There are many reasons for people not accepting the salvation Jesus offers, most of which stem from pride. No one can receive forgiveness for their sin until one first admits his need for God's forgiveness of their sin. They must acknowledge that they are lower than this lowly Jesus they see on the cross.

It is written, "One who rides a horse is a king; one who rides a donkey is but a freeman" (Shabbat 152a). The week before Jesus was crucified, He rode into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey. Jesus, the Almighty Savior of the world, rode on the most humble transportation of the day. A picture of salvation can be seen in Moses. Moses was used by God to bring the nation of Israel salvation from their slavery. His journey to Egypt was also on a lowly donkey.

The picture of Jesus two thousand years ago is one of a suffering servant, silent before His accusers. As they spat on Him and pulled out His beard, He turned the other check. Beaten, whipped and naked in front of the crowds, He offered no resistance or angry words as they drove the spikes through His already bloody hands and feet.

We are given the image of a lowly Savior and to receive His gift of salvation, we must admit that we are lower still. Many people are not ready to accept that such an apparent helpless Messiah as this is able to do what they can never do - gain their salvation from slavery to their sin. There are those with the sentiment that if they need help, they want help from a great knight in shining armor, not from this lowly servant on a donkey.

It is written that if people are not deserving salvation, the Messiah will come on a donkey. No one is ever good enough to deserve salvation through Jesus the Messiah. There are no religious acts that can ever make one acceptable before a Holy God. It is because of God's mercy and goodness that He is offering salvation from slavery to sin.

Apart from Jesus, there is not a single person that has ever lived that is guiltless before the Holy God. No one can say that they have not at least had thoughts of lust or hate. Before God, this is equivalent to committing adultery or murder. In all our religious activity, the only thing we will ever deserve apart from God's forgiveness is eternal flames and damnation from the presence of God. After ten thousand years of living in the heavenly presence of God, believers in Jesus will still be able to stand before Him for one reason only -- forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

There are Christians reading their Bibles, praying and going to church in an attempt to be deserving of God's forgiveness of their sin. No form of religious activity can ever make us deserving of God's forgiveness. There are also people feeling the guilt of their sin and attempting to become worthy of Jesus' salvation and forgiveness. The only thing mankind will ever deserve is the flames of eternal damnation. Anything less than eternal agony is the gift of a merciful God.

So why is God so merciful to undeserving mankind today? This is a question even angels in heaven are unable to answer. Jesus is offering the chance to stand in judgment before the living God and hear the verdict handed down as innocent -- if only we will be humble enough to accept help from this suffering servant. In a court of law, the best someone can do is receive a verdict of not guilty. Not guilty does not mean one is innocent.

Anyone that has ever had a thought of lust or hate has sinned and is worthy of death. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4). The going salary for sin is death of one's soul. Someone must die for each individual's sin, either the lowly servant Jesus or the individual rejecting Jesus' death for his sin.

The greatest need anyone can ever have is deliverance from sin's penalty of death. Countless souls die, slipping into eternity without ever admitting their need for the servant Jesus riding on that lowly donkey. Jesus wept over the people rejecting Him as the Messiah riding on the donkey, and He is still weeping over the people rejecting Him today.

People are to see they will never be worthy of Jesus the Messiah riding on that lowly donkey. People are to see that they can never be worthy of God's forgiveness. On the timeline of eternity, seconds remain before the lowly Servant returns as King. Jesus' birth, two thousand years ago, brought Him as a lowly servant on a donkey. Soon people will see the Messiah riding a horse as king!

Copyright © 1999 Eternal Hope Ministries, Inc., P.O. Box 466, Ellerslie, MD 21529. www.ehope.com. Not-for-profit use and/or reproduction of this material is encouraged, providing attribution is given and all copies are in its entirety.