Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Get Attention:

“Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; And the King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory?

The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.

Selah.”

(Psalm 24:7ff, KJV 1900)

Raise Need:

We need to see Jesus the way His disciples saw Him, as Lord and Master.

We need to behold Him as that Galilean crowd did that first Palm Sunday, as the King of Glory, yet meek and lowly.

Main Thought:

When followers of Jesus humbly and faithfully obey His word, they get to be a part of seeing God's purposes fulfilled in the world.

Sub-Introduction:

Connecting Context:

The Gospel of Mark has advanced the ministry of Jesus from the wilderness, through Galilee, to the final destination of Jerusalem, where Jesus will fulfill His mission as the Messiah (cf.

10:33, 34).

This marks a new section of the Gospel and introduces us to the last week of Jesus’ life prior to His crucifixion (i.e., “Passion Week”).

[W. A. Criswell, Paige Patterson, et al., eds., Believer’s Study Bible, electronic ed.

(Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Mk 11:1.]

The dark shadow of the Cross was already falling heavily across the pathway of the Lord Jesus.

Just four days, then the Crucifixion.

Yet how calm the Lord is, how careful about every detail...

I.

The Lord's Commission (Mk.

11:1-3)

A. The Setting (Mk.

11:1)

Less than a mile southeast of Jerusalem was the village of Bethphage (lit., “house of unripe figs”) and about two miles out was Bethany (lit., “house of dates or figs”) on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives, a high ridge about two miles long known for its many olive trees.

In Bethany, the last stopping place on the desolate and unsafe road from Jerusalem to Jericho (cf.

10:46), was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (John 11:1), which generally served as Jesus’ abode when He was in Judea (cf.

Mark 11:11).

Bethany was also the home of Simon the Leper (14:3–9).

[John D. Grassmick, “Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed.

J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 155.]

B. The Sanctification (Mk.

11:2a)

Why an animal that had never been ridden?

In the Old Testament, Jews were told to sacrifice a red heifer that had never been used for plowing; it was for a sacred purpose.

So with the donkey.

Donkeys were important in the first century, a kind of [“limousine”] for the times.

In this case, it was to be one that had never been ridden; it was set aside for sacred use.

“This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:” (Numbers 19:2, KJV 1900)

C. The Statement (Mk.

11:2b-3)

And this masterful demand, this abrupt and decisive rejoinder to a natural objection, not arguing nor requesting, but demanding, this title which they are bidden to give to Jesus, by which, standing thus alone, He is rarely described in Scripture...all this preliminary arrangement makes us conscious of a change of tone, of royalty issuing its mandates, and claiming its rights...Lowly though His procession was, yet it was palpably a royal one.

When Jehu was proclaimed king at Ramoth-Gilead, the captains hastened to make him sit upon the garments of every one of them, expressing by this national symbol their subjection.

Somewhat the same feeling is in the famous anecdote of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth.

[G. A. Chadwick, “The Gospel According to St. Mark,” in The Expositor’s Bible: Jeremiah to Mark, ed.

W. Robertson Nicoll, vol.

4, Expositor’s Bible (Hartford, CT: S.S. Scranton Co., 1903), 886–887.]

Jesus gave His disciples four commands in verse 2 concerning the donkey He needed for His trip into Jerusalem.

He commands us in exactly the same way concerning the people around us.

1. Go (v. 2)

2. Find (v. 2)

3. Loose (v. 2)

4. Bring (v. 2)

Application:

So many people are tied down by sin, but the Lord has need of them.

We must go, find them, loose them by the power of the gospel, and bring them to the Master who wants to use them for His glory.

II.

The Disciples' Compliance (Mk.

11:4-6)

A. Their Obedience (Mk.

11:4a).

"They went their way."

They stepped forth on the strange errand by faith in His Word.

His promise was all they had; it was all they needed.

Peter walked on the water at the simple bidding of Jesus.

They did not reason with one another, they obeyed from the heart.

What a precious lesson on the life of faith!

B. Their Experience (Mk.

11:4b).

“They … found the colt tied … where two ways met.”

Many of the older commentators saw in this a picture of man himself, standing at the place of decision.

The messengers had no difficulty finding the colt.

All was as Jesus had said.

[H. A. Ironside, Expository Notes on the Gospel of Mark.

(Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1948), 169.]

"They went their way, and found even as He had said unto them" (Luk 19:32).

It is not always so?

When we venture out on His Word, do we not find it just as He said?

Is it not so with salvation (Joh 3:36)?

He promises salvation to those who believe on Him.

Trust Him, and you will find it even as He said.

Is it not so with the deeper life of consecration?

Rest on His Word, and it will be fulfilled in your experience.

C. Their Testimony (Mk.

11:5-6).

When they were asked, "What do ye, loosing the colt?

they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded."

Their commission was from the Lord, so they must use His Name and declare His will.

As ambassadors for Christ we don't seek colts (souls) for ourselves, but for Jesus.

We have, like these two disciples, to make known His will, depending on His power to give the willing mind.

Not seeking our own honour, but His who sent us.

III.

This Prophecy's Completion (Mk.

11:7-11)

A. The Scriptural Importance of This Event:

This event was so important that it was recorded by all Four Gospel Evangelists (note our current passage).

B. The Scriptural Purpose of This Event:

It was not an experimental attempt to avoid death.

Jesus was not coming this first time to offer Himself to Israel to be their temporal earthly king on David's Throne by conquering Rome's power over the Jewish people.

This coming was a call for the world to come to repentance and faith.