We Celebrate Before We Wait

Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Revelation 17:14 ESV

14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

Revelation 19:16 ESV

16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Palm Sunday is a significant Sunday for many reasons.

In particularly, it is the beginning of Holy Week, the week leading up to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It is also a day that points to a truth that is is vital to our understanding as believers.

Jesus is truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

If the President of the United States walks into this room today, regardless of our political stances, we would stand in reverence to his mere presence.

Yet, the President has nothing on the power of Jesus Christ and we still deal with Jesus as lesser than on more regular basis’.

This morning, I want this conversation to remind us of how Jesus is truly the greatest of all Kings and for us to understand how this should shape us as followers of Jesus.

Jesus is King

Matthew 21:7–11 ESV

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.”

The Jewish people were in search of a Savior- someone they would desire to be their king who would free them from the rule of the Roman Empire.

In their minds, this Savior would restore the order of Jewish reign, return to them their land, and bring redemption to a broken and disastrous world through the implementation of their power.

The Jewish people had an idea of who this would be. We see this in their ideas in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 40:23–24 ESV

23 who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. 24 Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

This was definitely fulfilled, but in ways that were not expected...

As Jesus entered the town, we note a couple of things happening that pointed to what the people were assuming to take place...

Palm Branches.

Palm branches were a staple in the region of Jerusalem.

There are ancient roman writings that actually refer to this region as the land of palms.

These palm branches were long, around 6 feet to be exact.

They were culturally a sign of victory… They were used for rulers, authorities, and soldiers returning back from battle to represent their gains and victories!

“Hosannah!”

The people were shouting “Hosannah!” meaning, come save us!

The people were placing their true faith in Jesus to be the one who restores order and brings the Jewish people back on top...

The final sabbath before the Passover

The passover was a Jewish ritual to commemorate the day God spared their ancestors while enslaved in Egypt.

Every passover, families would bring a spotless lamb without blemish to be sacrificed to symbolize their recognition of sin and need for forgiveness.

Ritually, shepherds from the hill country would brings thousands of sheep into the city of Jerusalem to be sold as sacrifices for the people in the temple.

It is not a coincidence that Jesus, the Lamb of God, was entering into the city on the same day countless other lambs were headed to their death...

Except, it was His death that ended the need and practice of animal sacrifices.

King of What?

If Jesus did not restore order and the Roman empire continued to rule, then what is He actually the King of?

Jesus came to usher in a kingdom, not of man, but of God.

He did bring order, He does offer redemption...

This is the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...

He is king of kings and Lord of Lords.

He reigns not only over this world, but of His people and their hearts.

The day that began with celebration ended in a week filled with confusion, dis-clarity, and doubt.

The people wanted saving.

Jesus does, in fact, save.

But He does not save with military strategies or the power of rage and war.

But of peace.

His salvation is not for the comfort of His people.

But for their lives instead.

Jesus is either Lord of all, or not Lord at all.

The question is, do we believe it?