The Lord Has Need Of It... - New Life Publishing

Jesus’ arrival on a donkey’s back

Phil Weaver, Senior Minister at New Springs Church, Loughborough, considers what we can learn from Jesus’ arrival on a donkey’s back.

The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them. Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. The crowds going ahead of him, and those who followed, were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest!”

When he had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The Triumphal Entry refers to the time that Jesus entered into Jerusalem on what is known today as Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday before the Lord Jesus was crucified. The story is one of the few incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts.

Reading the four accounts together, it becomes clear that this was a significant event – the beginning of the week that is now known as Holy Week.

In this story we can learn several things:

Jesus the Master Arranger

At some time Jesus must have arranged for someone to provide a donkey and its colt. We don’t know if Jesus slipped away from his disciples and arranged the matter with the owner of the donkey or if he sent someone else to sort it out. However, one thing is for sure: he had arranged it.

Jesus visited the city of Jerusalem on many occasions, in fact at least once a year to celebrate the feast of Passover. However, this time it was different. He came not simply to celebrate Passover, but to atone for the sins of the world. He didn’t bring a lamb to sacrifice, he was that lamb!

Just because you don’t know all the details, it doesn’t mean God isn’t arranging things for your future good. You might not know exactly what he is up to, but you can trust him. He’s the Master Arranger, who can make a way where there seems to be no way.

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Wouldn’t it have been ridiculous if the donkey thought all the praise and adulation was for him? Of course, none of the praise belonged to the donkey! The donkey was only the vehicle that Jesus chose to carry him.

What a privilege it was for the donkey to carry the Son of God on its back. And what an even greater privilege it is for each one of us to have the opportunity to carry Christ in our hearts.

This world bellows, “Me, me, me! It’s all about me!” Maybe, this Easter time it would be good to acknowledge afresh that it’s not all about us – indeed, it’s all about him!

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The question we should be asking ourselves is this: “What do I have today that the Lord has need of?”

The owner of the donkey and colt allowed Jesus to have his animals because Jesus needed them at that particular time. So what is that you have that the Lord has need of right now? Maybe it’s your time, your talents, your gifts or your service – and what about your heart and life?

Often, though, there’s a little voice that whispers deep inside of us that says, “But it’s mine! Why should I give it? It’s mine, mine, mine!” The challenge is: what do we say and, more importantly, what do we do when that other little voice inside us whispers, “The Lord has need of it.”

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This article was taken from the Spring 2020 issue of iBelieve Magazine.

Hear more from Phil Weaver on NewSpringsRadio.com and their daily service at 12 noon.