Born To Be A King Series

OPEN: In New York City there is a 15,000 square foot mansion that you can rent for a mere $35,000 a month. (purchase price: $13.5 million). It sits on 2.3 acres of land in the Bronx and it’s a fit for a King. In fact, it was built for a King… the King of Kings. Back in 1928 a religious order constructed this home (Bronx) for Jesus to live in when he returned. They kept it clean and dusted for 30 years, but of course… He didn’t show up… so they eventually abandoned the house… and now it's privately owned.

(https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/real-estate/a5350/bronx-american-castle-home-tour/)

APPLY: Now, there’s a contrast for you. Someone built a mansion for Jesus in the Bronx, but when Jesus was born we’re told “(Mary) gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7

No room in the Inn. All that was available was a STABLE and feeding trough. (PAUSE) If only he’d been born in the Bronx.

Now that is odd though isn’t it? Jesus was born in a stable, but He was born to be a King. I mean that’s what the angel said to Mary: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:32-33

And, of course, that’s Isaiah prophesied: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:7

Jesus was born to be a King… but Jesus wasn’t like all the other Kings of the day. Other kings were usually born filthy rich - they had servants and great possessions, and they all were born and lived were born in elegant palaces. A few of them were even said to be were divine Julius and Augustus Caesar (who ruled Rome in the days of Jesus) were both declared to be gods by the Roman Senate. We all know – of course – that they weren’t gods… but Jesus was.

And though Jesus was God in the flesh, He was born of a poor family, in a humble stable. Born to be a King, but there was no room for him in the inn.

But He was a King, and every King must have a Kingdom. We’re told in Scripture that this Messiah was to have a great Kingdom and that His kingdom would have no end. But now what kind of kingdom was this that would belong to the Christ?

That is actually a very popular topic in the New Testament. This Kingdom was mentioned 158 times in the New Testament - 127 of those times in the Gospels. John the Baptist announced that this Kingdom was coming; Jesus and His disciples preached about what it would be like when it came. In fact, of the things Jesus taught in His ministry –the Kingdom was the number one topic He spoke about. Repeatedly (while on earth) Jesus said the Kingdom was near and at hand.

So where exactly IS this kingdom? I mean if I look on a world map (we showed a world map on the screen) I can tell where a nation exists and I can see where its borders are. And if I look real close I can even see the names of their capitals. But I can’t find the “Kingdom Of Christ” anywhere on this map So, if it’s not there, where is it?

Well, before Jesus was crucified he was taken before Pilate and Pilate asked Him if He were a King. Amongst the things that Jesus said in reply were these words: “My kingdom is NOT OF THIS WORLD. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” John 18:36

You see… you’re not going to find Christ’s Kingdom on a map. You can’t see its borders because there aren’t any! His Kingdom is not of THIS world. It’s a Spiritual Kingdom! We even have a different name for it. You know what that other name is? It’s the church.

Colossians 1:13 tells us “(The Father) has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the KINGDOM of his beloved Son.”

Every time someone becomes a Christian - when they believe in Jesus, repent of their sins, confess that Jesus will now be their Lord and Master, and are baptized into a watery grave and rise to walk in newness of life - they’re plucked out of a dark world and transferred into the Kingdom of Light. The Kingdom of Jesus. A kingdom this world cannot see. And this kingdom has no borders… because Christians can be everywhere.