"Loose Him" Series

18 September 2005

Zechariah 9:9 (KJV)

Numbers 22: 27-30 (KJV)

Mark 11:2-7 (KJV)

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

CP Walker Multicultural Gospel Service

Taegue, South Korea

BIG IDEA: God will use anything and anyone (including a DONKEY) to ASSIST Him in HELPING us HELP, EMPOWER, and DELIVER one ANOTHER.

REFERENCES: Numbers 22:20-31 (The story of Balaam, Balak, and the donkey); Matthew 21:2-7 (Were a donkey and colt brought to Jesus, or only a colt?); Mark 11:2-7; Luke 19:30-35; Mark 11:1-11 (The King – Jesus – Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem); Matthew 16:13-20 – Free Access; Philippian 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me); Mark 11:24 – Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them; Ephesians 2:18 – For through him we both have access by one Spirit untot he Father); Romans 5:2 – through whom we have gained ACCESS by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of glory.); Exodus 23:5 (KJV) - If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him; Isaiah 1:3 (KJV) - The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Zechariah 9:9 (KJV); Mark 11: 2-7 (KJV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Zechariah 9:9 (KJV); Mark 11:2-7 (KJV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly,and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass – Zech 9:9 (KJV)

&

… as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a

colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and

bring him. And if any man say unto you, Why do

ye this? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and

straightway he will send him – Mark 11:2b-3 (KJV).

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to OTHERS that GOD has need of them; because, IF GOD can USE a DONKEY (to assist Him in doing Ministry); He can USE THEM TOO.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “loose him”

INTRODUCTION:

Who can ever forget the Biblical Account (in Matthews 16:19-31) where Jesus ask his disciples What were the people opinion of him?

As you may recall, he asked Who do men say that I, the Son of Man am? They replied, some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah or one of the prophets ... Then Jesus pressed them … and asked What do you think?

Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. … Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

******************Take 5 Beats************************

MOVE 1: In other words, the Keys of the kingdom of heaven enables and empowers believers to forbid and to permit.

a. In fact, in the Old Testament the “power of binding and loosing was always claimed by the Pharisees.

b. For they – the Pharisees – became the administrators of all public affairs so as to be empowered to banish and readmit whom they pleased, as well as to loose and to bind.

c. In essence, what this meant is that they – the Pharisees (according to Josephus – a Great Theologian ) - possessed and exercised the power of tying or untying a thing by the spell of their divine authority.

d. So, by virture of their OFFICE they gained certain AUTHORITY which was respected and honored by all.

**************TAKE 5 BEATS*********

MOVE 2: The Pharisees were able to “bind heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but – unlike JESUS - seldom could the Pharisees be found loosing folk or things from BURDENS or HARSHNESS.

a. For don’t you remember, it was Christ himself that warn us in Matthews 23:4 … by saying:

b. …“ they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. .

c. My brothers and sisters, I’m so glad that I serve and worship a Savior that desires to FREE me from heavy burdens.