Names of Jesus-King

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Let’s consider Jesus’ birth. There was nothing common about it. For hundreds of years, people expected it. Prophets knew it would happen, where it would happen.
Did anyone tell your parents when you would be born? Did anyone tell your parents, even when you were just conceived, just a fertilised egg, a tiny little being, full of life, did anyone tell them what you’d grow up to do? Did anyone tell your parents where you’d be born? No?
Did an angel appear to your cousin? Did an angel appear to you, or to your fiancée? Did angels appear to many people on the night your child was born? Did strangers from a far off land come bearing gifts and worshipping your child? Was your child conceived of the Holy Spirit?
Did an angel appear to your parent’s cousin? Did an angel appear to your mom or your dad? Did angels appear to the farmers down the road the night you were born? Did strangers from the Middle East or Atlantic Canada come to visit?
Sometimes we hear the story of Jesus birth so often that it becomes common, familiar. But if you compare the events surrounding Jesus’ birth with our own birth, or the birth of our children, the extraordinariness leaps out at us.
Everything about Jesus was foretold. The town he’d be born in, his lineage, everything. Clearly, he is an extraordinary person. In chapter 1, we looked at two of Jesus’ names, the name Jesus meaning savior and the name Emmanuel, meaning God with us. Today we look at one of Jesus’ titles, King.
The reason the wise men went Herod first was because he was the reigning king of the Jews. In reality, Herod was a fraud. He schemed, and cheated, and lied and bribed his way to his position. He proclaimed himself king of the Jews, but he was no king. He was a Roman puppet. He was tolerated as long as he kept the meddlesome Jews in check.
But the Magi came to worship. They didn’t come only to give gifts. They didn’t come just to pay their respects. They didn’t come for political reasons. They came to worship.
And that simply confirms everything leading up to this point. It confirms, right now, at the beginning of this Gospel, that Jesus is King. Jesus isn’t the son of Mary and Joseph. He’s the Son of God. He is worthy of worship.
And we can tell by Herod’s reaction. Herod knew that his kingship was on shaky ground. He knew that despite all his claims to the contrary; the Jewish people never regarded him as king. He was an egomaniac. He was paranoid. He killed several people close to him. And, he ordered the death of all boys born in Bethlehem and the surrounding area who were two years old and younger.
Jesus birth is good news of great joy for all the people. But it was sad news for the parents with young sons. Jesus birth is the greatest gift the world has ever known. That is, it is a great gift for those who wish to receive it. But it is a bitter experience for those who do not wish to receive it.
Jesus is Lord. Jesus is king. Yes, he’s the king of the Jews, but he’s also the king of Kings. That foreigners came to worship him is a sign of Jesus’ worldwide reign. The New Testament is full of testimony to this fact. The disciples preached to a crowd of foreigners. The Apostle Paul was converted and given the special task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.
There were foreigners, Gentiles in Jesus’ genealogy. It has always been God’s plan to save people from all nations, not just Israel. God is King over all.
You see the irony here, don’t you? Jesus, the long foretold king of Israel is born. And none of the Jewish leaders knew. They didn’t care. They didn’t show up with gifts. They refused to acknowledge it. Even though they knew the truth, they couldn’t see it to believe it.
So, let me ask you this morning, is the story becoming too familiar? Are you too used to Christmas? Is the commercialisation get to you? Is your focus on Jesus your king, or on the parties, lights, trees, gifts, friends, family and food?
Jesus’ birth demands our full, complete attention. This sequence of events is unlike any other! Foreigners came to worship the Christ, at great personal cost and risk! That alone should make us wake up and pay attention. Jesus is King of Kings!
Jesus is our king. When Queen Elizabeth visited Ottawa in 2010, did anyone go to see her? It’s not every day that the Queen comes to Canada. But it’s no big deal right?
Well, sort of. All of us know that she’s a human. As a monarch she’s more like Herod, than Jesus. She’s royalty because someone decided that she’s royalty. There’s no real kingship, or authority like Jesus with her. Yes, she has power and authority, but it’s limited. Jesus has unlimited power and authority.
But Jesus is more than a saviour. He’s more than a friend that lives in us. He’s Lord. He’s King.
He’s the king, and we’re his subjects. Now, the people in Great Britain are subjects to their Queen. And, similarly, but somewhat removed, we’re subjects of the Queen of England as well. That’s why we have the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Canadian Air Force. We’re still subjects of the Queen. And we have to obey the Queen. We can’t do whatever we want. The judges of Canada are representatives of the Queen. They stand in and make decisions on behalf of, with the authority of Queen Elizabeth.
But as Christians, we pay allegiance to the King of Kings. That means we stand in and under the authority of Christ. We, like judges are Christ’s representatives. We are Christ’s ambassadors. And as such, we cannot live any old way we like.
Jesus Christ commands us to live according to his laws. Just as the judges of Canada are supposed to follow uphold the law, acting on behalf of the Queen; we act on behalf of Christ.
And Christ has given us many laws. “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (Jn 13:34). “You are my friends if you do what I command” (Jn 15:14). “This is my command: Love each other” (Jn 15:17).
It sounds so simple, doesn’t it. But it is the hardest thing in the world to do. It is much more easy to come up with certain rules and expectations of one another, and to use them as a rule, a metre stick with which to hold one another accountable.
But how do you measure love? How can you be certain you’re treating your brothers and sisters, your brothers and sisters in Christ properly, showing them love?
Christ, our King, showed us the greatest form of love, He willingly laid his life down for his friends, for us. He commands us to do the same thing. Christ, who humbled himself and sacrificed everything in order to restore a right relationship with Him, expects us to do the same for one another. And he gave us the Holy Spirit, so that we’d be able to do it.
There’s a song we sometimes sing, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Make no mistake, this is not a love that we manufacture on our own. It is God’s love in us. We love because God first loved us!
They’ll know we are Christians by our love. In other words, they will see something in us that’s different. They will see that there’s a change inside of us. They will see that we’re Christians, and know that the love we have, the love we give is God’s love!
When people see us they will see Christ! When people see us, they will see the power of God shining like a star in the heavens. They will see people humbly, willingly, worshipping Christ in every area of their lives. They will see that we really love people. They will see our love for one another, our love for them.
The same Jesus that spoke and silenced the raging storm is the Jesus living in you. The same Jesus that caused the demons to tremble in fear, is the Jesus who reigns over all the nations of earth. The same Jesus who defeated death, ever lives to pray for you, to transform you, to make you more and more like him each and every day!
Jesus is King of the Jews. Jesus is the King of Kings. Jesus is your king. Have you given your life to him? Are you his subject? Is your life completely subject to Him?
Trust King Jesus with your life, your difficulties, your situations. Give it all to Him, hold nothing back. Subject yourself to Him and His commands. Love Him, Love your neighbour as yourself. Let everyone see the love of God which is in Christ, shine through, shining as brightly as the candles in the Advent wreath! Amen.
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