Palm Sunday: The Luckiest Donkey Who Ever Lived | Jordan Brawner

[1] There was once a about a lucky donkey!

Matthew 21:1-11 (NLT)

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. ² “Go into the village over there,” he said. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will immediately let you take them.”

⁴ This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,

⁵ “Tell the people of Jerusalem,
    ‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey—
    riding on a donkey’s colt.’”

⁶ The two disciples did as Jesus commanded.⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it.

⁸ Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.⁹ Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, 

“Praise God for the Son of David!
    Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Praise God in highest heaven!”

¹⁰ The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked.

¹¹ And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

[2] The donkey was a sign that the time of their had come!

Zechariah 9:9,10b (NIRV)

⁹ “City of Zion, be full of joy! People of Jerusalem, shout! See, your king comes to you. He always does what is right. He has won the victory. He is humble and riding on a donkey. He is sitting on a donkey’s colt…

Psalm 118:25-26 (NKJV)

²⁵ Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.

[3] The donkey was a sign that the promised King comes in !

Zechariah 9:9b,10b (NIRV)

He is humble and riding on a donkey. He is sitting on a donkey’s colt…
Your king will announce peace to the nations. He will rule from ocean to ocean.

Isaiah 9:6b (NIRV)

And he will be called Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God. He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever and Prince Who Brings Peace.

Luke 2:14 (NKJV)

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 

Revelation 19:11 (NIRV)

11 I saw heaven standing open. There in front of me was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True. When he judges or makes war, he is always fair.

[4] Even though God told them what to look for, Israel missed their God !

Luke 19:41-44 (NLT)

⁴¹ But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. ⁴² “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.⁴³ Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

Job 33:14 (NIRV)

He speaks in one way and then another. But we do not even realize it.

• The Pharisees missed their visitation because they were in of losing their !

John 12:19 (TLB)

Then the Pharisees said to each other, “We’ve lost. Look—the whole world has gone after him!”

Acts 1:6 (AB)

 So when they had come together, they asked Him repeatedly, “Lord, are You at this time reestablishing the kingdom and restoring it to Israel?”

• The people missed their moment because nothing mattered more than their nations liberation

John 12:14, 16 (NIRV)

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. This is just as it is written in Scripture…¹⁶ At first, Jesus’ disciples did not understand all this. They realized it only after he had received glory. Then they realized that these things had been written about him. They realized that these things had been done to him.

[5] Palm Sunday us how to not miss our God moment!

Revelation 3:20 (NIRV)

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in. I will eat with that person, and they will eat with me.

[a] our [internal and external] battles

James 4:1 (NIV)

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?

Isaiah 26:3 (LB)

³ He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!

[b] his word

Proverbs 30:5 (GWT)

“All of God’s word has proven to be true. He is a shield to those who come to him for protection.

Psalm 19:7-8 (NIV)

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

[c] him as Ultimate King

Luke 19:39-40 (NLT)

³⁹ But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

⁴⁰ He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

Revelation 19:16 (NLT)

¹⁶ On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Luke 1:32-33 (NIV)

³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”