Introduction

Beloved friends, on this blessed day, we gather once again under the mighty hand of God, in the fellowship of believers, to draw from the wellspring of His Word. We are here, not by accident, but by divine appointment. We are here, not to merely fill our minds with knowledge, but to let the Word of God transform our hearts.

Our passage today is from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 11, verses 1 through 11. Let's allow the Word to speak to us:

"As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 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. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, 'What are you doing, untying that colt?' They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it.

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

'Hosanna!'

'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'

'Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!'

'Hosanna in the highest heaven!'

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."

Jesus' Journey Towards Jerusalem

As we look at the passage, we see Jesus and His disciples drawing near to Jerusalem. This wasn't a casual trip or a random decision. It was a purposeful move, a deliberate step towards the culmination of His earthly ministry. The city of Jerusalem was not just a geographical location, but a significant place in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.

The first thing we notice is Jesus' directive to His disciples. He sends two of them ahead to find a colt, a young donkey, in a nearby village. This wasn't a random request. It was a fulfillment of prophecy, a clear indication of His messianic identity. The prophet Zechariah had foretold this centuries earlier, saying, "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).

Jesus' choice of a colt, an animal of peace, instead of a warhorse, was declaration of His mission. He was not coming as a conquering king, but as the Prince of Peace. He was not coming to establish an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual one. He was not coming to rule with force, but with love.

The reaction of the crowd is another significant aspect of this account. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the people spread their cloaks on the road and waved palm branches, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" These were not just spontaneous expressions of joy. They were echoes of Psalm 118, a messianic psalm that the Jews sang at Passover. The people were acknowledging Jesus as the promised Messiah, the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Yet, in the midst of the celebration, there's a sense of misunderstanding. The people were expecting a political savior, someone who would free them from Roman oppression. They were looking for an earthly kingdom, not a spiritual one. They were shouting "Hosanna," which means "save us," but they didn't fully understand what they were asking for. They didn't realize that Jesus came to save them, not from political oppression, but from sin and death.

Finally, we see Jesus entering the temple courts. He doesn't perform any miracles or give any sermons. He simply looks around at everything. This may seem like a minor detail, but it's actually quite significant. Jesus was observing, assessing, preparing. He was getting ready for what was to come. His journey towards Jerusalem was not just a physical journey, but a spiritual one. He was moving towards the cross, towards the ultimate act of love and sacrifice.

Jubilant Crowds and Jesus' Humility

As we shift our gaze from the path Jesus took to Jerusalem, we find ourselves amidst a sea of people, their voices rising in a chorus of jubilation ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO