Palm Sunday

By Johnny McClaughlin

A mere ten months ago Prince Charles was crowned King Charles III at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May 2023. This was the first Coronation in nearly 70 years and was accompanied by a vast array of pomp and pageantry. Depending on your national or political persuasion, however, many people had different responses to the Coronation. And this was no different to how people felt about Jesus as the crowds packed together along the tight streets while he made his way over the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem, and down Palm Sunday Road into the heart of the ancient city.

The Old Testament prophet Zechariah spoke of this day in Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly…See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey…” Yet, there was such a mixed reaction to His arrival. So, the question confronts us like the crowds this Easter, how will we respond to the true King?

The story reveals at least three different types of reactions. First, consider the disciples in Luke 19:28–34, who show genuine devotion to Jesus by following his unusual instructions by commandeering a colt from another village, so that Jesus can fulfil the Old Testament prophecies with their rich imagery about his journey into Jerusalem.

Second, consider the crowds in Luke 19:35–40 who want to be entertained. The sense of anticipation in Jerusalem had reached fever pitch as Jesus was greeted like an Old Testament king (1 Kings 1:33). Yet, by the end of the week, the same people who had cried out in Matthew 19:8, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”, had cast their vote against Jesus to be crucified. Like the crowds, we must not seek Jesus to be entertained or to follow Jesus so that he might give us what we desire, but to worship Him for who He is.

Third, consider the Pharisees in Luke 19:39–48 who want to be King themselves. Rather than caring for the flock, the religious leaders were using their power and influence by fleecing and abusing the sheep entrusted into their care. They did all in their power that week to extinguish King Jesus so that they could continue to have lordship over the people.

While the cameras at Westminster Abbey were keen to pan the audience and garner as many shots of the great and the good invited to this historic coronation of King Charles, the majority of the broadcast was focused on every movement of the king himself. This Easter week, let us not take our eyes off Jesus. Rather, let us respond in true worship and adoration, because he had set his face like flint to get to the city at this time of Passover, so that he could fulfil his mission as the servant King who had come to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).