The Implications of the Triumphal Entry
In 2024, Know Ministries had an opportunity to partner with Memphis Athletic Ministries to provide Bibles to children in Memphis, TN. The leaders told me stories of the lifestyle of some children in Memphis, TN, and it broke my heart. While I will not repeat what I heard, I will say that it is enough to make you realize the need to offer these children hope. I am thankful that Know Ministries partners with organizations like Memphis Athletic Ministries to provide Bibles to children while they connect with schools and neighborhoods daily to spread the Gospel message.
Recently, I was invited to share a devotional at Memphis Athletic Ministries’ staff meeting. I was tasked with speaking on the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. I was assigned to preach out of Mark 11:1-11. While it was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the leaders and plan further outreaches, I am thankful I could share how the Triumphal Entry has important implications on our lives as believers in Jesus.
The message of Jesus entering Jerusalem matters because it marks the beginning of the end of Jesus’s public ministry. His entry shows us that Jesus was different from worldly expectations. Jesus was different than the Messiah many were expecting. He came into Jerusalem as a king for some and a man who needed to be crucified for others. His entry makes us ask two questions.
What Kind of King Is Jesus in Your Life?'
Mark 11:9-10 reminds us that the Jews who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem did so by shouting “Hosanna,” waving palm branches, and laying clothes down in front of Him. There is a belief that those who shouted “Hosanna” were the same ones shouting “crucify.” I believed this for many years until I learned this was not necessarily true. Those who shouted “Hosanna” were the Galilean Jews I mentioned. They were sympathetic with Jesus and His ministry. The crowd that wanted to crucify Jesus came predominately from Judea and Jerusalem.
Which side are you on? Today, we see people separated on Jesus. Some praise Jesus, and others want nothing to do with Him. Is Jesus the kind of King you only go to when you want something and then put Him back on a shelf until He is necessary again? Or is Jesus the King you worship daily and depend on because you know you cannot depend on yourself?
How Does His Kingdom Differ from Your Worldly Expectations?
Jesus coming in on a colt was a sign of peace. He did not come in as a conquering general but as a suffering servant. This entry would have been different for a king than that of a Roman king.
Warren W. Wiersbe, in his commentary on the New Testament, says:
“The Romans were experts at parades and official public events. We call this event “The triumphal entry” but no Roman would have used that term. An official “Roman Triumph” was indeed something to behold! When a Roman general came back to Rome after a complete conquest of an enemy, he was welcomed home with an elaborate official parade. In the parade he would exhibit his trophies of war and the illustrious prisoners he had captured. The victorious general rode in a golden chariot, priests burned incense in his honor, and the people shouted his name and praised him. The procession ended at the arena, where the people were entertained by watching the captives fight with the wild beasts. That was a “Roman Triumph.”
It was very different from our Savior's peaceful, triumphant entry. This difference shows us that His Kingdom differs from worldly expectations.
The Jews in Mark 11 shouted for Jesus to be “Blessed.” This term in the Greek means to speak well of, to extol. Do you speak well of your King? Do you extol your King? Or do you shy away from Jesus like the Jewish leaders because He is not what you expected?
Some people today do not see Jesus as King. Some people today have an expectation that Jesus is not God’s Son, does not care about them, has too many rules, etc. But we know that Jesus is alive. We know Jesus died on the cross for our sins. We know Jesus rose from the grave, proving He is God’s Son and conquering death. We know Jesus forgives us of our sins. We know Jesus extends His grace to us.
This is the King who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. He came in peace. He came to establish His Kingdom, which is alive today. He accomplished His mission. He did so to give you the opportunity to make Him King of your life and to show you how to live a life that does not conform to worldly expectations that draw you away from glorifying God.