by Alyssa Chea
Let’s go back to the very beginning. Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (NIV). That is the beginning of the timeline in which we mark all the events leading up to the birth of our King. Have you ever thought about that—how God has such sovereign control over time, his creation, and his will? Not only did God create the heavens and the earth, but in the beginning, God had a plan for a redemption. Even before the fall of man, God knew he would send himself in the form of his Son Jesus to fulfill prophecy and die an innocent death.
We read in Matthew 21:9, “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!’” (NIV). The people were shouting “Hosanna” as they welcomed Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Hosanna means “save me now.” The crowd not only recognized Jesus as King, but as their Savior. The people at the time may not have grasped the full understanding of what kind of saving their awaited Messiah was bringing. Their life experiences had created a desire for rescue from religious leaders and national boundaries—a king to conquer their oppressor, the Romans. However, Jesus offers salvation as spiritual redemption—not an overthrow of an earthly kingdom.
The kingdom of Jesus is a heavenly kingdom separate from this physical world. The apostle John recorded these words that Jesus addressed to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36, NIV). As believers, we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom. Our salvation comes when we place Jesus on the throne of our lives as King and Savior. We recognize that we are in this world, but we are not of this world. King Jesus was shamed, tortured, and crowned with thorns by the Roman soldiers prior to his horrific execution by crucifixion. This world mocks the one true King and exults sin. But as followers of Jesus, we are called to cooperate with God’s plan for his kingdom.
Justice vs. Mercy
Close up of crown of thorns of Jesus and Judge gavel on black background. Christian back concept show God justice and Christ’s redemption concept
In John 15:15, during the last seder meal that Jesus celebrated with his disciples, Jesus told them, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you” (NIV). We are not slaves, but friends of the Most High God. We have the satisfying privilege of being called and equipped to fulfill the purpose of meeting unbelievers on this earth and inviting them into the kingdom of Heaven.
Our King is sovereignly in control of a heavenly kingdom, and he alone holds all authority. One day, we will all face a final judgment. As humans, we are ungodly and sinful. We are undeserving of his mercy. Even still, God loves us. The prophet Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 32:4, “He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (NIV). God’s justice and mercy seem to contradict, yet complement, each other simultaneously. God’s justice ensures that evil is punished and that his laws are upheld.
But God’s mercy is demonstrated through his love and compassion for believers. God loves us first and he is slow to anger. He has made the gift of forgiveness available to us through his Son. Jesus is the King who was blameless, yet tortured, so that we could receive forgiveness and experience the Father’s mercy. We are reconciled to God through the blood of the perfect Lamb who takes away the sin of the whole world. God is patiently waiting for unbelievers to come to repentance.
His Past and Future Plan
Last Sunday at Christ’s Church was Easter Sunday. Our lead pastor, Brad Wilson, talked last week about how Jesus overcame death and the grave so that we could live in an unbelievable eternity beginning now. If you missed Brad’s teaching last Sunday, you can check it out here.
But some people have a hard time grasping that there is nothing wrong with their lives right now. Why would they need to live in an eternity they can’t comprehend? Many people resist the concept of humanity’s sinfulness and God’s just judgment upon sin. Our hearts are deceitful, and the enemy manipulates us to be our own judge according to a worldly “law.” Our impure desires lead us into sin, and we often attempt to justify our own wrongs. But there is only one way to receive total justification for sin. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 3:22-25, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” (NIV).
Our King is our Savior. I am no more deserving of my righteousness in Christ than an unbeliever. Jesus is King and has conquered all sin. When we make him the King of our lives, we receive eternal life and citizenship into the kingdom of Heaven. The apostle Peter instructs us, “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:11-14, NIV).
We can trust in God’s sovereign control because from the very beginning he had a plan. He fulfilled his plan by sending a Savior. Jesus is seated on the throne of Heaven. We serve a King who is like no other—a King who knows our names and calls us his friends. A King who willingly laid down his life for his people. A King who conquered the grave and triumphantly rose back to life so that our future could be secure. And that’s a plan you can count on!
Alyssa Chea and her husband have been married for nine years, and they have a six-year-old son. Alyssa loves cooking, coffee, and all things Disney! She has a passion for running and fitness and wants to use that to help build God’s kingdom on Earth.