The Peace Of Our Coming King
Photo by Annie Spratt, from Unsplash. More photography can be found here: https://unsplash.com/photos/iAWgUP8kgw4
If you could choose any mode of transportation, what would you choose? If you could choose any way to make an entrance, or a lasting first impression, or an impactful statement, what entrance would you make?
My first car was a 1985 Chevrolet Cavalier, a four door sedan, with a 2.0 liter—four cylinder engine. It was something. I did not choose this car, it was chosen for me, a hand me down from my family. It made a statement alright.
If I were to choose a vehicle, it would be a four wheel drive SUV of some kind. Maybe a Hummer. I would choose a vehicle of power and status—a nice vehicle capable of adventure and conquering any terrain. I would choose a vehicle that made a bold statement.
When Jesus chose to enter into Jerusalem, what we refer to as the Triumphal Entry, or Palm Sunday, he chose a humble and young beast of burden. Jesus chose a borrowed colt, a foal of a donkey. A King coming into a city on this animal came in humility and in peace. Jesus was making a bold statement, indeed.
Jesus chose his peaceful and humble entrance, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” (Luke 19: 30-31, ESV).
King Jesus was entering into the city of Jerusalem to bring peace and to usher in a completely new kingdom—The Kingdom of God. Jesus would bring about his peace through his own death on a cross for us. Jesus came humbly to die and to usher in his peace.
As Jesus stated earlier, on his journey to Jerusalem in Jericho concerning Zacchaeus, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10, ESV).
God has come to bring salvation and peace to his people. Jesus chose his transportation and his entrance intentionally, fulfilling the Prophet Zechariah who said the king would come in this way.
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9, ESV).
May we take comfort in our King who rides to bring in his righteous, salvation, and peace.
In Christ alone, Robbie
A Collect For The Eve Of Palm Sunday: “Almighty and everlasting God, in your tender love for us you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon himself our nature, and to suffer death upon the Cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and come to share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
Photo by Annie Spratt, from Unsplash. More photography can be found here: https://unsplash.com/photos/iAWgUP8kgw4
