Jesus is the King of kings and the LORD of the universe. That being the case, why isn't the universe in better order?
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
Jesus is a king. But he is not a king like any other. His kingdom is not something he will simply impose with his power, although he certainly could if he chose. Most kings and kingdoms as we think about them are in fact about power. But with Jesus this is not the primary thing.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
The kingdom of Jesus is first about truth. Because of this it can outlast any worldly exercise of power. It can be crucified only to rise again. It is true, and the truth, unlike worldly power, cannot be destroyed. It is for this reason that the kingdom Jesus proclaims is already in our midst (see Luke 17:21). It is within us and within the Church that gathers around Jesus. It is truth, but it is not dead letter. It does have a real and tangible effect in the world. But it is without the violence of pure exercise of power.
The question for us today is simple. To what degree does this kingdom hold sway in us? To what extent does the truth of Jesus define our lives? Are we really living the way that we know Jesus calls us to live? This is something that it is to our benefit to straighten out now and not put off until later.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Truth, in mercy, gives us room for free response. But we will not be able to hold onto falsehood forever. There will come a day when Christ returns to judge us and the world. At that time the power of God will be made manifest. Enemies of God, choosing to live lies will find that they do not truly possess the good their hearts desire. And this choice can define their eternity if they do not repent. Servants of the King of kings who have lived for Jesus in this life find their choices vindicated as he brings his kingdom on earth just as it is in heaven.
We tend to get sidetracked by getting lost in our own personal projects. But there is nothing more important than awaiting this coming kingdom. We begin to live in it even now to the degree that the truth of Jesus is manifested in our lives. As our desires gradually conform to this truth we draw forth the kingdom into our world, praying "Even so come" (see Revelation 22:20).
The vision of Jesus as the Son of Man can help us to keep the kingdom in mind. Let us meditate on it and be transformed by it.
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
He really is King! In our hard moments today let us realize that he still reigns!
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