Scripture

“Go into that village there,” he said to them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.”

Observation

Jesus and the disciples arrive at Bethphage and Bethany, near the outskirts of Jerusalem.

Jesus sends two of the disciples into the village. He tells him that they will find a donkey at the edge of the village that no one has ever ridden. They are to bring it back to Jesus. If anyone objects, they are to say that the Lord has need of it and will soon return it.

The disciples find everything there as Jesus had said. They bring the donkey back, and Jesus sits on it.

People in the crowd spread garments on the road, while others bring leafy branches. So Jesus is the centre of a huge procession.

People cry out, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Jesus comes into the city and goes to the Temple. After looking around he goes to Bethany for the night.

Application

It seems much longer ago than a few weeks since we celebrated Palm Sunday and then moved through Holy Week to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

While, everyone is going about their business – whether people are minding a donkey or shouting praises in a procession, Jesus is heading relentlessly to the cross.

Did Jesus arrange the use of the donkey? Or did he Just know that there would be a donkey at that place that the owner would lend to him? It’s hard to tell from the text.

In our own lives, it can be hard sometimes to tell the difference between coincidences and answers to prayer. One person said, “I have noticed that the more I pray, the more coincidences happen.”

The key is always to trust everything we have to God – all our plans, our loved ones our church. God can handle it all.

Listen

Lord, is there more you want to say to me about the events we call Palm Sunday?

Keith, from the moment that I sat on that donkey, it was very clear that this was the start of the climax of my whole reason for coming to Earth. We laid the plans for this before we started the world. It was clear that our beloved people would fall into sin and that a provision would have to be made for their salvation. Painful and wrenching as it was, this was the whole purpose. I went to the cross seeing that my death would open the way for millions upon millions of my beloved people to be saved.

So, my time of suffering was infinitely costly, but it brought an infinitely valuable reward.

Lord, I thank you for what you achieved on the cross.