We Are Home

She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21
 
Once God’s chosen people, the Israelites, rejected Him as King things got worse.  It wasn’t long after their decision that their Kingdom experienced disunity and was eventually divided into two different kingdoms.  Both of those kingdoms would be conquered and they would be taken into captivity.  When they were finally given the opportunity to return from exile, to go back to the promised land, they found it under someone else’s rule.  So, they were no longer slaves in one land, but now found them under someone else’s authority and rule in their own land.  So, when Jesus’ birth was announced they viewed it as their opportunity to finally have their kingdom back, to finally be home.

For us, when we read about Jesus’ birth we immediately think of Savior.  Jesus came to die for our sins, to save us from eternal death, and to give us eternal life.  We don’t usually think of Him in terms of King.  But, for the Jews, He was King first.  What we need to realize is Jesus is both of those things.  He is Savior and He is King.  He came to save the world from sin and to also give the world an opportunity to come home, to live in His Kingdom.

In His Kingdom we find freedom.  In His Kingdom we find reconciliation.  In His Kingdom we find comfort and security.  In his Kingdom we can find all the things we long for and hunger for in “home.”  The Israelites longed for the day when they could truly return home and with the arrival of Christ they were given that chance.  Let’s all take advantage of this opportunity and go home by letting Jesus be King.

Pastor Matt