Dear Christian friends:

When Jesus rode on the donkey into the city of Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday the people there did not know He was riding in to die on the next Friday. We know that because it is history and we know this history very well. But those people did not realize what was really happening. They thought Jesus was now taking up His rule over Jerusalem, that He will gather an army perhaps, or by other means force the Romans out of Palestine and give the Jews their freedom and glory again like when King David and King Solomon ruled one-thousand years before. They expected an earthly kingdom of this world and in Palestine.

It is true that Jesus was riding into the city to take up His rule. The people sang as He rode into the city, "Praise the King that comes in the Lord's name. (verse 38) They sang this because the prophet Zechariah had prophesied this about the Messiah.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
(Zechariah 9:9)

So Jesus is a King! He is now come to rule over His people. It is right that the people rejoice and praise Him.

But we must praise Him and rejoice in Him with the right knowledge and understanding of His rule and His Kingdom! He does not come to establish the Jewish state again and make it like one-thousand years ago.

He does not come to rule over Jerusalem and Israel like earthly kings using police and soldiers and laws. His Kingdom is not like the kingdoms of this world. On Friday when He will stand before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, and be questioned.

"Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." (John 18:33-36)

Jesus' Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom. He came into Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday, not to fight the Romans, and not to free the Jews from their rule, but to fight Satan and sin and free the Jews and all nations from sin's condemnation and rule.

This Jesus did by His willing suffering and death upon the Cross on Good Friday, and by His resurrection on Easter morning. In this way Jesus established His Kingdom and His rule. The LAMB of God enters into the Holy City to offer His life on the Cross for the Jews and all other nations.

On Thursday when they keep the Passover feast they will kill and offer their many lambs and bake and eat the lamb meat as Moses had commanded them 1,500 years before. It should be the last passover celebration because on the next day, Friday, the real Lamb, the Lamb of God, Jesus, the Son of God will be slain and offered on the Cross. No more will there be a need for any more Passovers or animal lamb offerings because the Lamb they prophesied of is here now. He has entered the Holy City. He is ready to be offered. The time is now!

This is the right knowledge and understanding of Jesus the King of kings, the Lamb of God! Yes, Jesus is a King and we should rejoice and celebrate His victory over sin and Satan! He got that victory for us. His victory means that now God forgives our sins and we are free from the power and rule of Satan.

We are under the rule again of Jesus our kind and merciful Savior. He rules over us now by His love and Holy Spirit. We are His people, His servants and are eager and excited and thrilled to serve Him with our bodies, our skills, and our money.

We celebrate Jesus' victory and rule because it means peace with God. On that first Palm Sunday the people praise Jesus and sang, "‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’" (Luke 19:38) We can celebrate more than that! We can sing, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace." (Luke 2:14)

Amen.