The Triumphant Entry

When I was in college, I would spend Thursday evenings with my friends at the Baptist Student Union on the University of Miami campus. After the meeting, some of us would wend our way to the dorms upstairs and play games on the state-of-the-art Pentium computer (This was before Pentium II days and beyond). Sometimes we would play x-wing vs. tie fighter and sometimes we would play Daggerfall, but a game we truly relished was one involving taking command of Napoleon Bonaparte’s army and waging battles. You could direct the infantry, the cavalry and the artillery in an attempt to outwit and outfight the enemy and so win the day. The thrill of triumph always seemed to lessen the agony of past defeats and whetted our appetites for more campaigns.

The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France was designed to celebrate the real Napoleon’s victories. It is 160 feet high, 148 feet wide, and seventy-two feet deep. It’s so massive, that at the close of the First World War, a pilot named Charles Godefroy was able to fly a biplane through the arch. It is a stirring symbol of victory and pride for the French.

After subduing Europe and crowning himself Emperor, Napoleon was eventually defeated on the battlefield and sent into guarded exile. The following passage is attributed to him during his last years on the rock of St. Helena.

“ There, the conqueror of civilized Europe had time to reflect on the measure of his accomplishments. He called Count Montholon to his side and asked him, "Can you tell me who Jesus Christ was?" The count declined to respond. Napoleon countered: Well then, I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force. Jesus alone founded His empire upon love, and to this very day millions will die for Him. . . .

I think I understand something of human nature; and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man; none else is like Him: Jesus Christ was more than a man. . . . I have inspired multitudes with such an enthusiastic devotion that they would have died for me . . . but to do this it was necessary that I should be visibly present with the electric influence of my looks, my words, of my voice. When I saw men and spoke to them, I lightened up the flame of self-devotion in their hearts. . . .

Christ alone has succeeded in so raising the mind of man toward the unseen, that it becomes insensible to the barriers of time and space. Across a chasm of eighteen hundred years, Jesus Christ makes a demand which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy; He asks for that which a philosopher may often seek in vain at the hands of his friends, or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart; He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands it unconditionally; and forthwith His demand is granted.

Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man, with all its powers and faculties, becomes an annexation to the empire of Christ. All who sincerely believe in Him, experience that remarkable, supernatural love toward Him. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man's creative powers. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame; time can neither exhaust its strength nor put a limit to its range. This is it, which strikes me most; I have often thought of it. This it is which proves to me quite convincingly the Divinity of Jesus Christ.”


Jesus experienced His own march of triumph. It is a moment that has been re-created on film and on stages countless times. Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding a donkey and knowing full well what awaited Him.

Knowing the joyous crowds would soon turn against Him.

Knowing His faithful disciples would desert Him.

Knowing the suffering that those whom He loved and who loved Him would go through.

Knowing the painful death He would endure.

All knowing, all seeing, and yet He rode on; riding in the shadow of the cross. He rode on not as a Conqueror basking in glories past, but as a Savior focused on the outcome of His obedience to the Father.

Our salvation.

He rode in triumph.

It has been stated that it wasn’t the nails that held Jesus to the cross. It was His love for us. Love: the strongest of all forces.

• What areas in your life have you experienced defeat and disappointment?
• How does knowing that Jesus triumphantly rode toward the cross address the pain and disillusionment in your life?

John 12:12-36 (and Isaiah 25:8)
Jesus’ Triumphant Entry
The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted,
“Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”
Jesus Predicts His Death
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
“Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.
Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” He said this to indicate how he was going to die.
The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”
Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”
After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.

1 Corinthians 15:51-58
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.