In View of the Coming King

In View of the Coming King

Mark 11:1-11

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives,

Jesus sent two of his disciples 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. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and

will send it back here immediately.’” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door

outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them,

“What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they

let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on

it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they

had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were

shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the

coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” And he entered Jerusalem

and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already

late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.” – Mark 11:1-11

Mistaken identity is a strange thing; it can lead to something as simple as an embarrassing moment, or something as severe as your very life hanging in the balance. We have been exploring together the Gospel of Mark. Today, we find ourselves in Mark 11, and our concentration will be in verses 1-11. In this and associated accounts, we will see the mistaken identity of Jesus.

Jesus was on the move again, this time making pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. Passover is the festival commemorating the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and slavery to the Egyptians; God, in His judgment against Pharoah, would slay the firstborn in the land. God, in His grace and mercy toward His people, would spare the Israelites’ first born when they spread the blood of a spotless lamb on the doorposts of their homes.

Mark 11 represents a drastic shift in the ministry of Jesus. To this point, Jesus has displayed a pattern of revealing and concealing His Messianic identity; the spotless lamb come to be slain to save those who are covered by His blood. He is openly anointed by the Spirit and declared “Son” by the Father (1:9-11), conducts public healings (1:34; 2:1-12), calms the storm (4:35-41), and feeds the 5,000 (6:30-44). Other times, He conceals Himself. No spectacle, no fanfare; even to the point of telling others to be silent about who He is and what He’s done. Consider these examples:

• Jesus rebuked demons from identifying Him (Mark 1:24-25, 34; 3:12)

• Crowds, especially recipients of healing (1:43; 5:43; 7:33-36; 8:22-26; 9:30)

• Disciples (8:30; 9:9)

Now, we see Jesus begin an intentional disclosure of His true identity; the Messiah, the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world. Where once He implored the crowds to tell no one of His deeds, He now boldly invites the masses to see His deity.

Today, as we look to the Scriptures together, I’d like us to focus on this main idea:

Jesus reveals Himself as King; don’t mistake His identity.

I. Jesus Reveals Himself as King. (Mark 11:1-7)

• Foreshadowing Prophecy – v.1

Jesus comes to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a hint to future events:

o His Ascension (Mark 16:19)

o His Return (Zechariah 14:4,9)

• Fulfilling Prophecy – vv.2-7

Jesus comes to Jerusalem in a unique way, fulfilling OT prophecy:

o He comes on the colt of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9)

Do you see Jesus as King?

Do you acknowledge His Lordship and authority in your life?

Does your life reflect an abandoned obedience to Him?

Jesus reveals Himself as King; don’t mistake His identity.

II. Jesus Receives a False Coronation. (Mark 11:8-10)

• A Royal Salute – v.8

Those in the crowd spread their cloaks on the ground in a way reminiscent of the

coronation of King Jehu (2 Kings 9).

• A Royal Song – vv.9-10

The chants here are the singing/recitation of the Hallel Psalms (Ps.113-118),

specifically Psalm 118. These would be sung at each celebration of Passover.

While there may be a few who see Jesus as He reveals Himself, most in the crowd are

looking to Jesus to restore the earthly kingdom of David. They are looking to be freed from

the oppressive rule of the Roman empire.

-Do you see Jesus a heavenly King, or as an earthly liberator?

-Do you crown Him king with words, but reject Him with actions?

-Do you limit His Kingship to certain areas of your life?

Jesus reveals Himself as King; don’t mistake His identity.

III. Jesus Retreats to Bethany. (Mark 11:11)

• The Crowd Vanishes – v.11

How quickly it appears the crowd has withered. Where once there was a mob surrounding the King, there is now isolation. The shouts of “Hosanna” have turned into relative silence.

o Did they see nothing special in Him? (Matthew 21:10-11; John 1:46)

o Did they see Him as good, but not God? (Luke 19:39-40)

o Did He threaten their way of life? (John 12:19)

Whatever their reasoning, the crowds who were conspicuous in their adoration of Jesus,

are now conspicuous by their absence from Him.

Do you see anything special in Jesus, or is He easily forgettable?

Do you see Him as a good teacher, a moral example, but not God in flesh?

Does Jesus present a threat to the way you have set up your personal kingdom?

Jesus reveals Himself as King; don’t mistake His identity.

Make no mistake, Jesus is King. He is the One who came as the gentle and lowly King on a donkey, saving His foes by grace; He will come again as a warrior King on a warhorse, slaying His foes in judgement.

Will you see him for who He truly his?