Jesus Our King, part 1

As continue our Advent series, in which we are looking at Jesus from different perspectives, seeing Him, perhaps, in a slightly different light than we may have before, bringing fresh understanding of all He is for us. Jesus is many things to many people. To the believer, Jesus is the Prophet of God, who came to tell us the Words of God. And He is our Great High Priest, who has come to bridge the gap between God and Man, by offering the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. This week, we will see Jesus Our King, another title for the Babe who was born in Bethlehem.

Let’s read through together our Bible passage for this week’s study: 

Matthew 2:1-12 “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked the where the Christ was to be born.
 

5 ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:’ 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a Ruler who will be the Shepherd of My people Israel.’ 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and found out from the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and make a careful search for the Child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.’ 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the Child was.
 

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route” NIV.   

“Jesus Our King” is often a difficult title for us to understand, even as it was for the people of the time of Jesus. Though the prophets made it quite clear that the Messiah was coming to be a King, His arrival in the form of Jesus Christ was completely unexpected.

Consider it: if you were looking for a king, you really probably wouldn’t be looking for someone like Jesus. Who ever heard of a king being born to a peasant woman? Who would have guessed that the coming King would be born in a stable like an animal? Who could have imagined that the King would be a carpenter? 

This was not the kind of king the world was used to. Kings are born of noble birth. They are laid on silk sheets in fine palaces. They spend their childhood being trained by philosophers and warriors, in the fine arts of governing and conquering. Kings lead mighty armies; Jesus led a ragtag bunch of fishermen and nobodies. 

Kings ride on noble steeds: Jesus walked the dusty roads of Judea. Kings are followed by lords and ladies; Jesus was followed by sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and the sick. Kings live in ornate castles; Jesus had no home or bed to lay His head. Kings wear fancy robes and jewels; Jesus had only one outfit (gambled for by the soldiers who crucified Him).

Continued tomorrow