Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

“Jesus comes as a King”

Matthew 2v1-2 “Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.’” (NIV)

In our world, knowing who has authority and power is important. We want to know who is the boss at work, we know the ones who have greater authority in social groups, and we discuss the authority that someone carries in politics.

Over time, authority and power passes from one person to another and from one group to another – sometimes forcefully by ‘revolution’, sometimes gradually by ‘evolution’.

Those losing power are virtually always concerned and fearful – and so “When [the existing King] Herod heard this he was disturbed and all Jerusalem with him …” (v3). The current order was being challenged, the status quo was under threat.

For anyone who wants to run life their own way, Jesus is a threat. Jesus effectively says in his call to discipleship, “My way or the highway”. Jesus is not a king with accountability to the people that he should ‘kowtow’ to us. He is a king who is only accountable to the Father and he exercises the Father’s will irrespective of what our opinions might be.

Is the way of Jesus a threat to your way of life? Have you cornered off certain areas off from him as you are not sure what he would think or do? Jesus’ requirement is that we confess our sin and our need of him; and as we come to him in humility, he is ready to fully forgive and give us the power us to live in his way. The devil persuades us our way is best, but the reality is that Jesus’ way is the way of life in all its fullness – life as God intended you to be.

May your life and mine be fully illuminated by the light of the reign of Christ this Christmas.

With love and blessing,

Roland