The Scriptures were clear. God would send His righteous King to reign in peace bringing salvation with Him. But what was the salvation and peace that Jesus brought with Him as He humbly rode the untamed donkey into Jerusalem that day? Hosanna! Jesus came to bring peace!
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,
humble and mounted on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9 ESV, Capitalizations are mine)
Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies that pointed to their Messiah. The Son of God was born in Bethlehem according to the Scriptures (Luke 2:4-7). John the Baptist heralded Jesus as the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8).
Jesus compassionately ministered to the people, both physically and spiritually. He taught in the synagogues and forgave sins. Acts of compassion compelled Him to heal, raise the dead, feed thousands, calm the wind and sea, and much more.
Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law of Moses.
But this Passover was different.
The King Is Coming!
“And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and He sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
(Mark 11:7-10 ESV)
The people remembered this prophecy. They think that Jesus will free them from Roman rule and set up His kingdom on earth, the kingdom of David.
When kings rode into towns on stallions, they celebrated conquering the people. But when they rode into town on a donkey, they came bringing peace.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the city of shalom (peace), to bring peace. Peace with God.
“On this day, they lavished attention and honor on Jesus. They used their clothes as a saddle for Jesus and as a red carpet for the colt He rode on. Considering the expense and value of clothing in that day, this was generous praise.” (David Guzik)
“Jesus will free us from the tyranny of the Romans,” they thought. “Jesus is our Peacemaker, our King.”
“And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.’ ” (Luke 19:41-42 ESV, Capitalizations of Pronouns Added)
The Bible tells us about two of the times that Jesus wept. He wept before He raised Lazarus from the dead, and He wept over the people not recognizing that He was the Messiah sent to free them from their sins.
“Luke tells us that as Jesus approached the city, He wept. He wept because the people did not understand what would bring them peace. They wanted a political deliverer—but Jesus came to deal with something far deeper: the bondage of sin.” (Michael Youssef)
Freedom from the bondage of sin brings peace with God.
Peace Is Given
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27 ESV, Capitalization of Pronoun Added)
The peace of Jesus: a heart that isn’t troubled or afraid. Why? Because we rest in what Jesus has accomplished. Jesus paid the price we owed for our sins. All our sins were laid upon Jesus on the cross. God poured out His wrath upon those sins on Jesus. And Jesus gave up His Spirit and died. They buried Him in a tomb. But three days later, Jesus rose from the dead
Through it all, Jesus had peace. He knew the end of the story, and He told His disciples before He endured the cross.
“I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV, Capittalization of Pronoun Added)
Our King, the King of Righteousness, the King of Kings, entered Jerusalem that day, and the people rejoiced. But they didn’t understand the peace that their King was bringing. That peace cost the King everything. Yet, He overcame.
Jesus loves you and me so much that He came into this world to bless and to save us from ourselves, our sins. The Lamb of God sacrificed Himself so that you and I could live with Him forever in peace.
Rejoice! And again, I say rejoice! The peace of God will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
Paul tells us, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)
Our Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Your only begotten Son into the world to save us from our sins, so that we can live with You for eternity. Because of Jesus, we have peace with You. Bless us all with a deeper understanding of the great sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. Fill us with Your peace and empower us to share Your love with others. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.
Please Share Your Ideas