Jay N Smith's Blog

I really enjoyed having a day off for President’s Day, regardless of who is President.  A lot of people, though, took it more seriously than I did.  It is not hard to find someone saying that Donald Trump’s first month in office is the most unusual one they have ever seen.  I don’t think that I have paid very much attention to past Presidential transitions, but I have never seen the number and scale of anti-President demonstrations in the past that are occurring now.  I faintly remember the expression “Not My President” used with reference to Presidents Clinton and Obama, but nothing of the magnitude of recent protests.  Has this happened before?

Yes, it has.  It is the story of mankind.  We are fiercely independent people and we want – no, we demand – to rule ourselves.  Jesus told a parable with this theme; it is recorded for us in Luke 19:11-27.  Here are the most relevant parts for this discussion:

A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. … But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’  (Luke 19:12, 14)

Jesus is of course the nobleman who went into a far country – heaven – to receive for himself a kingdom.  Notice that His citizens, the people of his native land, hated him and did not want Him to rule.  That is reflected in John 1:11 “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.”  That rebellion extends far beyond Jesus’ countrymen.  Through our sin and sinful desire for self-rule, it is as though we are each marching in a demonstration saying “we do not want God to rule over us” and we are smashing some windows in the process to make sure that our intentions are clear.

Perhaps you feel that the demonstrators are justified and they shouldn’t have to submit to Mr. Trump’s presidency, but the same thing happens with Jesus every day, and He is a perfect king!  He offers us the opportunity to become not just a subject in His kingdom – which is a fine privilege – but also his fellow heir!  Isn’t that incredible?  We have everything to gain and nothing to lose and yet “the broad road” is filled with people who resolutely say that they do not want to be ruled by God.

The parable that Jesus told focused on good stewardship of resources, but it has a sobering end:

‘…  But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’  (Luke 19:27)

A day of judgment is coming; it is not for those who rebel against human government, but those who refuse to submit to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Today is the day to bow the knee before the Lord Jesus Christ and submit to His loving Lordship.  Psalm 2 – written hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth – has this warning:

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.  (Psalm 2:10-12)

Indeed, all who take refuge in Him are blessed!  They have a holy, righteous and perfect King and Savior.