The King is Come

Luke 19:37-48

In Luke 19 is a description of the final week in Christ’s earthly ministry and there was a sense among the people that something big was about to happen. There was an air of expectancy and excitement. Verse 11 says, “They thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.” The people sang His praises and Jesus said, “If these people remained silent even the very stones would cry out.” But these same people who were crying, “Hosanna,” on Sunday would be crying, “Crucify Him” in just a few days.

I. His Hour Has Come:

a. Jesus entered the city for the last time in a way that would draw attention to Himself for His hour had now come. When a conqueror would return from battle, he would enter the city on the back of a donkey and the people would lay palm branches before him. So, for the Romans, He was clearly declaring Himself a conqueror. And for the Jews, He was plainly saying that He is the king, the Messiah (Zechariah 9:9).

b. The disciples’ hearts were full of joy as the masses were now seeing what they had known all along. That Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. But the people crying out “Hosanna” were largely ignorant of His true mission and purpose for coming. And this is also true of the way people celebrate Jesus on Palm Sunday or Easter or Christmas. We will celebrate His birth, or His Triumphal Entry, or His DeathBurialResurrection, but live as if those things never really happened.

II. God on Your Own Terms:

a. They were crying out, “Hosanna” or “save now” because they wanted God on their own terms. They wanted a military Messiah that would accomplish their agenda. But Jesus was coming as a sacrificial Savior to accomplish His agenda. And there are people today that want Jesus in their life if He will do what they want Him to do. But when you talk about a Jesus that demands obedience, a Jesus that requires repentance and life-change after they have really encountered Him, well they are not so excited about that. So, it is sort of like a person that wants God on their own terms.

III. Gatekeepers to Christ:

a. Jesus enters the temple. He looks around. He returns to Bethany. The next morning, He returns to the temple, and He begins driving out the money changers. If a person wanted to pay the temple tax they had special half shekels in the sanctuary which you exchanged your money for theirs, and they jacked up the exchange rate. Or if someone brought in a sacrifice, they would find a blemish on it, and force them to buy another animal at a hiked-up price.

b. The bottom line is they were keeping people away from God. And that makes God angry.” We are the gatekeepers. We are the church. And the church should be open to all people. God doesn’t want us to do anything or say or be anything that would keep people away. Ask yourself, “Am I a bridge or a barrier? Am I helping people come to Christ or am I hindering them?” These are important issues because we know that to fail to deal with them is extremely displeasing to God. In fact, it angers Him.