April 13, 2025 // Palm Sunday
Luke 19:28-40
“In the King’s Presence”
Service Overview: Jesus entered Jerusalem to the sound of joyful praise—but not everyone welcomed Him. In Luke 19:28-40, we see a King who comes in humility, yet with unstoppable authority. Will we worship or resist Him?
Memory Verse for the Week:
Luke 9:23 (NIV) – “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Background & Technical Insights:
- By this juncture in the Third Gospel, Jerusalem has been vested with monumental significance. It is foremost the place of destiny, the goal to which Jesus has been headed on account of his submission to the divine plan (e.g., 9:31, 51; 13:31-35; 18:31-34). (Joel B. Green, Luke, 693)
- The disciples had by now been warned against wrong expectations of what would happen to Jesus in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, he prepared to enter the city in an unusual way. He mounted a colt and rode from Bethphage and Bethany, which were two villages east of the Mount of Olives, down the slope of the hill and towards the city. Spreading clothes on the road was a sign of greeting to a ruler (cf. 2 Ki. 9:13). (D.A. Carson, New Bible Commentary, 1010)
- (19:38) With the addition of “the king,” the first part of the people’s cry is taken from Psalm 118:26. The Hallel, composed of Psalms 113–118, was sung regularly during Passover season and would be fresh on everyone’s mind; later generations applied these psalms to the future redemption for which they hoped. Jesus will cite the psalm messianically in Luke 20:17. (Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary New Testament, 380)
- The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem for His final week of ministry, followed by His torture and death, is commonly referred to as the Triumphal Entry. There were crowds and shouts of acclamation and demonstrations of allegiance to Him as Messiah. But when He turned out to be the wrong kind of Messiah, fulfilling God’s will, not man’s expectations, the issue was a lonely gallows. This was really the tragic entry. (William E. McCumber, Matthew, 157)
- Whereas Jesus by riding the donkey implies his renunciation of revolutionary aspirations, the crowd’s use of palm branches, an allusion to the Maccabean triumphs, implies that they still see him in more revolutionary messianic terms (1 Macc 13:51; 2 Macc 10:7; Rev 7:9; Cullmann 1956b:38; Stauffer 1960:110). (Craig S. Keener, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, Matthew, 318)
- “Hosanna!” and “Blessed is he who comes in the Lord’s name!” both derive from Ps 118 (vv. 25 and 26 respectively), which was the last and longest of the Hallel psalms (113-118) traditionally chanted at the major festivals in Jerusalem. (R.T. France, New International Commentary on the New Testament, Matthew, 700)
What kind of king did Jesus come to be?
- One who comes in humility, yet with authority.
(vv. 28–35 | Is. 42:1–4; 53:2–3; Zech. 9:9; Luke 1:32–33; Phil. 2:6–8; Rev. 5:5)
The very word authority has within it the word author. An author is someone who creates and possesses a particular work. Insofar as God is the foundation of all authority, He exercises that foundation because He is the author and the owner of His creation. He is the foundation upon which all other authority stands or falls. (R.C. Sproul, The Divine Foundation of Authority, Tabletalk, March, 2009, p. 6)
Officials used donkeys for civil, not military, processions (1 Kings 1:38). Thus this text is not a triumphal entry in the sense of Roman triumphal processions; it is Jerusalem’s reception of a meek and peaceful king. Jesus chooses to define his kingship in terms of Zechariah 9:9, not the commonly expected role of warrior Messiah. (Craig S. Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary, 379)
In this acted parable, Jesus interpreted His messiahship. He was the Prince of Peace, who came to bring the peace of God to the troubled hearts of men. They hailed Him as a King, but did not really understand the meaning of that lowly entry amid the praise. The Messiah of peace rules with the authority of suffering love and lowly servanthood. (Reuben Welch, Beacon Bible Expositions, Vol. 3, 181)
- One who deserves praise, even when it’s unpopular.
(vv. 36–38 | 2 Sam. 6:14; Psalm 118:25–26; Isaiah 6:3; Hebrews 13:15; Revelation 7:9–10)
There is a subtle tension within Zechariah’s description of this messianic king: he is victorious and yet meek, and his triumph is received rather than won (“vindicated and saved”). He rides a donkey rather than a warhorse, and his kingdom will be one of peace rather than of coercion. When Jesus chose this oracle to enact as he approached the city, he was thus claiming to be the Messiah, but not the sort of Messiah much popular patriotism might have hoped for. (R.T. France, New International Commentary on the New Testament, Matthew, 697)
Seek first the kingdom of wealth and you’ll worry over every dollar. Seek first the kingdom of health and you’ll sweat every blemish and bump. Seek first the kingdom of popularity, and you’ll relive every conflict. Seek first the kingdom of safety, and you’ll jump at every crack of the twig. But seek first His kingdom and you will find it. On that, we can depend and never worry. (Lucado, Fearless, 51)
- One who confronts allegiances.
(vv. 39–40 | Mat. 7:21; 10:38–39; Luke 6:46; John 14:15; Col. 3:17; Ja. 1:22; Rev. 3:15–16)
Even today many people call themselves Christians but have not pressed far enough in Jesus’ teachings to understand the real character of his lordship or his demands on their lives. The praises of the masses are good, but it is the disciples who truly submit to Christ’s will—those who read his kingship in light of the cross—who will carry out his purposes in the world. (Craig S. Keener, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, Matthew, 318)
Conclusion… What kind of King does Jesus deserve to be in our lives?
- One who rules every part of our lives—not just the convenient ones.
(Prov. 3:5–6; Luke 9:23; Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 10:31; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:22–24; Col. 3:17)
The gospel is about much more than how we get saved and go to heaven. The gospel is about the work of Christ saturating every aspect of our lives. (Voddie Baucham, What He Must Be, 59)
This is the stunning message of Christianity; Jesus died for you so that He might live in you. Jesus doesn’t merely improve your old nature; He imparts to you and entirely new nature – one that is completely united with His. (David Platt, Follow Me, 65)
- One who is honored by how we live, not just what we say.
(Micah 6:8; Mat. 5:16; 7:21; John 14:15; Col. 1:10; James 1:22; 1 Peter 2:12; 1 John 3:18)
We are to reflect Christ in all that we say and do. And the Christ of Scripture is the humble, suffering servant who, in spite of great opposition, false accusations, and public ridicule, remained faithful to the heavenly calling. (David Hegg, Appointed to Preach, 70)
It is inconceivable that a person could fall in love with the Redeemer in the biblical sense and not long to be conformed to the object of that affection. (John Hannah, To God be the Glory, 38)
The sense of our Lord’s Jesus Christ’s perfect knowledge of all our ways ought to have the same effect upon our hearts. Let us do nothing we would not like Christ to see, and say nothing we would not like Christ to hear; let us seek to live and move and have our being under a continual recollection of Christ’s presence; let us behave as we would have done had we walked beside him in the company of James and John, by the sea of Galilee. (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Matthew, 172)
- One who is boldly declared and faithfully followed, no matter the cost.
(Mat. 10:32–33; Luke 14:27; Acts 4:20; Rom. 1:16; Phil. 1:20; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15)
God wants us to be dependable even when it costs us. This is what distinguishes godly faithfulness from the ordinary dependability of secular society. (Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, 151)
Christ’s people must have bold, unflinching lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and Christ and His truth beyond all the world. (C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening, Morning April 5)
Gospel Connection…
The King who entered Jerusalem in humility went on to lay down His life in love—so that rebels could be redeemed, and worshipers could be made whole. He is worthy of more than our words of praise—He is worthy of our lives.
(John 10:11; Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 1:4; Phil. 2:6–11; Col. 1:13–14; Heb. 12:2; 1 Peter 2:24)
By His death on the Cross, Christ has become the Lamb that was slain for us, our Redeemer, the One who has made peace between us and God, who has taken our guilt on Himself, who has conquered our most deadly enemy and has assuaged the well-deserved wrath of God. (Mark Dever, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, 75)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- Jesus entering Jerusalem caused a stir—He confronted people’s expectations and loyalties. What are some modern-day “allegiances” Jesus still confronts?
- How can we honor Jesus in the way we live, not just in what we say or sing on Sunday? Can you think of a recent example?
- What does it look like to follow Jesus boldly and faithfully, even when it costs something? Can you share a time when you (or someone you know) chose Jesus over comfort or approval? The gospel reminds us that the King laid down His life for rebels. How does that truth impact your view of God—and of yourself?
- What would it look like for you to go from being a “Palm Sunday worshiper” (words and excitement) to a Holy Week disciple (devotion, surrender, and trust—even when it’s hard)?
Quotes to note…
Following Jesus doesn’t just entail sacrificial abandonment of our lives; it requires supreme affection from our hearts. If we think it is unfair for us to be represented by Adam, then we should also think it is unfair for us to be represented by Christ and to have His righteousness imputed to us by God. (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 495)
The kings and rulers and presidents of this fallen world exercise their authority out of a deep sense of self-promotion, out of a deep sense of wanting to be number one, out of a deep sense of self-preservation, even out of a deep sense of entitlement. By contrast, Jesus exercises his authority in such a way as to seek the good of his subjects, and that takes him, finally, to the cross. He did not come to be served, as if that were an end in itself; even in his sovereign mission he comes to serve – to give his life as a ransom for many. Those who exercise any authority at any level in the kingdom in which Jesus is King must serve the same way – not with implicit demand of self-promotion, confidence in their right to rule, or desire to sit at Jesus‘s right hand or his left hand, but with a passion to serve. (D. A. Carson, Scandalous, 20)
We realize that He is not merely a personal Lord and Savior who is worthy of individual approval. Ultimately, Jesus is the cosmic Lord and Savior who is worthy of everyone’s eternal praise. (David Platt, Follow Me, 77)
The people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They expected him to be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory; thus, they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus’ real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people would turn against him. A similar crowd would cry out, “Crucify him!” when Jesus stood on trial only a few days later. (Grant Osborne, Life Application Bible Commentary, Matthew, 410)
The people wanted Jesus on their own terms, and they would not bow to a King who was not of their liking, even though He were the Son of God. They wanted Jesus to destroy Rome but not their cherished sins or their hypocritical, superficial religion. But He would not deliver them on their terms, and they would not be delivered on His. He was not a Messiah who came to offer a panacea of external peace in the world but to offer the infinitely greater blessing of internal peace with God. (John MacArthur, Matthew, 1559)
[Jesus] came as an uncommon King. He does not ride in an ornate chariot, nor is He mounted on a war steed. He rides a donkey. Royal vestments are not flung upon His mount or in His path, but the homespun cloaks of peasants. He is meek and His mission is peaceful. He offers himself as One who will conquer, not by force of arms, but by love. (William E. McCumber, Matthew, 158)
Christ died not in order to make God love us, but because He did love His people. Calvary is the supreme demonstration of Divine love. Whenever you are tempted to doubt the love of God, Christian reader, go back to Calvary. (A.W. Pink, The Attributes of God, 81)