“DO YOU REALLY WANT TO LET THE LORD HAVE IT?”

MARK 11:1-11

11:1  When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples

2  and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it.

3  If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'"

4  They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it,

5  some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?"

6  They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it.

7  Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it.

8  Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.

9  Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

11  Then 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.

There’s a difference between being needed and being used.  Everyone likes to be needed. Nobody likes to be used. That’s why it’s easy to understand how a man felt one day. The man was exhausted after driving all night. So he pulled his car off the highway hoping to get an hour or two of sleep. Unfortunately, without realizing it he parked his car next to a path that was used by many of the local joggers. So, not long after the man closed his eyes he heard a rap on the window. When the man rolled the window down a jogger smiled and said, “Excuse me, but could you tell me what time it is?” The man looked at his watch.  “It’s 8:15,” he said. After the jogger thanked him the man rolled the window back up and closed his eyes again. It wasn’t very long though before there was another rap on the window. Once again the man rolled the window down.  “Excuse me,” another jogger said, “but could you tell me what time it is?” Once again the man looked at his watch.  “It’s 8:25,” he grumbled. A little while later, this happened a third time. At that point the man realized he had to do something or he was never going to get any sleep.  So, he took out a pen and piece of paper, then made a sign and put in the window. The sign simply said, “I don’t know what time it is!” With that he closed his eyes again and quickly fell asleep. He wasn’t asleep very long though when there was another rap on the window. Now the man was really angry. This time when he rolled the window down though a jogger smiled and said, “Hey mister, I just saw your sign. It’s 8:45.”

There’s a big difference between being used and being needed. Right now I bet you can think of a few people who need you. If you have children they need you. If your parents are getting along in years they may need you too. If you have a friend who’s having a hard time right now he or she may also need you. I can think of someone else who needs you. Take a look at what happened when Jesus rode into the holy city and you’ll see that he needs you too. Does that surprise you? Does it surprise you that God’s only begotten Son needs you?  Does it surprise you that this man who performed miracles needs you? If it does then you might want to take another look at the donkey that Jesus rode that day while the people waved their palms and shouted “Hosanna!”

That donkey was an important part of the sacred drama that took place that day. You see long ago the prophet Zechariah proclaimed that when the messiah came he would enter the holy city while riding on the back of one of those beasts of burden. So, Jesus needed a donkey but he didn’t own a donkey. That’s why he sent the disciples into the city.  He told them where they would find a donkey and he told them what to say to the owner if asked them were they were going with his donkey. Jesus said, “If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it…”

Jesus needed that man’s help. Jesus needed that man to let him use his donkey. Now that shouldn’t come as a surprise. That’s because Jesus wasn’t 100% self-sufficient. There were times when he needed the help of the people around him. Now if that’s true then it raises a question that needs to be asked. Actually it’s a two part question. Simply put the question is this: What does the Lord need from you and are you willing to let him have it?

That’s a big part of what faith is all about you know. Faith isn’t just saying your prayers and looking for a little peace when your life is complicated and chaotic. Faith is also figuring out what the Lord needs from you and letting him have it. So, to paraphrase John F. Kennedy, don’t just ask what the Lord can do for you. Ask what you can do for the Lord.

By the way I don’t agree with those who suggest that you can’t make too many demands on people when it comes to their faith. I don’t agree with those who believe that you have to keep the expectations low.  That’s because deep inside each of us there’s a need to be needed. Everyone needs to feel that who they are and what they’re doing means something. Everyone needs to feel that who they are and what they’re doing matters.

When things are too easy there’s no sense of accomplishment. There’s no sense of satisfaction. Everyone needs to be needed. That’s the conclusion that a couple of psychologists came to after they ran a little experiment a few years ago.  The experiment took place in a nursing home. What they did was give all the residents in the nursing home a plant. Some of the residents were asked to water the plants and take care of them.  The rest of the residents didn’t have to do that. Someone else took care of the plants for them. All they had to do was sit back and enjoy the plants. Well, the results of the experiment were amazing. The patients who had to take care of the plants generally lived longer and were much happier than the patients who didn’t have to take care of the plants.

Everyone needs to be needed and what greater feeling can there be than knowing that the Lord needs you? Just ask the man who let Jesus use his donkey that day.  It must have been hard for him to let the disciples walk off with his donkey, but imagine what it must have been like for him after everything was said and done. I can just hear him telling the story to his neighbors and friends. I can just hear his saying, “You know that was my donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem the other day.  Imagine! Out of all the people he could have gone to for a donkey he decided to use mine.”