Bloghardt's Reflector

St. Matthew 21:1-11 – Advent 1A (2007)
St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX
Listen here.

In the Name of Jesus, who is coming. Amen. Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna. Blessed is He who cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

Today begins the short penitential season of Advent. Adventus is the Latin for “He comes.”

So, Jesus comes, He advents into Jerusalem as our king, carried by a donkey. The donkey – that's David-sort-of-king – like King Solomon did in the Old Testament. “Son of David” points us back there too, doesn't it?

Now God and Kings of Israel don't always get along. You remember from confirmation that God didn't originally do kings. He didn't want them.

The Lord was Israel's king. That was fine, said Israel. All that the Lord says, we will do.

But we didn't do what He commanded. In fact, we ignored His commands. After that, we decided that everybody else had a king, we'd like one too. I mean, come on God, everyone else is doing it!

“You don't want a king,” said Judge Samuel. “A king will take your daughters as his wives, he'll take your sons for his army, and your money... heh... a king will tax you poor.”

But, everyone else has a king – we'd like one too.

“Don't worry,” says the Lord, “They aren't rejecting you as their judge, Samuel, they are rejecting me as their God.”

And how does God handle rejection? He gives them – He gives us - what we want. You want a king, here's a king.

First king – tallest man in town. Saul was a man who looked like a king! That went poorly. So poorly that He committed idolatry and killed himself.

Next king was our best king. David. He slew ten thousands of his enemies! There was no king like him ever in Israel. He's the standard. Later kings would be held up to this guy.

But, what was the best king in Israel? He was a peeping tom pervert, adulterous, pre-mediated murderer. You remember learning that in Sunday School, right?

His son, Solomon, easily the second best king. King Solomon was known for his wisdom, but he also was a womanizing rich guy.

After that king, it really goes down hill from there. Kings that didn't remember that God had made them king, who worshiped other gods, set up poles for worship. Disgusting.

Now, some kings did bring reforms. They returned to the Lord. They came back. Under Josiah's reign, the High Priest found the book of the Law. Imagine God's people so ignoring His word that they lost the book of Deuteronomy. What's up with that?

Really? When's the last time you cracked open your Bible? Or read the book of Deuteronomy? Can you even find Deuteronomy?

King after king... bad bad bad. Worse worse worse. They didn't remember God. They didn't need Him.

All of this is why God wasn't a big fan of Kings. He knew what was going on with them. He didn't need a King, they didn't a king – He'd be their God, they'd be His people. He is our God, we are His people. You get a pagan king then.

But, we wanted a king. So, He gave us our king. Unfaithful kings that got God's people conquered. First the Northern kingdom, then the southern kingdom. You don't have your own king, when you don't have a kingdom.

Then comes the apostles sent to borrow a donkey. The Lord had need of it. The Son of David has need of it. To ride a borrowed donkey into Royal David's City.

No red carpets. No Solomon type riches for this king. He gets coats on the donkey. Palm branches on the road and song.

Then comes the hubbub – but they don't all know why. “Who is this causing such a stir?”

“Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet from Galilee.” Prophet. Not, King. Funny sort of King too. This King goes straight to the Lord's Temple. Not his palace, but the Temple. Dad's house. There He cleanses it for the sacrifice that He would make on Friday.

That day, beaten King Jesus is tossed between Herod and Pilate. Also, those guys aren't kings either. One bought his throne, the other is just the Roman Governor.

“Are you the King of the Jews?”

“You say so.” Everyone wants to be king, but this one. It's not about being king. Not about Him at all. This one is here for a reason – to have the sign above His head.

Iesus Nazaraenus Rex Iudorium. INRI. On the Cross the sign identifies him as king. Your king. My king. The King who comes not to be boss, but to serve others.

Others who would reject Him, “We have no king but Caesar.” You and me, who reject him daily and much to follow after the life that we want. What does God when we reject Him?

The King comes, not to bring war, but to end war – take your swords and beat them into plow sheers. Stop tearing one another up, and love one another. For love is the fulfillment of the Law.

He loved. He loved perfectly. He came not to conquer, but to be conquered by His enemies and by being conquered, He destroys all our enemies – the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.

Finally, God has a people. He's there God, having died for them. We are His people – having had our King come to us in the Word, in the water, in His Body and Blood.

Advent is about comings – Jesus comes into to Jerusalem. And as Advent goes along, we prepare for His coming in the manger.

But, for us, the most important coming, advent, is His coming to us in His Word, His Water, and His Supper. In His gifts, God comes to us. Not as a king who wants to rule us, but as our Savior who died to save us and rose that we would never die.

He came today to little Margaret Nell Dube in the waters of her baptism. As He is Nell's God, so He's Margaret's God too.

He comes to us today in His Word – His word which enliven us and sanctifies us. Which calls on us to prepare for Christ's coming by setting down the weapons we use to beat each other up with – words and metal – and gathering around the forgiveness of sins achieved on the Cross and delivered in His gifts.

And while we take notice of His coming, we prepare. Thus, the violet of advent. He comes, prepare His way. Find the book of God's Law and Gospel. Read it. Mark it. Take it to heart.

Put away your evil deeds. Treat one another as if the time is short – cause it is. Your salvation is nearer than when you first believed.

He's nearer. He's coming – our Savior, our brother, our King. Coming not to destroy us, but to show us once and for all what it means that He is our king – INRI – the Cross.

So.. sing today, as He comes to you. His body broken for you on the Cross. His blood shed for you. Salvation. Here. Now. In your mouth.

Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna. Blessed is He who cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! In the name of Jesus, who is coming. Amen.