Title: WELCOME THE KING!

Focus: As Jesus enters Jerusalem, will we welcome him and serve him as our King. ?

Function: To move the people to join the parade of welcoming Jesus as King in their lives.

Text: Mark 11:1-11

 

INTRODUCTION

            In general, we are a nation that loves parades. New York has its Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving Day and its St. Patrick’s parade on St. Patrick’s Day. New Orleans managed to come back this year with its annual Mardi Gras parade.  And no doubt, there will be a parade this year in the city where the 2006 baseball World Champions reside. America loves parades.

 

As for me, well, I think you would have to drag me to a parade. I prefer more quiet places. Yet, believe it or not, I did watch the Christmas parade in Minneapolis this past year. And because of the company I was in, I enjoyed it very much. But in general, I choose to stay away from parades.

 

Today, however, on Palm/Passion Sunday, we have no choice. As we enter the story of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, we become participants. We join the disciples of Jesus, the pilgrims of Israel, the citizens of Jerusalem, the Pharisees and religious leaders, and the watchful Roman authorities—we join that huge crowd that welcomes this man riding on a donkey. And we have to decide: will we serve this man as our King or will we reject him as irrelevant for our lives?

 

No, we can’t be neutral. The Scriptures call us to make a choice today. Do we join the parade of welcoming Jesus as Savior King, or will we stay home and ignore him?

 

OBSERVATIONS AND INSIGHTS

            As we enter the story, we must first of all take note of the time. It’s the time of the Pilgrims’ Feast—the Passover. Thousands of people from all over Israel are traveling to Jerusalem, where the temple of God is located, and where the celebrations of the Passover Feast find their central location.

 

            Now the Passover Feast celebrates Israel’s victory over Egypt, when centuries ago Moses and the Israelites escaped Pharaoh’s bondage and found their freedom in the Promised Land called “Canaan.” Throughout the centuries, the Israelites have commemorated the great deliverance from slavery, and the freedom found as a nation under God.

The pilgrims would re-enact the story of the exodus by sacrificing a lamb, by eating unleavened bread, and by remembering how the angel of death passed over all the homes of the Israelites who had smeared their doorposts with the blood of lambs. Israel’s exodus and God’s deliverance of Israel, then, are on the minds and hearts of the Israelites. It’s the time of the Passover Feast.

 

Now this is very important to remember, because when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on that donkey, the Israelites are experiencing bondage. The Romans have occupied the nation; they are fully in charge of the national life and economy of the Israelites. The Roman occupation is like a cocklebur for the Jews. For the exodus event in the days of Moses as celebrated in the Passover Feast makes them long intensely for national freedom—freedom from Roman occupation; freedom as it was in the days of King David and Solomon. Oh, how the Israelites long for a Messiah King, a Deliver who will bring back the glory days of the past.

 

And guess what? Who has arrived on the scene of history? This man called Jesus—a miracle worker who heals the sick, walks on water, and even raises the dead. Could he be the promised Messiah foretold by the psalmist and the prophets? Many in the crowd believe so! And thus they welcome Jesus into Jerusalem as their king, saying “Hosanna! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

 

Are you welcoming this Jesus today? Perhaps you need to be convinced that this Jesus is indeed the promised Savior King. Maybe you wonder whether this is really a royal occasion. After all, generals and kings tend to display their power and might. When the Americans entered Baghdad a few years ago, we entered with military might—tanks and guns and airplanes. But where is Jesus’ display of armament and power? His tank or chariot is a donkey. Surely, that’s not very impressive!

 

Yet, Jesus’ parade into Jerusalem is a royal occasion. To be sure, it’s an up-side-down parade. But a royal parade nevertheless. Consider that donkey business for example. In the O.T. days, the donkey is a king’s royal limousine. For example, when King David decreed that his son, Solomon, should succeed him as King of Israel, he said to Zadok, the priest and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada: (I Kings 1:32ff) “Take your lord’s servants with you and set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel.”

Jesus’ donkey is a royal limousine. Kings in O.T. days would enter their kingdom on a donkey.

 

What’s more, this royal limousine on four legs fulfills a religious purpose. The people recognize that Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on this colt—a donkey that has never been ridden before—serves a religious or divine purpose. For animals such as heifers and foals of donkeys that have never been used or ridden before, are animals fit to be set apart for religious service. These are the kinds of animals acceptable for temple worship and sacrifice and for divine purposes in the life of Israel.

 

Yes, sir! What we see in this parade is NOT a warhorse or a victorious general in full military outfit. Yet, we are in the presence of a King, riding on his royal limousine. And many of the people in the crowd see it that way as well. They recognize the prophetic signs, and they recall the words of the Passover psalm (Psalm 118), where the psalmist points to Israel’s Messiah King saying, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.”

 

And the people spread out the welcome mat—branches, cloaks—all signs of honor, and welcome and submission to this king on that donkey. They recall the words of the prophet Zechariah who said, (Zech. 9:9) “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…He will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to see and from the River to the ends of the earth.” Ah yes, this is a royal occasion. Welcome King Jesus on his up-side-down parade!

 

Oh yes, I’ve to explain to you that reference to an up-side-down parade. Normally, parades are happy occasions. If they are not happy occasions, we would call them funeral processions maybe. Well, in Jesus’ case, many of the people are cheering and laughing. But in one of the gospel accounts we learn that Jesus is doing the opposite: he weeps. Luke, for example, tells us (Lk.19:41) “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

 

            For Jesus, things are up-side-down in this parade. There is no smile on his lips; only a prophecy of doom; there is no twinkle in his eyes; only tears. Here’s another reason why this is an up-side-down parade: Jesus does not ride to the seat of Roman power in Jerusalem; he does not go to the palace of Pontius Pilate or King Herod Antipas. Jesus does not humiliate his enemies, nor does he display any power over the Roman occupiers. No, instead, Jesus does the up-side-down thing: he goes to the temple of God. Jesus goes to the house of his heavenly Father. You know why? Because, there in the temple, is the real seat of authority and power. The temple of God points to the maker of the heavens and the earth. And it is from the temple and throne room of God that salvation comes forth to all the earth.

 

            How ironic, this up-side-down parade! Jesus knows that his entrance into Jerusalem calls for a hellish pit stop; he must enter Jerusalem to face betrayal, crucifixion and death. Listening to the loud “Hosannas,” Jesus can already hear the whispers of “Crucify him! Crucify him!” For among the crowd are some very powerful people called Pharisees who are saying to each other: (John 12:19)  “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

 

            Now let me ask you: as you enter the story of Jesus’ royal entrance into Jerusalem, watching this up-side-down parade, where do you stand? With the Pharisees, rejecting Jesus? With the disciples, serving Jesus, hoping that he will be for you everything you hope he will be? Or with the crowd that is looking for a political, Savior King who can give them relief from Roman oppressors? Or are we being “stand-off-ish,” non-committal, having a wait-and-see posture?

 

            We cannot avoid this question of where do we stand with Jesus? It’s true; we can put it off, but we’ll have to face it—today, tomorrow, sometime in our life-time. And the answer to that question determines where we will be standing at the end of time, when Jesus comes again.

 

            In Revelation 7:9 we have a glimpse of that future. We learn of “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.’”

           

Those who wear white robes are those washed in the blood of Christ. Their white robes point to their baptism; all those baptized into Christ are in a new relationship with God; we are no longer “under condemnation.” Our sins are forgiven. And as citizens of heaven, and servants of Christ the King we hold palm branches in our hands and we praise God for his salvation that comes to all the earth through Christ, the Lamb of God.

 

            On Palm/Passion Sunday, Christ rode into Jerusalem in humility. It was an up-side-down parade. And not everyone welcomed him as Savior King. But when Christ comes again at the end of time, he will ride the clouds; he will come in glory, with awesome displays of power and authority. He will bring with him all those who have died in Him and are with him today in heaven. He will raise the dead and reunite our spirits with our resurrected bodies. And all his people, standing in white robes, forgiven, cleansed and totally renewed and glorified—will welcome him as their eternal, Savior King.

 

            Will you, will I be one of them? If so, then now is the time to come to Christ in faith, to bow before him as our king; and to serve him for the rest of our lives.

 

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.