The Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. According to the Jewish customs, that would be the day the Jewish people would select the lamb that would be sacrificed for the Passover. Isn’t that interesting that it was that same day that Jesus, The Lamb of God, came to Jerusalem. The purpose of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem was to declare His Kingship. KINGSHIP OVER DEATH. KINGSHIP OVER SIN, KINGSHIP OVER SICKNESS AND DISEASES.

Read Luke 19:28-40 (NLT)

Why would Jesus choose a donkey to make this triumphal entrance?  To fulfill a 500 year old prophecy in Zechariah 9:9

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 makes this donkey, the most important part of His Triumphal entrance. He sent 2 of His disciples on a mission to find this specific donkey.

“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.”

• This donkey was TIED UP for one purpose and one purpose only: To carry the King
• This donkey was TIED UP waiting to be loosed by calling

When things are tied up together, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It symbolizes strength, unity, community. When a couple gets married they tie the knot symbolizing 2 separate individuals united to become one with God. When things are tied up, it means that they go together!

1. BLESSINGS AND BURDENS

• A donkey is known as a beast of burden trained to carry burdens that we cannot carry. Yet again this beast of burden was chosen to carry the world’s greatest blessing, Jesus and Jesus the greatest blessing would chose to carry the burden of the whole world upon his shoulders.
• Blessings and burdens would often times go hand in hand
• Throughout scripture we can see how a blessing could be tied up to a burden
• Abraham’s blessing as the father of the many nations was tied up to a burden. It came in the form of a test: the offering of his son as a sacrifice
• Moses’ blessing as the deliverer was tied up to the burden of confronting Pharaoh to let God’s people go
• David’s blessing as the greatest king, was tied up to the burden of leading a nation, a kingdom
• Nehemiah’s blessing of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem was tied up in the burden of dealing
• Could it be that the burden that you have is tied up to the blessing God has for you?
• Everybody understands blessings but what’s a burden?
• Let’s look at some 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?

2. UNQUALIFIED AND CHOSEN

• This donkey was totally inexperienced, unqualified. It has never carried anything in its life. It has never been ridden before.
• The donkey was unqualified and yet chosen!
• What task or assignment you think God has given to you? Do you see yourself as the most unqualified?
• The donkey’s job was chosen by God not to carry the burden, he was chosen by God to carry the one who would carry the burden of the whole world!
• God has a habit of choosing the most unqualified to accomplish his greatest tasks

3. TIMING AND OPPORTUNITY

• 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!
• One can look at the timing and see all the missed opportunities.
• Or one can look at the timing and see all kinds of opportunities
• Here’s the greatest opportunity of all: TO HUMBLE OURSELVES AND TURN TO GOD

Tied up together: blessing and burden, unqualified and chosen, timing and opportunity is:  GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SINS AND RESTORE THEIR LAND. ¹⁵ MY EYES WILL BE OPEN AND MY EARS ATTENTIVE TO EVERY PRAYER MADE IN THIS PLACE. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)

CONCLUSION

• Could it be that TODAY’S BURDEN is tied up to TOMORROW’S BLESSING?
• Could it be that your UNQUALIFIED SELF is tied up to YOUR CHOSEN DESTINY?
• Could it be that GOD’S TIMING is tied up to HIS DIVINE OPPORTUNITY?