Think about the following history (See Luke 19:28-40):

Jesus went up to Jerusalem and His twelve disciples were with Him.  He drew two aside telling them to go into the next village near the Mount of Olives to find a tied up, unridden colt of a donkey.  They were to expect to be questioned and they were to answer with ‘The Lord has need.’

When they returned with the donkey, they put their coats on its back.  Then Jesus rode the donkey toward the summit of the Mount of Olives.  People were pressed in on all sides and threw their coats on the ground in front of the donkey.

Jesus began the descent and the crowds kept growing and they were not silent.  They were shouting with excitement and praising God with joy for they were thinking about all the miracles they had seen Jesus do.

What were they shouting?  “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

These crowds were proclaiming Jesus, King!  They wanted Him to go into Jerusalem and take His rightful place on the throne of David.  Perhaps without knowing it, they were fulfilling prophecy…as they joyfully shouted “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

They expected Jesus to claim His crown and throne at that time.  Even the disciples did not understand about His reign as King at this time in history.

If those twelve men had been listening to Jesus over the past weeks they would have better understood His warnings of what was waiting for Him in Jerusalem.  Not a crown fit for a king, but a crown of thorns; not adulation and acceptance by the ruling Jews and the political leaders of Israel; but ridicule, illegal trials, suffering, a cross for a criminal, death and burial.

And if they had understood Jesus they would have also heard the glorious good news…He would be resurrected from the dead…but they did not comprehend.

The twelve were disillusioned, distressed, and depressed when all these events took place in Jerusalem.  It was not what they had wanted to hear or believe; they had unrealistic expectations of Jesus’ ministry, plans and purpose.

Jesus was going to do far more than take His rightful place on David’s throne at that time…He was going to secure freedom from sin, death and Satan for all who would follow Him by believing in Him as their own…their very own Savior.

What are your expectations of Jesus?