No White Stallion, No Golden Lion, But a Gray Donkey for Jesus

Palm Sunday

March 29, 2015

Mark 11:1-11

No White Stallion, No Golden Lion, But a Gray Donkey for Jesus

In the name of the Father and of † the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

So now it is time. Jesus is about to enter into Jerusalem for the final days before He is crucified for us. And the way in which He enters the city gates reveals much about who He is and how He chooses to save us.

On the one hand, He reveals that He is true God when He sends two of His disciples ahead to go get His ride. He knows where the colt is, that no one has ever ridden on its back, and that when they are challenged, their answer, "The Lord needs to borrow the animal," would satisfy them. How did He know all that? He's God and indeed He knew what that donkey had eaten that morning and who its mother was and even knew its lineage going all the back to Noah's ark. So yeah, He knew.

On the other hand, a donkey? Really? Why that animal? Last week I heard that an NFL football player rode into his birthday party on a camel. That's a good choice. That's unexpected and flashy and exotic. Maybe you get a donkey for a kid's birthday party petting zoo. But for a grown up? Never. Not unless they're a rock star or it's an over-the-top theme party for a pro football player.

We have lots of expectations for different kinds of people. How they should talk. How they should carry themselves. What kind of ride they should have. We have expectations for Jesus, too.

Why not a majestic white stallion for Jesus? Why not a fearsome golden lion? Because He didn't come to destroy or to intimidate. He didn't come to use His power. He came to seek and to save the lost by lowering Himself from heaven down to the Virgin's womb. Then He lowered Himself by being born among donkeys and cows and goats. Why not the womb of a queen? Why not at least a royal horse stable?

Throughout His life He lowered Himself further by preaching only the cross and by teaching death that in the end drove away all His followers. Finally He lowered Himself into the grave by being raised up on a cross.

He lowered Himself for you.

The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11-12)

But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (Mark 10:31)

And so Paul explains why Jesus didn't choose a stallion or lion, but a plain young donkey.

He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:8-9)

Jesus didn't ride into Jerusalem to start a war or revolution. He rides in with crowds screaming His name. Yet when He gets to the Temple, He turned around and left the city. He willingly does this, knowing that in a few days, the crowds would be screaming His name again to deadly purpose.

Jesus rides a donkey because that is where He wants to be found: in lowliness that never lives up to our earthly expectations, in lowliness that lifts us up beyond our most hopeful expectations.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Amen. Amen.