The Day the Lamb Rode a Donkey into Town.

Mark 11:1–11 KJV 1900

1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 3 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 hither. 4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. 5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. 11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

The Point of this Day

The time is the Passover. It was that feast when the Jews were to bring sacrificial lambs.

Exodus 12:3–8 (KJV 1900)

3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:

4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

So, this is the event that Jesus was not only going to attended and participate, but would actually be the lamb for the nation and the world.

So, by the thousands they are moving, cramming the city streets of Jerusalem, bringing their sacrificial lambs. Josephus, the Jewish historian has estimated that there were between two and three million people packed into Jerusalem on this particular occasion. Jesus comes and inserts Himself right into the middle of this situation. It was like throwing a match into a barrel full of gunpowder. It is a tremendously explosive situation.

Jesus comes now as John the Baptist declared at the beginning of His ministry

John 1:29 (KJV 1900)

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Now Christ is declaring Himself as the Lamb of God and He is doing it on the back of a donkey.

The event is the even known as our Lord's Triumphal Entry.

This is the time when Jesus publicly comes to the city of Jerusalem and presents Himself to Israel as their Messiah and Savior. Jesus has been to Jerusalem many, many times. This is the last time He will ever come. This marks the last week in the life of our Lord.

Zechariah 9:9 (KJV 1900)

9 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.

So, the wonderful Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, comes in triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem and He begins the events that will culminate in His dying on Calvary's cross. I want us to look at the triumphal entry.

The Preparation of this Day

As the morning begins evidently Jesus is making the preparations which are necessary to enter into the city of Jerusalem. He is in two little villages, Bethphage, which means the house of unripe figs; and Bethany where He had often gone. It was slightly more than a mile away from these two little villages into the city of Jerusalem. They were over on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives. From here, Jesus would make preparation and then would go into the city in triumphal entry. The preparation which Jesus makes here for this entry is a demonstration to us of two basic facets of the life of our Lord.

Number one, there is a demonstration here of the deity of Jesus.

To Display His Deity.

Mark 11:2 (KJV 1900)

2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

You go into the village over against you and you will find a colt or a little donkey. He tells them they will find that colt having never been ridden. They will find that colt tied up. The owners will be there. They will raise questions about these disciples taking the colt.

Did you notice that Jesus just predicted everything that was going to take place?

In other words, Jesus is asserting His deity.

Jesus Christ here is displaying His omniscience. He looks into the future and predicts everything they are going to experience when they go to get the animal he will ride into the city of Jerusalem.

When Jesus spoke, it was diety speaking with all power. So, Jesus said you will find this donkey. Jesus Christ gives every link in the chain of the events that will take place. You will find this donkey. He tells them exactly where to find it. He said you will find that he has never been riden before. He's a wild donkey. Then, you will unloose him and the master, owner, will say, ''what are you going to do with him?'' You are to say this and he will give you permission.

Jesus Christ is absolutely in control of the whole situation. I like that. That brings a great deal of comfort to me today. To know that Jesus Christ is in total control. He's got the whole world in His hands. He's got all of the details in the events on the stage of this whole world in his hands. The Bible says by Him all things hold together. The Scripture says that he upholds all things by the Word of His power. He's got the whole world in his hand and he has you and me, brother, in His hands. Jesus Christ is in control. Jesus Christ Displays His deity. He also demonstrates not only His diety, he demonstrates His authority.

To Display His Authority.

Mark 11:3 (KJV 1900)

3 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 hither.

Notice what Jesus said the disciples were to tell the owner concerning this colt. Jesus said, ...say ye that the Lord hath need of him...

This is an assertion of the authority of Jesus. He is demonstrating here that He is Lord. He calls Himself Lord. You just tell the owner the Lord has need of him.

I think Jesus was well known in these particular villages. Jesus had often been here. It wasn't but just a few hours ago that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead in the city of Bethany. One of the reasons there was such a tremendous congregating of people around Jesus when He marched into Jerusalem in this manner was because He raised Lazarus from the dead. They knew Jesus and they trusted Jesus. So, when the word came to the owner of that animal - the Lord has need of him, he knew everything was alright.

Have you noticed the paradox in that statement? The Lord hath need of him. Isn't that an amazing thing? Here is Jesus Christ who is in absolute control. He is deity, He is God. Yet, Jesus said, you tell him the Lord have need of him. How could the Lord ever have need of anything? If He is in total control, how could Jesus say, I need something.

That is the whole paradox of His earthly life.

Jesus Christ was rich yet He became poor. What a paradox.

Jesus Christ who possessed nothing yet was ruler of all things.

The paradox of the Lord having need of things.

Jesus Christ created the cattle on a thousand hills, yet He needed a boat from which to preach His gospel.

Jesus Christ created the stars and flung them into their places and yet, Jesus Christ needed a place to lay His head at night.

Jesus Christ, who created the rushing streams of every river and every fountain in this world on the cross cried, ''I thirst.''

Jesus Christ who created every rock on the top of every hillside was buried in a borrowed tomb hewn out of a rock.

Jesus Christ whose chariot was the clouds said, I need a little donkey upon which to ride into the city of Jerusalem. Oh, the paradox of the lordship of the Lord Jesus.

The paradox of His earthly ministry. The paradox of Jesus Christ needing human instrumentality. The Lord has need of him.

Have you ever thought about that little donkey?

Have you ever thought about Jesus needing that little donkey? It's called a colt here in the King James Bible. It's mentioned four times in the verses which I have read here.

If God would use a donkey He would certainly use me and you.

Jesus uses human instrumentality. Jesus could save people without our help. In fact, Jesus does do the saving. We don't help save anybody, yet Jesus has chosen to use us as human instruments. The Lord has need of him. The Lord has need of you. God has chosen in His sovereignty and in His grace to give you and me the privilege of being used as instruments of the Lord to tell other people about the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a wonderful thing to be a link in the chain to bring some poor soul to Jesus, isn't it. Isn't it a thrilling thing to be there when it happens.

Isn't it a joy to just know that you have had a little part. Maybe all you did was pray. Maybe all you did was invite somebody to the service. Have you ever invited anybody to a revival meeting, the preacher preach a good sermon, the choir sings, you pray, then the invitation hymn comes and that man you invite comes walking down that aisle and gives his heart to the Lord Jesus. Do you remember how thrilling that was? Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen, we have an opportunity to be a link in the chain of omnipotence that brings lost people to the feet of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, ''You go get that donkey. The Lord has need of him.''

Then he says, ''straightway he will send him hither.'' I think he is saying that as soon as we are through with your donkey we will send him back. That's exactly the way God works. I had always read that that meant the master would send the donkey. But what I think Jesus is saying - as soon as we have fulfilled the task we will return your property to you. That's exactly the way God works. Anything you give to Jesus He will give it back to you fuller, richer, and ten times more precious. You will be amazed what Jesus will do with what you give to Him once you place it in His hands. You give what you have to the Lord Jesus, He will take it, cleanse, sanctify it, and return it to you far more blessed than it was when you gave it to Him.

The Proclamation of this Day

Now it is time for the procession to begin. The donkey has been brought back to the Lord Jesus.

Mark 11:7 KJV 1900

7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

The Scripture says in verse 7 that they bring this donkey and put their garments on him as a saddle. It is now time for the procession to begin. It is a wonderful manifestation of some truths about the Lord Jesus Christ. The processional of the triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus is getting ready to begin. The crowd begins to congregate. The pilgrims who are going into the City of Jerusalem that day line up around the Lord Jesus Christ. The scripture says that Jesus sits upon that donkey.

Do you remeber that nobody had ever riden on that donkey? Have you ever tried to ride a wild donkey? There is no more vicious animal on the earth than a wild donkey and you trying to get on him. Those things will kick, bite, buck.

Yet, when the Lord of glory the Bible says in Psalms 8 - he hath dominion over the beasts of the field. Jesus sat down on that donkey and when deity came atop the donkey, the Bible says that he didn't make a move. I can imagine there was a gasp of surprise and amazement. The people must have shouted when they saw the miracle of what the Lord had done. They started waving their coats in the air. They started cutting down branches from trees and making a carpet out of the dusty road. It's time for the Lord to make His entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus Christ laid hold of two Old Testament prophecies that day as if to say these are mine, I am the King. Matthew says that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem that day was fulfilling Zech. 9:9

Zechariah 9:9 KJV 1900

9 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.

So, Jesus Christ was proclaiming Himself that day. It was a proclamation of His lowliness.

Of His Lowliness

He comes riding lowly the Scripture says. This is a very unusual procession, isn't it? It's kind like a parade of paupers. It's not at all the kind of processional you would have expected a king to have. Here is Jesus, a lowly Nazarene, sitting upon a little donkey with coats for a saddle, and here's a motley crew of people waving palm branches instead of swords. They come marching into Jerusalem that way.

I can imagine the Roman soldiers looked at that and sniggered and giggled. These Roman soldiers had been in the city of Rome when they would have a Roman triumphus. When the victorious Roman generals would return from war and the elephants, tigers, and the animals would be there. The general would be in a chariot driven by handsome horses. The swords of the soldiers behind them would be lifted high. The city streets would be filled with the odor of incense. The whole city would be shouting and rejoicing at the victorious king. And here comes a man on a donkey. A motley crew of disciples were in his path.

Can you imagine what the Caesar in Rome would have thought. Caesar in his golden palace in Rome - can you imagine how he would laughed and mocked as he saw this processional. But, this was the beginning of a parade that would ultimately topple the very Roman Empire itself- this Jesus riding on that donkey that day. Though he rides in a symbol of lowliness on a donkey, one day the very coming of this Son of God would topple the Roman Empire. He would bring Rome to its knees. Look at that parade. Look at those followers in that parade.

It's a manifestation of his lowliness. This entry is manifestation of his loftiness.

Of His Loftiness

Listen to what they shout. In these shouts they fulfill another prophecy - Psalm 118:25 and 26 which says,

Psalm 118:25–26 KJV 1900

25 Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

Hosanna, which means saved now. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. They are just lifting up the Lord Jesus Christ with their praises. He doesn't stop them because Jesus wants men to praise him by life and by lip. The Pharisees, Mark doesn't tell us this, but Luke says that when the Pharisees heard all of this praising going on, all of this shouting, all of this adoration to the Lord Jesus Christ, they said to him, why don't you rebuke your disciples. Jesus said to these Pharisees, If these don't praise me the very stones will cry out. He is saying I'm going to get praise on this earth. Jesus will be praised on this earth. As long as men live on this earth and as God is saving men on this earth there will be those who will praise him. There will be those who will bring honor and adoration to him. The very stones will cry out, Jesus said.

I don't want a rock to do my praising for me. I want to praise him. I want to live for him. I want to live souls for him. I want to be blessed of him. I want to lift him high. If Jesus Christ is ever to march victoriously through this world he will have to do it through your and my surrender as we lay all we have at his feet and lift him up to this world.

The Probe of this Day

Mark 11:11 (KJV 1900)

11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

Did you notice what the 11th verse says? It says he entered into Jerusalem and into the temple. I think it is significant that these are tied together. This triumphal entry of Jesus is an examination. He comes to Jerusalem and he comes to the temple. He comes in examination.

For the next 4 days, Jesus will be examined as the sacrificial lamb for the people.

1 Peter 1:19–21 (KJV 1900)

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

John 19:4–6 (KJV 1900)

4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

The question of this day is

Do you recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and King?

Do you recognize Jesus Christ as Savior and our Sacrifice?

Don’t do as these people and miss the point that you have to accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your sins before you can crown Him as Lord of your life.