Recognize Jesus as King and Receive His Peace
Welcome to Day 290 of our journey with Jesus. Today, we think about how we will respond to Jesus. The main truth for today is this: Jesus invites us to recognize him as King and receive the peace he brings. Let’s begin.
Current details of the journeyView the calendar, Episode and passage
Jesus in Action
Luke 19:28–44
Step 5 of 5
Decide how you will respond to Jesus.
Baada ya Yesu kusema haya, alitangulia kupanda kwenda Yerusalemu. Naye alipokaribia Bethfage na Bethania kwenye mlima uitwao Mlima wa Mizeituni, aliwatuma wanafunzi wake wawili, akawaambia, “Nendeni katika kijiji kilichoko mbele yenu. Na mtakapokuwa mnaingia kijijini, mtamkuta mwana-punda amefungwa hapo, ambaye hajapandwa na mtu bado. Mfungueni, mkamlete hapa. Kama mtu akiwauliza, ‘Mbona mnamfungua?’ Mwambieni, ‘Bwana anamhitaji.’ ” Wale waliotumwa wakaenda, wakakuta kila kitu kama vile Yesu alivyokuwa amewaambia. Walipokuwa wanamfungua yule mwana-punda, wenyewe wakawauliza, “Mbona mnamfungua huyo mwana-punda?” Wale wanafunzi wakajibu, “Bwana anamhitaji.” Wakamleta kwa Yesu, nao baada ya kutandika mavazi yao juu ya huyo mwana-punda, wakampandisha Yesu juu yake. Alipokuwa akienda akiwa amempanda, watu wakatandaza mavazi yao barabarani. Alipokaribia mahali yanapoanzia materemko ya Mlima wa Mizeituni, umati wote wa wafuasi wake wakaanza kumsifu Mungu kwa furaha kwa sauti kuu kwa ajili ya matendo yote ya miujiza waliyoyaona. Wakasema: “Amebarikiwa Mfalme ajaye kwa Jina la Bwana!” “Amani mbinguni na utukufu huko juu sana.” Baadhi ya Mafarisayo waliokuwamo miongoni mwa ule umati wa watu wakamwambia, “Mwalimu, waamuru wanafunzi wako wanyamaze.” Yesu akawajibu, “Nawaambia ninyi, kama hawa wakinyamaza, mawe yatapiga kelele.” Alipokaribia Yerusalemu na kuuona mji, aliulilia, akisema, “Laiti ungalijua hata wewe leo yale ambayo yangeleta amani, lakini sasa yamefichika machoni pako. Hakika siku zinakujia, ambazo adui zako watakuzingira, nao watakuzunguka pande zote na kukuzuilia ndani. Watakuponda chini, wewe na watoto walioko ndani ya kuta zako. Nao hawataacha hata jiwe moja juu ya jingine, kwa sababu hukutambua wakati wa kujiliwa kwako.”
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Luke 19:28–44 presents Jesus receiving a royal welcome and weeping over Jerusalem. These events invite a serious response: receive Jesus as king and take his words seriously. The praise he accepts and the warning he gives both deserve our attention.
Watch: Will You Accept Jesus’ Peace or Reject His Warning?
Watch the companion video, then continue reading to examine the biblical testimony in its full context.
Receive Jesus as King
Jesus approaches Jerusalem riding on a colt, a young donkey. People spread their cloaks on the road. Cloaks are outer garments. The crowd of disciples, his followers, praises God joyfully and loudly for the miracles they have seen. They declare, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” and “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some Pharisees, members of a Jewish religious group, object. They tell Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” They want him to order his disciples to stop. Jesus replies, “I tell you,” “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” He refuses their request to silence the praise. He accepts the disciples’ royal welcome.
Receiving Jesus as king means more than admiring the welcome he receives. Take his authority seriously. Listen carefully to his words and let them guide your decisions. Do not let the response of a crowd decide your own response to Jesus.
Take His Warning Seriously
Jesus sees Jerusalem and weeps over it. He says, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Jesus directs this warning to Jerusalem. He connects its coming destruction to its failure to recognize the time of God’s coming. His tears show deep concern for the city, but they do not make his warning less serious. His compassion and the consequences he describes appear together.
Do not let the celebration distract you from these words. Jesus accepts the disciples’ praise, yet he grieves over what Jerusalem has failed to recognize. Receiving him as king includes giving attention to his warning about peace and God’s coming.
Give His Words Your Attention
One practical way to respond is to reread Luke 19:41–44 slowly. Ask what taking Jesus’ warning seriously would mean for your understanding of him and the peace he speaks about.
If you trust Jesus, listen carefully to his warning and take it seriously. If you are still exploring, give his warning an honest hearing. Questions need not prevent you from taking his words seriously.
Receive Jesus as king and take his words seriously. This is the Respond step in the Jesus365 Journey for Luke 19:28–44. The passage’s royal welcome and sorrowful warning belong together. Continue exploring Jesus’ words and actions in the Gospels with attention to both his authority and his compassion.
Consider this.
What response does Jesus require?
Take your next step
Recognize Jesus as King on His terms and receive the peace that comes through Him.
