Born King (Advent 3, 2023)

You can’t say Jesus’ entrance to this earth wasn’t political.
He was “born King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:1-2).

Aside from the fact that the Jews had a king whom nobody really liked (Herod), Jesus’ being born King of the Jews did not fit the profile of the expected Messiah. The Messiah would not be born anything but would rise through normal political and military channels. It’s part of why Jesus was such a disappointment to even disciples like Judas. Where was the overthrow? Where was the rebellion to upend the oppression of Roman rule? Where was the vindication of the Jews? Where was the peaceable kingdom brought in by military victory and rewarded with anointing as king?

Questions for further thought:

Revisit the Messianic checklist of expectations:

ingathering of the exiles,
restoration of Israel’s religious courts
eternal peace,
justice,
end of wickedness, sin and heresy,
restoration of the line of King David,
rebuilding of Jerusalem,
restoration of Temple service.

Even restoration of the line of King David, how many people could trace their lineage back to David?

How does being “born King” upend that expectation of accomplishments leading up to Messianic title?

What control did it take away from humans being able to choose their Messiah, vote him in or power to dethrone him?

How did being “born King” put the ball squarely in God’s court? A gift of God, not by works that any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for Your wisdom and divine plan from of old. We praise You that salvation doesn’t depend on us but is from You and “from the Jews” to the entire world. Help us to share Your light with our brothers and sisters whether from the Jewish political spectrum or the Gentile one. We bless Your Holy Name for making peace for us with You through the life and death of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.