The King and I

Pastor Jonathan’s Monday letter:

Jesus the King has arrived and will arrive again, repent and believe the good news. This is such an important truth and it is the center of our longing during advent - for redemption and for the final redemption of living with Christ as the forever King.

Dave Hansen opened Mark 1:1-15 so well yesterday, and seeing the baptism of Christ as a coronation was not something I had thought about before and it is so brilliant. The kingdom truly is at hand! What great hope we have in this King. The one who lived in our place, died our death and still gives us true life through his resurrection. As believers we are part of his kingdom and kept by him.

This isn’t a light reality however. It is not meant to be just one of the life facts about us, but the truest thing, the most important thing. The problem is I have a tendency to want the throne as king of my life or fail to relinquish dominion of corners of my existence to this true King.

Still Jesus does not look to be harsh and exact punishment, he is the comforting King. And all he desires is to extend his grace and renewal to every nook and cranny of our lives. So toward that end we do what he says, we repent and believe the good news. The kingdom is at hand.

We repent by turning away from the idol kings, from the sins, addictions, reactions we are so used to and instead face Jesus. Pursue Jesus. We admit those previous ways are less than and now we desire the King to rule in our hearts and all of life.

Then believe. That Jesus is who the Bible says he is, that he really met the wrath for sin and disobedience and gifts us his righteousness. That he really did rise from the tomb so that we could rise from spiritual death as well. That he is King. It is not something you earn but something that is announced over you. Believe it and live.

Keep going friends. Live under the comforting rule of this King. Repent and believe. Merry Christmas!