Newsletter October 2022 Part 1
What kind of King?
“People of loving service are rare in any walk of life; leaders of loving service are still rarer. But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privileges are long forgotten.” These words were spoken by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in his tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at her funeral. He also stated that he knew “His Majesty [King Charles] shares the same sense of faith and hope in Jesus Christ as His mother, the same sense of service and duty.” Of course, ultimately time will show what kind of king HM Charles III will be.
At the time of Jesus’ birth there was much speculation, as there is today. Living under Roman occupation, the entire nation of Israel was in expectation. Would the promised Messiah soon be revealed and, if so, what kind of King would He be. Was He already there, only waiting to be identified? Or would he appear suddenly, as Daniel (7:14-15) had prophesied, with the clouds of heaven? Whatever their expectation regarding His coming, all shared the hope that God’s Anointed would deliver their nation from oppression.
When Jesus began His public ministry, proclaiming the arrival of God’s kingdom and calling people to repent, opinion was divided. Seeing the miracles He performed and listening to the wisdom of His words, many believed that He must be the One. Others, particularly among the religious leaders, struggled with many of His teachings, actions and particularly with His association with sinners, which they perceived as a violation of God’s purity laws. Everyone was watching: What would He do? Would He take control and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem? Or was He just another false Messiah, destined to failure? (see Acts 5:35-39)
When the crowds who had witnessed the miracle of the loaves and fish attempted to make Him king by force, Jesus departed again to the mountain by Himself alone. (John 6:15) Later, however, He did come to Jerusalem for His final Passover and the people took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!” (John 12:12) On this occasion, Jesus did not rebuke the crowd, as the religious leaders demanded, but instead took a young donkey and rode on it, showing that His coming was in fulfilment of the prophecy, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (Zechariah 9:9)
Jesus came to Jerusalem as the King of Israel; but why did He not claim His throne, oust the oppressors and restore the kingdom of David? Why did He allow his opponents to arrest Him and to mock Him, by putting a crown of thorns on His head and beating Him. Why did He have to die alone like a criminal, nailed to a Roman cross? It was through His death that He fulfilled the prophetic words spoken by Isaiah, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed and by Zechariah In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. The King of Glory gave His life so we could receive life. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28) And He calls us to follow His example – to lay down our lives in service as He did, so we can receive life.
One day He will return with the clouds, not proclaimed King by popular consent, but appointed by the Father. That Day, Daniel’s vision will become a visible reality to all: “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.
Pastor Konrad