October 6, 2010

Kings 9

It is said that when Chinggis Khan died, he was given a private funeral. He was buried, and then 800 horsemen rode back and forth all day long over a large area where he was buried. Then the horsemen were killed so that none of them could tell where the Khan was buried. Chinggis had not built any great buildings, but he did build bridges. Why? He knew that in order to hold together the great empire which he had conquered, there had to be good free trade, economic development. That free trade required good roads and transportation. That was part of his genius.

When the King of Glory invaded our hearts, He did not require great buildings such as Solomon built. However, He did place His name upon the temple which Solomon built on the condition of obedience. He also promised that protracted disobedience would bring the destruction of the temple where He had placed His name. The Glory of the Kingdom of God is not found in the building of buildings. It is found in changed lives. Peter says that we are living stones being built together into a temple of God. It is here that He desires to place the glory of His name. O sure, there is practical value in buildings. But His glory is not found there, and He will destroy them if we are disobedient. No, His glory is found in our changed lives. He will have nothing less. Changed lives are the roads and bridges through which His conquering kingdom is ever expanding. It is not in programs or buildings, ministries or places. It is obedience as a result of a changed life. When we gaze upon His glory, it changes us and builds bridges to others increasing the trade of His glory. Others see His glory and exchange their poverty for His riches. His kingdom advances. What a way to conquer! Not with a sword or a building construction, but by building people. His name is placed upon us not on the condition of obedience, but His glory demands our obedience. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor john

Philippians 2

Most every one has read or seen some version of Charles Dickens's The Prince and the Pauper. In it a prince and a pauper who look like identical twins happen to meet each other in an unguarded moment. They exchange places and learn what it is like to be the other person. That is a little bit of a picture of the glory of Jesus. Before the Son of God added the nature of a human to His person, He existed in the very form of God. The Apostle John reveals to us in John 12:41 that it was the glory of Jesus that Isaiah saw in Isaiah 6. The glory that Jesus had before His birth was equal with that of the Father, of Yahweh. Yet Jesus did not feel that that glory was something that He had to hang on to in order to remain equal with God. So, He voluntarily took the form of a bond servant, a pauper. When He was born, it was not a castle but a stable. He was not recognized by the ruling elite but by shepherds. He was not raised in a wealthy home but that of a carpenter. Yet He was God in flesh. He was the King of kings. Yet like the prince in Dickens's story, no one recognized Him for who He was.

He could have demanded that all flesh bow down and worship Him. Yet, He was obedient to His father. He traveled, for the most part, incognito until about 30 years of age. He who should have been worshipped went un-worshipped. Even as others began to recognize who He was and sought to make Him king, He withdrew. Why? If a righteous king is to have a righteous kingdom, it is not enough for just the king to be righteous. His subjects must also be righteous; otherwise, they will corrupt His kingdom. He became flesh so that He might make His subjects righteous. As a man, He was obedient to the Father to the point of death. The death was a specific one on the cross. It was a payment for the penalty of our sins so that He could offer to us His righteousness. Every person who will bow their knee to Him and confess that He is Lord may receive His free gift of righteousness because of His obedience to go to the cross. Jesus could do this because He knew who He was. True humility is knowing who you are and acting in obedience to the Father. Obedience for Jesus meant the cross. Obedience for us means that we join Him there. But Sunday's a comin when the real glory shines! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!

--Pastor John