122. Born to rule.

'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.' (Isaiah 9:6) The Prophet Isaiah made many direct predictions about the Messiah, as in this passage, which predicted that he will reign on David's throne. Therefore, the angel said to Mary: "You will be with a child and give birth to a son and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:31-33) And so 'she gave birth to a son, a male child who will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre.' (Revelation 12:5) But He wasn't born to rule this world but to die for this world and rule the next! So when they tried to make him king by force, he slipped away! 'Jesus knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.' (John 6:15) And when Pilate questioned Jesus, this is what he had to say: "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." "You are a king then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered," You are right in saying that I am a king. Infact for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." (John 18:36-37) If we are on the side of truth, we cannot fail to listen to his words : "The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:25) Yet many of his followers want to make it big in this world! But only those who overcome this world will rule together with Christ in the next! "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Revelation 3:21) "To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give him authority over the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre; he will dash them to pieces like pottery - just as I have received authority from my Father." (2:26-27) We too were born again to rule, just as He was born to rule. The government will be on his shoulders and we will shoulder it together with him. 'Here is a trustworthy saying: "If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him."' (2 Timothy 2:11-12) Let make room in our hearts for Christ, for the one who was born to die for us that we might rule with him. Amen.