11/24/16
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
During the season of Advent we look forward to the coming of Christ. The Scripture has a tendency to collapse the various predictions of Christ’s coming into one another. For instance, the birth of Jesus, his entry into Jerusalem to die for sin, and his second coming can often look like one and the same event. This week, in Matthew 21, we find Jesus coming into Jerusalem to be the Passover sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Notice the way he approaches the city. He has his disciples borrow a donkey. The different accounts are possibly slightly inconsistent here. It may look like he has a donkey colt or it may appear that he has a donkey and her colt. Any way you stack it, the testimony of the Gospels is consistent. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, not a horse. He does not come as a conquering king on a noble war horse. He comes rather as the king who comes in peace. There is no threat posed by the person riding on a donkey.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem the people are assembled. They greet him, shouting out the praises of God, laying down a carpet for his progress. Likewise, as we see Jesus, may we have the grace to call out to him for his salvation. Jesus is the one who enters into our lives, coming as the one who can make peace between God and man. He is the one who brings his grace and peace with him.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
During the season of Advent we look forward to the coming of Christ. The Scripture has a tendency to collapse the various predictions of Christ’s coming into one another. For instance, the birth of Jesus, his entry into Jerusalem to die for sin, and his second coming can often look like one and the same event. This week, in Matthew 21, we find Jesus coming into Jerusalem to be the Passover sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Notice the way he approaches the city. He has his disciples borrow a donkey. The different accounts are possibly slightly inconsistent here. It may look like he has a donkey colt or it may appear that he has a donkey and her colt. Any way you stack it, the testimony of the Gospels is consistent. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey, not a horse. He does not come as a conquering king on a noble war horse. He comes rather as the king who comes in peace. There is no threat posed by the person riding on a donkey.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem the people are assembled. They greet him, shouting out the praises of God, laying down a carpet for his progress. Likewise, as we see Jesus, may we have the grace to call out to him for his salvation. Jesus is the one who enters into our lives, coming as the one who can make peace between God and man. He is the one who brings his grace and peace with him.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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