King for All (Luke 19:27-40)

The King of All
Luke 19:28-40

INTRODUCTION:
If you work at the same company for a long time, you will likely work under a number of different managers. It’s always shocking when a new manager comes in and does things completely differently. However, if the manager is good, the changes will probably be for the better. Jesus’s birth is completely different from what we expect of a king. His death on the cross is a different means to display his kingship from what anyone could have imagined. Somehow, though, Jesus’s different model of kingship is exactly what we need.

When Jesus was about to be born, the angel Gabriel told Mary that Jesus would be called the “Son of the Most High” and He would accept the throne of King David. He would reign over the house of Jacob forever and His kingdom would have no end (Luke 1:32-33).

WHAT TYPE OF KING WILL WE HAVE?
The Jews were expecting a new king because the prophets in the OT had predicted a descendant of David would come. But the Jews largely expected the wrong kind or the wrong type of king. So Jesus had to take three years to show and tell the Jews what type of king God really wanted Jesus to be. The main object was to show the Jews that Jesus was a spiritual king, not a physical or political king. But associated with that was the fact that Jesus would be an humble king.

Zechariah the prophet, who lived during the time after Israel returned to Palestine after the 70 years of exile in Babylon (9:9), predicted the entry into Jerusalem of the Messiah, meek and riding on the colt, the foal of a donkey. It is instructive that King Solomon, when he assumed the throne of his father, David, entered Jerusalem riding on a mule (1 Kings 1:32-40) and Solomon was humble at the beginning of his reign.

JESUS MOVES TOWARD HIS CORONATION - 19:28-36:
Luke has focused on Jesus traveling to Jerusalem (ver. 28) since 9:51, 53. He is now in the vicinity of Jerusalem, close to the villages of Bethphage and Bethany (ver. 29), where he stayed the last few days before He enters Jerusalem the last time. Jesus sent two disciples into the village to locate a foal on which He could ride to enter Jerusalem (ver. 30). This will be His “triumphal” entry into Jerusalem, but not as a warrior-king but as a servant-king (see 1:27, 32; 3:31). If anyone asks about the colt, the disciples were to respond that the “Lord” has need (ver. 31). Either the owner knew the term “Lord” referred to Jesus or Jesus had already spoken to the owner about using his colt.

The disciples obeyed Jesus (ver. 32) and found things just as He had instructed (ver. 32). In fact, while they were untying the colt, someone asked them why they were doing so (ver. 33) and they responded, just as Jesus told them to, that “the Lord has need of it" (ver. 34). They brought the colt to Jesus and placed their coats on its back and then helped Jesus to ride on it (ver. 35). Then they placed other garments on the road in front of Him, as they would a king (ver. 36).

There are two paradoxical ideas we see relevant in this event. First, Jesus is the “humble” king. He had the right and the ability to enter Jerusalem as a conquering king. Indeed, He could have thrown off the Roman yoke of servitude and began reigning in Jerusalem as king, if that had been God’s plan. But that was not God’s plan since the kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36). So, Jesus entered Jerusalem in a spirit of humility, just as He left heaven for earth (Phil. 2:5-8).

Secondly, Jesus is the humble “King.” Jesus went to the Father in His ascension in order to receive His kingdom, as Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7:13-14. Jesus now reigns as King: Acts 17:7; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15; Revelation 15:3; 17:14; 19:16. Riding a colt instead of a stallion also shows His contemporaries that Jesus was not coming to assume control of Israel against the reign of the Roman Empire. He was not a threat to their rule.

JESUS IS PRAISED AS KING - 19:37-40:
Returning to the travel to Jerusalem (ver. 37), Luke writes that Jesus has approached even closer to Jerusalem and is now at the descent of the Mount of Olives. The crowd is in anticipation of Jesus assuming the throne and crowning Himself king! His miracles have strengthened their hope and encouraged their ideas - what type of nation could they be if they had a king who could heal miraculously and feed miraculously! They praised God joyfully with a loud voice for the miracles they had seen in Jesus.

Additionally, they sang from the so-called “hallel” songs which emphasize praising Jehovah (the Hebrew definition of the word “hallelujah”; ver. 38), specifically Psalm 118:26. They praise the king (Luke adds “King” to the quotation), whom they understand to be Jesus, because He comes in the name of the Lord, with the authority and power of Jehovah God. Echoing the words of the angels at the birth of Jesus (2:14), they sing: “peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” We understand how disappointed and disillusioned they will be at Jesus’ trial when He refuses to take up a sword against Rome. It is no wonder that too many of them will shout, in that disillusionment: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21).

The Pharisees are shocked that the crowd would apply a Messianic text to Jesus of Nazareth (ver. 39) and call on Jesus to “rebuke” His disciples. But Jesus responds that God’s will has to be proclaimed in one way or another. If the disciples were to become silent (ver. 40), then the stones would cry out: “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (cf. 12:3).

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY JESUS IS KING?
First, it means that Jesus has all authority. Jesus reigns over every person in this world, over every nation in this world, over everything. He is above everything: Eph. 1:21-23.

Secondly, this means that Jesus has conquered Satan. Satan has no power but what Jesus allows Him to have.

Thirdly, when Jesus conquered Satan and returned to heaven to receive His kingdom, He gave gifts to us. The abilities we have, have been given to us by God to use in service to His Son, our King. We owe Him everything.

Fourthly, He is coming again to take His people home to be with Him.

Fifthly, Jesus teaches us that, in the end, humility wins.

Sixthly, Mankind is extremely fickle and capricious. That’s why we need to walk closely with the Word of God - to keep us stable.

Take home message: Jesus entered Jerusalem as the humble King. Serve the King with the humility that He demands.