The Humble King, 3/29/26

So today I'd like to look at the humble king.

We're going to be turning to the book of Zechariah

Zechariah 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9 and verse 9 and then looking at Matthew

21 just again which was just read but we're going

to be seeing the prophecy in verses 4 and 5 and

then we're going to go to look at Philippians,

the book of Philippians chapter 2. So a few different

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

passages that I'm going to read here. Beginning

in Zechariah chapter 9 verse 9. Rejoice greatly,

Zechariah 9:9

O daughter of Zion. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem.

Behold, your king is coming to you. He is just

and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey,

a colt, the foal of a donkey. Matthew 21, verse

Matthew 21:4

4 and 5. Matthew records, All this was done that

it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the

prophet. which we have just read, saying, Tell

the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming

to you lowly and sitting on a donkey, a colt,

the foal of a donkey. Now we turn to the book

of Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

1. Therefore, if there is any consolation in

Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship

of the Spirit, If any affection and mercy. Fulfill

my joy by being like -minded, having the same

love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing

be done through selfish ambition or conceit.

But in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others

better than himself. Let each of you look out

not only for his own interests, but also for

the interests of others. Let this mind be in

you. which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being

in the form of God, did not consider it robbery

to be equal with God, but made himself of no

reputation, taking the form of a bondservant

and coming in the likeness of men. And being

found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death, even

the death of the cross. Therefore God also has

highly exalted him and given him the name which

is above every name, that at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow of those in heaven and

those on earth and of those under the earth,

and that every tongue should confess that Jesus

Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Let's pray. Father, thank you for this time together.

We pray, Lord, that you would open up your word

to us today, that you would speak to us, Lord.

We pray that you would grant us the power of

the Holy Spirit, that we might know and understand

how we are to be followers of this Christ, of

Jesus Christ, our Lord, the humble servant. We

pray, Lord, that you would open up your word,

and we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. The time of

the great festival had arrived, the Passover

and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Now this was

the time of the celebration of the birth of the

nation of Israel, when they had departed from

the land of Egypt, where they had grown from

a family of around 70 people 430 years prior,

as Jacob and his descendants moved to the land

because of severe famine. Though Pharaoh, the

ruler of Egypt, did not allow them to depart

to return to the promised land, the Lord God

Almighty miraculously intervened with great and

mighty deeds through plagues that destroyed their

crops, their livestock. And finally, after he

gave the Israelites instructions on how to have

the Passover meal and then to cover the doorposts

and lintels with the blood of the lamb, God struck

down all of the firstborn. sons and firstborn

of the cattle of the Egyptians, and all who had

not obeyed him in his instructions. The people

of God were then set free to return, and which

they did and were led to the land of Israel.

Now all this and more were in the minds of the

people as they ascended to Jerusalem and to the

Temple Mount, for this was a very joyous time

for Israel. Alfred Edersheim writes, from all

parts of the land and from foreign countries,

the festive pilgrims had come up in bands, singing

their pilgrim psalms and bringing with them burnt

and peace offerings, as according as the Lord

had blessed them, that none might appear empty

before him. The instructions for this are found

in Exodus chapter 23 and in Deuteronomy 16. God

Exodus 23 · chapter mention

had commanded that every male come to the temple

or to the place of worship for three feasts a

year. This was one of the most important. Luke

tells us that the parents of Jesus went up every

year for the feast of the Passover. And when

Jesus was 12, they took him along. Around 2 .7

to 3 million people would gather. Some inside

the city walls, some camped outside around the

city, or some who stayed with the dwellers of

the nearby towns of Bethphage and Bethany. These

towns were noted for their hospitality toward

the festive pilgrims. The Psalm of Ascent would

be sung, Psalm 120 through 136, and around 256

,000 lambs would be sacrificed on each Passover

day at this time. in the narrative in Matthew

Matthew 21 · chapter mention

chapter 21. This would feed around 10 people

each, as recorded by the historian Josephus,

thus giving the approximate numbers of people.

Truly it was an incredible sight to behold, as

the sacrifices were made, and the Passover meal

was eaten, and all of the ceremonies, and the

singing, and the fellowship. It was very impressive.

Now it's about at this time and occasion, around

three and a half years into the ministry of Jesus

on earth, and he made his way to Jerusalem for

this feast. Only this one was going to be different,

far different than anyone either before or after,

because Jesus would fulfill the prophecies concerning

himself. He began by instructing two of his disciples

to bring the colt of a donkey. This was his triumphal

entry into Jerusalem as a king, but in a different

way than any king had ever come or would come

hereafter. Rather than great pomp and circumstance

and with the blowing of trumpets and the beating

of drums, the disciples instead threw some clothes

on a young donkey's back and Jesus sat on it

and descended the Mount of Olives toward the

city proper. The crowd saw it, and they knew

that this was an auspicious occasion, some knowing

that it was a fulfillment of prophecy. They spread

their clothes on the road for him to ride on,

and others cut down leafy branches from the trees

and spread them on the road. Those who went before

and after cried out, saying, Hosanna! Blessed

is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna

in the highest! Jesus received the acclaim of

the crowds, and he rode on in humble majesty

into Jerusalem and into the temple, that place

of the public worship of the Lord God Almighty.

But while Jesus was indeed and in truth a rightful

king, he was not the king that they expected.

Jesus started by returning the following day

to overturn the money changers' tables in the

temple. and to cleanse it. He taught his disciples.

He answered the question of his authority by

shutting the mouths of the opposition, which

consisted of the chief priests and the scribes

and the elders and the Pharisees and the Herodians

and the Sadducees and the lawyers. He prophesied

of the destruction of the temple that would occur

around 38 years later within a generation. He

wept over the city of Jerusalem as recorded in

Matthew chapter 23. A most stirring and poignant

Matthew 23 · chapter mention

lament in which he cries out and he says, Oh

Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem, the one who kills the

prophets and stones those who are sent to her.

How often I wanted to gather your children together

as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.

But you were not willing. See. Your house is

left to you desolate. For I say to you, you shall

see me no more till you say, blessed is he who

comes in the name of the Lord. Now today on this

Palm Sunday, as we remember these events, I'm

going to be focusing on the humility of Christ

the King. Now this humility was prophesied already

back in Psalm 45, which Paul read to us today.

Verse 3 and 4, gird your sword upon your thigh,

O mighty one, with your glory and your majesty,

and in your majesty ride prosperously because

of truth, because of humility and righteousness.

and your right hand shall teach you awesome things.

Now Matthew quotes the prophecy of Zechariah,

which we read, and he applies it to Jesus in

Matthew 21, verse 5. Tell the daughter of Zion,

Matthew 21:5

behold, your king is coming to you. But what

is this king like? He is lowly. He is lowly,

riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.

And instead of being received into the temple

as the anointed king and Messiah by the leaders

of Israel, Christ receives the acclaim of the

children. Of the children. Children of those

whom Jesus had said earlier in his ministry in

Matthew 18 verse 3 saying, Assuredly I say to

Matthew 18:3

you, unless you are converted and become as little

children, you will by no means enter into the

kingdom of heaven. And now, who is it but the

children? It is the children who cry with acclaim.

And they continue then the following day, crying

out in the temple, following Jesus around, Hosanna

to the son of David. And then Jesus quotes Psalm

8, out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants,

you have perfected praise. As we meditate and

consider today the humility of our king, where

better to turn to? Then the St. Paul's description

in the book of Philippians chapter 2, this wonderful,

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

incredible passage that speaks of the passion

of Christ and of his exaltation. So we'll then

finish out with Jesus' teaching about children

in Matthew 18. First of all, number one, we want

to look at Christ's example of humility. He is

the humble king. It says, In verse 6, Christ

Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not

consider robbery to be equal with God, but made

himself of no reputation. Taking the form of

a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men

and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled

himself and became obedient to the point of death,

even the death of the cross. We're going to take

this apart a little bit. The first, I would like

you to notice that Christ, it says, is in the

form of God and equal with God. Now this, where

it speaks of him being in the form of God, later

we'll see he's also in the form of a bondservant.

He appeared as a bondservant. He was, in reality,

a bondservant. And so he was, in reality, And

he was equal with God. In this statement, the

apostle speaks of the divine nature of Christ.

He is the only begotten son of God. He is the

eternal son of God. This is also sometimes referred

to as the deity of Christ. John speaks of Him

in John chapter 1 verse 1 as the Word, the Logos

John 1:1

that is referring to Christ in these powerful

words. In the beginning was the Word and the

Word was with God and the Word was God. He was

in the beginning with God. All things were made

through Him and without Him nothing was made

that was made. In Him was life and the life.

Was the light of man. This points out a few things

to us. It shows the eternality of Christ. That

he was at the beginning with God. It shows that

he is God. The word was God. It shows that God

the Father created the world through him. All

things were made through him. So that without

him nothing was made that was made. And we show

that in him was life. And life, this life became

the light of man. This comports with what Paul

says in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 15, that

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He is

the firstborn over all creation. For by him all

things were created that are in heaven and that

are on earth, visible and invisible, whether

thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.

All things were created through him. and for

him and he is before all things and in him all

things consist we're showing here the position

that christ had before he came to the earth because

we cannot understand his humility if we don't

see first of all his eternal being and existence

and his great power and his unity in the trinity

We also see this in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

1 to 3. God, who at various times and in various

ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the

prophet, has in these last days spoken to us

through his son or by his son, whom he has appointed

heir of all things, through whom also he made

the worlds. who being the brightness of his glory

and the express image of his person and upholding

all things by the word of his power, when he

had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the

right hand of the majesty on high. Jesus himself

speaks of this in John 17, verse 5, as he references

John 17:5

the glory that he had with the Father from eternity

past. He said, And now, O Father, Glorify me

together with yourself with the glory which I

had with you before the world began. This is

the eternal second person of the Trinity, Jesus

Christ, our God. Now, this is not the main thrust

of this sermon, but I just would note that this

point is one that has been under great attack

from the very earliest days of the Christian

faith. It continues to be so in various heresies,

in various false teachings, and in cults. No,

Christ was not the brother of Lucifer. He was

not created. He has always and eternally existed

as the second person of our triune God who is

one. Therefore, we confess, and thus we confess

in the Nicene Creed, I believe in one Lord Jesus

Christ, the only begotten Son of God. begotten

of the father before all worlds he is god of

god light of light very god of very god begotten

not made being of one substance with the father

by whom all things were made who for us men and

for our salvation came down from heaven and was

incarnate of the holy ghost of the virgin mary

and was made man this speaks to us of the exalted

state and being of christ before his humiliation

Now let's move on, because what's next? He made

himself of no reputation. He took the form of

a bondservant, and he came in the likeness of

men, made like unto a person by assuming a body

like theirs. This is the first step of humility.

It's when God became man. After the humiliation,

the deceit, the deception, and the fall by Adam

and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the Lord God told

the serpent that the seed of a woman would be

at enmity with the seed of the serpent and that

this descendant would crush his head. So what

the word broods, sometimes it's in our Bibles

as the word broods, it means crush. It would

crush his head, the head of the serpent. It was

a prophecy of Jesus. But in order to do this,

a man would need to be born of a woman who would

become pregnant, not from a man, but miraculously

by the Holy Spirit. And indeed, Isaiah prophesies

of this when he says, Behold, the virgin shall

conceive and bear a son. and shall call his name

Emmanuel. This meant then that the Messiah, this

Messiah, this future head crusher of the serpent

dragon, would enter this world and first be a

tiny human being inside a woman's womb. He would

be born in the usual way, with his mother experiencing

the pain of childbirth. He himself would be subject

to pain, to hunger, to being utterly dependent

upon his mother and nursing at her breast. the

woman that he himself had created. He came in

the likeness of men, but was the only begotten

son of God, who was himself God in the flesh.

But not only did he become a man, he also made

himself of no reputation. That is, he was God,

and God through Christ created all things to

worship the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy

Ghost. But now it says that he emptied himself.

That of no reputation, there's a few different

translations there. It means that he emptied

himself, laying down his glory so that he might

live not as a rich king, But as a humble bondservant

with no reputation, he lays aside his rank. He

lays aside his dignity. He lays aside the outward

expressions of his majesty and glory. Now in

this, just to be clear, he did not change his

nature or perfections. For he could not cease

to be God. He could not cease to be omnipotent,

omnipresent, and most holy, true, and good. But

what he does is he takes on human nature, and

he is made like a servant in the lowly condition

which he assumed. He came as God the Father's

servant to do what? To minister to men, to live

a life of humiliation, of poverty, and of disgrace.

When he ministers, what happens? He lived off

of alms, and he has nowhere to lay his head.

Even as he says in Matthew chapter 8 verse 20.

Matthew 8:20

And Jesus said to him, foxes have holes and birds

of the air have nests. But the son of man has

nowhere even to lay his head. This is the humiliation

of our Lord Jesus. Going from the king of glory

with all of the majesty and glory that he had.

And he becomes a man. And not even a man to live

in a rich king's house and to serve in a great

and lordly manner, but to become and to be a

servant, to be subject to pain and hunger and

where he doesn't even have a place to lay his

head. This is the humiliation of Christ. Jesus

then comes into Jerusalem and he's not being

carried on a litter or a palanquin. And by servants

holding him up on big rods and in a comfortable

chair being elevated above everyone else. No,

he doesn't come with fanfare, but as a king who

rides, not on the back of just any donkey even,

but on the foal of a donkey. And he comes with

shouts, with great joy, with the acclaim of children

and the shouts of the multitude who cry out.

Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who

comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the

highest. Only to lose them as followers throughout

the week, as the week goes by, or at least many

of them as followers. And then, as if that were

not enough humiliation, he takes it a step further,

Paul says. He humbles himself by being obedient

to the father. Not only being obedient to the

Father, but obedient unto death. Obedient unto

death. And even this death is not just a normal

death, but it is the horrible and excruciating

death on a Roman cross. His hands. and his feet

nailed to the wooden beams. Now we're going to

consider this in greater detail on Friday evening

in our Good Friday service, but our focus today

is on his humility, and we see his humility as

carried out. First of all, coming as a man, and

then he comes as a man, he's a bondservant, and

then he is willing to die, and then not only

die, but to die the death. one of the worst deaths

that anyone can imagine, the death on the cross.

Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your king

is coming to you lowly and sitting on a donkey,

a colt, the foal of a donkey. Lowly in the Hebrew

where this was first prophesied means poor, afflicted,

humble, wretched, needy, and weak. This is the

humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now Paul

describes this in vivid detail. And then he goes

on to talk about the exaltation of Christ. And

we'll be getting to that Lord willing next Sunday.

As we see the resurrection and the exaltation

of Christ. But I really want us to understand

this lowliness of Christ. This humility of Christ.

And Paul wants us to understand this. The apostle.

Which is why, and I put them in reverse order

here because I wanted to describe the humiliation

of Christ first, but we're going to go back to

Philippians at the beginning of chapter 2 and

see what came before and how that he says we

are to have the same mind as Christ. So let's

go back now to verses 1 through 5. Therefore...

If there is any consolation in Christ, if there

is any comfort of love, if any fellowship of

the Spirit, if any affection and mercy. Fulfill

my joy by being like -minded, having the same

love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing

be done through strife. or selfish ambition or

conceit, but in lowliness of mind that each esteem

others better than himself. Let each of you look

out not only for his own interests, but also

for the interests of others. Let this mind be

in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. And then

he goes into this humiliation, which I have just

gone through. So not only are we to look and

consider this great humiliation, but as the apostle

commands, let this mind be in you. which was

also in Christ Jesus. He began this chapter with

an exhortation to humility and then goes on into

the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. And

so we look today to Christ as an example and

we see what we are to do. He first of all exhorts

the Philippians and commands, he gives them commands

that require humility. He says, fulfill my joy

by being like -minded, having the same love,

being of one accord and of one mind. Now this

is really four ways of describing essentially

the same thing. This is the unity of the Spirit

that we as Christian believers are to have with

one another. This is what was experienced on

the day of Pentecost. Acts chapter 2 records,

Acts 2 · chapter mention

The disciples were all with one accord in one

place. In one accord. Paul uses a number of descriptive

phrases to speak of this one thing. This one

thing. It is the union of heart. It's a union

of feeling, of plan, and of purpose with an overarching

love of God and of each other. Let me say that

again. What he's calling for here is a union

of our hearts, our feelings, our plans, and our

purposes with an overarching love of God and

of each other. Jesus prays for this so that the

world would believe that he was sent by God in

his great and high priestly prayer. He asked

the Father, he says, I do not pray for these

alone, but also for those who will believe in

me through their word, that they may all be one

as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that

they may be one in us, that the world may believe

that you sent me. It's in John 17, verse 20 and

John 17:20

21. How can this happen? He tells us. It is first

of all with humility. Let nothing be done through

selfish ambition or conceit. but in lowliness

of mind let each esteem others better themselves.

This has to do with honoring one another in our

actions, in our listening, and in our attitudes.

Ambition, while it is not a sin in itself, but

selfish ambition that is. And what does it drive?

It drives factions. and divisions remember we've

just been going through that and seeing the corinthian

church as how they were so wrapped up in factions

and this is what they had they had selfish ambition

that's what paul speaks of here in philippians

2 think of the impact i'm sorry i jumped ahead

here a little bit conceit then is vain glory

and pride so selfish ambition vain glory and

pride and conceit That is how, if we focus on

those things, we will not be in unity, we will

not love one another, and we will not be like

Christ. He goes on, he says in verse 5, Let each

of you look out not only for his own interests,

but also for the interests of others. Think of

the impact that this would have if we simply

put this simple thing in practice. How about

children as siblings, your brothers and sisters,

or we are brothers and sisters. And we're to

look out not just for me, what I want, but also

to look out for the interests of others, where

we think about others and we seek to honor them

and bless them and please them at times. It doesn't

mean that we should live as people pleasers.

That's not what I'm talking about. But we do

things that bless others. Think of it with our

families or husbands and wives. when we have

problems or friction between us as husbands and

wives. What a solution that this is if we are,

if we, each of us, if the wife does not just

look out for her own interest, but that of the

husband, and the husband does not just look out

for his own interest, but that of his wife. He

seeks to please and bless his wife. Or how about

within the local congregation? How about if we

all do this with one another? Where we do not

have selfish ambition or conceit. But we esteem

others better than ourselves. And we look not

only for our own interests. But also for the

interests of others. How about within the community?

Or in business? Or in the civil sphere? These

are the words of God to us. And the example is

Christ. Because Christ did not just think of

himself. And withhold himself from the suffering

and the pain of the humiliation. gave himself

for it so that he might redeem us and bring us

near to God. He looked out for others. Jesus.

gives us the example in luke chapter 6 of how

Luke 6 · chapter mention

we seek the good and blessing of others around

you with a humble mind and we see how god would

not only work in others lives but will also work

then for us he gives us very practical instructions

so if we go to luke chapter 6 verse 38 jesus

Luke 6:38

says give and it shall be given to you good measure

press down shaking together shaken together and

running over will be put into your bosom for

with the same measure that you use it will be

measured back to you again so in one sense here

there's a bit of a paradox because we're not

to be thinking of ourselves but thinking of others

and so as we bless others and we give and we

pour out ourselves for others we do end up getting

great blessings back upon us again that's what

jesus is promising but if we just try to bless

ourselves then we lose them both Then there's

also the golden rule. Therefore, whatever you

want men to do, do also to them. For this is

the law and the prophets. And Jesus there ties

this golden rule back to the law and the prophets.

This is really what is found in the whole word

of God, not just in the words of Jesus himself.

But he was the great example of it, of how he

humbled himself and served others. We see the

humility of Christ. And we are to pattern our

thinking and our actions by putting on the mind

of Christ. Like Peter says in 1 Peter 4 verse

1 Peter 4:1

1, arm yourselves also with the same mind that

is the mind of Christ. We follow the steps of

Christ in his obedience to his Father and in

his humility. So as you read the accounts of

Christ's humility, ask God to illuminate you

to see how you can have the mind of Christ. We

should be constantly praying, Lord, give us the

mind of Christ in this particular situation or

this problem or this responsibility or even in

his promotion, exaltation, or greater responsibility

that we might have. Let us pray for the mind

of Christ. Are you in a difficult situation?

Do you have an enemy that is continually needling

you or coming against you or is frustrating you?

Have the mind of Christ. Now, it's easy to just

say that, but... Sometimes that requires work.

We need to go in prayer to the Lord. Lord, what

is your mind? Help us to see this with the mind

of Christ and work through this very difficult

situation. But how do you know the mind of Christ?

Is this some supernatural type of thing that

you can only get if you have some kind of a mystical

experience? Is that how you know the mind of

Christ? No, it is not. You know the mind of Christ,

yes, through prayer. But it's through prayer

and the illumination of God's word. Because God's

word is the revelation of the mind of Christ.

All of it. Genesis to Revelation. This is the

mind of Christ. And so we humbly come and we

bow before the Lord and we pray. Lord, this is

your word. And I want the wisdom of your word

in this situation. So help me to carry it out.

Please give me the wisdom to know how, I mentioned

of enemies, how to love this enemy. How to deal

with this particular problem. Or how to deal

with my own sins. This is the mind of Christ.

So soak yourself in the word. Dig into the word.

It's important to sometimes spend a time of...

In the portion of God's word where you really

dig into it, you do word studies and you do some

intense work. But at the same time, it also simply

means just regularly reading the word of God.

So one of the reasons why at the beginning of

every year we put out pamphlets that show how

to read through the Bible in a year and gives

assignments for each day. Spend time in the word.

And maybe if it's... If reading comes hard for

you, maybe it'll take you two years. But go on

a systematic reading of the word. It is the mind

of Christ. That is how we know it. And then we

pray for illumination. The only way to have the

mind of Christ and to live in humility and unity

is through the cross of Christ. It is when we

see the abundance of our sin, our ugliness, our

grasping to be like God. And to dethrone him

and put ourself in his place. But then we see

Jesus. We see our sin and then we see Jesus.

And he took our sins. He took our ugliness. He

took our selfish ambitions. Our self -centeredness.

Our conceitedness. And the whole putrid mess.

And he suffered for them. He suffered for our

sins. The just for the unjust. Why? That he might

bring us to God. That he might bring us to God.

He bore our sins on the cross. He offered himself

as the sacrifice for our sins and our old self

dies with him. So that in Christ then we are

a new creation and that is how we can do justly

and love mercy and walk humbly with our God and

with our fellow man. But then we move to number

three. We receive this kingdom of God like a

little child. And that also involves a lot of

humility, doesn't it? No, it's not a major 12

-step program for improvement. No, it's not this

thing of, as it used to be, go on pilgrimage

to a particular place or do so crawling or on

your hands and knees or crawling over glass or

sleeping on a bed of nails or all sorts of other

hardships like that. No, it's simply by coming

to the cross of Christ and receiving the kingdom

like a little child. We see this example and

Jesus gives to us in Mark chapter 10, verse 13.

Mark 10:13

Then they brought little children to him that

he might touch them. The disciples rebuked those

who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was

greatly displeased. And he said to them, let

the little children come to me and do not forbid

them. For of such is the kingdom of heaven. Assuredly,

I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom

of God as a little child. will by no means enter

it. And he took them up in his arms, laid his

hands on them, and blessed them. Now today, in

just a bit, we're going to have a baptism for

a newly born little one, a child given by the

grace of God to Paul and Angie Shumway. This

little one is a saint of God, one of whom is

the kingdom of God, Jesus says. He said, let

the little children come to be and do not forbid

them, for of such is the kingdom of God. But

then he goes on to tell all those around, all

the adults, all the disciples, the multitudes

listening, because there were many people gathered

when he was saying this. And he tells them that

they must receive the kingdom of God as a little

child. And if they do not, they will by no means

enter his kingdom. How then does a little child

receive the kingdom of God? First of all, it

is in complete helplessness and dependence upon

God. This word little child here is referring

to an infant or a baby or a very young child.

How are they? They are helpless and dependent.

They can't go out and get harvest food for themselves.

They can't take money and go out and buy something.

They are completely helpless and dependent. No

grand schemes to dethrone their parents or God.

No, they are helpless. and they are dependent.

That is how we are to receive the kingdom. And

then, as they get a little bit older, they're

teachable and they're humble and have a simple

faith and can trust in God. Now, I'm not denying

here the fallen nature of little ones. We all

know that that is there as well. But we're looking

here at what Jesus says about little ones, how

he receives them, how that we are to receive

them. And we see that we are to receive as they

do. Jesus uses the analogy then of a birth of

a baby. To explain the kingdom of God to Nicodemus.

This is in John chapter 3. He tells him. Most

John 3 · chapter mention

assuredly I say to you. Unless one is born again.

He cannot see the kingdom of God. Again he says.

Most assuredly I say to you. Unless one is born

of water and the spirit. He cannot enter the

kingdom of God. There's no amount of good deeds

or forced humility or lying on a bed of nails

that will suffice for what Jesus is talking about.

You must be supernaturally, spiritually reborn

from above. This is the way of Jesus. This is

the way to have humility. And this is the way

to be unified with the body of Christ and the

kingdom of heaven on earth. Now, if you do not

know Christ, then I urge you, dear friend, run

to him, believe in him, trust in him as a little

child, repent of your sins, ask to be born again

and regenerated with a spirit and a new heart.

Ezekiel says, cast away from you all the transgressions

which you have committed and get yourself a new

heart and a new spirit. For why should you die,

O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in

the death of the one who dies, says the Lord

God. Therefore turn and live. But how do we live?

How can this be? The apostle gives it to us in

Acts chapter 3 and verse 9. Repent therefore

Acts 3 · chapter mention

and be converted. Repent and be converted. Change

from darkness to light. your sins may be blotted

out so that the times of refreshing may come

from the presence of the Lord now in all of this

there is a supernatural work of regeneration

that occurs within the heart and we can't do

this we cannot regenerate ourselves so we must

look to Christ for it is he who regenerates us

And so in all of this, don't think that by a

series of good works that you can somehow make

it. No, it is only through Christ. It is supernatural

work. But you are still commanded to repent of

your sins and to look to Christ. Jesus then came

as a king into Jerusalem. He rode in the cult

of the donkey. He cleansed the temple. He spoke

the truths of the kingdom of God. And he was

rejected by the Jewish leaders. He was crucified

by the Romans with the Jewish leader's assent.

But the story does not end there, and Christ's

kingship was not ill -fated or an illusion or

performance act. No, the triumphal entry was

only the first act in this holy week, this history

of a magnificent, glorious, and true story, a

story of how Jesus would display his glory in

this world. By the way of the cross. By the redemption

of the world through his atonement. And then

new life in his resurrection from the dead. And

then his ascension back to the father. There

to rule and reign at the right hand of the father.

Until everyone, every enemy submits to him. But

this man. after he had offered one sacrifice

for sins forever, sat down at the right hand

of God, from that time waiting till his enemies

are made his footstool. For by one offering,

he has perfected forever those who are being

sanctified. Let us then, dear brothers and sisters,

all who are here, let us follow him in humility,

in service, in worship, Of the Lord God almighty.

Hallelujah. For the Lord God. Omnipotent reigns.

Let's pray.