Jesus, The King We Need
- Kevin Batson
- Mar 31
- 5 min read
When I picture Jesus entering Jerusalem, I always think of the noise first.
It was loud.
Not a quiet, contemplative walk through the city gates.
A full-blown parade.
People lined the streets, waving palm branches like they were at a championship celebration, and shouting at the top of their lungs: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13).
If I’m being honest, if you’d been there (and I’d been there), we probably would’ve assumed we were watching a military hero roll into town after a massive victory.
But when I slow down and actually look at what’s happening… some things feel a little… well, weird for a king.
At Green River Alliance Church, we talk a lot about Real Truth.
And here’s the truth about that moment: the crowd and the King were basically at two different events.
They were there for a political revolution.
Jesus was there for a spiritual rescue.
The King We Imagined
The Jewish people in Jerusalem were exhausted.
They lived under the boot of the Roman Empire, and they wanted out. They wanted their land back. Their dignity back. Their future back.
And most of all, they wanted a king who would pick up a sword and make things “right” in the way the world understands power.
They expected a political savior. Someone who would walk in, kick out the Roman governor, and set up a new government.
And if we’re not careful, we do the exact same thing.
Even here in our community, it’s easy to look for “saviors” in all the wrong places.
We tell ourselves, “If the right person gets elected… if I finally get that promotion… if our bank account hits a certain number… then I’ll finally be okay.”
We build a version of Jesus that fits our checklist of the stuff we want fixed right now.
But Jesus didn’t come on a warhorse.
He didn’t come with an army behind him.
The Humble Reality of the Donkey
Instead of a white stallion, Jesus chose a donkey.
A borrowed one, at that.
And I know that’s a familiar detail, but really think about how that looked.
It’s almost funny: the King of Kings, the Creator of the universe, bobbing along on a small, dusty farm animal.
It fulfilled Zechariah 9:9, yes.
But it was also a statement.
By riding that donkey, Jesus was essentially saying, “I am a King… but I’m not the kind of king you think I am.”
He wasn’t there to shed the blood of His enemies.
He was there to shed His own blood for His friends.
He didn’t come to fix the politics of the first century.
He came to fix the human heart for all eternity.
He came to be the Savior of our souls.
When we talk about Our Beliefs, this is the center of it. We believe Jesus is the unique Son of God who came to reconcile us to the Father.
He didn’t come to give us a better life by the world’s standards.
He came to give us Real Hope that lasts long after the world’s standards fail us.
Why We Struggle to Receive Him
Here’s the part that messes with me every year.
A few days after the parade, the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna!” on Sunday was shouting “Crucify him!” by Friday.
Why the sudden shift?
Because Jesus didn’t do what they wanted.
He didn’t start the war they expected.
He didn’t overthrow the people they hated.
They didn’t truly understand who He was when they “received” Him.
They received the version of Jesus they had created in their own minds.
And when the real Jesus didn’t live up to their imaginary Jesus, they rejected Him.
That’s a tough question for us, but we’ve got to ask it:
Will I receive Jesus for who He truly is?
Will you?
Are we willing to receive a King who tells us to love our enemies?
A King who says the greatest among us must be the servant of all?
A King who says that to find our life, we have to lose it for His sake?
Finding Real Community in the Truth
At Green River Alliance Church, we aren’t interested in a surface-level faith.
I want us to be a Real Community where we can wrestle with these questions together.
Because following the real Jesus is hard.
It’s uncomfortable.
It’s “weird” compared to how the rest of the world lives.
But it’s the only way I know to find actual peace.
If you’re looking for a place where you don’t have to have it all figured out, I’d love for you to join us.
Whether you’ve been following Jesus for forty years, or you’re just now starting to wonder if there’s more to life than the daily grind… there is a seat for you here.
We’re part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, which means we’re deeply committed to the truth that Jesus is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.
But we talk about that in plain English, over coffee, because we’re all just people trying to figure out how to live out His truth in our homes and workplaces here in Green River.
A Savior for the Soul
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the world…
If you’re tired of looking for political or material “saviors” that always let you down…
Let me invite you to look again at the man on the donkey.
He didn’t come to remove every trial from your life immediately.
He came to walk with you through them.
He came to take the weight of your sin and your shame so you could stand before God fully loved and fully accepted.
That is the Real Truth.
As we approach our Easter Sunday Celebration, I want to challenge you (and honestly, I’m preaching to myself here too) to put down your expectations of what you think Jesus should be doing for you.
Instead, ask Him to show you who He actually is.
He is the King we needed, even if He wasn’t the king we expected.
Next Steps for You
Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “I want to know more about this Jesus.”
Or maybe you’re just looking for a place to belong.
Here are a few ways you can connect with us:
Join us this Sunday. We gather to worship and open God’s Word together (Sunday mornings at 10:45 AM). You can find out more about what to expect on our About Our Team and news pages.
Explore Small Groups. Whether it’s our Men’s Ministry or the Flourish Women’s Bible Study, life is better when we do it together.
Reach out. If you have questions or you just need someone to pray with you, don’t hesitate to use our Contact Page.
Jesus didn’t arrive in Jerusalem quietly.
And He doesn’t want to enter your life quietly either.
He wants to change everything.
Will you receive Him today?
Thanks for reading.
Pastor Kevin
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