Discovering our King

“I am an historian, I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” ~ H.G. Wells


“As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that, measured by His effect on history, Jesus is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.” ~ Historian Kenneth Scott Latourette


“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene....No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” ~ Albert Einstein


“Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the Centerpiece of the human race and the Leader of the column of progress. I am within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.” ~ James C. Hefley

The man Jesus is many things to many people. He is easily the most influential figure in human history. His words and actions changed the course and nature of the society in which he lived as well as the world at large. Today, over two billion people name His name as their savior. It is difficult to imagine what the world would have looked like had He not come and showed us all how to love one another. Sure, very few people actually live this way, but most people at least try. His example sits in the back of all of our minds whether we realize it or not, we all ask “WWJD?” from time to time. His life is a pillar of western civilization. In the developed world today, Jesus is still very highly thought of, but He has been tamed in our minds. We like to picture a kind-hearted hippy walking around Judea and hugging people. In an age when much of the church is, above all, just trying to be really really nice, Jesus Christ and His true royal glory has been largely forgotten. The man spoke with authority, challenged the status quo, foretold the destruction of the Earth, and encouraged His followers to be very radical. Indeed, were Jesus and His disciples around today, they would most certainly be on the DHS “no-fly” list.


Several months ago, I had an experience which made me realize that my perception of Jesus was very close to the castrated Jerry Garcia type I described above. I prayed that God would give me a deep understanding of Jesus as the supreme ruler of the universe. I know this may sound somewhat like He-man to a lot of you, but that is how the Bible ultimately describes Him, in fact, that is how He describes Himself in Matthew 25, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of his glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations.” (KJV) In the book of Revelation He is called “King of kings” and “Lord of lords”, and he is shown to be a conquering King who returns to do battle with the forces of evil and set the Earth aright. It is clear from these texts that Jesus Christ is much more than just another new age guru, He is our supreme King and should be worshiped and served as such.  

It is difficult for Americans to stomach or even understand what it is to live under a sovereign; we have simply never done so. This was why, after seeing Christ as the King of kings in the scripture, I sought divine understanding. It made sense in my head, but I wanted it to make sense in my heart. The Lord answered my prayer. Not long after that I began see the world in a new way. A tornado warning forced me to take shelter in a Wal-mart one night and I found a painting on their bargain rack. It was the risen Jesus seated on a massive throne, he was a warrior-king with the symbols of the twelve tribes of Israel on His scepter. Since that day, I haven’t been able to get that imagery out of my head. No longer do I see a barefoot Tommy Chong when I think of Him, now I see a powerful and righteous King worthy of praise and worship who is coming to destroy the works of evil in our world and set things right. I began to see the world as His realm, and we are His subjects. Let me tell you, this is the way to go. If you are having problems taking your Christian walk seriously, ask the God would reveal Jesus to you in this way. It’s easy to like Jesus as your homeboy, but it is nearly impossible not to love and worship Jesus Christ as your risen and conquering King. He is truly God in the flesh, the only God who could ever be worthy worship by the sheer virtue of who He is.

Let me encourage you. If you know Jesus, discover Him as your King and serve Him with passion. If you do not know Jesus, you need to. He is your King and your knee will bow to Him one day and your tongue will confess His name. I recommend doing so before it is compulsory. Knowing and serving such a man is the greatest honor you will ever find.