Jeremiah 23:5-8; Romans 13:8-14; St Matthew 21:1-9
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
“Behold, your king is leaving you.” That’s what the crowds in Jerusalem could have shouted in King David’s day. For there came a time of great crisis in his kingdom. The great king who slew giants and enlarged the territory, who returned the Ark from among the Philistines and established the plans for the Temple, that great king had to make a great exit. He had to escape the Holy City not because of a rival king or an invading army. He had to flee because of a rebellious, glory seeking son named Absalom.
He was more than just the Old Testament’s spoiled brat. He wanted to murder his father and claim the throne of Israel for himself. If King David had stayed in the city and fought him there would have been bloodshed and death in Jerusalem. So King David sacrificed himself for the good of the kingdom and got out. David walked out of Jerusalem sad and barefoot, soon to be given two donkeys to help him on the journey out (2 Sam 16:1-2).
Part of the reason Prince Absalom turned out like this was because his father never disciplined him. The Law said that sons like his deserve justice and should be stoned. But what David refused to do, God did. So while Absalom was fighting for the throne the donkey upon which he was riding went under a low-hanging tree and his head got caught between the branches. There he hung, suspended between heaven and earth, rejected by both God and man, an easy target for Joab to ram his three javelins into Absalom’s rebellious heart. King David could now return, for the death of his son, though it caused great sorrow to his father, brought peace to the land (2 Sam 18).
Behold, your King is coming to you. That’s what you heard this morning. Note the change of direction with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, David’s Son and David’s Lord. With the coming of Jesus there is now a King on the scene who is going a different direction with His two donkeys. He is not about escaping trouble, but going right into it. He will not run away from rebellious sons, but He will come to save them. There will be death and bloodshed and Tree for Him to hang on, but Jesus will not flee the other way. Listen to the verbs. St Matthew makes a big deal out of our Lord’s movement. He drew near. He is coming to you. Blessed is He who comes.
His love for rebels back then and His love for rebels today compels Him to come. For we have not been faithful sons. We have been more like Absalom. Our lusts are continually threatening to put our souls in peril. St Paul this morning speaks about the evil of sexual lust, of sleeping around and sex before marriage, of pornography and masturbation. All of that is inherent in the phrase sexual immortality and sensuality. It was as much a problem then as it is now.
But there are plenty of other lusts that consume us too. Like Absalom we too have lied and flattered, manipulated and deceived others to glorify ourselves. Like Absalom we have lusted for fame, for money, for recognition. Like Absalom we are vain and imagine ourselves to be people who deserve to be honored, even though we have done shameful things, things that justice says should have us end up like Absalom.
Repent. As the gate opens to another new year in the Church, entrance always comes by way of repentance. This always makes the Christian’s approach to the coming of your King. Repent.
Yet shout your hosannas too. For our lusts and appetites are no match for that King riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the same One who rides into this Holy Place this morning. Love is what drove Him to send those disciples to unloose the two donkeys in the first place. It was a preview of what they would be doing later as Apostles, as sent ones, releasing stubborn and brazen sinners from the burden of the Law and bringing them to Jesus.
Love is what drove Him to ride those two donkeys into the city and fulfill what the prophet said. Love is what drove Him to come and take the place of all lustful, rebellious sons and daughters of Adam and be punished in their place. For love is the fulfilling of the Law.
David wept for what happened to his son, wishing that he had died in his place. Christ Jesus, David’s Son, does precisely that. He is caught in the Tree of the Cross, suspended between heaven and earth, rejected by God and man; run threw by three nails and a spear to His heart. And though it grieves His Father, by His death, He makes peace between God and man, making an entrance for you back into the Holy City of the Most High God.
And He comes on two donkeys to show the worldwide scope of His mission. First the Son of David comes in on the old donkey to show that He has come for the Jews, for His stubborn and rebellious people of old. That He comes as the shoot and Branch from the stump of Jesse to reign and rule in wisdom, executing justice and righteousness by His atoning sacrifice.
But He also comes on the colt, the young one, to show that He has come also for the Gentiles. Not only has He come for Judah and Israel, but even for all the nations, all the ethne, all the Gentiles who once held His people captive. For both groups, for all people, His earthly mission will not end until after the innocent Son of David is on His own two legs carrying the instrument of His own execution upon which He would be hung and bear the punishment as if He were another Absalom.
And then, in His resurrection from the dead, having directed His disciples to Galilee, to the mountain, Jesus came to them and said, “Given to Me is all authority in heaven and on earth. While going where I send you, make disciples out of all ethane - all Gentiles! - by means of baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and catechizing them to hold fast to all that I have handed over to you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:18-20, my translation).
Behold, your King is coming to you. He still comes by humble vehicles. He does not come to us on two donkeys anymore. Rather, in the preaching of the two words of His Law and His Gospel, by the proclamation of His two Keys of the Absolution, by His two means of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. He comes to deliver you. Loose you from the sins which bind and constrict you, free you from death and the devil.
In fact, He humbly rides in here this morning atop paten and in chalice, with shouts and song of Hosanna, to come to you, with your body as His destination, to make His home with you. He comes to give you life, to renew you in His love, and make your body His dwelling place.
He comes with forgiveness for your lustful and impure thoughts. He comes, having worn the crown of thorns to give you the crown of life. His desire was solely to win you, make you His again. He was jealous for your atonement. He died and was buried for it. He finished it. He was speared as Absalom that you might be raised up as sons through Holy Baptism.
Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
“Behold, your king is leaving you.” That’s what the crowds in Jerusalem could have shouted in King David’s day. For there came a time of great crisis in his kingdom. The great king who slew giants and enlarged the territory, who returned the Ark from among the Philistines and established the plans for the Temple, that great king had to make a great exit. He had to escape the Holy City not because of a rival king or an invading army. He had to flee because of a rebellious, glory seeking son named Absalom.
He was more than just the Old Testament’s spoiled brat. He wanted to murder his father and claim the throne of Israel for himself. If King David had stayed in the city and fought him there would have been bloodshed and death in Jerusalem. So King David sacrificed himself for the good of the kingdom and got out. David walked out of Jerusalem sad and barefoot, soon to be given two donkeys to help him on the journey out (2 Sam 16:1-2).
Part of the reason Prince Absalom turned out like this was because his father never disciplined him. The Law said that sons like his deserve justice and should be stoned. But what David refused to do, God did. So while Absalom was fighting for the throne the donkey upon which he was riding went under a low-hanging tree and his head got caught between the branches. There he hung, suspended between heaven and earth, rejected by both God and man, an easy target for Joab to ram his three javelins into Absalom’s rebellious heart. King David could now return, for the death of his son, though it caused great sorrow to his father, brought peace to the land (2 Sam 18).
Behold, your King is coming to you. That’s what you heard this morning. Note the change of direction with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, David’s Son and David’s Lord. With the coming of Jesus there is now a King on the scene who is going a different direction with His two donkeys. He is not about escaping trouble, but going right into it. He will not run away from rebellious sons, but He will come to save them. There will be death and bloodshed and Tree for Him to hang on, but Jesus will not flee the other way. Listen to the verbs. St Matthew makes a big deal out of our Lord’s movement. He drew near. He is coming to you. Blessed is He who comes.
His love for rebels back then and His love for rebels today compels Him to come. For we have not been faithful sons. We have been more like Absalom. Our lusts are continually threatening to put our souls in peril. St Paul this morning speaks about the evil of sexual lust, of sleeping around and sex before marriage, of pornography and masturbation. All of that is inherent in the phrase sexual immortality and sensuality. It was as much a problem then as it is now.
But there are plenty of other lusts that consume us too. Like Absalom we too have lied and flattered, manipulated and deceived others to glorify ourselves. Like Absalom we have lusted for fame, for money, for recognition. Like Absalom we are vain and imagine ourselves to be people who deserve to be honored, even though we have done shameful things, things that justice says should have us end up like Absalom.
Repent. As the gate opens to another new year in the Church, entrance always comes by way of repentance. This always makes the Christian’s approach to the coming of your King. Repent.
Yet shout your hosannas too. For our lusts and appetites are no match for that King riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the same One who rides into this Holy Place this morning. Love is what drove Him to send those disciples to unloose the two donkeys in the first place. It was a preview of what they would be doing later as Apostles, as sent ones, releasing stubborn and brazen sinners from the burden of the Law and bringing them to Jesus.
Love is what drove Him to ride those two donkeys into the city and fulfill what the prophet said. Love is what drove Him to come and take the place of all lustful, rebellious sons and daughters of Adam and be punished in their place. For love is the fulfilling of the Law.
David wept for what happened to his son, wishing that he had died in his place. Christ Jesus, David’s Son, does precisely that. He is caught in the Tree of the Cross, suspended between heaven and earth, rejected by God and man; run threw by three nails and a spear to His heart. And though it grieves His Father, by His death, He makes peace between God and man, making an entrance for you back into the Holy City of the Most High God.
And He comes on two donkeys to show the worldwide scope of His mission. First the Son of David comes in on the old donkey to show that He has come for the Jews, for His stubborn and rebellious people of old. That He comes as the shoot and Branch from the stump of Jesse to reign and rule in wisdom, executing justice and righteousness by His atoning sacrifice.
But He also comes on the colt, the young one, to show that He has come also for the Gentiles. Not only has He come for Judah and Israel, but even for all the nations, all the ethne, all the Gentiles who once held His people captive. For both groups, for all people, His earthly mission will not end until after the innocent Son of David is on His own two legs carrying the instrument of His own execution upon which He would be hung and bear the punishment as if He were another Absalom.
And then, in His resurrection from the dead, having directed His disciples to Galilee, to the mountain, Jesus came to them and said, “Given to Me is all authority in heaven and on earth. While going where I send you, make disciples out of all ethane - all Gentiles! - by means of baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and catechizing them to hold fast to all that I have handed over to you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt 28:18-20, my translation).
Behold, your King is coming to you. He still comes by humble vehicles. He does not come to us on two donkeys anymore. Rather, in the preaching of the two words of His Law and His Gospel, by the proclamation of His two Keys of the Absolution, by His two means of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. He comes to deliver you. Loose you from the sins which bind and constrict you, free you from death and the devil.
In fact, He humbly rides in here this morning atop paten and in chalice, with shouts and song of Hosanna, to come to you, with your body as His destination, to make His home with you. He comes to give you life, to renew you in His love, and make your body His dwelling place.
He comes with forgiveness for your lustful and impure thoughts. He comes, having worn the crown of thorns to give you the crown of life. His desire was solely to win you, make you His again. He was jealous for your atonement. He died and was buried for it. He finished it. He was speared as Absalom that you might be raised up as sons through Holy Baptism.
Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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