Jesus Enters
For Meditation
This Sunday we will look at the powerful story of Jesus's grand entry into Jerusalem. The disciples had believed that Jesus was the long-awaited King of the Jews for several chapters now, and they near Jerusalem with great anticipation: this is the moment when Jesus will begin His reign! The Kingdom has finally come!
At first it appears that the Jews give Jesus the royal welcome the disciples hoped they would. But something is wrong with the scene: Jesus is not entering on a war horse, dressed for battle. Instead he's in his simple cloak riding on a young donkey. Jesus is not waving to the crowds, pumping His fist. Instead He's crying. And once He enters Jerusalem, He doesn't lead the crowd into battle against the Romans. The story doesn't end with Jesus enthroned in an earthly palace. Instead, the same crowds that shouted "Hosanna!" on Sunday will shout "Crucify!" on Friday.
Surely this is the King, but there's something very different about this King than what anyone expected. Surely the Kingdom has come, but it doesn't look like the Kingdom for which everyone had been waiting. So then who is this King? And what then is this Kingdom?
Just like the crowds in the story, and just like the disciples, we too must make a decision. When the pomp and circumstance is gone, and when we realize that the way of the King is not up to a palace but down to a cross, who will you say that He is?
As you prepare for this week, consider how you would answer Jesus's question, "Who do you say that I am?"
Mark 11:1-11
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’”
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10 “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.