'Jesus Followed a Script'
Jesus didn't simply happen upon a donkey; scripture tells us He “found a young donkey and sat on it,” actively participating in the unfolding of prophecy that identified Him as the promised Messiah. Unlike arbitrary connections, Jesus' actions represented the deliberate fulfillment of a messianic script, one that carried profound symbolic meaning. While conquering heroes rode horses as symbols of war and domination, Jesus chose a donkey—the mount of peace—signaling the peaceable kingdom He embodied.
The resurrection of Lazarus gave hope to people. As John 12:9 records, “A large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.” This wasn't merely curiosity—it was the stirring of profound hope. Jesus had been at Bethany the day before, creating quite the public scene. The people were amazed, recalling that 875 years prior, Elijah had raised the dead as recorded in 1 and 2 Kings—the son of Zarephath, the son of the Shunammite woman, and the man whose body touched Elijah's bones. The whispers grew: “One as great as Elijah is here!” While they had heard Jesus had performed miracles—feeding multitudes, healing the sick, casting out demons—raising Lazarus was the ultimate sign.
Our own lives often follow scripts, whether we recognize them or not. When I was engaged to Mary Kay, I went to my Granny and Grandpa’s house. We talked about the exciting news then Granny said something I’ll never forget. “Becks make good husbands”. I took this in as a script for me to follow. I looked to my father and grandfather to see what made them good husbands. I leaned into the script and sought to fulfill the prophecy. We all encounter such expectations from family, culture, and society that attempt to chart our course. Some of those scripts we play are good, some are not. We all go through negative things in our lives to some degree or another. You don’t have to have come from an ‘abusive family’ to have experienced and taken in as your script that you aren’t good enough, deserve the bad that happens in your life, are unlovable, or will never get ahead. These negative scripts can become the prophecy of your life if you allow them. Or… you can choose to adopt a new script, one informed by the promises of God in Christ Jesus.
The script continued as Jesus confronted the merchants in the temple, again fulfilling written prophecy. His disciples recognized this connection to Psalm 69, where it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” This wasn't spontaneous outrage but another scene in the divine screenplay. The temple which was meant to be holy had become a marketplace, contradicting Zechariah's vision that Jerusalem would be “completely holy, no merchants at temple.” Jesus' actions were purposeful corrections aligning reality with prophecy. The fuller prophecy reads, “For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother’s children; for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.” (Ps 69:7-9)
What script guides your life? Unlike rigid determinism, Jesus demonstrates that fulfilling prophecy involved His active participation and choice. He intentionally found the donkey, deliberately entered Jerusalem, purposefully cleansed the temple. The resurrection of Lazarus had set the stage, creating anticipation that something extraordinary was unfolding. The script had indeed been written, and He was riding it—not as a passive player but as the central character who understood the story's significance.
Perhaps our own lives balance similarly between destiny and choice. The script for you as a Christian is that Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you (John 14:16-17, 26), power and authority to be a witness (Acts 1:8), He will always be with you to the end of the age (Matt 28:20), and peace in spite of difficult circumstances (John 16:33, 14:27). As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows you by name and calls you to follow Him (John 10:3-4, 14). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” (2 Cor 5:17). “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:8-9). This is the script that tells you who you are, whose you are, and what He has called you to do. Lean into it. Choose to fulfill the prophecy.
Grateful for who God is and His many blessings to me,
Jonathan