And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village overagainst you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, they King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Matthew 21:1-9.

The Lord

The disciples naturally felt some difficulty about taking another man's property. This is why the Lord told them to go into the village where they would straightway find an ass and a colt tied. They were to loose them, and if the man said anything, they were to tell him, "The Lord hath need of them."

When we read this account, I realize that it does not mean too much to us. They felt strange about just walking up and taking someone else's property. "Oh, that wouldn't be such a big task," you may say, "I would just go do it." Well, suppose the Lord would tell you to go down the street and borrow a new Cadillac from someone. Just get in it and back it out. If the man comes running out and says, "What are you doing with my car," just roll down the window and holler out, "The Lord needs it, brother," How would you like to try that today?

There is something which has happened to us in this day and age of time. In Jesus days, suppose there had been a thousand lords, or even a dozen. One of the first things a man would say when you say, "The Lord needs it," would be, "Which lord?" But there was no confusion when the disciples said to the man, "The Lord hath need of them." He never even answered. We are in terrible confusion today because of so many lords. In the midst of all of it, I thank God that there is just really one Lord, and His name is the key that opens every lock. His name is the mighty power that beats down every mountain and wall.

The Bible lets us know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord our God is one Lord. First Corinthians 8:5-6, tells us: "For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us, the Church, the body of Christ...there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we by him."

We can read in 1 Peter, and also in Jude, that many people today are denying the Lord who bought them and ruling over God's heritage as lords. Because of that, people cannot obey the Lord. No true pastor will tell you anything contrary to what the Lord wants you to do.

His name can make the rough places plain so that, as we read in the lesson, the man willingly gave them up. Why? Because he recognized the Lord. How much less trouble we would have today if people would learn to submit and stay submitted to one Lord.

A Needy King?

Now, I am going to leave those words, "the Lord," and I want to get to the essence of my message, "The Lord hath need." When we consider the thought of the Lord having need, it sounds as though we are talking about someone who is in a terrible condition and needs help. It is hard to get the point across to people that He who could foresee all things, fortell all things, and all things were created by Him and for Him, has need.

The very fact that the Lord had to borrow the animal on which He rode, to display His royal state in Jerusalem, states a truth that we cannot escape. It suggests the union of absolute poverty and absolute authority. My friend, He is King without any earthly possessions. The same blending of humiliation and majesty, run all through His life. He was obliged to a fisherman to use his boat as a pulpit, and from that borrowed pulpit, He spoke divine wisdom. He was obliged to a lad to hand Him the loaves and the fishes, yet He took them in His hands, blessed them, and fed the multitudes. He owed His grave to Joseph, and out of that grave, He arose the Lord of life.

The message to the villager, and the message to us is, that Christ cannot assume or resume His Kingdom without us. Christ cannot have a Kingdom without subjects. Oh, how we want the Kingdom to move forward and prosper, but the message is, the Lord hath need. He must have servants. When we get right down to the facts of it, God holds every creature responsible to show himself when wanted. Every one of us are God's creatures; and sooner or later, even if you are out in sin, you are going to feel the call of God, "I need you." Every one of us, as God's creatures, are held responsible to yield ourself when Christ so desires to use us.

In the truest sense, God needs nothing, yet He has graciously designed to work by the means of His creatures. This is God's plan. We can tie the hands of God. Oh, yes. We can limit God. In fact, we are limiting God. God would like to be doing a thousand times more than is being done, but we are limiting Him. He has chosen to work through His creatures. He cannot move forward in a progressive manner with His Kingdom a bit faster then He can get you and me, as His creatures, to move.

We need to see where we fit into this, Paul taught the Church that we are workers together with God (2 Corinthians 6:1). Someone may say, "Well, Jesus said that He would build His church." How does He build it? --by getting a person 'sold out' who will sow the seed and another who will water. Why are we not getting a better harvest of souls? Because one sows the seed, and the next one, instead of watering it, pulls the seed out and plants something else. There is nothing left long enough in the hearts of man to take root.

Lives, Time and Talents

Friend, we need to feel in a greater way the responsibility of promoting the Kingdom of God and/or the Church. You may say, "Jesus builds the Church." Be careful! Paul was a wise masterbuilder; he helped build the Church. It was Jesus working through him, but he was building the Church. There is a human aspect that we cannot throw overboard. There is going to have to be some real planting, sowing and watering. God gives the increase, but not until we sow, we water and we cultivate.

It is just as true in the natural life. Some people once had a beautiful garden, and someone said, "My, that's a beautiful garden you and the Lord have out." The other man said, "You ought to have seen it last year, when the Lord had it out by Himself." -- it was just weeds!

The Lord builds the Church, but how does He build it? Oh, He adds to the Church every one who gets saved, but how do they get saved? We have such a lazy, rocking-chair religion (smile) that all we want to do is enjoy ourself and pray every day, "Lord...Oh, Holy Spirit, go visit the lost; convince them and convict them," Well, I am here to tell you, the Holy Spirit does not fly around like a fairy. *S*

When Jesus was here, the Holy Spirit dwelt in His body; and when Jesus went away, He moved into the hearts and lives of the Christians. The Holy Spirit cannot go and tell someone what has been ordained for you to speak. Oh, I know what we like to do; we want to sit at home and send Him. It just does not wark that way. We need to see exactly where we fit into this picture.

God is ready for a revival like we have never seen. God is ready to save by the hundreds and thousands. Why aren't we gettin it done? We are not ready. (I'm still on my subject, "The Lord hath need.") He definitely does have need today, maybe not for a donkey *S,* but He needs lives, time and talents. He needs property.

Hebrews 11:4, tells us that Abel's blood yet speaketh, even though he is dead. How would you like to still talk after you were dead? Well, I'll tell you how to do it; make a will to the church, and you can still talk after you are dead. Your children might take your money and 'throw it away'...anyway they want to. You can still speak after you are dead. Many people were very careful with their money; some would not even spend money in a grocery store that sold beer. They did not want a penny of it to go to the devil in any way. Then they died and left it to their unsaved children, and the devil used every penny of it. I don't know why the Lord wanted me to put that in; somebody needs to make a will, I guess. (smile).

Even as the Lord needed that little mule on which to ride into Jerusalem to fulfill prophecy, He has great need today in order to fulfill prophecy. We (the Church) are needed to fulfill prophecy today. We are in an era of time when the Lord does not need a donkey to make a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, but He needs saved men and women who are dedicated to His cause. He need people, who through Him, will triumph over sin, the flesh and the devil and prove to the world that He is Lord.

Brother, if He is truly Lord, you can live victoriously; you do not have to practice sin. If He is truly Lord, you do not have to stumble around and fall; you can walk as a Christian needs to walk and show the world that there is power in real salvation. It will be a new era of time in the Church, when we show the people that "the Lord hath need" is all that is needed to secure its cheerful bestowment.

Obey Quickly

When the Lord talks to some people and they feel the need, they spoil much of their obedience by criticizing the thing, which God has asked them to do. Then, when they finally get around to doing it, there is little or no blessing in it because they waited so long. If you want to get a blessing out of obeying God, obey quickly. Be thankful that God spoke to you. Look at it in the right light; you are honored if God chooses you to do anything. If God chooses you to clean the restrooms, you are honored. *S*

The same thing happens in measuring to the light of God's word. God will speak plain and show you beyond the shadow of a doubt what you need to do, and the devil will cause you to think, "Well, I am going to pray about it." You might be getting in good shape to get deceived when you continue to pray and ponder over that, which God has already told you what to do. People can be so careless about most things, but when it comes to obeying some truth, they are very careful that they do not do anything which they don't have to.

Paul taught the Church at Corinth (and us) to look into this glass (the Word of God). Second Corinthians 3:18, tells us, "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory..." When you look into that glass and see what God wants you to do and be, and measure to it, you go from glory to glory. That is when the Church is a glorious Church -- when she moves from glory to glory. God is good enough to show you light and understanding, and you move from one glory to a greater glory. Sometimes, getting people to 'measure up' is like pulling teeth without Novocain; you finally get it done. The Lord hath need of people who will love Him and be ready to obey Him. Anything they are, and anything they have, are at His disposal: "Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth thee."

Recognizing Our Lord

When these disciples told the man that the Lord needed that ass and colt, there was no anxiety. He never once said, "Well, what are you going to do with them?" It was a colt that no man had ever sat on, but he did not say, "That colt isn't trained. It won't do you any good." (I'am still preaching on recognizing Jesus as Lord.) He did not say, "Jesus must have made a mistake. As soon as I get it trained, I will be glad to let you use it." He did not do that. He shifted all the responsibility on the Lord.

When we recognize Jesus as Lord, we must realize that He knows everything. Someone may say, "Oh, I know that He knows everything." Why then, when He calles you to do something, do you say, "I can't do that." He knows what you can do; He does not make any mistakes. He knows everything and controls everything. All we need to do, is obey, and the rest will come right; it did in our Scripture lesson.

I have been around a few mule colts, handled mules, and broken some. If you climb on a mule, which has not been broken, you are not going to stay long. Even take broken mules --go down the road with them, and have someone throw tree limbs out in front of them, and throw a coat over their back -- I dare you! =) Brother, they took this colt that no man had ever sat on, threw a coat over his back, and it never moved. Jesus climbed on, but it never moved. It probably rolled its eyes back and said, "If that had been anyone else, I would have thrown them twenty feet." (smile) Why did the colt allow it? -- he recognized his Lord. That mule, which had never been sat on, walked straight into Jerusalem. I believe if a mule can do it, we can. They threw tree limbs out at him, and he did not even shy; he walked straight into Jerusalem because even the mule recognized his Lord. That puts us in pretty bad shape, doesn't it? (smile, again).

The ass knows his owner; he know's where his master's crib is. We need to take a lesson from God's eternal Word. Jesus told us to consider the birds; right now, we want to conside the mule. The disciples recognized their Lord, the man who owned the mule recognized the Lord and the mule recognized the Lord. The reason too many people have trouble living for God, is because they do not go beyond the confession of sins to confess the lordship of Jesus Christ. Brother, if you truly confess Him as lord and let Him be Lord, there will not be a 'spiritual rodeo' as we have; too many cannot stay in there.

"...By My Spirit..."

This man shifted all the responsibility on the Lord. We, as the Church, who are endeavoring to stand for truth, are seeing many of 'our own,' allowing their eyes to be turned from Jesus, and are turning to babylon ( spiritual confusion) trying to learn from them how to reach the world and perpetuate the Church. I am her to tell you, babylon never did have anything to perpetuate the Church, and she still does not. The Bible still says, "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help..." (Isaiah 31:1)...a type of spiritual bondage and confusion.

Jesus is saying to the Church, "...anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see" (Revelation 3:18). Brother, if there is anything we need, it is a new fresh vision of Jesus and what He can do for people. Not only is there a breakdown in the ministry, but when the ministry begins to wither, we produce a people without any power, who cannot live consistently. We therefore spend all our time overhauling them. The Lord hath need, and the great need is for the people to get a new vision of Jesus and really give up to Him. We need to be just as pliable as that mule. He will take us and make us able.

What kind of people turned the world upside down? After the lame man was healed, they brought Peter and John before the council. Acts 4:13 tell us, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." We have lost the marvel(?) Ignorance is not bliss, but I am telling you right now that movement after movement has fallen over the same thing. The devil is not using any new tricks, but the same old tricks, getting us to get our eyes off Jesus, where the power really is.

We are in a trying time. We are in a time when the enemy of souls wants to turn our minds off the real source of power. God still says, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6). Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). What are we going to do with these Scriptures? Brother, they were not only fishers of men, but they caught them.

Jesus can do more with one man who is truly sold out to Him, who has faith and confidence that He can do anything, than He can with a dozen who do not know whether they are leaning on Christ or leaning on their education. My friend, we have to get our eyes on Jesus and what He can do. We are weak in ourselves. Certainly, if you are going into some line of work where you need education, get all that you can; but brother, if you are going to preach the Gospel, get hold of God and make sure you have a divine call. Jesus said, "Ye have not chose me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit..." (John 15:16).

Second Kings, Chapter 2, is a familiar Scripture text, which has helped me many times. Elisha desired a double portion of Elijah's spirit, and nothing could separate him from Elijah. (If you want to get a lot of help in becoming a preacher, find an old pastor who is true-blue, who preaches doctrine, and stick close to him.) In any case, Elisha stood the test, and God gave him the desire of his heart, a double portion of Elijah's spirit.

Look Up

The Lord hath need today. He needs men who will come just as they are, recognizing that God has chosen them, with their eyes off of everything else and fixed on Jesus. They must get to the place that they can say, as the Apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).

We need to get our eyes back on Jesus; the devil is causing us to look around too much. What did Jesus say to us, right in these days when our redemption draws nigh? -- "...look up, and lift up your heads..." (Luke 21:28).

I say again, the Lord hath need. The work of the Church is suffering for the need of men who will truly give up, realizing that without Him, they can do nothing; but through Him, they can do all things. The Bible still teaches a divine call to a divine work by a divine power. We need to see some 'Jordans backed up.' We need to see some lame men from birth healed.

The Man in the Scripture text shifted all the responsibility upon the Lord. Just as Jesus needed the mule to ride into Jerusalem, so that His Kingdom could move on, Psalm 45:4, tells us, "And in thy majesty ride prosperously..." He wants His Kingdom to move on prosperously, not just here, but all around the world. I know the mission work has changed to a great degree. A lot of people say, "We do not see a lot of missionaries being called." Well, there probably will not be as many missionaries called as there once was. Certainly, God is working and reaching many in a faster and greater way by using the natives. When we go to the mission field, we have to live there several years to gain the confidence of the prople. One of the natives, however, who gets a real experience with God, can get their attention and get the Gospel message across in a very short time.

Even though many may not be called, I am not saying that no one is called; and for every one missionary that we send over there, it takes quite a number of working men here to support that one move. Every one of us can fit into this program in a greater way than we realize. When you support, definitely, conscientiously support the work, every time a soul is saved, you are getting a 'mark on your record.' Even though you may not have been there, you definitely had a part in it.

Service With a Smile

The next thought that comes to me from our Scripture text is that Christ welcomes and rewards our actions even though they are slight in themselves. He taught that in the thought of giving a cup of cold water (Matthew 10:42). Christ is mindful of every effort. After a time, many people seemingly slack their efforts. It is a surprising thing to me how you can get people stirred up in the thought of giving to the missions, but all it takes is just a few weeks until they fall right back and forget all about it. It takes a stirring and restirring of the memory. Peter said, "...I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance" (2 Peter 3:1). There are people on the other side of the earth who have not heard the Gospel one time, and we are our brother's keeper. The world is the field. Oh, I pray that God will help us.

We have here an authoritative demand, which does not even contemplate the possibility of reluctance or refusal. Did you ever notice that? You will never read in the lesson where Jesus told the disciples to go find the mule tied, and if the man would not let them have it, go on over to another house. There is no thought in the text whatsoever of refusal. Why is that? God knows who to call on.

We are getting around to the point where some people do not hear from God. Some people do not see anything to do or feel anything to do. You see, God does not go around hitting and missing -- if one brother does not do it, He will get another one -- No! He knows who to call on. There could be something wrong with you, if God is not calling on you. I am here to tell you, there is a work for everybody to do. Every member of the Church has a work to do, and some have more work than others. But every one of us has a work to do.

So, when He sent them down there, there was no thought of reluctance or refusal. There was no explanation given or no motive expressed except "the Lord hath need." Christ asks and deserves (in many instances, He receives) a service with an absolutism that no earthly ruler could even dare to ask for. He asks for all, and His people give it freely and are happy about it!

A Living Experience

We must give up all, and ALL is a big word and lasts a long time. You cannot give up all at an altar of prayer; it is a living experience. The things, which are hard for us to give up, are not the things that we had when we got saved, but the things that we have acquired along the way. It is those, that we have to be tested on. Abraham gave up all, came out from his people and walked with God. He did not have any problem; he did not have to be tested. Well, after a while, God added a son; then his supreme love for God was put to the test. He had to be tested on the things he acquired after he started walking with the Lord.

Many people, when they got saved, did not own a table or anything to put on it. They gave their heart to God, and He straightened them out, put them on their feet, helped them pay their debts and put some money in their pockets. Now, it is a real test for them to give something to the Lord.

I repeat, it is the things we qcquire as we walk with God, that we have to be tested on. Christ demands and deserves all, and God's true people are willing to give up all and shout about it. *S* We give twenty percent(?) to the IRS and frown and fuss, but when we give up all to the Lord, we can have a shouting spell. The demands of our King are great, but not a whit too great for Him.

We see an instance in our Scripture text of glad surrender. There is nothing more blessed than to give to the requirements of the Lord. If the owner of that mule had said (like people today), "Why don't you get someone else's beast," or, "I will send him after while, after I have used him. I am not through with him," he would have missed the greatest honor of life. The greatest honor, which can fall upon a human being, is to be used of the Lord. Dear ones, as soon as we know what Christ wants us to do, we ought to do it without delay. The psalmist said in Psalm 119:60, "I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments." It still works that way today.

Let us read Mark 11:3, "...the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither." They could have said, "Christ only wishes to use the animal, and it will come back more precious than it ever was before." Why? There was not another donkey like that in the world -- Jesus rode that donkey.

I am talking about something that will add real value to your life. If we wish anything to become precious, give it to Jesus, and the touch of His fingers will leave an abiding fragrance. We are of most worth to ourselves and to others, when we give ourselves to Him. When we give ourselves to Him, our possessions become most truly ours. This is part of the mystery of salvation; our love and our joy are the sweetest and brightest, when we lay them at His feet.

A Living Christ

The Lord hath need. I like to put right behind that: Love always supplies the need well. Once, I had gone down to Haiti to buy some ground for another school. Many of the children do not have anything to eat except what they are fed at school, and we were buying another piece of ground for a school. Right at that particular time, it had not rained for quite a number of months, and there was a lot of starvation. One thing that stuck with me, was a mother carrying a baby that had been dead for a long time, but she was still carring it in her arms. Little children were just skin and bones; starvation was so bad right at that particular time.

I had gone by myself, and when I got on the plane and the plane lifted off the ground, I lifted my heart to God. I said, "Lord, what can we do 'in a greater way,' to help? How can I stir my people to help more?" Quickly the Lord took me to the twelfth chapter of John. The first five verses, tell of an appreciation supper which Mary and Martha gave for Jesus because He had raised their brother from the dead. During the evening, Mary took very costly ointment and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The Bible said that the odor filled the whole house. That very costly ointment, a pound of spikenard, was worth $62.50; that was a year's wages at that time. She spent a year's wages on this ointment for her own burial, but she loved Jesus so much that she poured it out on Him for His burial.

As I considered this Scripture, God spoke to me and said, "Now, she did that for a dead Christ (She had no understanding about the resurrection. She thought He was dying and would be dead forever.): she gave up a year's wages for a dead Christ. Would you give up a week's wages for a living one?" I said, "Yes, Lord, I have a check coming as soon as I get back, and I will sign my name on the back of it for the foreign missions." We passed the offering plates, and they came in with $25,000. Some brethren who made $1,000 that week, signed their name on the back. Love takes care of the need.

After God got through with me there, He took me over to John, Chapter 19, where Joseph and Nicodemus came to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Because we do not hear too much about Nicodemus, someone may say, "he came by night: I don't think he got much." Well, he stood by Jesus when the disciples all fled...Joseph came to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus, and verse 39 tells us, "...Nicodemus...brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight." One hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes was enough to embalm two hundred bodies; he was not doing a 'cheap job!'

Verse 41-42, tells us: "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus..." Again, we have a picture of men who thought that He was a dead Christ; they knew nothing about a ressurection. They loved a dead Christ that much. How much do we love a living one?

He Needs You

The Lord hath need; the Lord hath need all around the world. He needs men and women, who will come in completeness, giving up to Him: Lord I will sing; Lord, I will preach (City after city, right here in the United States, do not know a thing, or very little about the Church that Jesus built); Lord, I will work. The purpose of my life is going to be changed and deepened. The deep purpose of my life from now on is going to be for the furtherance of your cause and Kingdom; every thing else is going to be a 'sideline.'

All He needs is us, completely given up; from that point, He will take over. There is a song which says, "His power can make you what you ought to be." God can make a preacherman out of a man who never preached. We just need to get our eyes on Jesus.

When God gets ready to use a man or woman, He changes them. When Israel wanted a king, and be like other people, God told them that He would give them a king. Saul was out hunting his father's asses and could not find them. The prophet met him, anointed him, and in a second of time, he was changed. He was a farmer boy out hunting his Daddy's asses, but after the anointing, he was changed into another man. He walked right up and prophesied with the prophets.

The Church that Jesus built is divine; its salvation is divine; its mode of membership is divine. It is a divine organism from one end to the other, and the cry today is, "The Lord hath need." What does He need? He needs us in whatever capacity He sees fit to use us in. He needs us, and He needs us now. There is not anyone whom the call misses.

Some people who were thinking about doing something for the Lord thirty years ago have not started yet. Awake! Rise up! (smile) What we are going to do, we have to do quickly, very, very, quickly.

I am here to tell you, God can make you able to do what He has called you to do If you will just become the clay and let Him be the potter, He will make you a vessel meet for the Master's use.

The Lord hath need. I wonder if you can feel that need today. I wonder if the Holy Spirit has shown you anything that you could do to let the Lord ride on more prosperously, to let the Kingdom of God prosper in a greater way. Has He shown you anything? Friend, if He has, we ought to heed the call. We ought to submit to Him and let Him have His way; He will work the work that is needed.

Oh, brother, sister, don't you think that God needs some help? He did not get much help when He saved you. He worked the miracle and changed you. He made you a new creature, and His power can still make you whatever He wants you to be, if you will only yield yourself to Him.