March 29, 2015
Through the years I have preached many Palm Sunday sermons. One that I remember quite well was my first Palm Sunday message. I titled it, “Is Jesus Really King?” (I remember it because it was the first message I preached at First Baptist Church in Devils Lake, ND.) Since that time, I have taken that theme many times because I think it captures much of the emotion of Jesus’ Triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before His crucifixion. In fact, I think Jesus’ disciples were asking that very question as they watched the Palm Sunday events unfold.
The short answer to my homiletic question is, YES, Jesus really is King! The crowd used those words, “King of Israel,” “Son of David.” They shouted and waved their hands in joy and praise. They also put their cloaks, branches and Palm leaves on the ground for Jesus to walk on.
Jesus also accepted their praise and encouraged it. He rode a colt through the crowd for all to see (much like a famous person would ride in a limacine today). When some criticized His acceptance of this praise, Jesus declared that if the crowd was quiet, “the rocks would cry out” (Luke 19:40). Many times in Jesus’ ministry and miracles, He told people to be quiet about what they saw. This time, He encouraged and promoted the praise.
YES, Jesus really is King! There is no clearer message in what happened on Palm Sunday.
BUT, the rest of the story seems to call Jesus’ royalty into question. He is betrayed, arrested, falsely accused and then condemned to execution, all with His complete knowledge and acceptance. Just days after His “coronation,” He hangs on a cross, executed because He accepted the recognition as King. Yes, Jesus really is King, BUT He is King of a different Kingdom (just as He told Pilate in John 18:36).
It is still very easy to misunderstand Jesus’ Kingship. Just like the Jews, our problem begins when we assume we know what kind of King Jesus should be. We make up our minds that Jesus should fill a certain role and then we ignore the things He does that do not fit the role we imagine for Him. The Jews did it in the 1st century and we still do it today. Jesus was NOT always nice. Jesus turned people away. Jesus confronted the most religious people He met. Jesus did not coddle His disciples but put them into difficult situations.
This week, the week leading up to Easter, will you lay down your image of Jesus and ask Him to reveal Himself to you in fresh ways? Will you read His story from the gospels and let yourself see things that you have ignored before? Will you give Him authority in your life to shape and mold you into something that is HIS image, not yours? Ask yourself this week, is Jesus really King?
