The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-30
M MNEfel5ROKEYN N MlEABERNACLG
t- BIBEEcSTUDT"ON~ Christ's Triumphal Entry

Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, Shout. 0 daughter of ',jerusaleml Behold, thy King cometh unto theen-Zechariah 9:9.
 The message of John the Baptist was
 ''The kingdom of heaven is at hand" This same message Jesus bade His dis ciples carry from village to village throughout Palestine. It was the burden Of His preaching and the theme of His parables. Finally, at the close of His ministry the kingdom offer came to the Jewish nation. Today's lesson tells of the formal offer of the Kingdom of Jesus and of the neglect of the Jews as a peo- pie to accept 1t. His own nation re- jeoted Him. A little later, at Pentecost. few who received Him were bcgotten of spiritual Israel, in preparation for the glorious kingdom and the work to be &C., complished at His second advent.
 On the evening preceding the story of this lesson, Jesus and His disciples were at Bethany, the guests of Lazarus, whom He had recently awakened from the sleep of death The feast came at the close of the Sabbath. The next morning cor responded to our Sunday. the first day of the week.
 In preparation for presenting Himself as King, Jesus sent two of His disciples for an ass colt, telling them where they woild find it. and instructing them to say that 1t would be returned after the Mas ter had used it. By the time the colt ar rived a multitude was there-people Of Bethany and others. who had come from Jerusalem to see JA us and Lazarus. It had long been the custom of the kings of Israel to ride to their coronation upon an ass; and the multitude seemed to enter into the spirit of this occasion and to realize that finally Jesus was ready to assume the office of King.
 For sometime the disciples had recog- nized Him as the Messiah, the glories of whose reign they ware to share; and multitudes had learned to so regard Him, saying, "When Messiah cometh. will He do greater works than this man?" This was the first time Jesus had formally put Himself forward. On previous occasions. wien they had sought to take Him by force to make Him a king, He had with drawn Himself, realizing that the time was not yet come. Now He was taking the active part, sending for the colt, pre- pairing for the triumphal ride to the capital of the nation as its King.
 We may be sure that the hearts of the apostles thrilled with excitement as they thought of the nearness of their Masters glory and of their own share in it; for as yet they did not realize the full inn port of His declaration that He must be crucified. and must depart to a far coun- try, even heaven itself, and be invested with authority, and later return to es- t&blish the kingdom which would bless the world.
 Jesus, however, was fully aware that the presentation of Himself as King was a formal matter, fulfilling the prophecy and leaving Israel without excuse If when He would enter the city the people would rise en masse and acclaim Him. then indeed they would be in line with the divine requirements which would bring them the greatest of all blessings. But Jesus knew that He would be de- spised and rejected. that His own people woL1d hide their faces from Him in 53:3
 "The Stones Would Cry Out
 When the ass arrived. some of the peo- pie put their garments upon 1t in lieu of a saddle. Jesus mounted. and the process sion began. The people were familiar with the prophecy relating to Messiah's coming which declared Shout. O daugh- tors of Jerusaleml He is just and having lowly, and sitting upon an ass. - They were familiar also with the shout they gave and the responses. One party cried, 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the King of Israel. that com eth in the name of the Lord!" Again came the cry 'Blessed be the kingdom of our father David. that cometh in the name of the Lord!'' Then came the rec sponte. "Hosanna in tho highestv' These