Jesus is the King

Mark 11:1–11 CSB

1 When they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and told them, “Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ” 4 So they went and found a colt outside in the street, tied by a door. They untied it, 5 and some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They answered them just as Jesus had said; so they let them go. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their clothes on the road, and others spread leafy branches cut from the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven! 11 He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

This story, what we have grown accustomed to calling “Palm Sunday” or “The Triumphal Entry” is one of the few stories about the life of Jesus that we find in all four gospel accounts. Now, I want to be clear, the gospels are inspired by God, every Word of them, and as a result every word is just an important in the gospel narritives as the next. However, I do think that when we do find stories that are found in each of the four gospels, I do think that what it communicates to us is that all of the gospel writers felt that the event was significant. It means that we need to pay attention. God is trying to teach us something.

But when it comes to the story that we encounter this morning, the truth is that we have to re-learn some things. This story is popular. Many of us grew up in churches where drama teams acted out this story…and so we are really familiar with it. And for many of us, we have grown so accustomed to Palm Sunday, that it has almost become commercialized. We tell it in a way that makes it palatable.

But the truth is Palm Sunday isnt just a day on the calendar where we celebrate…Jesus intended this day to be a day where we have to pause and reflect. Because although Palm Sunday was a day of celebration when Jesus walked into Jerusalem nearly 2,000 years ago. The truth is that what Jesus was doing was very purposeful.

What Jesus began on this Palm Sunday was what led him to the Cross on Friday. It was the point of no return. And so Palm Sunday is a day for us to pause and reflect. To Reflect on who Jesus is, and what He has done...

On Palm Sunday he was ushered in as King…but by Friday, he was hung on a criminals cross...

Three Truths to Reflect on During Holy Week:

Jesus is the Long Expected King

I want us to follow Jesus in our mind as he makes his way into Jerusalem.

Before Jesus begins his journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover. He instructs two of his disciples to go ahead of him. Mark doesn't tell us which two disciples these were, because that isn't what is important here in this story.

Rather what Mark wants us to see is that Jesus was very intentional about this colt that he was planning to ride into the town of Jerusalem.

Notice the wording that Jesus uses here:

“Go into the village ahead of you.”— This is an imperative…we might call these a directive. It is a command. Jesus doesnt say, “Hey guys, I know your busy and all, but would you mind going a fetching a donkey for me?”

“As soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one has ever sat.”

Jesus prophetically shared with his disciples that he had a knowledge that they didnt. He knew exactly where the donkey would be. And he directed them exactly where to go find the donkey.

How did Jesus know where this donkey would be? Because He is fully God.

As Paul later writes,

Colossians 1:19 (CSB)

19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,

Knowing exactly where the Donkey would be found is small potatoes for the God of the universe.

So why was Jesus so determined to ride into Jerusalem on this donkey?

The reason is because Jesus was communicating something. He was showing his disciples, the crowds in Jerusalem, and He is showing us something this morning.

He is showing us that he is the Prophetic King…He is the Messiah. The annointed one of God.

He is intentionally fulfilling Prophecy found in Zech. 9:9.

Zechariah 9:9 (CSB)

9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout in triumph, Daughter Jerusalem!

Look, your King is coming to you;

he is righteous and victorious,

humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

You see in the act of riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, Jesus is declaring Himself to be the King. He is the one that has come to establish the Kingdom of God.

Jesus makes it clear that this is exactly what he is doing in verse 3:

Mark 11:3 (CSB)

3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’ ”

Jesus doesnt need the donkey…that’s why he sends it right back to the owners.

Jesus however borrows this donkey because he is clearly communicating that He is the Prophetic King that has been sent by God to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth.

The Disciples recognize this:

So they make a saddle out of their clothes for Jesus.

The People recongize this:

So they create a runway for Jesus...

They lay down their clothes and leafy branches because they recognized that He was the King.

And all of the people together begin to shout the Hallel Psalm found in Psalm 118:25-26

Hossana!= Means Lord Save US!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!

Hosanna in the hightest!

Up until this point, Jesus had only shared his plans for what he was going to do in Jerusalem with a select group of people. People had asked him all throughout his ministry who he was and what he had come to do, and up until this point he had kept his Kingship a secret. However, on Palm Sunday, what Jesus does is he goes public.

Jesus is an Unexpected King

So…Jesus is the expected King...

He comes just as He was prophesied to come.

He comes to save His people from their oppressors.

He comes to put all wrongs to right.

But then something really unexpected happens.

Mark 11:11 (CSB)

11 He went into Jerusalem and into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

Jesus walks into the Temple…people are shouting, crying, and celebrating...

Then…Jesus walks into the Temple…everyone in the crowd would have been thinking that he was going in there to call down the armies of heaven, over throw the Roman oppressors, and re-establish the throne.

But instead…Jesus looks around.

He decides that it’s getting late...

And he goes back out to the village where he had just came from.

John’s gospel gives us a little more detail about what was going on here.

You see…here is what really happened.

People got a jolt of excitement…and what was happening in the moment kind of hit them.

They were underwhelmed by what they saw in Jesus.

Jesus didnt come as a warrior king like they expected.

He didnt come to conquer like they expected...

And He didnt work on the timeline that they expected...

So Jesus walks into the Temple with this large crowd…but he walks out with just the 12.

Because He wasnt what was expected.

They expected a powerful leader.

They expected a conqueiring king.

They expected a large army.

They expected a dominating victory.

--

Instead of jumping on a War Horse…Jesus hops on a baby donkey...

He is the Long Expected Prophetic King...

And He is the Unexpected Perplexing King...

Here was Jesus the King with all authority in heaven and on earth, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Creator and Sustainer, the Author and Perfector—riding into town on a steed fit for a child.

Why?

Here’s why…Because Jesus was declaring and demonstrating that his Kingdom and His rule doesnt fit into the world’s categories of Kingship and power.

On the Donkey Colt—Jesus brought together both majesty and meekness.

You see, Jesus is an Unexpected King…he doesnt fit into our worldly categories...

In Jesus we simultaneously find the Lion—full of power and strength and wonder…and the Lamb—the epitome of kindness and gentleness.

In Jesus we find infinite majesty and complete humility.

In Jesus we find perfect justice yet unending grace.

In Jesus we find absolute sovereignty and total surrender.

In Jesus we find sufficiency, and yet total dependance upon His Father.

You see God refuses to fit into the categories that you want him to fit into.

He refuses to be molded into your presuppositions and expectations.

To the Capitalist—Jesus says, sell all you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

To the the Socialist—God says, “if anyone isnt willing to work, he should not eat...”

We dont fit Jesus into our world…we fit ourselves into His…

he is the authoritative King…and he is our unexpected King that demands us get on his page…not the other way around.

Jesus Must Be Your Personal King

Jesus walks into the Temple with the crowd...

And he leaves all alone in this passage...

Here is what this teaches us this morning...

Either you are with Jesus…or you are not.

Jesus is either your king…or he is not

You are either with Jesus…or you have abandoned him.

You are either following him…or you are not.

The crowd that yelled out “Save US!” on this Sunday…cried out crucify Him by Friday...

Where does your allegiance lie this mornign?

Are you with Jesus?

Is he your personal King?

Or are you just apart of the crowd?

Will you cry out today, “Save Me! God!”

Or are you the one that yells out, “Crucify Him?”

There is no middle ground.

Two Ways to Make Jesus Your King This Week:

Cry out to Him today.

Confess your sin.

belive in Christ

Make Him your king.

This week follow along with the Holy Week Card.

Jesus must be our personal king, and we have to declare our allegiance to him daily.

This week you can do that by simply devoting your time to him through walking through what we learn about Holy Week.

Lead your families through it.

So make Jesus your king…today…trust him and surrender to his Lordship over your life.

And follow Him this week...