| “THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING” Psalm 72; Luke 19:28-40; Revelation 19:11-16 Olivet Covenant Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA © Rev. Linda Jaymes, 3/28/2010 Palm Sunday |
How do you think of Jesus? Savior? Friend? Redeemer? Substitute? Brother? The Way, the Truth and the Life? Son
of God? Head of the Church? Suffering servant? How quickly we forget the “newborn king,” who received gifts fit for a king
at the time of his birth! And whatever happened to “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the
Lord!” Whatever happened to the “King of kings and Lord of lords?” I really wonder how many of us picture Jesus as king.
Somehow I suspect that that is one of the last images that comes to mind when we think of Jesus.
And perhaps there are some good reasons for that. For one, we’re Americans! We’ve never had a king, except perhaps
for Elvis, and he doesn’t really count. We may think we have an idea of what it would be like to have a king from observing
our European cousins and some of their royal families. But most royal families today are royal in name only. They don’t really
have a great deal of power and authority over their people, like kings did in the Biblical record or even in history a few centuries
ago. Modern day kings and queens fall more into the category of celebrities or movie stars, perhaps fun and fascinating to
watch but not having a whole lot of connection with our sense of reality. We just don’t really know what it’s like to have a
king or queen in the traditional sense, so we probably shouldn’t find it strange if we have a hard time thinking of Jesus in that
unique way.
Another reason it may be hard is that Jesus himself seemed to avoid the whole issue. There were times when the admiring
crowds would have liked to make him king, but He refused. Most of the time, we see the humble side of his personality. We
see his circumstances as rather common. He hung around with the most ordinary people, and usually rubbed elbows not with
the elite, but with outcasts, lepers, adulterers, tax collectors, Samaritans, and even women! It’s just hard to imagine our very
accessible Jesus as royalty, robed in majesty and splendor and sitting on a throne and ruling over all. I mean, it’s just not like
Him! The Jesus we’re familiar with—and comfortable with—is the friend, the lover of our souls, the shepherd of the sheep,
the one who sticks closer than a brother, the Lamb of God Who sacrifices himself for us. That’s the way we think of Jesus,
not as part of a real royal family or King of kings.
In fact, we might never have considered his role as King were it not for that one historic day, that one moment in time,
when just for once Jesus played his rightful part as King. It was that day we now call “Palm Sunday,” that day that He rode
into Jerusalem on his final and fateful journey toward the Cross. At long last, He accepted from the crowd the praise that He
deserved. He allowed them to honor him with their cloaks spread out on the ground like a royal carpet rolled out for this King
of kings. He listened to their shouts of joy and acclamation and received them gladly, as they waved palm fronds before Him,
that symbol of hope and victory in their Jewish tradition. And when the Pharisees took exception to this grand exhibition of
worship, love and praise; when they rebuked Jesus for not stopping the adulation of the crowd, Jesus claimed his rightful place
as king by telling them that if the people were silent, the stones themselves would cry out and worship Him.
Maybe we can understand a little better how excited that crowd must have been if we remember that it had been hundreds
of years since Israel had had a king with absolute power to rule over the nation. What a thrill for them to imagine that they
finally had a king again. But what a brief reign it was. For most of that great crowd of people present on that Palm Sunday,
shouting “Hosanna, Praise to the Lord,” Jesus turned out to be the “King nobody wanted.” The one they wanted would never
have submitted to the Roman authorities, but would have overthrown them. The one they wanted would have been a strong
leader, with the power to set things right. The one they wanted would take up his rightful place in society and bring justice to
prevail, like some of the Old Testament kings whose fame had become legendary over the generations.
Yes indeed, Kings like that warranted the honor and respect of their subjects. Kings like that were worthy of praise. We
heard in Psalm 72 this morning the attributes and expectations reserved for just such a king. He would be just and righteous, a
defender of the afflicted and the needy. He would cause goodness and prosperity to spill out on his people, and those who
followed the example of the king’s righteousness would flourish along with him. Such a king would rule from sea to sea and to
the ends of the earth. He would be exalted in the eyes of God and blessed by his people all day long. All the other kings of
earth would bring tribute and bow down before him. And God would be given the glory for the gift of a king like that. There’
s no doubt that that crowd on Palm Sunday had high hopes that Jesus would be just such a king. Who would not bow down
and worship a king like that? Who would not give him the glory and praise such a king deserves? With a king like that to reign
over the whole earth, there could be peace and prosperity and righteousness for all, the likes of which the world had never seen
before.
But Jesus would not be a king quite like that—at least, not yet. Except for that brief interlude on Palm Sunday, Jesus
would not hold on to his kingship. He would not behave as a proper king. Later in the week He may have admitted his royalty
to Pilate, but even then He refused to act on it. Even putting it into writing didn’t seem to make a difference. The inscription
on the Cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” hardly convinced anyone of the validity of his kingdom or provided
comfort or encouragement to that crowd who had welcomed Him with Hosannas just a few days before. He may have shown
tremendous promise during that one day as King, but there’s no future in even the most promising king if that king is dead.
Unfortunately, that’s where the story ended for many who had shouted “Hosanna” and called Him their king during that
brief moment in time. This king for a day turned out to be a terrible failure as far as they were concerned. Many of them went
on to find another king, another cause, another savior, never realizing that Jesus, the crucified, would rise to reign again. After
all, the resurrection story they had heard was a little farfetched, and as far as they could see, there was no sign of this king
taking over and straightening things out anytime soon. The world was still a mess: enemies occupied their land; wars and
human rights violations continued to abound; disease took its toll; the poor went hungry and homeless, and bad things still
happened to good people. Surely this would not be happening if the King of kings ordained by God was alive and at work
exercising his authority over the earth.
It’s not hard to find ourselves thinking many of the same thoughts as those in the crowd who could not see in Jesus the
Majesty and Glory that should have been his. We may still ask many of the same questions as that crowd of long ago: Why
won’t Jesus be King once and for all? Why won’t He take up the power and authority that belongs to Him, and make things
right again, to the very ends of the earth? Why won’t He show the whole world that the Lord God Almighty is still in control
and reigning in majesty and splendor?
But never fear; lest we forget John’s vision for the future, He will. The time will come when Jesus will be King once and
for all. He will take up the power and authority that belongs to Him, and make things right to the utmost ends of the earth. He
will show us that the Lord God Almighty is still in control, with Jesus reigning at his right hand in the glory, majesty and
splendor that was his from the very beginning. The trouble for us is that we don’t know when we shall see Him as He is, in all
his splendor and majesty, reigning over all as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The task for us, however, is to trust in his power and authority, to believe in his ongoing Kingship and Kingdom, even
though most of the time, it remains hidden from view. For now, his Kingdom is in our hearts, and his authority is over our
wills. For now, it is up to us to live by faith, not sight; to demonstrate in our lives that this once and future King is already
King of our hearts and bodies and minds and souls. It is up to us to follow this King in righteousness, justice and peace, so that
the fruit of his Kingdom will spill out over all the earth. It is NOT up to us to defend this King—for He needs no defense—but
to witness to Him and never abandon Him, even when the rest of the crowd has given up on Him and looks for another to take
his place. It is up to us to be his loyal subjects so that when He comes again, in power and majesty to claim the victor’s
crown, we will share in his victory and triumph.
And when He does come again, to claim his rightful Kingdom, it won’t be on a lowly donkey, riding into our lives in peace
and humility. Then, He will come in power and triumph. His rule won’t be confined to a minor crowd in Jerusalem where He
is only king for a day, but his reign will be universal, stretching out to the farthest corners of the earth. His return will not be a
blip on the radar screen of history, but history’s climax, as He judges people and households and entire nations, and establishes
his perfect reign for all eternity. And when He comes, there will be no doubting his identity. The many crowns on his head will
prove his victory over all earthly kingdoms, powers and rulers, and his identity, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,
will be emblazoned on his person and his raiment for all the world to see. When he comes again, there will be no more
opportunity to make Him King by faith, for He will rule with a power that everyone will see—regardless of what they believe
about Him now.
Until then, it may still be hard for us to think of Jesus as our King. He is so many other things to us. He fills roles for us
that are meeker, friendlier, perhaps more predictable and safer than the role of King of kings. And all those wonderful ways
that Jesus comes to us and makes Himself known to us are certainly not to be criticized, minimized or condemned. He is our
Savior, our Shepherd, our Redeemer and our Friend. Thank God He is all that, and more. We need Him to be all of that for us,
while we are growing in our relationship with Him and in faith in Him until our faith becomes sight when He returns.
Actually, my deepest hope and prayer for all of us is that we would invite Jesus to be our Savior, our Shepherd, and our
friend; the One who forgives our sins and heals our diseases, the One whose Spirit is upon us and within us, living in our
hearts, leading and guiding our every thought and action. But I also hope that we don’t forget—that we don’t ever forget—that
He is also our Lord and Master, our Once and Future King, who deserves our worship and praise, and who reigns in majesty
until He comes again to be King not for a day, but forever and ever: Hallelujah! Amen.
Let us pray.
of God? Head of the Church? Suffering servant? How quickly we forget the “newborn king,” who received gifts fit for a king
at the time of his birth! And whatever happened to “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the
Lord!” Whatever happened to the “King of kings and Lord of lords?” I really wonder how many of us picture Jesus as king.
Somehow I suspect that that is one of the last images that comes to mind when we think of Jesus.
And perhaps there are some good reasons for that. For one, we’re Americans! We’ve never had a king, except perhaps
for Elvis, and he doesn’t really count. We may think we have an idea of what it would be like to have a king from observing
our European cousins and some of their royal families. But most royal families today are royal in name only. They don’t really
have a great deal of power and authority over their people, like kings did in the Biblical record or even in history a few centuries
ago. Modern day kings and queens fall more into the category of celebrities or movie stars, perhaps fun and fascinating to
watch but not having a whole lot of connection with our sense of reality. We just don’t really know what it’s like to have a
king or queen in the traditional sense, so we probably shouldn’t find it strange if we have a hard time thinking of Jesus in that
unique way.
Another reason it may be hard is that Jesus himself seemed to avoid the whole issue. There were times when the admiring
crowds would have liked to make him king, but He refused. Most of the time, we see the humble side of his personality. We
see his circumstances as rather common. He hung around with the most ordinary people, and usually rubbed elbows not with
the elite, but with outcasts, lepers, adulterers, tax collectors, Samaritans, and even women! It’s just hard to imagine our very
accessible Jesus as royalty, robed in majesty and splendor and sitting on a throne and ruling over all. I mean, it’s just not like
Him! The Jesus we’re familiar with—and comfortable with—is the friend, the lover of our souls, the shepherd of the sheep,
the one who sticks closer than a brother, the Lamb of God Who sacrifices himself for us. That’s the way we think of Jesus,
not as part of a real royal family or King of kings.
In fact, we might never have considered his role as King were it not for that one historic day, that one moment in time,
when just for once Jesus played his rightful part as King. It was that day we now call “Palm Sunday,” that day that He rode
into Jerusalem on his final and fateful journey toward the Cross. At long last, He accepted from the crowd the praise that He
deserved. He allowed them to honor him with their cloaks spread out on the ground like a royal carpet rolled out for this King
of kings. He listened to their shouts of joy and acclamation and received them gladly, as they waved palm fronds before Him,
that symbol of hope and victory in their Jewish tradition. And when the Pharisees took exception to this grand exhibition of
worship, love and praise; when they rebuked Jesus for not stopping the adulation of the crowd, Jesus claimed his rightful place
as king by telling them that if the people were silent, the stones themselves would cry out and worship Him.
Maybe we can understand a little better how excited that crowd must have been if we remember that it had been hundreds
of years since Israel had had a king with absolute power to rule over the nation. What a thrill for them to imagine that they
finally had a king again. But what a brief reign it was. For most of that great crowd of people present on that Palm Sunday,
shouting “Hosanna, Praise to the Lord,” Jesus turned out to be the “King nobody wanted.” The one they wanted would never
have submitted to the Roman authorities, but would have overthrown them. The one they wanted would have been a strong
leader, with the power to set things right. The one they wanted would take up his rightful place in society and bring justice to
prevail, like some of the Old Testament kings whose fame had become legendary over the generations.
Yes indeed, Kings like that warranted the honor and respect of their subjects. Kings like that were worthy of praise. We
heard in Psalm 72 this morning the attributes and expectations reserved for just such a king. He would be just and righteous, a
defender of the afflicted and the needy. He would cause goodness and prosperity to spill out on his people, and those who
followed the example of the king’s righteousness would flourish along with him. Such a king would rule from sea to sea and to
the ends of the earth. He would be exalted in the eyes of God and blessed by his people all day long. All the other kings of
earth would bring tribute and bow down before him. And God would be given the glory for the gift of a king like that. There’
s no doubt that that crowd on Palm Sunday had high hopes that Jesus would be just such a king. Who would not bow down
and worship a king like that? Who would not give him the glory and praise such a king deserves? With a king like that to reign
over the whole earth, there could be peace and prosperity and righteousness for all, the likes of which the world had never seen
before.
But Jesus would not be a king quite like that—at least, not yet. Except for that brief interlude on Palm Sunday, Jesus
would not hold on to his kingship. He would not behave as a proper king. Later in the week He may have admitted his royalty
to Pilate, but even then He refused to act on it. Even putting it into writing didn’t seem to make a difference. The inscription
on the Cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” hardly convinced anyone of the validity of his kingdom or provided
comfort or encouragement to that crowd who had welcomed Him with Hosannas just a few days before. He may have shown
tremendous promise during that one day as King, but there’s no future in even the most promising king if that king is dead.
Unfortunately, that’s where the story ended for many who had shouted “Hosanna” and called Him their king during that
brief moment in time. This king for a day turned out to be a terrible failure as far as they were concerned. Many of them went
on to find another king, another cause, another savior, never realizing that Jesus, the crucified, would rise to reign again. After
all, the resurrection story they had heard was a little farfetched, and as far as they could see, there was no sign of this king
taking over and straightening things out anytime soon. The world was still a mess: enemies occupied their land; wars and
human rights violations continued to abound; disease took its toll; the poor went hungry and homeless, and bad things still
happened to good people. Surely this would not be happening if the King of kings ordained by God was alive and at work
exercising his authority over the earth.
It’s not hard to find ourselves thinking many of the same thoughts as those in the crowd who could not see in Jesus the
Majesty and Glory that should have been his. We may still ask many of the same questions as that crowd of long ago: Why
won’t Jesus be King once and for all? Why won’t He take up the power and authority that belongs to Him, and make things
right again, to the very ends of the earth? Why won’t He show the whole world that the Lord God Almighty is still in control
and reigning in majesty and splendor?
But never fear; lest we forget John’s vision for the future, He will. The time will come when Jesus will be King once and
for all. He will take up the power and authority that belongs to Him, and make things right to the utmost ends of the earth. He
will show us that the Lord God Almighty is still in control, with Jesus reigning at his right hand in the glory, majesty and
splendor that was his from the very beginning. The trouble for us is that we don’t know when we shall see Him as He is, in all
his splendor and majesty, reigning over all as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The task for us, however, is to trust in his power and authority, to believe in his ongoing Kingship and Kingdom, even
though most of the time, it remains hidden from view. For now, his Kingdom is in our hearts, and his authority is over our
wills. For now, it is up to us to live by faith, not sight; to demonstrate in our lives that this once and future King is already
King of our hearts and bodies and minds and souls. It is up to us to follow this King in righteousness, justice and peace, so that
the fruit of his Kingdom will spill out over all the earth. It is NOT up to us to defend this King—for He needs no defense—but
to witness to Him and never abandon Him, even when the rest of the crowd has given up on Him and looks for another to take
his place. It is up to us to be his loyal subjects so that when He comes again, in power and majesty to claim the victor’s
crown, we will share in his victory and triumph.
And when He does come again, to claim his rightful Kingdom, it won’t be on a lowly donkey, riding into our lives in peace
and humility. Then, He will come in power and triumph. His rule won’t be confined to a minor crowd in Jerusalem where He
is only king for a day, but his reign will be universal, stretching out to the farthest corners of the earth. His return will not be a
blip on the radar screen of history, but history’s climax, as He judges people and households and entire nations, and establishes
his perfect reign for all eternity. And when He comes, there will be no doubting his identity. The many crowns on his head will
prove his victory over all earthly kingdoms, powers and rulers, and his identity, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,
will be emblazoned on his person and his raiment for all the world to see. When he comes again, there will be no more
opportunity to make Him King by faith, for He will rule with a power that everyone will see—regardless of what they believe
about Him now.
Until then, it may still be hard for us to think of Jesus as our King. He is so many other things to us. He fills roles for us
that are meeker, friendlier, perhaps more predictable and safer than the role of King of kings. And all those wonderful ways
that Jesus comes to us and makes Himself known to us are certainly not to be criticized, minimized or condemned. He is our
Savior, our Shepherd, our Redeemer and our Friend. Thank God He is all that, and more. We need Him to be all of that for us,
while we are growing in our relationship with Him and in faith in Him until our faith becomes sight when He returns.
Actually, my deepest hope and prayer for all of us is that we would invite Jesus to be our Savior, our Shepherd, and our
friend; the One who forgives our sins and heals our diseases, the One whose Spirit is upon us and within us, living in our
hearts, leading and guiding our every thought and action. But I also hope that we don’t forget—that we don’t ever forget—that
He is also our Lord and Master, our Once and Future King, who deserves our worship and praise, and who reigns in majesty
until He comes again to be King not for a day, but forever and ever: Hallelujah! Amen.
Let us pray.
