In America we don’t have a king, but we have plenty of rulers. We have governors, mayors, and a president of our country. There are other lawmakers and judges who rule over different areas of our lives. Unless you are self-employed you even have a ruler at your workplace. Kids know about teachers, coaches, and the principal. Understanding the concept of authority is easy. Seeing Jesus as the supreme authority in the universe can be difficult.
Our text from Matthew 27 challenges that picture by taking us to one of the the lowest places in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is a condemned man at this point. The Roman soldiers charged with taking his life heard that he was a king of sorts so they bowed down in worship. Oh, the irony that one day they will bow before the man the mocked. Oh, the shame to think that his sacrifice on the cross paid for their sins of ignorance.
It doesn’t do us any good to leave the focus on others who lived some two thousand years ago. There are cities, businesses, and homes that don’t function very well in 2017. Part of why it is tempting to be critical of others is because it can be crippling to have an objective reflection of our own lives. Jesus sacrifice on the cross is a factual event in time, but the results transcend time itself.
I cannot escape the thought that Jesus died, not just for my sins of ignorance, not for my weakness, but for my wide open rebellion against his heavenly authority. Jesus is merciful and forgiving to people like me who don’t deserve it. That is why we worship Christ the King.
Want to hear more about who is truly in charge? Watch Sunday’s sermon from Matthew 27.
Topic(s): End Times, JesusBook(s): Matthew
Tag(s): King
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg