Good King Jesus

Scripture Reading:  John 1:1-14

In the United States, we do not know what it is like to live under a monarchy (the rule by a King or Queen). My ancestors on both sides all knew what it was like. They knew that the rule of one family can bless or alter adversely the affairs of many. In 1620, the Sampsons came to the shores of the New World. They boarded a small leaky vessel called the Mayflower. At the time, the voyage must have seemed like a desperate venture, now written into a once respected chapter of America's history. The Pilgrim's as they were called left what was dear to them in England because the King had made the practice of faith in Christ unlawful. Even after the colonies in America were established, the King still had chief control. His authority could be felt in every matter of life. Should the King have been fair then there would not have been any reason to desire a move away from his control. Interestingly, in the Revolutionary period of America, the control of the King was demanded heavily to which the common reply from many patriots was, "we have no King but Jesus Christ."

In the world of the Bible as well as in our semi recent past, the King was either loved or hated depending on how he saw the way of life should be for the common man. Most times the King became a tyrant, but in the case of the Kings of Judah, most feared the Lord God and it showed in their goodwill to the people.

Though you may feel yourself far removed from the monarchical system, you need to realize we are living under the Supreme Monarch. When people hear words like this, unbelievers scoff and say you are throwing in religion where a monarch is clearly something really on Earth. Such people are blinded to the confines of this planetary sphere. They can see nothing of what lies ahead or the divine world that is ever present among them. That is precisely why we have Christmas. It is the celebration of the One Who stepped out of the Divine and into the Earthly by being born in a humble fashion and then presenting the way for mortal men and women to come to His Divine Kingdom once we are finished living on this Earth. Poets and playwrights from all ages have tried to equate this true and awesome plan but they can never come to the real understanding and heart experience that comes from knowing Jesus Christ personally rather than academically. As you read this, many of you have trusted in this One who came as a babe to save us, yet some do not know. The remainder of this text will be joyous for both saint and sinner alike. For the saint, the graciousness of our King towards us is forever praiseworthy. For the sinner who has not trusted in Christ, this is the best liberating news that can ever be spoken to you.

This Christmas Day, here are three quick points that set apart King Jesus from all others:

First,  King Jesus has a heart that goes beyond His own interests.  Even the best of earthly Kings on their best day still in the deepest of their hearts look after number one.  After all, kings are powerful and the people under their control are just there to service him.  Yet Jesus sees the heart and hears the hurt.  Jesus not only rules over His creation, but one of the reasons why He loves His subjects is that He created them.  He not only created them to live on this Earth, moreover, He created them to live in His Kingdom in Heaven.  This love is so strong that it made Him leave all of His comforts far beyond our understanding, and step into this world.  Christ did not simply step into this world for all to see and laud as a typical king would do, but came to be one of us.  Not in effect, but literally become the lowliest of all His own subjects.  This is His heart for you and me.  Earthly rulers may make good choices for others benefits, but only King Jesus personally got involved.  Of course, His ultimate involvement was the sacrifice of His own life on the cross, there could be not a greater expression of selfless love.  But we tend to forget the sacrifice of just becoming and living as a man.  He put on vile flesh, lived in a disease infested smelly world.  He hungered, worked, laughed, wept, and did everything that we do, all because He desired to be our High Priest so that one day we would have an advocate who not only paid for our sins, but knew how desperate the mortal condition is.  No one but Jesus would dare to do this.  Romans 5:8 tells us that when no one else would consider the lowliest of creation worthy to die for, Christ died for us.

Second, King Jesus does not ignore any of His subjects for any reason.  It is the habit of mankind to play favorites.  In fact the best way to have favor with an earthly king was to prove your loyalty by act of gift.  Should the king like you, you were favored, if not, life was miserable at best.  However, King Jesus made no distinction.  Jesus does not have a partiality scale.  Romans 10:9-10 tells us that whoever comes to the Lord shall be saved from wrath to come.  John the Apostle who knew Jesus best recorded that whoever comes to Christ will not be turned away for any reason.  The foundation under this is the contrast between the strength of love and the strength of need.  Earthly kings favor certain individuals because they need their influence or wealth or loyalty to bolster the kingdom's success.  Christ needs no one, Christ CHOOSES us.  The kingdom of God does not rest on the pillars of human power.  Citizenship in Heaven is a privilege.  His shed blood covered every sin we commit so no one can possibly be left out.   If we are left out of His kingdom it is by our own choice.  The thief on the cross asked most simply and most profoundly, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  This was a request typical of subjects to monarchs, a plea for acceptance and mercy.  Bear in mind this was a man rightfully punished probably for murder or treason, yet King Jesus told him without reservation that the thief would be with the King in Paradise this very day.  No one is turned away from the Kingdom of the King of Kings.

Lastly, King Jesus fulfills His promises according to His own Word.  Whether we live under the rule of a monarch or an elected political official, their word is no good.  I don't mean this accusatory or condemning, but simply stated their word is no good because they don't have it within themselves to keep the truth.  This is not because they are political, its because they are sinful, as we all are.  The binding that holds all the promises of God together is because the King is God who cannot lie.  Should Christ forfeit a promise in any slight way, the Kingdom would be imperfect and alike to any other Earthly kingdom.  God's Word cannot be broken.  Christ not only always tells the Truth, but He is the TRUTH, the author of it and the fulfiller of it.  The Kings name in the Trinity of God is "The Word."  The promise of the Word was not just verbal but practical.  The promise of the Word was given and was carried out by its Author. 

Earthly kings promises have good intentions, but only God has perfect Truth behind it to enforce it.  That same Truth is the same guarantee that He makes to you and me.  Can you grasp hold of a stalwart never changing Truth?  The Truth is the definition of who King Jesus is and the confidence we have in Him is based on His unfailing perfection in Truth.  Jesus even made the assurance that not one small punctuation mark in all of His promises will not go unfulfilled when time is at an end.  Even if the promises of God seem far off from being fulfilled, know that in His time nothing promised will be left out.  Nothing in God's Word is placed for filler or embellishment, absolutely everything has meaning and purpose backed by His own Truth.

If your a Christian, we have much to rejoice over.  Just to think that our King is not like others that we have to wonder about or live in dread of.  Such a comfort it is to know that such a powerful King, who could use all of His might against us, chose to use all of His might for our good and benefit!  We have a home, a King and a Kingdom awaiting us when we die, can there be any better news?  

If you are not sure about your relationship to King Jesus, you can be.  The fact is, we are all sinners, lost and condemned to the dungeon of Hell.  This was already laid upon us before we were born because of Adam's sin.  BUT, King Jesus came into this world on the day we celebrate as Christmas just for you.  He lived, died on the cross and rose from the dead so that you wouldn't  have to face Hell for your sinful penalty.  He has an outstretched hand towards you.  He desires you become not a subject, but a son or daughter in His royal family.  You can be that today and forever by simply admitting you are a sinner and placing your faith in Him to pay the sin debt for you and trust in Him as your Lord and Savior.  Call upon Him to save you and He will.  You are the reason for His birth, don't shut Him out of your life.  

He who loved you so much is Your Friend, Savior and King.  

Praise the Lord for His wondrous love to the children of men.  Lift up your hearts in praise of His goodness and reign that we should be alive in Him and not condemned as we deserve.  Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.  Good King Jesus Christ. King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

How can we express our gratitude for Your matchless love!  Thank you that the King of Kings thinks and acts on our behalf.  We can be no greater a blessed people.  For eternity shall break forth upon us and the full wonder shall be ours through You Lord.  Accept our thanks  and praise and blessed be the day of Your birth.  Amen.

Of Pilgrims and Progress

Scripture Reading: Philippians 3:9-15

Last week we talked about John Bunyan's allegory, Pilgrim's Progress. This title is one that well defines its story content. There is a new movie about the book which is recommended you see. However, in a more general sense let's talk about what it means to be a Pilgrim and what progress are we making.

In Bunyan's story, the Pilgrim was a traveler in search of Heaven. An image of a Pilgrim in our society is one that we see in paintings like the one above by George Boughton depicting Elizabethan clothed travelers in search of religious freedom. Some cultures also use the idea of pilgrims. Islam has its traveler's on a pilgrimage to their sacred places and shrines, as do the Hindu's their places, and even the Jews have pilgrimFWAs to Jerusalem, and even in "Christendom" the Roman Catholics have pilgrimages to Grottoes and the Holy Land. So with all these images, what really is a Pilgrim? Is it someone who we think of at Thanksgiving who wears buckles on his shoes and drags a dead turkey home to dinner? Or could it be someone who is devoted to someone or something in search of inward spiritual desire?

In the most real sense, the latter is true. A Pilgrim is one who follows to find. Following what or whom is the big question. A true Pilgrim, or better said, a correct Pilgrim is one who follows and searches Jesus Christ. A person who is saved by Christ no longer needs to look for Christ as if they cannot find Him, rather now a Pilgrim is on the trail of knowing and becoming more like Christ. We have the seal of Christ upon us and everyday we are heading towards an eternity with Him, so while in the way we are to desire to take on His heart and character.

The Pilgrims of the Mayflower are prime examples of their own name. The whole reason for their coming to America was not primarily for new lands or new adventures. In fact if the truth were told of most of them wished not to leave their homes and families. They had already fled to Holland and now on the trail to the New World for one purpose, to seek a place where God and God alone can be pursued and worshipped freely. Thus by doing, they laid the foundation of immense blessing that germinated into the freedom Americans have yet today of the same ideal. Pursuing the knowledge and worship of God was their key focus.

Another key point to being a Pilgrim is again found in our Mayflower ancestors. This point is that to truly follow Christ then we must be willing to weather the elements of life and not be discouraged to the point of turning back. It is said that the majority of the time spent on the crowded wooden vessel was vexed with disease and harsh conditions. In fact, once the Pilgrims made it to the shores of Massachusetts, they nearly all died in the fierce northern winter that soon fell on them. Yet in all of this they pursued on. Jesus said that good seed sown in the ground will take root and grow despite the difficulties. Jesus likens poor seed as that which springs up and appears to grow a little while but burns up when difficulty comes (Matt. 13:3-8}. Nobody likes to suffer. Sometimes, not always, growth cannot be achieved without suffering to some extent. Suffering doesn't always con notate persecution, but it will include being made uncomfortable. Notice that these harsh elements are not to thrash us into total hopeless despair, but rather so that we will draw closer to God. The Pilgrims certainly drew closer to God as they realized they just landed into a place where there wasn't all the help of their countrymen (in their former country) they were used to leaning on. Such is the case with us. We need to see God as our Supreme Benefactor of all we have or all we hope to have.

Now moving on from what a Pilgrim is, what about his or her progress through life? By this I mean their growth chart for Christ. A Pilgrim ought to be showing signs of growth and should keep track of it. Not to have bragging rights to our fellow man or to God, but as a foundation. No doubt you have seen or remember the markings on the wall of the kitchen where the parent would measure the growth of a child. The same scale of markings are what we should define as the Progress of the saints, or, the Pilgrim. The progress is evidenced in our daily walk with Christ. Are we devoted to reading and studying His Word? Do we spend quality time in prayer? Do we show others the change Christ makes?

Part of this measuring of progress is found in our desire to know more about Christ. Like a muscle that gets more strong and more strong with repeated exercise, so should our desire to know Christ needs to be. We cannot make progress if we are stuck in neutral and complacency. Just as refusing to row a boat gets the occupant nowhere, so complacency stunts or completely hinders growth.

Another area of measurable Progress is our physical service to Christ. It is most important to pray, and absolutely essential to read the Word of God, but we must begin to serve Him in ways beyond our inner man. We have to engage the outer man to service. This is hard. The outer man can get tired and wearied. But beginning to exercise the outer man by joining an outreach group, or helping prepare meals for shut ins, or driving someone to the doctor, or providing financial help for brethren in need are just some of the way we measure our Progress in the Lord. When we look back on say the last year of our life for whatever point today, we should hopefully be amazed at what God has done. What once spiritually was not true in your life last year, is now abundant this year. Being careful though not to forget to Whom the service is to glorify.

There is an old hymn called "Higher Ground." Some of the lyrics explain this progress of growth best. One verse says, "I'm pressing on the Upward Way, new heights I am gaining everyday, still praying as I'm onward bound, Lord plant my feet on Higher Ground." Make it a daily prayer request for you to grow in the Lord. When we plant corn we expect to see a crop, God desires no less from His investment in us.

How are we doing as Pilgrims? Are you a Pilgrim on the trail of knowing Christ better each day? If you have got off the path, ask Christ for a fresh glimpse of Him in your life. If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, then I urge you not to be deceived to think you have plenty of time to do that. You need to trust Him now, while the Spirit is sill tugging. For the Christian, we are to keep focusing our desires and attention on Christ. Let's do that with a joyous new spirit!

One final note. Sometimes being a Pilgrim con notates being a weary traveler with no home or future. Some think of pilgrims in the sense of vagrancy. But friends and brethren, the Bible says we have a Home most assuredly, and we as followers of Christ are on the right road that ends in Glory! (John 14)

Kind Father, help us to be on the trail in search of Your will in us. Help us to appreciate and emulate the spirit of our forefathers who left all to freely worship You. Help us to not only look towards You and for Your return, but tell others how they may be on the same pilgrimage for Heaven as we. Help our progress to be pleasing to You. May it be that we shall we grow taller and stronger for you each day. Guide us with Your Hand, and let us never cease to praise You for the bounty of provision we have as we enter this season of Thanksgiving. In Your Name. Amen.

The Faces Of Freedom

America will turn 232 years this coming 4th of July.  We are still on the world map.  We are still free.  We still produce heroes who fight to maintain this freedom.  I am most proud to be an American.  I became even more proud when I recently learned that one of my ancestors was one of the "first" Americans, those who came to the shores of Massachusetts in 1620 on the Mayflower.  But I am most proud of the photo in today's entry.  The picture is of the deck crew and officers aboard the USS Feland, APA-11 in 1943 somewhere in the Pacific theatre of World War II.  The man kneeling at the far right is my grandfather, J. Ralph Pierson, who recently was ushered into Heaven last year.  This photo is probably like ones you have in your home that a relative brought back with them.  You may not know anyone else in the photo.  It is very likely that in a group, several of the men or women died in combat not long after the photo was taken.  

No matter what war or conflict, these are the faces of our American freedom.  Freedom which does not come easily or naturally unless someone pays the sacrifice of their safety and/or in many cases, their lives that you and I may sit in comfort and ease, writing blogs, mowing the lawn, enjoying a trip or vacation, and going to worship the Lord at your church.

The embodiment of Freedom however spans far beyond what we know of in America or in the world.  This world for you and me, no matter how free or how oppressed, still ends, and it ends in eternal punishment.  Do you ever wonder what happens to a person when they die?  No maybe not.  We don't care to think about it.  But we will not only think about it one day, but experience it. The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27 that all men will die and when they do, comes judgement.  This sort of judgement is living in a tormented awful place called Hell.  Living there forever, with no hope of leaving is far worse than living under a Hitler, Stalin, Hussein, or any worldly tyrant. The sadness of it is that no one chooses to live in a country where a dictator's rule is life itself, but ALL men and women CHOOSE where they go when they die. The Bible plainly tells us that we were born into sin (Psalm 51:5) and the penalty for sin is eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23).  BUT

Jesus Christ, the Liberator, has made it possible for you and I to have freedom from this penalty we have.  No one or no act can do what He can do.  We as Earth dwellers have no way to negotiate or rectify anything apart from this world.  Souls of men and women are apart from this world.  People in parts of the world can sometimes buy their freedom, but we cannot buy our souls freedom.  Simply put, we don't have the right kind of payment.  It takes the sinless blood of Christ, which we don't have in and of ourselves.  By simply asking Him to pay the penalty for your sins and asking Christ to come in your heart will liberate you from the condemnation that awaits every person when they die.  He will also change your life and you will have a desire to live as He did which is far better than the slop this world dictates.  

The phrase, "Freedom Isn't Free" is correct in this world and in Eternity.  Earthly freedom costs our brave Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Aviators and all service people their lives.  Eternal freedom cost Christ His life too.  He didn't have to come and liberate us, but He chose to.  The face of Freedom is the face of Jesus Christ.  Will you make this Independence Day your new day of Freedom from what awaits you?