Matt.21:6-10 – The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their cloaks on them; and He sat on the cloaks. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David;
BLESSED IS THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Hosanna in the highest!”
When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Jesus came into Jerusalem that day with specific intentions, He was declaring Himself to be the Messianic king. He didn’t come on a white charger leading a conquering army but He came on a donkey, He was obviously a different kind of king with a different kind of kingdom in mind. He wanted to be the king of our hearts. Here is how Barclay describes this moment.
“It was not the kingship of the throne which he claimed; it was the kingship of the heart. He came humbly and riding upon a donkey. We must be careful to see the real meaning of that. In western lands, the donkey is a despised animal; but in the middle east the donkey could be a noble animal. Often a king came riding upon a donkey; but when he did, it was the sign that he came in peace. The horse was the mount of war; the donkey was the mount of peace. So when Jesus claimed to be king, he claimed to be the king of peace. He showed that he came not to destroy but to love; not to condemn but to help; not in the might of arms but in the strength of love.”
If you look carefully in this crowd you will clearly see that Jesus did just that. Following close by His side was an army, not an army of warriors but an army of lovers. There was the Gadarene demoniac clothed and in his right mind, there was the formerly blind Bartimaeus filled with the light of God, there were dancing lame men and women, singers who had been deaf mutes, former prostitutes clinging to the donkey, and former tax collectors right in the middle of the celebration. The message was unavoidable, the lives of the hopeless of all kinds had been changed, the kingdom of God was in their hearts, and Jesus was putting their stories on full display. That’s how it is every Easter, the former mess ups have joined the throng, Jesus is the soon coming King and we can’t wait for the party to get started.