Week one, we talked about the seeking Jesus. This week we're going to talk about the seated Jesus seated on a donkey's colt. One more verse I want to give you, then you can be seated. This is what I want to talk

to you about today.

At first, his disciples did not understand all this. Only after. See, some things only make sense after.

Only after.

Don't worry too much right now about what you don't understand. Some things only make sense after. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him? That's where I want to stop. Today I'm going to give this message a simple title and then we might call it something different online, but I'm just going to put it after a question today. Give your neighbor my title. Look at him and say, what are you doing? That's the message today. Well, don't answer them. It's a setup for a sermon. You don't have to give them a report. Sit down. You may be seated. What are you doing? Very common question, right? You might just ask somebody that.

Call them on the phone.

What are you doing? Is it a good time or is it a bad time? What are you doing? You might have asked your kids that the other day. What are you doing? It might have had a different tone and inflection to it that way. What are you doing? Sometimes you might ask yourself that after an hour of scrolling stuff that you really don't even want to look at and you're not even really interested in. You don't even really like cats, but you've been watching them do stuff on your phone for like 45 minutes.

What are you doing?

You know what I'm talking about? Like halfway through the stress eating exercise and you're like, what are you doing? Anytime I eat brisket after 6:30pm I'm like, what are you doing? You know this brisket is going to make an encore appearance Tonight at about 3am what are you doing? I just like the brisket.

I don't know.

I don't have time to slow down and think about it and analyze it. What are you doing? Then there is that sense of a season of your life when you even ask that question of God. Seasons where it is not obvious or apparent. Seasons where you cannot point to answered prayers. What are you doing? Seasons where you can't discern why he would remove a certain someone from your life. What are you doing? I needed them, Lord, don't you know I needed them?

What are you doing?

What are you doing? Lord God, I'm going to need you to go ahead and give me a job right now because I have bills right now. I know there's going to be streets paved with gold in heaven. But right now that is not a currency for me to pay my power bill right here on this earth that you put me on. Lord, what are you doing? That's what I want to preach about today because the disciples are not the only characters in this story. I read you from John chapter 12 that we call Palm Sunday. I actually want to look at four different perspectives today from this passage. This is the way I'd like to take you through the journey because we're going to see what four different characters or groups were doing. First, we're going to look at the disciples and see what they're doing. Then we're going to look at the crowds, the crowds that were gathered, and we're going to see what the crowds are doing. Then we're going to look at the donkey and talk about what the donkey was doing. Then I want to talk about the king and see what he was doing. The disciples, the crowds, the donkeys and the king. And we'll have our outline for today. Everybody say, the disciples, the crowds, the donkey, the king. Put all four of those in the comments you're watching online. Put the disciples, the crowds, the donkey and the king. What are you doing? Well, the disciples, of course, are walking with Jesus, which sounds simple, and it

is simple until it isn't.

It's easy for us to judge the disciples when we read a verse like John 12:16. At first, his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. There is a part of you that wants to say, after all you've seen and after all you've experienced walking with

Jesus,

how could you still be wondering what he is doing? But keep in mind before you judge the disciples, that we know what they don't.

When you read John chapter 12, you

have an advantage over the disciples because you know what they don't. You know about the third day, they don't. You know perhaps about the messianic fulfillment that is represented in this passage because you have a cross reference in your Bible. It says, if you want to read John 12:15 about the king riding on a colt, a baby donkey, that's taken from Zechariah 9, 9, which is in the Old Testament. Just as soon as you can flip

the pages, you can go, oh, well,

of course he rode on a donkey.

Zechariah prophesied it 500 years ago.

He's fulfilling prophecy. They don't know that because they are living that certain things in your life while you are living them don't look like they look after they're over. There's a difference between looking at something and living in something. When we see Jesus riding in on a donkey, we see it as a sign of humility and peace. And prophecy fulfilled for them. It was very confusing to watch the Master and the CEO of the universe uber into Jerusalem to do the most important task a human has ever done. You know what they don't. And it's important to remember that. We get a big picture of Jesus from John's Gospel. We know about him turning water into wine, and they saw that. We know about him talking to a woman at a well, and they saw that. And we know about him feeding 5,000 hungry souls and women and children. They saw that.

But they saw all these things while

they walked with him. We worship him because we read about these things, but they had to walk with him as they realized these things.

Sometimes it is easier to worship a

Jesus that you read about than it is to walk with a Jesus who is frustrating your expectations and confusing your emotions by heading to the cross when you need him to be a king.

I just want to talk about for

a moment for all of you who

are going through a season of your

life that looks like. What are you doing?

Keep walking. Keep walking. The what ifs you have about your marriage, the what ifs you have about your health, the what ifs you have about your children, the the what ifs you have about your career, the what ifs you have about your emotions, the what ifs you have will only be answered when you walk. So keep walking. That's all the disciples did.

They walked with him.

The disciples are walking. The disciples are walking. The disciples are walking with a Jesus they do not fully understand.

Even though they have been radically changed,

even though they have been wonderfully exposed. The disciples are living in it. And there is a difference between living

in it and looking at it.

You're like, you already said that. I'm going to say it again because it is so easy for you to look at somebody else's life and envy them and be jealous of them. But you might be jealous of a life you're only seeing the front side of. If you ever saw the backside side of their life, you might not be bitter about yours. Because there is a chance that the cost they are paying to be who they are is greater than the toll you would want to pay. So don't be jealous. Also, don't judge. Don't judge because we are all walking. We are like the disciples. There are things we don't understand and we will not. Until after.

I heard about a poem Corrie 10 boom used to love. I thought she wrote it, but I found out she was quoting it from Grant Colfax Tuller, who was A poet.

I want you to listen to this

because she read it as a Holocaust survivor. She read it after forgiving people who tortured her family. She read it after surviving something most of us would have stumbled over. She read this poem called the Weaver.

My life is but a weaving between

my God and me. I cannot choose the colors. He weaveth steadily ofttimes. He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride forget. He sees the upper and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent and

the shuttles cease to fly will God unroll the canvas and reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful in

the weaver's skillful hand as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern he has planned. What she's saying is, I don't see the picture from my perspective. I don't see what his hands are doing while I am going through the hardships of my life. It is the Weaver I worship. I walk with him and I talk with him. But I often wonder, what are you doing? I can tell I might need to

break this down a little bit. So let me show you something.

Holly and I have a great marriage. Great marriage.

Yeah.

I picked the right partner, and I'm reaping the benefits ever since. Praise the lord. For our 20th anniversary a while back, Shel made us this. This cross stitch. Can you see it kind of right, like, you can kind of tell what it is. It kind of looks like she didn't do a good job. It kind of looks like she needs to go back to cross stitch class, take a couple remedial weeks. But, of course, if you see the other side, you can see she did pretty good. You can see she made me look just like I did on that fateful day with no beard, standing before my wife in my SNK suit about three sizes too big for me. And there we are like this on this side. But every marriage does have an underside. I just want you to remember when you look at everybody's Easter pictures on Instagram, in about a week, they're showing this, but they probably went through this in the car before they got the Sears to take the picture. That's a callback reference from the 80s. You see what I'm saying?

Zoom back in, y'. All.

What are you doing? This is what it looks like, and this is how it's lived.

I said, this is what it looks

like, and this is how it's lived.

She got out of the car the

other day and she asked me, does my hair look good messy or bad messy?

Now, after 20 something years.

I can tell you that the answer to that automatically is good messy. But I can also tell you there is a difference between good messy and bad messy. Good messy is when you are trusting

God in your life to work out

the details you can't control. And you are trusting God's sovereignty in your life for situations that are too big for you. Good messy is in a marriage where we fight for the marriage, where we

fight with each other instead of against

each other, and we fight for each other.

Every marriage has an underside.

Every marriage that looks like this looks like this somewhere.

Every marriage that looks like this, where the couple has their debts paid off, had conversations about, are you really bringing that coffee table into my house? And did it really cost? I remember the first time she told me she wanted to spend $400 on a coffee table. I said, you better find one that has some dings and dents in it. You better find one that's busted out

the top of it.

$400 for a coffee table. Because we are still weaving together our values for money. She has a value for a coffee table. I didn't even drink coffee at the time. How am I supposed to pay $400 for something I don't even drink? I'm not even going to use. It looks like this. Every marriage, in terms of sexual relationships, in terms of communication, in terms of conflict management, it always looks like like this. So what I'm trying to say is don't confuse what it looks like with how it's lived. Or you might give up on something great because of something gross and you might give up on something miraculous because of something messy. When God is bringing something together in your life, remember, you have to trust

him with the underside.

That might be the whole word for somebody today. Trust him with the underside. I know it's ugly, but trust Him. I know it's crazy, but trust Him. I know it's confusing, but trust Him. I know it's not coming together as fast as you want it, but trust Him. I know you can't figure out what it is yet, but trust Him. I know everybody around you is acting kind of judgmental, but don't judge the underside. Because in God's hand, the dark threads are just as important as the light threads. And all things work together for the good of them who are called according to his purpose. So if he called me according to his purpose, that means there will be an underside he oversees. I cannot judge what he's making by the moment I'm in, or I will be like the disciples who saw the cross as a failure. But this was not the failure. This was the foundation. Isn't it amazing that the disciples walked with Jesus into the most confusing moments of their life, but the most confusing

moment was the one he used the most.

I can tell you, looking back on 46 years of living, some of the

times I was most confused were some of the times he most used.

Don't give up on God just because you're on the underside. It might be ugly on the underside, it might be uncomfortable on the other side, it may be inconvenient. On the underside, it may be embarrassing, it may be humiliating. You might have to ask some questions.

You may not understand until after. When Jesus was glorified, they got it

and then they went, oh, is this. The faith is to make it through the lows so you can get to the O, O. Meanwhile, the disciples are walking and the crowds. That's number two, are waving. They are waving palm branches. These palm branches are not random. I remember a few years ago in church, actually, it must have been about 15 years ago, because this is back

when I used to copy everything my buddy Perry Noble did in church, because

I know what I was doing.

He had people break these glow sticks

one Sunday on Palm Sunday.

They all raised them in the air, and they were singing, Shine youe Light and Let the Whole World See for the Glory of the Risen King. Everybody broke the glow stick and raised it up in the air on Palm Sunday. We were using it to represent all the people we wanted to see come to Christ. We were raising the glow sticks. I read this young girl on Twitter. She said, my mom asked me, did we have palm branches in church on Palm Sunday? And I had to tell her, no, they had glow sticks.

I was like, that's just elevation. Not a lot of tradition around here. In fact, this is the first time

I've preached on the donkey on Palm Sunday in about 10 to 15 years.

But before I can even talk about the donkey, I have to talk about the crowds. We named this Sunday after what the crowds held in their hand and what they waved as a sign of victory. The palm branch represented victory, like when a great conquering king would take new territory and come back into town on a war horse. They would wave these palm branches and these myrtles.

[Congregation / Audience]

They would shout, hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

[Steven Furtick]

They do it three times.

[Congregation / Audience]

Hosanna, blessed is he.

[Steven Furtick]

Because the victor was coming back and they would wave the branches talking about,

[Congregation / Audience]

Hosanna, blessed is He.

[Steven Furtick]

This is a Scripture. They were quoting from Psalm 118, 26,

[Congregation / Audience]

Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

[Steven Furtick]

Now Jesus is headed to a cross and he's coming through Jerusalem.

About 120,000 people are gathered to celebrate the Passover festival.

And it's crowded in the streets of Jerusalem. They're shouting out save now.

That's what hosanna means, Save now. Don't we want God to get it out of us and get us out

of it right now? Don't we want God to do what he's going to do right now?

Since they just got word that Lazarus was in the ground, but he got up, maybe they figured this prophet, this priest, this Messiah, whatever he was, could do for them what they had waited for the king to do. So they are shouting hosanna.

Blessed is he who comes in the

name of the Lord.

And they're shouting loud. I believe that as they are shouting

Hosanna, which is a praise word, Jesus can already hear the echoes of Crucify him, which the same crowds would be shouting on Friday. Don't ever get too attached to people's praise. Don't ever get too attached to people's praise. Because if you live by it, you'll

die when they take it away. Even don't be too attached to when

your kids think you're a good parent. Sometimes you might have to take their

phone and they might call you the devil. Now what are you going to do about it? Are you running a popularity contest or a household? Don't be too attached to people's praise. Don't even be too attached to your parents. Praise. Sometimes your parents see you as their product and they can't even guide you

as good as God can because they're

trying to get you to fulfill something

they didn't accomplish in their life.

And only God can show you what your next step is. So don't be too attached to their praise. If you live when they give it, you'll die when they take it away. Don't be too attached to people's praise. Don't be too attached to the likes. Don't be too attached to the encouragement of your boss. What are you going to do if your boss moves divisions? What are you going to do if you get a boss that doesn't like you? You're still going to work hard because you're God's child. Jesus never moved by the approval of people. Jesus never moved for the yeas of the crowds. Jesus never moved for the high fives even of his Own disciples. Jesus was not moved by the crowd. He moved through the crowd. I'm going somewhere. The disciples are walking. The crowds are waving and they are shouting hosanna. But they will not still be shouting

when he is led like a lamb to the slaughter.

They will not stand still be shouting

when Pilate puts him up, turns him over and hangs him to die.

They will not still be shouting on Saturday when his body lays in a tomb. What are you trying to say? Don't confuse loud with loyal. Don't confuse loud with loyal. The crowds are waving. The crowds will wave. That's fine. But Jesus was not moved by the crowds. I don't know who this point is for, because it's really just an incidental point to get me to the main point of this message. While the crowds are waving the donkey. Can we talk about the donkey? I know we're all impressed by Palm Sunday, but why can't we call it Donkey Sunday? Because it doesn't have the same ring to it. Because while the disciples are walking and the crowds are waving, watch what the donkey is doing. The donkey is waiting. So now the crowds are walking. Calm down for a bit.

Give it to them slow.

The crowds are waving Hosanna. Hosanna. And the donkey is waiting.

Now this is really fun.

Go back to John, chapter 11, verse 4.

You know, John doesn't give a lot

of details about the donkey.

In fact, when he talks about the

donkey, he says something so simple, you almost just read right over it.

It said, jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. That's all the details we get from John. John, like a true man, just gives you the bottom line. Yeah, he found a donkey and he sat. But you know what this tells me? I'm speculating, but I have good reason.

I studied.

John wasn't one of the disciples who got sent to get the donkey. That's what it tells me. It's like my kids fighting around the table.

They'll be trying to tell a story

at dinner, and they'll be like, shut up. Let me tell it.

We're a church. We're a pastor's family.

Please be quiet. Please hearken unto my voice.

That's what they say at my table. What about your table?

They say, shut up at your house. What's wrong with you? You're a terrible parent.

They say, shut up. It's my story. Let me tell it. I almost felt when John said, jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. And then just went right on to Psalm 118, 26, and the palm branches and all of the wonderful things. I almost felt Peter speak up and say, shut up, John.

[Congregation / Audience]

You weren't there.

[Steven Furtick]

Let me tell it so in Mark's Gospel. Flip over to Mark real quick, because this is the underside. This is the side of the story from the one who was there. In Mark, chapter 11, you get a little fuller account. You get more than just, Jesus found

a donkey and sat on it and

rode on into Jerusalem. You get a little bit clearer picture and you get a little bit more detail. I want to read it to you from Mark, chapter 11. As they approached Jerusalem, same disciples walking toward Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany. At the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples. We don't know which two. I'm speculating that it was Peter based on the nature of the Job. You have some disciples need to pray for you, and then you have some disciples need to do other stuff for you that isn't quite as spiritual. Watch what Jesus told them to do. Verse 22, saying to them, go to the village ahead of you, and just

as you enter it, you will find a colt.

That's a baby donkey tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, why are you doing this? Say the Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly. Skinner.

I can't skip over this and talk about the donkey being borrowed because I'm thinking about the fact that Jesus borrowed

two things around Easter. One was a donkey and one was a tomb. See, it wasn't exactly borrowed the appropriate way. This is not technically how you should borrow something. That's why I think Jesus needed Peter to do something that was so dumb that it would take a dumb disciple to do it. Do I have any dumb disciples in the room today who aren't the smartest, who aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the drawer. But Jesus, if you need something to hit something, I'll hit something for you. That's Peter. Peter is kind of dull, but he'll do it. Tell your neighbor I'm dull, but I'll do it. That's why I think the Lord called me to start the church when I was 25, when I was dumb enough to do stuff, I didn't know how to run a profit and loss statement. I didn't know how to check a ledger. All I knew how to do was ask the Lord. If the Lord told me to give everybody glow sticks, I gave them glow sticks. I didn't care if Aunt Ethel liked it or Not, I was dumb enough to break a glow stick and tell them, happy Easter. I was dumb enough to do some stuff. The problem with some of us is that we've gotten smarter than a donkey. But when Jesus was looking for something to come into town on, he did not look for a scholar. He did not look for the head of the class. He did not look for a valedictorian to be his vessel. He said, I need a donkey. I wonder who I can trust enough to take my word without detail, to take my word without explanation, to take my word without the cross reference and

[Congregation / Audience]

do what I need you to do.

[Steven Furtick]

The Bible says in verse 5 of Mark, chapter 11, some people standing there

asked, what are you doing?

Just like the title of our sermon. Just like they were wondering about Jesus, they're wondering what Jesus is doing. Jesus, are you really going to let

them kill you like this?

Jesus, are you really going to ride

up into Jerusalem in a jalopy?

I mean, Jesus, you're a king. Don't you hear them calling you a king? A king can't drive a Kia. Jesus, at least let us put in

a good word with somebody.

You know, they have luxury donkeys. You know, they have big grown donkeys.

Did you say you want a baby donkey? A little donkey? Can we at least get a big donkey?

Jesus? Jesus said, no, I need to be

big, so I need what I ride on to be small so they can

see how big I am.

Oh, God. So what God will do, if you have the faith to trust him with stuff that you don't understand, is that he will pick something you never would have chosen, and he will ride into situations you never would have gone into. Who is this message for today? The king is coming, but he's not coming in a chariot. The king is coming, but he's not coming with a banner. The king is coming, but he's not going to do what you wanted him to do. He's going to do it on a donkey.

[Congregation / Audience]

But if you have enough faith to untie that donkey, if you have enough faith to obey what he showed you, here's the word of the Lord. God said, obey it now and I'll explain it later. Obey it now and I'll explain it later.

[Steven Furtick]

I know this doesn't make sense. I know it looks like a mess, but it's a good kind of messy. I know you don't understand why I would ride into town on a donkey. I imagine the disciples untying the colt and somebody says, what are you doing untying that colt there's somebody in a situation right now and maybe even the voices in your head are saying, what are you doing forgiving them. What are you doing moving on from that? What are you doing in church today? What are you doing trying this again? What are you doing going back into recovery? What are you doing studying the Bible? What are you doing praying and worshiping God? What are you doing being nice to them after they were nasty to you? What are you doing getting back up again after you fell down seven times? What are you doing launching another business? What are you doing taking another step? What are you doing calling that family member and saying, let's try again? What are you doing taking your next step? What are you doing stumbling into tomorrow? What are you doing still trusting God,

[Congregation / Audience]

hands lifted, high praising him not with hands that say, save now, but hands that say, I trust you, God, enough to obey you. Now, you can explain it later. Oh, the Lord said to tell you

[Steven Furtick]

the donkey was found, but it wasn't free yet.

[Congregation / Audience]

So high five somebody and say, you're about to be set free because that donkey, Oh, I have to preach about the donkey. I have to preach about the donkey

[Steven Furtick]

to somebody who feels useless, to somebody

[Congregation / Audience]

who feels common, to somebody who feels

[Steven Furtick]

like your life isn't much. Can we think about the fact that for 500 years it has been prophesied that Jesus would ride into town on a donkey? That means for 50 decades, 500 years, God has been getting this donkey's DNA

ready for Jesus to sit on it.

Look what Jesus said. I don't know if it's verse three, Mark, chapter 11 or verse four, but we're going to find it on the screen today. Because I have to show you this. I have to show you this. Tell somebody. You have to see this.

It's actually verse 2.

Go to the village ahead of you. Side note, it's not behind you. God is moving you forward in this season. It's not behind you. It's not behind you. It's not going to be anybody who left you that God uses to bless you. You. It's ahead of you. It's not going to be anybody who walked away. See, because there's somebody in here I'm preaching to. And somebody just left your life recently and you thought, God, what are you doing removing them. God said, I'm making room for me to move. So I had to get that out of the way because what I'm going to bless you, O God. What I'm going to bless you with is always ahead of you. Go to the village Ahead of you just as you enter it. It's not going to take long. When you get to where I send you, you will find a colt, a donkey, a baby donkey there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it, set it free, and bring it here. There's an important detail. No one has ever ridden it. That means this donkey, this colt, this baby donkey, this unclean animal, this thing the king wanted to ride in on and reserved. He made sure no one ever sat on this donkey so he could be the first one to sit on this donkey. God said, it wasn't rejection, it was preparation. It wasn't rejection, it was reservation. God was saving you for this moment because there's something he wants to do in your life. God said, I want a donkey that is inexperienced. Isn't it crazy? If we would have been submitting our resume to bring the king into Jerusalem, we would have listed our experience. But our very experience we would have listed would have disqualified us for the job. Because God said, I want a donkey that stumbles into Jerusalem. I want a donkey that's awkward to ride on. I want a donkey no one has

sat on because I'm doing a new thing.

Happy palm Sunday, everybody. Because while the disciples are walking and the crowds are waving and the donkey is waiting, oh, I figured if we can't be good disciples, at least let us be good donkeys. At least let us invite the presence of God into our situation. Even if we're awkward, at least let us stumble forward. Because the disciples are walking, the crowds are waving, and the donkey is waiting.

All that time, the king is weaving. My life is but a weaving between my God and me. I can't talk to anybody else about this right now, but it's between my God and me.

Nobody else is really seeing the mess on the underside of my family right now.

But it's a weaving between my God and me.

I cannot choose the colors. He weaveth steadily ofttimes. He weaveth sorrow. And I, in foolish pride forget. He sees the upper

and I the underside.

The Lord told me to tell you, keep walking.

He's weaving.

Keep walking.

He's weaving. See?

Because at some point, the Bible says, after Jesus was glorified, this is his death, this is his burial, this is his resurrection, this is his ascension. The Bible says the disciples did what Jesus told them to do, even though they didn't understand it was, will you? While you're asking God, what are you doing? Maybe he's asking you the same, what are you doing? There are some things in this season of Your life, where he has called you to trust him, and he has called you to have integrity, and he has called you to be kind, and he has called you to be patient, and he has called you to be giving, and he has called you to be a servant. And he has called you to prayer, and he has called you to worship, and he has called you to praise. So can you and will you do what he gave you to do? As they are untying the donkey, the king, Jesus is weaving.

See, he's weaving.

They're walking. Crowds are waving. A donkey is waiting.

And Jesus is weaving.

He's reaching back 500 years, all the way to Zechariah's prophecy. He says, I can't have a pretty horse. Zechariah didn't say a pretty horse. He said a donkey. I have to sit on a donkey because the Word said a donkey, and I have to fulfill the Word. God knows the word he spoke over your life. God knows the word that was in your spirit before your body came out of your mother's womb. God knows what he has for you. God knows the plans he has for you. He's weaving some things together. It was only after he got up from the grave that they realized what he did on the cross. They realized he was cross stitching. I said, they realized that he was cross stitching. They realized every drop of. Of blood he shed was on purpose.

[Congregation / Audience]

It was not spilled, it was poured out. And God says, nothing will be wasted

[Steven Furtick]

in the hands of the weaver.

[Congregation / Audience]

Not one tear, not one broken heart, not one lonely night.

[Steven Furtick]

Because while the disciples were walking and while the crowds were waving and the donkey was waiting, there was a king who was weaving.

I don't know when they had their moment, but at some point, Peter looked

at John and said, oh,

[Congregation / Audience]

oh, the donkey, the donkey.

[Steven Furtick]

John is like, what are you on about, Peter? Peter the donkey?

[Congregation / Audience]

Yeah, the donkey.

[Steven Furtick]

The one Jesus didn't tell you to go get because he knew you were too quiet to say what he needed to say. John is like, shut up, Peter. Well, what about the donkey, Peter?

I don't know what he was thinking about that night, but he just goes, Zechariah

9. 9. There weren't actually technically chapters and verses in the Bible at this point in time, but go with me for the

sake of an illustration.

He goes, Zechariah 9. 9. It was an Old Testament. Rejoice greatly, daughter Zion. Shout, daughter Jerusalem. See your king comes to you righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of A donkey. I thought it was crazy when he sent us to get the donkey. I thought it was weird when he sent us to get the donkey. I thought it was crazy when he let me go through a divorce and he didn't stop it. I thought it was crazy when the doctor said, you have this disease and you're going to have to go through treatment. I thought it was crazy. I asked, God, what are you doing? But now I realize there was a purpose he was fulfilling that I could not see at the time. I'm telling you to trust him in the lows

so you can get to the oh, I came to encourage somebody.

Keep walking.

Tell your neighbor, keep walking. He's weaving.

That's what you have to believe in

every season of your life. He's weaving as you're going through things you don't understand. Give me John, chapter 12, verse 16, and I'll close with this. The Bible says at first they did not understand. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and these things had been done to Him. Only did they see after he was glorified that while they were walking, he was weaving. I want you to know he's weaving the good things and the bad things, all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. The king is weaving.

The disciples are walking.

The crowds are waving. The donkey is waiting. But Jesus, King Jesus is weaving. You have to believe that in seasons of your life when people leave you. And you have to believe it in seasons of your life when people come. He's weaving. They all left Jesus at the cross. He never stopped weaving. Don't let who leaves you stop you from believing in the one who is weaving and knitting.

He's a cross stitcher and with every step of faith you take, that's another stitch.

He's weaving. He's weaving some things, your gifts and your weaknesses. He's weaving your past and your present.

He's weaving the good days and the bad days. He's weaving the places you're strong and the places you're not.

He's weaving the King

when you see your king coming on a colt, don't be surprised.

He likes to show up in situations that look small.

He likes to show up in vehicles that seem weak.

When he weaves his strength with your weakness.

Somebody shout, the king is coming. Touch the seven people. Tell them the king is coming. Everybody get up on your feet and shout. Say, the king is coming. The king is coming. I'll have to be afraid.

[Congregation / Audience]

I'll have to turn around. I'll have to give up. I'll have to give in. The king is coming. Turn my mic up. The king is coming. The king is coming. Sunday is coming. Glory is coming. Victory is coming. Breakthrough is coming. Healing is coming.

[Steven Furtick]

He's weaving. He's weaving. Keep walking. He's weaving. Keep praying. He's weaving. He knows what he's doing. God is a cross stitcher. You may not understand it right now, but after Jesus is glorified, you will understand. Oh, he took me through that to show me who he was. Oh, he took me through that so he could be for me what I could not be for myself. Oh, it was good for me that I was afflicted, because the times for

me that were the most confusing were the times he used the most.

What are you doing, God?

I'll tell you what I'm doing. I'm weaving. I'm weaving. I'm weaving. I have good hands. Bring me my blanket. I'll close with this. I was walking out to preach to you and I saw this on my couch and I thought maybe this could help me get my point across. When I say he's weaving and when I say that, you have to trust him with the underside, you could look at this and faintly make an outline of what it was. John 12:16. They did not understand all of this at first. They did not understand all of this at first. My life is but a weaving between my God and me. They did not understand while they were walking, they did not understand why the crowds were waving. They did not even understand why the donkey was waiting. But on the other side, I saw it was his hands. You see. How when you're on the underside, it's kind of ugly. You're like, I think this is God, but I'm not sure. I don't know if this is God. I'm feeling fair right now, but when is.

Sorry. I'll practice my illustration for next week,

for Easter, when the guests come. When it's his hands, then I wanted to tell you to trust on this side what you can only trace on this side. He's weaving. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him, and that these things God used and these things and these things and good things, things and bad things and high things and low things and pretty things and painful things. He's weaving. He's weaving. Father, I bless you for your word today. It spoke to me so much as I remembered the times in my life that I've looked back and seen that you were weaving while I was walking, that you were weaving while I was waiting. I praise you today, Lord, because you brought somebody here to be reminded of the skillful touch of your hand, the weaver's hand. I thank you that today, Lord, as we stare into Easter Sunday and anticipate your resurrection, that you have given us the faith to face Friday knowing that the weaver will never leave our side. Father, you know who you're speaking to today. You know their name. You know their need. You know the need beneath the need beneath the need that presents itself as the problem. And you are the weaver. God, I thank you that all things do work together for good for those who you love and are called according to your purpose. May we be better than the disciples were because we know what the disciples did it May we walk in the light of our resurrected Savior. May we worship our Weaver who works all things together for good.

Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to Give now or visit elevationchurch.orgpodcast for more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it with your friends. You can click the Share button, take a screenshot and share it on your social stories and tag us LevationChurch. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.

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