His Royal Highness
Opening Prayer
Thank God for the good things he has done for you, and praise him for being a generous and loving Father.
Read LUKE 19:28-44
[28] After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. [29] As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, [30] “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. [31] If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.'” [32] Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. [33] As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” [34] They replied, “The Lord needs it.” [35] They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. [36] As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. [37] When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: [38] “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” [39] Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” [40] “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” [41] As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it [42] and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes. [43] The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. [44] They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
How did the crowds acclaim Jesus this day?For three years, Jesus’ identity as the Messiah has been carefully guarded, revealed gradually and discreetly to deliberately chosen individuals. Now, however, the time has come to proclaim it loud and clear. He enters Jerusalem as the King of the Jews. The crowds know it. Perhaps many knew the prophecy of Zechariah that “Your king comes to youﾅgentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zech. 9:9). The crowds acclaimed him Messiah and if they had not, “the stones will cry out” (40).
In the midst of the crowd’s praise and adulation, Jesus is overcome by deep sorrow because he knows that this recognition will be short-lived. His beloved people, his treasured city, will soon reject him and as a result will be destroyed. Forty short years later, Jerusalem would be ravaged by the Romans, 60,000 of its inhabitants slaughtered. The implication is that they have brought this fate upon themselves because they failed to recognize the King in their midst. There was a lot riding on their response to Jesus. It’s the same for us. The most important question we must answer is still: who really is this man called Jesus?
Apply
Pray for someone close to you who does not acknowledge who Jesus is and ask God to change their heart.
Closing prayer
Lord, I’m grateful that I know beyond doubt who You are. Help me to help someone else come to know You, too.
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