The…Entrance

The beginning of the end. The Passion Week. The week of the crucifixion. The end of Jesus ministry.

The…

Over the coming days there are so many Thes.

But every one of them are moments Jesus actually lived. Moments that He knew drew Him closer to something unknown- death. The end of His life.

And each moment, just like all the others, was pregnant with meaning and purpose. Each moment fulfilling a prophecy or pointing to a truth about who He was and why He had come.

In Luke 9:51 the historian records that Jesus “set His face towards Jerusalem” knowing that His arrival there would be the salvation of our souls at the cost of His life.

And it all starts with the cheers of a crowd.

Turn with me to Luke 19:28-44.

Jesus has concluded His parable about the talents, and He has set out on His final entrance into Jerusalem. And He needs something to make that entry what it is supposed to be. He needs a donkey. (vs 28-36)

Luke Comments

By his introduction Luke linked the triumphal entry closely with the preceding parable dealing with Jesus’ kingship

Zechariah 9:9 foretells this need. And Jesus, knowing the prophecies, is determined to make sure there is no doubt who He is and what He has come to do.

Luke Comments

the messianic character of the triumphal entry is heightened, for this means that Jesus intentionally sought to fulfill

So he sends the disciples for the correct mount.

Church I want you to ponder this for a moment.

How much does God care about the little things?

So mamy times in my life, I feel like the minor crisis or difficulties are unworthy of bringing to Jesus, but that is not the case. He knows. He cares. The details are not lost on Him.

We see this all through the ministry of Jesus.

The little kids.

The woman with the flow of blood.

The lepers.

The centurion’s servant.

Jesus cares.

I know we live in a world where it seems like no one cares about anything other than themselves. Our God is not like the world. He does care.

The other thing I want y’all to see here is the unquestioning obedience of the disciples.

Jesus basically tells them to go and take a donkey and what to say if/when they are confronted. And they just go.

Luke Comments

“Lord” (kyrios) would be interpreted by Luke’s readers as the Lord Jesus, not the owners (literally lords [kyrioi]) of the colt (19:33). This is evident because the owners/lords were told “the Lord needs it.” Historically there is no reason why Jesus could not have arranged beforehand to have a colt ready. Only if we deny Jesus a messianic consciousness can we deny this possibility. The likelihood of the owners’ accepting the commandeering or requisitioning of their animal by a stranger is quite low, as is the availability of a donkey that had never been ridden.

And when they are confronted, they just say what they were told to say.

Where is my trust and faithfulness?

God has often given us clear instructions in His word and far too often I am less prone to obey and more prone to debate or ignore.

God is not giving us instructions without giving us the words to say and working on the hearts of the people He is sending us to!

He is God after all!!!

So now take a look at verse 36.

The laying out of their cloaks is imagery associated with the arrival of a sovereign, a King.

Luke Comments

Spreading cloaks on the road is an act of homage as in

No one else may know who Jesus is, but His disciples do.

Who do you recognize Jesus as?

The great debate we so often see in our time is a little different than in previous eras.

Is Jesus a good moral teacher?

Is Jesus a political mascot?

Is Jesus one of many ways to truth?

Is Jesus an oppressor?

Lots of debate about this in our day and time.

For Christians, none of these options are adequate.

If you are a follower of Jesus, there is only one way He can be- the King.

Not a king. Not a king among kings. The King of all Kings.

If He is not that, then He is not only no one, He is not worth following. Because you could go and find a bunch of pretenders to the throne.

He is not a pretender. He is the unquestioned, unchallenged, unrivaled, King.

And He won’t accept anything else.

And as a result, He is worthy of one thing, full throated, unquestioned worship.

Look at verses 38-40.

Verse 38-

the King- as we just discussed

Luke Comments

This, minus the words “the king,” comes from

Luke Comments

the beatitude here is a proleptic announcement of Jesus’ kingship, which like God’s kingdom is already a present reality in Jesus’ ministry but whose ultimate consummation awaits the parousia

who does He represent on earth- the God of all Gods

Peace- what He brings

Luke Comments

peace reigns in heaven, for God’s divine plan is being fulfilled. Only when the Son of Man returns will peace finally come to Jerusalem

Glory- what He deserves

And what is the response of His opponents?

SHUT UP!

Luke Comments

Luke’s readers would not have interpreted this as a Pharisaic attempt to save Jesus from the consequences of this messianic excitement. They would have interpreted this as an attempt to squelch the disciples’ praise of God

Church, let me just say, do not be surprised when you are truly living out the reality of who God says you are and who He has called you to be, that you are going to encounter opposition. It is the story of the church from the beginning.

And our response is to worship louder.

To live the Gospel harder.

To love people, even those who hate us, more unconditionally.

Because Jesus is worth it!

He and He alone is worthy of our worship.

And look at verse 40.

SOMEONE is going to do it.

Luke Comments

The Greek construction (ean with the future indicative) is rare, and the verse is capable of several interpretations. The most likely is, “If the disciples would stop their praising of God and his Son, then the stones would take their place and cry out praise in their stead.” Nothing can detract from this day

If not us, then creation itself. And I want to ask you, are you going to let a rock song louder than you?

What does all this mean?

It means that the God of the universe has entered the chat of humanity. And He is calling us to do what we have been built to do

Worship Him.

What is your life worshiping? Are stones crying out to Jesus in your life because your life is worshiping something else?

Who do you recognize as King of your life?