Matthew 21:1-11

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Immediately you will find a donkey tied there along with her colt. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ⁵ Tell the daughter of Zion: Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus commanded them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their outer clothing on them, and he sat on it. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their outer clothing on the road. Others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them out on the road. ⁹ The crowds who went in front of him and those who followed kept shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! ¹⁰ When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, asking, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”    (EHV)

We’ve come to the culmination of our journey. Jesus has arrived at Jerusalem. It all started in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born as the Son of David, the everlasting King of Israel, long promised and prophesied. Already there in Bethlehem, the Magi from the East came to find the promised King of the Jews. We followed Jesus’ ministry from the time He was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist. For three years He preached and healed throughout Galilee and Judea and even Samaria. Since Ash Wednesday we’ve seen Him zeroing in on his goal, telling His disciples that He would be going up to Jerusalem where He would be mistreated and abused and handed over to the Gentiles to be crucified, but on the third day rise again. Last week we observed as Jesus did His greatest miracle of all, raising Lazarus from the dead. After some final, intensive instruction of His disciples He has now come to the final week and the closing days of His life on earth as our Savior. Now the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Now He must be lifted up on the cross to sacrifice His innocent blood for the sins of the world.

But first, one more prophecy must be fulfilled—the prophecy of Zechariah. Jesus must ride into Jerusalem as a humble King. He must make His way to the cross. As the hymnist wrote: Ride On, Ride On in Majesty, In Lowly Pomp Ride On to Die. But first, Hark, All The Tribes Hosanna Cry.

Hark, All the Tribes Hosanna Cry

Many acclaimed Him as Jesus rode into the city, just as was foretold through the prophet Zechariah. A very large crowd spread their outer clothing on the road. Others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them out on the road. ⁹ The crowds who went in front of him and those who followed kept shouting. Truly they should have shouted and acclaimed Him, for He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Listen to their cry: Hosanna to the Son of David! God had promised David that one day he would have a Son who would sit eternally on his throne. It was the Lord Himself who would provide this eternal Heir. How appropriate was their acclamation: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Jesus was more than a King He was and is the Lord Himself. Hosanna in the highest!  they shouted, as they should have, for His throne is at the right hand of the Father.

Truly they should have acclaimed Him, for He is the Long awaited Savior of the world, foretold by Zechariah and all the prophets. “Hosanna” means “Lord, Save us,” and those words were properly directed at Jesus, the Lord of lords.

Sadly, for many, it was a superficial cry, quickly to be forgotten. They didn’t understand the importance and the truth of their own words—liturgical words ingrained in their vocabulary from childhood. Pray that never happens with the liturgical words we speak to our Lord—the words of the confession of sins, the words of the creed, the words we so often sing in our communion liturgy: “O Christ, the Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.” “Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

The people of Jerusalem cried out because they were swept along in the excitement of the moment. ‘Here comes the great prophet! Here comes the rabbi who does miraculous things. This is the man who raised Lazarus of Bethany from the dead after four days!’

But how quickly their mood shifted, when Jesus refused to set up an earthly kingdom. Four days later He still hadn’t established His throne. Four days later there were still Roman soldiers patrolling the streets. Five days later, many of the same people were therefore stirred up as a mob to shout “Crucify him, crucify him!” just as easily swept up in the crowd mentality and emotion as on Palm Sunday—only in a different direction.

It is no wonder that, according to Luke, this day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the empty acclamations of joy, is the very day when Jesus wept over the unbelief of the people of Jerusalem: As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:41-44).

Is our “Hosanna” heartfelt? When we sing “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy” do we really mean it? Our hymns, our words, our coming to church—is it based on emotion, family ties, or mere habit? Is it based on false hope for earthly success and ease, as was the Hosanna of many on that first Palm Sunday?

Our “Hosanna” should be based on fact, and can be. The Scriptures tell us who Jesus truly is (as in fact they told the Israelites then, if only they would have listened). He is the Savior from sin and eternal death—Son of God and Son of Man, eternally begotten of the Father. God from God, Light from God, True God from True God. His miracles, too, attested to His divine sonship.

How quickly loyalty to Jesus can change if it’s based on outward things like crowds and emotions and earthly ease and success. Let us not quickly lose sight of who Jesus really is—the Savior from sin and ruler of the universe, who will return in majesty to judge:

“Ride on, Ride on, in majesty!

Your last and fiercest strife is nigh

The Father on His sapphire throne

Awaits  His own anointed Son.”

But, as that hymn verse attests, first comes that “fiercest strife.” Indeed!

Ride on, Ride on, in majesty

. . . In lowly pomp, ride on to die.

In Lowly Pomp Ride On to Die

Jesus knew what lay ahead. He had forewarned His disciples. He had been preparing for this all along. On Maundy Thursday in Gethsemane as He prayed with sweat like great drops of blood, Jesus revealed that He knew full well of the cup of suffering He was expected to drink. And He knew its purpose also. Our reading from Philippians reminds us that Jesus knew it all from eternity. He knew why He was coming down to this earth before He was born. (Jesus demonstrated His omniscience when He instructed His disciples where to find the donkey for His parade.)

Many times the leaders in Jerusalem had wanted to arrest Jesus, but He had prevented them. Now, during the feast, when they did not want to arrest Him, Jesus would see to it they did! He let the cries of the people go on, even defending them: “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”  “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:39-40).

Why did Jesus let them draw such deadly attention to Himself? Why, after avoiding arrest earlier, does Jesus now court disaster during the feast? Because Jesus Is the Passover Lamb! He must die on the Passover to fulfill the Passover. The original Passover Lamb was sacrificed in Egypt on the night the Israelites were rescued from slavery. But its annual commemoration looked forward to the true Lamb of God who would rescue all people from their bondage to sin. As the Passover Lamb’s blood—painted on the doorposts—saved God’s people in Egypt from the angel of death, so the blood of Jesus Christ saves us from eternal death and the devil. Of course Jesus rode on in lowly pomp to die right on God’s schedule at the Passover!

“Lowly pomp” indeed—riding on an animal designed for humble, peaceful work, not for war and glory like a steed. He rode in, being praised by the children and commoners as most of the dignitaries stayed noticeably away, and even mocked and rebuked those who acclaimed Jesus  (Luke 19:39-40).

Jesus wants to enter our hearts meekly and humbly. He wants to come into our hearts today and every day, not as the King of Kings, the frightening Lord of all creation and judge of all mankind. But rather as the meek and humble Savior. He wants to enter our hearts with forgiveness, strength, joy and peace. Let Him enter gently and stay. Let Him love you. Let Him forgive you. Trust Him. As Zechariah foretold: “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt the foal of a donkey!”

This is the purpose of Holy Week, or as the Germans call it, Stille Woche, quiet week. Letting Jesus ride gently into our hearts is the purpose of observing Maundy Thursday and Good Friday before we celebrate Jesus as King on Easter Sunday. Let these days serve their purpose. Come and hear God’s Word. Partake of your Savior’s sacrament. Meditate on your Savior’s suffering and death—and His victory over suffering and death.

Let all the days of grace God has given you here on earth serve their purpose of grace. Take them and use your time of grace wisely. Focus on Him. Remember Him. Trust in Him now as your gentle, loving Savior, before He return in full pomp and majesty as Judge.

“Ride on, Ride on, in majesty!

In lowly pomp ride on to die

Bow Your meek head to mortal pain

Then take, O Christ, Your  pow’r and reign!”

Amen.