by Stephen Judd
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Luke 19:28–40
A King Who Came in Humility
Palm Sunday marks the day Jesus entered Jerusalem in one of the most meaningful moments in Scripture. The streets were filled with expectation. Palm branches waved in the air. Voices shouted praise. Hearts were filled with hope. The people believed their King had come.
But He did not arrive the way many expected.
Jesus did not enter the city riding a war horse, the symbol of power and conquest. He did not come in royal splendor or political triumph. Instead, He came riding on a borrowed donkey. He came not in pride, but in humility; not to take a throne, but to go to a cross.
Palm Sunday reminds us that God often works through unexpected means and unlikely people.
Chosen for a Purpose
There were many donkeys in Jerusalem that day. Donkeys were common, the everyday means of transportation. Yet among all of them, this was the one the Lord chose. Jesus instructed His disciples to go to a specific place, where they would find a colt tied. Not just any donkey — a chosen donkey.
While we may not enjoy being compared to a donkey, there is something powerful in the truth that God chooses ordinary people for His purposes.
Jesus said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16, KJV).
God’s calling is always an invitation to purpose. When we understand that we have been chosen by Him, life takes on greater meaning. Being chosen gave that donkey purpose. Being used gave that donkey significance.
The Lord Has Need of Us
Luke 19:31 gives us the simple explanation for why the donkey was chosen: “Because the Lord hath need of him.”
It is remarkable that the Creator of the universe chooses to work through people. None of us are indispensable individually, yet God has chosen to accomplish His work through His church. We are the body of Christ, and the primary way this world encounters Jesus today is through His people.
Jesus gave what we call the Great Commission: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel.” “Go ye” means you. It means me. It means us.
We believe Jesus is coming again. Scripture tells us that the gospel will be preached in all the world, and then the end will come. God, in His mercy, continues to give time for hearts to turn to Him.
Understanding purpose changes how we see our lives.
Years ago, I owned a beautiful Tag Heuer watch that was given to me as a gift. It was well made and highly respected, but it would not keep accurate time. After several repair attempts, I was told the cost to fix it would exceed its value. I remember thinking, what good is a watch that cannot keep time? If it does not fulfill its purpose, it loses its value.
When we understand we have been chosen by God, our lives gain purpose.
Loosed to Be Used
Before the donkey could carry Jesus, it first had to be loosed. It was tied, unable to fulfill its purpose until someone untied it and brought it to the Lord.
Many people today live tied by fear, guilt, habits, or past failures. Yet Jesus came to bring freedom.
John 8:36 reminds us, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
What God uses, He first loosens.
There are times when the Lord must free us from things that limit our usefulness to Him. He frees us from fear. He frees us from shame. He frees us from whatever keeps us from fully following Him.
Under His Lordship
Scripture also tells us that this colt had never been ridden. No one had ever brought it under control. Yet the moment Jesus sat upon it, everything changed.
When we allow Jesus to be Lord, He brings order where there was once confusion. As we submit to Him, His influence begins to shape our lives.
James 4:7 reminds us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Submission comes first, then comes authority. Verse 8 continues the same principle: “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”
When Christ takes His rightful place in our lives, everything changes.
Lifting Up Jesus
The purpose of the donkey was not to draw attention to itself, but to lift up Jesus. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people praised Him and worshiped Him. The donkey simply carried Christ so others could see Him.
That is our purpose as well.
Jesus said in John 12:32, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Our lives are not meant to point people to ourselves, but to point people to Christ. When Jesus is lifted up, He draws people to Himself.
