Glory to the king of kings
Jesus hail! enthroned in glory,
There forever to abide. John Bakewell
Read Luke 19:36-40
I think tonight of those rattled Pharisees, beside themselves. ‘Teacher, tell them to stop it! Stop it! Can’t you stop them?’ They are in panic. This praise of Jesus is getting out of hand. He is feted as king. King in God’s name. And higher than any known king at all. Look, heaven itself is involved. The praise of the people present is joined with that of heaven, ‘Glory in the highest heaven.’ This man on a donkey is out of human control. Yes, I should panic too if I did not want Jesus to accept the praise of heaven and earth.
Prayer
Dear Lord, at your birth angels sang, ‘Glory to God in the highest!’ At your coming into Jerusalem the crowd sang because even the stones would have shouted out, ‘Glory in the highest heaven!’ Every church service of worship sings your praise, ‘He came down to earth from heaven who is God and Lord of all.’[1] ‘Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me!’[2] ‘Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son, endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.’[3] ‘The highest place that heaven affords is his, is his by right.’[4]
[1] Cecil Frances Alexander
[2] Charles Wesley
[3] Edmond Louis Budry
[4] Thomas Kelly