series: Reflecting His Light #
verse: Matthew 21:1-11 #
Introduction #
Palm Sunday service yay PJ opens with a story about his childhood. Growing up in a missionary family, he lived having to deal with a strict father who gave stern instructions. And sometimes these instructions didn’t make sense. He would question the approach and constantly ask, “Why?”, because he was unable to see the angle that his father saw.
Main Idea: #
The Problem: We desire immediate solutions, not transformation. #
Matthew 21:9 In this verse, the people are making a proclamation of, “Save us NOW!”. Waving branches, demanding immediate salvation. They have a completely different expectation as to what God had planned in that moment.
Take a moment and reflect on how we approach problems. We demand solutions. We demand comfort. We create our own expectations of how a problem should be go about being solved. But it is biblical for us to be understanding and patient. Sometimes God will give us a solution in an alternative path, and we grow anxious. We think, “I don’t want it this way. I don’t think this will help me.”, which means that we act as our own God.
The Solution: God provides us a humble King to lead us. #
Zecariah 9:9, Matthew 21:2-3 The disciples simply obey the orders of Jesus. They go into the village and find a colt tied to a pole. Everything is orchestrated to God’s design. Jesus is evidently authoratatively powerful, yet he chooses to humbly serve us.
The God we worship isn’t an egotistical maniac. He came to us with gentleness that highlights just how mighty he is. He doesn’t need to look powerful, he simply is. This increases his credibility.
What to do: Carry out Jesus’s uncomfortable instruction immediately #
It was illogical for the disciples to steal a colt in broad day light. And yet they follow their instructions calmy without any reservations. And what was the outcome? Jesus, the Messiah, sat on that colt and saved humanity. What an honor it was for the owner of the colt, to trust in the process.
Note from DK: But what is an uncomfortable instruction? The disciples were definitely fulfilling a purpose for Jesus. But did the colt owner have any information? Was he told to allow this donkey to be led away?