Welcoming the King
Jesus is the King of kings, and yet the image we have of him riding into the city on a donkey doesn’t feel very valiant. Matthew records Jesus stating that the kingdom of heaven is near, and every kingdom needs a King. But what kind of King is Jesus really? Are we prepared to lay down our cloaks and cry out “Hosanna, save us”? Or subtly, has the notion that we are the king of our own lives crept in?
What is the cost?
Following Jesus is the best choice anyone will ever make, but it does come at a cost. Jesus models a life of sacrifice and service where he puts others first. What if we are faced with choices where we need to decide whether we have the stuff we’ve been dreaming of, or we lay it down to follow the servant King Jesus? Perhaps we will discover there is a greater treasure than what we previously had our hearts set on.
When I’m weary
There is an expectation that we always have more to do, that resting is lazy, and that taking time out can be seen as failure. What if the Kingdom of God offers an alternative lifestyle to the constant capitalist wheel that never sleeps? God himself was the author of resting in the creation narrative. Is chilling on the sofa with endless streaming options enough? Or is there something more fulfilling out there for when we are feeling weary and exhausted?
Who is the greatest?
All of us will have tried to aim high and achieve greatness at some point in life—it’s conditioned into us from a young age. The teaching of Jesus often goes against the ways of the world—the last shall be first and the poor and meek are blessed. The status quo is flipped upside down by Jesus throughout his years in ministry. And children, who were seen as nuisances at the time, are elevated as the “greatest” perhaps without even trying. So instead of aiming for the crown, should we aim to bow down?
When we get tempted
The Bible says that we won’t be tempted beyond what we can bear, but that doesn’t mean we get to go through life without any temptation. Jesus himself was tempted physically and emotionally in the wilderness with desire, power and control. He uses his knowledge of scripture to counter the words of the devil. When we are distracted with other gods, kings and powers of the world, what can we learn from Jesus in how he fights temptation?
The interior life
How much of our lives are for show? It’s not uncommon in church to feel the need to present as ‘good’ or ‘righteous’. And yet, how often to we fall short of the expectations we put on ourselves? What if Jesus isn’t as interested in what we are showing externally, but instead wants full commitment from our inner lives? Fasting is a useful personal discipline of abstinence which can help us grow closer to King Jesus—do we need to make sure we are doing it for the right reasons?
Where is the fruit?
In a world where world leaders, on public stages, are seeking to build their own kingdoms—where do you go and what kingdom do you want to be part of? John the Baptist knew a different King and a different kingdom were coming. He prepares the way for that new King by giving one simple, and often misunderstood, direction: repent.
Ruth Chapter 4
When life seems hard or circumstances seem challenging, what do you do when God seems to be hidden or not present? In the closing chapter of Ruth, we’ll see that God is not only present—he was there the whole time, working in the meanwhile.