The story of the life of Jesus would not be complete without a discussion about His role as King. The prophets spoke about the coming kingdom of God (Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 2:1-4) and the Jew in the first century were looking for a physical kingdom with a leader from the linage of David that would sit on the throne of that kingdom in Jerusalem. However, the kingship of Jesus was not to be like what the people expected. When asked why He was before him by Pilate, Jesus responded, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36). Pilate then asked if He was a king then, to which Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37). 

Jesus was indeed born to be a King, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:1-6). 

The kingdom of Jesus is not of this world, and it will never be of this world. The kingdom is the church, as Jesus used the two words interchangeably in Matthew 16:18, 19, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The kingdom is within the children of God, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20, 21).

Jesus was born to be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! We were born to be servants in that kingdom!

By: Justin Odom