Do we worship Jesus as he really is? Or do we worship Jesus as we want him to be? It’s a simple multiple choice question – A or B! Do you want to go 50/50? I’m not going to ask for a show of hands.
I wonder what mode of transport you would select for a King. A donkey wouldn’t be top of my list, and although Barack Obama isn’t a King, we’ve seen this week an array of ‘stately’ transportation available to him as he arrived at nearby Stansted Airport for the G20 summit. Air force One, Marine One, cars, and 500 staff. For some people Mr Obama appears almost as a ‘Messianic’ figure; but there are plenty of people around the world wondering, “Is he really going to give us what we want? Will he give us what we really need?” And as Jesus approached Jerusalem people were thinking similar things.
Do we worship Jesus as he really is? Or do we worship Jesus as we want him to be?
Jesus had pre-booked his transport. He said to two of his disciples, “Go to the village ahead of you and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly’ (11:2-3). It happened as Jesus said and they took the colt to him, spread their cloaks upon it, and Jesus sat on it (11:4-7). Once it was made clear that the colt was needed by The Lord – needed by Jesus – the colt was made available without further questions. Jesus knew the colt would be there and we can be fairly sure the owner knew Jesus as ‘The Lord’. What do we say when Jesus asks for our possessions to be used in His service?
Jesus was well prepared. Riding on a colt, previously not ridden, was intentional, as it fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 concerning the arrival of Zion’s King:
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
This prophecy would have been in the minds of many people as Jesus entered Jerusalem. Cloaks were spread on the ground and branches – identified by the gospel writer John as palm branches (John 12:13) - were carried and spread out (Mark 11:8).
It is also quite likely that the arrival of Jesus was causing people to think about the arrival of Simon Maccabaeus into Jerusalem 150 years earlier. Maccabaeus received a conqueror’s welcome. There was thanksgiving. Palm branches were waved, and many instruments were played because Israel’s enemies had been defeated. And it seems to be this sort of welcome that Jesus is receiving. In fact, you could even ask: Why are we celebrating it, then?
“Hosanna” is easily misunderstood because we think of it as a shout of praise; but the literal meaning is “Save now!” and it appears in that form in the Old Testament on two occasions where people ask for help from the King (2 Samuel 14:4 and 2 Kings 6:26). So the cries of “Hosanna” were not cries of exuberant praise. They were cries of “Save us now. Help us! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.
Verse 10: “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David.” They thought that the arrival of Jesus meant that God’s kingdom was going to be set up with Christ sitting on the throne of David.
There was joy, expectation and shouting. Jesus was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey – a King’s transport. But was he the King they expected?
And us? Do we worship Jesus as he really is? Or do we worship Jesus as we want him to be?
On 16 January 2008 Newcastle United FC celebrated the return of former manager Kevin Keegan, known as ‘King Kev’. A BBC sport website said: He is back at Newcastle, much to the delight of the majority of the club’s fans. A sign of how highly regarded Keegan was on Tyneside was reflected in a statement on Newcastle’s website: "Geordie Messiah to be unveiled as new manager." At the time, former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer was quoted as saying, “He is highly thought of because of what he [previously] did for the club. Kevin did something special; he’s a special person with a special charisma.” Expectations were high, but results didn’t go as hoped and Keegan was sacked later that year. Only this week former striker Alan Shearer is now being seen as the one to rescue the club, amidst jubilant singing by fans!
Jesus was rightly welcomed as Messiah by the crowd but he was not the warrior most people wanted. Within days results were not as hoped or expected.
I wonder what expectations you have of Jesus. If you have made a commitment to Jesus I wonder what you actually committed yourself to. Can I even be so bold as to ask whether you committed yourself to Jesus as He really is, or whether you committed yourself to Jesus as you wanted Him to be? Or even a false Jesus based upon wrong teaching about him.
The first of God’s Ten Commandments – given to Moses - is this: “You shall have no other gods besides me” (Deuteronomy 5:7). As strange as it may sound, it is possible to make an idol – a false god – by inventing or worshipping a false Jesus, a false Messiah. For example there have been too many times in past history when armies have been sent supposedly in the name of Christ – a false manmade Christ seen as a victorious warrior. Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t worship Jesus because they bizarrely believe he is really Michael the archangel – once again a false manmade Christ.
The reason we have a statement of faith in Jesus Christ is so that we can be helped and encouraged to focus upon Jesus Christ as he really is, and not a Christ of our own making, or a Christ of our desires. The simple theological reason for doing this is because God made us in His image. We are not to try and invent a god made in our own image! What a terrible thing that would be. Just look in the mirror!
Studying the Jesus of the Bible and the Messiah as prophesied in the Old Testament is the best way to keep us focused upon the real Jesus. Jesus who forgave sins, brought healing to the sick, and caused people to praise God (2:10-12). Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecy in the place of his birth, his ministry, his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey; and many prophecies regarding his death and resurrection. We are called by the real Jesus, the historical Jesus, Jesus of the Bible; Jesus who promised to be in our midst when 2 or 3 gather in His name (Matt 18:20).
Of course this goes against the spirit of the age that says you can be whatever you want to be, believe whatever you want to believe, and that all faiths and beliefs are basically equal, and that your truth is true for you, and my truth is truth for me; whereas the historical Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6); and Jesus continued by saying “If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:7).
So, do we worship Jesus as he really is? Or do we worship Jesus as we want him to be?
The Bishop of Gloucester, Michael Perham tells of an occasion when he was visiting a Church. The song words were “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus … Jesus, Jesus, Jesus … Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”. Underneath it said ‘repeat twice’, and at the bottom: ‘Words copyright’!
It is Jesus we are to worship - His name, His presence, and His majesty.
There’s an old story about a man who dreamed that an angel escorted him to church one Sunday. There he saw a keyboard musician playing vigorously, singers singing, and other musicians playing with gusto. But the man heard no sound. The congregation was also singing – well, most of them, but again the sound was totally muted – silence! When the Vicar preached his lips moved but there was no volume (watch my lips!). In amazement the man turned to his escort for an explanation. “This is the way it sounds to us in heaven,” said the angel. “You hear nothing because there is nothing to hear. These people are engaged in the form of worship, but their thoughts are on other things and their hearts are far away.”
Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, worshipping Him as he really is. Amen!
