I’m sure we have all heard this question before. And I’m sure we have all heard that there is a difference between what we want and what we need. Sometimes there is an overlap, but sometimes what we want and what we need can be polar opposites.
And if you are one who follows the lectionary might be wondering why I’m talking about need and want. The main Gospel reading for today is the Passion narrative from Mark. Well today is Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I think we have watered down our faith to be about what is best for society. We have turned today, the day of the triumphal entry into a day we have to share the Passion because people aren’t going to come on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. They will only hear the triumphal entry story and the story of the stone rolled away and the resurrection. So rather than not allow people to hear only the good parts of the story, we make those who will be at worship to listen to the story on Sunday and again on Thursday and Friday. As you can tell, I think we should focus on the triumphal entry…
So I’m talking about need and want because of the text we read for Palm Sunday in year B of the lectionary, Mark 11:1-11.
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.” ’ They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’
Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
Jesus is coming into Jerusalem and needs to fulfill the prophecy of riding on a donkey, but that is not the best part of the text in my opinion. You see in the Gospels and actually all of the scriptures there is only one thing that it says Jesus ever says He needs. And that is in our text today. In today’s text it is a colt, in Matthew it is a donkey and a colt. But the message is clear, the only thing that Jesus says He needs is a donkey. What do you need?
Jesus is entering Jerusalem to the shouts of Hosanna by a group of people who will only days from now call for His execution, and He needs a donkey. Jesus has endured the people chasing after Him to heal there illness, and fix their lives, He has had to ward off the Pharisees, and the Jewish leaders. He has put up with the disciples not getting it year after year, and yet all He needs is a donkey! Our TV goes out and we have to have one. We get upset when the internet is not working on our flight. We whine about the littlest things, and Jesus is entering Jerusalem, the city in which He will be killed, to the shouts of a crowd that He knows will turn on Him and knowing the physical beating and agony He will endure and all He needs is a donkey. And when you boil it down the only reason He needs this is to fulfill prophecy!
So what do you need?
aSacredRebel 