MARK 11:1-11| TRUST AND OBEY

 “TRUST AND OBEY”

 MARK 11:1-11

MARCH 25, 2018

DID THEY?  SEND IT BACK, I MEAN.  THE DONKEY… DID THEY SEND IT BACK?

JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES THAT, IF, WHILE THEY ARE COMMANDEERING A DONKEY ON WHICH HE CAN RIDE INTO JERUSALEM…

ITS OWNERS ASK: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

TELL THEM: “THE LORD HAS NEED OF IT AND WILL SEND IT BACK IMMEDIATELY.”

SO, DID HE?  DID JESUS SEND THE DONKEY BACK TO ITS RIGHTFUL OWNERS ONCE THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY WAS OVER?

THERE’S NO RECORD OF IT; NO ACCOUNT OF ONE OF THE DISCIPLES SCHLEPPING THE DONKEY BACK TO WHERE THEY FOUND IT; BUT WE – BELIEVING JESUS TO BE A MAN OF HIS WORD; A MAN OF GOD’S WORD; BEING THE WORD, IN FACT;

HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THAT HE SENT THE DONKEY BACK.

BESIDES, WHAT HE HAD TOLD THE DISCIPLES TO TELL THE OWNERS OF THE DONKEY, CERTAINLY SEEMED TO SATISFY THEM, BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED THE DISCIPLES TO TAKE THE DONKEY FOR JESUS’ USE.

THEY TRUSTED… AND OBEYED.  SO, DID THE DISCIPLES.

DO YOU REMEMBER THAT GOOD ‘OL HYMN?

“TRUST AND OBEY, FOR THERE’S NO OTHER WAY, TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS, BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY.”

THAT’S THE REFRAIN; THE VERSES SPEAK OF HOW, WHEN WE WALK IN THE LIGHT OF CHRIST, NO SHADOW, NO CLOUD, NO BURDEN OR TOIL IS TOO MUCH, IF ONLY WE WILL TRUST AND OBEY.

AND, IF IN THIS LIFE, THEN IN THE NEXT AS WELL, WE WILL BE BY CHRIST’S SIDE.

IT’S THE LAST VERSE I LOVE MOST:

“THEN IN THE FELLOWSHIP SWEET, WE’LL SIT AT HIS FEET, OR WE’LL WALK BY HIS SIDE IN THE WAY; WHAT HE SAYS WE WILL DO, WHERE HE SENDS WE WILL GO, NEVER FEAR, ONLY TRUST AND OBEY…”

AND THEN THE REFRAIN, AGAIN: “TRUST AND OBEY, FOR THERE’S NO OTHER WAY, TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS, BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY.”

I’M THINKING THE DONKEY GOT HOME JUST FINE!  AND WE WILL TOO!

JESUS’ TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM, PALM SUNDAY, THIS LAST SUNDAY BEFORE THE FIRST SUNDAY – THE FIRST EASTER –

NOT ONLY SETS THE STAGE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS’ EARTHLY LIFE – THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS OF IT; THE CHEERS AND THE JEERS; THE PRAISES AND THE BETRAYALS; HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION;

IT ALSO SETS THE STAGE FOR OUR LIVES IN CHRIST, AS WELL; LIVES WHERE WE TRUST AND OBEY.

TRUSTING IN, OBEYING, AND BELIEVING IN CHRIST, FOLLOWING CHRIST, SERVING CHRIST, IS NOT SOME SORT OF MAGIC SPELL THAT MAKES ALL OUR PROBLEMS DISAPPEAR;

A FREE-GET-OUT-OF-JAIL-CARD FOR LIFE’S HARDSHIPS AND TROUBLES;

IT’S NO FORCEFIELD OF PROTECTION, NO CLOAKING DEVICE, NO CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY TO KEEP US FROM TROUBLE – IT JUST DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY…

AND WHAT BETTER PROOF OF THIS THAN WHAT HAPPENED TO JESUS IN THE WEEK AHEAD, AT THE HANDS OF THE WORLD?!

WHY WOULD WE, WHY SHOULD WE, EXPECT IT TO BE ANY DIFFERENT FOR US?

HOWEVER, EVEN IN THE FACE OF ALL THIS – WHAT IS IT THAT JESUS, HIMSELF, DOES – BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY – GOD, HIS FATHER!

“THY KINGDOM COME… THY WILL BE DONE… NOT MY WILL, BUT THY WILL BE DONE…”

AND THIS IS WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THE HYMN TRIES TO CAPTURE IN WORDS:

DESPITE DARKNESS, SHADOW, AND CLOUD –

DESPITE BURDEN, TOIL, AND DESPAIR –

DESPITE IT ALL – WE ARE TO TRUST AND OBEY.

ONE NIGHT AT A DWIGHT L. MOODY EVANGELISTIC MEETING IN BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A YOUNG MAN STOOD UP TO TESTIFY.

HE SAID, “I’M NOT QUITE SURE,” MEANING HE WASN’T ACTUALLY CERTAIN GOD WOULD FORGIVE HIM OF HIS SINS – BUT THEN HE CONTINUED – “BUT I’M GOING TO TRUST, AND I’M GOING TO OBEY…”

“I’M GOING TO TRUST, AND I’M GOING TO OBEY.”

DANIEL TOWER WAS THE SONG LEADER FOR THAT MEETING.  HE WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THE YOUNG MAN’S TESTIMONY THAT HE WROTE THOSE WORDS DOWN AND PUT THEM IN HIS POCKET.

LATER, HE WROTE A FRIEND, JOHN SAMMIS.  IN HIS LETTER, HE TOLD OF THE YOUNG MAN’S TESTIMONY, AND INCLUDED THE YOUNG MAN’S WORDS: “I’M GOING TO TRUST, AND I’M GOING TO OBEY.”

SAMMIS QUICKLY TRANSFORMED THE WORDS INTO A HYMN CHORUS – THE REFRAIN WE SPOKE OF EARLIER – THEN ADDED FIVE STANZAS TO GO WITH THE CHORUS, AND SENT THEM TO TOWNER, WHO COMPOSED THE TUNE WE SING TODAY.

WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER THAT YOUNG MAN, NO ONE KNOWS HIS NAME, EVER KNEW THAT HIS TESTIMONIAL WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS HYMN.

BUT WHAT THIS REMINDS US, IS, THAT GOD CAN USE EVERY FAITHFUL WORD WE UTTER, EVERY GOOD DEED WE PERFORM, IN WAYS THAT GO FAR BEYOND OUR IMAGINING.

WHO KNOWS WHAT A SIMPLE WORD OF TESTIMONY OR KINDNESS; AN ACT OF CARING OR COMFORT; A FAITHFUL DEED; CAN DO TO BRING ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

DURING THE NCAA COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, THEY HAVE BEEN SHOWING A COMMERCIAL FOR… ACTUALLY, I DON’T REMEMBER WHAT IT’S FOR…

BUT IT SHOWS A MAN WINNING A WRESTLING MATCH, AND THEN CARRYING HIS OPPONENT WHO HAS BEEN INJURED, AND IS UNABLE TO WALK, TO THE SIDELINES;

IN THE NEXT FRAME THERE’S A MAN WINNING A RACE, THEN TURNING BACK TO HELP A RUNNER WHO’S STRUGGLING TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE;

THEN A WINNING BASKETBALL PLAYER, HELPING A MEMBER OF THE LOSING TEAM UP OFF THE FLOOR, AND CONSOLING HIM IN HIS AGONY OF DEFEAT.

THROUGHOUT THE COMMERCIAL THEY POST THE WORD “WIN” FOR THE VICTOR, AND “WINNER” WHEN THE VICTOR IS HELPING THE OTHER.

WINNING IS IMPORTANT; BUT BEING A GOOD WINNER (AS WELL AS A GOOD LOSER) IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.

ON PALM SUNDAY, AT THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY, JESUS APPEARS THE WINNER.

“HOSANNA!  BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!

BLESSED IS THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF OUR ANCESTOR DAVID!

HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN!”

BY WEEK’S END, JESUS APPEARS TO BE ANYTHING BUT A WINNER, AND MORE, A LOSER OF GREATEST PROPORTION – LOSING EVEN HIS LIFE, FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL.

GOD, HOWEVER, HAS OTHER PLANS, AND BY EASTER MORNING, JESUS NOT ONLY WINS, BUT IS THE WINNER, THE VICTOR, AND SO ARE WE!

IN CLASSICAL THEOLOGY ONE OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF JESUS’ DEATH AND RESURRECTION IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE CHRISTUS VICTOR THEORY –

THE IDEA THAT CHRIST IS VICTORIOUS OVER SIN, OVER EVIL, OVER DEATH;

AND THAT IN HIS VICTORY, WE HAVE OUR OWN!

BUT THEN, THAT’S REALLY THE MESSAGE FOR NEXT SUNDAY.

WHEN JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM, THE OUTCOME IS ANYTHING BUT DECIDED.

THERE ARE THOSE WELCOMING HIM, WHO ARE FOR HIM; AND EQUALLY AS MANY, IF NOT MORE, AGAINST HIM.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEE IN HIM, THE PROMISED MESSIAH; AND THOSE WHO SEE A DANGEROUS RABBLE ROUSER AND DISRUPTER OF THE STATUS QUO.

AND, AS WE’VE ALREADY SAID, BY WEEK’S END, THERE’S LITTLE DOUBT AS TO WHICH SIDE PREVAILS;

JESUS ARRESTED, TRIED, BEATEN, CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED.

BUT BY THE FIRST OF THE WEEK, WHAT WITH SUNDAY BEING THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK AND ALL, AND EASTER, JESUS HAS STOOD EVERYTHING ON ITS HEAD;

AND THE OUTCOME IS CERTAIN IN A WHOLE OTHER WAY.

OF ALL THE MESSAGES THERE ARE IN THIS, AND THERE ARE MANY, THERE IS AT LEAST A WORD TO US ABOUT HOW IT IS FOR US AS WELL.

THOSE TIMES, WHEN UP AGAINST INSURMOUNTABLE ODDS, WE SOMEHOW COME OUT ON TOP.

THOSE MOMENTS WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO SNATCH VICTORY OUT OF THE JAWS OF DEFEAT.

THOSE TIMES, WHEN, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, WE ARE LOST, ONLY TO BE FOUND; BLIND, BUT NOW WE SEE.

“I’M NOT QUITE SURE,” WE SAY, “BUT I WILL TRUST” AND “I WILL OBEY”.

AND WHEN THOSE TIMES COME, AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, PERHAPS, IT’S NOT ONLY FOR OUR SAKE THAT THEY HAPPEN; BUT, QUITE POSSIBLY, FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS; UNBEKNOWNST TO US.

WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING, OF COURSE, THAT OTHERS ARE WATCHING HOW WE ARE DEALING WITH THINGS;

HOW WE TRUST, HOW WE OBEY, HOW WE MAKE IT THROUGH, AND HOW, WITH GOD’S HELP WE ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE, AND NOT JUST SURVIVE, BUT THRIVE.

AND THESE TIMES BECOME NOT ONLY KINGDOM MOMENTS FOR US, BUT FOR OTHERS AS WELL.

GOD USING EVERY FAITHFUL WORD AND DEED IN WAYS BEYOND OUR IMAGINING.

THESE ARE MOMENTS WHEN THE KINGDOM COMES, EVEN IF ONLY IN THE SMALLEST OF WAYS.  BUT WHO KNOWS WHAT GOD MAY DO WITH THEM?

THE DONKEY AWAKENED, HIS MIND STILL SAVORING THE AFTERGLOW OF THE MOST EXCITING DAY OF HIS LIFE.

NEVER BEFORE HAD HE FELT SUCH A RUSH OF PLEASURE AND PRIDE.

HE WALKED INTO TOWN AND FOUND A GROUP OF PEOPLE BY THE WELL.

“I’LL SHOW MYSELF TO THEM,” HE THOUGHT.

BUT THEY DIDN’T NOTICE HIM.  THEY WENT ON DRAWING THEIR WATER AND PAID HIM NO MIND.

“THROW YOUR GARMENTS DOWN,” HE SAID CROSSLY. “DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?”  THE PEOPLE, OF COURSE, ONLY HEARD BRAYING.

THEY JUST LOOKED AT HIM IN AMAZEMENT.  SOMEONE SLAPPED HIM ACROSS THE TAIL AND ORDERED HIM TO MOVE ON.

“MISERABLE HEATHENS!” HE MUTTERED TO HIMSELF.

“I’LL JUST GO TO THE MARKET WHERE THE GOOD PEOPLE ARE.  THEY WILL REMEMBER ME.”

BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED.  NO ONE PAID ANY ATTENTION TO THE DONKEY AS HE STRUTTED DOWN THE MAIN STREET IN FRONT OF THE MARKET PLACE.

“THE PALM BRANCHES! WHERE ARE THE PALM BRANCHES!” HE SHOUTED.

“YESTERDAY, YOU THREW PALM BRANCHES!”

HURT AND CONFUSED, THE DONKEY RETURNED HOME TO HIS MOTHER.

“O MY CHILD,” SHE SAID GENTLY.  “DON’T YOU REALIZE THAT WITHOUT HIM, YOU ARE JUST AN ORDINARY DONKEY?”

LIKE THE DONKEY WHO CARRIED JESUS INTO JERUSALEM, WE ARE MOST FULFILLED WHEN WE ARE IN THE SERVICE OF JESUS CHRIST.

WHEN WE LIFT UP CHRIST, WE ARE NO LONGER ORDINARY PEOPLE, BUT KEY PLAYERS IN GOD’S PLAN TO REDEEM THE WORD.

LIKE THE DONKEY, LIKE THE YOUNG MAN’S TESTIMONY, WE MAY NEVER KNOW HOW GOD IS USING US TO SPEAK TO OTHERS; TO DEMONSTRATE THE KINGDOM; TO BRING GOD INTO THEIR LIVES.

“I’M NOT QUITE SURE…” WE MAY SAY, “BUT I’M GOING TO TRUST AND I’M GOING TO OBEY.”

I CAN’T THINK OF ANY BETTER LIFE-PLAN THAN THAT.