The King Came as Promised – Family Devotion – March 31, 2021

Read: Zechariah 9:9,10

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.
Zechariah 9:9

The King Came as Promised

 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“I promise.” Those are special words, aren’t they? Those words mean that we can rely on what the person is saying. For example, when Mom or Dad promises that you’re all headed to the movies on Friday, you know it’ll happen. It’s a promise. Or if your teacher promises a field trip to the zoo or museum, you can rely on it. It’s a promise. Or if you promise to clean your room, it’ll definitely happen (right!?). It’s a promise.

Promises are for certain—except when they’re broken. Sometimes a parent plans for family movie Friday, but unexpectedly has to work late. Promise broken. Sometimes a teacher gets everything ready for a field trip, but suddenly school is canceled and everyone stays at home for months. Promise broken. Sometimes you have every intention of picking up your room, but you just forget or lose track of time or are exhausted from practice. Promise broken.

Over the years, God’s people Israel might have wondered, “Will God keep his promise?” God had promised to send a Savior many times, ever since Adam and Eve sinned. Our verses from Zechariah are one of those promises, where God assured his people that their Savior, their King, would come to them. But not long before this, God’s people had been conquered by a foreign nation and taken away to live in a foreign land. His people must have wondered: “Will God keep his promise?”

But we know what happened—the King came! We heard about it in our last devotion. Jesus entered Jerusalem just like Zechariah said he would: “…lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Isn’t that amazing? Jesus, the King, fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy given hundreds of years before—even the part about riding on a donkey! Jesus, the King, came! Which means, God kept his promise!

Yes, God keeps all his promises—because unlike people, God can’t break a promise. And that means we can trust everything God tells us about our King. The King came to save—and he has. His death on the cross has saved you. Promise kept! The King came to bring peace—and he has. Your sins are forgiven. Your guilt is gone. Promise kept! The King came to bring you into his kingdom—and he has, through your baptism. Promise kept!

No matter how things seem or how we may feel, we can always rely on this: God keeps his promises in Jesus!

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you sending our Savior Jesus, just as you promised. Help us to trust all of your precious promises, because we know you will always keep them. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• What is a promise?
• What did the Bible promise King Jesus would ride?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• God kept his promise to send the Savior Jesus. What does that tell you about God’s promise to take you to heaven?
• What’s different about God’s promises compared to the promises we make?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Why might the people of Israel have wondered whether God would keep his promise?
• Think of an encouraging promise that God has made to you in the Bible. Why is it so special?

Hymn: CW 130:3 – Hosanna, Loud Hosanna

“Hosanna in the highest!” that ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heav’n, our King.
Oh, may we ever praise him with heart and life and voice
And in his royal presence eternally rejoice.