There's Always Some Dude On A Horse

John 12:12-15, Luke 10:38-43, Zechariah 9:9-10

There are two approaches to life: the “war horse approach” and the Kingdom of God approach (or, if you prefer, the “peace donkey approach”). The war horse approach has been the dominant one since the beginning of human civilization. It involves the use of violence, coercion, or power to ride over your opponents, both literally and metaphorically. It is fueled by a belief that if you want to get things done, you need power, and more specifically, power over others. But Jesus’ radical Way demonstrated his belief that it is power under that is at the heart of the Kingdom of God and will
bring about the renewed creation that God promises throughout scripture.

This idea lies at the heart of Jesus’ demonstration in Luke 19. Often called the “triumphal entry,” Jesus’ humble ride on a peace donkey was anything but! Instead, Jesus was giving his followers an image of what the Kingdom of God looks like. Not the power of the sword, but the power of the cross. Not coercive force but love. Not power over, but power under.