Who Do You Vote For?

Pastor Steve Stolarczyk

Lutheran Service Book Three Year Lectionary • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

1 Thessalonians 3:9–13

Jeremiah 33:14–16

Luke 19:28–40

Song of God’s Kingship

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Text: As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:37-38)

There is a fairly well known scene in the movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” where King Arthur encounters a couple of people, announcing to them, “I’m your king,” to which one of them responds, quite matter of factly: “Well I didn’t vote for you,” before the whole scene degenerates into a visible example of “the violence inherent in the system.” It’s a (typically) silly moment in a really silly film. And yet one could be forgiven for seeing a few parallels between that scene and the scene in our Gospel reading.

The parallels really are interesting. When you think about it, the two scenes have quite a bit in common— except for the donkey in the Gospel reading represented by coconuts in the scene from the movie, and except for the fact that the Pharisees don’t go on a tirade about the exploitation of the working class (thankfully). And also, of course, except for the fact that one was intended to be comedy and the other wasn’t. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey— which is why no coconuts are necessary— and the crowd of his disciples cheered him as their king as the Pharisees looked on disapprovingly.

We can debate what the best form of government is— although it’s true, the Lady of the Lake throwing swords at people might not be the best basis for choosing a ruler. What’s not open for debate is the kingship of Jesus. One of the strong themes in this passage is that He is, in fact, Lord of all Creation.

Take the donkey, for example. How many times have we told our children not to go around using other people’s stuff without asking permission first? But here, that’s essentially what Jesus does. “In verse 33, when the disciples encountered the colt’s owners, they raised question about this confiscation of their property (as Jesus had said they would). Luke calls these owners “lords” of the colt (οἱ κύριοι αὐτοῦ). In response, the disciples simply say that the Lord (ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ) has need of it. The message is clear. Jesus is the colt’s true Lord. His ownership transcends theirs.”[1]We confess that everything we have and own comes from God and, ultimately, belongs to Him. It’s not often that He reclaims or reasserts His ownership, but that is what He does here.

“There is a similar theme in verse 40, where Jesus’ reign over creation is even more explicit. When the Pharisees tried to quiet the crowds and Jesus responded with a striking claim. If the people were to remain silent, the stones themselves would cry out.”[2]

He is king— although we would not, in fact, vote for Him. What are we reminded of at the start of every baptism? “The Word of God also teaches that we are all conceived and born sinful and are under the power of the devil until Christ claims us as His own. We would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation.”[3]John writes, “[T]he whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). According to St. Paul, “1 [Y]ou were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:1-3).

Who gave the devil such power? Adam did. That’s what happens when the one to whom God had given dominion and authority over this creation submits to the devil’s lies. He, and all creation with him, are now under satan’s rule. And ever since, every one of Adam’s descendants have added their vote in favor of Satan’s rule. As we pointed out last week, sin is not some abstract set of rules that God made up just because He had to boss us around. When we break His commandments, we hurt ourselves and others. But there’s another level to it: sin is rebellion against your creator. It is the clear statement: “God, I do not recognize or accept your rule over me. I will choose for myself what is good and evil, what is right and wrong.” But our rebellion does not make us our own lords. It only puts us under the power of the devil.

As usual, we shake our heads at the Pharisees who refused to see what was right in front of their noses. It might actually be somewhat silly to hear them, essentially, say to their king, “But we didn’t vote for you.” Except, in your sinful thoughts, words, and deeds, you have cast your vote the same way more times than anyone could count.

And that is the tragedy. Adam literally voted for his own way over paradise. He preferred a world of suffering and death where he did not have to acknowledge God’s sovereignty over the Garden of Eden. And you and I have followed his footsteps, moving further and further from paradise with each careless thought or word, with every evil act you’ve done and every good you’ve failed to do. You’ve done worse than demanding that the disciples be silent. You’ve added your voices to those crying out, a few days later, “Crucify Him!” He is not our king.

Thankfully He didn’t come to be voted for. He hadn’t come expecting to be made king by popular election. He didn’t imagine being received like His father David and elevated to the throne there in Jerusalem. He expected to have mobs shouting, “Crucify Him!” He is the Son of David, but He knew very well that He would only be lifted up on the cross. But that does not change the fact that He is, in fact, King. Lord over all creation. And He came to resume His good and gracious reign over you, as well.

As the great Advent hymn, “Savior of the Nations, Come” puts it: “Here a maid was found with child, Yet remained a virgin mild. In her womb this truth was shown: God was there upon His throne.”[4]The triumphal procession of Palm Sunday did not begin when the disciples were sent to retrieve a donkey. It began when the eternal Son of God moved His throne, temporarily, to the womb of the Virgin Mary. It began that first Christmas, when “Then stepped forth the Lord of all From His pure and kingly hall; God of God, yet fully man, His heroic course began.”[5]

His heroic course began as He “stepped forth” from the pure and kingly hall of the virgin’s womb. And the entry into Jerusalem is important because it marks the culmination of that journey. As strange as it was for God to be on His throne there, in the virgin’s womb, an even greater mystery is that He chose to be enthroned on the cross. There He began a very strange rule: The King of creation suffers the full penalty for the rebellion of His creatures. The King of Glory reigns in humility. The King of Life dies to give those who have chosen death eternal life.

It could not be more fitting that “The multitude of disciples (τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν) who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem recalls the multitude of the heavenly host (πλῆθος στρατιᾶς οὐρανίου) who announced His birth in the hills outside Bethlehem. Both sang of the peace He brings to the glory of God.”[6]

You were conceived and born sinful and under the power of the devil. You would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation. And so the Father of all mercy and grace has sent His son Jesus Christ, who atoned for your sin, that you may not perish but have eternal life.

John writes, “19 We know that… the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:19-20).

“1[Y]ou were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made [you] alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- 6 and raised [you] up with him and seated [you] with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward [you] in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1-7).

“As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, we are reminded that the one born in a manger was born as the King over all creation.”[7]He was enthroned, for a time, in the womb of the Virgin Mary so that He could begin His gracious reign from the cross before He was exalted to the right hand of God the Father where He reigns for all eternity.

“8…At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:8-9).

We do not see it now, but we confess that “He… lives and reigns to all eternity”[8]“and we prepare for Christmas by preparing for and submitting to His eternal reign.”[9]

One final thought: Not only does He choose to rule over you, but we rejoice that His kingdom does not change. His first creation was perfect. It was paradise. They did not know hunger or want or discomfort, let alone suffering or death. And the new creation is the same. Not only will your God and King dwell with you again in that new creation, there will be no more death or morning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away. “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘[…T]hese words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelation 21:5).

I do apologize for drawing parallels between Jesus’ triumphal entry and that scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I’m afraid I’ll probably continue to picture the disciples with coconut halves instead of palm branches— at least for a little while. And we’ll leave the discussion of the best form of government for another time. But, whether we would have voted for Him at that moment or not, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Amen.

[1] Nafzger, Peter. “Gospel: Luke 19:28-40 (Advent 1, Series C),” www.CraftofPreaching.com. November 25, 2018. [2] Ibid. [3] “Holy Baptism,” Lutheran Service Book, p. 268. [4] “Savior of the Nations, Come,” LSB #332, stz. 3 [5] Ibid. stz. 4. [6] Nafzger. [7] Nafzger [8] Luther’s Small Catechism, Explanation of 2nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed. [9] Nafzger

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