A True King

Palm Sunday celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as a king. People from all over the nation were beginning to think that this prophet from Nazareth might be the one, the Messiah. What they clearly understood this to mean was Jesus was a political liberator like David and that the Jewish people were about to overthrow the Roman oppressors.

The crowd was right about Jesus being the king and Messiah but wrong about the way his kingdom was to arrive. If Jesus had given a call to arms and unleashed the host of heaven, his kingdom would be no different to the one he replaced. Instead, he rode in on a young borrowed donkey as a sign of humility and peace. As his last week unfolds, Jesus is crowned with thorns, is mockingly dressed in royal robes and finally enthroned on a cross.

The King of Kings shows us how we are to live and proclaim his kingdom in this world - in humility and service of our enemies. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"