Is Jesus Your King?

Bible Text: “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2).

Many are celebrating Christmas with Christmas gifts, Christmas Carols, Christmas programmes, Christmas parties or holiday, and so on. What about you?

Out of His great and incomprehensible love for humanity, God the Creator gave them including you and me His greatest Gift, so that those who believe in the Lord Jesus may be saved and have eternal life. Do you know of this greatand amazing Gift? It is God’s only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave hisonly begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Then, when the Lord Jesus humbly came into this world to carry out God’s great salvation for humans around two thousand years ago, He was born of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. That night, the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds in Bethlehem to announce the good news of the newborn Saviour and King Jesus, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11). After that, the wise men from the east came to Jerusalemand asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him”(Matthew 2:2). Do you want to seek and exalt the Lord Jesus to be your King?

HOW TO KNOW THAT JESUS IS GOD AND KING?

God the Creator has revealed Himself to humans through His Creation, His Word, and His Son Jesus.

1.  God’s Creation: Psalm 19 tells us that God speaks to humans through His Creation. When we, observe the world that we are living in, and all things in it, the universe with the vast solar systems, the galaxies with so many stars, and even the human body with its amazing organs, nervous system, DNA with its genetic information, and so on, we must acknowledge our Creator!

However, sadly many people today do not believe in God, they do not thank Him, glorify Him or worship Him astheir Creator (Romans 1:18-25). Instead, they turn to evolutionism and to their false religions, worldly philosophies, ungodly lifestyles, and as we see very much today, materialism. What about you?

2.  God’s Word, the Holy Bible: Hebrews 1:1 tells us that God speaks to humans, especially to the Jews through His Word the Bible written by His prophets (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15-16; 2 Peter 1:21). The Jews had the Holy Bible, and they knew from the Bible that Jesus Christ would be born in Bethlehem, but they did not know when He had been born amongthem. Even when the wise men told them about the newborn King, they did not believe nor seek to worship Him as their King.

Many nowadays are the same, they do not believe nor read the Bible as the Word of God. Then how can they knowGod? All other ways are vain! Many others may read, study and preach the Bible, but they do it without a submissive and prayerful heart, so they do not see God’s truth either. What about you and me?

3.  God’s Son Jesus Christ: Hebrews 1:2 tells us that God speaks to us through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ humbly came to reveal God, His will and salvation to humans through His perfect life, powerful teaching, mighty works, death and resurrection, but the Jews did not believe or exalt Him as their Saviour, God, Lord, and King.

Similarly, many nowadays may profess that Jesus is their Saviour, but not their God, Lord and King like Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, and professing Christians! What about you and me?

4.  God’s special revelation by His grace: The Lord Jesus confirms that no one can know Himself and God the Father except those who receive His special revelation, “no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). Thus, only by God’s grace to His elect that you and I may see, know, believe, and exalt Jesus Christ to be our Saviour, God, Lord and King through His Creation, Word, Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt 16:17; Ephesians 1:17-18).

It is by God’s grace and special revelation that the wise men (Magi) from the East (Babylon/Persia/Iraq) could see the Lord Jesus’ Star (through God’s Creation), and know Him as King of the Jews through God’s Word, the Bible, most likely from some parts of the Book of Daniel written in Aramaic, the language of the Babylonians and Persians,especially Daniel 9:24-27. Then, they believed and came to worship Jesus as their God, Lord, and King (Matthew 2:1-12).

Many nowadays can observe God’s Creation, read the Holy Bible, and celebrate or preach the Virgin Birth of theSaviour Jesus, but they do not see, know, or exalt the Lord Jesus to be their God, Lord and King. All of us do need God’s special revelation by His grace and mercy! What about you?

PROPER ATTITUDES TOWARD THE KING JESUS

1.  God the Father has exalted His Son Jesus Christ to be God, Lord, and King: From Hebrews 1:8 and 10, God saysto His Son Jesus Christ, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thykingdom. 10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands.” (cf. Acts 2:36; 5:30-31). What about you and me?

2.  The wise men from the East: The Bible tells us that some wise men from the East came to Jerusalem to seek the newborn King Jesus. Wise men in Greek is magi. According to Spiros Zodhiates, “Magi, the name for priests and wise men among the Medes, Persians and Babylonians. They were great and powerful men – The Magi specialized in the studyof astrology. In the NT they represent the name of the Magi, wise men from the East, most probably from Persia or Arabia, who came to salute the newborn Messiah (Matt. 2:1, 7, 16).” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary).

It is about 1,000 km or 620 miles from Persia or modern Iraq to Jerusalem, so it took about one month for that tripby camel. These wise men had to travel by night to see and follow the star, so it was not a pleasant journey, not to mentionsome bandits along the road. However, these wise men did not mind the long distance, discomforts, and inconvenient journey to seek and worship the newborn King. At first, they thought that a king was born in the capital, so they went toJerusalem, and asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come toworship him” (Matthew 2:2). They must have been very surprised when King Herod and the people in Jerusalem did not know anything about the newborn King and were troubled to hear their question. After knowing that Bethlehem was the birthplace of the newborn King, they left Jerusalem for Bethlehem. The Bible says that these wise men saw the star again, and “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matt 2:10). The same star that led them from the East to Bethlehem andstood over where the newborn King was. What did they do when they saw the newborn King Jesus? The Bible says that “when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt 2:11). What do we learn from these wise men?

(1)  They did not mind their time, the long distance, and the discomforts of the journey to seek the newborn King Jesus. What about you and me?

(2)  They had only one purpose in mind to come to worship the newborn King Jesus although they did not hear Jesus’ preaching or see His miracles.

Many nowadays may seek the Lord Jesus for such material blessings as health, wealth, success, prosperity, or miracles but not the Lord Jesus Himself. What about you and me?

(3)    They really honour the newborn King Jesus and humbly fell down and worship Him alone, and not Mary or Joseph. Do you and I truly honour the Lord Jesus in our lives and worship?

(4)    They opened their treasures and presented their gifts to the newborn King Jesus, and not to Mary, Joseph or anyone else. What about you and me? What are our treasures? The Lord wants our hearts and bodies as a holy and living sacrifice to Him (Proverbs 23:26; Romans 12:1). What about you and me?

Contrary to the proper attitudes of the wise men. King Herod did not want Jesus to be King. He wanted himself alone to be king, so he sought to kill the Holy Child Jesus, and ordered his men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and inall its borders, from two years old and under according to the time he knew from the wise men (Matt 2:16). Nowadays,many do the same! They only want themselves to be king, so they reject the Saviour Jesus Christ. What about you and me?

Later, the Lord Jesus lived among His people, preached and taught God’s truth to them, and performed so many miracles. However, the Jews also rejected the Lord Jesus as their King and insisted on crucifying Him, saying to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15). Many nowadays also do the same. They prefer someone or something else,some religion or materialism to be their King, but not the Lord Jesus Himself! They like to do whatever they like, to watch or listen to whatever they like, to say or preach whatever they like, and to worship or serve in whatever way they like. What about you and me?

It is not an option to exalt Jesus to be King! God the Father has exalted Jesus to be King, and the wise men did that, too. You may know Jesus, pray to Him, sing praises to Him, worship Him, teach and preach about Him. However, is Jesustruly your King, who is reigning over your hearts, lives, worship and ministries? On Judgement Day, the King Jesus willsay to those who reject Him, “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me” (Luke 19:27). It is not enough to say to Jesus, “Lord, Lord” without exalting Him to be our King to do His will. When the Lord Jesus comes again, many will say to Him that they have prophesied, taught and preached inHis Name, cast out demons in His Name and performed many miracles in His Name, but the Lord will say to them, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:23). What about you and me? Do you want to seek and exalt the Lord Jesus to be your King?

WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO KNOW AND EXALT JESUS CHRIST TO BE OUR KING?

1.  Repent and ask the Lord Jesus for His forgiveness and salvation: Sin has separated humans from the holy and righteous God. According to God’s holy moral standard, when we do not believe in Him, worship Him, serve Him, and obey His commandments to live a holy and honest life, we have sinned against Him. Thus, the first step to know the Lord Jesus is to confess our sins to Him and ask Him to forgive us, wash us from all our sins, and save us (Acts 2:38; 4:12; 1 John 1:9). Have you done that?

2.  Humbly pray for God’s revelation through the Holy Spirit: No matter how wise and clever we might think we are, with our own feeble human minds we can never know God and His truth accurately. Thus, we must humble ourselves and pray for God’s revelation through the Holy Spirit, who is able to open our eyes, hearts, and minds to see the truth from HisWord and to know Him (Ephesians 1:17-18). Have you done that?

3. Trust in the Lord Jesus and keep His Word to receive His revelation: The Lord Jesus promises to reveal Himself tothose who keep and obey His Word, saying, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:21). Do you trust in the Lord and keep His Word?

4. Exalt and worship Jesus as our Saviour, God, Lord and King with our submission: It is not enough to confess that Jesus is our Saviour. You and I must exalt Jesus to be our Lord, God and King with our submission. Who or what is reigning over you and me? If the good and holy King Jesus does not reign over you and me, our sinful nature and self-will, the ungodly world, or Satan will reign over us, leading us to destruction. Thus, it is always wisest for you and me to submit ourselves to the good and holy King Jesus, who loved us so much that He came to die for us (Ps 74:12; John 20:28; Acts 4:12).

5. Share the Lord Jesus Christ and His salvation with others: Once you and I are saved, Christ’s love will constrain us to love others as He loved them. Then, we shall be willing to share His love and salvation with others as Paul did so that they may be saved. (Romans 1:14-15; 2 Cor 5:14). What about you and me?

In conclusion, God’s revelation to humans remains the same - through His Creation, His Word, and His Son, theLord Jesus Christ. Out of His great and amazing love, God desired for all humans including you and me, to be saved fromthe condemnation in Hell and the Lake of Fire. His love was so great that He was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ as His best and greatest Gift to all humanity, including you and me! Truly, the Lord Jesus indeed camedown to earth around two thousand years ago as the one and only Saviour for all humanity. He loved you and me so muchthat He was willing to endure all the pain, shame and humiliation to ultimately die on the cross for our sins. However, He rose again on the third day and is ever living to rule as the King of kings to hear our prayers as the Great High Priest. Praisethe Lord Jesus, our King!

May the Lord keep us from being distracted and influenced by the secular world around us, but may we always remember the true meaning of Christmas and Christ’s love and sacrifice for us. May the Lord have mercy upon all of us,reveal His truth to us, and help us to truly know the Lord Jesus, honour Him, appreciate Him, and submit to His Reign, as the dearest King of our hearts, lives, worship, and ministries. Amen. HN.