“Privilege”

So you know why Jesus rides a donkey’s colt into Jerusalem right? Because it gets even better mileage than a Prius and has lower CO2 and methane emissions than a war horse. I mean that must be the reason, don’t you think? That Jesus wants to show us how “green” and eco-friendly He is. Not for Him the private jets and the big, black, gas-sucking, environment-destroying limos that modern kings and presidents favor. Not for Him even a Ford Escape, as Hillary and Obama are reputed to favor.

No, for Jesus, it is the lowliest and most eco-friendly transport available—the lowly donkey. A humble animal that runs on grass, an occasional apple, and just blends right into the environment with eco-useful emissions that cause hardly a ripple of eco-disruption. The Green King Jesus is, no doubt. I think all candidates running for high office and taking public money today should be required to ride donkeys. A minimal carbon footprint, and it would be character building for them to take a page out of Jesus’ playbook. Isn’t that a good idea? They could really see America the way it is meant to be seen that way—slowly, savor it, from the back of a lowly donkey. Gives ‘em a perspective, a common touch they could really use to empathize with the people.

Of course, no modern government official or business exec would give up their private jets and limos (even if they compromise with a hybrid drive in the limo or fill it with bio-diesel). They would tell you it is essential for them to move around quickly, in comfort and security, whenever the whim strikes them. They would tell you their time is so valuable, the private jet, the motorcade is just essential. They don’t have time (or fortitude) to go through check-in at the airport, or sit in traffic waiting for the stoplights like the rest of us (and wait, and wait, and wait if you live in Raleigh). They are important people. They need these “tools” to do their jobs, they will tell you.

Jesus doesn’t. Even if He had them in His day, He surely would not use them. He does not see His time as more valuable than ours. This separates Jesus from every other “leader” ancient or modern. He does not think He is above the rules, but below them. He does not think He deserves special privileges, but bestows the privileges on us and takes the long, slow, “unprivileged” way for Himself.

Truth is Jesus walked everywhere He went. This wasn’t even His donkey. It was borrowed. Maybe from a friend. Maybe not. Maybe it was Mark’s mom’s donkey and Jesus knew He could borrow it anytime. Maybe it was a “Jedi-mind trick” He had the disciples pull: “You don’t need this donkey” (wave the two fingers) “We don’t need this donkey.” “The Lord has need of it, so we can take it.” “The Lord has need of it, so you can take it…” I, of course, like the second scenario better, but who knows, really? The text doesn’t say.

So why does He borrow the donkey on this day, Palm Sunday? Well, this one day, Jesus will use a prop, a symbol, to make a statement. Because this is a special day. This is the day Jesus rides in to His royal city to take His throne and claim His kingdom. This is truly the Return of the King. So Jesus will borrow a donkey just this once to show His people just what kind of king He is.

How does the donkey do that, exactly? What does it show us about Jesus? Well, here you have to know your Old Testament like the crowds that day, the pilgrims for Passover in Jerusalem, would have known it. You would recall, if you were a Jewish pilgrim in the crowd that day eager to see Jesus and then saw Him riding a donkey, the colt the foal of a donkey, that this was exactly the preferred method of transport for King David and his sons.

David was the great King, the proto-type of the Messiah. He was the Shepherd King who rose from lowly station to shepherd God’s people Israel. He delivered not with bow and spear but with a sling, a stone, and above all, faith in the Lord his God. And the Lord worked powerfully through faithful King David and it was the Golden Age of Israel. A time when they had rest and peace all around and communion with the Holy God through their faithful King and the priests and prophets David supported and heeded.

David rode donkeys or mules. We never quite learn why, but we see that when it comes time for Solomon to be crowned and put down the rebellion of his brother Adonijah, David has Solomon ride on his own donkey to be crowned. The donkey, David’s own donkey, was a powerful sign of his reign. I think it was because David (unlike other kings) never trusted in armies, elephants, war horses, chariots and all that. The stone and the sling were good enough for David (that and faith in the Lord). Faith in the Lord is really all you need. Let the other kings have their limos and jets and war horses. Any old field stone or common donkey is good enough for David, the man after God’s own heart, to face his enemies—and conquer. That seems to be the point. Not by might or strength, but by God’s Spirit. Something like that.

So Jesus is showing by riding the donkey that He is the true David, the fulfillment of the type. He is the real Shepherd King come to save His people. Not just for a short 40 year golden age, but forever. Without any weapons or armies, without even a sling or stone, Jesus will triumph over sin, death, and hell and all our enemies allied with that unholy triumvirate.

Jesus will triumph by death. By taking their best shot without resistance. Jesus will swallow up sin, death, and hell and make them work backwards, use them to accomplish His purposes, bend and break them in this strange way. No force, no might. Effortless. Truly. This is King Jesus taking His throne, claiming His kingdom. Like David but even more so.

It’s a privilege to reign this way. All other earthly kings, even great King David needed an army, weapons, servants, needed help, sometimes. Jesus is the privileged King because He needs nothing but Himself. All by Himself, literally, without raising a finger, with no effort at all, He conquers—sin, death, hell as we shall see this week. Riding in on a donkey sets the stage.

It’s a privilege for us to be able to hail Him as King. It’s a privilege to throw our garments and palms before Him and sing “Hail, Hosanna!” It’s a privilege to acclaim Him King without any of the power trappings others need to see kings as kings. It’s a privilege to bow before the One who bows Himself to us. It’s a privilege to follow the One who asks nothing of us, no work, no service, no kingdom building from us, but bids us simply come and rest in Him forever, basking in all He’s built for us for always.

It’s a privilege to see in the suffering, shame, and death of Golgotha the everlasting victory of the Almighty King. It’s a privilege to share His suffering, His dying, His cross yourself, to lose your life and all your own trappings, your power tools and toys for His sake and His Gospel’s. It’s a privilege to walk this earth with nothing going for you but this Jesus who goes His way to the cross on a donkey.

It is the privilege of faith and it is yours all for free, the Spirit’s giving through Gospel Word and Sacraments. You will find it is Peace, that surpasses understanding, guarding heart and mind in King Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Kevin Martin