Mensa Otabil - Brought Before the Lord (10/31/2025)
Well, we’re getting closer and closer to Jerusalem. Luke Chapter 19, Verses 35-36: Then they brought him to Jesus, and they threw their own clothes on the colt and set Jesus on him. As he went, many spread their cloths on the road. Two disciples were sent by Jesus to a village and were pointed to a place where they would find a colt that had been tied, which must be loosened to be brought to Jesus. They fulfilled the assignment and brought the colt to Jesus Christ. There is something to learn here: when God sets us free, he brings us to himself. This was not just to be freed to go on his way, roaming around for his own pleasure; he was freed to have a new owner, a new direction, and a new purpose.
Many times, people look at the freedom we have in Christ and think it’s freedom for freedom’s sake, for them to enjoy life and live their own way. However, Christ sets us free; he loosens us so that we can be brought to him, to his presence. When they brought the colt, or the donkey, into the presence of Jesus, two notable things happened. First, the disciples who had brought the colt took off their own clothes and placed them on the donkey. This is a sign of worship; they took from themselves something that was valuable, something important that covered them, and they placed it on the donkey, saying that everything important to them was put at the disposal of Jesus.
Then they did something else: after they had put their clothes on the donkey, they set Jesus on it. They literally lifted Jesus up and placed him on the donkey; they didn’t allow Jesus to climb by himself. They enthroned Jesus, magnified him, and honored him. What they did was a prophetic act because they were publicly acknowledging that this Jesus is the promised Messiah, the promised King. Peter had said earlier that Jesus was the Son of God, and now these disciples were dramatizing that statement — that Jesus truly is the Son of God. So they put their clothes on the donkey, lifted up Jesus, and enthroned him on the donkey. After they did that, the crowd around them started celebrating Jesus as well. People took their cloth and placed it on the ground. What the people did was influenced by the example of the disciples, and there is something instructive for us here: many people worship God when they see us worship God.
People love God when they see us love God. Especially if you’re a parent, the way you model Christ at home influences your children to also live for Christ. If you are a teacher, if you just serve the Lord, your students will see what it means to serve the Lord. In your office, many times, we are too hurried to knock people on the head with the gospel and make a lot of noise about them giving their lives to Christ. However, these people just acted out their faith and worship, and as they did, the watching crowd followed suit and put their clothes at the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, as we remember this great event of Jesus entering Jerusalem, we must also commit to do things with Christ that will encourage others to live for him. We will live for him in such a way that those who see us will develop an appetite for God, an appetite for the Lord Jesus Christ, because of what we demonstrate.
Let’s pray. Say with me: Heavenly Father, I recognize Jesus Christ as my Lord and King. Help me to tell the world all about him. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.