All four gospel writers record the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem shortly before his crucifixion. Following the account in Mark 11 we see that Jesus rode on a colt, fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of Zech.9:9, which says, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” And rejoice they did! “Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9).

After reaching Jerusalem, Jesus went to the nearby village of Bethany to spend the night there with his twelve disciples. Upon returning to Jerusalem the next day, Jesus saw a fig tree and approached it looking for fruit. Finding none, Jesus said to the tree, “…May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” (Mark 11:14). The disciples would be amazed to find the tree completely withered the very next day.

When he reached Jerusalem and entered the temple courts, Jesus drove out the merchants and overturned the tables of the moneychangers. He said that the temple was supposed to be a house of prayer for all nations, but instead it had been turned into a den of robbers.

What important truths about King Jesus can we glean from this brief look at a very important Scripture?

First, we must see that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the expected Messiah. The New Testament writers often point out how Jesus met the criteria of Messiah by living out the predictions that were made about him. If we believe the Scriptures, we must accept that Jesus is the Messiah.

Second, we must understand that Jesus deserves to be worshiped. When the crowds loudly praised him, he did not rebuke them. He accepted the praise and adoration that was offered to him.

Third, it is evident that Jesus expects us to bear fruit. The fig tree that was cursed was a symbol of the Jewish religion that had not borne the fruit that God expected them to produce. The same principle applies to the church today and to every individual Christian. King Jesus expects us to make a difference in the lives of other people.

Finally, it is clearly seen that Jesus expects his people to be people of prayer. We must gather to offer prayers on behalf of all people. Our prayers, if offered in faith and within the will of God, are powerful and effective (James 5:16).

To sum it up, if Jesus is our King we will always strive to be worshipful, fruitful and prayerful.