Scripture Reading: Luke 19:28–48 (ESV)

(Luke 19:28) And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
(Luke 19:29) When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,
(Luke 19:30) saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.”
(Luke 19:31) “If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’”
(Luke 19:32) So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.
(Luke 19:33) And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
(Luke 19:34) And they said, “The Lord has need of it.”
(Luke 19:35) And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
(Luke 19:36) And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.
(Luke 19:37) As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,
(Luke 19:38) saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
(Luke 19:39) And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
(Luke 19:40) He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
(Luke 19:41) And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,
(Luke 19:42) saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
(Luke 19:43) For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side
(Luke 19:44) and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
(Luke 19:45) And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,
(Luke 19:46) saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
(Luke 19:47) And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him,
(Luke 19:48) but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

(Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version. © Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)

It’s almost that time of year again—when the whole world owes so much to one part of the Trinity: God’s Son, who became man—the King and Lord of all men, Jesus of Nazareth.

He is the only perfect being ever to have lived—and who still lives. The one with the empty tomb, who died on a cross for you and me.

I know many people don’t believe in God, much less Jesus. But honestly, when I look at the world around us, I can’t understand how anyone could think that the Earth was created by some random cosmic collision—or whatever the latest non-Christian scientific theory is today. In computer terms, that would be like saying existence came from an RNG (Random Number Generator).

I look up at the sky—the way the moon and sun work in perfect harmony, and how so many supposedly “random” things had to come together for Earth to even be livable—and I can only come to one conclusion: this was the work of a grand designer.

Then I look at the Bible—not just at how historically accurate it is, but at how prophetically true it proves to be. Scientists and historians alike have repeatedly confirmed its accuracy. And to me, one of the most convincing examples in the entire Bible is the story of Daniel and his vision of the statue representing future nations and kingdoms—a vision that has unfolded just as it was foretold.

You know, Jesus wasn’t nervous from the moment He stepped onto Earth as a man. He knew from the very beginning what the end would be—and what it would accomplish.

The Jews expected a king to arrive in glory, power, and wealth—like the kings and queens we think of today. But Jesus, the true King, didn’t come in grandeur. He came in humility. And I think many refused to accept Him because He didn’t match their human expectations.

Honestly, I think if I had witnessed even one of His miracles, I would’ve believed on the spot. But I’ve read about them—and I do believe.

Now jump to that moment when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey.

Do you ever wonder if the donkey knew—really knew—who it was carrying? I like to think maybe it did.

And then, as Jesus passed through those gates—He wasn’t welcomed by all. He was ridiculed.

He entered Jerusalem—not to the sight of a throne prepared for Him and the sounds of thunderous applause, but to palm branches and cloaks laid down by His true believers and disciples.

He wasn’t received at the Temple as a king come to rule and lead His people, but as a loon—a false prophet in the eyes of the religious elite.

The Temple, the very heart of worship, had been turned into a marketplace by the leaders entrusted to guard its sanctity. And Jesus knew they would oppose Him. This confrontation set the stage for Judas, who was ripe for Satan’s influence, to act—joining forces with these so-called Pharisees, the very ones meant to shepherd God’s flock.

Instead of leading with righteousness, they were focused on status, control, and lining their pockets.

If only they had believed.
If only they had fulfilled their calling.
If only they hadn’t been deceived by the enemy.

But Jesus knew—from the beginning of time—that this would be the outcome. Just as Pharaoh hardened his heart (see Exodus 7–11) and refused to let the Israelites go, these men were walking the same path. They were sealing themselves for the same end: death and eternal condemnation.

And even though Jesus knew His time was short,
He was determined to make it known: What you are doing in this Temple is wrong.

Tags: #Easter #Jesus #PalmSunday #Holyweek