Praising the King of Kings

“a-apanynk :acavorax :acavoru

Matthew 21:1-11

Today is the day. Today is the day when our Lord announced to the public that he is the Messiah. His entrance to Jerusalem is called The Triumphal Entry of our Lord.

We also call this day Palm Sunday. John the evangelist writes that the people who welcomed our Lord were waving palm branches. That was a sign for Israel’s salvation. That was a sign of nationalism to welcome a Messiah that would save them.

However, the expectation of the people was to see horses, chariots and trumpets. Horses are powerful animals. We measure even our cars’ power by using a measurement called horsepower. Horses are used for races. Horses were used by knights who defended the king. Horses were used in wars. Horses were used for the royal entrance of a victorious king.

Our Lord Jesus asked his disciples to bring him a donkey he would use for his entrance to Jerusalem. And the disciples obeyed. He did enter on a donkey. Why?

First, to fulfill the prophecy.

We read in Zechariah 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Hundreds of years before it actually happened, the prophet predicted this event. Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy.

Second, to announce a new kind of Kingship

Jews knew that kings who entered riding a donkey meant they were kings who would bring peace. Jesus is announcing his message: a message of humility and peace.

Third, Jesus is declaring that he is not just any king who brings peace; he is the Messiah, the Anointed One. Not the Messiah they wanted, but the Messiah that God prepared. Strong, powerful, defeating death and sin, yet humble and peaceful. It is a deliberate choice that our Lord Jesus made to enter Jerusalem on a donkey.

Response:

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
   "Hosanna to the Son of David!"
   "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
   "Hosanna in the highest!"

One word, praise, and adoration.

That should be our response to our Lord Jesus. This morning I would like to concentrate on the aspect of worshiping our Lord Jesus. What does it mean to worship Him?

We will continue in English.