To worship means to ascribe worth to a person or thing. When someone captures a majestic mountain scene, enlarges the photo and hangs it in a nice frame on the wall – they are ascribing worth. When someone spends thousands of dollars on a signed Patrick Mahomes jersey and carefully arranges it in a glass case – they are ascribing worth. Each of us has a constellation of people, objects and ideas which we consider worthy. Most of us have one thing which is weightier than the others. It becomes the center of gravity all other worthy things revolve around.
What’s that thing in your life?
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, which we will look at in Luke 19, was a very deliberate demonstration of His right to claim that central place in our lives.
King of the Physical World
In this passage Jesus sent his two disciples to collect a donkey, foretelling the details they would encounter along the way, which demonstrated that he is king over the natural world. Not only did he have the foreknowledge of the disciples’ circumstances, he also had a power over the natural world, which he demonstrated by calmly riding an unbroken colt. Jesus is worthy of holding a central place in our hearts because he knows our circumstances and holds them in the palm of his hands.
King of History
Luke 19 also reveals that Jesus is king over human history through the perfect fulfillment of specific prophecies from the Old Testament. Genesis 49 and Zechariah 9 establish one of the many specific details which mark the future man who would be the great King – he would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. This example, in addition to a large number of details which fulfilled specific prophecies, demonstrated that Jesus is king over human history. In the coming days after the triumphal entry, the disciples would watch in horror as circumstances spiraled out of control. Yet Jesus demonstrated a calm mastery over every detail. Jesus is worthy of holding a central place in our hearts because he has mastery over every detail of human history.
King of Justice and Compassion
Finally, the triumphal entry demonstrates that Jesus is king of both justice and compassion. The first thing Jesus did upon entering Jerusalem during a moment of peak national and religious pride was turn a sword on his own people. He did not condemn Roman occupation, the seemingly obvious move, but instead turned to condemn the sin in the hearts of his own people. There is no ethnicity, no religion, no tribe which can lay claim to Jesus. He stands above us all. We all stand under the sharp edge of his justice. But that wasn’t the end of the story. We also see Jesus looking over the crowds in Jerusalem and weeping with intense emotion, flowing with compassionate love for his people. They would not listen to his words that week, they would seek to silence his unwanted interruption of their lives. They would seek to destroy him. And he would use that very act to love them and graciously make a way for their salvation. In Jesus we find a solution to the only real problem each of us has – our own hearts.
To bow the knee to Jesus as King is to find a center of gravity strong and safe enough to bring peace and order to the most anxious and broken heart.
He’s the King of the natural world. He’s the King of human history. He’s the King of justice and compassion.
Is He your King?
Tom Brown is the planting pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Wichita. Tom and his wife, Mandy, have worked together in ministry for 18 years and have four children. More about Pastor Tom Brown