Jump Start # 1775

Matthew 21:2 “saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me.”

My good friend Don recently told me this powerful illustration to use in a sermon. I got to preaching one day and forgot to use it. However, I can’t forget what it teaches.

Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem for the last time. We refer to this event as the “Triumphal Entry.” A throng of people fill the streets, laying palm branches and even their coats in the street so Jesus, riding on the donkey, would enter “triumphantly.” The crowd shouts “Hosanna,” as Jesus passes. Impressive scene.

What is sometimes missed in all of this is a simply statement found four verses later. “The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them.” They got the donkey with the colt and brought them to Jesus. They did “just as” Jesus instructed. This is in the spirit of Noah, who did all that God commanded and built the ark.

Here is what is so amazing. For three years these disciples have seen Jesus. They’ve seen Him walk on water, calm storms, cast out demons, heal lepers and raise the dead. He has multiplied food. He has changed water to wine. He has been accused of just about everything, but all that know Him realize that He is without sin. Pilate would soon declare that I find no fault in Him. He is the Messiah. He is the one. In the O.T., kings rode on stallions. Often, kings rode on beautiful white horses that demonstrated power, prestige and honor. Everyone around the king rode upon brown or black horses. The king stood out on his majestic white horse. Even in the book of Revelation, Jesus is shown riding a white horse.

The disciples are sent to get Jesus a donkey. A donkey? That’s not impressive. That’s not the ride of kings. Jesus needs a white horse. Jesus needs a beautiful, tall, powerful white horse. That would honor Jesus. That would make Jesus look good. That is fitting for Jesus. He needs a horse, a white one. Jesus was probably being humble when He told them to get a donkey. Jesus probably didn’t want to spend the money or make a fuss by securing a white horse. The disciples could have surprised Jesus. They could have declared, “You wanted a donkey, but look what we found for you!” “You need a white horse!” This, they might have thought, would really honor Jesus and please Him.

But a few verses after Jesus’ command, we read, “The disciples did just as Jesus had instructed them.” They brought a donkey and a colt. They stayed with Jesus’ instructions.

There is a lesson here for us.

Too many try to out think God and they feel that they know better than God does, how and what ought to be done. Instead of bringing a donkey, we bring a chariot. Get the donkey. No, we go and bring a chair that can be carried through the streets. Jesus wants a donkey, but we think we really know what He needs.

Out thinking God never works. You can’t do that. Bringing a horse may be impressive to the crowd and it may make us pleased to honor Him that way, but the truth be known, it reveals a heart that has disobeyed Him. He asked for a donkey and you did something else. Forget that this was for Him. Don’t hide behind the idea that it’s nicer than a donkey. He wants a donkey. Bring the donkey!

Modern worship is an example of this very idea. In far too many places, church services are like a concert, carnival or circus. It’s crazy. Light shows. Fog machines. Massive speakers blaring loud rock ‘n roll music with “Christian” lyrics. Impressive. Amazing. Crowds gather for this. It’s definitely a show. But is this in the Bible? Did Jesus ask for a donkey and we found a horse instead? How could this be wrong, folks ask? It’s all about Jesus. We are singing about Jesus. It’s amazing. How could a horse be wrong? He wanted a donkey. Can we be content with a donkey? Can we do, as those disciples did, JUST AS He instructed? For what it’s worth, take a look at worship in the N.T. See how the early Christians worshipped. It’ll look like a donkey. No  instrumental music. No light shows. No fog. No concert atmosphere. Instead, everyone singing. Praying. Preaching. Taking the Lord’s Supper. Fellowship. Spiritual. Connecting to each other and to God. Many today would scream, “boring.” Who wants the donkey? We or Jesus? Are we doing what we want or what He has commanded?

Parenting has done the same thing. We have just finished a Jump Start series on parenting. We devoted one article on discipline. That is a Biblical topic. Do not spare the rod. God is not implying abuse or harming the child. That is not the intention. But spanking will grab a child’s attention and let him know that he is not doing something right. But modern parents have been told that all spanking is wrong. I read a report that connected bank robbery to being spanked as a child. I was spanked. Robbing a bank has never crossed my mind. What crosses my mind is that I got what I deserved. So, smarter than God, folks have tossed out discipline in the home. Allow a child to make up his own decisions. Allow him to be his own person. How dopey is that! I can tell you what a child will come up with. No school. Cake and Coke for breakfast. Staying in bed half the day. Watching TV until your eyes bug out. Trashing the house and never taking a bath. With that agenda, they’ll grow up dumb, dependent and useless. Eli’s sons were not restrained. God called them “Worthless.” Don’t try to be smarter than God. You’ll fail. Get the donkey. Toss out all the psychology books and read the book of Proverbs. Be a parent!

Is it too difficult to simply do what Jesus instructed? Stop trying to make things better. What you think is better is probably not. And by so doing, you are really doing nothing more than disobeying God. Churches have stopped disciplining wayward members. They don’t like it. They feel it never works. God said to do it. Churches have stopped evangelizing. Instead they cater to the cries of society. Folks have stopped baptizing. They take people as they are without being immersed for the forgiveness of sins. They have found a horse when all God wanted was a donkey. Do what God said.

Just bring the donkey. It’s that simple. Don’t go into town looking for anything else. Don’t think that Jesus deserves better. Don’t change what God says. They may not have fully realized it, but the donkey with the colt fulfilled an O.T. prophecy. A white horse wouldn’t do the trick. A white horse would have left one prophecy that Jesus didn’t fulfill. There are reasons why God says what He says. At the moment, we may not understand why we should get a donkey. God does. Don’t try to improve upon God.

The disciples did just as Jesus instructed. Are you doing that? Is that the way you are living? Have you found a horse when you should have been looking for a donkey?

Just stay with what God says!

Roger