His Majesty!

 

Last Saturday, if you were up early enough, you were able to watch the pageantry of the English royals with the coronation of King Charles III and his Queen Camilla. The cathedral known as Westminster Abbey was filled with majestic music, stunning splendor, and ancient ritual.  The coronation included Charles being anointed with holy oil and receiving the coronation regalia which are to note his spiritual role and secular responsibilities as the monarch.  An ordinary man was invested with extraordinary powers – now King Charles III.

With my American culture that does not respect a person simply because of his/her DNA, I am quite thankful that I live in a republic. We give our President an authority to 'rule' on a temporary basis if he turns out to be a fool, we can elect another in 4 years. Not so with a person who ‘inherits’ a throne. So much for my feelings about the royals, however …  I revere one King! His name? Jesus Christ.

Much is made of His royalty in Mark's Gospel, 15, but not in a good way. We learn that those who dragged Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor, accused him of rebellion, of claiming authority as the "King of the Jews."  Since he led no army, owned no palace, and wore no crown – the authorities accusation was really just mockery. Pilate asks Jesus point-blank - "are you the King?" Jesus acknowledged that he was. He said, “I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36, NLT)

Later the governor takes Jesus before the mob and asks, "What shall I do with this king?" The tone is sarcastic, demeaning, belittling. The soldiers who took him from Pilate turned sadistic and beat him. Mark says, "They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thorn bush on his head. Then they began their mockery: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18, The Message) The final indignity was the sign that hung above his head on the cross - "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."

Let me ask you today -
Is He your King - in truth, in honor, and with full authority?  OR, is He "Lord" only of convenience?

The Reign of our King Jesus is too often just a formality, a nod to tradition. Some sing of His reign and say the creed that acknowledges His Kingly authority, but the reality shows no respect, sometimes even a contempt, for His authority. While they are not spitting on Him, nor physically mistreating Him, those who profess to serve Him, but show no submission to Him, are abusing the King much the same as Pilate and his soldiers did. Their lack of submission mocks Him before the world.  They acknowledge King Jesus in a way similar to the way I acknowledge the new king of England.  He may be a king but his authority and decisions as a monarch– wise or foolish – will not make much  of a difference for my day to day life.

Jesus is my King of life! He has complete authority to send me where He will, to use me as He wishes, to make any and all demands of me as His loyal subject. I bow my head, bend my knee, and confess that He is Lord. And He welcomes me into His Kingdom. The crowning moment of my existence will be when I kneel before Him in Heaven.

We are much drawn to the humble Savior whose portrait is painted for us by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John! We love the stories of the Man who was born in a Manger, the Carpenter, the One who took children in His arms, the bleeding Savior of the Cross - and rightfully so. Let us not forget that He is crowned the King and as such, stands to judge the earth! Let us take up His name, serve Him, and make a Kingdom difference in this world - for His honor and glory.Here's the portrait of the King that John paints in the book of the Revelation.

Meditate on the majesty of Jesus as you read his description from the opening lines of the Revelation of Christ, penned by John long ago.

"He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.
His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
And his eyes were bright like flames of fire.
His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace,
and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.
He held seven stars in his right hand,
and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth.
And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
But he laid his right hand on me and said,
“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last.
I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever!
And I hold the keys of death and the grave." (Revelation 1:12-18, NLT)

Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen!

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Majesty

Majesty worship His majesty

Unto Jesus be all glory

Honor and praise

Majesty kingdom authority

Flow from His throne

Unto His own His anthem raise

So exalt lift up on high

The name of Jesus

Magnify come glorify

Christ Jesus the King

Majesty worship His majesty

Jesus who died now glorified

King of all kings

 

Jack Hayford © 1981 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055