Title: King's Procession / Luke 19:28-40
Contents
king's procession
(Luke 19:28-40)
Today is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the last Sunday of Lent and is the Sunday before Easter. Palm Sunday began with the first use of the word 'Palm Sunday' in a prayer book of the Anglican Church in England in 1928. In other words, it is also called Judgment Sunday or Hosanna Sunday. ‘Hosanna’ means ‘save us’. It was the day Jesus entered Jerusalem. The crowd waved palm branches at Jesus and shouted “Hosanna!” It was Jesus' first step toward the cross. From this day on, Christians must lead a godly and temperate life according to the deeds of Jesus.
The gist of the text is as follows. When Jesus and his company reached Bethphage at the foot of the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, Jesus sent two disciples and said, ‘When you enter the village opposite, there will be a young donkey that no one has ridden yet, and bring it with you. If anyone says anything, say that the Lord writes it. Then I will send you.’ This is what Zechariah prophesied. (Zechariah 9:9) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; rejoice, daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king comes to you, just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, the foal of a donkey, the foal of a donkey.” It was to fulfill the prophesied words.
When the two disciples who had been sent went, it was just as Jesus had said. When they brought a donkey, the disciples put their clothes on the donkey and made Jesus ride on it. As he went on the road, a large crowd spread their cloaks on the road and cut palm branches and spread them on the road. And the crowds gathered around Jesus, shouting, “Hosanna, the Son of David, blessed be he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was noisy. Some people asked who Jesus was. Among the crowd, they answered that it was the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee. The Pharisees in the crowd tell Jesus to rebuke the disciples for saying that. Jesus says that if they don't do it, even the stones will make them do it.
There is a very humble procession in today's sermon. When it comes to processions, we think of pomp and splendor. The procession of the president with the police and luxury cars that he had never heard of before running through the empty streets, the procession of the army on Armed Forces Day, the procession with the trumpets of the victorious army, the cool march of the band, etc. But Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is very humble. Today's procession is a strange procession led by Jesus. This matrix is different from the rest of the world.
true royal procession
1. Shabby Matrix
Obviously the procession of the Messiah King. This can be seen in the praise sung by the crowd welcoming the procession of Jesus. “O King who comes in the name of the Lord” (38) But it is a march riding on a donkey. It's not a procession with an army. It's a modest procession with no uniforms, no knives, no guns. It is not a procession of soldiers that symbolizes power, majesty, and conquest. It is a procession of peace in contrast to the procession of soldiers. The procession of Alexander or Napoleon was the procession of the conquerors, and the procession was only for a moment's pleasure.
Far from the procession of conquest, Jesus was the one who served and served, not one who ruled by force, and sacrificed his life for others. A procession boasting that all other marches have survived. But the procession of Jesus is a procession going to death. What is the difference between a procession boasting of being alive and a procession going ready to die? A true Christian is someone who knows the difference in meaning. Paradoxically, you should know that there are marches that glorify themselves and leave only sacrifice and death for others, while there are marches that kill themselves and give birth to other people's lives even if they are humble.
2. Procession to Suffering
(Luke 18:31) “Jesus took the twelve disciples and said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all that is written by the prophets will come true. We will whip and kill, and on the third day he will rise again.” This is the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus is the way to death. The crowds who do not yet know it do not spare the praise of glory that the king should hear. “Praise God with a loud voice, saying, Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest” (37:8).
Despite the hardships and thorns, people mistake him for the political Messiah. That is why we are excited and welcome. It is a procession of suffering because it is the way of the cross. Peter met on the road and asked Jesus. “Lord! Where are you going? (Quobadis)” Jesus answers him. “I am going to take up my cross and save you.” It's just this line. Imagine the Lord riding on a donkey on the road where suffering and death await. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. But that suffering is the suffering that saves mankind. The saints must know how to participate in these sufferings.
3. Procession of Hope
The procession of most heroes has brought destruction, killing, and war to mankind. But this shabby procession here is, on the contrary, a procession that wraps around a bloody world created by men called heroes. This is the procession of true heroes. The outward hero and the true hero differ in this visible aspect of their deeds. That's why God said that he doesn't take a person for his outward appearance, but looks at the heart. (1 Peter 2:24) “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By His wounds you were healed.” It is beautiful because it is the procession that goes to get sinners to be forgiven. Although humble in the eyes of humans, it is magnificent in the eyes of God.
people's reactions
1. Opposite
Most people are against Jesus. They do not even know that they are in a procession to save themselves, and they ask to deter those who welcome and praise the Lord. (verse 39) “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” No matter how noble or beautiful, there will always be opponents. This great procession has nothing to do with them. Not only is it irrelevant, it's just offensive in their eyes. Despite their opposition, His work does not cease. (Luke 19:40) "He answered and said to them, "I tell you, if these men remain silent, the stones will cry out."
2. Participation
There are people who not only applaud the procession of Jesus, but also jump into it. These are the people who go beyond the pros. God's work does not mean that we do not oppose it. You have to go ahead in favor. It's participation. Today's Bible conveys the image of those who actively participate. Prepare a donkey and lead it according to the command of the Lord. He puts his cloak on the donkey's back. He spreads out his cloak and spreads it where Jesus is going. We welcome and rejoice by singing hymns.
They are a procession of shabby donkeys, and they do not shy away from the path of hardship. We Christians should be able to taste the glory of the resurrection beyond suffering by directly intervening in the procession, not just applauding, about the procession of glory waiting for resurrection and life. There is no victory in the resurrection for those who do not share in suffering. I hope that you will become believers who participate in the suffering of the Lord. There is nothing nobler than the saints who jump in knowing that they are suffering.
Thomas A. Kempis said, “Many desire the comfort of the Lord, but few desire to suffer with him.” When the bread was shared, a large crowd followed, but few shared the cup of suffering. How does the Lord want us to respond? No, how do you react?