This is another of the stories that I wrote for the 2012 Galveston mission trip street camp. As soon as I have time, I will post some activities to go with the story. This comes from Mark 11.
Jesus had been teaching and preaching throughout Israel for about three years. He had taught the people many things about loving each other, helping one another and about loving God. He had performed miracles of healing sick people and feeding people. He had even made one little boy's lunch of 2 fish and 5 small loaves of bread be enough food to feed 5000 people. Jesus could truly do things that no one else could do. These miracles had to come from God. Jesus could do God's miracles because He was God's son.
Now it was a week before Passover. Passover was a very important holiday for the Jewish people in Israel. Many, many Jews came from all over the world so they could be in Jerusalem at Passover time. Jesus was getting ready to go into Jerusalem too. He and his disciples were coming to a small town outside of Jerusalem called Bethphage to rest and wait for a little while.
Meanwhile, out at the edge of the town, at the gate of the village, there were two donkeys waiting. A mama donkey and her kid donkey, called a colt, were tied there. The two donkeys started talking to each other. Now, we all know that donkeys or any animal can't really talk so that people can hear and understand them unless God opens their mouth like he did Balaam's donkey. But animals can communicate and understand each other in ways that people don't. So the donkeys were talking to each other like donkeys do.
"Mama," the kid donkey said, "When will they come to get us?" She was looking forward to being able to serve God's Son. This was a very special privilege for her.
"Be patient, my child," the mama donkey replied. "The men will be here at the time that God has chosen for us."
"But mama, I want to be sure I am ready when Jesus calls.You know that no one has ever ridden on my back before."
"You are ready," said her mama. "You are a strong young donkey and you will serve God's Son well." So the donkeys waited.
As Jesus and his disciples waited, Jesus knew what needed to be done. He sent two of his disciples to the edge of the village, at the village gates, to get the donkeys for him.
The disciples asked him, "But what if someone asks why are taking the donkey?"
Jesus told them, "Just tell them that the Lord needs them for a while. We will return them later."
So the disciples went to the edge of the village to look for the donkey. When they got there, the donkeys were standing there just as Jesus had said they would be.
"Oh, Mama," said the colt. "Is it time? Is one of these men Jesus?"
The Colt's mama looked at the two men who had come. "Yes, my child, it is time but no, neither of these men is Jesus."
"Then who are they? I want to go to serve Jesus."
"They are two of Jesus' followers. They serve Jesus much the same way that we will serve Him. They do what Jesus asks them to do." the colt's mama told her.
The two disciples started to untie the donkeys when some men came up. "What do you think you are doing with my donkeys?" one of the men asked.
The disciples replied, "The Lord Jesus has need of it."
The man who owned the donkeys stepped forward and helped to untie them. "I have heard of Jesus. I am honored that He will use my donkeys." So the disciples took the colt to Jesus and the mama donkey followed them.
When they got back to where Jesus waited, the disciples threw their coats/cloaks over the back of the colt and Jesus climbed on. He then started riding the colt to the gates of Jerusalem.
As he got near to Jerusalem, many people saw Him coming. They knew this was the Son of God who had come to save them all. The people started throwing their coats, cloaks and jackets on the ground in front of Jesus and the donkey. They spread out leafy branches and palm leaves that they cut from the fields onto the road in front of Jesus. They wanted it to be like a soft carpet for the Son of God to ride on.
As He rode by they shouted out to Him, "Hosanna" which means "save us now." They were all rejoicing and praising God for all the great and mighty things that God had done. "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest," they shouted to Jesus.
This was a glorious time for Jesus and the disciples. It was a wonderful time for the donkey colt. She rejoiced that she had been ready to serve God's son when He needed her.
The Rest of the Story
Now, as happy a time as this was when Jesus rode the little donkey into Jersulam, just one week later was a sad time. The Jewish leaders and the Roman government took Jesus and hung Him on a cross to die. They said that He was causing too many problems when all He ever did was love and help others. Jesus knew that this had to happen. He knew that He had to die in order to pay for our sins, yours and mine. He died because he loved all of us. Three days after that, Jesus rose from the grave to live again. Today, he lives in heaven with the Father and also, in the hearts of all who believe.
To receive salvation in Jesus Christ there are 3 steps to take.
A. Admit that you are a sinner.
*Romans 3:23 (ESV)
*" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
B. Believe that Jesus died for your sins.
*John 3:16
*"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
C. Confess your sin and be willing to give Jesus control of your life.
*Romans 10:9
*"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Jesus had been teaching and preaching throughout Israel for about three years. He had taught the people many things about loving each other, helping one another and about loving God. He had performed miracles of healing sick people and feeding people. He had even made one little boy's lunch of 2 fish and 5 small loaves of bread be enough food to feed 5000 people. Jesus could truly do things that no one else could do. These miracles had to come from God. Jesus could do God's miracles because He was God's son.
Now it was a week before Passover. Passover was a very important holiday for the Jewish people in Israel. Many, many Jews came from all over the world so they could be in Jerusalem at Passover time. Jesus was getting ready to go into Jerusalem too. He and his disciples were coming to a small town outside of Jerusalem called Bethphage to rest and wait for a little while.
Meanwhile, out at the edge of the town, at the gate of the village, there were two donkeys waiting. A mama donkey and her kid donkey, called a colt, were tied there. The two donkeys started talking to each other. Now, we all know that donkeys or any animal can't really talk so that people can hear and understand them unless God opens their mouth like he did Balaam's donkey. But animals can communicate and understand each other in ways that people don't. So the donkeys were talking to each other like donkeys do.
"Mama," the kid donkey said, "When will they come to get us?" She was looking forward to being able to serve God's Son. This was a very special privilege for her.
"Be patient, my child," the mama donkey replied. "The men will be here at the time that God has chosen for us."
"But mama, I want to be sure I am ready when Jesus calls.You know that no one has ever ridden on my back before."
"You are ready," said her mama. "You are a strong young donkey and you will serve God's Son well." So the donkeys waited.
As Jesus and his disciples waited, Jesus knew what needed to be done. He sent two of his disciples to the edge of the village, at the village gates, to get the donkeys for him.
The disciples asked him, "But what if someone asks why are taking the donkey?"
Jesus told them, "Just tell them that the Lord needs them for a while. We will return them later."
So the disciples went to the edge of the village to look for the donkey. When they got there, the donkeys were standing there just as Jesus had said they would be.
"Oh, Mama," said the colt. "Is it time? Is one of these men Jesus?"
The Colt's mama looked at the two men who had come. "Yes, my child, it is time but no, neither of these men is Jesus."
"Then who are they? I want to go to serve Jesus."
"They are two of Jesus' followers. They serve Jesus much the same way that we will serve Him. They do what Jesus asks them to do." the colt's mama told her.
The two disciples started to untie the donkeys when some men came up. "What do you think you are doing with my donkeys?" one of the men asked.
The disciples replied, "The Lord Jesus has need of it."
The man who owned the donkeys stepped forward and helped to untie them. "I have heard of Jesus. I am honored that He will use my donkeys." So the disciples took the colt to Jesus and the mama donkey followed them.
When they got back to where Jesus waited, the disciples threw their coats/cloaks over the back of the colt and Jesus climbed on. He then started riding the colt to the gates of Jerusalem.
As he got near to Jerusalem, many people saw Him coming. They knew this was the Son of God who had come to save them all. The people started throwing their coats, cloaks and jackets on the ground in front of Jesus and the donkey. They spread out leafy branches and palm leaves that they cut from the fields onto the road in front of Jesus. They wanted it to be like a soft carpet for the Son of God to ride on.
As He rode by they shouted out to Him, "Hosanna" which means "save us now." They were all rejoicing and praising God for all the great and mighty things that God had done. "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest," they shouted to Jesus.
This was a glorious time for Jesus and the disciples. It was a wonderful time for the donkey colt. She rejoiced that she had been ready to serve God's son when He needed her.
The Rest of the Story
Now, as happy a time as this was when Jesus rode the little donkey into Jersulam, just one week later was a sad time. The Jewish leaders and the Roman government took Jesus and hung Him on a cross to die. They said that He was causing too many problems when all He ever did was love and help others. Jesus knew that this had to happen. He knew that He had to die in order to pay for our sins, yours and mine. He died because he loved all of us. Three days after that, Jesus rose from the grave to live again. Today, he lives in heaven with the Father and also, in the hearts of all who believe.
To receive salvation in Jesus Christ there are 3 steps to take.
A. Admit that you are a sinner.
*Romans 3:23 (ESV)
*" for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
B. Believe that Jesus died for your sins.
*John 3:16
*"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
C. Confess your sin and be willing to give Jesus control of your life.
*Romans 10:9
*"if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
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