Three Ways to Receive Jesus

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” (Matthew 21:4-5)

For most the ministry of Jesus, He did what He could to cool down the heat of Messianic expectation. There was a definite timing to the ministry of Jesus, and He did not want the crowds to gather as a violent mob and champion Him as Messiah and King. All would be done according to the schedule established by God the Father.

But on this day – what we call Palm Sunday or the Triumphal Entry – Jesus received and encouraged praise as Messiah and King. He did it in a public, deliberate day, and at a time when thousands of pilgrims came to Jerusalem for Passover.

We should notice how Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

Jesus entered Jerusalem deliberately. He carefully planned and then carried out the plan. On that day, Jesus no longer told people to keep quiet about who He was and what He would do. He deliberately planned a great event.

Jesus also comes to us deliberately – special times, special seasons, for special reasons. There is a sense in which He is with us all the time, and of course He is. But there are other times when Jesus deliberately, with great care, says to us “Here I am – recognize Me in this time and place.”

Jesus entered Jerusalem unusually. They might have expected that Jesus would come secretly; He was a wanted Man and in a lot of danger – but He came publicly. They might have expected that Jesus would come walking; that was how He normally traveled, yet He rode a young donkey. They might have expected that He would come on a warhorse; many people longed for a Messiah to conquer the Romans.

Sometimes we are so set in our expectation that Jesus must do this or must be that for us that when He comes to us unusually, we miss Him. Don’t let that happen for you.

Jesus entered Jerusalem royally. He fulfilled the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9, saying Israel’s King would come on a young donkey. Receiving the titles and hosannas fit for a king, Jesus presented Himself to Israel as royalty. Their King had arrived.

Jesus came to Jerusalem royally, and He comes to us as a King, with all that implies. God is a Father, a Creator, a Shepherd, a Husband, a Judge – but don’t forget He is a King, and we owe Him royal honor.

We must take care that we don’t simply pick and choose among these titles and ignore the ones we don’t like. When King Jesus comes to us, we can’t simply say, “Can you please come back as a Shepherd? I’m far more comfortable with that.” No, honor and serve King Jesus.

Receive Jesus these ways: deliberately, unusually, and royally.

Click here for David’s commentary on Matthew 21