Today’s Podcast
Today’s Devotional
Today’s background scripture comes from Luke 19.
Many people know about what is commonly called Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into the city of Jerusalem the last week of His life. Many of those who think Him only a prophet think He acted according to scripture only because of His deep study of the scriptures. They don’t believe He was truly God incarnate. They don’t look at the details of the stories recorded about Him to understand He wasn’t just any man or any prophet.
Zechariah foretold the coming of the King 500 years earlier. He said He would come riding on a donkey, specifically on a colt, an unridden colt. Most today haven’t been around unridden animals, but it isn’t common to ride into town on an animal that’s never been ridden. Think a minute about the westerns you’ve seen. The horse that throws its rider is the nature of an unridden animal. As soon as the disciples tried to put the cloaks on its back, it would have tried to shake them off.
But not this one. Not in the presence of My Son. The colt acted like a well trained adult horse, not a brand new unridden donkey colt. The disciples put their cloaks on it to provide a makeshift saddle and Jesus rode it across the narrow paths of the steep hillsides into the gates of Jerusalem. No bucking, no resistance, no missteps. One of My creation carried My Son exactly as I told Zechariah it would 500 years earlier. Jesus knew where the colt would be. He knew its owners would release it without question. He knew it would return with the disciples without hindrance. He knew He could ride the untamed animal. He knew all of this, not because all of it was written in scripture. Only the fact He would ride into Jerusalem on a colt was foretold. The rest He knew because He was My Son, the God-Man.
Maybe it sounds like a little thing to you. I specialize in little things, like forming each individual snowflake that together add up to mountains of snow in the winter. Forming each raindrop around a speck of dust and letting it fall to earth to replenish the rivers that flow to the oceans. I paint each flower petal before folding it into the DNA of each seed that falls into the ground.
I specialize in the little things that become the incredible things. The prophecy seemed like a little thing to Zechariah 500 years before it happened. It seemed like a little thing when the disciples picked up the donkey from the owners the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem. It seemed like a little thing when He told His disciples He would not eat the Passover with them again. You see I specialize in little things and make them pretty incredible.
I can take things you might think are little and make them pretty incredible, too. In this one story of one event in Jesus’ life, a story that consumes only eight verse in Luke’s gospel, you see how small things mean a great deal to me. I specialize in the small things in life. Imagine what I can do with your life. In the small things and the big things that come your way.
Today’s Scripture
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Luke 19:28-48
Set – Genesis 48; Luke 19
Go! – Genesis 47-48; Psalms 19; Luke 19
Luke 19:28-48
28 When He finished the parable, He pushed onward, climbing the steep hills toward Jerusalem.29 He approached the towns of Bethphage and Bethany, which are near Mount Olivet. He sent two of the disciples ahead.
Jesus: 30 Go to the next village. When you enter, you will find a colt tied—a colt that has never been ridden before. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you why you’re untying it, just say, “The Lord needs it.”
32 So the two disciples found things just as He had told them. 33 When its owners did indeed ask why they were untying the colt, 34 the disciples answered as they had been instructed.
Disciples: The Lord needs it.
35 They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their coats on the colt’s back, and then sat Jesus on it. 36 As Jesus rode along, some people began to spread their garments on the road as a carpet. 37 When they passed the crest of Mount Olivet and began descending toward Jerusalem, a huge crowd of disciples began to celebrate and praise God with loud shouts, glorifying God for the mighty works they had witnessed.
Crowd of Disciples: 38 The King who comes in the name of the Eternal One is blessed!
Peace in heaven! Glory in the highest!
Pharisees (who were in the crowd): 39 Teacher, tell these people to stop making these wild claims and acting this way!
Jesus: 40 Listen—if they were silent, the very rocks would start to shout!
41 When Jerusalem came into view, He looked intently at the city and began to weep.
Jesus: 42 How I wish you knew today what would bring peace! But you can’t see. 43 Days will come when your enemies will build up a siege ramp, and you will be surrounded and contained on every side. 44 Your enemies will smash you into rubble and not leave one stone standing on another, and they will cut your children down too, because you did not recognize the day when God’s Anointed One visited you.
45 He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. He began driving out the temple merchants.
Jesus: 46 The Hebrew Scriptures say, “My house shall be a house of prayer,” but you have turned it into a shelter for thieves.
47 He came back day after day to teach in the temple. The chief priests, the religious scholars, and the leading men of the city wanted to kill Him, 48 but because He was so popular among the people—who hung upon each word He spoke—they were unable to do anything.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Music by the Booth Brothers from Room for More, “Faithful One” ©2008.
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