Meeting the Real Jesus
An abstract of Connor Kraus’ sermon on April 13, 2025, in the Joshua series. Watch the sermon video here.
Have you ever waited all day for a repair person who said they'd arrive at 8 AM but showed up at 3 PM instead? They tracked mud through your house, couldn't fix the problem, and still charged you full price? When our expectations aren't met, we often blame the other person. But sometimes, the problem lies in our expectations themselves.
About 2,000 years ago, the people of Jerusalem had built up their own vision of what the Messiah would be like. When Jesus arrived, He didn't match their self-created expectations. As we enter Holy Week, it's worth considering how our own assumptions about Jesus might differ from who He truly is and what He actually came to do.
The Royal Entry
When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He fulfilled prophecies written 500 years earlier. The prophet Zechariah had foretold that Jerusalem's king would come "gentle and mounted on a donkey." This was significant because kings typically made two types of entrances:
Riding on a war horse – showing they came for conquest
Riding on a donkey – showing they came in peace
The crowds welcomed Jesus as royalty. They laid down their clothes and palm branches to create a royal carpet. They shouted "Hosanna!" which means "save us." They called Him "Son of David" – a royal title recognizing Him as the promised Messiah-King.
Expectations vs. Reality
The people of Jerusalem wanted a military and political leader who would overthrow Roman rule. They wanted another Moses who would free them from oppression. Instead, Jesus:
Drove merchants from the temple with a whip
Told religious leaders that prostitutes would enter heaven before them
Taught about judgment awaiting those who reject God
Prophesied the destruction of their beloved temple
These weren't the actions of the king they had imagined. The fault wasn't with Jesus – it was with their misaligned expectations.
How We Miss Jesus Today
Two thousand years later, we still struggle with misaligned expectations of Jesus. Here are three ways we often miss the real Jesus:
1. We Want Comfort, Not Holiness
We often seek a Jesus who makes us feel better rather than one who makes us holy. Like a deep-tissue massage that hurts while releasing muscle knots, spiritual growth can be uncomfortable.
Following Jesus isn't just about solving problems or finding comfort. It's about being restored to the people God designed us to be – holy and able to walk in His presence. This process involves changing habits, perspectives, priorities, and behaviors that we might not even recognize as problems.
Action Step: Invite the uncomfortable into your life. Understand that following Christ means walking a path with challenges. Growth comes through the difficult truths and uncomfortable processes God brings into our lives.
2. We Want Support for Our Agenda, Not a New One
Many of us approach Jesus with our plans already made. We have our goals, dreams, and vision boards, and we want Jesus to help us achieve them.
But Jesus doesn't support our agendas – He rewrites them. Throughout His ministry, Jesus challenged people's priorities:
To the ambitious, He said the greatest would be servants
To the powerful, He blessed the meek and peacemakers
To the wealthy, He warned against storing treasures on earth
To the self-help seekers, He taught self-denial
Action Step: Let God define both your plans AND your motives. Allow Jesus to reshape not just what you do, but why you do it.
3. We Want Help, Not Commands
We often want Jesus to give us a boost – like a cyclist getting a little push from a support car – without requiring our full submission. We want His guidance and discernment without calling Him our King.
This creates a problem because Jesus IS our King. He created us and saved us. It's reasonable that the King who died for us would expect us to follow Him.
Action Step: Practice daily submission. Consider starting each day with a physical act of bowing or kneeling before God. This simple gesture acknowledges His kingship over your life.
The Question That Matters
Are you following the real Jesus or just the version that suits you?
The real Jesus challenges us. He makes us uncomfortable. He changes our priorities. He demands our submission.
But He's also the King who rode into Jerusalem knowing He would die for us. He's the gentle Savior who came in peace to rescue us from sin and death. He's the righteous King who will one day return not on a donkey, but on a war horse, bringing perfect justice and making all things right.
This Holy Week, as we remember Jesus's journey to the cross, let's consider whether we're truly following Him or just our idea of Him.
Take the Next Step!
If you're exploring your faith or want to learn more about the real Jesus, we invite you to join us this Sunday at 9:00 or 10:30 a.m.. Together, we can discover what it means to follow the unexpected King who challenges our expectations but fulfills our deepest needs. Plan a visit today
Whether you're a longtime believer or just beginning to ask questions about faith, you'll find a welcoming community eager to journey with you. Come as you are – the King is waiting.