Do you know how long it takes to make a first impression? The answer is actually somewhat complicated and depends on a lot of different factors. 30 seconds? 7 seconds? 3 seconds? Different studies have preferred those answers. One Princeton study found that all it takes is one tenth of one second to form an opinion of someone. That’s amazing. It’s also maybe a little disconcerting that I could give people the wrong impression about me even before I open my mouth to say, “Hello.” Entrances matter.
Today we enter together into a new church year with the season of Advent. This season is a season of preparation, as we prepare for Christmas. It’s also a season of entrances. The word “advent” means “coming” or “approach.” Specifically in this season we consider three entrances. (1) Jesus entered into this world in fulfillment of Holy Scripture when he was born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. (2) Jesus will enter into this world when he comes again on the Last Day, and so in that way we are like the Old Testament believers, waiting in hope and expectation. And (3) Jesus enters into our own lives right now, not visibly as he did when he stood among his disciples on Easter Sunday, but rather he enters our midst by his Word and Sacrament. He comes to us with the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation, and he works in us a faith to trust in him and a desire to walk with him in godly living. You could summarize those three entrances by saying that in Advent we consider how Jesus comes to us in the past, present, and future.
At first glance the gospel for today might seem like a strange choice because it doesn’t directly deal with any of those entrances. It’s not about Jesus’ birth. It’s not about Judgment Day. It doesn’t say anything about how Jesus is present in his Word and Sacraments. The event described here is one that we consider at a different time in the church year. This is about Palm Sunday, the Sunday a week before Easter. But there is much we can learn from Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on that day. First impressions are important and entrances matter. A new church year has begun. Look there, it is your Lord and God, entering into your midst! And how does this happen? It happens in fulfillment of Scripture. It happens in great humility. It happens to the joyful shouts of praise from his own redeemed people.
Matthew’s account begins by describing a miracle that took place that day. Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him and told them about how they would find a donkey and colt and that they would bring them and the owners would allow it. Of course, by the 21st chapter of Matthew’s gospel no one is surprised to read that Jesus knows things that no normal person would be able to know, including things about the future. This absolutely is one more proof of Jesus’ divinity. He is omniscient, knowing all things. In this way Jesus also demonstrated that he was willingly going into Jerusalem knowing everything else that would happen there as well. Just as he predicted these things, so he also predicted that he would be betrayed and crucified, and that he would rise from the dead on the third day.
But the main reason that Matthew records these details is found in his own words: This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet.
Jesus makes his entrance in fulfillment of Scripture. Matthew showed how Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was in fulfillment of Zechariah 9, written about 500 years prior. Just think about that. What sorts of predictions from 500 years ago do you see coming true today? Fulfilling centuries-old predictions is not something that happens every day, and yet for Jesus it kind of did. Matthew especially points these things out over and over again. That doesn’t make sense unless those Old Testament prophets were truly speaking for God, and unless by God’s inspiration they were speaking of this day. They weren’t just making guesses about things that might happen down the road. They were describing, by God’s revelation, things that God had ordained would be.
Consider well what this means, especially as Christmas approaches. Jesus is not just one data point. He is not one of the many Christmas traditions and goings-on. He is all of it. Anything else is meaningless. “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.,” Jesus said. If you find at this time of year that you are struggling to find time in your busy schedule for Jesus and for his holy word, then your priorities are all backwards. How many millions of people lived out their busy lives not caring one bit while the prophets tried in vain to point them to the coming Messiah? How many today scoff at Jesus’ own promise that where two or three are gathered in his name there he is with them? How many will be standing with no excuse on the day he fulfills Scripture to come again in Judgment? Jesus came in fulfillment of Scripture, and he will come again in fulfillment of Scripture. Are you ready for that day? Are you prepared?
When I have family coming to visit I always want to have at least a few days to clean. My house is not in a constant state of readiness for company. My heart and life are not in constant states of readiness either. Sure, if Jesus would arrive while we sing the closing hymn on Sunday morning that would be just perfect. But what about all the other times? And truth be told, no matter how much warning I would have, I could never get myself in good enough shape to meet God. And this isn’t just embarrassing, like when family shows up early and the house isn’t ready yet. It’s devastating, because he comes in Judgment.
But now we can see why it is so important to consider the manner in which Jesus made his entrance. Here we have the holy, eternal, all-powerful, all-glorious God. Here we have the one who was born into this world as the promised Son of David. Jerusalem had waited for this day for a thousand years. No amount of pomp and circumstance could possibly be too much for this event. And how did Jesus ride into his city? In the words of the prophet Zechariah,
Look, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He came in humility. He came in gentleness and meekness and lowliness. This of course can be seen not just on the day that he rode into Jerusalem. It can be seen at every point throughout his life on earth. From the very beginning, from his conception and his birth, he came in such humility.
And he did this for you. He did this because this is who he is and this is the kind of God you need. If Jesus wanted to rule all the universe with a heavy hand he certainly could. If he wanted to exercise just judgment against every sinner we would have no excuse for our sins. But the humility of Jesus is not just for show. It’s the strong humility that takes sins, yes even your sins, on himself. It’s the mighty humility that takes guilt that is not his own and makes it his own, so that by his own suffering and death that guilt is paid for.
Jesus today makes his entrance into our lives in mighty and humble ways. By the sword of his word our sinful hearts are cut to pieces and by the salve of the Gospel we are brought from death to life. In the water of baptism we are born again as true children of God. Because of that simple washing of water and the Word I can look at the cross and say, “That cross is mine. I have been crucified with Christ, and Christ now lives in me.” In the Lord’s Holy Supper Jesus makes himself present, body and blood, as our true food for eternal life.
As so as with the crowds on Palm Sunday, let us praise him. The Lord makes his entrance to the joyful shouts of praise from his own redeemed people. When he rode into Jerusalem the crowds cut palm branches and paved his way with their garments. And they sang and shouted
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!
Jesus did not turn away their palms or their songs. And he will not turn us away either, though we have sinned greatly against him. He has taken our sins away. He has purchased and won us by his own blood. If his love for us as sinners was so great, will he not gladly welcome our praises now that he has made us children of God?
Praising the name of Jesus is something we do clearly and loudly when we gather around his Word and Sacraments. But we also praise his name in all our lives. Going from this place, with clean hearts and sins forgiven, we are equipped to love and serve one another. We are strengthened to confess him before the world. We have purpose, a purpose that our Lord has given us, ever since he made his entrance into our lives. “Hosanna to the Son of David” is the theme of your life of faith.
And with this theme on your lips and on your heart you are prepared to meet God, you are prepared for him to make his entrance again. When your life in this world is at its end, when the doctors have no more answers, and the medicine doesn’t help, and your strength and breath is failing, you are not forgotten by the Lord who rode humbly into Jerusalem for you. You will not be alone in your grave because of the one who went through death and hell for you. And when you see him with your own eyes having risen from the dead and been changed into his glorious image, then you will sing this song of praise with all the saints and angels. “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Entrances matter. Jesus made his entrance into Jerusalem for you, and he still makes his entrance for your salvation. He makes his entrance according to Scripture. He makes his entrance in great humility. He makes his entrance to the joyful shouts of praise from his redeemed people. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Amen.
— Pastor Seth Georgson