Introduction: The Right King — But the Wrong Expectations
Everyone wants a good king.
A leader who will fix what’s broken.
Bring justice.
Bring peace.
Make life better.
In Mark 11, Jerusalem is electric with expectation. Crowds line the road. Cloaks are thrown down. Branches are waved. Voices shout:
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The King has arrived.
But here’s the question:
Did they really understand the kind of King He was?
And perhaps more importantly — do we?
The Strange Choice of a Donkey
Jesus approaches Jerusalem and does something very deliberate.
He sends two disciples to fetch a colt — a young donkey that no one has ever ridden.
This is not accidental.
If you were staging a royal entrance, this is not how you would do it.
No war horse.
No chariot.
No army.
No display of power.
Instead — a borrowed donkey.
But this is fulfilment. The prophet Zechariah had written:
“See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey.”
Jesus is declaring something without shouting it.
He is the King.
But not the kind they expected.
He comes in humility.
He comes in peace.
He comes not to crush enemies — but to save sinners.
The Crowd’s Cry
The crowd spreads cloaks on the road. That’s an act of honour. Submission. Loyalty.
They shout:
“Hosanna!”
Which means: “Save us!”
They are not wrong to shout it.
They are just unclear about what kind of salvation they need.
They want freedom from Rome.
They want political change.
They want visible victory.
But Jesus has come for something deeper.
Freedom from sin.
Freedom from guilt.
Freedom from death itself.
Sometimes we come to Jesus with our own expectations.
“Fix this situation.”
“Sort out that problem.”
“Change those people.”
And He may indeed care about those things.
But first, He comes to deal with our hearts.
A Gentle King
Notice something beautiful.
Jesus does not rebuke their praise.
He does not say, “You don’t understand.”
He receives their worship.
He knows that within days some of these voices may fall silent. Some may even join the cry of “Crucify Him.”
And still — He rides on.
He knows the cross is ahead.
He knows rejection is coming.
He knows suffering awaits.
And yet He does not turn back.
This is a King who does not serve Himself.
This is a King who moves toward sacrifice.
This is a King like no other.
The Kind of King We Actually Need
Let’s be honest.
We often prefer strength over humility.
Control over surrender.
Impressive over gentle.
But the world is full of strong leaders.
What it lacks is holy love.
Jesus does not enter Jerusalem to dominate.
He enters to give His life.
Within days:
The donkey will be replaced by a cross.
The cloaks will be replaced by stripped garments.
The shouts of “Hosanna” will be replaced by mockery.
And He will still be King.
Because His throne is not built on popularity.
It is built on sacrifice.
The cross is not a defeat.
It is His coronation.
Personal Reflection: Welcoming the King
Palm Sunday is not just about what happened then.
It is about what happens now.
The people laid down cloaks in the road.
What might it mean for us to lay something down?
Pride?
Control?
A hidden sin?
An area of life we’ve kept at a distance from Him?
The crowd welcomed Him into the city.
Will we welcome Him into our lives?
Not as an adviser.
Not as a helper when convenient.
But as King.
Because a King does not simply assist — He reigns.
A Pastoral Word
Some of us struggle with the word “king.”
It feels heavy. Authoritarian. Distant.
But look at this King.
He rides gently.
He weeps over the city.
He heals the blind.
He blesses children.
He forgives sinners.
He does not force entry.
He invites allegiance.
He does not crush weakness.
He carries it.
He is strong enough to rule — and gentle enough to love.
That is the King who approaches us.
The Invitation
The crowd shouted, “Hosanna — save us!”
That cry is still the right one.
Because salvation is still what we need.
Not self-improvement.
Not religion.
Not trying harder.
We need saving.
And this King has come precisely for that.
He rides toward the cross willingly.
He takes the punishment we deserve.
He rises again in victory.
A King who dies for His people.
A King who rises for His people.
A King who calls His people to follow.
So here is the question this morning:
Will you welcome Him?
Not just admire Him.
Not just sing about Him.
But trust Him.
Surrender to Him.
If you have never consciously welcomed Jesus as King — today you can.
You do not need dramatic words.
You simply need a willing heart.
“Lord Jesus, save me.
Forgive me.
Reign in my life.”
That is enough.
And for those who already follow Him — perhaps today is about realignment.
Have we reduced Him to a helper?
Or does He truly reign in our decisions, priorities, relationships?
Palm Sunday reminds us:
He is a King like no other.
And He is worthy of more than a moment of excitement.
He is worthy of our lives.
Closing
The crowd laid down cloaks.
He laid down His life.
The crowd shouted “Hosanna.”
He answered that prayer with a cross.
And today, the King still comes — not on a donkey into Jerusalem — but by His Spirit into open hearts.
Will you welcome Him?
Amen.
