The Donkey Ride

PP1 The Donkey Ride

JCC Palm Sunday 28.03.10 am

Mat 21:1-10

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.' So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David!’Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!" And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

Why did Jesus choose a donkey? PP2

A stubborn, stupid and dumb animal

But many times they’re used in scripture

Abraham when he took Isaac to the mount went by donkey

It was a donkey that saved Balaam by speaking to him

It was the jawbone of a donkey that Samson used to kill 1000 of the enemy

We are not told that Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem, but she may have; the donkey carrying the King of kings

1 Cor 1:26-31 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."

What does God want to show us from these passages? PP4

1. God’s Choice Pa

2. God’s Service Pb

3. God Path Pc

1. God’s Choice

The disciples were sent to untie the donkey and the colt

It may have seemed a strange request, but by now they were probably used to the unusual statements

The disciples were obedient, although he knew they were hesitant

When the Lord asks us to do something, we too can be hesitant

We feel uneasy at times, fear of the unknown

But Jesus assured them before they had chance to say anything

He said, tell them the master has need of them

I wondered why he needed two

Jesus always sent out his disciples in two’s to minister

There were always 2 disciples and here we have 2 donkeys

I didn’t really take much notice that there were two before

The colt came along with his mother

I felt God was saying that the church walks alongside its mother Israel

Jesus rode them, why?

Because Jesus came to save the gentiles as well as the Jews

God chose Israel, and then he chose the gentiles

The gentiles are the offspring of Israel

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light

Just like the donkey was chosen, so are each one us

John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

So you are chosen, always remember that

People who think they chose to follow God are mislead

God put the desire there in the first place

2. God’s Service

Once the disciples found the colt and his mother, they bought him to Jesus