Children’s Sermon

Luke 19:28-40

Jesus and the Donkey

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Luke 19:28-40
Jesus and the Donkey

By Dr. Carol J Miller

Have a folder of pictures of a donkey.

For photos of donkeys, go to:
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=donkey&qpvt=donkey&FORM=IGRE
or
http://www.morethings.com/god_and_country/jesus/jesus-nazareth-615.jpg

Today is a special day for people like us, people who follow Jesus. Today is Palm Sunday. When Jesus entered the capitol city, Jerusalem, it was also kind of a scary day. A lot of powerful people did not like Jesus. They didn’t like him because the crowds were listening to the wonderful things Jesus said. They were not listening to the powerful people they used to listen to. The powerful people were so angry that they had made a secret deal with each other to kill Jesus as soon as they got the chance!

Jesus knew what they were planning to do. And that is why Jesus got a donkey. Now you might be asking yourself, “What has a secret plan to kill Jesus got to do with a donkey?” Well, I’ll tell you. In those days—2000 years ago—if a warrior or a general or a king wanted to attack a city and take over and be the new leader, he would come into that town on a war horse. Have you ever stood next to a really big horse? I mean a really BIG horse? They are huge and very powerful—and a little frightening. Behind the leader on his big war horse would come all that king’s soldiers, each one carrying weapons; swords and things like that. They were ready to fight!

BUT if the king or general had already conquered the city; if that city already was his, he would ride down the main street of that city on a little donkey. He didn’t need a war horse. Behind the king would come his soldiers, but with no weapons. That showed everyone that the king was in charge; that he had nothing to fear from that town.

Jesus got a little donkey. Just outside the big city of Jerusalem, he got on that donkey and he rode it right down the main street of Jerusalem. And behind him came children, women, men, elderly people all singing. Jesus was telling those powerful people who had a secret plan to kill him, that he was already in charge. He was not afraid of them or of anyone else. He rode right through the gates of Jerusalem on a donkey to show everyone that he had nothing to fear, not even death. Wow!

So here is a picture of a donkey. Put it up in your house somewhere this week to remind you that Jesus is the king who is not afraid of anything.