Lk. 19:28-40; Is. 50:4-7; Phil. 2:6-11; Lk. 22:14-23:56
Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into the village ahead of you... you will find tied there a colt... Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks... say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” – Luke 19:30-31.
Palm Sunday carries a rich and dramatic symbolism that goes far beyond palm branches and hosannas. At the heart of the Gospel narrative in Luke 19:28–40 is a striking and seemingly minor detail — Jesus riding into Jerusalem not on a warhorse or a chariot, but on a young, unbroken colt. This simple creature becomes the vehicle of divine majesty, the bearer of the Prince of Peace. In this humble colt, we uncover a powerful theological and spiritual message: God chooses the lowly, the ordinary, the unseen, and the humble to fulfill His extraordinary purposes.
The colt was a young donkey, and the Gospel tells us it had never been ridden. This is significant. An unbroken animal would typically be unsuitable for riding, especially for someone of importance. Yet Jesus chose this animal — not despite its
inexperience, but perhaps because of it.The colt had no achievements to boast of no training that made it special. It had never tasted the attention of crowds or the burden of carrying kings. But what it had was availability and submission. It did not resist. It did not rebel. It simply yielded itself to the One who created it. In doing so, it became the bearer of God’s mission. The Lord could sit upon it because it was empty of pride and open to purpose.
This is the message for us: God does not ask for our credentials. He asks for our surrender. The colt became sacred not by what it had done, but by whom it carried.
The Old Testament gives us a beautiful parallel in the story of David’s anointing in 1 Samuel 16. When God rejected Saul as king over Israel, He sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint the next king.
Samuel arrives and sees Eliab, Jesse’s eldest son. He is strong, impressive, and noble-looking. Samuel thinks, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But God tells him, “Do not look on his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
One by one, Jesse presents seven of his sons, and one by one, God says, “No.” Then Samuel asks, “Are all your sons here?” Jesse replies, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.”
This response says much about how David was viewed — he wasn’t even considered important enough to be invited. He was young, out in the fields, doing the menial task of tending sheep. Yet God’s eyes were upon him.
When David is brought in, God says, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” (v. 12) And from that moment, “the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David.” (v. 13)
Like the colt, David was unseen, unused for leadership, but chosen by God for something great. He was the youngest, the forgotten one, yet he would carry the heart of Israel’s spiritual legacy and the Messianic promise.
All throughout Scripture, we see this recurring pattern: God lifts up the lowly and uses them for His glory.
Moses, the fugitive shepherd with a stutter, is called to lead Israel out of Egypt. Gideon, hiding in fear, is called a “mighty warrior” by the angel of the Lord (Judges 6:12). Mary, a simple village girl, is chosen to bear the Son of God. The widow of Zarephath, who had only a handful of flour and a little oil, becomes a channel of God’s providence for Elijah and herself. The little boy with five loaves and two fishes become the key to Jesus’ miracle of feeding five thousand (John 6).
God chooses the humble because humility makes room for God’s glory. The proud believe they can do it alone. The humble know they need grace. In the colt, in David, and in countless others, God shows us that the vessels of His glory are not the impressive, but the surrendered.
One of the most beautiful things about the colt is that it never speaks. It does not neigh in protest. It does not call for attention. It does not seek to be the center of the procession. All eyes are on Jesus. The colt simply walks, carrying the Savior.
There is a quiet dignity in that image — one that mirrors the many silent servants in our world who carry Christ in their daily lives. These are people who do not stand on pulpits or command applause, but in their quiet witness, they bear Jesus into their homes, workplaces, and communities.
In our modern era, the story of Gladys Staines shines as a profound example of such humility and Christ-bearing.
Gladys and her husband Graham Staines were Australian missionaries who served among the leprosy-affected poor in Odisha, India. They lived simply, ministered quietly, and shared Christ’s love not through loud preaching but through acts of mercy.
Tragedy struck in 1999 when Graham and their two sons, Philip and Timothy, were burnt alive by a mob while they slept in their vehicle. The attack shocked the nation and drew global attention.
But what shook the world even more was Gladys’s response. In the face of unimaginable pain, she publicly forgave those who murdered her family. She said, “I have forgiven the killers and have no bitterness… I cannot express my gratitude to all who have been praying for us.”
Palm Sunday is not a call to be the crowd that waved palm branches for a day. It is a call to be the colt — to carry Jesus consistently, even when the road leads to Jerusalem, the city of suffering and sacrifice.
You may feel unnoticed, unqualified, or untamed. But if you are available, if your heart says, “Lord, I am yours,” then you too can carry Christ.
If you’re a teacher, let Christ ride through you into the classroom.
If you’re a mother, let Christ be present in your nurturing and patience.
If you’re a youth, let Christ shine in your choices and relationships.
If you’re elderly, your prayers and wisdom can carry Jesus into the lives of the young.
The Second message is: “The Lord Needs It” – You Are Needed by God
Jesus instructed His disciples, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden… Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this: ‘The Lord needs it.’” (Luke 19:30–31)
How profound these words are — "The Lord needs it." Think about this: the Creator of the universe, the Almighty God, needs something — and not gold, not armies, but a tied-up little donkey.
It teaches us something stunning: God needs us. Not because He lacks power, but because He chooses to involve us in His work of redemption. No matter how small, bound, or unimportant we feel — the Lord says, “I need you.”
In the Old Testament, God needed a small basket floating in the Nile to carry a crying baby — Moses — who would one day deliver Israel from bondage (Exodus 2:3–10). God needed a poor widow in Zarephath to feed Elijah, even though she only had a handful of flour and a little oil (1 Kings 17:8–16). God needed five loaves and two fish — offered by a boy — to feed thousands (John 6:9).
Each of these was small, humble, and almost invisible in the grand scheme — but God needed them. He needs us too. He needs your voice, your hands, your smile, your forgiveness, your generosity. He needs you to carry Him into your homes, workplaces, communities — into places where His presence is needed.
The third message is: “If They Were Silent, the Stones Would Shout Out” – The Urgency to Proclaim.
As Jesus was entering the city, the crowds were shouting in joy, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” But some Pharisees, disturbed by the noise, said to Jesus, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” (Luke 19:39–40)
This is not poetic exaggeration. All of creation recognizes the Lordship of Jesus. Psalm 19 declares, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.” (Ps 19:1)
Old Testament Echoes – Creation Speaks. In Habakkuk 2:11, the prophet says, “The stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork will respond.” Even inanimate things will protest against injustice and silence.
Job says, “Ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you… In God’s hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.” (Job 12:7–10)
The whole creation is in tune with its Creator — it is only human beings who often silence their praise due to pride, fear, or indifference.
There are many who refused to be silent in their love for Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor, spoke out against Hitler and the Nazi regime. Even though it cost him his life, he proclaimed the Lord’s truth with courage.
In India, many silent witnesses live their faith each day in workplaces, hospitals, schools, villages — proclaiming Jesus not through grand speeches, but through simple acts of love, truth, and mercy. Like the disciples who shouted with joy, they know: if we don't speak, even the stones will cry out.
Palm Sunday is not just about waving branches — it’s about answering the call.
Satish