The King Is Here: Will You Worship Him?

Mark brings Jesus to the Mount of Olives, right outside Jerusalem, where the events of Passion Week begin. Jesus has spent much of His ministry telling people to keep quiet about His identity, but now He openly presents Himself as Israel’s King. Zechariah had said, “Thy King cometh unto thee,” lowly and riding upon a colt, and Jesus fulfills that prophecy in every detail.

Jesus shows His deity by knowing exactly where the colt is tied and what the owners will say. Jesus also calls Himself “the Lord,” declaring His authority over all things. Yet the Lord who owns the universe borrows a donkey. Christ created the stars, the water, and every good thing, but He came poor so that those who believe in Him might receive His riches.

The little donkey pictures a life Jesus can use. The colt had to be redeemed by blood, released from its ties, and ruled by its Master. Christ likewise uses people who have been redeemed by His blood, set free from sin’s chains, and yielded to His will. Jesus takes broken, sin-scarred lives and gives them back changed, useful, and ready to work for His glory.

Zechariah’s humble King enters Jerusalem without horses, soldiers, swords, or a chariot. Jesus rides on old coats, surrounded by common people carrying branches. Rome may have laughed at such a king, but those who knew the Scriptures could see that Messiah had come. The crowd cries, “Hosanna,” meaning, “Save now,” and praises the One who comes in the name of the Lord.

Jesus deserves that kind of open and excited praise. Praise is more than the song service, though songs and hymns ought to carry rich words of worship. Christ’s people should praise Him openly in daily life rather than speaking and acting like the world around them.

Jesus enters Jerusalem while the crowd shouts, yet He weeps because He sees the judgment ahead. Christ sees lost, suffering people who are headed toward destruction, and His broken heart calls His people to see others as He sees them. Jesus also enters the temple and looks at everything. The King sees beyond the gold, rituals, and religious trappings to the true condition of every heart. The question remains: can people see Him, acknowledge His presence, and worship Him in spirit and truth?

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus is Lord, though He borrowed Jesus possesses all authority, even when His earthly life looks poor and humble. His need of a borrowed colt does not weaken His lordship; it reveals the depth of His humiliation for sinners. Christ became poor so redeemed people could receive the riches of His grace. [36:23]
• 2. Redeemed, released, and ruled lives serve The colt had to be redeemed, untied, and yielded before Jesus used it. A life still held by sin, self-rule, or hidden chains cannot fully serve the King. Christ’s blood gives life, His freedom breaks bondage, and His rule gives purpose. [40:45]
• 3. The humble King deserves open praise Jesus entered Jerusalem without the kind of power the world recognizes, but He was still the King of kings. Praise should not be limited to a church song or a familiar routine. Christ is worthy of spoken, glad, and courageous praise wherever His people stand. [47:40]
• 4. Christ weeps over people facing judgment Jesus looked beyond the noise of the crowd and saw Jerusalem’s coming destruction. His tears reveal that divine judgment is never a cold or careless matter. Christ’s heart should shape the way believers see neighbors, cities, and lost people all around them. [55:21]
• 5. The King examines worship and hearts Jesus entered the temple and looked at all things, even when nobody truly noticed Him. Religious activity can continue while Christ is ignored, and ritual can replace real worship. His presence calls every heart to ask whether it is truly seeking Him or merely checking a box.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [27:20] - Mark 11 and Palm Sunday
• [30:54] - Passion Week Begins
• [32:26] - Jesus Presents Himself as King
• [34:55] - The Lord Has Need of the Colt
• [37:51] - Redeemed, Released, and Ruled
• [42:14] - The King Rides into Jerusalem
• [45:43] - Hosanna: Save Now
• [47:27] - Praise Jesus Openly
• [51:01] - Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
• [55:48] - Jesus Examines the Temple
• [60:23] - The King Is Here

Bible Reading

Mark 11:1-11
“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.” [27:20]

Zechariah 9:9
“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.” [32:52]

Psalm 118:25-26
“Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.” [46:34]

Observation questions

1. What details did Jesus give the two disciples about where they would find the colt, what they should do, and how they should answer anyone who questioned them? [35:07]
2. What did the crowd do to honor Jesus as He entered Jerusalem, and what words did they cry out?
3. According to Zechariah 9:9, what kind of King was promised, and how does Jesus’ entry match that description? [43:07]
4. After entering Jerusalem, what did Jesus do in the temple, and what did He do afterward? [55:49]

Interpretation questions

1. Jesus called Himself “the Lord” while requesting a borrowed colt. What does this reveal about His authority and about the humble way He came into the world? [36:28]
2. The colt was tied, then released and brought under Jesus’ rule. How does this picture help explain the difference between being forgiven by Christ and being fully yielded to Him? [38:46]
3. The crowd’s cry of “Hosanna” was both a plea for salvation and an expression of praise. What does this show about the kind of King Jesus is and the kind of rescue people most need? [45:50]
4. Jesus entered a busy temple full of religious activity, yet many did not truly recognize Him. Why can religious routines continue while a person’s heart remains distant from Christ? [56:23]

Application questions

1. Jesus is Lord even though He came in humility and poverty. In what area of life is it hardest to let His authority have the final word—finances, relationships, habits, plans, fears, or something else? What would yielding that area to Him look like this week? [39:33]
2. Christ takes sin-scarred and broken lives and gives them new purpose. Where have you seen Jesus change you, or where do you need to trust Him to keep changing you? [41:43]
3. Is there a “tie” in your life—a sinful pattern, secret compromise, bitterness, fear, or desire for control—that keeps you from freely serving Jesus? What is one honest step toward freedom that you can take? [38:50]
4. The crowd praised Jesus openly and gladly. What might open, natural praise of Christ look like in your ordinary conversations at home, work, school, or in public? [47:27]
5. Jesus wept as He looked at people who were headed toward judgment. Who around you may be lost, hurting, or spiritually distant from God? How could you begin to see that person with Christlike compassion rather than annoyance or indifference? [55:06]
6. Jesus sees beyond outward worship and examines the heart. When you gather for worship, what helps you come ready to seek Christ rather than simply go through the motions? [57:42]