The Only King
They bowed down and worshiped him.
Matthew 2:11
As five-year-old Eldon listened to the pastor talk about Jesus leaving heaven and coming to earth, he gasped when the pastor thanked Him in prayer for dying for our sins. “Oh, no! He died?” the boy said in surprise.
From the start of Christ’s life on earth, there were people who wanted Him dead. Wise men came to Jerusalem during the reign of King Herod inquiring, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). When the king heard this, he became fearful of one day losing his position to Jesus. So he sent soldiers to kill all the boys two years old and younger around Bethlehem. But God protected His Son and sent an angel to warn His parents to leave the area. They fled, and He was saved (vv. 13-18).
When Jesus completed His ministry, He was crucified for the sins of the world. The sign placed above His cross, though meant in mockery, read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” (27:37). Yet three days later He rose in victory from the grave. After ascending to heaven, He sat down on the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords (Philippians 2:8-11).
The King died for our sins—yours, mine, and Eldon’s. Let’s allow Him to rule in our hearts.
By Anne Cetas
REFLECT & PRAY
Jesus, thank You for willingly dying for our sins and offering forgiveness. Teach us to submit to Your rule. To learn more about Christ’s life, check out The Gospel Series.
What does it mean for you to have Jesus as your King? Are there areas of your life where He’s not?
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Herod apparently knew that the prophecies about the Messiah must be true. That’s why he asked the “chief priests and teachers of the law” to tell him where the Messiah would be born (Matthew 2:4-6). Yet, having learned what the Scriptures prophesied, Herod tried to thwart that prophecy by killing the baby boys in Bethlehem. Tim Gustafson
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