Feb 7 2020 - Luke 19:28-48 – Behold your king

What kind of a king is Jesus? He is a paradoxical king; he defies expectations. He is the kind of king who does not come into Jerusalem riding on a war-horse; he comes riding on a donkey. He comes not to crush his enemies with a show of power; he comes in humility to save. Nevertheless, he is a king. The crowd had it right when they greeted him with their shouts, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Luke 19:38). Jesus said that if the crowds had been silent, the stones would have cried out. All creation looks with anticipation for this king.

Jesus humbled himself not only by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey; he humbled himself by submitting himself to the malicious arrest, mock trial and cruel death on the cross that awaited him there (see his words in 18:31-34). For it was only through this death that he would enter into his reign. This humiliation would achieve a greater victory than any warrior on a war-horse. His humiliation, death and resurrection would change the world for ever. The mighty empires of Greece and Rome have disappeared from history; his is an empire that will last for eternity.

But make no mistake, this is no gentle Jesus, meek and mild. Having arrived in the city, he made his way to the temple and there drove out those who were carrying on their self-serving trade in the temple courtyard. That must have taken some doing. Jesus did not do it by asking them nicely to leave. Jesus came to Jerusalem to suffer and to die, but he is not a passive Saviour. He came also in power to cleanse and renew. He came to cleanse the temple that it might be a ‘house of prayer’; a place where people might come to meet with a holy God.

Perhaps we are attracted to the humble Jesus on a donkey but not so much to the Jesus who drives out all that pollutes the temple of the living God. Over the years there have been those who have talked of two levels of discipleship: those who accept Jesus as Saviour and those who go on to accept him also as Lord. But Jesus cannot be cut in half in this way. We cannot have the benefits of his passion without bowing the knee to him and acknowledging him as Lord. We cannot have Christ crucified without also having Christ risen and reigning in our lives.

Jesus came into the world to save his people from their sins. He saves us from our sins not only by suffering their penalty in our place; that on its own would leave us in our sins. He comes to make his home with us – to make us a temple for the living God. And he will not tolerate those things which defile the temple of God. He comes to demolish the shabby hovel of our lives that he might make it anew into a palace for the king.

Jesus comes to us to cleanse and renew. He ‘breaks the power of cancelled sin, and sets the prisoner free’. Are we ready for the breakages?

King Jesus, you gave your life for me, help me to give my life entirely into your hands. Search me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Do with me what you will, only do not leave me. Take from me all that is inconsistent with your presence in me. Break me, mould me, fill me, use me – for the glory of your name and for the blessing of others.

Peter Misselbrook