Did they ever air this show in Canada? (Show opening clip of Lone Ranger.) I got to watch re-runs of the Lone Ranger when we’d come back to the Sates every few years. I thought the Lone Ranger was cool, not only because he could ride a horse and was good with a gun, but because he was somewhat mysterious. He would appear out of nowhere to save the day and then leave before anyone could properly thank him. Those who had been rescued by the Lone Ranger’s cunning and daring would invariably ask as he rode off into the sunset, “Who was that masked man?”
Well it turns out that the Lone Ranger may have been based on a real person—a man named Bass Reeves. Reeves was a deputy marshal in the south-central U.S. after the Civil War in the mid to late 1800’s. Like the legendary Lone Ranger, Reeves was a master of disguises which he used to hunt bad guys while accompanied by a Native American. He rode a white horse and while he didn’t use silver bullets, he did hand out silver coins as a personal trademark of sorts. He was also such a good shot that he was banned from entering shooting competitions. Oh, but unlike the TV Lone Ranger, Reeves was an African-American. He was in fact the first African-American deputy marshal prompting many to no doubt ask: “Who is this?”
In our Gospel Lesson this morning you heard about Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem. He wasn’t mounted atop a white stallion like the Lone Ranger, but rode a borrowed donkey colt. He didn’t pack a couple of six-shooters armed with silver bullets, but was flanked by twelve disciples, perhaps six on each side. And as he approached Jerusalem, the accompanying crowd waved palm branches and flung their coats down before him. They hailed Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9) and so acclaimed him king. But the citizens of Jerusalem were confused and asked: “Who is this?”
That’s a question that you’ll be asked about Jesus come Judgment Day. Are you ready with an answer? And will your answer be adequate? You may think you know who Jesus is but just as the Lone Ranger didn’t accurately portray who Bass Reeves really was, your version of Jesus might not match reality. So give me your attention this morning as we seek to answer correctly this question about Jesus: “Who is this?”
Who is this Jesus? Well unlike the Lone Ranger we know where he comes from. The crowds accurately identified him as a prophet from the town of Nazareth in Galilee. But that wasn’t the whole story. It couldn’t be when you considered all that Jesus had done. Why not too long before his ride into Jerusalem he had raised a man from the dead! Even on this very trip into Jerusalem Jesus demonstrated that he wasn’t your run-of-the-mill prophet. As he drew near the city, Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead into a little town to find some transportation. But Jesus didn’t say, “Go find something, anything that I can ride into Jerusalem on.” No. Jesus was very specific. He directed: “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away” (Matthew 21:2, 3). The disciples found everything just as Jesus said they would—even right down to the donkey owner’s willingness to let them walk off with the animals.
Who is this that knows what’s down the road, and is certain how people will react to his requests? Why it’s Jesus, the omniscient Son of God. Do you see the comfort here? If Jesus knew that a donkey was waiting for him in the next town, he certainly knows what’s down the road for you. You may not know how that medical test is going to turn out, but Jesus does. Nor may you know whether or not there will be any decent jobs for you when you get done with your education, but Jesus already has in mind how he plans to provide for you. You might not understand how the latest trial is good for you but Jesus does. Understanding that Jesus knows all things gives us confidence to follow his directions. Though Satan would have us believe otherwise, living by Jesus’ words will never send you on a fool’s errand. Just ask the two disciples who had been sent to fetch the donkey.
But who is this who thinks that a way to put on a parade is by riding on the colt of a donkey? Can you picture the Lone Ranger trying to zip around the Wild West on such an animal? But there was a reason for Jesus’ choice of transportation. He was fulfilling a 430-year-old prophecy. “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey’” (Zechariah 9:9).
Who is this Jesus? He is a king indeed, but not an overbearing one. He is a servant-king who comes to you in gentleness. He shouldn’t really. He should be more like the Lone Ranger with guns a-blazing seeking justice. After all we have trampled God’s commands and have failed in our responsibility to be truly considerate of the needs of others. Instead we spend our days seeking to be loved rather than trying hard to love. But rather than swooping down in divine vengeance, Jesus rode meekly into Jerusalem—like a hostage negotiator who willingly trades places with the hostage. So Jesus rode into Jerusalem to trade places with us sinners when he suffered hell on the cross. In so doing he secured the forgiveness of sins and opened heaven to all who believe in him. What a king—a servant-king who rules for us, more than over us. That’s who Jesus is.
Have you put your trust in this servant-king? Or are you still thinking that you’re getting along just fine without him? You may be right now, but what about on the last day when your prized car and your dream home are engulfed in fire? Where will you turn when you see that scientists have no explanation for why the sun has stopped shining and massive earthquakes are ripping apart this earth? Turn to Jesus now. Find out more about what he has done and is doing for you, and the last day will be a joyous occasion, for it will be your homecoming into an eternal life of peace and joy.
But don’t just put your trust in this king; serve him. Do you see what the people of Palm Sunday did? They took off their cloaks and gladly laid them in the dust for Jesus to walk over. Now these cloaks weren’t like the picnic blanket you have stuffed in the trunk of your car. Many people only had one cloak and it often doubled as their blanket to stay warm at night. Wouldn’t you think twice about throwing it down in the dust for a donkey to walk over? These people didn’t however. Nothing was too good to give to this king.
Are you also giving this king your best? Perhaps you have been. Whenever there is an outreach event, you’re here to help. Whenever a member is sick, you’re the first one to check up on them. But what’s been the point, you wonder. It doesn’t seem to make much of a difference, and not many have thanked you for your hard work. Tell me, who were the two disciples that Jesus sent ahead to fetch the donkey for him? Don’t know? Neither do I. Their names aren’t listed. And I wonder if those disciples didn’t grumble a bit when they were asked to fetch a donkey. I mean, that didn’t seem like glamorous Kingdom work. It wasn’t like casting out demons or healing the blind. Why, fetching a donkey didn’t seem like Kingdom work at all! But it was. By fetching that donkey those disciples played a part in fulfilling the 430-year-old prophecy that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem on such an animal.
Friends, it’s easy to get discouraged when we serve King Jesus because so much of what we do seems insignificant and passes unnoticed. But your Jesus sees what you do and he will draw attention to it on Judgment Day. And no, kingdom work doesn’t just mean doing things at the church or for the church. You serve the King whenever you put others first…even when those same people don’t appreciate your service. You know who those people are. The needy client. The demanding church member. The over sensitive friend. The disinterested supervisor. People who disregard your busy schedule, who expect you to bow down to their needs, at their time, for their good and then fail to recognize your gold medal performance for them. Sure it’s easy to serve others when they lay down their coats for us, spread our path with palm branches, and sing our praises. Anybody can be nice to someone like that. But what about when they treat us like servants? Then it comes quite quickly and naturally to say, “Who do they think I am?” But Jesus has a better way. He asks us, “Who do you think I am?” Based on what we’ve learned today we have to say, “You’re a king who became a servant, my servant.” Indeed, that’s what Palm Sunday is all about. It’s about a man who, as God, had everything and yet for us made himself nothing. The King became the Servant. Why? To make us kings, humble kings who also willingly serve others even when they don’t deserve it. (Daron Lindemann)
The Lone Ranger never backed away from a fight. He continually put himself in danger to save others. You see the parallel there with Jesus don’t you? While Jesus could have kept on riding that donkey right out of Jerusalem and right out of our lives, he dismounted ready to face the ridicule of the religious leaders and the cruel whipping of the Romans soldiers. He did it all for you and for me. You see, his arrival in Jerusalem and in your life doesn’t mean invasion; it means salvation. Why? Because we know who this is. This is Jesus our Servant-King who now deserves our kingly service. Amen.
SERMON NOTES
List at least two ways in which Jesus is different than the Lone Ranger.
(2 questions) How did Jesus demonstrate his omniscience in today’s text? How is that comforting to you?
What was the point of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey?
How was Jesus like a hostage negotiator who willingly trades places with the hostage?
The Palm Sunday crowd gave Jesus their best when they threw their coats down on the ground for him to walk over. List two specific ways in which you can give Jesus your best this week.
(not covered in sermon) Though many in the crowd threw their coats down for Jesus, by the end of the week some of those same people may have been calling for Jesus’ death. What’s the warning for us?
How can today’s text help you deal with the disappointment of serving Jesus and others without a word of thanks or tangible results?
So who is this Jesus? What answer does our Palm Sunday text give?
