A Different Kind of King

Mark 11:1–11 “1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” 11 And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.”

3 minute set up:

In the ancient world, when new areas where conquered, it was common for there to be a military parade where the new king, with great pageantry and spectacle, would enter the conquered city. THey would show off their wealth, their might with their army with soldiers, horses, chariots. This display would scare the conquered people into submission and perpetuate the idea that the conquering nation could not be defeated.

So in their minds, they don’t want a king like the Romans anymore because of the oppression and freedoms surrendered. But at the same time, they want the king to overthrow the Roman rulers to at least be mighty enough to do it.

But Jesus is entering the city on a young donkey, not a war horse.

Jesus, the Humble King

Zechariah 9:9 “9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

A donkey?

That’s not impressive. That’s not intimidating. That’s not powerful by worldly standards.

But it’s intentional.

In that culture, a donkey symbolized peace, not war. It was the opposite of a conquering king’s image.

—-Illustration—-

Imagine a world leader today arriving at a major global summit…

Not in a motorcade. Not with security. Not in a private jet.

But walking in… alone… carrying his own bag.

You’d think: That doesn’t look like power.

But what if real power doesn’t need to prove itself?

——TRUTH——

Jesus isn’t lacking power—He’s redefining it.

We live in a world that says:

Promote yourself

Build your platform

Make your name known

Win at all costs

But Jesus shows us:

Serve instead of being served (I have come to serve not to be served)

Lower yourself instead of lifting yourself (Biblical examples: Washing Feet, KNeeling down in dirt)

• Give instead of take (??)

—-Story—-

There’s a story of a man who worked his entire life climbing the corporate ladder. Long hours, sacrificed time with family, always pushing for the next promotion. Finally, he made it. The title. The office. The salary. But one day, his child said to him, “Dad, I’m glad the world knows who you are… I just wish I did.”

—-Application—-

We chase recognition, success, influence.

But Jesus shows us that the greatest life isn’t found in climbing up—but in coming down.

Down to serve

Down to love

Down to sacrifice

—-True power looks like humility. God brings down the proud. Lifts up the humble. —-

Jesus, the Peaceful King

Zechariah 9:10 “10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

This King doesn’t come to wage war—He comes to end it.

That would have disappointed people.

Because they wanted revenge. They wanted justice their way. They wanted Rome crushed.

But Jesus didn’t come to destroy Rome—He came to transform hearts.

—-Illustration——

Think about how we naturally respond when someone hurts us. We don’t think: “Let me bring peace.”

We think:

“I’ll get even.”

“I’ll prove them wrong.”

“I’ll make them regret it.”

——Story——

There’s a well-known story about a woman who went to a pastor complaining about someone who had hurt her deeply.

She kept replaying the offense over and over again.

The pastor told her, “You keep reopening a wound God is trying to heal.”

That’s what unforgiveness does. We think we’re holding onto control—but really, we’re holding onto pain.

——Truth——

Jesus brings a different kind of victory.

Not:

Winning arguments

Defeating people

Proving superiority

But:

Restoring relationships

Healing wounds

Bringing reconciliation

Peace is not weakness—it’s strength under control.

——Application——

If Jesus is our King, then His way becomes our way.

That means:

Forgiving when it’s undeserved

Loving when it’s difficult

Choosing peace when conflict feels easier

Ask yourself:

Where is God calling me to bring peace instead of tension?

We can’t claim to follow the Prince of Peace… and live lives of constant conflict.

Jesus, The Hopeful King

Zechariah 9:11–12 “11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. 12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.”

This is where it gets personal.

Because we all know what it feels like to be stuck.

Illustration: The Pit

A “waterless pit” was essentially a cistern—deep, dark, empty. If you fell in, you couldn’t climb out.

No water. No life. No escape.

Some of us know that feeling spiritually.

Stuck in sin we can’t break

Stuck in shame we can’t shake

Stuck in fear, anxiety, regret

You feel trapped.

——Story——

There was a man who struggled with addiction for years. He tried everything—programs, willpower, promises—but nothing lasted.

He described it like this: “It felt like I was at the bottom of a pit, and every time I tried to climb out, I just slipped back down.”

But then he encountered Christ—not just religion, but surrender.

And he said, “For the first time, it wasn’t me trying to climb out… it was God pulling me out.”

——Truth——

God says, “Because of the blood of my covenant…”

This points directly to Jesus.

Through His sacrifice:

Chains are broken

Sin is forgiven

Freedom is possible

And then He says something powerful:

“Prisoners of hope.”

That’s a strange phrase.

You’re still in a situation… but now you have hope.

You may still be struggling… but now you’re not stuck.

——Application——

Some of us need to hear this today:

You are not defined by your pit.

God is still in the business of:

Restoring

Redeeming

Rebuilding

And He doesn’t just bring you back—He restores double.

That means: What was lost is not the end of your story.

The promise of liberation and hope for those bound, illustrating how Christ fulfills this promise through His sacrificial love and resurrection. You can encourage listeners to experience personal liberation by surrendering to Christ's healing and redeeming power, inspiring hope amidst despair. In the midst of trials, highlight that Jesus' reign offers a refuge and restores the brokenhearted. This is an invitation to live in the 'stronghold' of hope Christ provides, offering a counter-narrative to the despair we may feel in a world that often values the opposite ideals of hope and deliverance.

Conclusion

When Jesus entered the city, people had expectations.

They wanted power. They wanted dominance. They wanted control.

But Jesus came with:

Humility instead of pride

Peace instead of war

Hope instead of despair

And that’s why many missed Him.

Because He didn’t look like the king they wanted.

Final Illustration

It’s like someone dying of thirst asking for soda…

But instead, they’re given water.

They might reject it at first—because it’s not what they wanted.

But it’s exactly what they needed to live.

Closing Statement (Strong Finish)

Jesus may not be the King we want…

He won’t always fit our expectations. He won’t always do things our way. He won’t always fulfill our version of victory.

But:

He is the King we need.

The humble King who shows us a better way. The peaceful King who heals what’s broken. The hopeful King who sets us free.

Call to Response (Optional)

So the question is simple:

Will you accept Him as King… even if He doesn’t meet your expectations?

Because real life, real peace, and real hope… are only found when we surrender to Him.