Intro:
As a church we’ve been journeying through the 40 days of Lent… building up to the horror of the cross and the joy of the resurrection. This Sunday marks an important turning point in that journey as it is Palm Sunday – which is the start of Jesus final week in Jerusalem – the last five days before his crucifixion.
Our reading which comes from Matthew 21 (it’s on page … in your Bibles) is the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem. He has worked among many of the people who are gathering there for the great feast of the Passover – healing their sick, blessing their children and teaching great truths of the kingdom in their midst. Commentators reckon there would have been well in excess of 100 000 people entering Jerusalem on that day, and while there is a great sense of joy as he rides into the city there are a few important things to bear in mind. The crowds, hailing Jesus as King, and crying out Hosanna!! Don’t really get it. Hosanna means “Please save us now!” And these people were not talking about salvation in the same terms we do today. Rather they were expecting Jesus to lead a rebellion against the oppressive Roman government… And as they came to realise that he came in peace – in humility - in reconciliation … their cries turned from “Hosanna” to “Crucify him” in the short space of 5 days.
At the same time that the procession is occurring – the Jewish leaders are plotting to have Jesus killed. And Jesus knows it. I sometimes feel like reading this passage is a little like reading the beginning of Romeo and Juliet, where you know from the start that it is a tragedy… Jesus knew that this was his final ride on a donkey.
So let’s read: Matthew 21:1-11
“As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
This took place to fulfil what was spoken through the Prophet,
‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, “See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowd that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
May God bless the reading of his Holy Word – now and forever. Let us pray, “Father may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you – our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.”
Christian author Philip Yancey, in his book The Jesus I Never Knew, described Palm Sunday this way: “The triumphal entry has about it an aura of ambivalence, and as I read all the accounts together, what stands out to me now is the slapstick nature of the affair. I imagine a Roman officer galloping up to check on the disturbance. He has attended processions in Rome, where they do it right. The conquering general sits in a chariot of gold, with stallions straining at the reins and wheel spikes flashing in the sunlight. Behind him officers in polished armour display banners captured from vanquished armies. At the rear comes a ragtag procession of slaves and prisoners in chains, living proof of what happens to those who defy Rome.
“In Jesus’ triumphal entry, the adoring crowd makes up the ragtag procession: the lame, the blind, the children, the peasants from Galilee and Bethany. When the officer looks for the object of their attention he spies a forlorn figure, weeping, riding on no stallion or chariot but on the back of a baby donkey, a borrowed coat draped across its backbone serving as his saddle.”
“A forlorn figure… on the back of a baby donkey.” Have you ever considered what the donkey’s perspective on all this was? I found a story which imagines what happened to this baby donkey the following day.
The donkey awakened, his mind still savouring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride.
He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought.
But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind.
“Throw your garments down,” he said crossly. “Don’t you know who I am?”
They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move.
“Miserable heathens!” he muttered to himself. “I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me.”
But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market- place.
“The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!” he shouted. “Yesterday, you threw palm branches!”
Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother.
“Foolish child,” she said gently. “Don’t you realize that without him, you are just an ordinary donkey?”
The first thing we can learn from the Donkey this morning is that it’s not about us…
While the donkey may have thought that everything going on around him was all about him – it was actually all about the one he carried. It is a fine line that we walk, realising that we do not follow Christ in order to be happy, successful and popular. When we follow Christ down that road – we follow him carrying our own crosses.
In Matthew 16 Jesus says,
"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
We often forget that part of the Gospel. We are happy to follow Jesus when he is healing people and feeding people – and even when he is teaching about the Kingdom. It is easy to follow when our prayers are answered and our life is moving forward along the plan we have for it. But when things go wrong, when our plans are not his, when prayers are not answered we lose trust and complain. The road to the cross is one where we give up our own agenda and follow his. The donkey had no say in where he would carry Jesus. And this little donkey, while having never been ridden before, and being typically stubborn – meekly carries Christ to die.
The world tells us constantly it’s all about us… think about the slogans for adverts… Sprite – Obey your thirst, Nike – Just do it, FNB – How can we help you, Loreal – Because you’re worth it, Nashua – Saving you money, putting you first…
Need I continue? Yet Jesus says the opposite – He points to himself saying, I am the way, I am the light of the world, I am the bread of life… and so it’s actually all about him – and who we are when we’re with him.
Just like the donkey, we are most fulfilled when we are His service. Without him, all our best efforts are like “a filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) and amount to nothing. However, when we lift up Christ, we are no longer ordinary people, but key players in God’s plan to reach the world. Just as the donkey’s mother replied, “Don’t you realize that without him, you are just an ordinary donkey?” So too our significance and worth comes from the fact that we know Christ – that we carry Him around.
Returning to the baby donkey with his mother then – I can imagine the next question would be, but why me then?
She nuzzled him gently and replied, “Because you were chosen little one.”
While it’s not about us - God still chooses to use us.
The little Donkey was available. And Jesus had chosen him before the time – if we read in the scriptures, Jesus knew where the donkey was, and that he would be available. Now commentators differ in opinion here – as to whether Jesus had organised in advance that the donkey would be available, or that it was a supernatural understanding that he would have with the owners… but regardless – Jesus knew that this little donkey would be used for this purpose.
And amazingly God knew this well in advance too. 550 years earlier Zechariah had prophesied about this little donkey. God had a plan and this donkey was selected by God to play a part in His plan.
The prophet said, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
And he has selected us too:
John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”
Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
We know nothing about this donkey. Whether it had been named by the children in the household; whether his owners were rich and had many donkeys, or whether this mother and foal was his most treasured possession. The incredible thing about this plan that God had– is that it has resulted in us talking about this little donkey 2000 years later.
God too has chosen you and me for a role in his bigger plan – the plan he has to bring his kingdom on earth. A plan that will involve lifting up Christ… a plan that will bring light to a dark city, reconciliation to the broken, justice to the forgotten and hope to the lost.
While we like the donkey may think we are insignificant, when carrying Christ we are involved in something infinitely significant. Have you ever considered that that was God riding a donkey? The creator of all that breathes and moves, the one who calls out the stars, and knows them all by name? The one who created the Universe is sitting on the back of a baby donkey – on a borrowed robe, among a fickle people.
That blows my mind.
If God can use a little donkey in the triumphant accomplishment of his plan, in the fulfilment of ancient prophecy, in carrying the Creator… then just maybe he’s got a plan for me and can use me too.
To end then – the little donkey looked back at his mother and asked – “Where is the man now? What happened to him?” His mother shook her long head sadly. “People are cruel little one. The man is in the city now… he is teaching them and loving them… he is showing them a new way of life – but the people are planning against him… God’s plan for his life is the hardest of all... for he will give it up for those he loves.”
This morning we prepare ourselves for the end of the week. We recognise that in choosing us, God had to make the ultimate sacrifice that we may be reconciled to him first. While Palm Sunday is seen as a rejoicing of the King arriving – it is a King who has come to die.
Once again to be reminded of the hymn that began our Lent devotionals:
Ride on, ride on in Majesty! Hark! All the tribes Hosanna cry;
O Saviour meek, pursue Thy road
With Palms and scattered garments strowed
Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die!
O Christ! Thy triumph now begin
Over captive death and conquered sin
Ride on, ride on in majesty! The winged squadrons of the sky
Look down with sad and wondering eyes
To see the approaching sacrifice
Ride on, ride on in majesty! In lowly pomp ride on to die;
Bow Thy meek head to mortal pain,
Then take, O God, Thy Power, and reign.
While we prepare for the cross – the final line reminds us of Sunday. That while weeping will endure for a night, the joy comes in the morning. While we prepare for his death – we also prepare for the glorious truth that he is risen! That he is alive today. That he is here.
There is much we can learn from the little donkey. That while it’s not about us – God chooses us to lift up Jesus – and uses us to spread his love and speak his truth.
While we do not know the mind of animals… if I was that little donkey – I don’t think I’d ever forget the day I walked through Jerusalem carry the Creator of the world on my back…
The amazing truth though is that we have the awesome privilege of walking through the world – carrying Jesus with us everywhere we go…
Let us pray.
