What kind of King is Jesus?

What Kind of King is Jesus?

Palm Sunday T Zechariah 9:9-12; John 12:12-19

INI

What kind of King is Jesus? Palm Sunday clearly teaches that Jesus has come to be King. He came into Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jewish people. It’s also the place where God dwells with His people in the Temple. Yet, Jesus comes into the holy city to establish His kingdom, His reign. And just as King Solomon did when He was anointed King, and just as the prophecy from Zechariah foretold – “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.” Jesus fulfills this prophecy as He came into Jerusalem, a week before His death, to assume the position of “King.”

So, what sort of King is He?

As we heard from Matthew’s Passion reading this morning, Pontius Pilate wished to know the answer to that question. When Pilate questioned Jesus before His crucifixion, he asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus responded: “You have said so.” In John’s Gospel, Jesus actually expanded on his answer and told Pilate what sort of King He was. He said, “My kingdom is not of this world… My Kingdom is from another place.” Pilate wielded earthly power.  He said to Jesus, “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus responded, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”

So what sort of King has Jesus come to be?

Is Jesus interested in being a King like Pontius Pilate, or Caesar? Does He seek to establish His reign through fear, domination, force, violence, and intimidation? Was that Jesus’ goal and objective when He came into Jerusalem on a donkey? Was He pulling a “Trojan Horse” trick with this stunt to get across enemy lines to slay His opponents? As a king, is Jesus interested in having a nation set apart from the rest, like God led Israel to do throughout the Old Testament? Is Jesus to sit on a throne like King David and Solomon, to liberate God’s people apart from the corrupted Roman rule?

No, Jesus doesn’t wish to replace Pilate, Caesar, or any other earthly ruler. Jesus is a different kind of King. His reign and rule come in ways we don’t expect. Because His kingdom isn’t of this world, and He has no interest in winning wars through blood shed – as evidenced by the King who, though He had the power to resist and kill His enemies, nonetheless GAVE His life into the hands of His enemies.

So, what does the reign of this King look like?

This is a King who’s not come in powerful force. The prophet Zechariah foretold how this King comes: “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations.” This King rules by peace amongst nations. Physical war and bloodshed are no longer marks of how God’s kingdom advances. No longer does God’s reign look like that of the Old Testament, when God’s people, Israel, advanced by bow and spear. Rather, this King speaks peace. This king spilt His blood for all people. Through the sacrifice of this King, a new kingdom is brought. And in this kingdom, which is not of this world, there’s peace between God and man.

His rule is limitless and boundless. As Zechariah says, “his rule shall be from sea to sea.” There is no place where this King doesn’t reign. His kingdom is boundless – without boundary and border. This King sets His people free by the blood of His covenant (Zechariah 9:11), which is given from his throne: the cross.

Looking forward to the cross and Passion of Jesus on Good Friday, we will see that Jesus assumed His throne. But His throne wasn’t laden with gold. There wasn’t some majestic, glorious crown waiting for Him to be adorned with. His throne was a cross. This cross is the place from which this King’s authority and rule come. His crown was made of thorns – showing the suffering of this King and servant for His people. And after Good Friday and Easter Sunday, what is the first thing that this victorious King over death, tell His people to do?

Take up swords? Get revenge on those who put Him to death? Start the fight to take over Rome? Start a revolution to make a one-world theocracy? No. He says, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all which I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Jesus’ kingdom is advanced by the proclamation of His word. It’s advanced by preaching to the hearts of men. It’s advanced by preaching the Law, so that folks may know the seriousness of the punishment of their sin. And then, when folks realize they can’t save themselves from their sin, preach the Gospel, that folks may find refuge and salvation in Christ alone, whom the Father from heaven has sent. Who is this Good news for? It’s for all people! All nations! For Jesus is King not just for the Jews, but He is the King of all.

So, what sort of King is Jesus? He’s an other worldly King. He’s no comparison to what we know of as “King” here on earth. He doesn’t seek to replace Pontius Pilate. Neither does He command us to replace Pilate. He commands us to go, baptize, preach, teach, make disciples, and follow Him. His goal isn’t to take over Rome. His goal is to take over your heart, and your neighbor’s heart, and make it new.

This is what our new Processional Cross reminds us of. That as King, Jesus wishes to reign in and through your heart, always. Just as Jesus, your King, courageously processed into Jerusalem, though that path be marked by suffering, pain, and death – so does our path of discipleship mimic that path of our King. It won’t be easy. It isn’t painless. But through it, God gives life and salvation.

And so, this processional cross reminds us that as Christ’s disciples, when the alarm goes on Sunday mornings, you wake up as a Christian. You get dressed as a Christian. You eat your breakfast as a Christian. You talk with your family on the way to church as a Christian. You enter the Sanctuary as a Christian. You don’t come to church TO BE a Christian. You come to church AS a Christian. Or, during your week, it’s the same thing. You go to your job as a Christian. You go to school as a Christian. You interact with your neighbors as a Christian. There’s no putting off what Christ has called you to be. You can’t take off your hat that says “Christian” when you leave the door to pick it back up when you come back next Sunday. That’s not how the kingdom works. This kingdom is NOT limited to these 4 walls. It goes with you outside these doors as you leave this place to live the other 6 days of your week.

This processional cross at the beginning of the Service reminds us that our King is out there in the world with us even before we come into His house for the Divine Service. And just as we are Christian disciples in everything we do outside the sanctuary, so do we enter into the Sanctuary underneath the shadow of the cross, that we may receive the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation which flow from the cross. Having received these gifts now in this Sanctuary, we leave these doors in the shadow of the cross which processes out ahead of us. And we leave these doors AS CHRISTIANS, whose King has commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations, to proclaim the truth of God and the victory of Christ unto all the world!

This is your King. Righteous and Having Salvation is He.

INI

Pastor Joshua Ralston