In the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the synoptic Gospels present us with a delightful picture of some of the finest pre-resurrection worship in the Bible. As we read these accounts in Matthew 21, Mark 11, and Luke 19, our hearts rejoice at the way in which the Lord was received, albeit temporarily, into Jerusalem. But in addition to the beautiful emotions this passage inspires, it is also a rich source of instruction about worship.
The first thought we must explore is what this event meant to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. One of the very special titles used of the Lord is that of the Son of David. Indeed, as we read through the Gospels, it seems that the Lord Jesus Christ frequently granted the requests of those who approached Him as the Son of David. So this passage is particularly beautiful in showing the Son of David entering the City of David in a manner that befits a king. The King is returning to that which is His own! Of course, the Lord Jesus had been to Jerusalem many times before, but the triumphal entry was something special and unique. This recognition of Jesus as a king entering His royal city is not just some thought suggested by Christians, but the Jewish crowds themselves shouted out, “blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Lk. 19:38).
In Matthew 21:2f, Mark 11:2-6 and Luke 19:30-34, we see a detail which may seem odd to us. The Lord sent His disciples to fetch a colt with instructions of what to say to the owner. When questioned as to why they were taking the colt, they were to say, “The Lord has need of it.” Here we see that God arranges the setting, the means, and the inspiration for worship.
The conditions of worship
The setting is the presence of the Lord. Worship cannot take place apart from the divine Persons. Whether personal or corporate worship, it comes when He is present. Our fondest thought, our most precious memory of Him, our deepest meditation, and our most explosive emotion of love all come together in worship.
What is the means of worship? In Matthew 21:7, we see the people laying their coats on the colt. Here we see a reminder that in worship we bring what we have. What we have stored up in our hearts overflows in worship, whether personal or corporate. But in the next verse, we see the crowd cutting branches to spread on the road ahead of Jesus’ mount. This is a reminder that in worship there is often something fresh. One thought which is prepared ahead of time leads to new thoughts which are inspired then and there by the Spirit.
And what is the inspiration for worship? It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; He is the focus of worship. We see this in Matthew 21:9, as the crowd began crying out “Hosanna!” To be with Him, to share in His joy, to see Him in His rightful place—all inspire us to worship. For three years, the crowd had seen confirmation of the statements made at the Lord’s baptism, and now those thoughts overflow. Though it is a simplification, it can be stated that in worship we are merely agreeing with the Father’s estimation of the Son.
The preparation of worship
In Mark 11:2 we read, “you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.”
Here we learn that some things belong exclusively to God. There is no room for anyone to share the worship of God; to God alone be the glory! To receive worship is the exclusive prerogative of God. But there is also a reminder that within the Godhead there are thoughts that are not shared with created beings. Only the Father can truly comprehend the perfections and beauties of the Son. Try as we might, our worship is only a pale shadow of what will take place for eternity, and we would have it no other way. It goes without saying that in worship there is no place for the flesh to be on display. Our eloquence adds nothing to the symphony of praise that the Holy Spirit leads. No mere man is on display, but only the one who is both God and man.
Sometimes in worship, God makes arrangements that are not visible to us. We do not know what arrangements were made ahead of time in Mark 11:6. Did the Lord Jesus have some dealings with the owner of the colt ahead of time? Or did the Holy Spirit make the arrangements then and there? We don’t know. But what we do know is that God Himself made arrangements that were not visible to the disciples. As we walk through the Christian life, we sometimes find ourselves in situations where it becomes clear to us that God has made arrangements of which we were not aware. This is particularly the case in worship. When our hearts are desirous of singing the praises of the Lord, we often stumble across a precious thought, or we are reminded of something from our daily Bible reading, or another believer during corporate worship has a thought that perfectly dovetails with our own.
But for all the joys of worship, we must acknowledge that worship can sometimes be costly and calls for actions which are out of the ordinary. We see this in Mark 11:8 when the crowds placed their coats on the dirty road to have the colt walk over them. This is not the regular purpose of a coat! Yet the people delighted to use their coats in this manner. Another of the costs of worship is our time. It takes a sacrifice to set aside time for worship, whether personal or corporate. A greater sacrifice is that of self.
There is no room for self when we come to worship. Our thoughts, even the good ones, must be reined in as we meditate on the highest theme.
The preeminence of worship
A failure to worship invalidates all other religious virtues. We see this in Luke 19:39. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that many of the Pharisees were good and devout men. They earnestly followed after God. It is likely that they were far more religious than any of us today. But their religion had no place for the Lord Jesus Christ, and they had no sympathy with the worshipping crowds. As such, they literally missed the opportunity of a lifetime. Whatever religious virtues they may have had were squandered when they failed to worship.
Finally, worship is an opportunity that God gives to us. One might even call it a gift. When the Pharisees tried to get Jesus to restrain the expressions of praise coming from the crowd, He replied, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (Lk. 19:40) It is not as if the Lord God is short of worshippers. He can have the worship of the angels any time He wants. He can even animate the stones themselves to worship Him! And yet He has requested the worship of mankind with gentle words like, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk. 22:19). To deny Him the worship that is His due is the grossest indecency. We are given the opportunity to worship Him, personally and corporately, and, both humbly and joyfully, we obey.