Matthew 21:1-11 A Unique King for a Unique Day

by Rev. David McKinley

A Unique King for a Unique Day

INTRODUCTION

There are good kings; then there are kings who are not so good. Some kings have been recorded in the annals of history as being fairly decent, even spiritual. For instance, there is the man after God’s own heart, David (1 Kings 15:5), or Hezekiah of Judah (2 Kings 20:3); and finally Asa of Israel (1 Kings 22:43). Then there are those rulers, who may not carry the title of king, yet they acted as a ruthless dictator. The twentieth century has produced some of the worst: people like Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Edie Amin of Uganda and in recent history, Saddam Hussein. In a recent weekend edition of the Philadelphia Enquirer you may have come across Mark Bowden’s piece on the former dictator of Iraq.1 Bowden gathered his information in part, from an FBI agent, who had interviewed Hussein. The article said that Saddam: “…saw himself as the all-wise, all-loving center of the world’s oldest and greatest nation, the true center of civilization….

The article cited a time when the ruler was especially ruthless, even enjoying his severity. In what is known as the purge of 1979, “Saddam filled an auditorium with top Baath Party officials, had the doors locked, and then unmasked a supposed plot to overthrow him. Chief plotters round up in advance were made to confess on stage, and then Saddam began fingering alleged co-conspirators in the audience one by one- they were led off to be summarily tried and executed. He conducted this nightmare like theater; pacing the stage, smoking a cigar; visibly enjoying himself, alternately lecturing the terrified underlings and weeping- or pretending to weep- over their alleged betrayal.” The article went on to say that: “During his rule, repetition of his image in heroic or paternal poses, repetition of his name, his slogans, his virtues, his accomplishments, seeks to make his power seem inevitable, unchallengeable. Finally he is praised not out of affection or admiration but out of obligation. One must praise him.” There are good kings; and there are bad kings.

This morning we resume our study of Matthew’s gospel. Our passage directs us to the world’s greatest king, Jesus. Yet when he walked this earth, Jesus was the epitome of humility. You remember that a major theme in Matthew is Jesus as the fulfillment of the Jewish Messiah. He is the “promised one.” Hence the first verse is a theological statement just as much as a genealogical one: Matthew 1:1 says: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham….” The triumphal entry is a true picture of Matthew 1:1. The setting is Bethphage, which is a short distance from Jerusalem, situated near the Mount of Olives. This is the last week of Jesus’ life. He faced Jerusalem with enormous courage. What follows in the remaining chapters are lots of teaching, namely three parables, seven woes and the teaching on the end of the age.

Let us study this passage that we usually read about on Palm Sunday. We can divide it as follows: Verses 1-7, have to do with the provision for the king; Verses 8-11 have to do with praise for the king. Today, let us consider what type of king Jesus is. And, as a result, how we must honor Him as king. First off, let us discover that…

I. JESUS CAME TO US AS A DIFFERENT KING THAN EXPECTED.

Matthew 21:1: “As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.” These verses display a wonderful characteristic of our God. He is in control of this world and all that is in it. He orchestrates events to fulfill His purposes. I like the way that Luke 19:32 states: And those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them.

Why did Jesus choose to ride into Jerusalem upon a donkey’s colt? What is the significance of this? In our passage, we are told that it is a direct fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9-10, something that Mark and Luke do not indicate. Here, we are told that Jesus is the king of Jerusalem; that He will process into the holy city and that He has in His power to grant salvation. But His arrival is noted by a gesture of meekness: riding on a donkey’s colt. A donkey is a beast of burden. It is also the animal of the poor, hence what Mary rode in their traverse to Bethlehem from Nazareth. Contrast this with political kings who rode on horses with armor and a shield, etc. Israel expected a political king, but instead got the more significant. This is a picture of humility, if anything.

Jesus’ earthly ministry was characterized by humility. We are told in Philippians 2:5-11, that Jesus emptied Himself, not of power, but of outward majesty, when he left his throne and came to this earth as a man. Moreover, notice the people He ministered to: the poor, the diseased, the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the outcasts. And many left their encounter with Him changed forever. Then consider the way in which he died? As a criminal, executed between two thieves. Jesus was humble. Are we? One of the things that we must glean from this account is the fact that as followers of Jesus, we must never think more highly of ourselves that we ought to and we must always be mindful that Jesus became humble to identify with us, sinful humanity. Our pride takes on the form of haughtiness, arrogance, aloofness and criticism. We need to be careful of such things. He gave up a throne he did not have to, to save a people he did not have to. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” Jesus came to us as a different king than expected, a paradoxical king, the picture of humility, for our sakes.

II. IT IS APPROPRIATE TO PRAISE JESUS AS KING.

Verse 8 states: “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

Allow me to paint the picture for you. The occasion is just six days before the observance of Passover, as John’s account tells us. Many Jewish people from all over the known world are there, observing this incredibly special event in the life of the nation of Israel. You remember what Passover is, don’t you? It is the celebration of the meal that the early Israelites ate while they were spending their last days in the land of Egypt. It was a landmark occasion, remembering God’s faithfulness to their forefathers in delivering them from the oppressive rule of Pharaoh. The angel of the Lord “passed-over” the Hebrews’ homes, while afflicting the Egyptians with untimely death, the destruction of the first born of each home. To this day, the Passover is one of the few remaining observances that draw Jews from all over the world to some sort of commonality. On this day, in Jesus’ time, it drew a gigantic gathering. The historian Josephus writes that one Passover, some 2,700,000 people showed up in Jerusalem and the surrounding area to observe the great Passover celebration. So in other words, lots and lots of people are there. And a significant number anticipated the arrival of Jesus, as John 12 states.

We are also told that upon entering the city, the people took notice of Jesus and started spreading their garments in the middle of the road and began praising God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen. They also laid leafy branches in the road. John states that they were branches from palm trees. Why Palm branches? These were a national symbol for Israel. They were associated with the feast of tabernacles, reminding them of their wilderness wanderings. People used to make their booths in which they lived during the feast-week, out of palms. The crowd proclaimed Jesus as king, by what they did, but also by what they said. Notice that they were also praising God with a loud voice. Verse 9: "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" The significance of these words is recognition of Jesus as king and ruler of our lives.

That might cause us to ask: “What do we expect out of Jesus?” Rather, we must ask: What makes Christians unique in comparison to all other peoples of the world? We are a unique people with a unique king. What makes Christians unique? Try these on for size:

1. We follow Him instead of ourselves or someone or something else. We live in a world of competing ideologies and philosophies. I dialogue with some in our church that struggle with the idea of Jesus as our king, verses some other person, or school of thought. Philippians 2: 9 tells us that: “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” There is no room for idols in the Christian life. Only one king and that is Christ.

2. We endure hardship with courage and faith, instead of with fear and unbelief. The place where we served in KY had 30% unemployment rate. For us, we are tempted to think that there is no place for suffering; no room for discomfort. Jesus is here to make our lives better. Period. But such is not the case. Paul wrote to Timothy: 2 Timothy 2:3: "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." Paul also wrote from prison in Philippians 1:29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake… . We’re a people of courage and faith.

3. Instead of seeing life as aimless and a test of self-reliance, we live with an eye towards God purpose and provision We are not a people of chance or deism. We are at this point in life, not because of our brilliance or hard work as if we only rely on ourselves. Rather we take to heart what Jesus said in John 15:5: “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”

CONCLUSION

Napoleon Bonaparte was a king who started out being the epitome of arrogance. At his coronation as emperor of France, he is said to have taken the crown from the Pope’s hands and placed it upon himself, rather than be crowned. But listen to his words after his exile. When conversing, as was his habit, about the great men of the ancient world, and comparing himself with them, he turned, it is said, to Count Montholon with the question, “Can you tell me who Jesus Christ was?” The question was declined, and Napoleon proceeded, “Well, then, I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love, and to this very day millions would die for Him. . . . I think I understand something of human nature; and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man: none else is like Him; Jesus Christ was more than man. I have inspired multitudes with such an enthusiastic devotion that they would have died for me. But to do this it was necessary that I should be visibly present with the electric influence of my looks, of my words, of my voice. When I saw men and spoke to them, I lit the flame of self-devotion in their hearts. . . . Christ alone has succeeded in so raising the mind of man towards the Unseen, that it becomes insensible to the barriers of time and space. Across a chasm of eighteen hundred years, Jesus Christ makes a demand which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy; He asks for that which a philosopher may often seek in vain at the hands of his friends, or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart; He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands it unconditionally; and forthwith His demand is granted. Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man, with all its powers and faculties, becomes an annexation to the empire of Christ. All who sincerely believe in Him, experience that remarkable supernatural love towards Him. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man’s creative powers. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame; time can neither exhaust its strength nor put a limit to its range. This is it which strikes me most; I have often thought of it. This it is which proves to me quite convincingly the Divinity of Jesus Christ.2

Maybe you’re depleted of joy, peace and direction for your life. Let me say that you will never experience these in their truest state with another king. It is only with Jesus that these things can reach their true fulfillment, regardless of church, creed, practice or identity. Let us pray.