The kingdom of God, which formed the heart of King Jesus’ preaching, was so radically different from what the people wanted and expected, it eventually led Jesus to the cross. Mockingly, King Jesus received his crown and was hailed “King of the Jews” while on the cross (Matt 27:37). The compassionate, caring reign of the shepherd-king was unwelcomed in the militant melting pot of first century Palestine. People wanted a warrior-king and would settle for no less. King Jesus sought to transform such muddled thinking. The kingdom he inaugurated and proclaimed was one of service, compassion, and care – a real revolution centered on meeting people’s physical and spiritual needs.
The rest of the NT shows how the earliest Christians tried to live in the kingdom while extending its reign all over the world. We see pictures of Christians struggling to reflect, albeit imperfectly, the compassion and care of their King. The early church understood that proclaiming the reign of King Jesus was a practical affair, not a pious, ritualistic religion. They declared their sole devotion to Christ. Christ is Lord; Caesar is not. But to declare Christ as Lord implied living a lifestyle that reflected his lifestyle. The Christian proclamation of the kingdom of God is about ethics – living holy lives, and sacrificially serving others.
Christmas is not just about King Jesus. It is not simply a holiday to remember the birth of the son of David who was born in Bethlehem. To proclaim the birth of our King Jesus is to proclaim our identity as his subjects. If we are going to declare Jesus as our King we must be loyal subjects. We must live lives that reflect that of the shepherd-king. We must extend the compassion and care which characterized his ministry in our own time, in our own ways, with our own hands. Family members are suffering due to job loss. Church members are suffering due to cancer. Neighbors are suffering divorce. You fill in the blank. Christmas is a unique time of year to look closely at the lives of others to see where we, as subjects of the shepherd-king, can extend his compassion and care.
To proclaim the birth of our King Jesus is to call ourselves to accountability and responsibility and to reflect his compassionate, caring reign. This is the true spirit of Christmas.
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