Brothers and sisters in Christ, here on the occasion of Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, there is so much to say, so little time. We began our worship service with the narrative of Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem from the gospel of John. Here the multitudes that came to Jerusalem for the feast have received word that Jesus is coming and they are beyond excited. They waved palm branches to signify that Jesus is the king who is coming to them.
Like any time in the scripture, the reactions to Jesus were mixed. Some thought this was a conquering king come to free Jerusalem, others saw Jesus as someone who came to inspire them, and still others looked with concern and worry on what everything would lead to, was a revolution at hand?
But this entry into Jerusalem is only a beginning. The events of Mark chapter 14 which we heard in our gospel lesson described many more events that reveal who Jesus is as king.
Less memorable than the entrance through the city gates riding on a donkey with shout and cheers was the semi private visit to the home of Simon the leper in Bethany. While Jesus is reclining at the table a woman breaks an alabaster flask and pours it on his head.
Some people are taken a back by this lavish excess, but Jesus puts things in perspective, “she has done a beautiful thing for me.” Jesus states that she has anointed His body ahead of time for burial. Jesus has begun his reign as king through being anointed for his own death and burial.
In our Old Testament reading we hear from Zechariah who prophesied in a time when Israel needed to rebuild after its destruction. The time period was around 520 BC. Zachariah and Haggai are a few of the last of the Old testament prophets. Although the Old Testament era was coming to a close, a new beginning was on the way.
Zechariah spoke God’s Word in a time after the Babylonian captivity, a time to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, and bring a scattered people together. Although the time was coming when the prophets would cease to hear a word from the Lord and cease to speak, Zechariah was prophesying about a new beginning, Israel’s king would come soon.
“Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He.”
Israel’s king is coming, Zechariah announced. But this is not just any king, this is a king who is completely righteous and holding salvation, this is the Son of God Himself. This announcement of coming salvation is a preview of the time when God’s people will celebrate their God coming to them in all fullness. The book of Revelation describes this reunion with God and His people
“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
As Zechariah described the coming of the King riding on a donkey, it was only a beginning to the sequence of events where God and man once again will be united. Zechariah in verse 10 prophesied of the Messiah that He would speak peace to the nations and His rule would be from sea to sea.
The coming of the King meant that all who are under the imprisonment of sin and the curse of the law would be freed once and for all through the blood of the covenant as we see in verse 11.
The King came to Jerusalem but the entrance was only the beginning. In chapter 11 of Zechariah there is the mention of 30 pieces of silver, the wage of a slave, the amount that Judas was paid for betraying Jesus. Our King came to us and laid down His life for us, Christ’s blood has given us eternal redemption, freedom from sin’s legacy of death.
We have young people here today, those who are youngest among us might be hearing about Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem for the first time. It is only a begging in learning about Jesus for all of us, as we grow more fully into a knowledge of the Lord Jesus, we realize that each year as we hear the events of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, we are drawing closer toward when Jesus will return or when we meet the Lord at our death.
Yet although it is another Holy Week, one year later, the best is yet to come for all of us. We will one day participate in the ultimate celebration of Christ’s passion, with all of the heavenly host. We will one day sit in the court of our king, we will know then the full meaning of Jesus as our king who comes to us righteous and having salvation.
As we heard from Mark chapter 14, many people ask Jesus to identify himself as king, yet He is silent through these events. Jesus is calculating in not revealing his identity through this time of trial.
Jesus is silent about Pilate’s question toward him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He only answers, “you have said so” Jesus was not in the business of proclaiming himself king. Pilate asked him a second time and again Jesus was silent. Pilate was amazed at his silence.
Jesus never needed to proclaim himself king. Jesus’ enemies proclaim him king without even realizing it. Even as the soldiers thought they were increasing his humiliation by mocking him for claiming to be king, they were in their actions of bowing down to him and saying “hail king of the Jews” actually saying the words of truth- Jesus was and is the king of not only the Jews, but of all.
The people wanted him to say for himself that he was a king so they could refute him and mock him. But Jesus didn’t play along with their intended trap. Instead he shared the truth by his actions, by his resurrection. Now he reigns as king. He reigns in truth and power and does not need to proclaim himself as king. It is evident for all to see.
Even as it is very evident that Jesus reigns as king, people try and put words into Jesus’ mouth and answer about who he is. People want him to mean and stand for things in accordance with their own interests.
There is one instance in the trial of Jesus as recorded in the gospel of Mark where Jesus does break his silence: From Mark chapter 14, “Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the blessed? And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Jesus is speaking of the redemption he will bring on the last day!
Jesus was not willing to defend himself against false charges in the trial in order to make things go well for him, but when it came to the question of if he is the Christ- , Jesus spoke the truth, knowing it would bring the greatest outrage he could possibly provoke in the trial. The High Priest tore his garments and the people condemned him as deserving death.
Sometimes we are called to break our silence and speak the truth of our faith- even as it may cause us to be rejected and hated by others. The noise of the world wants Jesus to prove he is king. The trusting silence of faith does not need to have proof but instead confesses in faith that Jesus is king, Lord , Messiah.
As we continue into Holy Week, as we journey toward the day of Good Friday, we remember that Jesus is King. We remember that the suffering and death on the cross that we will mediate on was all a result of the King’s willingness to lay down his life for us. We remember as we progress through holy Week that the best is yet to come- Easter and the fulfillment of our salvation is just around the corner. Amen.