QT 12/28/2023 Mark 11:1-10, Open the door and let him in

Mark 11:1–10 (ESV) —

1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

 

NOTE: Jesus enters Jerusalem as a coming King, he is even called such. There is no doubt that the crowds knew him to be the Messiah, as they spread coats and palm leaves appropriate for a King. He had fulfilled the requirements. He was what Daniel called and prophesied: the "Son of Man." He had opened the eyes of men born blind. He had healed the leper. And he cast out demons from the mute. These were all signs that only the Messiah could do. The leaders called him the prince of demons or demon-possessed, but the people called him Son of David. And yet, in only a handful of days, they would cry out "crucify him." Why? We are a fickle and sinful creation. When we don't get what we want, almost instantly we change from being a fan to being a hater. They wanted a King to break the yoke of the Romans. But, they needed a savior to break the yoke of Satan. We think our needs are those of this temporal life, but our real need is the unseen spiritual life that lays before us. We are blind like those born blind. We are paupers thinking we are rich, but our clothes are rags that are unworthy of heaven. We are pitiful, because we don't realize that our religiosity will not save our souls. We are like the last church of the church age, the church of apostacy, the Laodicean church:

 

Revelation 3:15–20 (ESV) — 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

 

Our real need is to invite Jesus into our life!

 

PONDER:

1. Is my faith just religiosity?
2. Does Jesus live within my soul or is he on the outside, knocking on the door, asking to enter?

 

PRAYER: Father, it has been many years since I responded to the knock and opened the door of my heart and let you into my life. There has been many years of joy and of pain. But I can honestly say that your presence has changed everything. I wouldn't want to experience the pain again, but I absolutely would not to go through life without you. I pity the "me" before I surrendered to you, I was a wretched mess. Now, I am an unworthy mess who is loved and full of your joy.