Palm Sunday

No One is Too Small for God’s Purpose

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 Saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” Matthew 21:2-3 ESV

Neither the disciples nor anyone in the village, could imagine why Jesus sent for the donkey that morning. God’s revealed that He had a plan and purpose tied alongside the donkey since He had spoken to the prophet Zechariah about it 550 years earlier. It is also important for us to know God’s purpose for our lives, but they aren’t always big purposes in our way of thinking. Though God’s big purposes aren’t about a bigger house, a bigger car, or a bigger bank account. Instead, He takes great joy in showing us that our small car, our small house and our small bank account can accomplish His plans if we will simply follow Him. And because God’s purposes are different for every person, we need don’t need to worry what others around us are doing. That morning the donkey only had to focus on the gentle tug on his reigns, to know when to slow down, to turn and when to hurry. He didn’t need to understand what people were doing around him, or know where Jesus was leading, he only needed to take one step at a time through the crowd that day.

So, what lies straight ahead on your path? Does it seem confusing that others are racing ahead of you, or do you feel confused by the sea of voices that seem to drown out yours? Be like that donkey this morning and just listen carefully for the quiet voice of Jesus, be sensitive to his touch when he pulls back on the reins and be ready to hurry forward when He urges you on. God has a big plan that includes our small part and He only asks that we trust Him about the destination He has chosen today!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

A Borrowed Manger – A borrowed Donkey – A borrowed tomb

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Yesterday we had our Palm Sunday meeting at Watermark Assisted Living. This week has been a busy yet blessed week. We had the opportunity to attend a disability ministry training session with the Joni and Friends Ministry on Wednesday. It was amazing to see how similar their special needs outreach is to our Long-Term Care ministry. This Sunday, we looked at the fact the Jesus came into the world in a borrowed manger. Then He entered Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey and was buried in a borrowed tomb. Jesus never made any provision for the things of this world because it was not His home. He came from His home in Heaven and returned there, but all He did, all He gave and all He suffered was for us, so that we could have a home with Him in Heaven! Only Jesus can make the way for us to go where He went. That borrowed manger has long ago turned to saw dust, the borrowed donkey no longer is in his pasture and the borrowed tomb is empty! Our lives are only on loan from God. One day we must return them and meet Him face to face. He rode on the humble borrowed donkey so that we would not be afraid to receive Him as our King, our Lord and our Savior!

On Palm Sunday -How Will You Receive Jesus?

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This week is Palm Sunday, and though we cannot be certain that we are celebrating on an exact date, or even as some question whether we should have a special holiday; it is a good time to reflect. On what we refer to as Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, so that we would not be afraid to receive Him as King. But, no matter how He came, not everyone was ready to accept Jesus. How are you going to receive Him today?

The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:12-15 NLT
  1. Some received Him with joy and gratitude and followed Him to the cross

Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27

Jesus gave these people a special job to do

2) Some Received Him With Joy – but they ran to hide in fear

Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled. Matthew 26:55-56 NLT

Jesus came looking for these people and said, “Do not be afraid!” – And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Luke 24:36 NLT

3) Some Did Not Receive Him at All and they nailed Him to a cross

 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent. ” Luke 23:47 NLT

Jesus prayed for those people – Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Lk 23:34

But no matter which of these people you are today, we are really not so different. 

We all need to receive Him for ourselves and believe that He is the Son of God
We all need the cross of Christ for the forgiveness of our sins  
We all need the resurrection morning that will give us eternal life!

How Will You Receive Jesus Christ Today?