日期﹕ 04/01/2007

經文﹕ < 路加福音 >19 ﹕ 28-40

題目﹕一個旅程

主旨﹕因為耶穌是王﹐沒有任何人與事物可以阻攔他的見證人。

引言﹕

當我們提到旅 程 的時候﹐許多人會回想起 2005 年 9 月的那段經歷。當颱風 Rita 來襲的時候﹐ 300 萬輛汽車試圖離開休斯頓前往達拉斯﹐奧斯丁或者其他週邊城市。平時只需 4 個小時的旅程要花超過 32 個小時才能抵達目的地。許多人請求他們在其他城市的朋友用衛星導航系統設計路線和指路。在那次逃難過程中﹐也發生了一些令人悲痛的事故﹐包括一輛大巴士起火導致車上許多老人死亡。我花了 8 個小時從 Sugar Land 開到 99 號公路和 I-10 的交叉口。我們決定掉頭回家﹐回程只花了 20 分鐘。那真是一場惡夢啊 ! 每個人都對那次經歷記憶猶新。

這段經文也描述了一個旅程﹐這是一個耶穌完成在世上事奉 之前 的旅程。 < 路加福音 > 共有 24 章﹐其中有 10 章都是有關這個旅程的記載。這是一個從加利利通向耶路撒冷長達 65 英里的旅程。

今天﹐我們重點來看耶穌在抵達目的地耶路撒冷時所發生的事件。我想做幾個觀察﹐並且和大家探討一下這個旅程對於今天的我們有什麼意義。路加的描述非常詳細。學習這段經文或者整本 < 路加福音 > 就好像在剝洋蔥皮一樣﹐要一片一片地剝開。不僅如此﹐我們注意到這一片一片的洋蔥皮是彼此相連的。

I•耶穌自訂他事奉的方向與議程。

在 28 節﹐我們讀到﹕“說完這些話，耶穌走在前頭，上耶路撒冷去。” 這個旅程的開始可以追溯到 9 ﹕ 51 的記載﹕ “耶穌被接升天的日子快到了，他決心朝耶路撒冷去。” 為了讓讀者能了解這個重點﹐路加前後四次提醒讀者有關耶穌的這個旅程 (13:22 ﹐ 17:11 ﹐ 18:31 和 19:28) 。在前往耶路撒冷的旅途中﹐耶穌教導群眾﹐醫治病人﹐應對當 政治 和宗教權威的刁難﹐但是沒有任何人或事能夠攔阻他的前行。

在耶穌的目的地耶路撒冷有什麼 特徵 呢﹖耶路撒冷有神殿﹐那座城市 象徵 著神的居所﹐那裡也是神掌權的地方。耶路撒冷是當時的政治中心﹐受到希律王的統治。那裡是宗教和文化的中心。猶太人聚集在耶路撒冷慶祝他們的宗教節日﹕逾越節和五旬節。那裡成為政要和權貴們彙集的地方。

但是﹐對於耶穌來說﹐耶路撒冷不僅只是個政治和宗教的中心。他在世的時候﹐曾經三次對門徒說人子要受苦﹐被處死﹐死后三天將復活。他要被人出賣﹐交給耶路撒冷的統治者。對他來說﹐這是一個充滿矛盾和衝突的旅程。換句話說﹐耶穌清楚地知道通往耶路撒冷的路就是一條通往死亡的路。先是受苦﹐然後被處死﹐最後從死里復活。然而﹐他依然矢志不渝地前去耶路撒冷。在其他福音書裡﹐我們看到門徒甚至因為他的決定感到害怕。

如果我們明知在目的地等待我們的是麻煩和痛苦﹐那麼沒有人還會願意去走那個旅程。然而﹐耶穌自訂了他的議程以及他在世上的事奉方向﹐沒有任何東西能夠阻擋他實現這個目標。

我想到 19 世紀英國的 Wiberforce 。在他年輕的時候﹐有一天他走在回家的路上﹐看到幾個工人在一個窮人區搬運棺材。棺材被放在一輛馬車上向山下去。突然馬車被絆了一下﹐棺材掉落到地上﹐裡面的屍體也滾落在地。這些搬運棺材的工人一個個都有些醉意﹐看到這一幕以後開始哈哈大笑。 Wilberforce 看到以後感到非常氣 忿 。從此以後﹐他決心要醫治英國社會的疾病。他後來成為議會成員﹐通過了旨在保障人人平等﹐維護個人尊嚴的法案。他窮盡畢生精力﹐使得英國通過廢除奴隸的議案。在他的一生中﹐曾經多次遇到反對和打擊﹐他本人也有好幾次差點放棄。但是﹐在朋友的鼓勵下﹐依靠著對神的信心﹐他堅持捍衛他的人生理想。廢除奴隸的法案在他臨終前三個月終於獲議會通過。他制定了自己的議程和人生目標﹐並且堅持到底。

那麼我們呢﹖我們的生命之旅要通往何處﹖我們是不是安于隨波逐流﹖是否在金錢和權力上貪得無厭﹖是否凡事沒有主見﹐ 隨波逐流 ﹖是的﹐對於所有基督徒來說﹐我們的終及目標是要成為像基督一樣的人。但是﹐生命中也有一些因人而議的個人目標。有人把畢生精力奉獻給慈善事業﹔有人在生命的不同階段回應神的呼召進入全職事奉﹔也有人立志幫助 危機懷孕 的媽媽 將嬰兒保留下來 。我也想到許多經濟富余的人幫助貧困地區建立學校和孤兒院。我依然清晰地記得 25 被按立牧師 時﹐我的教授鼓勵我﹕ William ﹐你要 傳講神的話 。你要去 作 神 話語的傳遞者 。這番鼓勵成為我在其後 25 年事奉中的支柱和動力。你生命的議程和目的又是什麼呢﹖

II•因耶穌是王﹐所以他自訂事奉的方向與議程。

眾門徒在 這 旅程中扮演什麼角色呢﹖他們跟著耶穌一路同行。門徒對於去權力中心耶路撒冷並不反對。他們甚至暗地裡希望到那裡以後﹐耶穌會被立為以色列的王﹐ 拯救 他們擺脫羅馬人的統治。他們可不喜歡耶穌先被交給耶路撒冷的當權者﹐然後受到迫害甚至最後還要被處死的議程。即便耶穌多次告訴他們死後三天他會復活﹐這些預言好像並沒有被眾門徒所領會。路加特別提到門徒不明白耶穌的話。

但是一路走來﹐ 門徒 聽到許多耶穌借比喻所施行的教導。他們親眼見到耶穌行的神跡﹕驅趕惡靈﹐使癱子行走﹐治好 水臌 的人﹐使 10 個 長大痳風 病人痊癒﹐令瞎眼的看見。所有神跡都清楚地表明﹕耶穌是上帝的兒子﹐是舊約所預言的彌撒亞。耶穌吩咐門徒為他牽來一匹驢。眾門徒一定會像我們一樣感到困惑不解﹕是不是耶穌已經事先跟主人商量好了﹖還是又一次彰顯了他的能力和權柄呢﹖

當他們一行人快進入耶路撒冷的時候﹐眾人的態度好像發生了一些變化。他們把自己的衣服搭在驢背上﹐讓耶穌騎上﹐把衣服鋪在路上 ---- 這個舉動 象徵 著歡迎君王凱旋歸來。然後他們大聲讚美神﹕“願上帝賜福給奉主名來的君王！天上有和平，榮耀歸於至高上帝 ! ” 門徒們在這裡引用的是 < 詩篇 >118 篇 。他們此時已經認出耶穌就是舊約中所預言的君王。對於他們來說﹐耶穌前往耶路撒冷的旅程 越來越 實現 在 那 尊貴的城 裡將 有一君 王的 成立 。

我想這一點不難理解。你的朋友邀請你加入他們的旅行。你起先不是很情願﹐但還是勉勉強強跟著去了。一路下來﹐你開始發現這確實是一個令人愉快的旅程﹐並且慶幸自己還好沒有錯過。在旅程開始的時候﹐門徒們並不希望耶穌去耶路撒冷面對迫害和死亡。但是﹐當他們快到達終點的時候﹐即使 是很 有限的 認識 ﹐他們 也 認出了耶穌的君王身份。

那麼﹐耶穌是如何回應 門徒 的讚美呢﹖我們看到法利賽人要求耶穌責備他的門徒﹐令他們安靜下來。他們恐怕這十二個人的讚美會在耶路撒冷吸引其他人一起加入。但是﹐耶穌並沒有制止眾門徒﹐他接受了他們對一位君王的讚美。 這就是他前往耶路撒冷的目的 . 在這城裡祂要被認為是君王 . 在這裡祂要得到天上地下一切的權柄 . 但在這之前 , 祂必須受苦 , 被釘十字架 , 死了 , 第三天從死裡復活 . 我們在 19:38-39 所念的 , 只不過是這過程的開始而已 . 是的 , 祂是為了成王而來到耶路撒冷 .

但 耶穌又是一位不同尋常的君王。為什麼這麼說呢﹖首先﹐他騎著一頭驢進入權力中心耶路撒冷。在當時﹐君王是不騎驢的﹐他們總是騎馬進城。因此﹐從來沒有人聽說過一個君王會騎著一匹驢來到猶太人的權力中心。你能否想象 2009 年 1 月新當選的美國總統乘坐西南航空公司的飛機進入華盛頓的達拉斯國際機場﹖飛機上還畫著海豚﹖然而﹐耶穌就是騎著一匹驢進入了上帝之城 ---- 耶路撒冷。驢 象徵 著謙卑與和平。 耶路撒冷也是和平之城 .

更有甚者﹐這匹驢是向別人借來的。這位君王甚至沒有自己的驢。這令我們想到耶穌的出生地 ---- 馬槽。他沒有安身之處﹐只能被生在一個馬槽里。以色列的王並沒有在權力和榮耀的環繞下進入耶路撒冷﹐他也不是來這裡報復先前所遭受的錯待﹔相反﹐耶穌帶著平安和謙卑進城了。他來是為了令上帝和人們和好。他來到世上﹐通過受苦﹐受死以及復活把神的子民帶回天家。他是一位帶著謙卑來到他子民中的君王。他來不是為了受人服事﹐而是為了事奉別人﹐做眾人的贖罪祭。這一切肯定了他是君王的身份﹐因此﹐他自訂事奉的方向和議程。

他 既 是王﹐我們該怎麼回應他呢﹖

III•耶穌既是王﹐他要求被造之物不得不回應他。

現在﹐讓我們看看耶穌和法利賽人之間的對話。法利賽人要求耶穌命令他的門徒安靜 . 19:39, “群眾中有幾個法利賽人對他說：“先生，責備你的門徒吧！ 。他們害怕耶路撒冷的人群會加入門徒的隊伍﹐由此招惹羅馬政府的介入﹐給這座城市帶來麻煩。在其他福音書裡﹐我們讀到﹕耶路撒冷的人群也 的確 加入了對耶穌的讚美。但是在 < 路加福音 > 里﹐作者有意突出門徒。他們在大聲地讚美主。很有可能耶路撒冷的人群後來也加入了門徒一起讚美耶穌。但也是同樣這些耶路撒冷人﹐在幾天以後叫囂著要處死耶穌。路加由此把門徒和其他人群區分開來。

那麼耶穌是如何回應法利賽人的呢﹖耶穌回答 , 19:40, “我告訴你們，他們要是不作聲，這些石頭也會呼喊起來。” 耶穌告訴他們﹕你無法令他們安靜。要是他們安靜了﹐耶路撒冷的石頭都會呼喊起來讚美他。沒有人能夠制止人們對君王耶穌的讚美。我們在這裡看到一個有 意義 的概念﹕自然世界和人類通常是相融合的。你記不記得當亞當和夏娃背叛上帝的時候﹐大地受到詛咒。在以賽亞預言彌撒亞要 來臨 的時候﹐牛和熊﹐獅子和 羔 羊分列兩旁 同坐一齊 。當耶穌出生的時候﹐ 天上有一顆明星 。當耶穌被釘十字架的時候﹐遍地黑暗達三個小時﹐後來大地震動﹐磐石崩裂。因為耶穌是宇宙之王﹐因此所有被造之物都要讚美他。法利賽人是知道這一點的。 < 詩篇 >19 ﹕ 1-4a “ 諸天述說 神的榮耀，穹蒼傳揚他的作為。 2 天天發出言語，夜夜傳出知識。 3 沒有話語，沒有言詞，人也聽不到它們的聲音。 4 它們的聲音傳遍全地，它們的言語傳到地極， ” 法利賽人的問題是他們不承認耶穌是君王﹐彌撒亞﹐是上帝的兒子﹐他就是神。知道耶穌是君王的話﹐那麼就沒有任何東西能阻止被造物對他的讚美。

十二月的時候﹐我們獲悉一個 媳婦 懷孕了。這是多麼令人興奮的好消息啊 ! 但是我們卻被要求保守秘密一個月。我們怎麼能藏得住這個好消息呢﹖整個一月份真是過得很辛苦。我們不斷地問 她 ﹕可以告訴別人了嗎﹖當好消息來臨的時候﹐很難一人獨自享受。你是否試過在訂婚以後或者在一個夢想實現時還想方設法不讓別人知道﹖這就是耶穌所要說明的意思。一旦你遇到了君王﹐你就再也不能保持安靜了。沒有人能制止你對君王的讚美和稱頌。

耶穌來到了耶路撒冷﹐一個 象徵 與神同在的城市。這裡是 政治 和宗教領袖 相遇 的地方。現在﹐作為宇宙之王的耶穌已經來到耶路撒冷﹐來到本就屬於他的地方。人們還怎麼能夠對此保持安靜﹖作為君王﹐他要求被造之物用讚美來回應他﹐四處傳講他﹐做他的見證 人 , 使別人認識祂 , 。

然後你知道嗎 ? 耶穌復活之後 40 天﹐在他被接升天的時候﹐他是怎麼囑咐門徒的﹖他們要做他的見證人。從哪裡開始﹖耶路撒冷。他謙卑地來到耶路撒冷﹐ 並要在這裡經歷死亡 。然而也是從耶路撒冷開始﹐他的名被高舉﹐被稱頌。

結論﹕

剛才 我們領受 了 主餐。通過領受杯和餅﹐我們承認耶穌是我們的救主和生命之主。他也是我們的君王﹐全宇宙的主。他來令我們與他和好﹔不僅如此﹐他還令我們與身邊的人和好。面對這個君王的時候﹐我們應該如何回應他呢﹖唯一的回應就是順服他﹐就像那匹驢的主人。 將自己 委身於主﹐讓他使用我們成為傳遞和平的器皿。作為對這位君王的回應﹐我們要和天地萬物一起敬拜他﹐訴說他的榮耀﹐美麗和聖潔。作為我們的君王﹐他要求我們代表和反映他。

   但是 , 只要有一天我們活在世上 , 因身上的罪 , 我們的讚美和見證就是不完整 . 因此 , 我們也等待有一天 , 在那新天新地 , 這位王就會被祂的兒女們和所有的被造物 , 並眾天使 , 完完全全所讚美 . 今日我們的讚美不過是將來的品嚐而已 .

Date:   04/01/2007

Text:   Luke 19:28-40

Title:   A Journey

Theme: Since Jesus is the king, nothing on earth can stop His witnesses.

Introduction:

  When we think of journey, many of us recall The trip in September of 05. With Hurricane Rita approaching, 3 million cars were trying to get out of Houston heading towards Dallas, Austin or other cities. A regular 4 hours trip turned into a 32 plus hour’s drive. You asked your friends or family member in other cities or states to navigate you through those advance GPS technology. There were accidents, including the one killing many senior citizens. It took me 8 hours to drive from Sugar Land to the intersection of 99 and I-10. We decided to turn around and in 20 minutes we were home. It was a night mare, a journey no one can forget.

  The passage we read is about a journey. It is a journey that Jesus took towards the end of his earthly ministry. Luke devoted almost 10 out of 24 chapters of his book giving us a detail account of this journey. It was a 65 miles journey from Galilee to Jerusalem.

  Today we want to focus on Jesus'' arrival at his destination, Jerusalem. I would like to make several observations and see what it means to us today. Luke’s writes in great detail. Studying this passage, or this book is like peeling an onion, one layer after another. And besides, these different layers interact with each other.

I.    Jesus sets the agenda and purpose for His ministry .

  In vs.28, we read, “ And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.” This journey started back in 9:51, “ 51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” In order for his readers to get this point, Luke reminded them 4 more times about this journey. 13:22; 17:11, 18:31 and 19:28. During this journey to Jerusalem, Jesus taught, healed the sick, facing opposition from both civil and religious authorities, yet nothing could deter him.

  What is there in Jerusalem that he was so set to go? The temple was in Jerusalem, and the city was a symbol of God's dwelling place, the place where God rules. It was a political center where king Herod ruled. It was also the religious and culture center of that day. This was the city where Jews would gather to celebrate their religious festivals such as: Passover and Pentecost. It was a place where human and divine authorities/powers meet.

  However, to Jesus, Jerusalem is more than the seat of divine and human government. At three different times in his ministry Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer and kill by the authorities and then 3 days later he would rise from the dead. He would be handed over to the human authority in Jerusalem. To him, it was a journey of tension and conflict. In another word, Jesus was clear that this journey to Jerusalem was a journey of death. It was first suffering, death and then resurrection. Yet he set his face, he was determined to go to Jerusalem. In another gospel, it was noted that disciples were actually afraid because of his determination.

  If we know there will be trouble waiting for us at our destination, few of us would like to take that trip. Yet Jesus sets his own agenda and purpose in his ministry, his life and nothing can deter him from this.

  I think of Wilberforce in the 19 th century England. As a young man, One day on his way home, he saw several laborer transporting a casket in a poor neighborhood. The casket was on a horse cart going down a slope. As the cart hit a bump, the casket fell to the ground, and the corpse was thrown out. The workers were half drunk and started making fun of the event. This greatly offended Wilberforce and since then, he was determined to correct the social ills in England. He became a member of the British parliament, to pass legislatures so that all persons will be treated equal and with dignity. He spent his entire life to pass a law that would abolish slavery in England. There were many oppositions and he was discouraged and wanting to quit several times. But at his friends encouragement and his faith in God, he continued the fight. The anti-slavery law was adopted by the British Parliament about 3 months before his death. He set his agenda and purpose in life and stayed with it.

  How about us? What is our purpose in life? do we just go with the flow? Do we want all the power and money that we can acquire? Do we let others decide for us what we should do? Yes, the overarching destination for all believers is that we become more and more Christ like. Yet there are also purposes in life that will differ from person to person. Some dedicated their entire life to help the weak and the poor. Others in response to God's calling at different stages in life and entered into full time ministry. There are some whose passion is to help those in crisis pregnancy so they can give birth to the infants. I also think of many individuals with financial resources are help building schools and orphanages in many under privileged countries, cities and villages. I still vividly remember that 25 years ago, my seminary professor charged me with this: William, preach the word. Be a preacher of the word. This has been a driving force in my ministry for the last 25 years. What is your agenda and purpose in life? Let’s move on.

II.    Jesus sets the agenda and purpose of His ministry because He is king.

  What was the disciples’ role in this journey? They kind of went along, just following their master. They didn’t mind going to Jerusalem, the city of power. By going to Jerusalem, they would have that hope that this Jesus may be installed as a king to deliver the Israelites from the Roman rule. But they certainly did not like the idea of being handed over to the authority, be beaten and killed. Even though Jesus told them that he would rise from the dead 3 days later, but this part did not seem to have registered in them. Luke specifically pointed out that they did not understand what Jesus was talking about.

  However, along the way, they heard Jesus' many teaching via parables. They saw the miracles he performed. He cast out demons, healed a woman could not stand straight, a man with dropsy. He healed the 10 lepers, and made the blind see. All these miracles were there to demonstrate that this Jesus is the son of God, the messiah that was promised in the OT. Then there was the incident of Jesus telling them to bring a young donkey for him to use. They must have puzzled, like we do, if Jesus had made prior arrangement with the owner, or was it a manifestation of Jesus'' power and authority?

  As they travelled close to Jerusalem, their attitude seemed to have changed somewhat. They put their clothes on the donkey for Jesus to use as a saddle. They also put clothes on the road, it is a gesture, a symbol of welcoming a king coming home from victory. And then they praised Jesus saying, 19:38, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” They have quoted Psalm 118. They at this time recognized him as the king prophesied in the OT. To the disciples, this trip of entering Jerusalem began to sound like the installation of a King in the royal city.

  I think we can understand this. Your friends want you to join them in a trip. You are not really up to it but you went along begrudgingly. Then as you go along, you begin to find it interesting, and before long, you were glad that you have come. At the beginning of the trip, the disciples didn’t like the ideal of Jesus going up to Jerusalem to face suffering and death. But by the time they arrived, even though in a limited manner, they seemed to have recognized Jesus'' kingship.

  So, what was Jesus'' response to their praise? We read a little later that the Pharisees wanted Jesus to tell his disciples to be quiet. They were afraid that these 12 disciples’ praise may arouse a greater number of people in Jerusalem to join them. But Jesus did not stop the disciples. He accepted their praise of him as king.

  This is the purpose of his journey to Jerusalem. It is in this city that he will be recognized as the king of universe. It is here that he would be given authority over all the heavens and the earth. However, before this, there will be suffering, death and resurrection. What we read in 19:38-39 is only the beginning of this process. Yes, he has come to Jerusalem as the King.

  But this is a very unusual king indeed. How so? First he came to this city of power in a donkey. In those days, donkey was not for kings. Kings would enter their city on a horse. Therefore for a king to come to the center of power in a donkey is unheard of. Can you imagine that in January 2009, the new president elect would arrive at the Dulles Airport in Washington D.C. in a SW airline plane? The plane with Dolphin painted on it? Yet Jesus came to this city of God in a donkey. Donkey stands for humility and peace.

  Moreover, this donkey is borrowed from someone. This king doesn’t even has his own donkey. This then reminds us where was Jesus born? In a manger. It was not his own room, and again, it belonged to someone else. You see, this king has come to the city of power not in power or might, he is not here to revenge over all the nasty things they had done to him previously, but he has come in peace and humility. He has come to reconcile, to bring peace between God and his people. He came, and later through his suffering, death and resurrection to bring God's people back to him. He is the king that has come to his people in great humility. He has come not to be served but to serve and be a ransom for many. He affirmed his kingship. And it is for this reason, that he set his purpose and agenda in life.

  Since he is the king, what then shall be our response?

III.    As king, Jesus compels a response from His creation.

  Now, let’s take a look at the brief conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees wanted Jesus to tell his disciples to keep their praises down.19:39, “ 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” Probably they were afraid that the crowd in Jerusalem would join them, and attracted the Roman’s attention and brought trouble to the city. In other gospels we do read that the crowd also took part in the praise. But here, Luke deliberated focused on the disciples. They were the ones who praise Jesus as the king. And most likely the crowd in Jerusalem later joined them. And the same crowd, few days later also shouted to crucify him. Luke made a distinction between the disciples and the crowd.

  So, what was Jesus'' response to the Pharisees? 19:40, ‘ 40 He answered, "“I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”’ Jesus is saying, no you can’t tell them to keep silent. If they do, the stones in Jerusalem would start praising him. No one can shut up man’s praise to Jesus, the king. Here we see an interesting concept: the natural world and human events are often intermingled. You remember when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the earth was cursed. In Isaiah’s prophecy of the peaceful reign of the Messiah, the cows and bears, lions and lambs would be side by side. At Jesus birth, there appeared a bright star. When Jesus was on the cross, it was dark for 3 hours, and later the earthed shook at his death. Since Jesus is the king of the universe, therefore the entire creation is to take part in praising him. the Pharisees knew this well. Psalm 19:1-4a 1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” The problem with the Pharisees was that they did not recognize Jesus as the king, the Messiah, the son of God. He is God. Knowing him as the king, nothing can shut up the universe in praising him.

  In December, we found out that one of our daughters was pregnant. It was a good and exciting news. But we were given the order not to tell anyone for another month. How can you not to tell anyone this good news? The month of January was tough. We kept asking, can we tell now? When there is such great news, its hard to keep it to oneself, right? Have you tried to keep quiet after you received that engagement right? Or a dream came true? This is what Jesus was talking about. Once you have met the King, you cannot keep quiet about him. No one can shut a person’s mouth from praising and talking about this King.

  He has come to Jerusalem, a symbol of God's dwelling place. It is a city where human and divine authorities meet. And now, him being the king of the universe has come to this power center to take his place. How can anyone keep quiet about this. Being the king, he compels his creation to respond him by praising him, by talking about him, by making him known to others, by being his witness.

  And you know what? 40 days after his resurrection, prior to his ascension, what did he tell the disciples? They are to be his witnesses. From where? Jerusalem. He came to Jerusalem in humility to the point of death. And it is from Jerusalem, his name would be uplifted and praised.

Conclusion:

  Earlier (Or in a little while) we had taken the holy communion. By taking the bread and the cup, we recognized that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour, and he is also our king, the king of the universe. This king has come to reconcile us with Him, and moreover, he also brings reconciliation to you and the person next to you. Now, Facing this king, what is our response? The only reasonable way is to be obedient to him, like the donkey’s owner. Submitting ourselves to Him, and let him use us as an instrument to bring peace into others’ lives. As a response to his king, we are also to join the heavens and the earth, the entire creation to worship him and tell about his glory, beauty and holiness. Being our king, he compels us to represent and reflect him.

  However, as long as we live in this world, we are sinners and our praises will not be complete. Therefore we all look forward to the day, when this king will be totally glorified and perfectly praised by his children in the new heaven and earth. What we do today is a foretaste of what is to come.