This was the topic of the “Pfingstjugendkonferenz” I went to last weekend. A Christian conference where almost 3000 teens came together to hear about God and have fun and fellowship together. Good music, good sermons, workshops, games and the craziness of sleeping on the floor in a gym or classroom, taking cold showers and hanging out with a whole bunch of people for three days. I loved it.
Why? Because I loved being staff and getting to talk to the teens about Jesus and about what God is doing in their lives, in Germany and in other parts of the world. I loved hearing their questions and seeing their desire to grow, to know more about God and to really let him be King in their lives.
I think one of my favourite moments was asking five teenage girls what they had learned, what had touched them, what message they would take home with them. They just offered goofy replies and didn’t seem to take the question seriously. But then one of them wrote me on whatsapp later on, sharing what had impacted her. What it means to her, that Jesus is King.
I promised to do the homework too, so what does it mean to me?
Jesus being King means that he won the victory over sin and death and over the devil, the prince of lies that is in this world only to kill, steal and destroy.
Jesus being King means that if I recognise him as King over my life and submit to his authority, I am free from the sin that enslaved me before. Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sin. By accepting him, my debt is paid and I am free.
Jesus being King means that I am on the side of victory: if God is for me, who can be against me? I need not fear man or death or shame or judgement. Only the opinion of my King matters. If people laugh at me, that’s ok. People can take my earthly crown and crush it – but my worth does not lie in their words or actions but instead is defined by the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when he went to the cross!
Jesus being King means that in everything I do I want to honour him as King, even little things.
Jesus being King means that I want to know him, know his heart, so I can be an ambassador who represents him faithfully.
Jesus being King means that one day he will return to be united with all those that accepted his kingship and to judge those that rejected him and put an end to all evil, hurt and suffering.
Jesus being King means there will be a time of peace and joy when his kingdom is fully established – and in knowing him and letting him be King over my life, I can already begin to experience that today.
The challenge now is to really be loyal to my King in every day life and to honour him.
To remember that I’m serving him and not myself.
So what does that look like? What are the consequences of Jesus being King over my life?
I feel it is best described in a story.
There was a mighty Prince that came into a dark land that was being controlled by an evil ruler. The ruler was full of greed and cruelty and did not let pass an opportunity to make his subjects suffer. Additionally, he did everything in his power to make his subjects resemble him in every way. He encouraged them to be slanderous, unfaithful, selfish, wrathful, violent, impatient and deceitful. Everyone was suspicious of his neighbour and worked to his own advantage. The evil ruler would occasionally kill one of his subjects for his own amusement, but mostly he just watched them destroy each other and found it entertaining to see how all tried to excel in and perfect the vices so harmful to them and to their relationships.
Then the Prince came and defeated the evil ruler. He became King over the land, but there was still much chaos. A decree was made that the evil ruler and all those loyal to him would be exiled at a certain time. The King wanted to wait and give all those who were willing to accept him as their King the opportunity to do so. He found a handful of men in the city that were willing to trust him and accept him as their King. He taught them that his kingdom was different from the old rule. He taught them that instead of living in deceit and selfishness, they should love one another and be generous. He taught them that they should not always seek their own advantage but fight for the cause of the oppressed. He taught them that they should be faithful in serving their King even in seemingly insignificant tasks that would bring them no recognition. He taught them that the attitude of their heart mattered more than their strength and abilities.
And then, when they had come to know this new way of governing and understood their King’s heart, he sent them out throughout the land to let people know that the evil ruler had been defeated and to encourage them to submit to the King. He sent them out as ambassadors to represent him and to rebuke those living in opposition to the kingdom, to encourage the disheartened and to help those that had been wounded. And it was his desire that all should come to him and leave behind the way they lived before and become part of his kingdom. That way, when the time came for the evil ruler and his followers to be exiled, those followers might be few! And many might come to know the beauty of a reign of peace under a King that governs in love and righteousness.
What is the consequence of Jesus being King over my life?
I want to serve him like one of those ambassadors serving their King, by representing him in my life and going throughout the land to let people know that they do not need to continue to live enslaved by what Jesus has defeated!
I want to invite people to know the King personally and be changed by his amazing love and grace!
I want to be a demonstration of that love and grace and, with God’s help, serve and love other people.
I want to invite people to accept that Jesus not only died for their sins on the cross and paid the price for the sin that made them enemies of God – but that he also rose again, defeating sin and death and making him King and Lord.
One day Jesus will return and everyone will be judged.
When I stand before God, I know I will be accepted – because I chose to accept Jesus as King over my life.
Those that refused Jesus as King and remained under the rule of the enemy will face exile: an eternity in hell.
Jesus does not want anyone to be lost in exile.
He wants everyone to know him and find peace and life in him.
And he’s given me and all other people that have already decided to accept him as King the task of expanding his kingdom and telling other people about him.
That’s why I keep talking about Jesus.
That’s why I want to show people what Jesus is like.
I’ve gotten to know him and he set me free and changed my life!
What about you? Whom do you serve?
Who is King over your life?
