1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. Mark 11:1-7

In our last look at Mark, we followed Jesus as he neared his death in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover feast. As Jesus neared the city, he did something uncharacteristic. All through Mark's gospel, Jesus has silenced people. Only recently, with Bartimaeus, has Jesus begun to invite attention. And now, as they approach the eastern side of the city, Jesus decides to mount a young donkey and ride into Jerusalem like a coming king. His behavior stands out to us. It is new, bizarre, and must be full of meaning. What does it show us of Christ? What can we learn?

Jesus Is in Control

One of the first lessons of the passage is that Jesus is in control. As they approached the city, he sent two of his disciples to collect a colt* (2). The other gospels tell us it was the colt of a donkey, and that they also took the colt's mother, likely as a way to calm the younger animal (Matthew 21:2). The disciples had to obtain the donkey in an unconventional way. Jesus directed them to a specific place in Bethphage where they would find the colt tied up. Take it, Jesus said. And if anyone bothers you about it, say, "The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately"** (2-4). The disciples went in and found it exactly as Jesus had said. After receiving permission to take the colt, they delivered it to Jesus, putting their cloaks on it as a makeshift saddle. It reads like a miraculous event. Years earlier Jesus had told Peter to cast his net, and he brought in a major haul of fish. Here, it appears the Lord has supernaturally provided the donkey. But it is also possible that Jesus has prearranged for the donkey's use. John's gospel reminds us how much time Jesus and the disciples spent in Jerusalem for the various feasts, so he could have made arrangements at an earlier date. And this would not be uncharacteristic, because it is clear he reserved the upper room for the last supper well in advance. Either way, Jesus is presented here as handling the details surrounding his death. He knows what he is doing. He knows where he is heading. And he orchestrated all the events precisely as he desired. He is in control. And all the events Jesus organized that day are nothing compared to the way he plotted for mankind's salvation. From the foundation of earth, Jesus was slain (Revelation 13:8). Before the inception of the galaxies, God put the cross of Christ into motion. Event after event, age after age, was organized by God to produce the first coming of the Son. He is in control. Pontius Pilate thought he was in control on the day Jesus died; he wondered why Jesus wouldn't speak to him, since he had the authority to crucify Jesus (John 19:10). Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11). As Peter said when he preached his first sermon, "Jesus (was) delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). God was in control. God is in control. When our world shakes, when pandemics arise, and when division strikes, God is in control. He is unmoved and unsurprised. Jesus himself said there would be wars and rumors of wars (Mark 13:7). He said, "When you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place (Luke 21:9). He said there would be "great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences" (Luke 21:11). None of it shocks him. But, through it all, he churns out his kingdom. He is making disciples and shaping people into his image. He no longer collects young donkeys, but people, and uses them for his purposes. He handles the details of his kingdom, and the details of our lives, for his glory.

Romans 8:28 (NLT) — 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

He Was In Need

And then there was this paradox. As much as Jesus is portrayed as the Sovereign Lord who is in control, he was also in need. The disciples had to tell the donkey's owners "the Lord has need of it" (3, 6). And Jesus needed the two disciples to run this errand for him. This is Jesus. Rich, yet poor. Creator, yet the Son of Man. Handling the details, but searching for compliance in his people. The Son of God chose to put himself in a position of need—still does. He could blast the gospel forth from an angelic choir in heaven, he could solve the riddle of fatherlessness, he could reach out to those in poverty. One day he will, but today, for the most part, he chooses to use his people. Remember Philip? His story is found in Acts. God saw an Ethiopian official heading home from Jerusalem. The man was reading about Jesus in the book of Isaiah. He didn't know what the words meant. So God sent Philip to the desert road to meet the man (Acts 8:26). And Philip led the man to Christ. God needed Philip. He wanted to use Philip's mind and voice for his kingdom. In our story today, Jesus needed the colt and the obedience of two of his disciples. And, praise God, they volunteered themselves. Jesus, the one in control, had a say in the lives of his men. Let us give him a say in our lives as well.