Gateway Baptist Church
April 6, 2025** Use**
      • Bible Trivia
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  • Bless that Wonderful Name of Jesus
  • Thou Art Worthy
  • All Hail The Power Of Jesus' Name (Coronation)
  • His Name Is Wonderful
  • Majesty

  • Luke 19:28-40

    Last week, we examined Luke’s account of Jesus informing His disciples for the third time that He must go to Jerusalem. He would suffer greatly and ultimately be crucified, as the prophets had foretold. We noted that they did not understand this statement because it was concealed from them.
    Jesus also had dinner with Zacchaeus, who repented of his sin, and Christ told him that salvation had come to his house (19:9). Jesus explained to those who were with Him that this was the reason why He was on earth (10). While there, Jesus spoke about the King who went to a far land to receive a kingdom for himself. He called ten servants and gave each of them ten minas. We learn about the obedient servants and the disobedient servants. Now, we are looking at Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
    The triumphal entry teaches us three attitudes of Christ and our identity in Him. First, we are called to be set apart and unblemished by the world. Second, just as He was obedient to the Father, we are to obey His commands. Lastly, we should listen not to the world, but to Him.

    Set-Apart:

    When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a colt that had never been ridden, He was fulfilling prophecy (Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ) while also teaching us about the power of being set apart for a divine purpose. This colt, untouched and unblemished, symbolizes our calling. Just as it was chosen and reserved for a significant moment, each of us has a unique purpose in God's plan, waiting to be fulfilled.
    Growing up around horses and donkeys, I learned that this colt, which no one has ever ridden, is unbroken. It has not been taught any bad habits, but it is also not rideable. Because of this, it qualified to perform a sacred task (Numbers 19:2 ““This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come.” ). Allow me to add something here: there is not a cowboy in the world quite like Christ. This colt, which had not been broken, never once bucked. In all my life, I have never seen anyone get on a colt and not act crazy or at least try to buck!
    Jesus was set apart like this colt to fulfill the works that God initiated before the foundations of the world. We, who belong to Him, are now set apart to carry out the ministry He has called us to. Matthew 28:19
    “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
    Because of His attitude of being set apart, we see His attitude of obedience.

    Obedience:

    In the face of his impending death, Jesus remained steadfast in his mission, demonstrating unwavering obedience to his Father’s will. This is a powerful reminder that obedience often requires us to sacrifice our desires for a higher purpose. In our own lives, we may encounter crossroads where God asks us to set aside our agendas to fulfill His remarkable plans.
    Jesus’ obedience was contagious; we can observe it in the disciples while He was with them. Jesus gives them a command to “Go and Bring it Back.” This is the same command found in Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” , where we are instructed to go and make disciples.
    However, these men did not face persecution and felt safe with Jesus nearby. How many of you will follow the example of these two disciples? There are outdated blue-book laws in Texas. One of them states that you can be arrested as a rustler if you are caught with wire cutters in your back pocket. Another law indicates that if you are caught rustling, you can still be hanged. So these men are going into a town to find this colt and bring him to Jesus. Would you? I would probably venture out and say yes. So why are you not doing what He calls you to do now?
    Their obedience is unwavering, but these are still the disciples who would scatter after Jesus’ arrest. They were courageously obedient when He was around but not when He was arrested and crucified.
    They brought the Colt back and set Jesus on it. As in 2 Kings 9:13, the people spread their cloaks on the road in an act of homage. These same people who are being obedient now will also be those who scatter and deny Him. It is easy to be obedient when there is no persecution, but what about when there is? When friends mock and laugh at you because you won’t do what the world and they do. Our attitude is we listen to Christ and not the world.
    2 Kings 9:13 ESV
    Then in haste every man of them took his garment and put it under him on the bare steps, and they blew the trumpet and proclaimed, “Jehu is king.”

    Listen:

    The Pharisees wanted Christ to rebuke His disciples. They commanded Him to reprimand them for their actions. They praised Him as the King from Heaven, as stated in Psalm 118:26. The Pharisees were terrified of Caesar, not God. If the Romans heard this, their way of life would be altered, leading to persecution. They listened to the ruler of the world instead of the King of the Universe.
    Psalm 118:26 ESV
    Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.
    Jesus, in turn, rebukes them and clarifies that if they were silent, the stones would praise Him. This reminds us of the Wedding Feast Parable, Matthew 22:1-14.
    I want to ask you a question. Whom do you listen to? King of kings or ruler of this world? Are you scared of the government or of God?
    What attitude are you walking around with? Your attitude towards Christ is a reflection of whom you serve.
    A young man once stood at a crossroads, trying to choose between the path of the world and the path of faith. With friends encouraging him to join the latest trends, he wrestled with the pressure to conform. One night, feeling lost, he opened his Bible and read Romans 12:2, 'Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.' In that moment, he recognized that aligning his attitude with Christ meant standing out, not fitting in. We all face a serious choice: will we let the world shape us, or will we strive to reflect Christ instead?
  • I'll Live For Him (My Life My Love)
Gateway Baptist Church
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