Responding to the King

Responding to the King

Mark 11:1-11

Intro: Seat change.

Today is referred to as Palm Sunday, it is a day that is celebrated each year the Sunday before Resurrection Sunday. It is a day that kicks off what is
known as Passion Week, or Holy week. The title Passion Week, is so named because of the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross in order
to pay for the sins of His people.

There was great anticipation as to who Jesus was and how He would save. The crowds were building throughout Jesus’ ministry and the crowds were responding
to Jesus, following Him and as we will see today, even crying out. The response of the crowds was based upon what they perceived they needed, but ultimately,
their response would change when it is evident that Jesus didn’t come to conquer Rome, He came to conquer death.

Read: Mark 11:1-11

• Jesus is heading toward Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. This is a journey He made many times in His life.

• This trip, however, was different. Jesus knows the importance of the week ahead. He knows that in 7 days, He would be crucified, and as He nears Jerusalem,
  He stops a couple miles short, to send two of His disciples into a village in order to find the colt of a donkey and bring it back to Him.

• Jesus was getting ready to fulfill a prophesy originally found in Zechariah 9:9, entering into Jerusalem in a way He never had before. His entry would
  be powerful, and for all to see. Jesus stops on the mount of Olives, with Jerusalem in view and asks His disciples to partner with Him and go get
  the colt that He would ride on. Here His disciples have an opportunity to respond to Jesus call and go get the colt that He would ride on in His
  Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

• In our lives, we have an incredible opportunity to respond to Jesus. To understand His word, hear His voice, and play a part in His entry into the
  hearts and lives of those on this earth. 

I. Partner with Jesus

• Jesus sends two of His disciples into the village and lets them know that as soon as they enter, there will be a colt tied there.

• It will be a colt that no one has ever sat on. They were to untie it and bring it to Him.

• If anyone were to ask, they were to respond by saying, ‘the Lord has need of it,’ and that it would be sent back to them after Jesus uses it.

• The disciples go as Jesus has directed, and I find it interesting that the phrase they were to use if questioned was, ‘the Lord has need of it.’

• Why would the creator of all things have need of anything? 

2 Corinthians 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Illus. Jesus was born in a borrowed cradle, preached from a borrowed boat, rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, ate His last supper in a borrowed room, and was buried in a borrowed grave.

• He who made everything laid it all down that I might become rich in Him. But not only this, He chose to put Himself in a position whereby we could
  partner with Him, in order to see His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

A.Let His will be worked through you

• God didn’t have to make it work this way. But He has chosen to allow us the opportunity to be a part of His story.

• We get to be a part of making a difference on this earth and in our lives, for Jesus.

Illus. Alternate conclusions.

• Imagine if the response from the disciples to being called to get the colt was different, an alternate scenario. And the disciples said…?

• By receiving Jesus’ instructions and going, they were able to partner with Jesus in fulfilling His plan.

• No questions, no hesitancy that we are aware of, they simply responded.

Illus. Changes in my availability.

• The Lord gives us the opportunity participate, to partner with Him in order to see His will worked through our lives in in our world.

• He, however, cannot work with what is not available to Him. 

Illus. After being rejected by Peter, Jesus asks him, do you agape me?

• Jesus starts with asking Peter “do you agape me more than these?” Then, “do you agape me?” Lastly, “Simon, son of John, do you phileo me?”  

• Peter responded yes, each time, but responded with “phileo” rather than “agape.” 

• Jesus came down to level of love Peter would allow.

• To the degree with which we make ourselves, our lives available to the Lord, He will be available.

B.Give Him full access

• As Jesus instructs the disciples to go and untie the colt, He advises if anyone questions, tell them that the Lord has need of it, and that it will
  be given back as soon as possible.

• As they entered the village, the colt was right where Jesus told them it would be, and His further direction would come in handy because they were,
  in fact asked, “what are you doing untying that colt?”

• They responded as Jesus had instructed. 

• Interestingly, this borrowed colt, would become a very famous colt. Why? Because just as we have seen in previous weeks regarding cities, towns, mangers,
  tombs, talents, and anything given to and used by Him, He returns them with interest. In other words, they become greater.

• Earlier, I gave a list of some of the items “borrowed” by Jesus. We would not be speaking of the items on that list, had they not been offered to and
  used by Jesus.

• So here is the question, can He use your stuff? Can He use your life? Do you have anything the Lord needs? 

Luke 12:48, “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

• Just like this colt, which will be sent back; that is the way of the Lord. He returns what is given, and it becomes greater.
  

Illus. Talents given and used for Him, returned with interest.

• The foal of a donkey, would be used by Jesus to fulfill prophesy. 

Zechariah 9:9, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey.

• The owner of the colt didn’t say, well, that one hasn’t been ridden on yet, “I am not sure I want the Lord to break it in, borrow my neighbors donkey!”
  No way, it was a privilege to have their colt used by God. 

Romans 11:36, For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

• The word “imitate” in the Greek is “mimic.”
  

II.Long for God’s Best

• When the colt arrives to Jesus, there was no saddle on it, so the disciples throw their cloaks on its back and Jesus sits on it.

• As He takes His seat, He was offering Himself as King to the people. Something He had previously avoided. 

John 6:15, So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make him King, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

• The crowds were building around Jesus. They had seen and heard of the miracles performed.

• Jesus was at the apex of His ministry and all wanted Him to ascend to His throne.

• All were coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, which commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt.

• Consequently, Jewish hopes for deliverance from their current problems ran high during this time.

• The people, were looking for a political leader and the crowds had begun to see Jesus as the potential messianic figure who could lead them against
  the Romans. 

Romans 11:36, For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

• The word “imitate” in the Greek is “mimic.”
  

II.Long for God’s Best

• When the colt arrives to Jesus, there was no saddle on it, so the disciples throw their cloaks on its back and Jesus sits on it.

• As He takes His seat, He was offering Himself as King to the people. Something He had previously avoided. 

John 6:15, So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make him King, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

• The crowds were building around Jesus. They had seen and heard of the miracles performed.

• Jesus was at the apex of His ministry and all wanted Him to ascend to His throne.

• All were coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, which commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt.

• Consequently, Jewish hopes for deliverance from their current problems ran high during this time.

• The people, were looking for a political leader and the crowds had begun to see Jesus as the potential messianic figure who could lead them against
  the Romans.

• Once Jesus sits atop the donkey, the crowds begin laying down their coats in the road as a red carpet. 

Mark 11:9-11, Those who went out in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!”

• Hosanna! Save now!! Save now in the highest, in the uttermost!

A.He will save in the uttermost

• Picturing the people shout praises to Jesus, laying down the red carpet bring an incredible imagery, but it would not last.

• They wanted Him to save them out of their situation, but not in the way He was planning to save.
• The Lord was more concerned about saving them spiritually than from Roman oppression.

Illus. Save me from my situation!

• It is imperative we seek Him. But we must be reminded that He will go beyond our request.

• Jesus came to save in a different way. Those who celebrate him as He enters into the city, would all reject Him by the end of the week.

• Why? Because they couldn’t see past the Romans.

B.Don’t become silent

• What are you not able to see past?

• When it was clear that Him saving in the uttermost meant saving differently, the shouts would change in a short week from “save now!” to “crucify Him.”
  While others would simply become silent.

• Are there areas of your life that He wants to touch that are not available to Him? Have you asked Him to save now and come away disappointed and defeated
  when things worked out differently?

• I have prayed that prayer throughout my life and most often, His response is so much different than my request. It’s ultimately, for His good.

Romans 8:28, And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

• This verse speaks differently in each season, but its truth remains.

• Is God being limited by our expectations? In the grand scheme of things, Rome was nothing. If you check history, Rome would fall on its own.

• Jesus came to conquer death. To become the Resurrection and the Life; to make a way for us to be reconciled to God the Father. To pay the penalty
  for our sin, so that we could be set free and live for eternity.

• If you have prayed that prayer in your life, things went differently, and have become silent about Jesus, would you reconsider today?

The Triumphal Entry

Mark 11:1-11

1 As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, 2 and said to them, “Go into the village
opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.3 If
anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.”4 They went away and found
a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. 5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the
colt?” 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it;
and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. 9 Those who
went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of
our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” 11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for
Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.