Worship 10 am & 6 pm
Belgrade United Reformed Church
17333 Frontage Road
Belgrade, MT 59714
The Weeping King (Luke 19:28-44)
As Christ approaches Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, he embodies both fulfillment of prophecy and a radical redefinition of kingship. Rather than entering as a triumphant earthly ruler, he rides a colt that symbolizes humility and peace, which is in direct contrast to common expectations of a messianic conqueror. This act not only highlights Jesus’ divine foreknowledge and connection to the promises of Genesis and Zechariah, but also deeply echoes Psalm 118 and Psalm 148 as the crowds praise him, recalling God’s pattern of deliverance even as the city's fate of judgment is delayed. The Mount of Olives itself amplifies these themes, standing as a key prophetic site where Zechariah envisioned both judgment and deliverance, much like the Red Sea parted in Israel’s history.
The reactions of the Pharisees further reveal the heart of the moment: their insistence that Jesus rebuke the crowds exposes their rejection of him as Messiah. Jesus responds that if the people were silent, even the stones would cry out, referencing John the Baptist’s warning that true children of Abraham are not defined by lineage or covenant status alone, but by embracing Christ in faith. Amid outward jubilation, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, expressing deep compassion for its spiritual blindness and the peace it fails to receive. This narrative calls for personal reflection—urging each hearer to recognize Christ’s unique mission and kingdom, which are established not by power, but by humility, sacrificial love, and a cross-shaped posture before God.

