The Humble King | Pastor Tina Notz

Devotional

Day 1: The Humble King Chooses the Ordinary

The Messiah’s choice of a donkey was a profound declaration. He did not seek a majestic steed befitting an earthly conqueror but a simple beast of burden. This act fulfilled prophecy and revealed a kingdom built on humility, peace, and service. It affirms that God uses the lowly and ordinary to carry the divine. You, too, are called to carry His presence into the world. [04:54]

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9 ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with pride or self-sufficiency, and how might God be inviting you to embrace a posture of humble surrender, allowing Him to use your ordinary life for His extraordinary purposes?

Day 2: Carrying the Divine Presence in Daily Life

Being a carrier of Christ is more than a theological concept; it is a daily reality. The evidence of this indwelling presence should be visible in your actions, words, and attitudes. This is not about perfection but about a consistent reflection of Jesus’s character and love. The world should see a difference that points directly to the transformative power of the gospel. [06:10]

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)

Reflection: As you consider your interactions from Monday through Saturday, what is one specific, practical way you can more intentionally reflect the character of Jesus to your family, coworkers, or neighbors this week?

Day 3: Aligning Our Desires with God’s Eternal Purposes

Human nature often seeks a deliverer for temporary, earthly problems. We can be like the crowd, crying out for salvation from immediate oppression while missing the Savior who offers eternal freedom from sin. God’s primary mission is not to fulfill our temporal agendas but to redeem our hearts and align them with His eternal kingdom purposes. [10:59]

“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.’” (Luke 19:41-42 ESV)

Reflection: Is there a situation in your life where you have been seeking a change in your circumstances more passionately than you have been seeking a deeper heart connection with Jesus Christ?

Day 4: Letting God Cleanse Our Personal Temple

The same holy zeal that drove Jesus to cleanse the temple is directed toward purifying our lives. He desires to overturn the tables of compromise and drive out anything that hinders prayer and dishonors His presence within us. This is a gentle, ongoing process of allowing His Spirit to search our hearts and make us more like Him. [24:48]

“And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be a house of prayer,” but you have made it a den of robbers.’” (Luke 19:45-46 ESV)

Reflection: As you prayerfully allow God to search your heart, what is one area—perhaps a habit, a thought pattern, or an unchecked desire—that He might be inviting you to surrender to His cleansing work this week?

Day 5: The Command to Forgive, Love, and Serve

The final lessons Jesus emphasized were not optional suggestions but core commands of His kingdom. We are called to a radical lifestyle of forgiveness that mirrors His grace, a love that transcends personal preference, and a humility that finds greatness in serving others. This is the tangible evidence of a life transformed by the gospel. [34:37]

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)

Reflection: Which of these three—forgiveness, love, or service—presents the greatest challenge for you right now, and what is one practical step you can take to obey Christ in that area?

Sermon Summary

Jesus enters Jerusalem as a humble king whose path of servanthood rewrites expectations about power and victory. The arrival on a donkey fulfills prophecy and models how divine purpose often chooses the ordinary—God uses lowly things to display heavenly majesty. Believers carry that same posture: bearing Christ’s presence requires visible transformation, not just private profession. True freedom begins when hearts submit to intimacy with Jesus rather than demanding immediate relief from circumstances; spiritual change precedes and shapes outward deliverance.

Worship that applauds Jesus can turn fickle when convenience and misunderstanding creep in; praise that crowns a moment must mature into steadfast allegiance even under pressure. The cleansing of the temple exposes a fierce love for holiness: prayer must dominate spaces of faith, and anything that turns worship into profit or performance demands correction. Anger toward sin finds its legitimacy only when it protects God’s house and people, not when it attacks others.

Forgiveness and love form the core disciplines for a community meant to reflect Christ. Forgiveness unlocks personal and corporate freedom; love that Jesus commands calls believers to transcend cultural reflexes and to value people made in God’s image, even when behavior frustrates. Servant leadership, modeled by washing feet, flips ambition on its head—greatness appears in humble service. Serving others restores perspective, renews purpose, and empties the self-centered anxieties that stunt spiritual growth.

Holy Week functions as a concentrated school for these truths: prophecy fulfilled, hearts revealed, mercy offered, and a call to follow regardless of cost. The blood of Christ supplies cleansing and power; repentance and renewed obedience prepare lives that carry resurrection hope into daily living. The invitation to receive Christ remains open—turning from sin, embracing humility, forgiving generously, and serving sacrificially mark the people who inhabit God’s kingdom here and now.

Key Takeaways

1. Humble kings choose servanthood Jesus arriving on a donkey reframes kingship: true authority submits itself to service. Embracing humility does not diminish power; it expresses power rightly directed toward redemption and healing. Followers mirror that posture when they prefer obedience and sacrificial love over prestige and control. [03:02]
2. Ordinary people carry divine presence God selects lowly means to carry out cosmic purposes, proving holiness travels in fragile vessels. Ordinary lives, surrendered, become visible pulpits that announce God’s nearness more than polished programs ever will. Daily habits and character reveal whether the Spirit lives within, not mere religious attendance. [05:13]
3. Cleanse the temple within The temple cleansing redirects attention from commerce and show to prayer and holiness. Inner purification matters because the body and community serve as God’s dwelling place on earth. Reform begins with honest inventory and ends in practices that protect prayer and reject profit-driven religion. [20:27]
4. Forgiveness unlocks spiritual freedom Refusing to forgive blocks personal intimacy with God and stalls spiritual progress. Forgiveness loosens the soul’s grip on past wounds and creates relational space for restoration and witness. It remains a deliberate discipline empowered by grace, not mere sentiment. [26:29]
5. Serve others to find greatness Foot washing reframes greatness as humble, costly service rather than rank or acclaim. Serving others dissolves self-centered anxiety and cultivates belonging, purpose, and resilience. Leaders who wash feet cultivate communities that reflect Christ’s upside-down kingdom. [35:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:40] - Palm Sunday and Holy Week
[03:54] - Triumphal Entry Narrative
[04:35] - Donkey: Prophecy and Symbol
[05:13] - Called to Carry Jesus
[10:11] - Misunderstanding the Messiah
[20:27] - Cleansing the Temple: Prayer Restored
[26:29] - Forgiveness and New Command
[35:07] - Servant Leadership: Foot Washing
[46:38] - Invitation: Repentance and Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Matthew 21:1–11 (ESV)
Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,
“Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Observation questions

What details in this passage show Jesus intentionally choosing humility and simplicity?
How did the crowd’s response to Jesus reveal both excitement and misunderstanding?
What Old Testament prophecy did Jesus fulfill by riding a donkey into Jerusalem?
In what ways did Jesus’ actions and the people’s reactions reveal two different expectations of kingship?

Interpretation questions

Why did Jesus choose a donkey instead of a horse or chariot, and what does this say about the nature of His kingdom?
The crowd shouted “Hosanna,” which means “save us.” What were they really asking for, and how did Jesus’ mission differ from their expectations?
How does Jesus’ humble entry challenge common cultural ideas about power, success, and leadership?
Why is it significant that Jesus’ kingship was recognized not in a palace but among ordinary people on a road?

Application questions

Jesus chose a donkey—an ordinary, humble animal—to carry Him. In what areas of your life is God asking you to embrace humility and simplicity to carry His presence? [05:13]
The crowd praised Jesus in the moment but turned against Him days later. Where in your own life has your praise or commitment to Jesus been fickle when things got difficult or confusing? [14:34]
Jesus cleansed the temple to restore prayer and purity. What needs to be cleansed in your own life—your habits, thoughts, or relationships—so that you can be a clearer dwelling place for God’s Spirit? [24:48]
Jesus taught that forgiveness is essential for prayer and freedom. Is there someone you’ve been refusing to forgive? What would it look like to release that person and trust God with your hurt? [26:29]
Jesus washed His disciples’ feet as an example of servant leadership. Who is one person you can intentionally serve this week in a practical, humble way—not for recognition, but out of love? [35:07]
True freedom often starts in the heart before circumstances change. Are you seeking God mostly for what He can do for you, or are you seeking Him for who He is—even when life is hard? [10:59]
How can you better reflect Jesus in your everyday life—not just at church—so that others see His love, humility, and hope through you? [06:10]

Sermon Clips

He's shaking hell. And I don't know what you think the church is here for today, but we are here to shake the gates of hell. We are here to show the enemy he has no power, he has no control, and I'm telling you what, he takes this weak humanity and he fills us with his spirit, and then all of a sudden, we're able to stand up and proclaim the goodness of God. It don't make any sense, does it? But God. But God in his presence. See, the Jews had forgotten their greatest enemy and that was sin. And they prioritized a lesser enemy which was Rome, but Jesus came to set us free from sin. That's why he came. That's why he was there. And, my question is, do we only want Jesus for what he could do for us? [00:17:19] (60 seconds) #ShakeTheGates

Do we seek a savior who aligns with our desires, or do we accept him as the king of kings and the lord of lords? Because Jesus is returning very soon. He's returning very, very soon. So I'm just saying to all of us, let's align our expectation with god's purposes in the earth today, not our own agenda. Come on now. I know you wanna do your own thing, but if you're a Christian, it's time to do it God's way. Right. Right. Time to do it God's way. Will you follow Jesus no matter the cost? Yeah. Come on. Will you trust him even when it doesn't make sense? And a lot of times, it don't make no sense. Will you do what he asked of you even when you don't wanna do it? Remember Jonah, pastor Tim talked about Jonah last week. [00:18:25] (53 seconds) #AlignWithGodsPurpose

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The Humble King | Pastor Tina Notz | 03/29/2026