My Jesus: Part 1 - The King

It's Holy Week.  That particular week recognized by some Christian traditions which falls between Palm Sunday and the Saturday before Easter.  I like to take this time of year to focus on the Christ, His life, His work, ultimately His death, and, of course, Resurrection.  

This year, I'm going to offer to take you along with me.  These next few posts (hopefully one each day through Holy Week and Easter) will represent some of my personal musings about Jesus Christ.  They may be a bit different than most Thoughts.  They may tend to be a bit more personal and not as well researched. And, I should add, these Thoughts don't necessarily reflect a particular position held by Acts in Motion as an organization, just in case I say something crazy.

Holy Week kicks off with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' Triumphal Entry.  He rides into Jerusalem on a donkey... and the crowds go wild!  

"Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Glory in the Highest!"

"Hosanna!  Blessed is the Lord!"  

"Blessed is the King of Israel!"  

The shouts rang up from the streets.   Large crowds gathered to see Him.  People were laying their cloaks on the ground before Jesus and some were cutting palm branches and laying them on the road.  Matthew 21:10 says that "the whole city was stirred", but not all were praising the coming king.  

On the edges, among shadows, and possibly from the upper floors and rooftops came the dissenting whispers.  "Who is this?"  

"Look the whole world has gone after him!" 

Some even called to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"  Famously, Jesus replied that even "the stones will cry out" in His praise, but in only a few short days the city would sing a very different tune.  

By the coming Friday, Jesus would once again be labelled "King of the Jews", by the Roman authorities.  It would be snarled with contempt as Roman legionnaires beat, spat upon, and mocked the Lord.  King of the Jews was not only used sarcastically to humiliate Jesus; it also scorned those in Jewish positions of power.  Here the Romans imprisoned an outsider to their inner circles, a man they reviled, and called him outrageously "King of the Jews" even as they tortured Him.  Clearly the Romans saw their local subjects as second-class citizens.  So, when Pilate presented Him as "King" to the masses, they had one clear response... "Crucify him!"  

Perhaps this is as far as our imaginations go when considering King Jesus, one ancient equivalent to a ticker-tape parade and a sarcastic title used in mockery, but Jesus' kingship is so much more than that.  We know that the Old Testament speaks of the Messiah who would sit on David's everlasting throne.  We see Jesus in Revelation coming to bear the iron scepter in His reign over the earth.  

But isn't easier to understand Jesus as teacher, healer, miracle-worker, even as savior?  After all a much larger portion of His life is spent fulfilling these various rolls.  Jesus certainly doesn't look like any king I've seen before.  Come to think of it maybe that's our problem.  What does a king look like?  

In the modern world, we don't have a good example of kingship.  A king is like the president, right?  He serves as head of state, leads in governing the people and helps make legislation.  Well... yes, but an a king in ancient times was much more.  

Often times ancient kings would derive power from religious rituals or lineages of their cultural beliefs.  This would make their rule absolute.  The king could not be questioned.  He could not be defied.  The king had all authority throughout the land.  In many cases, there was very little personal ownership.  The king owned the cropland his subjects tended.  He owned the woods and wilds as well.  The king owned the game and all the resources within his realm.  

This is very different from our present understanding of a head of state.  Imagine if our president had final authority over all the nation's resources and commerce.  Not only that, but he would have the right to imprison or execute any who spoke out against him publicly.  It would be a very different world, would it not?   

However, this is the kind of authority that Jesus has in our lives when we accept Him as King.  He has authority over our the decisions we make on a daily basis.  He has the right to guide how you use your skills, resources, and time.  Fortunately, Jesus' authority in our life is not only absolute; it is also perfectly benevolent.  Jesus Christ is the perfect king, with perfect authority, to lead you in perfect knowledge, to lead you to a perfect end.  

To often I think we deny Jesus this kind of authority as King.  We would rather that He were the remnants of monarchs we see in Europe today.  We honor and respect Him.  We even let Him come and speak on humanitarian issues or important occasions.  Then when we don't need Him, He's comfortably cloistered in the Buckingham Palace of our hearts.  

This is not the Jesus that spent the last few days of His life in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.  He was a true king.  He spoke with wisdom and authority and ultimately would change the face of the globe.  Just not in any way human beings would expect.  

Honor King Jesus today.  Yield to Him and He will guide you into His "perfect and pleasing will."