Introduction

There’s an extensive set of protocols when you receive and meet royalty.[1]

1. Stand when they enter the room. If you’re waiting in a room for the Queen or other royalty to arrive, be sure to rise as soon as they enter the room. This is a show of respect. Stay standing as long as all royalty are standing.
2. If you are a subject, bow or curtsy. Men should give a slight bow of their head, but not bow with their whole body. Women should give a brief curtsy. If you are not a citizen of the royalty’s country, you don’t need to bow or curtsy.
3. Address the royalty properly. When greeting the Queen, address her as “Your Majesty” the first time, then afterwards say “Ma’am” (as in “jam”). Address male royalty as “Your Royal Highness” the first time, then “Sir” afterwards.
4. Don’t say “pleased to meet you.” It’s a given that you are pleased to meet them, given it’s such an honour.
5. Refrain from physical contact. Don’t touch royalty unless they initiate the contact e.g. a handshake.

Jesus publicly announces he is king

What’s all this got to do with Jesus and Palm Sunday? In our gospel reading today, Jesus publicly announces that he is a king, he is royalty.

He has been travelling with a group of pilgrims toward Jerusalem for the Passover. He arrives on the outskirts of the city ready to enter Jerusalem as their king. He signals that he’s a king in three ways:

(a) Jesus rides on a royal animal. It was custom for Passover pilgrims to walk into the city (if they were able). In contrast royalty or dignitaries in Jesus’ time would ride into a city, either on a chariot pulled by many horses or atop a white stallion. Jesus chooses a simple colt. While humble, it is also a royal animal. Solomon mounted a mule on the way to his anointing (1 Kings 1:38–40). By doing this Jesus points to Zechariah’s prophecy:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

(b) Jesus rides along a ‘red carpet.’ The crowd treats Jesus with royal extravagance, laying cloaks and freshly cut branches on the road, forming the ancient equivalent of a ‘red carpet.’

(c) The crowd shout royal praises. The crowd of pilgrims walking with Jesus into Jerusalem, perhaps spurred on by Jesus’ disciples, shout kingly praises and wave palm branches. They sing a psalm commonly spoken at Passover (Psalm 118):

²⁵ Hosanna! (which probably means “LORD, save us!”)
²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.
²⁷ The LORD is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar. (Psalm 118:25–27)

Until now Jesus has been careful to try to hide his kingship. He’s tried to keep secret the fact that he claims to be the Messiah. He’s “shhhh-ed” people who he’s healed. He’s told his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. He’s tried to keep everything under wraps because it wasn’t time yet.

But now it is time! In fact were told the hour is late (Mark 11:11). Now it’s time to enter Jerusalem as Messiah and king.

Problem

But there’s a problem. His grand entry seems to go wrong! There was also a set of protocols for receiving and meeting with royalty in Jesus’ day, but these protocols don’t seem to be followed.

The foretold Messiah and king was to enter the city on a colt (check). The festal procession walks with this person, with boughs in hand (check). Then, as was the ancient custom, the citizens of the city would go out and meet the dignitary outside the city walls (opps!). There would be speeches of welcome by select, elite members of the city (opps!). Finally, the guest would be escorted into the city and given a tour of the temple, right up to the ‘horns of the altar’ (the little curvy bits on the four corners of the table). Then, if the guest was the king-to-be, he would be anointed with fragrant oil (as was the case with Solomon).

Ah oh! This protocol is not followed! No one greets Jesus at the city walls. There are no elite members of the city to welcome Jesus (such as the priests or Roman rulers). There are no speeches. There’s no tour of the temple. There’s no anointing.

In fact, by the time Jesus enters the city, it’s late and the temple is all but deserted. He sticks his head in, looks around, then goes home. It’s all somewhat anti-climatic.

In the context of normal celebratory welcomes in the ancient world, the response to Jesus’ approach to Jerusalem is nothing short of insulting. A slap in the face. A total rejection.

Let’s put ourselves in Jesus’ shoes for a moment. The capital city of his people have snubbed his entrance. Over the coming days one of his best friends (Judas) will betray him. The rest of his disciples will fall asleep in the garden while he prays; then run away into the night when the soldiers arrive with torches and swords. Jesus will be mocked, spat on, ridiculed. He will die naked and humiliated on a Roman cross as a criminal.

A different sort of king

Jesus is rejected because he is a different sort of king.

The proud and self-important leaders of the city don’t want anything to do with Jesus. So they don’t acknowledge his kingship.

Why? Jesus does all the “wrong” things. He hangs out with the “wrong” crowd. He’s not their sort of king. He’s not the king they’re expecting or willing to accept.

In Mark chapter 14 we’ll discover that the teachers of the law scheme to arrest and kill Jesus. And as they scheme, Jesus eats in the home of Simon — an unclean leper, a sinner. In fact we’re told that as Jesus is ‘reclining at the table’ (Mark 14:3) a woman comes in (from off the street?) and smashes a jar of fragrant oil, the kind used to anoint kings and priests, and pours it all over Jesus’ head and body.

What sort of king is this? Reclining at the table with sinners? Anointed in a leper’s home, by a street woman?

How will you receive Jesus?

Today (Palm Sunday) marks the start of Holy Week. I wonder how you will you receive Jesus during this week? How will you greet and welcome him?

Are you looking for a mighty king? Riding atop a shiny chariot? Full of self-importance, pomp, and ceremony? Are you expecting a king who can solve all your problems? A king to make life nice and easy? A king who acts how you want and expect?

Or will you welcome a different sort of king? Jesus is that different sort of king. Jesus comes to us in ways we don’t always expect:

(a) Jesus mounts a humble donkey, not a chariot. This means that Jesus comes to us in lowly ways. Jesus comes to us through ordinary means. He comes through spoken words, through bread and wine, through the water of baptism. How will you meet and receive Jesus this week? Already today we’ve received Jesus as we heard God’s words of forgiveness absolve us (make us clean and declare us righteous). We’ll receive Jesus in bread and wine on Holy Thursday (Walla) or Good Friday (Alma Park) as we share in Holy Communion. On Easter Sunday (Walla) we’ll remember the waters of our baptism.

(b) Jesus is anointed in the home of an unclean leper. This means that Jesus has come to enter the hearts of sinners. Those who are self-righteous and proud refuse to receive him. But the poor, the meek, the hungry, the thirsty, the weak: these hold out empty hands and receive Jesus. Jesus enters our sinful hearts and reclines with us, transforming us as we commune together. As you prepare for Easter, is there something in a darkened room or locked closest of your heart that you need to open to Jesus? An unconfessed sin? Unresolved guilt? Bitterness or pride? Now is the time to deal with this.

(c) Jesus’ throne is a cross. This means that suffering and persecution goes hand in hand with the kingdom of God. Confessing “Jesus is Lord” is not without personal cost. What has receiving Jesus as your king cost you? What will it cost you in the future?

Conclusion

Jesus is a king who is rejected, mocked, ridiculed, and humiliated. Yet God takes this seemingly useless stone, the stone that the builder’s reject, and turns it into the cornerstone. Through the innocent, suffering, and death of Jesus, God does a marvellous thing. Through Jesus — the upside-down king — God forgives your sins, saves you from death, and offers you eternal life. These gifts are far greater than any thing an earthly king could offer you!

Jesus comes as your Lord and King. He arrives at the walls of your heart, lowly and humble. He’s waiting for you to receive him with open hands. He is ready to recline in your heart with you forever.

Blessing

The crowd shouted “Hosanna!” which means “Lord, save us!” May we shout together with the crowd, “Lord, save us!” May he save us from misunderstanding his kingship. May he save us from our own self-importance. May he save us from false expectations of discipleship. By his rejection and death on the cross may the Lord save us from sin, death, and the devil. Now and forever. Amen.

[1] See https://www.wikihow.com/Meet-and-Greet-Royalty

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