The King has Come, Matthew 21:1-11

Today is Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus to the city of Jerusalem the week of His crucifixion.

It’s called Palm Sunday because as he entered the city people cut branches from palm trees and laid them out before him as he rode into town. Matthew records this in his Gospel.

Matthew 21:1–11 (ESV)

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Before we focus on the significance of the entrance of Jesus… let’s take a look at the reception.

As I mentioned it’s Palm Sunday, and we call it that because of the reception Jesus received as he came into the city.

Throughout his ministry the crowd grew as Jesus traveled and taught from town to town. In the same way that a crowd draws a crowd the crowd of Jesus grew that day as many came to see and joined in the celebration and reception. They laid down palm branches and their cloaks on the road because they revered Jesus. The crowd shouted with anticipation that Jesus was the one who had come to save and deliver them.

The city was stirred up and asked the question of the crowd: Who is this? And the answer to that question is found more in the way Jesus entered the city than in the answer the crowd gives.

The crowd said, this is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee. And, the title prophet was as high of a title as they could give… except that it wasn’t the highest title He actually deserves.

Which is why the Bible gives us the details of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus had entered into Jerusalem before. This wasn’t the first time that he had come to the city. Because of that we can learn a lot about Jesus with the way that he enters into the city. In fact, we can see the reason that Jesus came to Jerusalem in the way that he enters the city of Jerusalem on this day.

They celebrated him like a King, and they were right to do so!

Matthew 21:1-7

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them.”

The people were right to celebrate Jesus as the coming King, but they misunderstood what kind of King Jesus is.

Jesus is Humble King

But the important point in the prophecy is that this King is meek. When the prophet says that he comes riding on an ass,7 he is contrasting him with “the chariot,” “the war horse,” and “the battle bow” (Zech. 9:10). It is the fact that the King is a man of peace that is distinctive.

Zechariah prophesied the king would come on a donkey rather than in a chariot or on a horse. That he would come without a bow and instead come to speak peace to the nations. ‌The king who comes on the donkey comes to rule and reign rather than to make war. By coming this way Jesus is demonstrated that the war is won, victory is already His. Even though the cross is waiting for Him at the end of the week… Jesus is the Lord of all creation. He is the King of the entire universe, and He enters Jerusalem like it is already His, because it is!

Jesus is King of Peace

In Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV) Jesus said, “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”‌

The way Jesus enters Jerusalem reveals that He came to give rest to the souls of those who follow His rule.

He came to give rest, not lead a squadron of soldiers. Jesus came to rule with peace while at the same time making peace with God through His sacrifice on the cross.

At the time of the passover people from all over Judah were coming to the city to celebrate and sacrifice a passover lamb. As everyone entered the city to make a sacrifice celebrating the work of God in the past, Jesus demonstrated His purpose to bring peace between God and sinners by being the sacrifice that liberates the people of God.

Jesus is a King who Saves

As John the Baptist said, Jesus is the Lamb who has come to take away the sins of the world.

Redeemer/Savior

- and he saves by sacrifice (which is a mark of humility)

Jesus is a King who cares about you

I use the word care because I think it communicates when love is demonstrated. It’s one thing to say that you love someone… but Jesus has demonstrated that He loves us. And He entered the city of Jerusalem with the purpose and intention to save… but to save through sacrifice.

On this Palm Sunday, after a week of tragedy, at a time of uncertainty and division in our country, in the midst of what could have been personally a discouraging week or moment in your life… God wants you to know that He cares for you, He loves you… and He has a plan for you.

Jesus is a King who rules in the hearts of those who are His.

With all of the humility that Jesus displays in his entry and his sacrifice on the cross… He is yet King, and those He saves are called to live according to His rule. To live under His reign is to follow His example and surrender to His Word.

Followers of Christ, We, are called to live humble, peaceful, and surrendered lives in the world.

So what about you?

He cares about you

He has a plan and a purpose for you

You are called to be humble, peaceful, and surrendered