In the Old Testament lesson (Zechariah
9:9-10), our king comes with a promise. In the Epistle lesson (Philippians
2:5-11), in humility, Christ came to earth to die. In the Gospel lesson (John
20:20-43), Christ came to Jerusalem to be king. The Psalms and hymn for the day
fill in to round out this basic theme.
On Sunday Christ is hailed as King and Lord.
By Friday He would be dead. Yet in His rejection do we find life eternal,
peace, and rest. We are preparing for the most important week of the Church
Year. The cross is coming into clear focus. What do you think of Jesus? How you
answer this question will determine your destiny.
Monday, 22 March 2021—Psalm 24:7-10; antiphon,
Psalm 118:26—In the antiphon the Psalmist echoes the cries
of the crowd on that first Palm Sunday, “Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The long sought after King has
finally arrived. Along with the children and crowd, we hail Jesus as King and
God forever.
Heaven's gates are called everlasting,
because they shall endure for ever, or because they be the doors unto the life
which is everlasting.
Our Lord Jesus Christ could ascend into the
hill of the Lord because his hands were clean and his heart was pure, and if we
by faith in him are conformed to his image we shall enter too. We have here a
picture of our Lord's glorious ascent. We see him rising from amidst the little
group upon Olivet, and as the cloud receives him, angels reverently escort him
to the gates of heaven.
Collect for
Psalm 24: Lord God ruler and guide of heaven and earth, you made your Son a
priest and brought him into your everlasting temple. Open our hearts tht the
King of glory may enter and bring us rejoicing to your holy mountain, where you
live and reign one God, now and forever. -22
March 2021
Collects from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
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