On March 23, 1743, it was the first London performance of Handel’s “Messiah” and King George II was in the audience. When the majesty of the Lord was proclaimed by the words of the Hallelujah Chorus, "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth", everyone was so deeply moved that they rose as one to their feet, including the king, to show their respect and to worship the Sovereign of the Universe. So began the tradition of standing throughout the Hallelujah Chorus.
However, here in America we have a lesser appreciation for majesty and royalty. We have not grown up with a king who lives in huge palaces and wears splendid robes, and is addressed as “Your Majesty”. We don’t bow down to royalty and we don’t have to wear proper attire when seen by royalty. So we go through our Christian life, through Christmas, and through Easter with what I believe to be a deficient, incomplete idea of what majesty, royalty and the concept of the King of kings really means.
Jesus is described as a King in the Bible; He is the King of Creation. He is the King of the Jews. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He was all of these things BEFORE He came to earth as a baby. He didn’t BECOME these things. He always was these things. He has always been them and He always will be! But perhaps His most magnificent, awe-inspiring title is “King of kings”. It reminds us that His power far surpasses that of any mortal ruler. It suggests to us the splendor of the ultimate kingdom in which He will reign forever. What is most amazing is that we who know Christ as Savior, are children of the King.
Countries that have an impressive tradition of royalty and a reigning king who is accorded the utmost respect and allegiance have a better understanding of majesty than we do here in America. Many times we Christians focus on keeping Jesus in the manger and we forget that God came in the flesh, and that He wrapped Himself in the body of a helpless baby. As amazing as that is, we cannot lose sight of the fact that this baby was a King from before time began!
If you call yourself a Christian, then ultimately, He is your King. Jesus doesn’t just want to be only your Savior, He wants to be your King. Jesus wants our worship. That doesn’t mean just our attendance on Sunday mornings and our singing and putting up with a message from the pulpit. What He really wants is for us to worship Him with our lives. Do everything out of your love for Him. He loves it when we worship the King of kings that way!
Is HE your King? If not, take a moment right now to make HIM the KING of your life today!
However, here in America we have a lesser appreciation for majesty and royalty. We have not grown up with a king who lives in huge palaces and wears splendid robes, and is addressed as “Your Majesty”. We don’t bow down to royalty and we don’t have to wear proper attire when seen by royalty. So we go through our Christian life, through Christmas, and through Easter with what I believe to be a deficient, incomplete idea of what majesty, royalty and the concept of the King of kings really means.
Jesus is described as a King in the Bible; He is the King of Creation. He is the King of the Jews. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He was all of these things BEFORE He came to earth as a baby. He didn’t BECOME these things. He always was these things. He has always been them and He always will be! But perhaps His most magnificent, awe-inspiring title is “King of kings”. It reminds us that His power far surpasses that of any mortal ruler. It suggests to us the splendor of the ultimate kingdom in which He will reign forever. What is most amazing is that we who know Christ as Savior, are children of the King.
Countries that have an impressive tradition of royalty and a reigning king who is accorded the utmost respect and allegiance have a better understanding of majesty than we do here in America. Many times we Christians focus on keeping Jesus in the manger and we forget that God came in the flesh, and that He wrapped Himself in the body of a helpless baby. As amazing as that is, we cannot lose sight of the fact that this baby was a King from before time began!
If you call yourself a Christian, then ultimately, He is your King. Jesus doesn’t just want to be only your Savior, He wants to be your King. Jesus wants our worship. That doesn’t mean just our attendance on Sunday mornings and our singing and putting up with a message from the pulpit. What He really wants is for us to worship Him with our lives. Do everything out of your love for Him. He loves it when we worship the King of kings that way!
Is HE your King? If not, take a moment right now to make HIM the KING of your life today!
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