Please Note: The remaining teaching for the previous entry about the glory of the prophetic kingdom from Isaiah 60 will be entered soon as a "comment" for that post. The story of the Triumphal Entry is so pivotal, and it's life applications so challenging, I thought it best to use this week's posts to review the teaching from Sunday's worship service.
Scripture Reading: Luke 19:28-40; John 12:1-50; and Zechariah 9:9-17
Review and Explanation: Yesterday was Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Calling Jesus' entry into Jerusalem triumphal seems ironic given how quickly the cries of the crowd turned only a few days later from "Hosanna!" to "Crucify Him!"
It's important to understand where Jesus' entry into Jerusalem fits within God's plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed. Jesus came into the world as the virgin-born, Deliverer King God promised to provide for Israel, the nation He had chosen for Himself and through which He would bless the rest of the world with the blessings of His Universal Kingdom. From the outset of Jesus' public ministry, He repeatedly announced the nearness of His kingdom, calling on people He encountered here and there to repent and to receive Him as King. His entry into Jerusalem some three years later was intended as a public presentation of Himself as King to the nation of Israel as a whole.
The nation responded to Jesus' presentation of Himself with shouts of "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" They understood what Jesus intended to convey (see Zechariah 9:9), and they no doubt thrilled to think of the glory that lay ahead for their King and for them as the promised Kingdom came fully into sway (see Zechariah 9:10-17).
However, their enthusiasm quickly ebbed once the parade was over and they began to learn more about the rest of the path to Kingdom glory. There are numerous indications in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' entry of Him challenging the various mental models upon which the people had built so much of their lives. He not only challenged those models, He demolished them. And He replaced them with a more accurate picture of what life would be like the rest of the way on the path to Kingdom glory. More on this in tomorrow's post...
Reflection Questions:
1. Read Zechariah 9:9-17. What contrasting images do you see from verse 9 on through to the end of verse 17? What are your impressions of the glory of the Kingdom based on this passage?
2. Yesterday I said that the people showed how shallow their faith in Jesus was when they turned so quickly from "Hosanna!" to "Crucify him!" How might the same kind of shallow, less than heart-deep, faith show itself in people today? How might you show the heart-depth of your own faith today?
3. If you were asked to describe how you envision the rest of your life on the path to Kingdom glory, what would you say? What are your mental models of life on this path from here on out?
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