COV LIFE BLOG

Mark 11:1-11 – Jesus, Not the King We Were Expecting, but The King That We Needed

Jesus, in this passage, clearly directs our attention to the question, “Who is this?” Even Matthew’s question from the crowds tip you off to that. The great point of this passage is – take stock of who Jesus is. And He is going to make very deliberate pre-planned claims in this passage in order to make crystal clear who He is. Because the question of who Jesus is, is an eternal question, a question of eternal moment; a question of life and death. It’s the difference between heaven and hell. And He is focusing our attention on that question. He is asking you to sit here today and think, “Who do I really believe that Jesus is? Am I prepared to stake my life on who He claims to be?”
 
And in this passage, the first thing that you’re going to see is Jesus’ claim to be King. Jesus is making a claim to kingship by riding this donkey. And it’s clear that the crowd gets it. So they cry out, “Behold, your king is coming to you, Zion!” The crowds say, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” It’s clear that the crowds get the kingly symbolism here. Jesus is claiming to be King. But what He is when He does this, what He is doing is saying, “I’m not the kind of king you expected. I’m not a militaristic Messiah who’s going to come and kick out your political oppressors, the Romans, and reestablish the Mosaic, ceremonial law. I’m not that kind of Messiah. I’m not the Messiah you’re expecting. I’m the Messiah you need. I’m not the King you’re expecting. I’m the King you need. Because you need, far more than you need deliverance from the Romans, you need deliverance from yourselves; you need deliverance from your sins. And the only kind of King that can give that to you is the kind of King that I am. A military king can’t give that to you. But a King who is humble enough to die for your sin can give you the kind of deliverance you need.”

Ligon Duncan

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SCRIPTURES FOR THIS SUNDAY
Read Mark 11:1-11 and consider both the majesty and the unexpectedness of our anointed Messiah. In what ways is Jesus not the King that you or I would typically dream up if it was our plan? How is God’s plan better? How does that affect the way that you live and worship?

SONG FOR THE WEEK
I Asked The Lord That I Might Grow by Sovereign Grace