OPENING STATEMENT: Palm Sunday. The Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Jewish customs: Selection of the lamb that would be sacrificed for the Passover. Isn’t that interesting that Jesus chose that same day?

Arriving on a donkey, He chose that day to make a statement: I am The Lamb of God! The only lamb that can take away your sin and the sin of the world!

After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples.  As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.
As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.
“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road.
Luke 19:28-40 NLT

Why would Jesus use a donkey on such an important occasion?

• Jesus chose a donkey for many reasons. The main one was to fulfill a 500-year-old prophecy given by the prophet Zechariah.

Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! LOOK, YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU. HE IS RIGHTEOUS AND VICTORIOUS, YET HE IS HUMBLE, RIDING ON A DONKEY— riding on a donkey’s colt. (Zechariah 9:9 NLT)

• Jesus used a donkey to show that authority of a king does not have tied up with pride and arrogance but tied up in humility.

God would use a donkey to teach us valuable truths:

#1 BLESSINGS AND BURDENS

• God would use a donkey to show us that a blessing can be tied up to a burden.

“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey TIED there that no one has ever ridden. UNTIE IT and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you UNTYING that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were UNTYING IT, the owners asked them, “Why are you UNTYING that colt?”34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” (Luke 19:30-34 NLT)

• God would use a donkey, a beast of burden, to carry the world’s greatest blessing the world has ever known, Jesus.
• God would use a burden in our lives to point us to a blessing He has in store for us.
• Synonyms of burden: responsibility, charge, duty, care, a problem.
• Could it be that your blessing is tied up to a responsibility, charge, duty, care you’ve been given, a problem that God wants you to solve?

Don’t walk away from your immediate responsibility because you cannot see the blessing.

• Sometimes the blessing comes wrapped in a package that resembles a burden.

#2 UNQUALIFIED AND CHOSEN

• God would use a donkey to shown us that unqualified and chosen can be tied together.

“Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a YOUNG DONKEY TIED THERE THAT NO ONE HAS EVER RIDDEN. (Luke 19:30 NLT)

• The donkey has never been ridden before. Inexperienced and unqualified.
• The donkey was unqualified and yet chosen!
• If God could use an unqualified donkey, He can certainly use you and me.
• Are you unqualified for the assignment? Hang in there. Don’t quit. He chose you!

#3 TIMING AND OPPORTUNITY

• God would use a donkey to teach us that He is in charge of timing and opportunities.
• How many times do we think that God has got the timing all wrong, especially when we are in a season of drought. That by waiting, we have missed our opportunity!
• His timing is always perfect, and nothing catches Him by surprise!

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT)

CONCLUSION
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?