#DailyDevotion The Church Conquers the World by the Humility of Jesus
January 30th
Read Zech 9:1–17
Zec 9:9-11 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (10) I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. (11) As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. ..16 On that day the LORD their God will save them, as the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. (17) For how great is his goodness, and how great his beauty! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.
Jesus has fulfilled this in his, the last week of his life during his humiliation. It is written, Mat 21:6-11 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. (7) They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. (8) Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. (9) And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (10) And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” (11) And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” And again, Luk 19:37-40 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, (38) saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (39) And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” (40) He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Jesus, the kind of the Universe, comes humbly and meekly to claim his kingdom. But his kingdom is not of this world. It is the kingdom of human souls he is after. He comes and wins humanity not by sword or might, but rather by suffering and dying. His death is our death and his resurrection is our victory over death and the one that has the power of death, the devil. So we sing in our services in every language and tongue as Jesus comes to us humbly in the form of bread and wine, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And again, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
We his holy people are not sent out in conquest with arms, anger and hatred. No, we are sent out in peace and love only with his word of promise. That word of promise is your sins are forgiven you. Your Father in heaven is no longer angry with you. I have paid the price. I have received in my soul the penalty for your transgressions, iniquities, sins, guilt, rebellion and shame. Come and receive the gift of eternal life, my life and trust in me. That is Jesus’ word to you today.
Lord Jesus Christ, make us citizens of your heavenly kingdom through faith in your precious promises which make us partakers of your divine nature. Amen.