Luke 19:28-40.                   Blessed is the king who comes                   20/3/16

28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 

29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 

30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 

31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 

32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 

33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 

34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 

35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 

36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 

Today we are reminded of the King, Jesus, coming to Jerusalem to do what is necessary for him to establish his kingdom for our benefit. Everything about this whole event looks odd and contrary to what we would expect. Yet it is the greatest and best think that could ever have happened. Without it we would be in very serious trouble; even today, and especially in the future. Without it there would be no hope and no life.

Also here we can readily see that God’s way of doing things are so different from how we think and act, even in the church today. Yet his ways actually work, compared to all of our glorious attempts which fail miserably and create even greater disasters in the long term.

Blessed is this king who comes – because without him we are destined to hell here on earth and even worse in eternity. Blessed –here has the idea that in the coming of Jesus into Jerusalem and his death and resurrection, God’s blessing rests on him. Here is the pinnacle of what he has come to do in order for God to save humanity and establish his kingdom amongst us. Here is the Messiah – the one God had promised that he would send to do what was necessary.

And he comes in the name of the Lord. He comes as God with all that he is and stands for. He is coming with all the authority and power of God, to do what has to be done to defeat the power of evil. Here we see that he defeats the devil not by power and force, but by disarming him of his power. This coming week we will again be reminded of just how he does this.

But here as Jesus comes into Jerusalem, we already see the approach that truly wins out, despite being at odds with humanity’s approach. Here we have the King – the Messiah coming to establish his kingdom. He comes together with humility and service – giving instead of receiving; and through it accomplishes that which is truly great. Through death he gives life, and more. All which goes against our worldly view of how things should be.

Just as we too look to be freed from the mess of our lives and be able to have a comfortable easy lifestyle, so also did the people of Jesus day. They were under the oppressive rule of the Romans as well as having of the normal health, wealth and happiness hassles that are common to us all. But even more significant was the fact that they saw themselves as God’s people and felt that God should see to it that they are free and have things go well for them.

So they were very much looking for God’s Messiah to come as promised and to establish his rule forever. But they were looking for it very much in earthly and outward terms. They were looking for another Moses type figure who would come with power and wonderful signs and the like. But at the same time they were not prepared to take God’s Word seriously. Throughout history Israel continued to sin greatly even though they had and saw God’s great power and might at work.

Likewise, many today think that Christians should have life easy and that all should go well for us. Providing we live a reasonably good life, then God should bless us in our everyday life. Power and glory should be how things operate and be our guide to life. At the same time, we seem to think that we can ignore or change God’s Word to suit our own thinking. We think we know better than God how things should be done.

But only a cursory look across history shows that this has not worked. Selfish humanity will never get it right; especially when it comes to power and glory. In every area of life, we get it wrong, because we have rebelled and turned God’s ways upside down. The results are evident, but we are not willing to change our thinking. Our pride and arrogance does not look beyond ourselves.

However, here Jesus comes to town to take up his reign as King and save his people from the mess they have made for themselves. But he comes on donkey instead of his fiery black or white steed. No sword and great army. No power and great might. Gentle and riding on a donkey – in fact, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

The procession then proceeds down the Mount of Olives, to the praises and joy of his disciples. No great trumpet fanfare, but a joyful and loud procession, never the less. The spreading of the cloaks underfoot showing the disciples honour and submission to the Messiah at his coming to establish his kingdom.

Here comes the one they have seen perform many miracles; that only God can do. Here surely is the Messiah; the one whom the angels sang at his birth: “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Everything is lining up for the establishment of the Kingdom that God had promised throughout history.

So all are getting excited, for great things are about to happen: Even though there is no great army or a grand procession into town. We all can sing our praises and announce blessing on the king. “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

But from there on things did not go the way they and we would think. He is betrayed, arrested, falsely tried, suffers and dies. This is not what we expect or want God to act. This does not fit the human concept of winning and ruling. It is all upside down and inside out. It is all wrong to our way of thinking.

Yet the Scriptures are quite clear that it is right here and through these means, that God accomplishes salvation and life for all who are prepared to trust that this is the case. The Bible is quite clear that his death on the cross has defeated the devil and made forgiveness of sins, life and salvation available to all.

Of course, sadly, many do not want to believe this and so lose out. They want to look to the glorious things of life and trust their doing and thinking rather than what God has done through Jesus Christ.

So Jesus is no longer King in their lives. They may well talk about him and sing praises in his name, but they have made themselves once again king in their own lives and Jesus is subservient to their thinking. Disastrous!

However today we are reminded that Jesus is King. In fact, he is king of all kings and Lord of all lords. He is where it is all at, even if it may not look like it to our human way of thinking. This King is truly blessed in every way. In his humility, suffering and death he is there with all the power and glory of God bringing about good. There he overcomes sin, death and hell.

Now there is peace in heaven; for now, God can once be at peace with sinful humanity. Our sins are forgiven and all who are connected to Jesus through baptism and faith, have that certainty of being with God in heaven. Jesus, as a result of what he does here and on the cross is now given all glory in the highest. Jesus is held in the highest honour, and to whom every knee will bow, in heaven, on earth and under the earth. To him be all glory and honour.

So all who are connected to this King, Jesus, they now understand that blessing comes together with humility and service – giving instead of receiving. Instead of following a theology of glory, they now seek to take seriously the theology of the cross.

Now then we can face this coming Holy Week with confidence and certainty and we can truly celebrate the coming of the King and his enthronement on the cross. His death and resurrection can be seen as that which is truly blessed and which brings life and salvation to us all.

 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish