The Revealing Of Jesus’ Kingship

THE REVEALING OF JESUS’ KINGSHIP

ACTS 19:28-44

I WANT YOU TO PICTURE FOR A MOMENT, QUESN ELIZABETH AS SHE WAS PREPARING TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF HER CORONATION. WE SEE THE PROCESSION COMING TO WESTMINISTER ABBY, AND THE COACH CARRYING THE QUEEN STOPS AT THE FRONT STEPS. THE ARCH-BISHOP OF CANTERBURY IS WAITING THERE TO GREET HER.

EVERYONE IS WAITING TO SEE THE QUEEN WHO HAS REPRESENTED THEM SO GRACEFULLY DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS. THE COACH DOORS ARE OPENED ANAD THERE IS A STUNNED QUIETNESS IN THE CROWD.

AS THE QUEEN APPEARS SHE IS WEARING AN OLD PAIR OF UGLY GRAY SWEAT PANTS. THE KNEES ARE OUT OF THEM AND THE ELASTIC IS SHOT MAKING HER CONSTANTLY HAVE TO PULL THEM UP. SHE HAS MISMATCHED HITOP SNEAKERS ON HER FEET, ONE YELLOW AND ONE FLOURESCENT GREEN. THEY ARE OLD AND DIRTY, WITH HOLES IN THEM WHERE HER TOES ARE BREAKING THROUGH.

SHE HAS A DARK BLUE SWEATSHIRT WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF STAINS ON IT. ON HER HEAD SHE HAS A HORRIFIC OLD DIRTY CAP THAT SHE WEARS WITH THE BRIM POINTING SIDEWAYS. SHE LOOKS IN FACT LIKE A MODERN DAY WRAPPER.

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO PICTURE THE QUEEN DRESSED LIKE THAT, FOR WE KNOW THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN. WE HAVE AN IMAGE DEVELOPED OF HER OVER THE YEARS, AND WE KNOW THIS JUST WOULDN’T HAPPEN.

JESUS BATTLED WITH THIS SAME TYPE OF SITUATION FOR MOST OF HIS MINISTRY. PEOPLE HAD AN IMAGE OF THE TYPE OF KING HE WAS TO BE. HIS KINGSHIP IN REALITY WOULD HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT IMAGE THAN WHAT THEY THOUGHT.

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR US TO FALL INTO THIS SAME TRAP. WE HAVE IN OUR MINDS AN IMAGE OF WHO JESUS IS SUPPOSED TO BE, WHAT KIND OF A KING WE THINK HE IS. WE CAN GET ANGRY WHEN SOMEONE DARES TO TELL US THAT OUR PRECEPTION OF KING JESUS IS CONTRARY TO SCRIPTURE, EVEN IF THAT SOMEONE IS JESUS HIMSELF.

AS WE STUDY THIS PASSAGE TODAY, LET US OPEN OUR MINDS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND ASK HIM TO REVEAL TO US WHO OUR GREAT KING REALLY IS.

GEOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND:

THE “TRIUMPHAL ENTRY” MARKS THE END OF THE LAST TRAVEL NARRATIVE FOR JESUS TO JERUSALEM (LUKE 9:51- 19:27). THIS WAS HIS CITY OF DESTINY, WHERE HE WOULD CELEBRATE PASSOVER ONE NIGHT, AND BE THE PASSOVER LAMB FOR THE WORLD THE NEXT DAY.

THE ENTIRE SPECTACLE BEGINS WITH THE GRAND IMPRESSION OF THE KING SURVEYING HIS KINGDOM. WHEN THE PROCESSION STARTS, JESUS IS LESS THAN TWO MILES AWAY FROM JERUSALEM, APPROACHING BETHANY AND BETHPHAGE, ALONG THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.

THE MOUNT OF OLIVES LIES DIRECTLY EAST OF JERUSALEM 2,660 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. THE KIDRON VALLEY SEPARATED THE MOUNT OF OLIVES FROM JERUSALEM. ONE COULD TAKE A LONG ROUTE TO AVOID THE STEEP DESCENT AND ASCENT TO JERUSALEM, OR TAKE A SHORTER MORE TREACHEROUS FOOTPATH LEADING DIRECTLY ACROSS THE VALLEY.

IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT WHILE JESUS AND THE PROCESSION TOOK THE LONGER ROUTE AROUND THE VALLEY, THAT THE TWO DISCIPLES WERE SENT ALONG THE SHORTER STEEPER ROUTE TO GET THE COLT.

THE DESCENT DOWN THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WOULD PUT MUCH OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM INTO VIEW. CLARK’S COMMENTARY PICTURES THE SCENE FOR US.

“TWO VAST STREAMS OF PEOPLE MET ON THAT DAY. THE ONE POURED OUT FROM THE CITY, AND AS THEY CAME THROUGH THE GARDENS WHOSE CLUSTERS OF PALM ROSE ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN CORNET OF OLIVET, THEY CUT DOWN LONG BRANCHES, AS WAS THEIR WANT AT THE FEASST OF TABERNACLES, AND MOVED TOWARD BETHANY WITH LOUD SHOUTS OF WELCOME. FROM BETHANY STREAMED FORTH CROWDS WHO HAD ASSEMBLED THERE ON THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, AND WHO CAME TESTIFYING TO THE GREAT EVENT AT THE SEPULCHRE OF LAZARUS….THE TWO STREAMS MET MIDWAY….GRADUALLY THE LONG PROCESSION SWEPT UP AND OVER THE THE RIDGE WHERE FIRST BEGINS “THE DESCENT OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES” TOWARDS JERUSALEM.”

THIS SETS THE BACKGROUND FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK. JESUS AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, CAN SEE JERUSALEM, BUT NOT JUST THE BUILDINGS, HE SEES WITH SPIRITUAL EYES THE PEOPLE. HE KNOWS THAT THEY ARE EVENTUALLY GOING TO REJECT HIS KINGSHIP. HE SEES THEM IN THEIR LOSTNESS AND THE ACHE IN HIS HEART MAKES JESUS WAIL.

NO DOUBT SOME OF YOU HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF HIKING TO THE TOP OF SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN. AT THE LOOKOUT ON THE TOP, YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE CITY OF CAMPBELLTON. DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE YEARS. THIS IS A REFLECTIVE VIEW MUCH LIKE THE ONE JESUS HAD FROM THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. HE WAILED NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT HE WAS, BUT BECAUSE HE ALSO KNEW WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

IT IS HERE BEFORE THE PROCESSION INTO JERUSALEM THAT WE ARE FACED WITH THREE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF JESUS’ KINGSHIP.