Luke 19:28-40 April 5, Palm Sunday
Vantage Point series (week 4 of church, not-in-person, due to COVID-19) Yes, Jesus had been keeping His identity on the DL for most of His three year ministry – but it was now time for Jesus to be more upfront and forthright with who he really was. It’s said there is a time and a place for everything and now was the time, and this was the place. Where victorious kings typically re-entered the city in a triumphant parade following a successful military campaign, it was now Jesus riding in on a small colt as prophesied by Zechariah. This is significant because it symbolized a mission of peace and certainly humility, not physical power and strength.
And yet, Jesus was the conquering Prince of Peace and perhaps carried Himself with even greater power and strength than any previous ruler who had rode into Jerusalem. And in this case, He was in fact announcing in true prophetic form, what was about to happen in Jerusalem that week.
He was about to win the greatest victory of all time, the war over sin and death. And in so doing so, He would bring about the greatest peace possible for anyone who would accept Him for who He truly is, the King of Kings. He wasn’t coming to make any kind of political statement or to take any position in government, since He transcends our temporary structures of rule and law - His kingdom is not of this world. But what he was about to do would empower His followers to live in this world with a godly peace - a peace that passes all understanding, because it was a peace that, like its creator, transcends this world. He brought it about in a way that is completely foreign to those who love this world and its ways.
The presence of this kind of peace is surely a sign that the kingdom of God has come to begin making inroads on the earth in these last days… until the time comes when the last push for permanent peace comes. And what a day that will be!
