Matthew 21:1-11, 14-17
WHICH was one of the greatest miracles that Jesus ever did? It was making Lazarus alive again; because he had been dead for four days.
Many of the wicked people who hated Jesus heard of it, but then they hated Him more than ever. They said, ‘We must kill Him soon, or everyone will believe that He is the Son of God.’ Jesus knew that they wanted to kill Him, so He went and hid Himself in a place they did not know about. They looked for Him, but they could not find Him.
But could Jesus always stay in that quiet place, where He was living with His disciples?
No, He came down to this world to die for sinners. He only waited till the time came for Him to die. Then He said to His disciples, ‘We must go up to Jerusalem, and I shall be mocked and beaten and killed, but I shall come out of My grave after three days.’
The disciples did not like to hear this, but they chose to go with Jesus wherever He went. Jesus walked along the road and at last He came near Jerusalem. Then He stopped and said to His disciples, ‘I shall ride into Jerusalem on an ass.’ Jesus had no ass of His own; He always walked from place to place. But Jesus could put it into a man’s heart to lend Him one.
He said to two of His disciples, ‘Go along the road a little way, and you will see an ass and a young ass tied, and a man standing near. Bring the ass and the young one to Me, for I know that the man will let them come.’
So the two disciples went. When they had gone a little way, they saw an ass tied up, and a young one with it. They began to untie the ass, but a man standing near them said, ‘Why do you untie the ass?’
They said, ‘The Lord has need of them.’ Then the man let them go. I suppose that man loved the Lord Jesus and liked to lend Him his things.
The two disciples brought the asses to Jesus. They took off some of their clothes and put them on the young ass, and Jesus sat on it.
Many people came out of Jerusalem to see Jesus, for they heard that He had made Lazarus alive again. The people began to praise Jesus and to call Him King. They took off some of their clothes and laid them down on the road for the ass to walk on. And they pulled branches off the trees that grew near and laid them on the road too.
So Jesus came to the great town of Jerusalem. All the people came into the streets to look at Him. Even the little children began to praise Him, and to call Him King.
The proud men that hated Jesus were very angry at hearing all these praises. They did not like to hear Jesus praised. They came to Him and said, ‘Why dost Thou let these children call Thee King?’
But Jesus liked to hear the children sing His praise. So He would not tell them to be silent. Jesus loved little children, and these little children loved Jesus.
Questions
What did some of the people in Jerusalem wish to do to Jesus?
Did Jesus walk or ride into Jerusalem?
Where did the disciples find an ass?
Why did so many of the people come to see Jesus when He was riding on the ass?
What did the people lay upon the road?
How did the little children make the proud men angry?
The people who should praise God
A verse from the Bible for you to learn:
Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: let them praise the name of the Lord. Psa. 148:12, 13.