Mark 11:1

Mark 11:1 says, And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,  Jesus was about to make His entry into Jerusalem.  He was not going to sneak in hoping not to be seen but was going openly in the sight of everyone.  Even though He knew what awaited Him there, He was not going in downcast.  We as Christians need to openly worship God today, and no matter what the world may threaten us with, we must never be downcast in our faith. Verse two adds, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.  Jesus told two of His disciples to go into the village where they would find a colt that no one had ever ridden tied up.  Jesus said they were to loosen the colt and bring it to Him.  Jesus was not going to enter Jerusalem on a mighty steed, but on a lowly donkey.  We today do not need to be looking for worldly acclaim as we serve God but need to serve Him humbly.  Verse three continues, And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.  The disciples had to have faith to do what Jesus was asking, since they could have been accused of stealing the colt.  If we know beyond a doubt that God has called on us to do something, we should never be afraid to do it.  Jesus told these two disciples if anyone asked what they were doing to tell them that the Lord had need of the colt, and the one asking would send them back to Jesus.  I believe that anytime God tells us to do something that involves others that He will always go ahead of us to prepare the way.  When we have done what God asks us to do, we need to return to Him in obedience.  Verse four states, And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.  The disciples went, and everything happened as Jesus said it would.  If God is behind what we are doing, we need to simply do it, and then return to Him to see what He has for us to do next.  The first step to doing what God would have us do is always putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse five adds, And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?  Verse six continues, And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.  The disciples did get asked what they were doing, and they obediently told those asking what Jesus had told them to say.  We need to be obedient in doing what God tells us to do and rely on Him to take care of the details.  Verse seven says, And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him  After the two disciples returned with donkey colt, the disciples put their garments on it, and Jesus sat on him.  They might have thought that a majestic steed would have been more appropriate for a coming King, but we need to realize that Jesus did not come to meet our expectations.  Yet sometimes we treat Him that way.  Still, no matter what they thought, they were willing to help Him as He prepared to go continue on His journey.  This should be our attitude as well.  Even if we may think that God should do things differently, we need to simply bow to His leadership.  Verse eight adds, And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.  Some of the people around the disciples and Jesus began to lay their garments on the ground in front of Him, while others cut branches from trees and placed them in front of Jesus as He traveled on.  They were acknowledging that Jesus was someone important by their actions, but they still had not acknowledged Him as the Messiah in their heart.  We may take actions that show we believe in Jesus Christ, but if we have not accepted Him as our personal Savior and Lord, they are empty deeds.  Verse nine states, And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: The people also cried out acknowledging Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to David that the Messiah would come as from his lineage.  Verse ten adds, Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.  They sang Hosanna to the highest as they accompanied Him, but they still didn't understand Who He really was nor what He really came to do.  We may sing praises to God all day long, but if we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, it does us no good.