Arrival of the King (Mark 11:1-11)

17 January 2010

I.     The setting in Jerusalem.
A.     It was time for the Passover celebration.
     1.     Passover celebrated the exodus from Egypt.
     2.     Jews came from all corners of the Roman Empire.
B.     There was much talk about Jesus, John 11:55-57.
     1.     Jesus was very widely known.
     2.     The crowds wanted to know what He would do.
     3.     The Jewish leaders were more dangerous than ever.
II.     Why all the detail about the donkey, vv. 1-7?
     A.     The basic story.
          1.     Jesus told two disciples to go get a donkey.
               a.     His knowledge of the donkey was a miracle.
               b.     He told the disciples exactly what to expect.
          2.     Everything happened exactly as Jesus said.
     B.     What is the meaning behind the story?
          1.     If fulfills a prophecy from Zachariah 9:9.
          2.     Jesus used it to make some statements.
               a.     He openly proclaimed His place as Messiah.
               b.     He directly challenged the Jewish leaders.
III.     The Triumphal Entry, vv. 8-11.
     A.     The crowds openly praised Jesus as the Messiah.
          1.     “Hosanna!” (Oh, save us now) was a shout of praise.
          2.     They recognized two things about Jesus as the Messiah.
               a.     He came in the name of the Lord (God’s plan).
               b.     He was from David’s family line.
     B.     Jesus knew the hearts of the people.
          1.     Some of the same people turned against Him later.
          2.     Jesus surveyed the temple to see how it was being used.
IV.     Points to consider.
     A.     God is in control.
          1.     Nothing moved Jesus away from fulfilling His purpose.
          2.     God is still working to accomplish His purpose.
          3.     We can trust God in good times and bad.
     B.     Be cautious of the praise of people.
          1.     Truly evaluate yourself and your abilities.
          2.     Seek God’s approval above all others.

Personal Challenges
1.     Read Mark 11-16 this week (one chapter a day).
     a.     Read to understand the “Big Picture.”
     b.     List 2 or 3 things from each chapter that are important to you.
2.     Do you know God in a personal relationship?