The Prince of Peace on a Donkey's Colt — Are You Ready to Welcome His Return?

Dear friends, brothers and sisters, peace be with you.

If a head of state or a world-renowned leader were visiting our city today, you can imagine the grand spectacle that would unfold—police escorts and heavy security would be an absolute given. In our minds, the arrival of a king is supposed to be accompanied by might and power. Today, we are going to look at John chapter 12, verses 12 to 19 together, to see how the true King of the universe made His glorious entry.

It was just before the Passover, and the atmosphere in Jerusalem had reached a boiling point. A great crowd went out to meet Jesus, taking palm branches and shouting "Hosanna!" What they were eagerly anticipating in their hearts was a political hero who would lead them to overthrow the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. Yet, instead of riding a tall, majestic warhorse, Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it. As we hear the roar of the excited crowd, it is as if we are standing right there on that path covered with branches. Watching this extraordinary King slowly make His way forward, what kind of calling is His choice sending to our souls? Let us follow the footsteps of the crowd that day and experience this together.

First, we see Jesus' "Humility and Peace" — fulfilling God's eternal promise. 

The crowd expected a strongman who could solve their immediate distress with military force, but Jesus chose to ride a young donkey colt. This perfectly fulfilled the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9: "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" In the culture of that time, a warhorse represented war and conquest, whereas a donkey symbolized peace and gentleness. This King did not come to conquer the world by force, but rather brought true reconciliation between God and humanity through sacrificial love and profound humility. In our daily lives, we often expect God to quickly solve our problems with overwhelming power, but God frequently uses the gentlest ways to first change and soften our hearts.

Second, we see the "Tension and Hope" of our faith — from the donkey's colt to the glorious clouds. 

In His first coming, Jesus rode a donkey colt to walk toward the cross at Golgotha, accomplishing the grace of salvation as a suffering servant. However, the Bible clearly tells us in Matthew 24:30 that when Jesus returns for the second time, He will no longer be on a donkey, but will come "on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." What a breathtaking contrast! His first coming was to bestow salvation and grace; His second coming will be for glorious judgment and absolute reign. This serves as a profound reminder that our faith cannot merely remain in the blind enthusiasm and outward cheering of the crowds. Instead, we must truly honor the Lord in our hearts, live a life worthy of our calling, and stay watchful in our daily lives, actively preparing ourselves to meet God.

The earthly palm branches will wither, and the cheers of the crowd will fade away, but the peace Christ gives is eternal. Is the Jesus we follow today merely a savior shaped by our own desires, or is He the true King of kings?

Dear Lord, thank You that out of Your immense love for us, You willingly humbled Yourself, stepping into our lives with profound gentleness. May we allow Your peace to rule in our hearts today, no matter what challenges or turbulence we face. We also ask the Holy Spirit to awaken our spirits constantly, so that we do not follow the noise of the world, but rather, with pure, reverent, and watchful hearts, prepare ourselves every single day to joyfully welcome Your glorious return. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.