A King is Not a King Unless he Rules

A King that does not rule is no king at all. Now granted in our day and age, being King is more of a governmental status than anything else. More for pomp and circumstance than a real live ruling kind of king. However, back in Jesus day, a King that did not rule was not a king at all.
The wise men arrived in Jerusalem asking questions about one who was born king of the Jews. Upon hearing this news King Herod became very suspicious and it disturbed him very much. Those wise men had some stones going to a king asking for directions to another king born to the Jews! Herod had a terrible history of violence and insecurity and so it followed that the whole city of Jerusalem was very nervous and disturbed not knowing how this insanely jealous King Herod would react.
Herod called two strategic meetings. One a public one were he gathered all the religious leaders together to discern the foretold birthplace of the King born to the Jews. Once finding out the information he called a private meeting with the wise men; telling them of the prophecy that Bethlehem would be the birth place of such a king. Finding out when the star had first appeared he sent them on their way only asking that when they find the child they return and tell him so he could also go and “worship” him too.
After the wise men had found the little king and worshipped him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod but to go home another way. Which they did post haste.
When Herod found out he had been outwitted he went from disturbed to furious. In his uncontrollable rage he issued an order to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and surrounding area under the age of two. He did this based on the intelligence gathered from the wise men regarding when they had first seen the star.
This part of the Christmas story is not often told. We hear of peace on earth and good will toward all people in songs and carols and Christmas readings. But, try and tell that to all the moms and dads of Bethlehem. Try and explain to them that Christmas is the happiest season of all or the most wonderful time of the year.
You see the existence of another king is serious business. A king demands allegiance. A king demands loyalty. A king demands your life. Or more simply a king demands…full stop!
If Jesus really is a King then his demands must be met or the consequences could be very dire! We are not accustom to being told how to live. We humans like to think we are the masters of our own destiny. We all think we are like royalty. Nobody has the right to tell us anything, especially how to live!
But King Jesus is very clear about this. If we try to save our own lives, if we try to rule them and be the masters of our own destiny then we will lose our lives. However, if we lose our lives, if we submit to him, if we give him rulership of our lives, then we will find our lives full and rich and rewarding forever.
This Christmas try and think through how the birth of Jesus was responded to by King Herod. Think of how those families in Bethlehem, for the rest of their lives, were minus one little boy. The pain never went away completely like a not so wonderful Christmas gift that keeps on delivering grief.
Jesus is a king. He makes demands. The question is will we react like Herod trying desperately to hang on to the rulership of our own lives or will we respond differently, handing over our lives to King Jesus and in doing so find true life.
The darker side of Christmas is not often spoken of. But now you know the rest of the story.