Donkeyology

Mark 11:1-11

This amazing passage records the Triumphant Entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. It was this very Sunday morning that Jesus fulfilled the ancient prophecy of the prophet Zechariah. (Zech. 9:9).

The primary emphasis of this passage is the revelation of Jesus to Israel that He is their long awaited Messiah and their King. The common man rejoiced in the appearance of the Lord Jesus,(Mark 11:7-10). But, the leaders of Israel rejected Him, and before the next Sabbath day, this same crowd would yell, Jesus is crucifiy crucify Hi.

 I want to focus in on His relationship with the little donkey He rode as He entered the city.

I am interested in that little donkey. “The Lord needed that donkey to fulfill His mission here on earth,” (v. 3).

By the way, He is still using little donkeys to get His work done on earth. He uses the likes of you and me. He certainly does not need us, but He has graciously chosen to make us part of His plan!

Most of us have heard about Theology, Christology, Eschatology, etc. Today, I want to talk about another , Donkeyology.

But before that donkey could be used by Jesus He had to be:

I.  REDEEMED (Verses 1-2) (Ex. 13:13; 34:20).

    1. The Reason for Redeemption:

         A. We are owned by the Devil. (John 8:44)

        B. We are enemies of God Rom. 8:7.

        C. We are bound for hell Psa. 9:17

    2. Redeemption is not an Option  John 3:7

    3. Results of Redeemption

        A. Freedom and Life John 10:28

        B. Freedom from the pentality of sin

        C. Freedom from the power of sin

        D. Freedom from the very presence of sin in

            heaven

II.  RELEASED (v. 2-3.)

    1. The donkey was tied up

      A. "By the door"

          1. Are you tied up by the door?

          2. Jesus said "I am the door." John. 10:7-10

      B. "Where two roads meet"

          1. I want to bring you today to the place where

             you have to make a choice 

    2. We were or we are tied up

          A. We are born as slaves to sin, Eph. 2:2-3.

          B. We are children of the devil and his will is what

              we do, John 8:44.

         C. In that condition, we are useless to the Lord.

    3. The untieing of the donkey.

         A. He comes to where we are

         B. He gives us a new desire to follow Him 

         C.  He makes us a “new creature”  2 Cor. 5:17

         D.  He moves in and takes up residence in our

               bodies, 2 Cor. 4:7.

         E. He returns us better than we were when we

              gave our selves to Him.

III.  RULED (Verse 4-11)

    1. The Donkey was unbroken

         A. A wild animal unfit to be used

         B. In our lost condition, without Jesus we too are

              wild animals

             1. We too are unfit to be used of the Lord

         C. We as the donkey need a master.

    2. The donkey's submission

        A. Submitted to Jesus' authority

        B. We too must submitt to Jesus' authority

             (Rom.12:1-2)  (John 3:3)

    3. The Donkey' s Ruler

        A. Jesus, Is He you Ruler?

       B. How will Jesus rule us?

           1. The 10 Commandments (Exd. 20:1-17)

.CONCLUSION

　A beggar stopped a lawyer on the street in a large southern city and asked him for a quarter. Taking a long, hard look into the man's unshaven face, the attorney asked, "Don't I know you from somewhere?" "You should," came the reply. "I'm your former classmate. Remember, second floor, old Main Hall?" "Why Sam, of course I know you!" Without further question the lawyer wrote a check for $100. "Here, take this and get a new start. I don't care what's happened in the past, it's the future that counts." And with that he hurried on.

Tears welled up in the man's eyes as he walked to a bank nearby. Stopping at the door, he saw through the glass well-dressed tellers and the spotlessly clean interior. Then he looked at his filthy rags. "They won't take this from me. They'll swear that I forged it," he muttered as he turned away.

The next day the two men met again. "Why Sam, what did you do with my check? Gamble it away? Drink it up?" "No," said the beggar as he pulled it out of his dirty shirt pocket and told why he hadn't cashed it. "Listen, friend," said the lawyer. "What makes that check good is not your clothes or appearance, but my signature. Go on, cash it!"

The Bible says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." That promise is a "negotiable note" of infinite value. And as sinners, all we need to do is "exchange" it by faith for eternal life. Don't let the "tattered clothes" of your past keep you from cashing God's "check" of salvation.