Are You Willing To Be A Donkey?

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Verses Covered (All scripture NKJV unless otherwise noted):

Sermon Notes:

Please not that these are the Pastors actual sermon notes. Depending on time/Holy Spirit/How Well It Goes they may or may not get to all the things on this list. These are posted for SEO and also because some people like to follow along. Enjoy.

Be a donkey. Carry Jesus. #PalmSunday

Are you willing to be a Donkey

Americans are obsessed with what they drive- we judge people by what they drive- we make assumptions about them, we think things about them- just because of what they drive
Dave Ramsey Says- Wealthy people don’t care what people think about them
Matt 21:1-9
Interesting Text- out of any animal in the world that the savior of the world chooses to ride into jerusalem on Palm Sunday- he chooses a Donkey- an ass
Now, understand God had chosen to fulfill his plan riding upon a donkey, on a colt the foal of a donkey. But what does it mean? What does it mean to us? What can we gain from it?
Title of Todays message- Are you willing to be a Donkey?
Background
Today we celebrate- Palm Sunday- its a week before Easter- a remarkable day in the ministry of Jesus where he enters into jerusalem proclaiming his messiahship
The people cry out- Hosanna- Hosanna in the highest- blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord- mind you-some of these people next week are yelling Crucify him!
Today- I want to focus on this Donkey- I wanted to say ass over and over in my sermon- but I figured the parents wouldn’t like it if there were kids in the service
Here’s the deal- If God can use a stinky little donkey in the triumphant fulfillment of his plan then just maybe he’s can use me too

So lets talk about This here Donkey

Little bit of history about Donkeys
Equus africanus asinus, The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African wild ass, E. africanus.
The donkey has been used as a working animal for at least 5000 years.
There are more than 40 million donkeys in the world,
A male donkey or ass is called a jack, a female a jenny or jennet a young donkey is a foal. Jack donkeys are often used to mate with female horses to produce mules.
Asses were first domesticated around 3000 BC, probably in Egypt or Mesopotamia, and have spread around the world.
PICTURE OF TIJUANA Donkey- 1949 I got one in 83, probably same stand there today
PICTURE OF EGYPT DONKEY In egypt and Bosnia major means of transportation- I dont believe in reincarnation- but if I did not as a Donkey
In the East, however, ridden by persons of the highest rank and is decorated with saddle and harness as rich as those of the horse.
In the west the image is a horse
, but in Palestine donkey would be considered most appropriate for that purpose.
For example, we find that Abraham, an exceptionally wealthy man, and a chief of high position, made use of the donkey for the saddle. It was on a donkey that he travelled when he made his three days’ journey from Beersheba to Moriah when he was called to prove his faith by sacrificing Isaac. Genesis 22:3
In the book of Judges we find that riding upon the donkey (ass) is actually mentioned as a mark of high rank. Judges 3-4
great men, the sons of the chief man in Israel, each of them being the ruler over a city, rode upon a colt of a donkey. We see this same anomaly occur just two chapters away.
Judges 12:13-14 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. And he had forty sons and thirty nephews,that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
Hence we see the use of a donkey as a saddle animal was not a mark of humility. It instead is a mark of prestige.
The Scriptures are essentially Eastern in all their allusions and tone of thought. In consequence of the very natural habit of reading Scriptures according to our Western ideas, many persons have totally perverted the sense of one very familiar passage, the prophecy of Zechariah concerning the future Messiah.
So, basically, Jesus rode the same means of travel as kings- dont westernize it
Lets look at this donkey here-

The Donkey First had to be selected

1-3 As they approached Jerusalem… Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
Clearly Jesus has made arrangements to use this donkey ahead of time. this specific donkey had been set aside for a noble purpose. a prestigious purpose- the example of his kingship
It was prophesied-vv. 4-5 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ’See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
550 years earlier Zechariah had prophesied about this little donkey. God had a plan and this donkey was selected by God to play a part in His plan.
And he has selected you also-
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.
We did choose him as our savior- but we did not choose who would be the savior
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Being selected is huge- trying to go for a job- getting rejected over and over- it wears on you- why wont someone hire me?
Trying to find a date for the dance, a friend to hang out with, Its painful to feel like you’re not being picked- like you’re the cast out- the one that no one wants
God chooses YOU- You’re his number one Donkey- You’re the one he wants to show his glory on-God takes the lowly of the world and uses it for HIS glory- will you allow him to use you?

2.The Donkey had to be Sanctified

Mark 11:2 you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden.
Such animals in Jewish tradition often had special religious significance, because they had never been used for any worldly purpose.- the value of the animal was in its pureness- blamelessness
This Donkey hadn’t been ridden before- Hadn’t been used before
Think about this- the Donkey is a working animal- the value is what it is able to do
Did you know a donkey only eats 1.5% of it weight a day v 2.5% for a horse? A donkey is stronger than a horse of the same size- pound for pound- donkey beats horse (bud should use)
Only a pure horse that hadn’t been ridden, that was kept blameless would be good enough
but his purpose was NOBLE- it was a demonstration of the kingship of JESUS
you must be sanctified from the world also to be useful to the Lord
2 Timothy 2:21 If a man cleanses himself from [wickedness], he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
Think if this Donkey had been used for the past 10 years in hard labor, and the time comes for the Lord to ride it, and he can’t even muster up the energy?
Rev 1:66 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen
Are you willing to be a Donkey? To be used by God? To be the one he can ride on?
we must Preserve our time and energy to use for the Lord’s service.- an old tired mule isn’t of much use- a fresh donkey can do a lot of work!
Being Sanctified also means being Prepared for the Lords use
7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.
The donkey was prepared for the Lord’s use and we need to be prepared too.
1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
This Christian life is serious business- being prepared for everyday ministry opportunities
Finally, to be useful to the Lord, like the Donkey We must be…

The Donkey was submitted

Donkeys are not known for a submissive temperament, it is worth noting that this donkey presents himself to the master to be used.
What most people don’t understand about donkeys is that its not that they are stubborn- they have a keen sense of what is safe and what is not- If it appears to be unsafe- they wont even attempt to move forward
So Jesus comes, covers this donkey with cloaks, and the Donkey submits to be used by the messiah as he sees fit
are you willing to submit?
2 Timothy 2:15 “present yourself to God”
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God
The Donkey Was Humble
In spite of the importance of the donkey’s role in the fulfillment of prophecy, he still plays a bit part. His job is to lift up Jesus so that Jesus can be seen by the crowds.
We have a similar role in God’s plan, not to be exalted but to exalt Christ. To make him be seen by the world. The apostle Paul wrote…
Galatians 6:13 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus warned us in His sermon on the mount not to be like the religious people who did their good deeds to be seen by men, the Good works that the Lord has prepared in advance for us are works that bring glory to his Name and not our own. Like the donkey we must be satisfied with a humble part in God’s plan.
The Donkey Was a Servant
Donkeys are often a lifeline to families in many regions of the world. They help with water and wood fuel collection, land cultivation and transportation of produce to market.
Donkeys are used as guard animals for cattle, sheep and goats since they have a natural aversion to canines and will keep them away from a flock
John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor
1 cor 4:1-2 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful
are you willing to be a servant for Christ? act the role and part that he has selected you to do?
a servant does what his master requires- he takes pleasure in pleasing the master

A Donkey Takes care of the Herd
Donkeys don’t like being kept on their own although a single donkey will live quite happily with goats.
A herd will choose the strongest donkey to be their leader, even if domesticated. In the wild the lead donkey would stay to ward off an attack by a wolf or other predators in order to allow the rest of the herd to escape to safety.
Donkeys in a herd will groom each other in the same way as monkeys and chimps do.
a Donkey left to themself is not good
Phil2:4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others
1 thes 5:11 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing

carry cross on back

I want to show you this picture of a donkey- and this interesting mark is found on most donkey breeds- a cross on their backs-
DO NOT SHOW DONKEY BACK CROSS PIC UNTIL I ASK PLEASE
Matt 16:24 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me
we, like the Donkey, must daily have the cross on our back- a remembrance of whose we are and who we are in Christ Jesus
Think of this-next day the Donkey goes back to all his Donkey friends, talking about the previous day, no one remembers him, palm branches etc. “You’re just a donkey without Christ on your back”

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