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The King We Need

The King We Need (John 12:12–26)

“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Palm Sunday is a moment of paradox. The streets of Jerusalem were filled with celebration, yet days later, those same voices cried, “Crucify Him!” Why? Because Jesus wasn’t the kind of king they expected. And if we’re honest, we often fall into the same trap.

The Problem Beneath the Problems

We know there’s a problem. We see it in broken relationships, emotional struggles, addiction, pain, war, depression, and shame. We try to fix it with:

  • Money
  • Power
  • Distraction
  • Therapy
  • Diet
  • Even relocation

But nothing really works, because the core problem isn’t our circumstances — it’s sin. Sin separates us from our Creator. And when we’re disconnected from the Source of all that is good, true, and beautiful, everything else breaks down.

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” Restoration to God is what we ultimately need.

The Misunderstood Messiah

In John 12, the crowds gathered for two main reasons:

  1. The Passover Feast
  2. Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead

The miracle created a buzz. People wanted a Savior, but they misunderstood what they needed saving from. They wanted a miracle-worker or political liberator. Many do today as well.

Jesus performed miracles not to dazzle but to point. They pointed to who He was — the promised Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But instead of recognizing Him as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, they projected their own expectations onto Him.

The Palm Branches and the Plea

Palm branches symbolized victory and triumph. The people cried out, “Hosanna!” meaning “Save us now!” What began as a desperate plea eventually evolved into a shout of praise. But their definition of “salvation” was shaped by Rome, not by sin.

They wanted freedom from Caesar. Jesus came to offer freedom from sin.

A King on a Donkey

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey for three reasons:

  1. To fulfill prophecy (Zechariah 9:9)
  2. To declare Himself as King
  3. To come in peace, not in war

In ancient times, kings rode horses to battle. A donkey meant peace. Jesus was the Prince of Peace, not the provocateur of war. He was the Lamb led to the slaughter, not the Lion roaring for political dominance — yet.

This humble entry forced the hand of the religious leaders. He openly declared His identity and made it clear that the hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

The Passover Connection

The timing wasn’t random. Jesus chose Passover deliberately.

  • In Exodus, the Israelites were spared from judgment when a spotless lamb was sacrificed and its blood applied to their doors.
  • Jesus became our Passover Lamb.

John 1:29 — “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
1 Corinthians 5:7 — “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”

He wasn’t just entering the city. He was marching to the cross.

A Different Kind of Glory

John 12:24–26 explains that His path to glory was through death. A seed must die to bear fruit. Likewise, following Jesus means dying to self, surrendering to Him, and serving others.

We don’t need more self-esteem. We need self-denial. He calls us to:

  • Lose our life to gain it
  • Serve rather than be served
  • Die to self in order to truly live

Final Warning: Don’t Miss the Messiah

Many in the crowd missed who Jesus really was. Many still do today. They clung to a version of Jesus that met their expectations and missed the true King entirely.

The next time the world sees the Messiah, He won’t be riding a donkey. Revelation 19 shows us He’ll return on a white horse, crowned, victorious, and righteous. He came first as the Lamb; He’s coming back as the Lion.

Until then, we must be on guard. Scripture warns us of false gospels, deceptive spirits, and cultural Christianity that looks good but lacks power:

  • Galatians 1:6–9
  • 2 Corinthians 11
  • 1 Timothy 4:1
  • 2 Timothy 1:13–14

Conclusion

Jesus is the King we need, not always the King we want. But He’s far better than anything we could ask for. He has solved our deepest problem. He’s made a way back to the Father. He offers eternal peace, not just temporal relief.

Let us fix our eyes on the true Messiah. Let us worship Him for who He really is:

  • Our Savior
  • Our Redeemer
  • The Lamb
  • The Lion

And be sure of this: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)