Right Heart, Right Focus (Palm Sunday) Series

Last week we noted from Mark Chapter 7, Jesus taught the importance of having a right heart. A person’s heart will speak to the mind and the mind will bring the actions. Jesus likely had been with His 12 Disciples for about 2 years and as we will soon note that Jesus was beginning to teach about His death.

Since we will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday next week, let us jump ahead for now to Mark Chapter 11; please open your Bibles there…. Today, this Friday and next Sunday, let us picture ourselves as one of Jesus’ Disciples and learn from their experiences. Read along with me Mark 11:1- 11….

v1-6: What does a tied colt indicate??

A tied colt in the city indicates someone owned the colt!

Jesus told 2 disciples to grab a tied colt in the city; that would be stealing right? Would you have obeyed Jesus? Why??

The 2 disciples obeyed Jesus because they trusted Jesus and were given the answer to the likely question of why! What was the disciples’ answer to the question “Why are you taking that colt?”

The disciples took the colt for the Lord!

v6: the people let them have the colt. Why??

The people let the disciples have the colt because it was for the Lord!

v7: Why did the disciples place their cloaks on the colt??

The colt was for the Lord!

v8-10: Why did the people spread their cloaks and branches on the road and shouted Hosanna, Hosanna??

The road and the people were for the Lord!

Now, look again at v11….

After all the hoopla about going to Jerusalem, miraculously getting a colt, cloaks and branches offered to Jesus, a multitude of people in the big city shouting Hosanna, Hosanna, the Messiah is here, what did Jesus do? After all the offering and praise given to Jesus on Palm Sunday, Jesus could have run for President of the Temple!! Instead, after all the hype on Palm Sunday, Jesus took a quick look in the Temple then went home!

What does this say about Palm Sunday??

Palm Sunday had to happen because it was a prophecy by God (Zechariah 9:9, John 12:16…).

Palm Sunday happened to build the disciples’ faith by fulfilling the prophecy of God!!

How about us today? How is our faith in God and in Jesus Christ? If prophecy builds our faith, what other prophecies from Scripture can you cite for people who needs to believe in Jesus Christ??

Palm Sunday of course is about Jesus being proclaimed Messiah and the people including His Disciples thought that Jesus would liberate them from the oppression not only from the Roman Empire but from all the corruption of the Jewish Leaders! Hosanna! Hosanna! The people were ready for a victorious Messiah! And what did we note the people, including the disciples, did for Jesus on that Palm Sunday??

The people 2000 years ago were so ready for a victorious Messiah, they did everything for the Lord!

But what happened 5 days after Palm Sunday 2000 years ago??

The people who were shouting Hosanna, Hosanna witnessed their Messiah die on a cross and they all scattered with fear including the disciples!! Should they really have been surprised that Jesus died? Why not??

The Old Testament Prophecies and Jesus Himself stated that He had to die for people’s sins!! Now, before we criticize the people, including the disciples, for scattering when Jesus died, how difficult was that to believe, when all your hopes and dreams died on a cross? It was very difficult for the people to continue to believe when Jesus died because they didn’t experience the resurrection yet!!

How about us today? Just because Jesus died on the cross for all our sins and we know He already rose from the dead, are our lives supposed to be all perfect, no trials, and no gloomy days? If you’re living in perfection, no trials, and no gloomy days, you’re living in Lalaland! You’ve heard of the saying, “If you think you found a perfect church, you shouldn’t join it!” Even as Christians today, there will be illnesses, broken relationships, financial hardships, crooked leaders, and gloomy days! In spite of all the disappointments today, are we doing everything for the Lord?

If not, what should we focus on everyday?? Our Blessed Hope!!!