King of Kings

Thank you for reading this sermon from Christ Fellowship. I hope and pray that this sermon will be a blessing of grace and truth to you. With that said, let me encourage you not to use this sermon as a replacement for your local church. Christ Jesus did not establish his Church simply for us to consume content. Instead, He calls us to be part of a real, covenant family. 

Every culture has its way of celebrating the arrival of someone important. In medieval times, when a king entered a town, the people would line the streets, waving banners and laying out their finest cloths to prepare the way.

We don’t have a king, but we do something similar for celebrities. Think about the grand entrances we create for famous people: red carpets, flashing cameras, the cheering fans.

In Luke 19, we see Jesus making His grand entrance into Jerusalem—and in many ways, the people receive Him as they would a conquering king.

But His arrival was also marked by humility and it teaches us something important about His identity and the nature of His kingdom.

28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

What did Jesus just finish saying? It was the parable from last week and the last sentence was a grim warning to the enemies of God, “Bring them here and slaughter them before me.” The disciples probably thought of it as a battle cry. Is Jesus going to conquer His enemies and claim His throne?

Luke has been building to this moment. Jesus is finally approaching Jerusalem for the last time. And when Luke says Jesus is going up, he means it literally. Jericho is 800 feet below sea level. Jerusalem is 3000 feet above sea level. The journey took all day long going up.

29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,

30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.

These are villages on the eastern outskirts of Jerusalem. But notice the intentionality of Jesus here. He has purposefully orchestrated this event.

Jesus knows that the people will think of a specific prophecy, from Zechariah 9:9, that the promised king will come to them humble and mounted on the colt of a donkey. He wants the people to make that connection. Jesus is announcing Himself as their King.

31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”

32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.

33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”

Every parent has had the experience of their child asking “why”. Why do I need to clean my room? Why do I need to turn off the TV? Why do I need to finish my homework? Why do I need to go to bed at a certain time?

And every parent has, at some point, replied with the same four words – “because I said so.” I don’t always need to explain “why” as the parent. I need you as the child to obey even if you don’t understand.

“The Lord has need of it” is like that. It’s not a real explanation. It’s just a power move. He’s commandeering the donkey.

And I think it’s important here to recognize the obedience of the disciples and the owners. They may not fully understand what’s happening, but they still obey.

Obedience isn’t just difficult for children. It’s difficult for all of us. We don’t want to follow the rules unless we understand… unless we can see the value. What’s in it for me, Jesus? Why is better to do what you want me to do? Why can’t I just do what I want to do?

If Jesus is making a public display of His Lordship in this moment, then we meant to ask these questions. What might the Lord need from me? What might He be asking of me? Do I need convincing, or will I trust Him and obey?

35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.

36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

Some gave their cloaks to make a saddle. Others used their cloaks in a symbolic way, as act of honor and submission to royalty. In 2 Kings 9, the people do the same thing to honor Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat. These people are declaring their unconditional support for Jesus and His claim to the throne.

And so now we are moving from obedience to worship.

37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that 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!”

This is from Psalm 118, a song that was always sung by pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. And they are singing in recognition that Jesus is their King! And as we begin to recognize the worthiness of Jesus, we respond with worship as well. But not everyone sees it.

39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

And that completes our text for today.

Jesus here is intentionally and publicly confirming his identity as the Promised King in a way that everyone would understand. This is why the religious leaders begged Jesus to stop. They were rejecting His claim, and they were afraid this would draw Roman attention and retaliation.

But Jesus replies by saying it would be impossible to keep them from worshipping. And if they stopped, the stones would cry out! Creation itself recognizes the significance of this event and the identity of its King.

I want to make two observations about this story.

First, consider the image of Jesus riding on a young donkey. Have you seen a donkey? It’s not a regal animal. A donkey is a beast of burden… a humble animal. It’s the animal of a commoner, not the animal of a king. Jesus is intentionally contrasting himself with earthly kings seeking ambition and power. It’s a symbol that Jesus is rejecting the path of violence and conquest.

Luke tells us the donkey has never been ridden before, meaning it has not been broken. Unbroken animals do not typically cooperate with being ridden by a human. But this donkey willingly accepts the burden. Likewise, Jesus is riding to Jerusalem to willingly carry the burdens of His people on His own back.

Second, let’s talk about the crowds. Luke identifies the crowds as “the whole multitude of his disciples.” Almost every sermon I’ve ever heard about this story has made the same claim. I’m sure you’ve heard it before. I’ve probably even said it at some point. “The same crowds singing Hosanna on Sunday were yelling crucify Him on Friday.”

It’s a point that preaches well, but it’s probably not true. For the most part, these were probably two different groups of people. But… if you had told this crowd, the followers of Jesus, what He was on the way to do in Jerusalem, they would have been shocked and confused. He’s going to disappoint them, and they are going to scatter in fear and sadness.

I love the application Tom Wright adds at the end of his commentary on this story:

“Are we going along for the trip in the hope that Jesus will fulfill some of our hopes and desires? Are we ready to sing a song of praise, but only as long as Jesus seems to be doing what we want?

The long and dusty pilgrim way of our lives gives most of us plenty of time to sort out our motives for following Jesus in the first place.

Are we ready, not only to spread our cloaks on the road in front of him, to do the showy and flamboyant thing, but also to now follow him into trouble, controversy, trial and death?”

Before the resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were certainly NOT ready to do that. Jesus went to the cross alone, bearing the weight of their sin and ours.

After the resurrection, the disciples would begin to understand what Jesus had accomplished. They would begin to understand their King and the nature of His kingdom.

And now that we know the Gospel—that Jesus did for us what we could not do—there is a call before us.

Following Jesus is not a matter of ceremony and public displays of devotion. It’s a matter of costly discipleship. It requires enduring faith through suffering and sacrifice.

Our King rides in on a donkey and petitions us to follow Him. It comes with a choice and a cost. Trust, Obey, and Worship Him. Or don’t. God will be worshipped either way.

One day, every knee will bow. One day Jesus will return, not on a donkey but on a warhorse. This is the final depiction of Jesus in the Bible, from Revelation 19:

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.