GO, DO AND SAY
Mark 11:1-6 NKJV
1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples; 2 and He said to them, “Go into the village opposite you; and as soon as you have entered it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has sat. Loose it and bring it. 3 And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately he will send it here.” 4 So they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 5 But some of those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing, loosing the colt?” 6 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. So they let them go.
This is an interesting story. First, we have to wonder why it’s even recorded. I mean, getting the donkey for Jesus to ride on is such a minor event. Or is it? Just as many other things in the Scriptures, there is more than meets the eye. There is something beyond the surface.
Jesus provides some detailed instructions to his disciples on obtaining a donkey for Him to ride into Jerusalem. In riding a donkey, He will be fulfilling Scripture, so the donkey is not a mere luxury or convenience. Jesus tells them where to find the donkey and to loose it and bring it. Then, He tells them what to say in the event that anyone questions them about taking an animal that does not belong to them. From all appearances, the disciples are stealing the donkey. So Jesus tells them what to say. Exactly what to say.
When the disciples go into town, they find the animal just as the Lord said. And as they were untying the donkey, some men standing nearby asked as to what they were doing. Or, in other words, hey, why are you stealing this donkey? So, the disciples spoke to the men exactly as Jesus had commanded them, and the men let them go.
We tend to read this story and eliminate the human element. How would you like to be sent into a town to "borrow" a donkey? Thieves are not favored in any culture, and the disciples may have had some trepidation in obtaining the ride for Jesus. But they trusted in Jesus, and when they said what He told them to say, it worked.
APPLICATION
There is certainly a lesson here for us. Even though Jesus is in heaven, seated at the right hand of God, He left us some help. The Holy Spirit was sent in His name to guide us, teach us, bring things to our memory, and to show us things to come. So we have a Helper who can lead us as to what to do and where to go.
I am fully convinced that Joy and I were led by the Holy Spirit to start The Ark Church in Conroe. We tried my hometown a few years earlier, but that did not turn out well. But when we follow where the Lord leads, we are on much safer ground, even if it does not appear that way at first.
One key thing that will require more than this short devotional can cover is learning to say what the Lord tells us to say. If the disciples had launched into their own explanation of why they were taking the donkey, things would have not turned out well. We can apply this to all of our lives. Go where He says go. Do what He says to do. And say what He says to say. So we do not talk fear. We speak words of faith in God. We don't talk as if we are abandoned. We say the Lord is our helper. We don't speak weakness and inability. We speak we can do all things through Christ.
It worked for the two disciples and a donkey. These same principles will work in our lives also.
PRAYER
Dear Lord, teach me to go where You want me to go. To do what You want me to do. And to say what You want me to say.