How Can I Keep From Singing?

"How Can I Keep From Singing?"

Gospel Idea; A king who rides a donkey and conquers on a cross!

Luke 19: 28

Gospel truth: My house shall be a House of Prayer.and a house of worship!

Situation: King Jesus is coming to town...on a Donkey?

Have you ever seen a coronation? The queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II became Queen on June 2, 1953 (59 Years ago). Too long ago for most of us to remember.Did you know that the Queen's main residence, Buckingham Palace boasts 775 rooms and 78 bathrooms.

But many of us remember the pageantry of the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles.and now another prince, William, son of Diana and Charles and future King of England is about to be married on April 29th to Kate Middleton..England is all a flutter. Kate's dress (surprise) and her ring (Val has a replica!-see her after service) are drawing much attention.

The handsome prince is no slouch either. Harry is the best man.The wedding will occur at Westminster Abbey.there will be Two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will perform the music at the Wedding Service of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29th.

During the ceremony at the 1000 year old Westminster Abbey .Trumpeters from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force (RAF) will accolade Prince William and Catherine Middleton once they have signed the register making them husband and wife. William and Kate plan to take over London's exclusive Goring Hotel for their reception. The 100-year-old hotel is intimate, luxurious and private, and has its own royal pedigree: During the queen's coronation, many of the royal families of Europe stayed at the Goring.

Its

kitchen was actually the command center for the Chief of Allied Forces during World War I.

As for the royal Coach..there are tow options one for rainy weather, the Glass Coach built in 1881, will be used and if the sun is shining, the open roof 1902 State Landau carriage . No detail is left to chance.

Now contrast this with Jesus coronation in Jerusalem also known as Palm Sunday.

Read text here: Luke 19: 28ff

As Luke recounts the arrival of Jesus for his coronation.Jesus rides not in a royal limo or coach but on a humble colt--- or donkey. The Donkey of course is a humble "beast of burden" and as this donkey carries Jesus, Jesus may have been feeling extra heavy because he is entering Jerusalem to die on the cross., bearing the weight of the world and all of its sins.

not

to mention its hopes and dreams for freedom. This particular donkey is a "virgin donkey" .never having been ridden upon.symbolizing the innocence of

Jesus-- the man who has never sinned.

The ride begins on the Mt of Olives---which according to the prophet Zechariah has heavy eschatological significance ( I love that word ---simply put it refers to the second coming of Christ).Jesus mounts the donkey on the Mt of Olives in a gesture pregnant with meaning and foreshadowing.listen to these dramatic words from Zech 14:1ff.1 A day of the LORD is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.

3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake n in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. 6 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7 It will be a unique day, without daytime or night time--a day known to the LORD.

When evening comes, there will be light. 8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea n and half to the western

sea, n in summer and in winter. 9 The LORD will be king over the whole

earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.

As Jesus descends the road from the Mt of Olives into the Kidron Valley, a crowd gathers, joyfully praising God for all the miracles Jesus has performed says Luke. But Jesus has bigger designs.the miracles were the flexing of his muscle and merely a sampling of his kingly reign. Now, he makes his way into the city where he will face the evil of Satan's kingdom, the duplicity of the Pharisees and the opportunism of the Romans. They will conspire against him and will think they have won. But he will conquer them by his death and three days later, his triumphant resurrection. Behold the King who is also a lamb---the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The suffering God who bears our sins in his own body on the tree.