Pope Francis and Rev. Dr. Labberton bring high hopes for change and renewal in their new leadership roles as Pope and President of Fuller Seminary. Both men embody humility and service, riding into their positions on "donkeys" rather than coming in power and pride. Their examples may help reset expectations and battered hopes within the Catholic Church and among other Christian institutions.

1. New Pope New Prez.
HIGH
HOPES
Pope Francis Rev. Dr. Labberton

2. Mark 11:1 As they all If so, say, ‘The Lord needs it. But
approached Jerusalem, they came he will send it back here soon.’ ”
to Bethphage and Bethany at the
Mount of Olives. Jesus sent out
two of his disciples. 2 He said to
them, “Go to the village ahead of
you. Just as you enter it, you will
find a donkey’s colt tied there. No
one has ever ridden it. Untie it
and bring it here. 3 Someone may
ask you, ‘Why are you doing this?’

3. 4 So they left. They found a colt
out in the street. It was tied at a
doorway. They untied it. 5 Some
people standing there asked,
“What are you doing? Why are
you untying that colt?” 6 They
answered as Jesus had told
them to. So the people let them
go.
7 They brought the colt to
Jesus. They threw their coats
over it. Then he sat on it.

4. 8 Many people spread their coats on
the road. Others spread branches they
had cut in the fields. 9 Those in front
and those in back shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is the one who comes in the
name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of
our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

5. “O save!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went to
the temple. He looked around at
everything. But it was already late. So he
went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

6. The Triumphal Entry
Jewish Passover Pilgrims
Roman Authorities
your humble king

7. Didn’t See Jesus as a Threat
Jewish Passover Pilgrims
Roman Authorities
Would have
arrested Him.

8. Great Expectations!
Jewish Passover Pilgrims
Roman Authorities
Warm welcome to all
Entrance of Royalty
New Passover hopes
for Jerusalem!

9. Battered Expectations
Jewish Passover Pilgrims
Roman Authorities
Rome: too powerful
Too many letdowns
Unacceptable Messiah

10. Zechariah 9:9-10
“Shout and cheer, Daughter Zion!
Raise the roof, Daughter Jerusalem!
Your king is coming!
a good king who makes all things right,
a humble king riding a donkey,
a mere colt of a donkey.
I’ve had it with war—no more chariots in Ephraim,
no more war horses in Jerusalem, Too Fancy for
no more swords and spears, bows and arrows. KING JESUS
He will offer peace to the nations,
a peaceful rule worldwide,
from the four winds to the seven seas.

11. Philippians 2:5-8 Think of yourselves
the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God but didn’t
A Humble King
think so much of himself that he had to
cling to the advantages of that status no
matter what. Not at all. When the time
came, he set aside the privileges of deity
and took on the status of a slave,
became human! Having become human,
he stayed human. It was an incredibly
humbling process. He didn’t claim
special privileges. Instead, he lived a
selfless, obedient life and then died a
selfless, obedient death—and the worst
kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

12. Our Exalted King
Philippians 2:9-11 Because of that
obedience, God lifted him high and
honored him far beyond anyone or
anything, ever, so that all created
beings in heaven and on earth—even
those long ago dead and buried—will
bow in worship before this Jesus
Christ, and call out in praise that he
is the Master of all, to the glorious
honor of God the Father.

13. “He'll be coming and going" he had said. "One day you'll see him and another you
won't. He doesn't like being tied down--and of course he has other countries to attend
to. It's quite all right. He'll often drop in. Only you mustn't press him. He's wild, you
know. Not like a tame lion.”
C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe