The Five Donkeys
Mark 11:1, 2

I. The Delivered Donkey

• Delivered or redeemed by the blood of a lamb or The Lamb.

II. The Disturbed (Speaking) Donkey

• What it saw – God’s direction being shown
• What it felt – The Holy Spirit guiding
• What it was carrying – a rebellious carnal nature

TODAY

III. The Difficult Donkey

A) The donkey’s purpose

• In this account today of a “Difficult Donkey,” I believe that we will tie a donkey to being like us in nature and spirituality.
• This donkey today has an animal/carnal nature just as we do.
• It has specific traits and desires to do what is natural, just as we do.
• When trained properly it’s nature can be changed to be satisfied with a new nature or desire.
• God has a purpose for this donkey, just as God has a purpose for you and I.
• This donkey was not chosen at random to be chosen by some random apostles who were servants to a random king.
• This donkey was chosen for a specific purpose for God by specific apostles to be used of a specific King.

B) The donkey’s mother    

• In case you are ignorant of nature and how God created animals and humans in this sense, let’s look at the nature of any mother, human or animal.
• You must know that God places within mankind (Male and female) a protective nature that God Himself has within Him.
• Men protect themselves, their church, pastor/priest, and their country
• Husbands protect their wives and family.
• And as we see here, mothers protect their baby or children.
• Children protect their toys.
• To remain on focus this morning, a mother has a special “protective nature” placed within her by God for their children.
• This is a trait of God himself. God protects His children.
• If a person does not protect, they are not Godly, they are of Satan.
• God is pro-life (giver and sustainer of life), Satan is pro-death (taker and destroyer of life).
• Before we look at Mark 11, let us also look at the same account in…
  Matthew 21: 2… Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3) And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
• In this account you will notice “two donkeys” that God has prepared to fulfill prophecy and to carry out His will to be done (the mother and her colt/baby).
• LOOKING AT MOTHERS and their protective nature, the mother “bear” is said to be the most protective who nurse their cubs/babies until they are 2 ½ years old.
• The donkey’s mother had two things to deal with… 1) The baby donkey’s nurturing, 2) The baby donkey’s welfare.
• The baby had to be fed her milk for proper growth and strength, just as we need fed the word of God for proper growth and strength.
• The baby further had to be protected from these apostles trying to steal it, just as God is protective over His children from the devil trying to steal their souls.

C) The donkey’s purpose

• In this passage of scripture we must know that it is often referred to as Jesus “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem.
• I prefer to call it “Jesus’ Coronation (crowning of a King).”
• This was Jesus’ last appearance before the crucifixion.
• All four gospels (Matthew, Mark Luke and John) pen this event in Jesus life.
• Let us go to our text in Mark 11:1…And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 2) And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
• Note first of all in Mark 11:1, they are not in Jerusalem. They are in a village near Jerusalem called Bethphage which is a small town east of Jerusalem whose name literally means “”house of unripe figs.”
• The other town mentioned is Bethany, the hometown of Mary, Martha and Lazarus which was located 2 miles east of Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mt. of Olives.
• Looking now at the colt; this passage of scripture tells us “…ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.”
• The word “colt” meaning a young donkey. One that had never been ridden on.
• The Jews considered any young animal that was never rode upon suited for holy purposes.
• Now the apostle are also directed by our Lord to “loose him (untie him)” and “bring him (Take him away from his mother)”
•  The difference in Mark 11:2 and Matthew 21:3 is very clear in that Mark Jesus asked the apostles to bring the colt only, while in Matthew Jesus asked the apostles to bring both the colt and it’s mother.
• Matthew’s account is considered the accurate account.
• The “colt” or young donkey had a purpose.
• We as young Christians have a purpose.
• The donkey’s purpose was to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and Isaiah 62:11.
• Our purpose is to fulfill prophecy by preaching the gospel (the good news of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection) of Jesus Christ.
• The donkey’s purpose was to carry our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into Jerusalem and presenting Him as King of Christendom.
• Our purpose as Christians, should be to carry the light (the understanding of His word) into all the world and putting Christ on display by the way we act.

D) Why a difficult donkey?

• You will note that the title of our message today is “The Difficult Donkey.”
• This implies YOU and I as difficult donkeys.
• When we read about this particular chosen donkey of Matthew and Mark, it was not “difficult” in nature as they usually are. This donkey had a “surrendered” nature, an obedient spirit.
• We as children of God, born again, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ still struggle with this old sin nature.
• Why is it “difficult” to visit with others about Jesus Christ?
•  Why is it “difficult” to carry the attitude and character of Christ?
• Why is it “difficult” for us to have an obedient Spirit like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was obedient unto his death?
• Why are we a “Difficult Donkey?”  
• I’ll tell you why.  Jesus explains the Difficult Donkeys in…
  Jesus talking to the donkeys of His earthly days in John 8:43…Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45) And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
• People who act difficult and stubborn are not surrendered donkeys. They are difficult donkeys whose father is the devil.
• Are you a difficult donkey or a surrendered donkey?