Jesus the King
Text: Luke 19:28-44
Core Idea: Jesus is the Promised King (worthy of your surrender), the Humble King (safe to trust), and the Weeping King (full of compassion for sinners like us). Then, don’t just admire this King – come to Him, trust Him, and give Him your life today.
INTRODUCTION
We’ll be taking a break from the Book of Genesis in light of Passion Week starting tomorrow. If you’re not familiar with the term, Passion Week is the final week of Jesus’ earthly life leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection. The word “passion” comes from a Latin word that means “suffering.” So, this is the week when we remember the suffering of Christ – His journey to the cross, where He willingly gave His life for sinners like us. And this week begins with what we call Palm Sunday, which is the passage we’re looking at today in Luke 19 – and it marks Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As He entered the city, crowds gathered – waving palm branches, laying down their cloaks on the road, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” They welcomed Him as a King. Now, to understand this passage better, one thing we need to keep in mind is that Israel had been longing for a King for a long time. Hundreds of years earlier, they had asked God to give them a king – but it didn’t turn out as they had hoped. They wanted a king who was strong and wise, faithful and exemplary – someone who would deliver them from their enemies and establish peace in the land. But no king ever truly lived up to that calling. Fast forward to Jesus’ day – and who were the leaders around them? First, there was Caesar Augustus – the ruler of the Roman Empire, the most powerful man in the world. He called himself the “son of god” and “savior” of the world – but his rule was marked by power and control. Under his leadership, there was peace, but it was a forced peace – maintained by military strength. Then, there was Pontius Pilate – the Roman governor over Judea. His responsibility was to keep order at all costs. And we know from the Gospels that he was willing to sacrifice justice to protect his position – in that even when he knew Jesus was innocent, he handed Him over to be crucified. And then, there was Herod – the regional ruler over Galilee, a ruler in name, but really just a puppet under Rome. He was morally compromised, self-indulgent, and more concerned with preserving his image than pursuing truth. This is the man who had John the Baptist executed. So, this was the leadership surrounding Jesus: Power without humility, authority without justice, and rule without righteousness. But in our passage today, we’re going to meet a very different kind of King – one who doesn’t fit their expectations, and maybe not ours as well. So, with that in mind, please turn your Bibles to Luke 19:28-44. I’ll read this for us.
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?’ say, ‘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.”
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage:
THE PROMISED KING
THE HUMBLE KING
THE WEEPING KING
1) THE PROMISED KING
Verse 29. As Jesus and His disciples approached Jerusalem, He instructed two of them to go ahead into the village and bring back a colt tied there. Now, just imagine being one of those disciples. “So, we just go in, and there will be a colt?” “Yes.” “And we just take it?” “Yes.” “What if they think we’re stealing?” “Just tell them, ‘The Lord needs it.’” “And that’ll be enough?” “Yes. Now go.” Can you imagine how confusing that must have been? And yet, verse 32 tells us: “Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as He had told them.” Exactly as He said. They found the colt. They were questioned. They answered. And the owner let them go. So, why does Luke spend so much time on this detail? Why not just say, “They brought Him a colt”? Wouldn’t that have been simpler? Well, Luke did this to show us that Jesus was in complete control. He didn’t ride the colt because it happened to be there. No, He chose it in order to fulfill the OT prophecy. Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Why did Jesus suddenly choose to ride into Jerusalem? He had walked everywhere up to this point. Why change now? It wasn’t because He was too tired to finish the journey on foot. No, it had to happen this way because this was His way of publicly and unmistakably announcing to the people: “I am the King you’ve been waiting for. Zechariah was writing about Me. In Me, God’s promise is fulfilled.” This is important because it shows us thatJesus wasn’t a victim of circumstances. Victims react to what happens to them, but Jesus was directing what was happening. He planned ahead. He predicted the details. And everything unfolded exactly as He said. In other words, Jesus wasn’t swept toward the cross – no, He walked into it willingly, knowing there was no other way. The cross wasn’t something that happened to Him – it was something He came to do.
Then, what does this mean for us? It means that Jesus is not just a teacher, not just a moral example, not just a religious figure. He is the Promised King. And if that’s true, then the question we need to wrestle with isn’t, “Do I believe in Him?” but “Is He truly my King?” – because it’s possible to “believe” in Jesus and still resist His rule. It’s possible to sing to Him on Sunday but ignore Him on Monday – to call Him Savior but functionally live as your own king. Brothers and sisters, have you really considered what that means for your life? He’s not just your Friend, not just your Brother, not just your Savior – He is your King. Does your life reflect that reality? Because if Jesus truly is your King, it no longer makes sense to cling to control. You are not your own. Your life belongs to Him. So, let me ask you: Where in your life are you resisting Him right now? Where are you saying, “Jesus, I’ll follow You – but not there”? Where are you holding on to control because obedience feels too costly or doesn’t make sense? Listen carefully: Where you resist His rule the most is where you trust Him the least. But here’s something we need to understand about ourselves. As much as we resist having a king, as much as we want control over our own lives, as much as we’re afraid to surrender, deep down, we all long for a King. Why? Because we instinctively know that we don’t make very good kings. We try to control our lives – but we’re anxious. We try to direct our future – but we’re uncertain. We try to hold everything together – and we feel overwhelmed. And the more we try to be in control, the more we realize how little control we actually have. That’s because we were never meant to rule our own lives. We were created to be led – to live under the care of a good and wise King. Now, it’s true that some of us say, “I do like Jesus.” But instead of surrendering, we actually try to redefine Him. We’re okay with Jesus as long as He agrees with us, affirms us, and fits into our plans. We want His help but not His rule, His comfort but not His correction, His salvation but not His lordship. But that’s not how kingship works. A king doesn’t advise. A king doesn’t negotiate. A king rules. Jesus didn’t come to fit into your life but to take over your life. And only when we surrender do we begin to take part in what God is doing. Think about the disciples. What Jesus asked of them must have felt uncomfortable, risky – even embarrassing. And yet they obeyed. And through their obedience, they became part of God’s redemptive plan. And the same is true for us. Don’t miss this: Your obedience – even when it doesn’t make sense – is never meaningless. That hard conversation you’re avoiding. That sin you need to put to death. That step of faith you’ve been delaying. That area of surrender you keep resisting. You may not understand it. It may feel costly. But your obedience will not be wasted. It’ll be used in the sovereign purposes of your King. So, let me ask you: Will you obey even when it’s costly – or only when it’s convenient? Will you surrender and submit your will to the King – or continue to insist on your own? Because at the end of the day, acknowledging Jesus as King isn’t something we just confess – it’s something we live. It calls us to die to ourselves – to lay down our rights, surrender our plans, and trust His wisdom over our instincts. It means saying, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” So, does this describe your life? Or are you still negotiating your terms with Him? Because when Jesus comes, He doesn’t come as an advisor – He comes as King.
2) THE HUMBLE KING
Verse 35: Picture this scene with me. Jesus Christ, the Promised King, the Sovereign One, God incarnate, was entering Jerusalem. But how did He enter? Not on a warhorse. Not with an army. Not with power and spectacle. He entered on a colt – a young, never-been-ridden donkey. This wasn’t a symbol of power but humility. This wasn’t a king coming to conquer but a King coming to save. And this would’ve been deeply unexpected because the people knew what kings looked like. They had seen Roman rulers and generals enter cities on powerful warhorses – surrounded by soldiers, displaying strength, asserting dominance. That’s what victory looked like. But Jesus? He came humbly – quiet and unassuming. And the contrast couldn’t be more striking. And in this moment, we see three different responses to this King. The first group was the crowd. These were the people lining the road. Other Gospel accounts tell us they were waving palm branches and laying down their cloaks – treating Jesus like a king. It’s as if they were rolling out the red carpet. Palm branches symbolized victory – which is why they shouted: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” But here was the problem: They were right in their words – but wrong in their expectations. They weren’t worshiping Jesus for who He truly was. They were celebrating who they hoped He would be – a political deliverer, a national hero, a king who would overthrow Rome and restore their power. In other words, they just wanted a king who would serve their kingdom. The second group was the Pharisees. They were the ones who were sitting there, probably with their arms crossed – unimpressed by what they were seeing. They didn’t like what they saw because everything about Jesus threatened their authority and exposed their hearts. So, they said in verse 39, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” They couldn’t deny His wisdom and power – but they refused to submit to His authority. The third group was His disciples. They were the ones who had left everything to follow Jesus because they were confident that Jesus was the Promised Messiah. But even then, they still didn’t fully understand Him. Just one chapter earlier, Jesus told them He would suffer and die, but they didn’t get it – which means that as Jesus entered Jerusalem, they were probably thinking: “Well, this is it. This is the moment. He’s about to establish His Kingdom. He’ll lead us to overthrow Rome.” All that to say, all three groups misunderstood Jesus. They all had expectations of what the Messiah should be – but none of them saw Him for who He was. But by riding on a colt, what Jesus wanted to show them was that He wasn’t the King they expected. He wasn’t coming to crush Rome – He was coming to be crushed. He wasn’t coming to take a throne – He was coming to take a cross. He wasn’t coming to bring political freedom – He was coming to bring spiritual salvation. And this is where we begin to see the beauty of the gospel because the humility of Jesus is not weakness – it’s mercy. He didn’t come in power – not because He lacked it, but because if He had come in power, He would’ve come in judgment. And that judgment would’ve fallen on us, for we rebelled against Him. So instead, He came in a gentle and humble way: He came to die. Isaiah 53:7 says, “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.” Jesus entered Jerusalem not to sit on a throne but to be mocked, beaten, and crucified – to take our sin, to bear our judgment, and to give us life.
So now the question becomes: If this is the kind of King He is, can you trust Him? Because I know what some of you are thinking. “If I surrender, my life will fall apart.” “If I let go of control, things will get worse.” “How can I trust anyone? It’s all up to me to hold everything together.” But look at your King. He didn’t come to take from you – He came to give Himself for you. He didn’t come to oppress you but to free you. So, let me ask you: What kind of Jesus do you actually want? Do you want a Jesus who makes your life easier? Who removes your discomfort? Who gives you what you think you need? A Jesus who fixes your problems but never confronts your sin? Or do you want the real Jesus? The One who calls you to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him? Brothers and sisters, this is the King we can trust. What more do we need to see that He is truly for us? His death proves that His love for us is unconditional. If He died for us, then we know there’s nothing He’ll do that’s not ultimately for our good. Jesus may not be the King you expected, but He is exactly the King you need. Now, one thing I want to point out is that this humble King now calls us to follow Him in humility – which means that we ought to get off our thrones, lay down our pride, and stop living for ourselves. We cannot worship a humble King and live a proud life. Isaiah 66:2 says, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at My word.” Brothers and sisters, humility gets God’s attention. Power and arrogant confidence can get you people’s attention, but humility gets God’s attention. Whose attention matters more to you? Then, are you willing to humble yourself before Him and others? My prayer for you is that you would daily reflect on the wonder of the cross – experiencing His unending, unconditional love for you – as you continue to grow in humility.
3) THE WEEPING KING
Verse 41: “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.” We’re not told exactly where Jesus was standing – but He must have been at a place where He could see the whole city laid out before Him. And as He looked at it, He wept. Can you imagine that scene? Jesus, weeping. Think about how striking this moment is. Just moments earlier, the crowds were celebrating, and the disciples were rejoicing – voices lifted, cloaks spread, praise filling the air. And yet Jesus didn’t join the celebration. He just wept. Why? Verse 42: “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.” The people of Jerusalem were longing for peace. And that’s why they had been praying and waiting for the Messiah – the One who would finally make things right. And the truth is that He was standing right in front of them. But they missed Him. They were looking for political freedom, not spiritual salvation – a conquering king, not a suffering Savior. And Jesus was basically saying: “If only you knew the kind of peace you truly needed. What you’re longing for is too small – too temporary. What I came to give you is far greater – but you can’t see it because you’ve become blinded.” And that broke His heart. But something else grieved his heart. Verse 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.” Jesus knew that judgment was coming – and that Jerusalem would be destroyed. Verse 44: “They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Now, Jesus wasn’t saying that they failed to recognize the coming of the Messiah because there wasn’t enough evidence. In fact, the opposite was true. Throughout His ministry, Jesus had been revealing who He was – through His teaching, His miracles, and His authority. Then, the problem wasn’t a lack of light – but an unwillingness to receive it. The people were longing for a Messiah – but they had already decided what kind of Messiah they wanted. And when Jesus didn’t fit their expectations, they rejected Him. They saw Him – but they didn’t receive Him. They were near Him – but not surrendered to Him. They didn’t just misunderstand Him – they missed Him. And that’s what makes this so sobering – because it means that you can be near Jesus, hear His Word, even respond emotionally, and still miss Him.
Then, at this time, I want to speak to those who have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus. Friends, I don’t want you to miss Him. I don’t want you to miss what’s available in Christ. In Him is lasting joy, unconditional love, unshakable hope, peace that this world can never give, life and life to the full. And more than that – Jesus, the One who created and sustains the world, the One who rules over all things, the One who gave His life for you, the One who loves you to the end, the One who is even now praying for you – He wants to be your Savior, your Friend, your King. I really pray that you’ll have the eyes to see this – to see how wonderful an invitation this is. In fact, here’s what you need to see: Jesus’ first response to the people rejecting Him, failing to see Him for who He really is, wasn’t judgment – it was compassion. Jesus wept. Before destruction came, tears fell. Do you see that? This is the heart of our King. So, let me ask you: Have you truly recognized Him? Not just understood Him intellectually but received Him personally? There is a difference between admiring Jesus and submitting to Jesus, hearing Him and surrendering to Him, being near Him and knowing Him. In fact, remember what Jesus said in verse 40. When the Pharisees told Him to silence the crowd, He replied: “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Think about what that means. Jesus was saying that His kingship is so undeniable, so glorious, that even creation itself would testify if people refused. In other words,Jesus will be praised. The only question is: Will you be among those who praise Him? Or will you remain silent while the stones cry out in your place? So, don’t miss Him like the people in Jerusalem did. It’s no coincidence that you’re here today to hear this message. Then, don’t stand at a distance. Instead, join the praise – not just with your lips, but with your life. Recognize Him as your King. Trust Him as your Savior. Surrender to Him as your Lord, for He really is the King you need.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, Jesus is the Promised King – worthy of your surrender. The Humble King – safe to trust. The Weeping King – full of compassion for sinners like us. He will be praised – so don’t miss your place in that praise. Come to Him, trust Him, and give Him your life today.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) What does this passage show us about Jesus’ control over events leading to the cross? What does it mean that Jesus is not just Savior, but King (Zech. 9:9)? Where are you currently struggling to surrender control to Jesus? What would it look like for you to say this week, “Not my will, but Yours be done”?
2) What makes it hard for you to trust Jesus fully with your life? How does Jesus’ humility (riding a colt, going to the cross) help us see that He truly is a King we can trust?
3) What reasons does Jesus give for His sorrow in verses 42-44? How is it possible to be “near Jesus” but still miss Him? Have there been moments in your life where you were close to spiritual things – but not truly surrendered?
4) What does it reveal about Jesus that His first response to rejection was compassion, not judgment? How does knowing that Jesus weeps over sinners change how you see Him?
