Your King Comes
Matthew 21:1-9
November 30, 2025 anno Domini
A thousand years before Jesus rode into Jerusalem King David was dying. His oldest son Adonijah was planning to be king. He prepared chariots and horsemen and fifty mighty men to run ahead of him. He invited almost all of David’s cabinet to help in the transition of power, all except the “never-Adonijahs.”
But you don’t remember Adonijah because he didn’t become king. You remember Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba. While Adonijah was planning to become king with a show of strength and glory, Solomon became king in quite a different way. He rode into Jerusalem on David’s own mule. His arrival was announced with a trumpet and the call, “Long live Solomon.” He wasn’t accompanied by horses and chariots and mighty men, but by the people, playing pipes and rejoicing with great joy.
God did not want His Old Testament people to have a king, but He wouldn’t have joined the “no kings” protests. He was to be their king. He wanted to rule them and fight for them, but Israel whined and moaned like a 7 year old in the toy section. “Everyone else has a king. I want a king too.” God finally relented. He allowed their evil so He could work a great good. They had their first king in Saul who failed them and whose sons were evil and not chosen as king. Then they had David the adulterer and murderer. Then they had Solomon who was incredibly wise, but not ultimately wise – Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He married a lot of those women to form alliances with ungodly nations. They turned his heart away from the Lord and after Solomon Israel was nation divided.
All of that lies behind Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. Zechariah, another Old Testament guy, a prophet, tells us what this is about, “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The kings of the Old Testament were to be the Lord’s kings, to live under the Lord and for the people. Just like His people, His kings were not to be like every the kings of the world. Their job was not to make Israel great again, but to lead Israel in being faithful. Instead Israel’s kings set their minds on greatness, on earthly power. Israel ended up taken captive, then Jerusalem fell, then the temple was destroyed. For around 500 years there were no kings from Israel – in Israel – for Israel – until Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem – the city of David, the King of the Jews.
Today is the first Sunday of a new church year — the first Sunday of Advent. The first Gospel reading of this New Year is St. Matthew’s record of Jesus coming into Jerusalem. Five days later Jesus would be dead. Six days later He would rest in His tomb. Seven days later He would arise to live and reign for all eternity. This first reading on this first Sunday should tell you something God’s King and His rule over you. Jesus isn’t like any other king and His kingdom isn’t like any other kingdom. Your king comes to die, for you.
He rides a humble animal because He is a humble king. We don’t consider humiliation good – but Jesus humbles Himself, not that He makes a fool of Himself, but that He lowers Himself. He puts Himself under His creation, under human flesh, under you. He doesn’t always use His Divine Power. He could have come into Jerusalem riding the clouds with the angels in rank and file. He could have flattened the temple and sent the Jewish council, the Roman Governor, and troops running. He could climbed into the ring with Satan and pummeled him to hell. Instead, He humbles Himself to wash the feet of His disciples and to serve them His body and blood in His New Testament. He lets a friend betray Him and solders arrest Him, and a couple of fake news courtrooms convict Him. But that isn’t the ultimate humiliation. He humbles Himself by bearing the load of your sins. He says to His Father, “Take My life instead of his. I’ll die for her.” He willingly suffers God’s anger and then gladly gives Himself to death and the Devil for you and your salvation.
Jesus rules not in power and might, but in suffering and humility. Your sin is forgiven by the shedding of His blood. You will breathe forever because He breathed His last. Your grave will open to the bright light of the resurrection, because He endured the dark eternity of hell on the cross. Now you know why your King comes humble and mounted on a donkey.
The whole world is going to celebrate Jesus’ birth in a few weeks. We should call it Christ-mas. But we would not celebrate His birth if it wasn’t for His death and resurrection. Many of us put out a Nativity set at Christmas. Some of us put out several. It’s a great teaching tool when your children or grandchildren play with it. There’s something about the baby in the manger. But do any of you own a crucifix? Why not? Fisher Price makes a Little People Nativity Set with a baby Jesus, but I doubt they’ll ever market the Easter set with bloody bodies, crosses, and a little cave to lay Jesus in.
God’s King, the only One who can rule for life, came to die. Jesus is conceived so He can be crucified. He enters the womb so His body can rest in the tomb. He descends to earth in the flesh so that you can ascend to heaven in your flesh. He goes to Bethlehem and to Jerusalem so He can come to you in Saint Cloud – in His true body and true blood – His risen and living body and blood. He came from heaven so you could have His gifts on earth – forgiveness for your sins, eternal life, the resurrection of your body.
His kingdom is not of the world. He isn’t seeking His glory, honor, or wealth. He seeks your glory before the Father and seeks to give you the riches of heaven. Jesus doesn’t own anything – He borrows the donkey and returns it, like He borrows a room for the Passover meal. He borrows five loaves and two fish and returns them with leftovers. He borrows some water at the wedding in Cana and returns it in $150 a bottle Cabernets. He borrows water in your baptism and washes away your sins.
That borrowed donkey is a good reminder for us in Advent. There is perhaps no other time of the year where we set our eyes and appetites on things below. In the next three weeks we will eat too much, drink too much, spend too much, and hope too much in the things of the world. We’ll crown the things of the world king for a day to escape our own failures, dull our consciences, try to make peace with those we have hurt and make pleasure in the midst of sadness and loneliness.
Repent. Nothing you see with your eyes or consume with your body will satisfy your desire for your life to be ruled by peace or hope or joy. Behold your King comes to you – He came in the flesh. He came to the cross. He came out of the grave. He comes now, unseen under humble bread and wine, with His body and blood. He would be your King – reigning over you with forgiveness for your sins, bringing you true brothers and sisters in the communion of saints, making peace with those who have hurt you, and giving you joy in the future and certain hope of the resurrection. He came once in the flesh. He comes now in Word and Sacrament with His reign and riches. He is coming again to bring you into the new heavens and the new earth. Behold your King comes In the name of Jesus. Amen.