Life Lessons from a donkey

Part 7 of "Broken for Us"--Palm Sunday

The BIG Idea:

Passion and Palm Sunday brings a great deal of mixed emotions for the followers of Jesus. It is a time for us to recall all that God has done for us through Jesus, even outside of His death on the cross. Jesus starts His work of "Holy Week" by declaring His Kingship! But what is our role in this? Today's key Scripture reminds us that we can learn a lot from the donkey/colt that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on the very first Palm Sunday.

Key Scripture for the Day:

And as they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, ² and said to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.³ And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say, 'The Lord has need of it'; and immediately he will send it back here." ⁴ They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. ⁵ And some of the bystanders were saying to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" ⁶ And they told them just as Jesus had said, and they gave them permission. ⁷ They brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks on it; and He sat on it. ⁸ And many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. ⁹ And those who went in front 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 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple area; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late. --Mark 11:1-11 (NASB)

*The other Gospel accounts of the "Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem" by Jesus are found in Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

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Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. --Zechariah 9:9 (NASB)

The donkey was available. (Please see I Samuel 3:1-14)

The donkey was willing.

The donkey was preserved for the task (never ridden).

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. --Galatians 5:13 (NASB)

The donkey was ready for the task.

 

Questions for Reflection:

Have you ever thought about the donkey and the prominent role of the donkey from the "Triumphal Entry" story before today?

When the voice of the Lord was rare in the Old Testament account of I Samuel, why was Samuel chosen by the Lord?

How often do we come to God in a position of command and not that of a surrendered will?

If a specific move of God's call comes upon your life, are you ready to pursue that call?

Why do many choose to live as slaves to their sinful nature?

Are you tired of fighting the battle on your own?

Are you ready to pursue God's will and purpose for your life and experience the freedom God desires for you to experience?