The King is Coming

Has there ever been a day you just couldn’t wait for? Maybe it was your wedding day, birthday, anniversary, or the first day of a vacation you were going to take. I remember the first day of high school. I was nervous about being in a new school but I remember thinking it was going to be four years until I graduated from that place. At that time, four years felt like an eternity away and I longed for the day I would graduate high school and become an adult. When I started seminary, I did the math. It was going to take seven years. There were times when I thought it would never come, but here we are.

The Jews at the time of Jesus were expecting their Messiah to come. They were waiting for him to come and restore the kingdom of Israel. They were waiting to see the Romans overthrown and run out of Israel. Those who followed Jesus anticipated his establishment of his kingdom. When are you going to restore the kingdom Lord? Then the day came where Jesus was presented as king to Israel.

There is no question that given the cultural context of 1st century Israel Jesus is allowing himself to be presented as king to the Jews. Jerusalem was the religious and political center of Israel. The coming in on a donkey, the coats being laid down on the road, the waving of palm branches were all symbols of the arrival of a king in ancient times.

Nobody announced this was going to take place ahead of time. Nobody put it out on social media or put a flyer on everyone’s door. Nobody but Jesus knew this was going to take place this day. So the Pharisees are in Jerusalem doing what Pharisees do. Remember, everyone is supposed to be preparing for Passover. But then comes in this fanfare and commotion where the people are starting to fill the streets and shout praises to Jesus.

Luke 19:36–38 NASB95

As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road. As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Before this moment, this day likely began like any other day. Everybody was making preparations for the Passover meal that was coming in a few days. All of a sudden, the streets are filled with noise. Unexpected noise. So naturally, the Pharisees are going to go figure out what all the excitement is about. Lo and behold, there the people are praising Jesus, acknowledging Him as Messiah, identifying Him as King! When you combine all the signs, and all the people are saying, the message is clear: we the people are proclaiming Jesus is the prophesied Savior and King of the Jews.

How scandalous! The Pharisees have been at odds with Jesus for his entire ministry. Jesus spent much of his time engaging with religious leaders and correcting their misinterpretations and mishandling of the Law. He routinely exposed their hypocrisy and they could not stand him for it. So imagine after three and a half years this blasphemous “rabbi” comes into your town and everybody is proclaiming him as king? The outrage!

Luke 19:39–40 NASB95

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

Two things happened in these two verses. First, the rejection of Jesus as Israel’s long-awaited Messiah was finalized. This was prophesied centuries before this moment. Everything was leading up to this day. Through His own teaching, his miracles, and His own claims, Jesus presented himself as Israel’s Messiah. But Israel had to respond. That response was made when the Pharisees rejected what was taking place and told Jesus to silence his disciples.

Second, the true worship of Jesus as king can never be silenced. When we read Jesus’ response here, at first glance it looks like it could be hyperbole, but could it be that Jesus could have actually made the rocks cry out? Is the author of the universe, who spoke it into being from nothing so limitless? Is the God who breathed his own breath into Adam’s nostrils and gave him life so weak as to not give rocks a voice? He is omnipotent. If he wanted rocks to speak, they would. But the point here is not whether Jesus can make rocks speak, but that the worship of Christ as king will never cease. For 2,000 years there has never been a day on earth where the worship of Christ was absent.

Palm Sunday was a momentous day in history. It was the day Israel made a choice. They chose to crucify their Messiah. The people who are chanting his name in the streets on Palm Sunday will be crying for his death in just a few days’ time. But of course this was all foreseen and planned by God. Jesus was always going to be rejected. He was always going to die. Humanity still needed a spotless lamb, one of their own, who could lay his life down for the many. And so He came.

On Sunday he comes to Jerusalem to be presented as king. On Friday he makes atonement of sin for you and me. The following Sunday he rises from the dead achieving victory, and 40 days later ascends into heaven with anticipation that he is coming again.

John 14:1–3 NASB95

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

After Jesus rose and spent 40 days with his disciples, he gathered them together, told them to wait until the Holy Spirit comes, and then ascended into heaven. As the disciples were gazing into the sky, some angels showed up.

Acts 1:10–11 NASB95

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

As sure as Jesus was here walking this earth 2000 years ago, he will return visibly to the earth. And this coming will not be like the first. He will not come humbly as he did as the baby born in a manger. He will come as a conquering king. When he was resurrected, he told his disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to him. He will come and exercise that authority when it comes time to judge the nations.

Revelation 19:11–16 NASB95

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

There is coming a day when the king of kings will return to this earth and it will be unlike his entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey. When he comes again it will be on a white horse. It says he will come and judge and wage war. At that time every nation will fall and he will establish his kingdom on earth. The holy and righteous judge will come to do battle with evil and will be victorious. King Jesus will rule the earth and since he is good and perfect and just, we know that his reign will not be riddled with corruption. He will put an end to it. Peace will finally be achieved.

We long for that day. As the world spirals into chaos around us, we long for the one who can set things straight to come and put an end to it all to return. When Jesus comes, evil will be defeated. People won’t kill each other or rob each other. No one will be assaulted. Kids will not grow up without a parent. People won’t be homeless. No one will starve. No one will get sick. All the troubles we face will be gone.

Just as the Pharisees had a choice to make concerning Jesus, so does everyone today. There are many who believe in Jesus but there are fewer who believe Jesus. The difference between believing in and believing is the difference in knowing about someone and knowing someone. I know about Greg Abbot. I know that he was born in Wichita Falls, that he is the 48th governor of Texas, a graduate of the University of Texas and Vanderbilt University. But none of those things will get me an invitation to Governor Abbott’s dinner table. You can know a lot of things about Jesus. You can come and learn, sing songs in his name, go out and do things in his name, but if you do not know him, if there is no relationship with him, there is no seat at the table. Only when we know him is there a place saved for us.

There is a decision to make. Do you know about Jesus, or do you know him? Do you believe in him, or do you believe him? He is coming and when he does those who are his will be separated from those who are not. When he comes, what side will you be on? There is a difference between believing in Jesus and following Jesus. Those who love him follow his commands.

So I come to tell you He's alive To tell you that He dries every tear that falls So I come to tell you that He saves To shout and to proclaim That He is coming back for you