Grand Theft Donkey

Grand Theft Donkey?

CCCAG Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019

Scripture- Mark 11:1-11

Intro:

Favorite Cars-

{Whiteboard up- poll congregation for their first car/best car brand and then their dream car.}

Now imagine you finally get your dream car. You’re out in the driveway washing and waxing it. You’ve shined the tires and detailed it to perfection. Everything is gleaming and ready to go cruising when a couple of a guys show up. You recognize them from the news- they are part of this new religious movement that has been the talk of the town. You don’t know much about it other that your church leadership and pastors hate it and warned you to stay away from anything having to do with it.

Then these guys come up jumps into the drives seat, picks up the keys, and starts her up. You start to protest, and he simply says, “The Lord needs it.”

A couple of guys you don’t know is about to commit grand theft auto, and take away your dream car.

What is your reaction?

There is something similar going on immediately before Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Let’s read about the first Palm Sunday-

Mark 11:1-11

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”

4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“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 heaven!”

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Prayer

I. What this donkey meant to its owner (Background)

As I was reading about the events of passion week I've always found it interesting that Jesus begins his triumphal entry into Jerusalem I telling his followers to go and commit grand theft donkey. Now being that Jesus is God and the creator of everything that exists he really can't tell them to steal anything because it's all his to begin with so the title of this message is a little bit of tongue in cheek.

So let's put what's going on in a little perspective-

For us in the 21st century a car/truck/van is critical to have. Unless you live in a large city with great public transportation, you really can’t live in our world without a form of automotive transportation. Particularly for us in the rural areas, having a vehicle of some sort is essential for life. Food shopping, doctors’ appointments, and jobs are just 3 quick reasons why it’s so essential to have a car. Even the Amish understand this and call us to give them rides when they have to travel a larger distance.

Go back 100 years ago, no one had a car. They had horses or some type of horse drawn wagon.

In fact, Horses were extremely valuable, particularly to those who settled the western part of our country. Whole governmental organizations were formed to find horse thieves and they were often hanged at the spot they were found. In fact, they would tie the rope around their neck, sit them on the horse they stole, tie the other end of the rope around a tree branch, and slap the horses rear so it would bolt, leaving the guy hanging.

That was the American Wild West, but here in Jerusalem around 30 AD, ownership of horses was very rare and frankly impractical in that area. It was very rocky, very steep, and a desert environment. Even the well-worn paths could cause a horse to break a leg, so most people relied on donkey’s who were sturdier and stronger to serve their masters.

Theft of a donkey was also a bit harder than stealing a horse. Most donkeys were stubborn and willful creatures who didn’t want to obey their master much less some stranger who came along and tried to steal them.