The King We Want
“The next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him. They kept shouting: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord—the King of Israel!’” - John 12:12–13 (CSB)
The streets of Jerusalem were full. Pilgrims had arrived from across Israel and the Roman world for Passover. The city buzzed with noise, anticipation, and rumor. And at the center of the excitement was one name: Jesus.
People had heard the stories.
Hosanna. It means “Save us now.”
The people were not wrong to celebrate Jesus as King. But they misunderstood the kind of king He came to be.
Palm branches symbolized national victory. The crowd believed God had finally sent a ruler who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel’s power. They expected political freedom. They expected visible triumph. They expected a king who would fix their circumstances.
They were welcoming the king they wanted.
But Jesus had come to bring something deeper.
The people were asking to be saved from Rome. Jesus came to save them from sin. They were looking for a political liberator. Jesus came to be a sin-bearing Savior.
And this tension reveals something about the human heart.
It is entirely possible to praise Jesus loudly while misunderstanding Him deeply.
We often want the same kind of king the crowd wanted. A Jesus who solves our problems, stabilizes our lives, and supports our plans. A Jesus who comforts us without confronting us.
But the real Jesus does not come merely to improve your life. He comes to rule it.
And that means the question raised on the streets of Jerusalem is still the question every person must answer today: What kind of King are you welcoming into your life?
The one who serves your agenda…
Or the one who calls you to surrender?
Reflection Question
Where might you be expecting Jesus to serve your plans instead of submitting your plans to Him?
It is possible to praise Jesus loudly while still resisting His authority.
Prayer
Father, help me see Jesus as He truly is, not as I want Him to be. Expose the places where I expect Him to serve my agenda instead of surrendering to His rule. Give me a humble heart that welcomes Him as the King I truly need. Amen.
The streets of Jerusalem were full. Pilgrims had arrived from across Israel and the Roman world for Passover. The city buzzed with noise, anticipation, and rumor. And at the center of the excitement was one name: Jesus.
People had heard the stories.
- The teacher from Galilee who healed the sick.
- The rabbi who fed thousands with a few loaves of bread.
- The man who had just raised Lazarus from the dead.
Hosanna. It means “Save us now.”
The people were not wrong to celebrate Jesus as King. But they misunderstood the kind of king He came to be.
Palm branches symbolized national victory. The crowd believed God had finally sent a ruler who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel’s power. They expected political freedom. They expected visible triumph. They expected a king who would fix their circumstances.
They were welcoming the king they wanted.
But Jesus had come to bring something deeper.
The people were asking to be saved from Rome. Jesus came to save them from sin. They were looking for a political liberator. Jesus came to be a sin-bearing Savior.
And this tension reveals something about the human heart.
It is entirely possible to praise Jesus loudly while misunderstanding Him deeply.
We often want the same kind of king the crowd wanted. A Jesus who solves our problems, stabilizes our lives, and supports our plans. A Jesus who comforts us without confronting us.
But the real Jesus does not come merely to improve your life. He comes to rule it.
And that means the question raised on the streets of Jerusalem is still the question every person must answer today: What kind of King are you welcoming into your life?
The one who serves your agenda…
Or the one who calls you to surrender?
Reflection Question
Where might you be expecting Jesus to serve your plans instead of submitting your plans to Him?
It is possible to praise Jesus loudly while still resisting His authority.
Prayer
Father, help me see Jesus as He truly is, not as I want Him to be. Expose the places where I expect Him to serve my agenda instead of surrendering to His rule. Give me a humble heart that welcomes Him as the King I truly need. Amen.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Love You Receive, Not Love You EarnLove That Comes to RescueLove That Saves Also SendsWhen God Says “New."God Redeems the Past Instead of Erasing It.God Makes a Way Where None Seems Possible.Trust Comes Before ClarityWhen God’s New Work Confronts Old RulersThe God Who Finishes What He BeginsRenewal Begins With Who You Already AreRenewal Is a Process, Not a PerformanceRenewal Starts in the Way You ThinkRenewal Requires Letting GoRenewal Replaces, Not EmptiesRenewal Is Sustained by Who Rules Your HeartIdentity Is Declared, Not DiscoveredNew Identity Begins with Union, Not ImprovementThe Old No Longer Gets the Final SayThe New Is True Even When You Don’t Feel ItWalking in New Identity Means Agreeing with GodNew Identity Always Moves OutwardGod Establishes the Steps, Not YouGod Delights in Dependence, Not PerfectionFalling Is Assumed, Not DisqualifyingGod’s Response Is Grip, Not FrustrationFaith Is the Next Step, Not the Full PlanHeld by Nails So You’d Be Held by Grace
February
Christ Doesn’t Visit, He DwellsLove Is the Foundation, Not the RewardAgapē Love Holds When You’re ShakyThe Love of Christ Is Beyond MeasurementFilled With God, Not SubstitutesRooted Love Becomes Outward LoveLove Is Commanded, Not SuggestedLove Is an Act of Obedience, Not a Feelingour Neighbor Is the One God Put in Front of YouThe Love You Receive Is the Love You ReleaseYou Cannot Love Like This Without the GospelLoving Others Is the Evidence of a Changed HeartContract Love Proves NothingLove Without LeverageMercy Is the Family ResemblanceJesus Is the Proof and the PatternCancel the LedgerMove Toward the UnlovableLove Has a StandardLove Is Chosen, Not AccidentalSubstitution, Not InspirationFrom Enemies to FriendsReceive Before You ResembleLay Something Down
March
Faith Rests on What HoldsFaith Trusts Before It Sees Bible Verseaith Anchors in God’s Character, Not OutcomesFaith Moves, Not Just AgreesFaith Endures Without Immediate ReinforcementFaith Fixes Its Eyes on ChristThe Two Ways We WalkFaith Is the Instrument of the Christian LifeWhen Sight Becomes Your MasterYour Identity Is Anchored in a Greater RealityFaith Moves Before the Outcome AppearsThe Savior Who Walked Before YouThe King We Want
2025
March
The Way to TruthLiving Water in a Thirsty WorldThe Narrow PathKnown by GodEternal Life Starts NowThe Relentless Pursuit of LoveFaith in ActionGoing Where Others Won’tJesus Changes EverythingOvercoming Fear to ShineMaking Heaven CrowdedReflecting His LightSalt of the EarthLetting Your Light ShineFueling Your LightShining TogetherThe Call to Surrender
April
The Paradox of DiscipleshipFrom Fan to FollowerThe Cross We CarryThe Joy of Full SurrenderThe Fruit of SurrenderThe Perfect PlanThe Root of Our ProblemThe Perfect SacrificeFreedom PurchasedLiving in VictorySent with PurposeThe True Cost of LoveFrom Darkness to LightBreaking Down BarriersVictory, Not VictimhoodLiving in FreedomThe Invitation Still StandsThe Stone Was Already MovedBreaking Free from the Graveyard
No Comments