Epiphany: The King Jesus Gospel


The Gospel of the Triumphant King

4.1 | Reverend David Garrison



This morning we conclude our spring series, Epiphany: The King Jesus Gospel.  It is so easy for us to forget the wonder and awe of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we move through the ordinariness of our daily lives.  In the life of the church, the combined seasons of Epiphany and Lent provide us with an opportunity to find “springtime for our soul” by looking anew at the wonder of the Gospel.  In this series, we have attempted to do that very thing, seeing Jesus as the Worshipped King, the Threatening King, the King Trusted, the Revealed King and the Resolute King. Through this, we have been inspired and invited to go deeper in our relationship with Jesus as a result.

In this morning’s text, one of the well-known Palm Sunday passages, we see Jesus portrayed clearly as the Triumphant King.  From the intentional way he chose to enter Jerusalem, to the way he continues to defy expectations, and to the response of the crowd, we see that he truly is triumphant.  As we look at today’s passage, we will see that Because of the Good News that Jesus is the triumphant King, we can join the Palm Sunday crowds in worshipping him.



Epiphany: The King Jesus Gospel

The liturgical season of Epiphany is an interesting one in the life of the church.  It runs from Christmas up to Ash Wednesday, when Lent begins.  It is interesting because an epiphany is defined as “a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being, a moment of piercing awareness or insight.”  But in the church, it isn't a moment, it's an entire season.  Which means our definition becomes: “A moment of piercing awareness, a sudden jolt of understanding, spread out over a period of time.”

The season of Epiphany is a time in which we intentionally and purposefully reflect on the wonder and awe of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ.  And it provides for us an opportunity to look, with fresh eyes and ears, at the Gospel.  For the Apostles, the Gospel was simply the declaration of the good news that King Jesus has come to redeem Israel and all people.