Title: Jesus Rejoices in Him
content
p; Mark 11:1-10
p; Today's sermon is set in the background when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was greatly welcomed. Just like our Chuseok, Jerusalem was buzzing with people who came from the countryside to keep the Passover, the biggest festival in Judea. When Jesus entered such an atmosphere, people who had heard of him and knew him recognized him and welcomed him in a big way.
p; 1. He delighted in his humble devotion
However, as I read today's text, I see a gentle figure of a man who is silently helping the Lord in the noisy atmosphere. It is the figure of the owner of the donkey on which the Lord rode. Who was this man who willingly offered his colt for Jesus? Judging from the front and back contents, there is no doubt that this person already believes and serves Jesus. He must have always been a person who knew how to freely give up what he had for the Lord. Nevertheless, it is not known who this person is. There is no way to know the person's name or even what kind of person he is.
p; There is a poem called ‘One Jujube’ by a poet named Jang Seok-ju.
There's no way it'll turn red on its own
some typhoons in there
some thunder in me
a few lightning bolts in there
There's no way I'm going to go round on my own
A few terrifying nights in me
Two months in the scorching sun
A few days of the crescent moon in me
p; The visible is the accumulation of the invisible. The results obtained show that there was a lot of unknown labor and sweat in it. Although it is said that it is anonymous, it is actually unknown to man, and not to God. God will know. Rather, even though God does not know who people know, God knows all the people that God should know.
p; The silent devotion of the owner of the nameless donkey today is an image that deeply touches our hearts in this noisy world, and it is an image of sincere faith that we must follow.
p; 2. He was pleased with the faith of his love.
bsp; The part where we can see the faith of the owner of the donkey is found in verse 3. It says, “Tell the Lord to use it, and he will send you here immediately.” He believed that if the Lord said he would use it, he would send it immediately. He trusted his faith. That's why he told his disciples to unconditionally release him. It's amazing. Many times we confess that we believe in Jesus, but will the Lord trust my faith? Yes, I know your beliefs. I believe you will I know your true love. If it were you, I know that you would cool my heart. Will you believe and accept that? The owner of this donkey must have been a man who truly loved Jesus. The Lord knows this man's faith and says, "The Lord will use it." Then, wouldn't he say, 'I will send it immediately'? How are you? ‘The Lord will use it’ Then can you send it right away?
Following his words, Jesus rode on a donkey that the disciples had brought and entered Jerusalem, and people who had heard of Jesus welcomed Him with a great deal of acquaintance. All Jerusalem was in a state of commotion as they took off their clothes and spread them on the road, plucking palm branches and shouting hosanna (save us).
p; Jesus was welcomed like this because people knew him as the Messiah who could solve their needs. At that time, people wished to get out of poverty by solving the difficult economy. Those who saw the power of Jesus feeding 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves in the field of Bethsaida believed that Jesus would solve such economic problems and lift them out of poverty and welcomed them with cheers. Others, seeing the power of Jesus, would have welcomed him in anticipation of doing something great, thinking that such a man might be the Messiah who would save a country occupied by Rome and under political oppression. However, such beliefs are immediately lifted and eventually turned into a sound to be crucified. Because Jesus was not the center, but my thoughts were the center. It was because he only thought of the Messiah who would fulfill his desires.
p; This can happen if you become a self-centered belief. It is such a faith that, even if you pray fervently and do something with great enthusiasm, you immediately feel discouraged. This is because the root of that belief was simply based on wanting to achieve one's own will and desires. Just like the Jews in Jerusalem. The foundation of faith is to empty our heart to follow the will of the Lord and to break down our desires to accomplish the will of the Lord.
p; The donkey's owner was a saint who truly loved the Lord. Therefore, ‘the Lord will use it’ means ‘sent immediately’.
p; 3. He was pleased with his sanctified heart.
bsp; However, the phrase “the foal of a donkey that no one has ridden” comes to mind. The Lord was the donkey's first guest.
p; Faith and devotion to God must always be pure and sincere. According to the sacrificial regulations in the Old Testament, sacrifices to God were always to be offered “without blemish.” “The colt that no one rode on” means that it was prepared only for the Lord. So the Lord became the first guest on the donkey. Like the firstfruits, I gave that little back to the Lord.
p; A few weeks ago, a young man came to me and held out an envelope saying, “I will give you all my first salary.” It gave the first fruits. It was a beautiful gift because it is something that can only be done once in a lifetime, something that no one can do, but it will be a trace of one's faith for the rest of his life. That would be the confession of faith to receive the Lord first in my life. It will be the dedication of the donkey who serves the Lord first.
p; Faith is thus serving God first.
bsp; Putting God at the center of my thoughts.
bsp; It is to have God first in my life.
bsp; It is to have God as the Lord of my life.
There are people who say that they do not have time to lead a religious life. Others seem to snoop around once in a while in their religious life. It is a picture of putting God somewhere at the end. However, when God is in the first place in our lives, we can taste the joy and fullness of our souls for ourselves. Faith is the first and most precious thing to do in life. This is another meaning of the saying that the Lord was the first guest on the colt that no one rode on.
p; May all of you be the joy of the Lord. I bless you that you will have faith that the Lord trusts and pleases.