Our King’s Triumphant Entry
There was excitement in Jerusalem! The people sensed that the Messiah was about to come. They expected him to be a military conqueror, a leader who would free Judah from oppressive Roman domination. He would restore the nation’s independence and freedom.
The people knew of the mighty things that Jesus had done, his miracles, his teachings, his compassion for even the poor. They hoped that here—finally—was the Messiah.
They placed cloaks and palm branches before him and cried “Hosanna to the Son of David”. But not all expected Jesus to be the kind of king he really was. When they found out that he didn’t intend to fulfill their expectations, they hated him as much as they had loved him. From “Hosanna” to “Crucify him” their cry changed.
Jesus could see that it was coming to a crisis. It was going to be either his death for having disappointed popular expectations, or he must yield to the people’s wishes and be made a king.
You know which he chose.
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Now, Jesus was truly claiming to be King. He’s riding a donkey, which was the traditional mount of ancient Israelite kings like David, of whom Jesus is a descendant. Jesus rides through the streets and the people are thrilled. Jerusalem—the royal city—is open to him.
He is God’s true king, so he rides to the Temple, not to the palace. Taking possession, he casts out the moneychangers and other abusers. Then he sits down as its Lord, and teaches in it.
Leaders of the secular world, pay attention! There is One who claims to be numbered among you. It is Jesus, the Son of David, the King of the Jews. Make room for him, Prime Ministers and Presidents! Make room for the one who was born in a stable. Make room for him whose disciples are fishermen. He wears no crown except a crown of thorns, yet he is more regal than you!
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Have you ever wondered what sort of king Jesus might have been if he had pleased, and what kind he’d be now if he’d wanted to be?
On that Palm Sunday, he would only have had to speak the word, and the people would have stormed the palace, taken Pilate prisoner, and tried him for his life. The Jewish army, made bold by the Messiah, would soon have rid the nation of the Roman legions, and made it again a free land. Jesus could have marched from nation to nation, conquering and submitting each to his sovereignty.
O national leaders, the Son of David would have been mightier than you. Your armies would have melted before him. If Christ had cared for the world’s glory, it would soon be at his feet. If he had wanted to take it, who could have stopped him?
But he doesn’t want it. His kingdom is not of this world. If it were, his servants would fight. Christian, what Jesus doesn’t want, don’t you want.
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Christ’s kingdom is a very strange one. This king surrounds himself with mere fishermen, former tax collectors, and repentant sinners. We learn that if we would be in Christ’s kingdom, we must heed his voice, receive his grace, and obey his commands. The poorest person who loves Christ becomes his nobility. What a strange kingdom, one that makes poor folks its officials, and peasants its princes. Serving Christ is the sign of true dignity.
It’s a strange kingdom, this, in which the laws aren’t written so much on paper as on the human heart. This wasn’t the way of the Roman Empire. The Christian law book is in the heart, not in response to force, but gratefully and gladly. His law delights our souls.
There rides the King, the poorest of them all, on someone’s borrowed donkey, with nowhere to lay his head. There rides the King, one who is soon to die, stripped even of the clothes that were his last possessions. Yet he is the everlasting King of the Eternal Kingdom. He had given the most to others and kept least for himself.
Look at the people along the road. What few work-worn cloaks they had, they cast in the dust before him. They waved palm branches in recognition of their King.
It was humility’s triumph. Humility riding on humility’s own animal. It’s a kingdom in which he who is first is richest in faith, not power. It’s a kingdom whose income isn’t taxes, but love.
It’s a kingdom without armed force. Stalin once asked mockingly, “How many divisions does the Pope have?” Those aren’t rifles that your people hold, Lord, they’re palm branches. O Son of David, where are your soldiers? The power by which you rule isn’t that of police or soldiers, but that of deeds of love and mercy.
It’s a kingdom without taxes. Everyone took off his cloak willingly, to place on the road before him. It’s a kingdom that lives on the free-will offering of joyful people, a kingdom with a stronger force than demand. It proclaims “You are not under law, but under grace. You’ve been bought with a price, the price of the blood of Christ. Will you not gladly give yourself and all you have to the service of the royal Son of David?”
It’s ridiculous even to imagine that anyone could establish such a kingdom. But Jesus Christ has done it. Today, over two thousand years later, there are uncounted men, women, and children who recognize him as their King. His power is not one they want to resist—it’s the power of love. They feel that their gifts to him are too little, for they want to give themselves to him. He comes to wipe away their tears, lift them from the dust and seat them with him on his throne.
* * *
“The whole city was moved.” Everyone had something to say about this triumphant entry.
When Pilate first heard of it, he thought there was nothing to worry about. Such weakness could never threaten mighty Caesar. Perhaps there were many in Jerusalem who thought the same, that this is unimportant, just some poor pretender acting out his fantasies. Ridiculous really.
I know people today with that reaction to Christ. They think Jesus’ people are either weak sheep easily led, or hypocrites saying they follow him but actually living like everyone else most of the time.
Those with this view believe that they are wise in these matters. Religion is self-delusion.
Multitudes think this way, passing by Jesus with sneers. Your sneers with become tears one day. When He returns with real pomp and splendor, you will weep and wail because you had contempt for the Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace.
Among the crowd in Jerusalem were some who were even worse. They looked at Jesus with envy. They said to each other, “The people were never this pleased with us. We know so much more than that impostor.” They were jealous that Jesus had greater esteem among the people than they themselves had—though they were prouder by far.
I know people like that too. They don’t want Christ’s Kingdom to advance. They say that his church is despicable. They like to hear about a church leader who’s fallen into sin. But when a pastor is upright and holy, if souls are saved and his church flourishes, then they spread lying accusations, gossip, and slander against him and God’s people.
But praise God that there were some in Jerusalem who rejoiced! There were many weeping eyes that wiped away their tears that day, many who began that day to praise the Son of David with joy. I give deepest thanks that I know people like that too. They know that Jesus Christ is Lord.
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We learn that the Kingdom of God can be compared to a great inauguration party. Here comes a guest blind from birth, and now he’s able to see. Here comes another in a wheelchair all her life, and now she can jump for joy. Before we’d been offered mere water, but now it becomes the finest wine.
Lord, touch the eyes of our hearts; take away our blindness. Help us see you clearly, not only riding into the city in triumph, but dying for us on the cross, on the third day rising again, and coming in glory to judge the living and the dead. Lord, it cannot happen unless you help us. Do it now, Mighty One. May we find new life in you on this Palm Sunday.
Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
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