In 1717, King Louis XIV of France died. When he was alive, Louis XIV demanded that he be addressed as ‘Louis THE GREAT.’ It’s said that he once declared, ‘L’État, c’est moi’ – meaning, ‘I am the State!’
Louis XIV’s court was the most magnificent in Europe and his funeral was the most spectacular. In the church where the ceremony was performed, his body lay in a coffin covered with a gold-coloured cloth decorated with ermine.
To dramatize his greatness, Louis XIV had ordered that Notre Dame Cathedral be totally dark during his funeral service, except for one candle positioned above his coffin. The thousands of people in attendance waited in silence. Then Bishop Massillon began to speak. Slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, ‘Only God is great.’
What do you think? Do you agree with Bishop Massillon? Is God alone great?
Seven centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the Christ who would come. He wrote:
‘Of THE GREATNESS of his government and peace
there will be no end.’
Isaiah clearly thought that the Messiah would be great! Then Isaiah continues:
‘HE WILL REIGN ON DAVID’S THRONE
and over his kingdom … from that time on and for ever’ [Isaiah 9:7].
Isaiah foresaw that the Messiah would be a king.
Before Jesus was born, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. He told her:
‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. HE WILL BE GREAT…’
Gabriel is saying the same as Isaiah. The child she would bear would be great. But how could this child be great if only God is great? Gabriel continues:
‘…and will be called the Son of the Most High.’
There’s the answer! This is why this child would be great. This child will be the Son of God! Gabriel continues:
‘AND THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE TO HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID, AND HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOR EVER, AND OF HIS KINGDOM THERE WILL BE NO END’ [Luke 1:30-33].
‘And of his kingdom there will be no end.’ This king will never die! Amazing!
Gabriel is an angel and he is clearly an important angel. He says more in the Bible than any other angel. But he still doesn’t say very much. When he speaks to Mary about the child she will carry, he tells her just two things.
First, this child will be called the Son of the Most High. Mary will carry the Son of God in her womb! What an amazing thought!
Then Gabriel repeats what Isaiah had prophesied. God will give this child the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob – for ever!
Two weeks ago, I looked at a passage in Matthew. In the space of 14 verses, Matthew told us four very important things about Jesus. Jesus would be a SAVIOUR. He would be ‘IMMANUEL’, God with us. He would be KING. And he would be a SHEPHERD.
But Gabriel focuses on just two things. Jesus would be the Son of the Most High – the Son of God, in other words. And he would be KING.
Matthew picked out four things about Jesus. Gabriel picked out two things. But both Matthew and Gabriel tell us that Jesus would be KING.
There are lots of things we can think about when we reflect on the nativity. But if I had to choose just ONE thing, ONE fact about Christmas that’s most important of all, it is that Jesus entered our world as KING. He is our king whether not we acknowledge him as king.
There’s a lot I could say about what it means that Jesus is king. But I’m going to say just one thing. I’m going to say it through a story. The story explains why Jesus was born in a stable and it tells us something about the kind of king he is. The story is an adaptation of a parable titled ‘The King and the Maiden’ by Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish theologian and philosopher. Here it is...
‘A prince was running an errand for his father one day in the local village. As he carried out the errand, he passed through a very poor section of the town. Looking through the window of his carriage, he saw a beautiful young peasant girl walking along the street. The prince couldnt get her off his heart. He continued to come to the town, day after day, just to see her and to feel as though he were near her. His heart ached for her, but there was a problem. How could he develop a relationship with her? He could order her to marry him. It was in his power to do so. Or he could put on his royal garments and drive up to her front door with soldiers and a carriage drawn by six horses. That would impress her! But if he did that, he would never be certain that the girl loved him or was simply overwhelmed with his power, position and wealth.
But the prince wanted this girl to love him from the heart, willingly. He came up with another solution. He gave up his kingly robe and symbols of power and privilege. He moved into the village dressed only as a peasant. He lived among the people, shared their interests and concerns, and talked their language. In time, the young peasant girl grew to know him, and then to love him.’
When we remember Jesus’ birth, we must remember that he’s king. But the circumstances he was born into were not those of a king. He was laid in a manger in a stable! Why would a great king be born into such humble circumstances? Kierkegaard’s story gives us the answer. This great king wished to be Immanuel, God with us. And he IS with those who have put their faith in him. We don’t see him with our physical eyes but he lives within us through his Holy Spirit.
As we leave church today and return to the busyness of the Christmas season, let’s keep in mind that the great king – our king – has come into the world. I believe that this is the most important fact we need to remember about Christmas. And as we reflect on the humble circumstances of Jesus’ entering our world as king, let’s remember what they show us. Jesus, our king, was willing to humble himself in order to be part of our lives. And that’s the result we enjoy today. If we have put our faith in him, he is our great king, enthroned in the centre of our lives.
Nearly 300 years ago, Charles Wesley wrote the hymn, ‘Rejoice the Lord is King, Your Lord and King adore.’ What Wesley wrote is what the magi did. They acknowledged Jesus as king and adored him. I pray that this Christmas time, it is what we do too.
TALK GIVEN AT ROSEBERY PARK BAPTIST CHURCH, BOURNEMOUTH, UK, 10.30 A.M. SERVICE, SUNDAY 22ND DECEMBER 2024
