The King Who Comes to Us (Luke 19:29-44)

Good morning! Today we are going to study a powerful and beautiful passage from the Gospel of Luke—the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is a moment of intense significance, both in the context of Jesus' life and ministry, and in the lives of those who encountered Him. Luke 19:29-44 captures the moment when Jesus enters Jerusalem in a way that fulfills prophecy, yet challenges expectations. As we explore this passage, let us allow the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to the deeper truths it reveals about the King who comes to us. Let’s stand as we Read and honor the word of God this morning.

29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. 37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

I. The King Who Comes in Peace (Luke 19:29-34)

A. Preparation

Jesus sent two of His disciples to Bethphage to get the colt that He needed for the event. Our Lord needed this beast so that He might fulfill the messianic prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9 which says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”

In fulfilling this prophecy, Jesus accomplished two purposes: (1) He declared Himself to be Israel’s King and Messiah; and (2) He deliberately challenged the religious leaders. This set in motion the official plot that led to His arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

B. Declaration

It is a deliberate, symbolic act. Jesus could have entered Jerusalem on a warhorse, a symbol of power and military might, like the kings and conquerors of His time. But He chose a donkey, a humble animal, associated with peace rather than war. Jesus came not with the trappings of worldly power, but with the spirit of humility and peace.

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem is a declaration of His kingship—but it is a kingship of peace. His rule is not about military conquest or political dominance, but about bringing reconciliation between God and humanity. As He enters the city, He offers peace, not just for Israel, but for all who will receive Him. This is the heart of the gospel: Jesus comes to bring us peace with God.

II. The Response of the People (Luke 19:35-40)

A. Celebration

As Jesus rides into Jerusalem, the crowd responds with shouts of praise and joy. This is the only time that Jesus permitted a public demonstration on His behalf, and He did so for at least two reasons. First, He was fulfilling prophecy and presenting Himself as Israel’s king (Zech. 9:9). How much of this the crowd really understood we cannot tell. No doubt many of the Passover pilgrims thought that Jesus would now get rid of the Roman invaders and establish the glorious kingdom.

The second reason for this demonstration was to force the Jewish religious leaders to act. They had hoped to arrest Him after the Passover, but God had ordained that His Son be slain on Passover as the “Behold! Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Every previous attempt to arrest Jesus had failed because “His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30). When they saw this great public celebration, the leaders knew that they had to act, and the willing cooperation of Judas solved their problem for them.

B. Demonstration

The people acclaimed Jesus as their King both by their words and their deeds. They shouted Hosanna which means, “Save now!” They were quoting from Psalm 118:25–26, “25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.”

Keep in mind that this Passover crowd was composed of at least three groups: the Jews who lived in Jerusalem, the crowd from Galilee, and the people who saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. The people wanted to see this miracle-worker for themselves.

III. Jesus’ Weeping Over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44)

A. Lamentation

While the crowd was rejoicing, Jesus was weeping! In this, He was like the Prophet Jeremiah who wept bitterly over the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus looked at Jerusalem and wept because it had destroyed itself.

No matter where Jesus looked, He found cause for weeping. If He looked back, He saw how the nation had wasted its opportunities and been ignorant of their “time of visitation.” If He looked within, He saw spiritual ignorance and blindness in the hearts of the people. They should have known who He was, for God had given them His Word and sent His messengers to prepare the way.

B. Mislead

What caused Israel’s spiritual blindness? For one thing, their religious leaders had robbed them of the truth of their own Word and had substituted man-made traditions. Jesus saw religious activity that accomplished very little.

This is a moment of deep sorrow for Jesus. He is not angry; He is grieving over the lost opportunity. He desires peace for the people of Jerusalem, but because they reject the peace He offers, the consequences will be tragic.

Think of a parent watching a child make a harmful choice. The parent doesn’t react with anger but with a deep sense of sadness, knowing the child is heading down a painful path. The parent’s grief is not born out of frustration but out of love. Similarly, Jesus weeps because He loves Jerusalem and desires their salvation, but they have rejected His offer of peace.

The question for us today is this: Will we recognize the time of God’s coming to us? Will we receive Jesus as the Lord, King of kings, not just for the miracles He can perform in our lives? Will we be obedient as His subjects? Will you lay down your cloaks, your own desires, and your pride before Him, recognizing who He really and not just who you want Him to be for you?