Title: TRANSPORTATION MATTERS

Focus: Jesus’ transportation into Jerusalem testifies to his mission as prophet, priest and king.

Function: To move the people in this season of Lent to welcome Jesus as prophet, priest and king.

Text: Matthew 21:1-11

Transportation matters! I remember going to high school near my hometown in the Netherlands years ago. To get to my high school, I needed to ride my bicycle for about 20 minutes. That was O.K. but it was not cool. You see, your status among your peers would increase if you would come to high school on a brand new, jazzed-up, motorized bicycle.

The best I could do in those days was finding a souped-up, second-hand motorized bicycle. Even though it was faster than riding an ordinary bike, my motorized bicycle could not keep up with some of my friends’ new scooters or motorized bikes. Not cool! For I knew that transportation matters. It says something about you.

Consider Alexander the Great. When he conquered the Greek world and beyond, he did not enter capital cities as conqueror by way of a horse and buggy. Alexander rode a warhorse.

All throughout the centuries, Roman emperors, European kings, and brutal tyrants chose impressive steeds and vehicles—all to make a statement about themselves. Napoleon had his horse; Hitler had his limousine. When he conquered France, he entered Paris in a sturdy, open limousine, surrounded by military might. And when General Mac Arthur set foot on Japanese soil to set up a new, democratic Japanese government, General Mac Arthur did so by arriving on a massive, U.S. warship. Transportation matters. It says something about us.

If I should drive to church in a brand-new hummer (I would not mind for day or so), I am sure some of you will whisper something in my ears. And I don’t think your comments will be all complimentary! And if your grandfather should buy a brand new corvette and drive it to church on a sunny Sunday for all to see, and admire, why, would not that be something to tease him about! Transportation matters!

Did you notice Jesus’ transportation when he entered Jerusalem about 5 days before they nailed him to a cross? He rode a mule—the foal of a pack animal! I wonder what kind of statement Jesus was trying to make. Transportation matters. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem 5 days before his crucifixion testifies to his mission as prophet, priest, and king.

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The story of Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem is a story of all kinds of people transporting themselves. There is hustle and bustle in Jerusalem: Roman soldiers on foot and on horseback maintain order and crowd control in the city. Merchants and business people are all over, selling their wares in the temple and streets of Jerusalem. Crowds of people from all over the Mediterranean world have come to Jerusalem. For you see, in a few days, it will be Passover celebration.

Pilgrims from all over Israel and the world are walking and traveling toward Jerusalem. Jesus is one of them; he transports himself because the cross is calling him, the Passover feast requires a lamb. It’s time for Jesus to reveal himself as priest, who sacrifices himself, by taking our place, and thereby paying the wages of our sins. That’s the first thing that Jesus is trying to get across, as he rides into Jerusalem on the back of a mule: he is presenting himself voluntarily as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. That’s part of Jesus’ mission: to reveal himself as our only High Priest.

Now Jesus could have easily walked from the village of Bethany to the city of Jerusalem. He had done that numerous times before. But today is different. Today Jesus must take greater risks to antagonize his opponents in Jerusalem. It’s time that Jesus reveals publicly—in view of the world, so to speak—who he is. He is the priest who offers himself as the Lamb of God; and he is the One whom the Scriptures present as our prophet and king.

How do we know? Consider Jesus’ prophetic foresight and divine insight. Listen: “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.’”

Some think that Jesus had pre-arranged this matter. And that is possible. But there is a hint in the text that Jesus is using prophetic foresight to predict what is ahead of the disciples. Jesus speaks with authority that is from above, that belongs to his divine nature. He tells the disciples to inform anyone that might have questions about the mules being taken away, that “the Lord needs them.” This is the voice of the Lord of the universe, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, the Lord of all. When the voice of the Lord commands his creation to do his bidding and to stand by him, all creatures—humans and animals bow and obey. Jesus is revealing himself as a prophet with divine foresight and insight. Now is the time to ride on a donkey. Now is the time to issue forth a prophetic command: Untie the mules! Bring them here!

Think about this: We do not tend to speak about mules in a flattering way. “Smart ass!” someone may say. Or “You are as stupid as a donkey!” Not kind or flattering at all. But in scripture, donkeys come off much better than in our culture today. Do you remember that story about the prophet Balaam, beating his donkey for refusing to ride on? Balaam did not, but the donkey did see an angel of the Lord blocking their way, preventing Balaam from cursing the Israelites. Balaam beat his donkey three times. Then God spoke through the donkey, and the donkey said: “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn.”

God used a donkey to reveal something of Himself to Balaam.

Now again, we see that “the Lord” makes use of donkeys to reveal his mission as prophet, priest and king—as Savior of the world! Think of it: The Lord of creation has made this creature to do his bidding. Now this mule, with its mother besides it, carries its creator into the royal city of Jerusalem. What a sight!

Really, what we see before us is a royal limousine. That donkey is a sign of royalty, pointing to Jesus as King. How do we know?

Centuries before Palm Sunday, when King David fled from his rebel son, Absalom, David was offered a bunch of donkeys for the royal house of David to ride on as they fled from Absalom. When David fled from Jerusalem on that donkey, he took the same route along the Kedron Valley—the same route that Jesus took to enter the city of Jerusalem centuries later. Transportation matters! That donkey of Jesus testifies to Jesus’ as the King of kings. That donkey of Jesus signifies that Jesus is revealing his heavenly kingdom taking over, impinging on, the dark domain of Satan in the hearts and lives of people on earth. The King of king is ready to do battle on the cross and to break the back and powers of sin, Satan, death and hell.

That donkey is a sign of royalty, pointing to Jesus as King. How do we know? Think! When King David came to the end of his reign, he called Zadoc the priest, Nathan the prophet, and he instructed Benaiah, a trusted servant, saying (I Kings 1:34) “Take your lord’s servants with you and set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There have Zadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon! Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place.” You see? That donkey carrying Jesus signifies that Jesus is Israel’s, yes, is our King!

And the people know it! A large crowd of pilgrims from towns and villages all over Israel recognize what’s happening before them. They have heard of Jesus’ miracles; they have heard him preach and teach; they have heard him silence their religious leaders; and they have come to recognize Jesus as a prophet—as someone who might save them from the hated Romans and bring glory and healing and hope to the land. They want change; they have a dream of Jesus being a prophet in the line of Elijah, perhaps. They dare to dream of him as Savior, or Messiah. Thus they shout, using the words of King David in Psalm 118, or the words of the prophet Zechariah, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest.”

Folks, transportation matters. That’s why Matthew, the evangelist writes in the text: “This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” That donkey signifies Jesus’ mission as prophet, priest and king!

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So, what will we do with this story on this Palm Sunday? Will we wave at Jesus as a political hero who may bring some order in our chaotic world? Will we say “Hail Jesus” and acknowledge him as a wise man, a philosopher and first class do-gooder, but nothing more? Will we say “Hail Jesus” and welcome him as a revolutionary perhaps, hoping that he will introduce a better world?

Where, along that road to Jerusalem, do we stand? Are we part of the crowd that cry “Hosanna!” today and “Crucify him! Tomorrow?

I invite you, challenge you to walk with Jesus into Jerusalem on this Palm Sunday. I encourage you to enter his story in the following days, to ponder Jesus’ actions on Maundy Thursday, to enter his passion on Good Friday, so that you may experience his rest, his resurrection rest or life, on Easter Sunday. Walk with Jesus! Re-enact, re-present, live his story. And remember: transportation matters! That donkey testifies to Jesus’ mission as prophet, priest and king—as Savior of the world!

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen!