The King of Peace (Luke 19:28-40)

There is a lot of conflict in the world at the present time. Almost daily we hear news about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, violence between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza and other neighbouring countries, the tariff war between President Trump and countries that trade with the USA, as well as other civil wars, conflicts between other countries and acts of terrorism that don’t make it into our news services. The amount of conflict in the world at this time can be pretty overwhelming and weigh down us heavily.

Do you think peace will ever be possible? Or is this just the way it’s always going to be?

The way most people deal with conflict is from a position of strength and power. I have read a number of times in this past week that countries whose trading relationships are being challenged by President Trump’s tariffs don’t want to appear weak but want to take a position of strength against him. They want to look strong so when they get to the negotiating table, they can argue their case and hopefully win some ground. It’s the same in any military conflict and even in our own approaching federal election: the way the world works is that those who are stronger are usually the ones who come out on top.

That’s probably what people were expecting when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday almost two thousand years ago (Luke 19:28-40). The symbolism of the donkey’s colt which Jesus was riding (Zechariah 9:9), the crowd laying their cloaks on the road in front of Jesus (2 Kings 9:13) and waving palm branches in triumph while yelling or singing an ancient song of victory (Psalm 118) all pointed to Jesus coming as God’s chosen king to liberate the Jewish people, give them victory over their enemies, and bring them peace.

While Jesus came as the king of God’s people to bring peace, it was not in the way they expected, or even the way we might think he should. Jesus came to bring peace, but not through an act of physical strength or power. Instead, Jesus came to bring peace by exercising the authority he possessed as God’s Son and anointed Saviour through weakness, humility, suffering and death. While the world looks to establish peace by defeating enemies through power and control, Jesus came to establish peace through grace and sacrificial love.

Jesus undermined and overturned the world’s political agenda when he rode into Jerusalem. He established a new way to deep and lasting peace through suffering and the cross. Over the course of history, when countries have tried to impose their version of peace through force and violence, they have been overthrown by others who have risen up against them with greater force and more violence. Jesus came as a king to instigate a new and better way to peace by suffering for his people rather than inflicting suffering on others, dying for his enemies rather than killing them, sacrificing everything for them rather than demanding tribute from them. Jesus’ path took him through Palm Sunday where he was welcomed as king to the cross where he was identified as the ‘King of the Jews’. This path also leads us into a deep and sustained peace with God, ourselves and with others.

From a worldly point of view this sounds unrealistic and like a fantasy. Everything from our perspective points us towards peace being won through strength and power, not weakness and humility. That is why the path that leads to peace which Jesus travelled is also the path of faith.

Jesus was travelling this path of faith when he entered Jerusalem. He knew when he rode into Jerusalem that he would suffer and be crucified. Knowing that, however, he continued along this path trusting that his Father in heaven would bring him through his suffering and death to the resurrection. He believed that his sacrifice would bring about a new and lasting peace between God and humanity as both justice and mercy were satisfied on the cross. Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the cheers of the crowds in the faith that he would establish peace once and for all through his suffering, death and resurrection for the world.

Jesus also calls us to the path of faith to find peace through him. Faith in Jesus gives us peace with God which makes it possible for us to live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven with Jesus as our king. Trusting in Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection for us overcomes everything that stands in the way of a relationship with God. It cleanses us of everything that bars us from God’s presence so we can live in peace with him. It also gives us a deep and lasting peace within ourselves as we learn to trust in God’s presence with us, his love for us and his victory in us through Jesus. Whatever we might be facing in our lives, we can find peace in the faith that God is with us in the suffering Jesus, he has overcome everything that is wrong with the world in Jesus’ death, and because Jesus is risen from the grave, God will also bring us through our struggles to a better tomorrow in his resurrection power.

Faith in Jesus and living with him as our king can also lead us in the path of peace with other people. Instead of trying to come out on top in our conflicts with others through power and control, we can forgive people who hurt us, treat others better than they treat us, and love our enemies in 1 Corinthians 13, Christ-like ways. Living with Jesus as our king in faith means working for peace in humility, grace and Christ-like love. This doesn’t mean being a doormat or letting people walk all over us. Instead, it takes real strength to do what needs to be done to bring about a deep and lasting peace with others. We can show humility, extend grace, and love others like Jesus loved us because we trust that God our Father will bring us through our conflicts, struggles or suffering to a better place like he did in the resurrection of Jesus, because we are secure in our identity as God’s children whom he loves and citizens of his kingdom, and because we trust Jesus and his life-giving love for us.

I don’t expect the leaders of the world’s nations to change their tactics and start working for peace in humility and weakness. International politics and trade don’t work that way. However, I believe Jesus our king died and is risen again to bring us deep and lasting peace. Jerusalem welcomed Jesus as the king who would bring peace. He brought about peace with God by trusting his heavenly Father, embracing suffering and death, and being raised to new life in his resurrection. When we follow the way of Christ-like love, trusting our heavenly Father and following Jesus in the path of faith and love, he promises to give us a deep and lasting peace with God, in ourselves and in our relationships with others.

More to think about or discuss:

• When you look at the political and trade conflicts happening around the world, do you hope for peace? Why or why not…?
• As you listen to the story of Jesus being welcomed as king in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, how was this an act of faith in his heavenly Father? How was it an act of love for us?
• How might following Jesus as our king in the path of faith and love help us find greater peace in our lives? How might it help you find greater peace in your life?