Jesus Humbly Came to Claim A Kingdom (Thursday, Week 1 of Advent 2011)

What Did Jesus Do?

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, you king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he,
humble and mounted on a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9

Those destined to wear a crown are typically born in a palace. And, when the time comes, kings and queens proceed to their coronations surrounded with all the trappings of majesty and power, traveling, if not in a resplendent carriage complete with liveried outriders, then at least in a shiny limousine. Who could ever imagine someone riding on a donkey coming humbly to claim a kingdom? But that’s just what Jesus did.

Actually, the coming of Jesus was truly beyond all we could ever ask or imagine from God. But, thankfully, God is the one whose business it is to accomplish far more than we can ask or imagine. (See Ephesians 3:20) In our askings and imaginings we hope for kings and presidents who will exercise their office, rule or lead our nation, in ways that are ultimately finite and material. And, the greater their show of assertiveness and power, the higher our hopes in our kings and presidents.

Jesus, however, put forth his claim of a kingdom, of the kingdom, in sharp and utter contrast to the ways of the world. But this should not surprise us when we consider that his kingdom, while in the world, is so much more than all the world and its kingdoms and nations. Every kingdom, every nation, even the world itself, regardless of how rich, resplendent, and full of resources they may be, will all come to an end and pass away. Not so with Jesus and his kingdom. Of the Lord Jesus, the Savior and King, and of the increase of his government and his peace, there shall be no end! (Isaiah 9.7)

It’s not hard to get carried away with all the hoopla of the Christmas season nowadays. But, it is rather difficult in the midst of all the excess of our present day manner of celebrating what, at its core, is supposed to be the observance of the coming of the everlasting King of kings, to find that which is purely gentle and humble. We spend more than we can afford, we eat more than is good for us, we drink more than we should, and we want our Christmas to be big and bold, forgetting that Christmas is really about the gentle King, who arrived in the world meek and mild, to humbly claimed his kingdom.

So, here’s what I believe we might do this Advent to prepare for coming of our glorious, yet gentle, King: we might do, dare I say it, less. Less rushing around, and more quiet reflection. Less spending of money, and more spending of time with Jesus. Less overfeeding of our body rich delicacies and drink, and more feeding of our spirit upon the priceless Word of God. Less focus on the world and the worldly, and more attention to the Kingdom. The less we strive to make sure we all experience what the world would consider a great Christmas, the more likely that we will all experience the true and simple joy of the King who came ever so humbly to claim his kingdom.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4