Dr. David D. Young
April 1, 2007
Psalm 118: 21-29
Matthew 21: 1-10
"King of the Road"

When I’m out on the highway driving – the conditions I like the least – are when it’s nighttime, there’s a driving rainstorm – and there are lots of semis on the road. The spray that those big trucks put off at high speeds when it’s dark – makes it very difficult to see anything at all particularly at the time you are passing them. Another thing about semis is that when it comes to accidents – they usually win! In a physical sense, they are king of the road.

When I was a kid we used to play a game called "King of the Hill." Some of you know how it’s played. You find a little mound – and then push, pull and shove to see who can stay at the top and keep the others off. The one who can stay on top is "King of the Hill."

As we look at the whole notion of king today – we know there can be good ones and bad ones. In the best sense, a king upholds justice, provides security, executes power for the common good – and in the case of ancient Israel even served in a religious sense as one specially blessed by God.

But more often than not human beings get caught up in the acquisition of power – such that their quest becomes the irrational love of loveless power. In the upward climb – with greater recognition and greater control – the love of power overtakes the power of love. It is human to seek self-advantage. And so, it is not unusual that we might think of kings as particularly self-serving.

From the animal world (so to speak) here’s Snoopy with a hat on his head and a stick in his hand.

"An observant scout can learn a lot on a hike…He can learn about the ‘Web of Nature,’ sunlight, air, plants, water, soil, birds, microorganisms… all working together to make a better life for beagles!"

Many kings I’m sure understood – that all those around them from servants to court jester were there to make life better for the king. And as much as we think that type of king is out of date and wrong – it’s amazing how many grown-ups still seem to be playing king of the hill – only in more sophisticated ways. Instead of pushing and shoving – we "position" ourselves to "be on top."

In Jesus’ day, there were many people who wanted him to be an earthly king. They wanted him to help overthrow the Roman government and restore Israel as a sovereign nation. They wanted him to rule with great authority as an earthly king.

Now mind you, this was all in the best sense of the word. The people wanted him to reign with justice, provide security, execute power for the common good, and serve in the religious sense – as one blessed by God.

(David now played a tape of Roger Miller’s "King of the Road.")

With the exception of the reference to cigarettes – which is politically incorrect these days, I would like to suggest that Roger Miller’s image is much closer to the reality of Jesus as king than was the expectation of the people.

This is the day when we remember the Palm parade – a time when Jesus was hailed as a king while he rode in on the road to Jerusalem. He was "King of the Road."

"Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let – 50 cents, no phone, no pool, no pets…I ain’t got no…(O.K., we’ll leave that out) Ah but, two hours of pushin’ broom, buys an 8 x 12 four bit room."

Do we not remember that Jesus had no place to lay his head? Which means that once he began his public ministry he had no permanent place of residency. He went from village to village, place to place – never sleeping in the same bed for any length of time. I don’t know about you, but I like sleeping in my own bed – and when I don’t I usually don’t sleep as well.

The son of man had no place of his own to lay his head. And then remember how the refrain of the song ends,

"I’m a man of means by no means, King of the Road."

Jesus was a man of means by no means. Jesus was not a person of means at all – and certainly not anything like an earthly king. He did not perform miracles for himself so that he could eat. He depended upon God’s grace and the goodness of others to provide his food and lodging. Jesus was a man of means by no means.

Now, on the front edge of Holy Week an awful lot of focus will be put on the crucifixion and resurrection in the coming days. Those are literally the end and ends of Jesus’ life. But when we track with Jesus all the way along his life’s journey we see that the means – that is – his life’s unfolding is as important as the ends.

Means and ends go together with the greatest of integrity and fulfillment. The quality of the way he lived his life and demonstrated God’s love – are the means which could lead to the ends which allowed for God’s greatest love in the face of human rejection and crucifixion.

Friends, Jesus was a man of means by no means…"King of the Road."

Let’s turn now to our texts Dick Peebles read for us earlier. Perhaps you noticed when he read the Palm Sunday story – or perhaps you didn’t, Jesus sent ahead for two animals to fulfill the word of the prophet,

"Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey, of a pack animal."

Can you imagine a king trying to sit – let alone ride on two animals – simultaneously? Yet, that’s what Matthew tells us Jesus did. Now, I doubt Jesus was a forerunner for the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.

Rather, the two beasts symbolized two things. The donkey, on the one hand, employed by Old Testament kings to ride to their coronation – represents Jesus’ son of David messiahship. As legal heir of David through Joseph – Jesus enters Jerusalem on a coronation animal to claim his royal inheritance – however this is symbolic and mistaken by the people to be his only kingly identity. Ironically, his only crowning – comes in his crucifixion with a crown of thorns as "King of the Jews."

On the other hand, "the colt of a pack animal" is a beast of burden which symbolizes Jesus’ identity as the suffering servant – who "took our weaknesses and carried our diseases." Jesus was welcomed by the largest crowd of his entire life with these words,

"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"

And yet the text in verse 10 goes on to say,

"When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’"

We’ve been asking the reflective question, "Who is Jesus, Really?" But if we think we’re confused about Jesus’ identity – let me tell you, the people of his day were even more confused. They wanted a strong, decisive, earthly king – instead, they got a weak, rejected man – who was completely abandoned when he wasn’t what they wanted. Hear verse 23 of our Psalm text,

"The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone."

You see, the religious authorities were trying to build a stronghold – and Jesus didn’t fit it – he was rejected.

Today is Palm Sunday – we celebrate Jesus as King. Hear again verses 24 and 27 of Psalm 118,

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar."

Today we celebrate Jesus as "King of the Road" as he makes his entrance into Jerusalem. He is not "King of the Road" of this world. He is "King of the Road" of true life for all those who will follow his way.

The nineteenth century Scottish Novelist and poet, George MacDonald caught it this way,

"They all were looking for a king
To slay their foes and lift them high:
Thou came a little baby thing
That made a woman cry.
O son of man, to right my lot
Nought but your presence can avail;
Yet on the road your wheels are not,
Nor on the sea your sail!
My fancied ways why should you heed?
You come down your own secret stair;
Come down to answer all my need,
Yea, every bygone prayer!"

In closing, I want to point out the relationship of our Palm Sunday text to the one immediately preceding it. In those verses, two blind men were sitting by the road as Jesus was passing by – and they asked to have their eyes opened. He touched their eyes and they regained their sight – and catch the last four words before our Palm Sunday text for today:

"and they followed him."

"King of the Road" – not of this world – but of faith. "King of the Road" for all who will follow in his way. "Trailers for sale or rent, rooms to let fifty cents…I’m a man of means by no means…King of the Road."

The son of man had no place to lay his head. He was not a person of means. And yet, the means of his life and its ends give meaning to our life.

So let’s agree to follow the…"King of the Road!"

Amen!