[RE]FOCUS Day 53
Week 8: Re-establishing
Day 4: Coming King
By Pastor Chad Wright
READ:
John 18:35-37
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
Are there moments in your life that you wish you could redo? Are there choices that you wish you could undo – choices that led you to a dark place? I have often wondered if Pontius Pilate thought of this moment in time with such consideration. Pontius Pilate by the world’s standards was pretty great. He was a governor. He had power. He had wealth. He could tell people what to do and they would do it. He had financial security. He looked very kingly. Before him stood Jesus Christ, beaten and spat upon, on the morning of Good Friday. Jesus did not look kingly. But when he spoke, there was definitely more to the man that met the eyes. “My kingdom is not of this world.” His kingdom is not about decorative palaces or mansions, or motorcades with security guards. His kingdom is not about money and military. He has no address where you will find his throne on this earth. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting,” Jesus said. He is the Lord of the angels! There are millions of them and they are incredibly powerful beings! Just think, one angel has enough power to destroy the entire military of our country in an instant. Imagine millions of those angels. Jesus is their King. “My kingdom, he says, is not from the world.” His kingdom is heaven, a place that is more beautiful, more enjoyable, safer, better than any place on this earth. Jesus is the King of that place.
Yesterday, voters chose a leader for the next four years. It gets pretty intense this time of the year, with everyone talking pretty emotionally about who should be in charge, who should be the next president. The different policies, the different leadership styles. Every election year, there is a big debate about which candidate is telling the truth – who can you trust? Who has your best interests in mind? Who will help you? I am not going to wade into politics. But I am going to tell you who is really in charge right now, who has always been in charge, and who will always be in charge, no matter who becomes the next president. That person is Jesus Christ. Presidents come and go, but Jesus has been the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He has been so for thousands of years. He is the King of the United States, the King of North America, the King of Earth, the King of Heaven, and the King of the Universe. He is everyone’s King, whether you believe in Him or not. He has been and always will be our King. Jesus is the King of Truth. You can trust Him. You can rely on Him. He never makes a promise He cannot keep. He never fails His people. Is he your King?
PRAY:
O Jesus, You rule the nations. Rule in my heart so that I might be faithful to You. Amen.
LIVE:
If you are reading this, chances are Jesus is your king. What does that mean for you in this country right now? What does that mean for your neighborhood today?