Mark 11:1-10

Mark chapter 11 and verse 1, it's on page 847. Following the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks executed

Mark 11 · chapter mention

! Nicholas II. They executed

! Nicholas II including his whole family, including his youngest daughter, the

! Grand Duchess of Russia, Anastasia. At least that's the claim of reliable historians

and now the result of reliable DNA testing. However, history and science didn't stop Fox

Animation Studios from producing that film, did they? The animated motion picture of the

legend, Anastasia, emerging in the film. And it increases this kind of possibility that

Anastasia survived. She survived the killing of her father and the family. And the movie

tells the story of this orphan. An orphan who's got no recollection of the past. And through

a number of different circumstances, she discovers her true identity. She is the lost Russian princess.

She is Anastasia. She lives her life not knowing who she is. Now there's one similarity between,

and one great difference between Hollywood's movie about Anastasia and Mark's account of the Lord Jesus.

The similarity between Jesus and Anastasia is that they're both of royal blood. Anastasia was the daughter of the Russian

Tsar. Jesus is the son of David. He comes from a royal bloodline of King David. But the great difference is to do with

their identity. Anastasia, at least as the legend goes, for most of her life, did not know who she was.

She didn't know. She didn't know that she was the Grand Duchess.

Jesus, on the other hand, knows precisely who he was and what he was doing.

So he called himself, and the text is still read to us,

the Lord. He didn't dismiss the people's claim of him in verse 10,

that he had something to do with the coming kingdom of David.

And in the next chapter, in chapter 12, verses 35 to 37,

he claims to be David's Lord.

You see, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that donkey,

on the first Palm Sunday,

he knew who he was,

and he knew exactly what he was doing.

He knew who he was,

and he knew exactly what he was doing.

So look with me at verses 1 to 7.

And we're introduced to that theme of fulfillment.

It's a big theme.

The theme of fulfillment.

This is what, that is,

what Jesus says will happen,

happens.

And it happens precisely.

So look at verse 2.

In verse 2 of chapter 11,

Jesus says,

go into the village.

And in verse 4,

what do they do?

They go into the village.

In verse 2,

Jesus says,

you will find a colt tied.

A colt is a baby,

a young donkey.

And in verse 4,

they find a colt tied.

In verse 2,

Jesus says,

untie it.

And in verse 4,

they untie it.

In verse 3,

Jesus predicts that someone will question their action.

They will say,

what are you doing?

And in verse 5,

someone questions their action.

And says,

what are you doing?

Jesus said,

provide them with a response.

And in verse 6,

they told them what Jesus had said.

In verse 2,

Jesus says,

bring the colt to me.

And in verse 7,

they bring the colt to Jesus.

So very deliberately,

Mark is showing us

that all of Jesus' words were fulfilled.

It's one thing to notice

that Jesus' words are precisely fulfilled,

but it's another thing

to see the significance

of what he desired and received.

Jesus desired a colt,

a young male donkey.

Verse 3,

he even takes that further,

that the Lord has need of it.

Why does Jesus have need of it?

Did Jesus need this animal

because his legs were tired?

Was he so worn out

that he refuses to walk

the last two miles

to Jerusalem?

He's just had enough of walking

and so he needs the donkey,

but that's certainly not the reason.

Was it that Jesus

was kind of arbitrarily

testing his followers,

kind of displaying his authority

and testing their loyalty?

Was he like some mad dictator

dictator,

sending him on a fool's errand

just to show how powerful he was,

just to see if his subjects

would comply with him?

Of course,

that's not the reason either.

Jesus asked for a specific animal

to reveal who he was

and what his mission was about.

There is fulfilment

of his words

and there is fulfilment

of their words.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 15,

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

we are told that Jesus died

according to the scriptures

and that he was buried

according to the scriptures

and that he rose again

according to the scriptures.

Well, here in Mark's gospel,

as in all the gospels,

Jesus rode into Jerusalem

on a colt of all animals

because it was according

to the scriptures

to fulfil prophecy.

What Matthew states in

Matthew 21,

this takes place to fulfil

what the prophet had spoken,

saying,

and say to the daughter of Zion,

behold, your king is coming.

He's coming to you

humble,

mounted on a donkey,

on a fold of a beast of burden.

Matthew states that openly

in his gospel,

but Mark just assumes it.

Now that quote that I read to you

from Matthew

is actually from Zechariah chapter 9

Zechariah 9 · chapter mention

and verse 9.

I want you to turn there.

Let me give you the page number.

You'd all be able to find Zechariah

very, very quickly,

but it's on page 797,

okay,

in the church Bibles.

And while you're chilling there,

let me say to you,

Zechariah

is a very, very important book.

Do you know how many

quotations there are

from Zechariah

in the New Testament?

There are 71.

71 quotations

from the book of Zechariah.

31 of those

come from

the book of Revelation.

But in the four Gospels

there are 27 quotes

from the book of Zechariah.

27.

And most of those quotes

come at the end of Jesus' life,

the final week.

So what does this prophet

say about Jesus?

He foretells,

he predicts that

Christ will come in loneliness.

He talks about his humanity.

He talks about his rejection.

He talks about how Jesus

would be betrayed

for 30 pieces of silver.

Zechariah talks about

his crucifixion,

his priesthood,

his coming reign,

just to name a few

of the things he spoke to.

So in Zechariah

Zechariah 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9

and verse 9 and 10,

if you turn there,

page 797

if you're not there already,

listen to what it says.

It says,

Zechariah 9 verse 9,

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly,

O daughter of Zion.

Shout aloud,

O daughter of Jerusalem.

Behold,

your king has come to you,

righteous,

and having salvation

is he,

humble and mounted

on a donkey,

on a coat,

the foal of a donkey.

I will cut off

the chariot from Ephraim

and the war horse

from Jerusalem

and the battle boat

shall be cut off

and he shall speak

peace to the nations

and his rule

shall be from sea to sea

and from river

to the ends of the earth.

Verse 9

of Zechariah chapter 9

Zechariah 9 · chapter mention

shows us the character

of the coming king.

It tells us

of his character.

It tells us

that he is righteous,

that he will do

what is right.

It tells us

that he is holy.

It tells us

that he is powerful.

He is a righteous king

and a saving king

but he's also

a humble king.

And then verse 10

tells us

what he's going to do.

What will he do?

What will be his achievement?

Well he will establish

a peaceful

universal kingdom

and as we reflect

on those verses

I don't find it

extraordinary

to think

that if God

was going to raise

up an earthly king

to bring

divine victory

that if God

was going to inaugurate

a universal king

over everywhere

that such a ruler

would be righteous.

That God

would give such a ruler

who would possess

the ability

to save.

To bring salvation.

It's a contrast

isn't it

to the myriad

to the loads

of kings

of the Old Testament

who failed.

You would only expect

God's divinely

appointed king

that he would

conform

to God's law.

He would

obey God's law

and he would

bring with him

redemption

for all of God's people.

But what is striking

is that this

awesome king

this powerful king

this righteous king

this holy king

this magnificent king

would come in humility.

He would come

as the text says

isn't it

humble and mounted

on a donkey.

And the context

of the book of Zechariah

as well as the rest

of the prophets

the word humble

does not just mean

gentle

but lowly

and bowed down.

The word humble

in the book of Zechariah

means actually

one who will suffer.

One commentator says

all of the lowly

miserable

suffering condition

as is depicted

in Isaiah 53.

You know that passage?

The man of sorrow

is acquainted with grief.

So you see

in contrast with

the arrogance

and the showiness

that was usually

associated with

a ruler

any ruler

in the ancient world

any king

in his day

as in ours

this king

will be poor.

And he will be

afflicted.

And he will be

a servant.

And yet

he will be

a glorious lord.

It's one thing

isn't it

to struggle

in our minds

with this notion

of a humble king.

And yet

what is even more

bizarre in this passage

is this king

who is strong enough

to bring about

world peace

who is the

magnificent ruler

of God

will come riding

on a coat

to the foal

of a donkey.

And these words

don't strike us

as strange do they

because we're

so familiar with them.

We made palm branches

when we were little.

We waved at them.

The cute little donkey.

And yet

they are so odd

aren't they?

They must have

appeared so very odd

to Zachariah's

first audience

as they appear

odd to anyone.

Maybe you

were unfamiliar

with Christianity.

It's true

isn't it

that some of the

judges

some of the

distinguished people

in judges

they rode on donkeys

but from the time

of Solomon

in 1000 BC

he introduces

the breeding

of horses.

There's not

another occurrence

in the Old Testament

of someone

riding on a donkey.

Even today

in the Middle East

donkeys are used

as kind of

beasts of burden

they pull things.

In some Islamic lands

there are actual

laws in the books

of Islam

regarding that

Christians and Jews

are allowed

to ride only

on donkeys

and Muslims

must ride on horses

so the Muslims

must be above

the Jews

and Christians

because to ride

on donkeys

is a humble

and lowly thing.

So a king

during that age

would come into

his capital city

after a military

campaign

and what would

he be riding?

He would be riding

the biggest

most glorious horse

wouldn't he?

Or at least

he'd be marching

in front of

all his troops

it would be

quite the parade

quite the spectacle

but the king

on an ass

that's a contradiction

in terms isn't it?

Can you imagine

the queen

came to Ealing?

The queen

came to Ealing

we're all lined up

there

we're expecting

the head

to logicate

or whatever it is

and suddenly

the E1

pulls off

and off

she trots

with a little trolley

we'd be shocked

wouldn't we?

Or even more

shocked

where Ealing

Broadway

waiting her

on Ealing

Broadway

and we expect

to see the

chariot

the kind of

carriage

come through

or the motor

gate

and her

and Prince

Charles

are on a

donkey

it's unthinkable

isn't it?

E-or

it would just

be astonishing

wouldn't it?

Absolutely

astonishing

the king

on an ass

it's a contradiction

in terms

that Zechariah

envisions for you

and I

a humble king

riding into a

capital city

mounted on a

crude and

common beast

this king

was to be

different from

all others

not only in what

he brought

he brings

righteousness

and salvation

but also in his

humility

and in his

loneliness

Jerusalem's king

will come

riding on a

donkey

as verse 10

predicts

he will likewise

wage war

against all

welfare

he will usher

in an age

of peace

of universal

dominion

beginning with

the divided

kingdoms

of Israel

being represented

by Ephraim

and Judah

in our passage

and this character

will transform

the worldly

character of Israel

into a spiritual

kingdom of which

you and I

part

the chariots

the war horse

the battle

boats

all these

weapons of

warfare

they will be

rendered useless

when this

king establishes

world peace

through his

dominion

verse 10

informs

not only will

there be

peace in

Israel

but the

messianic

king

he will

speak peace

he will

proclaim peace

shalom to

the nations

a fulfilment

of God's

covenant

with Abraham

that all

the families

of the earth

will be

blessed

through him

well that

is Zechariah

Zechariah 9:9

chapter 9

verse 9

and 10

flip back

with me

to Mark 11

to Mark 11

and for 500

years

500 years

after Zechariah's

prophecy

there were

hundreds of

leaders who

failed to come

close

there were

hundreds of

leaders who

failed to come

close to 500

years to

fulfilling one

part of

these promises

there was no

man in the

history of

the world

or Israel

who fitted

this messianic

mold

who fulfilled

this precise

and even

bizarre prophecy

until Jesus

of Nazareth

trots into

Jerusalem

the Sunday

before Passover

2000 years

ago

and all

four gospel

writers testified

to the triumphal

entry

in Mark's

account

the first

seven verses

emphasize

premeditated

act of

humility

he knows

what he's

doing

it's a

premeditated

act of

humility

and then the

second thing

of the passage

is a deliberate

exhibition of

himself

it's a deliberate

showing of

himself

that he is

the king

of Israel

as promised

by Zechariah

he shows

himself

you have a

deliberate

act of

humility

and you have

a deliberate

exhibition of

himself

people say

you're making

an exhibition

of yourself

and that's

what Jesus

is doing

here

you see

Jesus orchestrates

doesn't he

the specific

entrance into

Jerusalem

in order that

they

and in order

that we

might identify

who he is

that he is

the very

fulfillment of

Zechariah's

words

every step

that Jesus

took here

was accomplished

with pain

staking

premeditation

and isn't

that obvious

as we quickly

went through

the first

seven verses

the time

of his entry

when did it

happen

at the time

of the

Passover

and the mode

of his entry

he came

riding on a

donkey

listen

at this point

Jesus

in Mark's story

had walked

all the way

from Galilee

down to

near Jerusalem

and surely

he didn't need

to go into

town on a

donkey

did he

the use

of this

donkey

is the

only time

Jesus

recorded

as not

walking

he walks

everywhere

and it

can only

be a

deliberate

gesture

he's

emphasizing

something

he's

announcing

something

he is

self-conscious

he knew

who he was

his self-conscious

understanding

of his

lordship

as well

as his

self-conscious

understanding

of what

he's

come to

do

and to

Jesus

and probably

to Jesus

alone

at this

time

Pound Sunday

is no victory

celebration

he knew

who he was

and he knew

what his mission

was going to be

this is no

glorious procession

of the king

rather he knows

that it is a

death march

doesn't he

ride on

ride on

in majesty

ride on

to die

he knows

this is a

death march

and as a

symbolic act

Jesus

mounts this

undignified

unpretentious

beast

to show

that he

is the

Messiah

but a

Messiah

whose

triumphal

route

will end

at the

cross

an old

rugged

cross

and as

Jesus

looks around

at the

crowd

in verses

8-10

you see

they spread

their cloaks

and their

palm branches

down before

him

and they

surround him

with some

before him

and some

after him

and they

shout

Hosanna

which means

save us

save us

save us

son of

David

you are

Israel's

promised king

save us

he could

easily have

whipped up

their political

aspirations

couldn't

he

he could

have brought

about

well

interaction

a rebellion

a frenzy

but what did

he do

look at

verse 11

yes he

rightly

puts it

in this

section

it's probably

one of the

great

anticlimactic

verses in

the whole

of the

bible

look at

verse 11

if riding

on a

coat

didn't

boggle

their

minds

and start

to

squelch

their

worldly

hopes

for

Jesus

here in

verse 11

we're told

that he

entered

Jerusalem

and he

went to

the temple

if this

was a

video

there'd be

music

what is

going to

happen

when he

gets to

the temple

well he

looks around

it's quite

late

so he

goes home

goes to

bat and

it's late

what did

Jesus do

when he

gets to

the temple

he does

nothing

at all

but he

looks around

and we've

got this

great

anticlimax

and Mark's

account is

not worthy

because of

what didn't

happen

the whole

scene

of the

king

coming to

his temple

well

ends in

nothing

the

climax

of course

comes the

next day

doesn't it

the next

day

of

the

week

Jesus

returns

to the

temple

and those

who are

there

and not

only just

he says

ride

into Jerusalem

on this

lonely

donkey

one of the

first things

he does

when he gets

off the

donkey

is he

purifies

the palace

doesn't

he

the palace

of Caesar

of injustice

but he

doesn't do

that but he

cleanses the

temple

he cleanses

the temple

of God

of irreverence

and a

spiritual

presumption

Jesus

comes to

town

to claim

his capital

city

and his

temple

but he

does it

in a way

that is

incomprehensible

and is

even offensive

to the people

of God

at this

time

and frankly

it is

incomprehensible

and offensive

to most people

of our

time

the Jews

would not

accept

the notion

of a

saviour

they would

not accept

his role

as a

messiah

who would

be a

saviour

they want

a military

messiah

don't they

but he

refuses

to identify

himself

as a

worldly

conqueror

indeed

he sees

himself

as

God's

king

who will

reign in

glory and

peace

but only

after he

has suffered

in loneliness

and sorrow

and affliction

and that

is how

Jesus

in God's

own

divine

plan

would

conquer

the world

but this

was

and is

Israel's

promised

king

and yet

as the

gospel

unfolds

to us

the only

anointing

that this

king

would receive

was an

anointing

for burial

and the

only crown

that this

king would

wear would

be a

crown of

thorns

and the

only robe

that he

would wear

is a

robe

adorned

with

mockery

and thus

anointed

and robed

and crowned

before his

people

he is

presented

as their

king

behold your

king

they were

told

and the

same

crowd

that blessed

his name

and raised

high his

name

was the

same

crowd

that

shouted

crucify him

crucify him

we have

no king

we have

no king

but Caesar

they say

so today

is Palm

Sunday

what do

you make

of Palm

Sunday

what does

Mark make

of Palm

Sunday

well here

is what

I make

of what

Mark makes

of Palm

Sunday

I think

most people

in our

culture

most people

have some

kind of

admiration

for Jesus

they

perhaps

admire him

for his

fearless

criticism

on the

establishment

that's what

people think

of him

they champion

his cause

of the

poor

that Jesus

was a

friend of

outcasts

of society

I think

the Muslim

Imam

when we

had the

meeting

with the

mosque

the Muslim

Imam

began

by saying

how much

he appreciated

Jesus

how much

he says

he loved

Jesus

he loved

him for

his compassion

for the

despised

and rejected

they love

his moral

teaching

love your

neighbour

they admire

him for

the fact

that Jesus

practised

what he

preached

and to

add to

this list

people

admire

Jesus

because

they

see

that he

is

genuinely

humble

his

washing

of the

disciples

feet

even

his

riding

into

town

on

donkey

he is

humble

he is

approachable

his character

is commendable

but however

one might

admire Jesus

for his

humble actions

and attitude

you've still

got to come

to grips

with certain

things he

said

and certain

things he

did

there are

claims

and there

are actions

that seem

to be quite

the opposite

of humility

there are

claims and

actions

that are

extraordinarily

audacious

by Jesus

so do you

know what

surprises me

about

Luke

Mark 11

Mark 11:1–11

verses 1

to 11

it's not

actually

Jesus'

humility

but it's

self-promotion

and Jesus'

self-promotion

of his

humility

do you see

that paradox

I don't know

what else to

call it

Jesus

self-promotes

his own

humility

his actions

here

they are

all

premeditated

he rides

into town

and in the

way that

he rode

into town

he receives

the praise

he received

it

and there's

no personal

protest

is there

there's no

Jesus saying

no no no

who me

not me

no stop

that

he's announced

into the world

the king has

come

indeed he is

the son of

David

so the irony

of the triumphal

entry

if you will

is our lord's

promotion

or our lord's

publication

of his

humble

reign

it's the

audacity

of his

intentionality

no matter how

you look at it

by mounting that

particular animal

by riding into

Jerusalem on it

Jesus is making

a very bold

statement

he is claiming

to be the

messiah

he is claiming

to be the

fulfilment of

Zechariah's

prophecy

and for those

who do not want

to accept his

claim and submit

to it

you may be

tempted to

brush this

off

this particular

incident off

as an oversight

but he's a

good and

otherwise humble

teacher from

Nazareth

and yet actually

as you go

through the

gospels

you can't do

that

because this

pattern

however you

want to call it

of self

promotion

is everywhere

in the

gospels

he said

for example

I am the

bread of

life

whoever

comes to

me

shall

never

hang

there

whoever

believes in

me

will have

thirst

really

who talks

like that

can you

imagine if

the pope

went out

onto his

balcony

and said

I am

the bread

of life

it's

audacious

isn't it

Jesus said

I am

the light

of the

world

whoever

follows

me

will not

walk

in

darkness

but they

will have

the light

of life

what audacity

to say

that the

world

is in

the dark

and that

he alone

is the

light

and that

one must

follow him

to get

out of

the darkness

even the

Dalai

Lama

would say

that

would he

well if

the Dalai

Lama

does say

and people

love the

Dalai

Lama

don't they

are

media

love the

Dalai

Lama

even if

he said

that

he'd get

into trouble

they'd

cheer him

up

Jesus said

I am the

resurrection

and the

life

whoever

believes in

me

though he

die

yet he

shall

live

would Bill

Gates

say that

Billy

Graham

say that

would Bill

Clinton

say that

would Nelson

Mandela

have made

such a

claim

it's one

thing for a

man to

say isn't

it that we

are to love

the Lord

our God

with all

our soul

and mind

and strength

but it's

quite another

thing to say

whoever loves

their mother

and father

more than

me is not

worthy of

me

whoever

loves his

son or

daughter more

than me

is not

worthy of

me

even Muhammad

Ali

would not get

away with

saying that

we usually

don't we

in our

culture

we don't

like people

who talk

that much

about themselves

we are

repelled by

someone who

demands our

love or

obedience or

total allegiance

and yet what

is it that

makes Jesus

not only

likeable but

also believable

that is why

this is so

remarkable

perhaps nothing

is so remarkable

about Jesus

than the fact

that he

advanced himself

and I am

the object

of faith

and love

and obedience

and yet as

you read

Jesus'

life

he comes

across as

the most

humble man

trying to

walk on the

face of the

earth

it's the

paradox of

Jesus isn't

it

he covers

himself with

disturbing

claims

disturbing

claims because

they are so

self focused

and yet as

we look at

him we see

in him

someone who

is clothed

in utter

humility

it's a

profound

paradox

and we see

it in this

passage

and it's one

of those things

that you could

easily not find

that you would

not notice

unless you pay

careful attention

that Jesus

arranges the

whole scene

here

it's not so

clear

he determines

every detail

of what will

happen

he decides to

ride slightly

above the

crowd into

Jerusalem on

a cult

it's an

action that's

little different

from the

start of his

ministry

in Luke's

gospel

he goes to

the temple

and he

takes up the

scroll of the

synagogue

he goes to

the synagogue

and he

reads it

and he sits

down to

teach

and then he

expounds it

saying in

essence

if you want

to know what

the prophet

is saying

he was writing

about me

and Jesus

wrote in

Jerusalem

that Palm

Sunday

and he

announces

that he

is Israel's

Messiah

and had

arrived

just as

that Zechariah

said he

would

and so

by mounting

on this

donkey

Jesus

says if

you want

to know

to whom

the prophet

was referring

to he's

writing about

me

and that is

the paradox

of Jesus

and it is

mind-moving

and it's one

of the reasons

I'm a Christian

it's one of the

reasons I hope

you are a Christian

because Christianity

is scripturally

reasonable

that is

as I test

the words

and the actions

of Jesus

against the

Old Testament

the prophecies

fit

what he does

fits with the

prophecies

of the Old Testament

they are the

right match

Jesus fulfills

the scriptures

and another reason

I'm a Christian

and I hope you

are a Christian

is because I

love this paradox

the wonderful

alluring paradox

of Jesus

that two truths

that seem to be

against each other

are true

in the person

of Jesus

the audacity

of his

intentionality

for the Son

of God

to intentionally

ride on a donkey

and it's these

two distinct

features

scripture

reasonableness

and the paradox

of Jesus

and so I want us

all to recognise

afresh

and respond

to his day

with our minds

hopefully filled

with a deeper

understanding of

part of Sunday

and hopefully

our hearts

touched afresh

with the person

of Jesus

he knew who

he was

and he knew

what he was

doing

and he knew

where he was

going

and so we can

join in the crowd

can't we

echoing

and expanding

their voice

from Psalm 118

that we saw

earlier

Hosanna

Hosanna

to the Son

of David

save us

save us

blessed is he

who comes

in the name

of the Lord

blessed is the

kingdom of our

Father David

Hosanna

in the highest

let's pray

God