On Palm Sunday Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem and claimed the identity of a king. The crowd yelled, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” What does it mean to say that Jesus is your king?
A king is a leader with absolute power. A king can do whatever he wants. When Jesus let everyone know that he was king, he was claiming power and authority for himself.
There can only be one king. There is no job-sharing with kings. There are no co-kings. When Jesus took the role of king, it meant that no one else could be king. Not Herod. Not Caesar. It is liberating to accept Jesus as your king, for it frees you fear of the rulers of this world.
Jesus is a different kind of king. Most kings, emperors, or dictators are pretty much the same. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Not so Jesus. Most kings are domineering and use you for their purposes. Jesus is humble and sacrifices for your sake. If Jesus is your king, it makes you a different person, a better person.
On that first Palm Sunday, the crowds placed their cloaks in the road as a kind of red carpet for Jesus. That was no small sacrifice on their part. The people were in for Jesus. Be all in for Jesus. He will give your life direction. He will set you free. He will give you peace.
In our sermon this Sunday we will talk about the king who calls you.