Based on a sermon by Michael Leader, Beverly Hills Baptist Church, on Mark 11:1-11.

Who has the most power in your life?

From a human perspective, which person or group holds the most sway over you? And why?

Picture this: A limo driver is chauffeuring a wealthy client from Sydney to Wollongong. His wife has the day off, so she’s riding shotgun, happy to spend some time with him.

But there’s a problem. The Grand Final is on, his team is playing, and the drive to Wollongong and back means he’ll miss the most important game of his life.

Unless he speeds.

He knows the law. He knows the risks. But he decides to go for it. Soon, the limo is flying down the Princes Highway at 180km/h. It doesn’t take long for the flashing lights to appear in the rearview mirror.

“Pull over,” a voice booms through a megaphone. “Stop now, or we will be forced to make you.”

He floors it, outrunning the police. But up ahead, they’ve laid a spike strip across the road. He swerves onto the wrong side of the road, zips around it, and keeps going.

The rich passenger in the back is, understandably, terrified. He knocks on the partition. “Driver, if you don’t stop immediately, I’ll have you fired!”

The driver yells back, “Buddy, I need to see that Grand Final. It’s worth more than my job.”

The rich man gets desperate. “How much will it take? $1,000? $15,000? I’ll give you $100,000 to slow down!”

But no amount of money can stop him. His team has waited too long for this moment.

Finally, his wife turns to him. In a slow, firm voice, she says, “Honey, I’m really getting frightened. You need to slow down. Right now.”

And just like that, he slows down.

Five flavours of power

That story, though a bit wild, shows us the five types of power that shape our world.

1. Political power: The law itself. Speeding is illegal because politicians made laws against it. They hold the power to set the rules for society.
2. Positional power: The police. They have the authority to enforce the law. When an officer tells you to pull over, you’d better comply. Their position gives them power.
3. Power of strength: The spike strip. It’s brute force. In the real world, this is the power a thief uses with a weapon, or the military power a country uses to get its way.
4. Money power: The rich passenger. Your boss has power over you because they pay you. Wealth can be used to influence and command people. If Elon Musk’s son offered me $10,000 to drive him to Penrith, I’d probably do it. Money talks.
5. Relational power: His wife. This was the one that worked. He didn’t slow down out of fear of punishment, but out of love and concern. She didn’t threaten or bribe him. She just told him she was afraid, and because he loved her, that was enough.

So, which one is the strongest? Any of them can be. But I’d argue the greatest power is the one we give away. It’s the power we hand to the people we love. It’s not taken; it’s offered freely.

This brings us to one of history’s most famous power plays. We call it the “triumphal entry.” And as we look at it, we have to ask: what kind of power does this King wield?

A different kind of king

Hundreds of years before Jesus, the prophet Zechariah wrote about a coming king—a Messiah. Israel was under the thumb of foreign empires, and they longed for a true ruler. Zechariah gave them a startling picture of what he would be like:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

This wasn’t a king who would arrive with an army. No war horses, no chariots, no show of force. He would be righteous, a source of salvation, but also… gentle. He would ride a humble donkey, the poor man’s transport, because his kingdom wasn’t about domination. It was about peace.

This king wouldn’t take power. The people would rejoice, shout, and welcome him with open hearts. They would give him power because they loved him.

The king who borrows

Fast forward to the events in the book of Mark. Jesus is approaching Jerusalem, and he knows it’s time to fulfill this prophecy. He doesn’t buy a donkey or stage a fake parade. Instead, he does something quietly profound.

He tells two disciples to go into the next village. “You will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.”

But what if someone stops them? Jesus gives them a simple line:

“The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.” (Mark 11:3)

Think about that for a second.

The disciples find the donkey, and sure enough, the owners ask what they’re doing. They repeat the line Jesus gave them, “The Lord needs it,” and the owners just… let them go. They willingly give their animal to this king.

But it’s the second half of that sentence that changes everything.

“…and will send it back here shortly.”

This isn’t how power works. Kings take. Governments tax. Police commandeer your car in the movies and wreck it in a car chase. Power, as we know it, consumes.

But Jesus, the King of everything, borrows.

He doesn’t take what he could rightfully command. He asks, and he promises to return it. In his immense power, Jesus gives. He operates on a completely different economy—one of love, respect, and relationship.

As he rides into Jerusalem, the people get it. They spread their cloaks and branches on the road, shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” They aren’t being forced. They are joyfully, willingly laying down their honour for a king they love.

What this means for you

This is the power Jesus wields in our lives today. Not by force, but by love.

The more you love someone, the more power you willingly give them. And with Jesus, you can trust him with that power. He will never abuse it. He will never ask for something you’ll regret giving. Whatever he takes, he repays.

If you find yourself wrestling with God, struggling to obey, maybe the issue isn’t about rules. Maybe it’s about connection. Reconnect with the servant king who brings salvation, not domination. Liberation, not captivity.

Is Jesus your king? Will you lovingly let him lead?

As he comes past your heart today, knocking on the door, he’s not demanding entry. He’s asking. He’s inviting you to give him the keys.

If you do, I promise it’s a decision you will never regret. Because this is the king who comes with salvation and eternal life.

And if you’ve already made him your king, what is he asking of you now? Is it your time, your money, an unhealthy habit, a hurt you’re holding onto?

Whatever it is, you can give it freely, knowing two things. First, he’s asking because he loves you and wants what’s best for you. And second, this is the King who always returns what he borrows. The joy, peace, and love you receive back will be far greater than whatever it cost you to give.