The Word This Week

Luke 19:28...

The death of religion took place April 6, 32AD.

On the very day prophesied by Daniel 9 Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt, the foal of a donkey, on which no man had ever sat.

This was not just any colt, and it was not owned by Jesus, (Who by this time seemed to have no earthly possessions but the clothes on His back.)

It was a borrowed colt, as if to emphasize the supernatural nature of everything that was taking place in what appeared to be a very natural setting.

The mission given two of His disciples had been simple, and yet probably at least a bit intimidating. “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here.”

These men were charged with taking something that did not belong to them, so there’s that. Then consider the unease of wondering exactly how this colt may be identified? Would it be as clear as Jesus had said? And what about the answer Jesus had said to give to those who may have thought they were stealing the colt? (“Because the Lord has need of it.”) Would that satisfy whoever owned the colt?

These little missions we undertake at Jesus’ instruction are often fraught with these kinds of emotions. A kind of troubling admixture of confidence in what Jesus has said to do mixed with a kind of concern or even fear about finding the thing He said to look for and then how people may respond to what we are doing. Would they believe we were doing this for Jesus?

Then perhaps the most troubling aspect for us on an emotional level. Why has Jesus asked us to bring Him a colt in the first place? He hasn’t told us what He plans to do with it. And, why did He ask US to do this for Him? Couldn’t it have been someone else?

All of this must be overcome in our hearts every time we undertake even the simplest mission for Jesus. This part of the story is often overlooked - the part where we must go and do without fully understanding why He has asked us to go and do.

But Jesus could not have ridden into Jerusalem on the colt the foal of a donkey if these brothers had not been faithful to venture out to the town opposite them simply based upon what Jesus had said.

They had no idea this was a vital part of fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9.

Pastor Bill