Read:
Old Testament: 1 Samuel 16: 1-13
New Testament: Luke 2: 1-7
Meditate:
Jesus entered the world at a time of great unrest. The Jewish people of the time were oppressed by a foreign occupation, and forced to pay burdensome taxes to a foreign king while a Roman sympathizer sat on David’s throne. They were allowed to live on their land but were denied ownership of ancestral homes. The entire nation longed for David’s line to return and reclaim the throne that belonged to God’s chosen. Many believed the Messiah would come with a great army ready to overthrow Rome.
Instead, he comes quietly and humbly as a baby.
This entrance marks a renewed hope for the hopeless. This humble birth, in a quiet town in the hills, means that the true King has arrived. That true justice and peace will reign.
The Roman tagline in the first century was Pax Romana, meaning Roman Peace. This peace was taken by force, through war and subjugation. Jesus’ quiet arrival, in the city of His forefather, David, means that the King of Promise will bring peace, justice, and mercy to the lowly without the use of war or tools of oppression. The details Luke gives us of Jesus’ birth and lineage point to David’s anointing as king of Israel, and the promise God made with him that his line would reign forever.
When Jesus is born, the angel of God appears to shepherds. This may have been confusing to the shepherds. Surely the new king would be born in a palace, in a wealthy home, or in the home of a religious leader. None of these locations would have been accessible to the shepherds because they were outcasts from higher society and were often considered ritualistically unclean by the religious leaders due to the nature of their occupation. But God deliberately lets the outcasts know first, that His Kingdom is different from the ones they are used to.
The angels bring good news to the shepherds, and this King is not inaccessible to them, he was born in Bethlehem, in a stable, wrapped in swaddling cloth, and lying in a manger. The angels burst into song, singing about God’s boundless glory and that through the birth of the infant king Jesus in Bethlehem, peace has invaded Earth. Jesus has indeed come as king, He is not just the son of David, He is God incarnate. The perfect son who will rule with God’s wisdom, mercy, and justice. The shepherds rush to meet the infant King Jesus, and they are overcome with praise and great joy. The king has come to save even the likes of them.
The shepherds were certainly surprised that God chose to share the good news of their King’s arrival with them first, but perhaps they would have remembered the first king from the town of Bethlehem who was chosen by God, the king who had been a shepherd like them.
God chose David to be king over Israel because He knew his heart longed for Him. He was not looking for a mighty military leader or a tall man who could stand face-to-face with giants. Though David was a mighty man, God was looking for someone who knew what it meant to be least in the kingdom. He wanted a man who would ache after God’s wisdom, righteousness, and justice to be the law that rules in the land. So God chose David, the youngest son, and a shepherd to represent His rule in Israel.
God promised David that his line will rule in Israel forever. Through that rule, God will bring peace, justice, and salvation to everyone. We quickly see that for centuries the sons of David are catastrophic failures as kings in the land. They are oppressive, they worship other Gods, and they trust in military might and not the protection of God. Yet even though these kings fail countless times, God remains faithful to His promises. He preserves David’s line so that Jesus would come and reign as the king who will not fail.
Jesus’ Kingship extends far beyond Bethlehem and Israel. He came to establish His reign over all of creation, including our hearts and lives. When we confess that He is King, we deny what we think it means to be wise, righteous, and just. We look to Him for our example of what it means to love God and others. He shows us how to bring peace and justice into the world. We are no longer slaves to our sin, which gives us freedom to act mercifully like our King. We know that He has been enthroned as King and He is ruling in justice. His enthronement is the victory of life over death.
Pray:
Jesus help us recognize the kingship you hold over our whole world and in our lives. Help us to surrender to your peace when our hearts do not have any. We look to you for guidance and wisdom in all things. We thank you that you are open-handed in your love.
Amen
Kids Questions:
- Who was the shepherd God made a king?
- Who did the angel of God appear to announce the birth of Jesus?
- Why is it important to recognize Jesus as king over all things?
Sing:
O Come All Ye Faithful – Bethel Kids
Hark the Herald Angels Sing – Lifetree Kids
