King for a Day [36mb]

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This is a sermon based on Luke 19:28-40 and preached on Palm Sunday regarding the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. Comparison is made with the return of the King as prophesied in Revelation 19:11-21.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today we are commemorating the day known as Palm Sunday, according to our calendar, which focuses attention on the procession going into Jerusalem four days before Passover about 2,000 years ago. There are a number of interesting details about the setting and the events of this day that I will be sharing as we go along. But before I do that I want you to think with me about some of the special celebrations and recognitions that we might experience in our lives.

In our society we give honor and recognition to various individuals for special reasons or for special accomplishments. In our schools we might honor the “student of the month” or the “teacher of the year.” In our places of employment we might recognize special accomplishments of workers with the “employee of the month” or “associate of the week.” In most of these types of honor or special citations, there may be specific “perks” that go along with the title that has been earned. It might mean going to the head of the line in the cafeteria, or it might mean getting the privilege of driving the company Cadillac.

In all of these situations, however, the individual that has been awarded the special title along with all the benefits knows that it is only temporary. In most cases, the school or business has a policy that no one can win the award consecutively, to help ensure that everyone gets an opportunity to be recognized. In other cases, it is temporary because someone else will soon accomplish some great achievements and the attention and honors will be focused on them.

For those who are familiar with this biblical story and the events that follow, we know that this celebration is similar to what we have been describing – only temporary fame and honor. We know from reading the account many times before that the cries of the crowds will turn drastically and radically different in a few days from what they had started out to be on Palm Sunday. That is the reason I chose the title I am using for this message today, “King for a Day.” All of the accolades and praises that they were giving Him were spectacular, but it only lasted for a day. But, at the end of the message today I intend to explain how it will be like that again someday – He will be King again for a day. However… it will be a new day, and it will be an unending day; an eternal day!

With the help of the Holy Spirit I want to compare and contrast the historic entrance of the King over 2,000 years ago with the prophetic entrance of the King that will occur sometime in the future when God decides that time is no more.

I.     Background Details

A. There was a huge crowd of travelers in the city for the upcoming Passover celebration.

(Wm. Barclay) According to records from 30 years later, a Roman census was taken to count the number of lambs slain for the annual Passover feast. In that year, the number of lambs was 250,000. The estimated crowd in the city for the feast would have been 2.5 million because it was a Passover regulation for there to be a minimum of ten people for every lamb.

This particular event, 30 years earlier, would have probably been very similar in size.

B. This day had prophetic significance in the fact that this would have been the 10^th day of the Jewish month. Passover would be celebrated in four days on the 14^th day of the month. According to the OT requirements (Ex. 12:3), the lamb that was to be slain for the Passover meal was to be selected on the 10^th day of the month and kept until the 14^th day to be slaughtered.

(Matthew Henry) “…on that day therefore Christ our Passover, who was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly showed. So that this was the prelude to his passion.”
 

II.    The Historic Entrance of the King

A. It was carefully planned.

1. The ride and route were planned. (The donkey and colt.)

As they approached the city from just a few miles away, Jesus tells the disciples to go find the colt (foal) of a donkey and bring it to Him.

(Barclay) Believes that all the arrangements were made beforehand and evidenced by the fact that He told them precisely where to find the colt and what “code words” to use with the owners so that they would know it was okay to let it go.

Other writers are prone to simply explain it as Jesus having the supernatural ability to know where it was as well as the supernatural ability to persuade the owners to allow it to be taken.

2. It was planned to simulate the actions of ancient prophets.

(Barclay) When the prophets needed to get their message across they would often act out their messages with dramatic action when they thought their words were ineffective.

Example: The prophet Ahijah met Jeroboam and tore a garment into 12 pieces to illustrate that the 12 tribes of Israel were going to be divided 10 in the Northern Kingdom and 2 in the Southern Kingdom.

Belief is that Jesus was purposely acting out this message to show the people He was the Messiah as predicted by the prophet Zechariah where the prophecy of this event appears in the OT. According to the parallel passage in Luke 19, Jesus had been in Jericho prior to coming to Jerusalem. He would have walked with His disciples most of the distance (17 miles) approaching the city, so it would not have been a special burden for Him to complete the journey on foot. But, He sends the disciples to go bring the donkey colt instead. This obviously was a deliberate plan to get the attention of the crowds and to demonstrate His connection to the prophecy of Zechariah.

B. It was courageously defiant.

The religious rulers of Jerusalem had been seeking a way that they could arrest this popular “prophet.” In spite of how the common people felt about Him, the authorities hated Him and they had sworn to eliminate Him. Does He sneak into the city under the cover of darkness and try to keep out of sight of those who might seek to harm Him? NO. He rides into the city onto “center stage,” so to speak, amid the shouts of people.

Even more than that, after He gets into the city, He goes immediately into the Temple and begins to drive out those who were using their spiritual and religious authority to seriously take advantage of the poor who had come into the city to offer sacrifices and to pay the annual Temple tax required of every male Jew.

Jesus strikes against the very core of the corruption that characterized the religious elite. He not only defies their quest for His demise by riding into the city amid cries of Hosanna, but He proceeds to destroy the corrupt merchandising which would have been a source of funding for their activities.

C. It was a claim of His kingship.

1. By fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah.

As stated earlier.

2. Portrayed as a spiritual King rather than a political king.

a. Because He is a loving King.

In Luke’s reporting of this event, he records the lament that Jesus expressed over the city prior to His arrival. He mourns the ignorance and rebellion of the people who did not recognize “their day of visitation.” He mourns the coming judgment that He predicts. He demonstrates the deep love and compassion He feels for those who have already rejected Him and those who will soon reject Him. He demonstrates what He had previously stated in John 3, “… God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

b. Because He is a peaceful King.  

Most scholars comment on the fact that Jesus is riding on a donkey rather than a horse, to represent His humility and His meekness. However, others have pointed out a couple of distinctions worth noting.

(Barclay) In eastern countries kings and nobles did ride on donkeys. But, when a king rode on a donkey it was a sign that He came in peace. The horse was a mount used for war. He seems to be demonstrating that He has come to help, save, and provide peace rather than to destroy.

(M. Henry) This author has an interesting point. “Yet some think that he had herein an eye to the custom in ancient Israel for the judges to ride upon white donkeys (Jdg. 5:10), and their sons on colts, Jdg. 12:14. And Christ would thus enter, not as a Conqueror, but as the Judge of Israel, who for judgment came into this world” (Jn. 9:39)

III.   The Prophetic Entrance of the King

So many of the events surrounding the historic entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem held symbolic significance as we have noted. Those who are familiar with biblical prophecy regarding the end times know that there is another description given to us about the return of King Jesus. That reference is found in Revelation 19.

¹¹And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ¹²His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ¹³And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS….  ²¹And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.  (KJV)

A. It is precisely planned and predicted.

The events described in Revelation 19 can be compared to the events in Luke 19 in the sense that they too are precisely planned. These events described here, as well as all of the prophecy of Revelation, will certainly take place. They are just as certain as every event in history is certain.

Jesus Himself said that the Father knows when the end shall be. God the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle John to write all these prophecies regarding the events of the end times. No man knows the day nor the hour, Jesus said, but God knows and when He says it is time, then it’s time. God knows ahead of time exactly what will take place, when they will take place, and how they will take place.

B. It will be a magnificent display of kingship.

There will be a great contrast between the future entrance of King Jesus and His last entrance.

1. An animal of war, not of peace.

He will not be arriving the next time on a lowly donkey, but on a brilliant white horse. He is not coming this time to bring peace to earth. He is not here this to bring peace to the human heart. He has come to destroy the enemies of the cross; the enemies of God.

2. A demonstration of judgment, not compassion and love.

He will not be lamenting the plight and spiritual condition of His enemies, as before. Now He has arrived to conquer and destroy those who have rejected Him and fought against His righteousness. He speaks and His enemies are executed. This is the same Word that brought the world into existence (Gen. 1; Jn 1) and upheld the world through all the ages of time (Heb. 1:3).

3. He is not King for a day, He is King for eternity.

We can say He is going to be King for a day, but this is a new day. This is one infinite, eternal day. He is King for ever and ever.

Conclusion:

Wow! What a contrast! To think about these events and all the implications is both thrilling and frightening. How thrilling to think about the enemies of righteousness and true holiness finally being soundly defeated. How thrilling to think about the Devil finally meeting his eternal doom! How frightening to imagine all those who have rejected Christ now discovering His awful judgment and wrath.

Friends, Jesus Christ is still the King of kings and Lord of lords! He was back then, when all the people of Jerusalem didn’t recognize Him as such, and He will be in the future when “… God … has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Php. 2:9-11)

I tell you today, the only logical response for any of us to make is to humbly surrender and submit to His authority and rule in our lives and our hearts. We ought to submit to His sovereign power now rather than wait until we are forced to submit and confess then.

I want to close our service today by singing a song that is printed in our bulletins and has been sung by various gospel groups. (Some of us may have heard it sung by the Gaithers.) As we sing, I encourage every one of us to make sure that we have truly surrendered our hearts and lives to the kingship and lordship of Jesus Christ, so we can serve Him honorably now and reign with Him then.

If you haven’t yielded your life to King Jesus, I urge you to do it today.

“He’s Still the King of Kings.”