OUR SAVIOR-KING RIDES JERUSALEM
April 9, 2006 - PALM SUNDAY - Luke 19:28-40
Dearest Fellow-Redeemed:
On this Palm Sunday, we are in between, aren’t we? We are in between the six weeks of Lent where we looked closely at Jesus’ suffering for the sake of the sins of the world. We are in between his ultimate suffering on Good Friday. We are also in between the fact that next Sunday is Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday. In the past six weeks we heard Jesus speak words from the cross. Those six weeks went by quickly. Now we see Jesus here on Sunday, and in six days he is going to be raised up on the cross, to be put to death. The crowd who shouts out, “Hosanna,” on this Palm Sunday regards Christ as king. "Hosanna in the highest!" Those six days will go by a lot faster than six weeks. What a change from that crowd of praising him to that same crowd that says, "Crucify!" We are in between as we look at Jesus’ humanity and Jesus’ divinity, his glory. John wrote in his gospel: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Christ came in humility as the human son of Mary and Joseph. Yet by God’s grace we also see this Jesus as God’s Son; and we see his glory. We look at these familiar words before us this morning as we consider the fact that:
OUR SAVIOR-KING RIDES INTO JERUSALEM --
I. In humility; and,
II. With victory.
I. IN HUMILITY
Our text began by: "After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem." When you have the opportunity, check out Luke 19. At the very beginning you will see how Zacchaeus became a follower of Jesus. In the next verses right before our text Jesus taught about the parable of the ten minas, or the ten talents and how people were to be faithful with what that they were given. As the people were thinking about that, as the crowd talked about the meaning of that parable, Jesus goes to Jerusalem knowing full well exactly what was going to happen. From this time on until his crucifixion and his resurrection, what happens? "As he approached Bethpage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ’Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no on has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here, because the Lord has need of it.’"
Jesus’ disciples listen and go ahead, and they untie the colt. Jesus already gave the disciples the answer they were to give to the owners, because the owners come and say, "Why are you untying it?" The simple answer was, "The Lord has need of it." Not very powerful words we may think. But these words of Jesus are powerful enough so that the owner doesn’t stop them, powerful enough so that the owner doesn’t say to the authorities, "They are stealing my colt." This is the powerful word of God that caused them to realize the Lord has need of it.
What happens? "Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them." They untied the colt and brought it to Jesus and threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. In Mark it tells us, "The colt, the foal of a donkey." Matthew says the same thing. This wasn’t the usual transportation of a king. Donkeys were reserved for the servants and the poor people; and yet, we see our Savior-King riding into Jerusalem on this colt, this donkey, as a king; a king who comes in humility.
Our Second Lesson this morning from Philippians (2:5-11) has a clear picture of Jesus’ humility. Jesus gave up everything. He gave up heaven, lived here on earth so that we might inherit heaven. In humility Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died and was buried. These steps of his humiliation go down as you may remember from confirmation class and the Apostles Creed. Jesus did it all for us. He did all of this riding into Jerusalem knowing that he wasn’t going to walk out on Friday. That Good Friday he was going to suffer the agony of the cross and the torturous death because of our sins. From Philippians comes this verse: "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8). Not just death, but death on a cross, the worst way to die, long and agonizing. Jesus did all of this because of our sins.
What was the reason he rides into Jerusalem in humility? He could have come in as a glorious king with thousands of people as his army; but the Roman government wouldn’t have put him to death. Here in humility he comes and the government leaders see their opportunity to get rid of this troublemaker Jesus once and for all. They think that they are doing what they want not realizing that they are carrying out God’s will, not realizing that they are doing it exactly what God wants. Paul wrote in Romans the meaning of Jesus coming to Jerusalem as the Savior-King and in humility he says: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). We are powerless to save ourselves, so Christ in humility rides into Jerusalem on this donkey to be put to death. He dies for us, the ungodly. It would be easy for us to say, "Well, everyone that is an unbeliever is ungodly." But aren’t we ungodly, too? Our evil, wicked words caused Jesus to suffer and die. Our thoughts and sinful actions also placed that crown of thorns on his head. We can’t pay the price, but Christ just at the right time died for us in humility. Many would think how could a king who is humble help those who follow him? The fact is, if you listen to the news or read it, you probably wouldn’t hear the words, "humility or humbleness," very often at all. Yet, it is key to the understanding of our salvation. By grace we realize that in humility God gave up his Son for us. In humility he rides into Jerusalem on this donkey, representing the poor and the people who desperately needs divine mercy and forgiveness.
Then he says we as his followers live lives of humility even though the world around us would say, "You can’t get ahead if you are humble. You can’t get ahead unless you boast and brag. You can’t get ahead unless you step on other people and consider yourself the most important person." But Scripture says that God is more important. Scripture reminds us our neighbor is more important than ourselves. Scripture reminds us to live humble lives. We have the example of Jesus himself. In James, he writes these words: "That is why Scripture says: ’God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:6b, 7). When we are under God’s care and protection, in humility understanding how much he cares for us, the devil flees. As we submit ourselves to God, the devil does not gain a foothold. There is a great blessing in humble Christian living.
Also, as our text continues, we see our Savior-King ride into Jerusalem in humility, but with victory.
II. WITH VICTORY
We are reminded of all of the things Jesus knew. We are reminded that the disciples listened and went and got the colt, the foal of a donkey, and covered it with their clothing and set Jesus on it. Then the events take place as the crowd sees Jesus. "As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road." They were not just throwing down rags or scraps of clothing. They were throwing their cloaks on the road. Clothing was very important for the people of Jesus’ day. They didn’t have closets full of clothing, but just a few changes of clothing at most. The crowds saw in Jesus their King, and we are told the reaction of the crowd: "When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices." Some is lost in the translation. Jesus went up as he approached Jerusalem. Jesus got near to the Mount of Olives and went through Bethphage and Bethany to the Mount Olives. The Mount of Olives sat outside of Jerusalem. It is a mount or a bit of a hill. The original states, "Jesus went up to the Mount of Olives. " When Jesus and the crowd got to the top of the Mount of Olives they saw a panoramic view of the city of Jerusalem.
Here is where the disciples were, not just the twelve, but also the whole crowd of his disciples, all the people who were his followers. As they came over the crest of the hill, all these people were there. They see Jesus and the view of Jerusalem. They begin with loud voices to praise God and it tells us why: "For all the miracles they had seen." As we read through the gospels, we see time and time again how Jesus healed the sick, performed miracle after miracle, and drove out demons because he had compassion on the crowds. Now these people and followers were here to welcome Jesus as the King of glory even though he looked very humble riding on a donkey.
The road from the Mount of Olives descends and then goes up again into Jerusalem. The Scriptures say Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (Some people think there is a mistake there, because we think of direction, going north is going up, going south is going down. Scripture speaks of elevation.) What do the people say? In our text the people say: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" They recognize Jesus as king and one who came in the name of the Lord. No matter how many enemies were around, they could not dismiss Jesus’ miracles. They could not hide them or explain them away. It says: "They praised God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Those words sound familiar to us. We remember the angels saying those same things when Jesus was born. "Peace on earth. Peace in heaven. Glory in the highest." Here is Jesus, the King of glory, coming in humility and yet with victory, because these people had their hearts changed by the powerful word of God.
Of course, not everyone is happy, are they? Verse 39: "Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ’Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’" They didn’t want the crowd shouting, "Hosanna." They didn’t want the crowd recognizing Jesus as King. What does Jesus say to them? "’I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ’if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’" There again is the power of God’s Word. It would be impossible for the stones to cry out, but God could do it if he wanted to. He is riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Matthew and Mark and this text say that this colt had never been ridden on. People normally don’t just get on any animal, whether it is a donkey or a horse, to ride it. It needs to be broken and trained. Jesus, because he is the King of glory, sits on the colt and rides it into a crowd of shouting people.
Jesus is the coming, calming King of glory. That is the blessing God has revealed to you and me. From the very beginning of Jesus’ birth, he was sent here in humility as a human being; but he was sent here with victory. Jesus as very God himself could and would and did do the impossible. He died for our sins and was brought back to life. It is interesting to note that the angels said, "Glory in the highest, born of the Virgin Mary." The crowd says, "Glory in the highest." He rides in on a donkey that had never been ridden. In the end when he is put to death, he is put into a tomb that has never been used. Then he comes back to life. There is a great significance that ties everything together from his birth to his suffering, to his death and resurrection. Was it unknown? No, all things were foretold. Listen to this from Psalm 45: "In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds" (Psalm 45:4). The Psalm writer, though he didn’t live during the time of Jesus, describes him coming into Jerusalem. He said, "Ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness." God’s Word is concerned with the truth. God’s followers are concerned with humility. God’s Son is our righteousness. His awesome right hand has shown all the deeds, the deeds to perform miracles and deeds to come back to life, so that we would have eternal life.
On this Palm Sunday we are reminded how our Savior-King rides into Jerusalem in humility. Jesus also rides into Jerusalem with victory. It may not seem too victorious when his own betrays him--Judas with a kiss. It may not seem too victorious when the crowd shouts, "Crucify him!" It may not seem too victorious when the soldiers come to break his legs that he might die. Jesus was already dead on the cross. We know that beyond Jesus’ humble sufferings and death is the victory of the resurrection. Jesus died and rose not for his sake, but for our sake. In the resurrection chapter of Corinthians, chapter 15, Paul writes in detail about Christ’s resurrection, as a sure thing. When he gets near the end of that chapter, he says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:56,57). Yes, Christ rode into Jerusalem knowing that by Friday he would be put to death.
On Sunday Jesus would be back out of the tomb victorious for his disciples and for us, his disciples today. What is our reaction to that? What a blessed sight on that first Palm Sunday must have been as he comes up over the hill of the Mount of Olives and there is Jerusalem, the holy city with the temple of Solomon in the distance reflecting the sunlight. The crowds are waiting there, and they say, "Hosanna in the highest!" We don’t have to wait for Palm Sunday or wait for Easter Sunday to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. The fact is in the church it is considered that every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. Every Sunday really for those who hold fast to God’s word is an Easter Sunday where we are reminded of the power of God and his word: Through his Son, our Savior, our sins are forgiven; through his Son, our Savior, we have eternal life. We, too, are anxious and excited to shout "Hosanna in the highest" because of what Christ has done for us. In Titus Paul writes these words: "Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good" (Titus 2:14). The fact is that at one time we were enemies of Christ. At one time we were aliens and foreigners to God’s great promises. B God’s grace he has brought us back and brought us near. God has made us his own people, his children. We don’t have to be born into the Jewish nation to be God’s children, but by grace we are his very own. Because of that we become "eager to do what is good."
We are in between the somber season of Lent and the victorious season of Easter. We are reminded that Jesus was God’s Son, and he also was the Son of Man. We are reminded today that our Savior-King rides into Jerusalem in the depth of humility as a servant, as a poor person, on the colt of a donkey. Jesus also rides in with victory, victory that the word of God is able to change man’s hearts. In the book of Hebrews God’s word gives us that comparison: "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" (Hebrews 2:9). We see him today. We don’t have to travel over to the Holy Land. We don’t have to stand on the Mount of Olives to see him, but we see him in his word. God’s word is living and active. We do not have to taste death. We see Jesus riding into Jerusalem in humility and then with victory. We know that our humble Savior-King even rides right into our hearts and our lives to provide us with the ultimate victory over death itself. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
Sunday radio broadcast @ 9:05am on KQNK 106.7FM or 1530AM + www.kqnk.com
Palm Sunday readings: ZECHARIAH 9:9-10; PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11; MARK 11:1-10
