Jesus Comes to Jerusalem. As King!

He is coming again…

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
Luke 19:28-44
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. 33 As 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!”[b]
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some 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.”

41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

As a history teacher, the knowledge of what happens to Jerusalem throughout history is incredible. Invasion after invasion, death upon death come to mind. Perhaps the movies have done more of this than teaching, but they each play a part.

In this verse we see that the King has arrived. The Messiah. The Deliverer.  Yet not everyone can tell. Perhaps because he is arriving on a small colt or donkey that they cannot tell. I mean surely the Son of Man wouldn’t be on a donkey…right?

The first responders. The ones that know. Did you read what they did? They placed their cloaks on the ground beneath the feet of the donkey. A sign of honor. A spur of the moment red carpet so to speak. What love they showed what reverence.

However, at the same time, those that “knew” the law. The higher class. The rich and esteemed couldn’t see Him. They only saw a man. A man that threatened their way of life. A life of comfort and complacency. One that required little faith, but lots of money. They were in love with what they saw. Only what they saw.

Even in all of this, Jesus wept for them. He wept for them because He loved them. He loved them, and died for them and for all so that sins may be forgiven. So that all would be able to afford salvation, which now only requires FAITH.

The walls came down. They went up again and came down again. But Jesus removed the barriers. He crushed the dividers between us and God. He crushed the devil and He crushed sin. Yesterday’s sin, today’s sin, and tomorrow’s sin. All crushed, forgiven, and paid for. By Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!

Amen!
DK