"the Donkey That Thought It Was A Horse"

“The Donkey that Thought it was a Horse”

Luke 19:28-39

Everybody remembers that day!

It was a joyful and glorious day.

It was a time of excitement, optimism, and renewed national pride for the Israelites.

What started with a handful of disciples offering their praise to God turned into a citywide celebration!!!

And if we think about it, we can appreciate why.

After all, the people of Jerusalem had been waiting for something like this for a long time!!!

Their hope was that Jesus would launch a revolution against the Romans and free the Holy city from Roman occupation.

Still, if the truth be told, all of their hosannas couldn’t hide the fact that Jesus was not quite what they expected Him to be.

Most conquering Kings ride into town on a White Stallion—ready for war.

Jesus came on this little colt of a donkey that almost left His feet dragging on the ground.

Plus there was no sword in His hand nor any weapon attached to His saddle.

In fact, Jesus doesn’t even have a saddle, only someone’s old overcoat.

As we watch Jesus entering Jerusalem with friends and followers waving palms, not swords, we see into the heart of God.

And at least one thing is clear: Jesus doesn’t come to us on our terms.

Jesus comes on God’s terms.

Yet, He comes.

The people wanted a prophet, but this Prophet would tell them that their city was under God’s imminent judgment.

The people wanted a Messiah, but Jesus—the Messiah--was about to be enthroned on a horrible, bloody Cross.

The people wanted to be rescued from evil and oppression, and Jesus was going to rescue them from evil…

…but from evil in its fullest depths, not just the surface evil that they could see.

Those who believed in Christ would have their hearts changed inwardly not necessarily their outward situations.

The story of Jesus’ grand, but surprising entry into Jerusalem is a great lesson in the mismatch between our expectations and God’s answer!!!

The crowds wanted Jesus to conquer in the worldly way.

Jesus would conquer through serving, loving and laying down His life to save those who will believe.

The “Hosannas” of Palm Sunday were justified, but not for the reasons the people had supposed.

And to learn this lesson is to take huge steps towards wisdom and humility and genuine Christian faith!!!

Jesus comes as our King to bring salvation, but salvation means much more than relief from an oppressive government.

Jesus comes to free us from ourselves!!!

Jesus comes to free us from self-hatred and selfishness…

…from shame…

…from greed…

…from fear…

…from death…

…from our broken relationship with God where we humans are capable of terrible evil.

Jesus gives us Life and Life to the full.

But it is a life of humble service and love.

There is a story about a donkey that thought it was a horse.

One day, it was just hanging out in Bethany, minding its own business when two men came to it in urgent need.

“The Lord needs it,” it heard them say.

And as they brought it to Jesus, and threw their cloaks upon it and then put Jesus on it…

…well, its pride began to grow.

“Certainly, I am not just a donkey but a horse,” it began to think.

As the time went by and the crowds grew in intensity it thought:

“Certainly, I am not just a horse but a

grand steed!”

And then, people began throwing their cloaks upon the road in honor of this donkey.

“Yes, I am grand indeed!”

People in the crowd “began joyfully to praise God in loud voices...”

Yes, the donkey thought to itself, “I am wonderful indeed.”

And then, as soon as it had begun, the parade was over.

Jesus got down off the donkey, and the two men took it back to Bethany; tying it up again to the same old post.

No one, ever again, looked twice at

the donkey.

This got the donkey thinking, and thinking and thinking.

And as the donkey was thinking, God spoke to the donkey:

“You are not a horse but a donkey.

The hosannas’ were not for you, but for Jesus.

The palm branches were not for you, they were for the King of Kings.

You were used as an instrument in God’s great plan.

You did a great job!

Well, done!

You will be talked about for eternity.

Thank you for your service, but you are not a horse… …you are a donkey…

…and there is nothing wrong with being a donkey!”

Friends, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called, in a sense, to be God’s donkey!!!

We are called to be humble, to carry Christ the King into our community.

We have been created to be used for the grand purposes of God.