Here is Our King
“Here is your king” - John 19:14
It was a week before He was to die. Jesus made a special trip to Bethany to see and eat with friends. Martha was doing what she does best, throwing the party. Lazarus was “among those reclining at the table” (John 12:2). No one around the circle had a clue. How could they?
As they often did, the crowds eventually caught up with Jesus (John 12:9). But on this day, they wanted to see Lazarus too. He had become a rock star of sorts; his testimony a target on his back (John 12:10).
Just as quickly as they had rushed into Bethany, the crowd ran ahead to Jerusalem. They brought their palm branches and practiced the ancient song. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Ps.118). For this mob, this was a familiar scene--victorious Roman generals in their ticker-tape parade of sorts marched into the city with their purple robes and gold crowns declaring victory over vast enemies. These celebrations where reserved for the mighty few.
Today instead of marching from battle in victory, Jesus was marching to battle declaring Himself the victor. Jesus, who spent His entire life avoiding publicity at all cost, (Matthew 16:20, Mark 7:36, 8:30, 9:9, Luke 8:56, 9:21, 18:17) was now riding into the city in a triumphal procession reserved for heroes. Earthly kings before rode donkeys when coming in peace, horses when riding into battle. This week a donkey, next time a horse (Revelation 19:11-21).
He bore the weighty foreknowledge of the coming days. He would overturn the temple, wither a fig tree, teach of wedding banquets, vine and branches, and sheep and goats.
Jesus would wash His friend’s feet, watch another turn his back, beg the same friends to make sure he would not do something rash while pleading with his father, sweat blood, pray for you and me.
He would be kissed, arrested, questioned, accused, belittled, demeaned, betrayed by his best friend.
And beaten, unrecognizably bloodied, mockingly crowned, nailed.
Bear the weight of every man’s sin. Buried.
But then…
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:25
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit . 1 Peter 3:18
…and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of Godby his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:4
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14
Indeed, here is our King.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
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