Mark 11:1-11 - Is Christ Your King?
THREE QUESTIONS:
Does it seem strange to you that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey?
Mark spends a lot of time talking about the securing of Christ’s mode of transportation into Jerusalem. Maybe you are asking yourself, “Why all these details?”
First of all, you see very clearly that Mark is very zealous to point out the specificity of the fulfillment of this prophecy that Christ is fulfilling in this moment, and that it's real time, real place, real animal at a certain place. This is the real deal; this is the One who was being prophesied up. But there's something else.
Perhaps Mark is helping us to see a rather interesting and important irony; that these disciples, who had such visions of grandeur, who didn't think as they heard the message of redemption of Christ being crowned as King; who thought more about their own selves being crowned, are now called by Christ to be - well, I’ll say it - donkey fetchers.
There's a bit of irony in that, that Jesus says, “No, No, No! This is not what I'm calling you to. I'm not calling you to that kind of grandeur. I'm calling you to obey My purposes; and if My purpose is for you is to go and get an animal that I will ride into Jerusalem, then that's what you'll do.” How humbling is that?
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was planned (we know that from Zechariah 9:9). We also know from Mark 8 that Jesus knew that He would suffer and die in Jerusalem. How does Jesus’ level of authority and control in this whole situation give you hope in the situations you are facing this week?
What kind of King did the people want?
There are moments for all of us where we would rather have a Messiah of our own making than the One Who is. We would rather have a Messiah who would do our will rather than His own. We would rather have a Messiah who would seek and deliver the purposes of our kingdom rather than have zeal for His own.
Jesus is not the King the people expected, but He is the King they needed. What kind of King do you want or expect Jesus to be? What is our greatest need as humanity?
In our lives as Christians, we need to understand that sin is our greatest problem, not our circumstance or other people. Jesus didn’t come to change the circumstance that the Jewish people faced (Roman oppression). He came to cleanse them and forgive their sins.
How is this truth still so relevant to us today? In what ways do you spend your time blaming your circumstances or blaming others rather than looking at your sin?
Jesus is the King that can change you without crushing you. How would every other thing in your life, if made into your King, end up crushing you? For example, your marriage, your children, your career, your money, your morality?
Why won’t Jesus crush you? What makes it possible for Him to change you without destroying you? Remember to think about grace and forgiveness versus works righteousness.
How can we trust a King that calls us to a hard journey? How does remembering Jesus’ hard journey help you trust God in your hard journey of life?
- How did the Holy Spirit use this week’s sermon to convict you?
- How did the Holy Spirit use this week’s sermon to encourage you?
- What is one thing you will do this week in response to the sermon?
Does it seem strange to you that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey?
Mark spends a lot of time talking about the securing of Christ’s mode of transportation into Jerusalem. Maybe you are asking yourself, “Why all these details?”
First of all, you see very clearly that Mark is very zealous to point out the specificity of the fulfillment of this prophecy that Christ is fulfilling in this moment, and that it's real time, real place, real animal at a certain place. This is the real deal; this is the One who was being prophesied up. But there's something else.
Perhaps Mark is helping us to see a rather interesting and important irony; that these disciples, who had such visions of grandeur, who didn't think as they heard the message of redemption of Christ being crowned as King; who thought more about their own selves being crowned, are now called by Christ to be - well, I’ll say it - donkey fetchers.
There's a bit of irony in that, that Jesus says, “No, No, No! This is not what I'm calling you to. I'm not calling you to that kind of grandeur. I'm calling you to obey My purposes; and if My purpose is for you is to go and get an animal that I will ride into Jerusalem, then that's what you'll do.” How humbling is that?
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was planned (we know that from Zechariah 9:9). We also know from Mark 8 that Jesus knew that He would suffer and die in Jerusalem. How does Jesus’ level of authority and control in this whole situation give you hope in the situations you are facing this week?
What kind of King did the people want?
- Therapist King: Jesus is there to make me feel better, not challenge me.
- Wal-Mart King: Jesus gives me what I want at the lowest cost.
- Religious King: Jesus is my example for moral goodness. If I am good enough, I will be saved.
- Prozac King: Jesus makes me feel better about my life, calms my emotions, makes my life a little bit easier.
- District Attorney King: Jesus goes after all those people who have made my life hard.
- Vacation Planner King: Jesus makes my life easy, comfortable and predictable.
There are moments for all of us where we would rather have a Messiah of our own making than the One Who is. We would rather have a Messiah who would do our will rather than His own. We would rather have a Messiah who would seek and deliver the purposes of our kingdom rather than have zeal for His own.
Jesus is not the King the people expected, but He is the King they needed. What kind of King do you want or expect Jesus to be? What is our greatest need as humanity?
In our lives as Christians, we need to understand that sin is our greatest problem, not our circumstance or other people. Jesus didn’t come to change the circumstance that the Jewish people faced (Roman oppression). He came to cleanse them and forgive their sins.
How is this truth still so relevant to us today? In what ways do you spend your time blaming your circumstances or blaming others rather than looking at your sin?
Jesus is the King that can change you without crushing you. How would every other thing in your life, if made into your King, end up crushing you? For example, your marriage, your children, your career, your money, your morality?
Why won’t Jesus crush you? What makes it possible for Him to change you without destroying you? Remember to think about grace and forgiveness versus works righteousness.
How can we trust a King that calls us to a hard journey? How does remembering Jesus’ hard journey help you trust God in your hard journey of life?
Recent
Archive
2021
January
February
March
April
2020
September
October
November