Readings: Isaiah 2:1-5 | Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14 | Matthew 21:1-11
Text: Matthew 21:1-11
This time of looking forward to Christmas is called Advent (from the Latin for arrival). It’s called that because it’s about Jesus’ coming. He came in lowliness in the manger at Bethlehem, just as was promised. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) He will come again in great glory, just as was promised. “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)
With all that in mind, Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem has been chosen to commence this sacred season. In Matthew’s account, there are rich connections to what the Lord had promised and was now accomplishing—from the direct reference to Zechariah 9 to the crowds singing Psalm 118:25-26 to Jesus.
When Jesus enters Jerusalem, He shows us what sort of King He is.
He comes in lowliness: “Humble and mounted on a donkey”
Many despised His weakness, and the crowds of lowly rabble who attended Him—the blind and lame, children, those who were believing witnesses of His saving works, and known sinners. Yet, it is these whom He welcomes to Himself.
“25I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Matt. 11:25-26)
Yet, He has great power to save: Hosanna to the Lord of Hosts,[1] save us we pray!
He alone has the power to deliver us from our enemies:
- He slays the ancient serpent the devil and all his hosts. He commands and they obey.[2]
- He has the authority to overturn the power of sin and declare a sinner righteous before God. “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2).
- He has the power even over the grave to order our release and death itself must yield. Lazarus, come out! Young man, I say to you arise! She is not dead, but sleeping.[3]
So, He came to Jerusalem and there accomplished all that was necessary for our salvation. Where does that leave us today?
We also anticipate His coming, yet it is His final arrival and the redemption of our bodies.[4]
What will happen on the great Day of the Lord?
- Sin will have no more power over us. It will finally no longer be, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”[5] but instead,
“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”[6]
- The devil will be out of the scene forever. He will no longer “prowl around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The Lord will tear out the fangs of the lion[7] so that he can never again attack God’s holy people.
- Death will be stripped of its power over us. “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”[8]
We live between His two comings: The first when He disarmed these powers for all who believe, the second coming when our victory will be complete. Those two advents meet in here in the Divine Service.
Here, sins are forgiven on earth as they are in heaven. The peace He won with His first coming is delivered like a preview of the Last Day Judgment.
“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”[9]
Here, the saints on earth sing the praises of the heavenly choir with glory to God in the highest and extolling the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
In the Lord’s Supper, we take a place at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb.[10] Even though we are a people of unclean lips, the holy, holy, holy Lord of Hosts touches our lips and cleanses us with His Body and Blood. That’s why we also join in the song of the saints in Jerusalem and sing Hosanna to the Son of David.
Our Lord has come and will come again. He is our mighty King, dressed in the splendid robes of holiness, but also in our flesh. Hosanna to the King who comes again in power and great glory to bring us an everlasting victory in His Kingdom!
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
[1] Psalm 118:25 – “Save us, we pray, yhwh! yhwh, we pray, give us success!”
[2] Mark 1:27
[3] John 11:43, Luke 7:14, Luke 8:52
[4] Romans 8:23
[5] Romans 7:14, 19
[6]1 Corinthians 15:54-57
[7] 1 Peter 5:8; Psalm 58:6
[8] Revelation 1:17-18
[9] Matthew 18:18
[10] Revelation 19:9, Matthew 22:2-13
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