There's More in Store

There’s More in Store

Mark 11:1-11

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. Jesus truly revealed His passion for us in and I encourage you this week to apply that personally to your life and He went to the cross for you and for me.

Illus. Seat change.

As we pick up in Mark 11 this morning, we see a people who were ready for things to fall into place. In Jesus’ day, the people were looking for a messianic deliverer, the predominant thought was that this deliverer would lead them in a revolt against Rome. Jesus was truly the One who would save, but He was not going to save them their way, and what we find as the week goes on is they were not interested in being saved His way. Jesus had more in store than the plan they had plotted out.

Read: Mark 11:1-11

Jesus and many of His followers were heading to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration. This was a journey He made many times in His life. This particular trip, however, was different. Jesus was at the apex of His ministry. Jesus had been preaching, teaching, and healing many. There was a growing understanding of who He was and many expectations surrounding just what He would do to deliver the Jews.

You may have a map that consists of the way you would like the Lord to move in your life, or in your situation. Perhaps a way in which you would have Him “save now.” But what happens to your praise when things don’t change in your timing, or according to your plan? Despite what you see, there is more in store.

I. Place Your Plan in His Hands

Mark 11:1-6

• As they approach Jerusalem and stop near the Mt. of Olives, Jesus sends two of His disciples into a nearby village to retrieve a colt of a donkey that He knows is tied there.

• It was a colt that no one had ever sat on. His two disciples were to untie it and bring it to Him.

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

Luke 19:33-34, As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it”…Then they brought it to Jesus.

• Hearing that the Lord needed their colt, the owners were willing to let Jesus’ disciples take the colt for His use.

• The colt had never been ridden (Mk 11:2; Lk 19:30). It would seem a gesture of respect and honor to offer such an animal to someone.

Illus. How badly do you need it?

• 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. 

• It begs the question: how often am I willing to let to Him break in the unbroken things I have, or use the unused things that I have been holding onto.

• Place your plans in His hands.

Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand.

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.

• 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.

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.”

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

• We would not be speaking of the items on that list, had they not been offered to and used by Him.

• This borrowed colt, would become a very famous colt. Why? Because as we see throughout scripture regarding cities, towns, mangers, tombs, talents, and anything given to and used by the Lord, He returns them with interest. In other words, they become greater.
• This particular colt would be used by Jesus to fulfill prophesy.They didn’t bolt, they embraced the Jesus’ plan, responded willingly to His request.

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.

• It had all been mapped out, but a key part of the plan was the people who were sent, and borrowed from in the process.

• The owners will be told, “The Lord has need of it AND it will be returned.”

Matthew 16:25, For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

• Can His will be done in your life? Can He use your life? Do you have anything the Lord can use for His purpose and plan? If the Lord has need of it, are you willing to respond?

Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1. Trust Him to perfect what you expect

• The people who were following Jesus had expectations as well. Their expectations were primarily associated with who He was and how they believed His purpose would be revealed.
• After the disciples threw their cloaks on the back of the colt, Jesus sat on it.
• In taking His seat and heading to Jerusalem, 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.

• He was at the height of His ministry and all wanted Him to ascend to His throne. They were heading to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover which commemorated God’s deliverance of Israel from slavery to Egypt.

• And it was at this time, in remembrance of deliverance that hopes for their own deliverance from Romans oppression ran high.

• They were looking for a political leader, one who would lead them in victory and here was Jesus, fulfilling scripture, He was the Messiah.
• He was now making it apparent who He was…And the people couldn’t help but to shout! Laying down their coats and palm branches on the road, He was to be elevated, celebrated, exalted.

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!

• 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 that 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 celebrated Him as He entered into the city, would all reject Him by the end of the week.

• Jesus was in the process of perfecting what they were expecting, moving them beyond the moment, beyond the temporary; making a way for them eternally…But they couldn’t see past the Romans.

• 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.”

1. Make way for His way

• 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.

• The Hebrew root words for Hosanna are found in Psalm 118:25.

Psalm 118:25, Save us, we pray, O Lord!

• The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”). Its literal rendering is “I beg you to save!”

• Hosanna in the highest, would “I beg you to save to the uttermost,” “I beg you to save until there is nothing left to save.”

• They were crying out to Jesus, asking Him to do exactly what He was headed to do…But they wanted salvation on their own terms.

• Oh, how often we pray, cry out to the Lord, looking for a particular result and the Lord is working, but in His own way and in His own timing.

1 Corinthians 2:9, What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love Him.

Illus. It’s going to be good.

Psalm 34:8, O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. 

Mark 11:1-11